Post Tutorial Research

Following my tutorial, there were many lines of inquiry that we discussed that I need to research. Colour is the focus but as I discovered, the ideas are broad ranging and tenuously linked. This is how I like to pursue ideas; they circle broadly round a central theme or interest and gradually become more focused and specific as the work evolves. 

I have researched Ewan Uglow and can see why he is relevant to my practice. The subtly of colour, evidence of planning composition and quietness in the paintings show careful technical consideration. In particular, the way the light is reflected to introduce and unify colour around the painting space shows sensitivity which currently my paintings lack. I don't want to lose all the saturation but this seems to be a more conscious approach to integrating a wide palette. 

Ewan Uglow

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/search/painted_by/euan-uglow_artists

http://paintingperceptions.com/figure-painting/euan-uglow

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2006/dec/16/art.architecture

I have also researched John Constable's use of colour following a discussion about creating space within a painting by using colours which recede and emerge to trick the eye. This quote sums up a key point about Constable's technique...
'Constable had to create new techniques to give the realistic appearance of flowing water and wind blowing through trees. By layering reds with the greens of his trees, the artist was able to create this depth in a way which had never been done before. Not only this, but the reds added a vibrancy to the trees, something that was missing from classical landscapes.' http://www.artble.com/artists/john_constable

The vivid, more saturated reds and lime greens in the foreground of the painting force the viewer to 'see' these first, whereas the blue recedes into the background.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/j/john-constable-learning-resources/

 

Red Shift Theory

When I was considering perception of colour, it occurred to me that there may be a scientific explanation (although fractional), as to why red for example, is more dominant in our vision than some shades of blue. I had a very enthusiastic debate with my A Level students (some of whom also study Physics), which made us consider wave length, sensitivity of cone cells in the eye, and speed and energy of waves transferring coloured light. I am going to pick my dad's brain (astrophysicist) and come back to this, but there must be an explanation as to why our brain interprets and receives colour in a certain way. This of course may not be the same from everyone...

 

Just a glance at Marco Mazzoni's incredible coloured pencil drawings , addressing some ideas of animalism and hybridity. This links well to the anthropomorphic sideline which emerged from my Pecha Kucha presentation.

http://marcomazzoni.tumblr.com/ 

The Judge - Marco Mazzoni

Finally, I have also asked Claire for some pointers for reading to support the animal behaviour element...her ideas were on point (Thanks Claire!) and have now arrived from Amazon. 

• Anything by Marina Warner http://www.marinawarner.com/index.html 

• The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales 

• Becoming Animal: Contemporary Art in the Animal Kingdom-Nato Thompson  

Reflection 

I need to find time to read. I have plenty of opportunities to investigate colour and visual examples with some theory but I have to find time to properly engage and make my reading relevant to my practice. I plan to create some small scale paintings investigating colour in varying grades of saturation, considering the visible light spectrum and reflecting light. Ideally I would like to use oil paint for these as this is my preferred medium but there is a drying time element to consider so this may be problematic - however, multiple small surfaces could help and also some studies in ink, watercolour, coloured pencil just to get a sense of what I could make.

One month reflection 

I have time to read by taking the train occasionally rather than driving:)! I love Marina Warner's Fantastic Metamorphoses, Other Worlds - from what I have read so far this is very relevant for my practical investigations and gives a different insight to doubling/pairing/splitting. I find it curious that it also brought me back to Hieronymus Bosch - Garden of Earthly Delights which was the title of my Studio 7b blog just before I started the MA - most things become relevent eventually. I didn't complete the colour studies in the way I thought I would but so far I have used composition and distribution of colour to try to manipulate the viewer's perception and encounter with the work. This is perhaps a more considered, less spontaneous way of using colour than I am used to but I still believe that it will achieve a better painting in the end.