Studio: 2nd March

 Today I went to the studio to begin practical work for reflective practice. As always at the beginning of a unit, I am looking to acquire more primary source material to work from and develop into compositions. I have a plan for how to begin but it relies on coordinating other people so instead I have started with what is essentially planning. It was great to get back in the studio again, just for time to think and be surrounded by my work. 
One of the points on my outline study plan is:

I noticed that I predominantly use primary colours in my work. I really want to experiment with achieving an overall colour in my work like in Edmund Dulac (shown ‘The Entomologist’s Dream’). I will begin with experimental surfaces exploring this idea – I need to know what the impact of limiting my palette will be.
 

I have chosen to create a 'wash' colour background on three canvases first to see how this affects the overall colour of the work. Even as I was doing this I was wishing that I already had figures drawn on the canvas so I could wipe away the paint within the figures' form; this is because I value the light which comes from the ground of the canvas. They have various effects e.g. ragging, drippling and sponging - I am curious as to how these will contribute the surface of the painting. I originally planned to move away from primary colour but I seem to be drawn to these colour palettes - I am hoping that I will be able to make the colour more subtle than in recent works.

 I also did some pen and ink drawing which has rather a scratchy, pleasing quality. These drawings are based on collected images and imagination. I have explored merging animal with human form and falling figures (although both very briefly). This is kick starting my development idea of:

To explore this idea I intend to video figures moving, then take stills from the moving images to capture transitional movement. This should incorporate the suggestion of falling and flying, linking to the idea of spectacle.

and: I plan to incorporate animal characteristics or features in some way to emphasise otherness and blurring of boundaries; this may also be developed into other forms such as buildings or other structures. 

Sketches using animal images morphed into humans plus notes to remember

Cape Gannet - kind of falling due to lack of wings

3 figures reduced to core - not animated enough

Falling figure with odd dog - love the awkward angle and placing with this drawing and the dark shadows

Falling movement almost appears as a performative pose

Immediate Reflection:

It's really invigorating to have time to go to my studio without a plan and have time to think, play and make. I feel that the decision to use primary colours as the canvas ground gives me enough variety to develop the idea of united colour; I will probably explore smaller surfaces with different grounds as well to produce quick colour studies when I have source material. The 'animal' sketches have prompted me to consider a different pathway although I felt that I needed photos or observational work from animals and figure in order to be able to produce convincing drawings. I prefer the more animated 'falling' drawings and could now begin to explore fight or flight, nesting (giant scale) and peril with these as a starting point. Merging birds of prey from Pitt Rivers and trampolining photos may be the way forward...I am also thinking about adding animal features to the face or figure, for example reptilian scales, feathers, talons to move towards shape shifting form - this is why moving figures are so important, I want to capture sense of evolution, escaping or contortion.

One month reflection:

The decision to use primary colours may have appeared safe at this point but having now put all my recent work up in my studio, there is unity between the surfaces. Painting the whole background is proving to have been a mistake as I am lacking the areas of light from the ground of the canvas which I value so highly. I am still in a position where I need to collect more imagery, although I am clearer that the figures need to look less deliberate in their action, more transient and perhaps caught off guard. The issues of anthropomorphism are still ideas - I am having difficulty developing this visual without being too literal/illustrating. However, at this stage I am collating a wealth of references and imagery which I hope later will help me to build and grow narrative.