Personal Study

Evaluation

Inside, Outside, In-between

Evaluation

My approach to this project was to first mind-map around the words 'inside, outside, in-between'. I picked some words that were provided in the project paper such as, tunnels and forests and did a mind-map around them. The theme that I enjoy the most and I wanted to show in my work was nature because I felt there was a lot of directions that I could take.

After trying out different techniques and different ideas I settled on the idea of 'human affects on nature' because I felt that I could explore different aspects of nature and how we affect it, also I feel that we could help more to safe nature and I wanted to try and get this across in my work.

I did general research on nature and also I research on different techniques and different artists. I wanted to research global warming and endangered animals because I felt if I knew more about them I could portray it better in my work.

Initially I looked at the work of Anselm Kiefer because he has a strong link to nature and I found his technique interesting and unique. A also looked at Auguste Rodin because I wanted to try out structuring. I haven’t used clay much so wanted to develop my skills in this medium.

I took some initial photos to do with nature and this gave me primary images that I could develop my skill from. I also went to a art gallery that showed Meschac Gaba's work and this inspired me to have a meaning in my work because with work had strong meaning.

Textiles

I think the most successful textiles piece that I did was my final piece because I feel it shows the melting ice and the that more and more of it is melting. The stitching is subtle because I wanted to show that subtle changes that can course devastation. Other then my final piece I think the image of the world on the fabric was where I knew I wanted to show global warming in my textiles final piece. I felt that the rust dye on the fabric made the world look like it was on fire and I think the stitching helped to represent this.

I looked at using a sewing machine, rust dye, batik, hand stitching, photo deconstruction, slashing, printing on fabric and marbling on fabric. I think marbling on to the fabric worked really because it created an affect that paint wouldn’t which looked like an aerial view of the Antarctic.

Kim Thittichai inspired me to look at differnet ways I could use textiles to create affects that know over mediums can. Also Yann Arthus-Bertran's work inspired me to try and create aerial view using marbling because his photographs look like marbling. My final piece was also inspired by Yann Arthus-Bertrain because I found that the technique worked well and stitching into the different shapes that was created by the inks looked well as-well.

My final textile piece come out better than I thought because the more I stitch into it the more texture and detailed the piece got and I feel that its the best textile piece I have done. If I was going to do it again I would have maybe done two more piece at A5 size to accompany the A4 piece.

Fine Art

I believe I have explored a lot of different techniques, mediums and artist. I believe the water colour painting of the dog and the acrylic painting of the dogs as-well show development in my painting skills and I'm happy with the work in the fine art side of this project.

The artist that inspired me the most in this project was Anselm Kiefer and Takeshi Kawano. Looking at Takeshi Kawano work inspired me to look at the melting idea and develop was that I could show melting and how it could link to global warming. Nild Udo is an artist that I look at in my personal study and he inspired me to look at human affects on nature.

I looked at three different ideas: melting, fire and cages. I looked at all different ideas and developed them but found that the idea of melting an endangered animal would get my message across the best. I looked at different ways to melt animals but I found Photoshop was a good way to get a realistic effect. I choose to use acrylic paint because I found the paint was bolder and creates a better affect then watercolours. I choose to do a painting of a polar bear because when I think of global warming I think of the ice melting and the polars bears.

I also painted a fish which I edited so it looked like it was melting. I believe the quality of the painting wasn't as good as the polar bear however I feel it links more to my primary images. Both the polar bear and the fish represent my final fine art pieces.

I'm really happy with the outcome of my final piece I think it shows the message. The fact that its a baby polar bear makes the message stronger because babies are seen to be innocent and vulnerable.

I think if I had more time I would have explored the cage idea further because I thing this had potential.

I'm really happy with this project because I'm happy with the two final pieces that I produced.

My final piece link to the theme inside outside and in-between because peoples views on global warming and endangered animals are either for (inside), against (outside) or in the middle (in-between). I think this links to the theme well and also to my personal theme.