Home Comforts - Filling Space

The idea that people buy a blank canvas to do up, interests me vastly. They buy a blank space to put their own possessions in and fill the space with *typically* items and friends, that make them happy. This links in to the idea of how people fill their mind with comfortability to make everyday life that little more bearable. The "filling" comes with time and effort and I plan to illustrate what they do fill their space with.
Here's a few images from the internet of home, rooms, own spaces - of what people fill their spaces with.

Fury friends and tables

Indoor plants

IDEA'S FOR ILLUSTRATIONS

• Basic illustrations of the items 
• Pictures of items with illustrations on top 
• People illustrations
• Repeat patterns
• Zine

Style/Artist influences

Cath K

The Cath Kidston designs are a favourite of mine because of their sometimes very intricate detail yet simplistic take and common house hold items made interesting. I'm not actually sure who designs them, I can't find it anywhere! I imagine there to be a warehouse full of floral designs and people in beautiful outfits with fairy lights, designing all the possible designs for their new season feels.

Richard Hamilton Inspiration (collages)

The technique used by Richard is something that I have been eager to try for a while, but with a little different edge on it. I have been interested in creating imagery that is photography x illustration, however this has a hint of it - it contains something quite similar of a technique. The background looks like it's from a magazine and is simply edited up on a photoshop document and then a circle placed over their faces. That is interesting to me because we typically recognise people from their faces and I would be interested in creating something that takes away that familiarity and ordinary way of recognition. Taking away somebody's immediate identity gives a sense of freedom to me - almost going completely incognito - which by theory, relates to my "what you fill the space" in your mind, with. The feeling of being completely comfortable.

These two are also a couple of favourites produced by Richard Hamilton. They are interesting because again, neither have their initial identity - both are face/headless. However, the right image completely interests me and relates to my idea in mind. The way the body is floating above the sea, almost in the clouds, creates a sense of freedom, yet contrasts slightly with the way the body is structured and is almost stiff looking. The right hand image makes me question, because immediately you don't see what it is (which as far as i can tell, its two people kissing.) The imagery looks found, especially since I do believe the behind image is a recognisable piece by Andy W. Both images are quite easily constructed - they could almost be done completely by hand, cut and stuck out.

Illustrated illuminated Medieval Manuscripts of Interest

SOURCE 1

Snail vs. Knight, from The Smithsfield Decretals, decretals of Gregory IX, Tolouse, c. 1300. Illuminations were added about forty years later in London.

Why did knives fight snails in illuminated manuscripts?

The truth is, nobody really knows for sure why snails are always fighting against knights in illuminated manuscripts. They are typically seen to be on the winning side of the fight and this has caused much speculation over why the knights always seem to be fighting snails:- 'the poor against oppressive aristocracy'; to ruin the reputation of the snail being a garden pet; even the ideal that it could be a symbolisation of the 'saucy female form.'

-Source 2

Rabbits killing men in The Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300

Long Neck, from Book Of Hours, England, early 14th century

 Dalmatian Sea Monster, an illustration by Poggio Bracciolini, added to a copy of Le Miroir du Monde, mid-15th century

Nürnberger Schemaart-Buch

Key Points William De Morgans way of working (Highly my inspiration)

How he created his tiles/ceramics:

"The original pattern was drawn onto paper and then traced onto very thin paper. Oxides and pigments were then painted onto the paper, this was then placed face down onto a bisque tile and brushed over with glaze and fired. This method was fraught with difficulties and depended on an exact firing to prevent lifting and blistering of the paper. However it must have been viable as many tiles were decorated in this way. "

"His use of Islamic Art as inspiration created some of his most intricate designs; he managed to reproduce the vibrant blues, greens and turquoise of Islamic pottery of the 15th and 16th centuries and re-discovered the sliver and copper lustre’s of ancient Hispanic pottery and Italian Majolica.  Ionic pottery  from Turkey is a prime example of his ability to capitalise on a source. In the 19th century Turkish pottery was collected by individuals and museums. His brilliance in design was matched by his knowledge of chemistry which enabled him to react to the results of firings and create a wide and exciting palette range."

ISLAMIC ART

ITALIAN MAJOLICA

IZNIK POTTERY

 "He had a great sense of humour shown in his tiles decorated with imaginary animals, influenced by his extensive knowledge of medieval illustrated manuscripts. The decorative handling of birds, fish and animals influenced many; Lewis Carroll used them in part of a decorative scheme at Christ Church College, Oxford."

"The sinuous use of line in his floral tiles relates to both Islamic and European Art, the influence of early medieval herbals with their simple line illustrations of plants can be clearly seen in his and Morris’s work. William De Morgan’s ability to re-work historical designs made him stand out as a designer. Using historical sources for inspiration was paramount in his development as a designer."

-Source

A Few More From Manc/Jai Redman

This is a piece by Jai Redman, an environmentalist artist. This is a painting (use of watercolour) and I find it really beautiful. It may just be just a leaf - but the way that if you weren't stood close it would just look like a leaf, interests me. I'm typically a real hater of all realism (because I think you can just take a photo of that and it's not very inventive) but when it comes to nature, I feel differently. Environmentalist Redman has opened my eyes and now I wanna do more nature paintings, damn.

These are some pressed fern leaves in the museum. I love the way that the leaves are all differently shaped and the detail within each section of it. I sadly didn't record where this one was from, but the difference between this one and the one below is significant considering they're classified as the exact same plant.

These final two from the museum conclude what my favourite pieces from the natural museum were. Look how pretty dried, pressed plants were and are. They inspire me to draw them and have inspired me to try out having my own version but in a sketchbook.

FILL THE SPACE IN YOUR MIND

This is a quick (just over an hour) composition I've created to kick start my thought process for this unit. The aim for the unit is to portray the idea of how we fill our confidence and our memories through-out life. We create space for people, so that they can fill the space. Filling the space we have in our days with tasks whether for pleasure or tasks he almost have no choice in. 

The quick composition was created by finding random imagery form the internet and almost none of them had any source to credit - however I have completely changed the images from their original state. A lot of colour replacement, duplicating and altering the opacity for the layers. Bettie Page is riding the leaf.

I would love to do more things like this. 

Life drawing (again)

Currently, this is the step I have taken when it comes to life drawing. I am experimenting with style when it comes to bog-standard-pencil because pencil is definitely not my strength. I decided to try just going for it; squiggly and experimental. The automatic style works well with keeping everything in proportion as you don't over-think what you're doing.

Again, this is the automatic experiment I'd completed.

Alongside the automatic style with pencil, I have decided that painting very automatically too grasps a better shape and comes with a more interesting outcome. Although less detailed, you can always build on top of the painting you're completing and you could go over with different colours (i.e) when trying out a different position.

A long term favourite of mine, is using pen (biro). You can experiment with the amount of depth you put on the paper by pressing down and you can get a lighter, more detailed angle on your work when pressing less-down. I feel as though pen flows much better than pencil.

This is the finished little 10 minute paintings competed with acrylic. Acrylic is good because you can add layers upon layers to your painting and it will blend out nicely. You can also go back to it later which I love, because it doesn't ruin it. I added white to the lighter sections but didn't blend - which actually looks rather effective. Darker sections took well with the red shade, because it wasn't too harsh yet it was distinguisable. 

This was my first attempt (sharpie) at doing this angle. OH my DAYS. I can't even begin to tell you how difficult I found it to proportion when the angle was so difficult to comprehend. The leg wasn't elongated enough, but as an initial attempt (considering I used the pencil measuring technique) I don't think it's overly terrible.