Fibonacci Sequence

This project was inspired my interest in maths. Upon discovering that many plants are arranged according to Fibonacci's Sequence I played around with how the sequence could produce patterns. A pine cone gave me the idea for the image on the left. I then decided to glue many little tents onto the lines to accentuate the 3 dimensional structure of a pine cone. I noticed after taking photos that the piece would manipulate light in an interesting way. Therefore I took a black spray can and moving it around the outside, made an impression of how the light would act. I was intriguing to see which areas of the structure would stay white and which would go black.

Androgynous

A 2B pencil was used to create the contours of these kissing skulls. Pencil crayon of any softness is my favourite and most successful artistic medium. The control and precision of a pencil satisfies my logical mind and enables me to fully manipulate where I add depth and shadow. I decided to draw kissing skulls because I wanted to show the matter of fact concept behind gender and sexuality because, as a matter of fact, underneath we're all the same.

The Bone Behind

Again I used a 2B pencil to create the impression of a skull. Taking a photo with the piece in front of a person I believe gives it a shocking effect as the audience observes the innovative and yet obvious analogy. This piece I believe highlights my ability to see beyond what is originally apparent.

Calcium Bricks

This woman was painted using acrylics which I decided to layer in order to create a more rough 'skin-like' texture. I wanted to give the impression of an innate, involuntary expression and so I explored how these particular emotions would alter the face. I discovered that these expressions would cause the face to become more relaxed and thus naturally easier to paint. Only after I finished the flesh face did I realise I wanted to layer a skeleton on top to accentuate the innate and instinctive nature of the piece.

Innate

This still life piece was a collation of all my prior hand and mouth studies to demonstrate generally what I had learnt. Looking into these body parts allowed me to understand how they can change with certain body expressions. There is a language only our bodies are able to interpret and express. A softer 3B pencil was the medium used to create the depth and 3 dimensional planes of the face and hand, leaving blank the areas that caught the light.

Mouth Studies

These sketches were drawn in front of a mirror to practice my still life skills. Each expression I believe is a natural, impulsive emotion for example excitement and disgust. These instinctive emotions and facial contortions I believe are the most interesting to draw as the final piece is a lot more intimate and relatable.

Hand Studies

The reason I chose to represent the objects as a red line and the hand as a free sketch was because I wanted to explore the interactions between an object and a hand and so a distinction between the two was key. I learnt how the expression within the hand would alter in order to interact with the specific function and shape of the object. For example when gripping a pencil (top left) the hand becomes diligent whereas when interacting with the book (bottom right) the hand was allowed to be a lot more loose.

Children 'R' Us

Being part of Amnesty International meant that I was lucky enough to travel to Amnesty's Headquarters in London. Here our group was tasked with creating our own campaigns to aid a fight against the fact that America is refusing to sign the Convention on the Rights of a Child. I strongly believe that unconventionality leads to success and so I decided to opt for an alternate route to my peers. Instead of highlighting how America's refusal to sign would effect solely children, I decided to look at how the bigger picture and how the entire population could be effected. Therefore I took to the streets taking photos of the public holding a sign saying either "have/having/was/am a child". I collated these photos albeit with repeats and experimented with exposure on Photoshop to create my campaign piece. The main message was to show the American Government that everyone is in one way or other related to a child and so the refusal to sigh the CRC will lead to many unexpected consequences.

Still Life (20 mins)

Here I chose my favourite piece created at a Still Life art class. It took me 20 minutes and so I think it showcases my natural ability to sketch and loosely interpret my surroundings.

Still Life (1 hr)

This is a still life of a Deer skull done with acrylic paint. Although abstract this piece took me around an hour. This gave me more time to look into the way the object reflects light and thus produce a range of colours from green to yellow. Stippling my paintbrush allowed me to be a lot more loose and create an impression of the object rather than drawing it boringly accurate. I enjoy this effect because it enables me to freely interpret the object in front of me and create a piece driven by how I choose perceive it.

Textures

This piece was done when I was just getting used to acrylics and so was more of an experiment with the medium. I usually tend to the precise and controllable nature of a pencil because I believe acrylics are harder to manipulate. Therefore I like to use them for more impressionistic art. I used a variety of colours to create an impression of a wall overlooking a river. I enjoy how combining flat layers of light and dark paint can produce something that looks 3 dimensional.

City Studies

This is an excerpt from my ongoing sketchbook in which I explore my historic home city of York. Bottom left is a photograph of a row of buildings which I drew over in order to represent the smog filled industrial revolution of the past, or perhaps how the future? I tried to look at the more hidden aspects of York that are usually overlooked. For example I always remember my city for its flocks of geese. Using twig and ink I drew the goose over a scrap of newspaper: newspapers commonly found around the city and again a texture I feel represents my city well.

Bringing Life to Ruins

Again I took to the streets of my city but this time to explore a more conventional setting; the famous historic ruins. Water colours are perfect for hinting at the green decaying stone. Ruins to me represent a dying past and artificial conquering of the environment. Being interested in sustainability I thought it would be interesting to look at how the setting could be juxtaposed with new life and natural structures. Although the complete opposite of ruins, these flowers mimic the shape of the ruins and therefore sparked my interest into how nature can be integrated with our artificial surroundings.

Under the second Tallest Building in York

Using just an A5 sketchbook and a HB pencil I walked around my city interpreting my surroundings. This one I believe is my most successful, not just in terms of artistic merit but also because it's the most intimate. I took my stance by the river to sketch and during the 30 minutes I stood drawing, I learnt so much. Discovering the types of people who walk past, the number of people and which pass and the certain sounds that this space experiences on a day to day basis. A tour boat passed by in which the tour guide announced that I was stood under the 2nd tallest building in York and that I was facing at the oldest bridge in York. Having rushed around the streets of York for 17 years, I've found that I learnt the most just by standing still an observing. This piece to me is not just a sketch but a feeling, a setting attached to multiple memories.

Revolution

This piece explores my more immediate surroundings, my street. The houses on my street are 1930's mock Tudor buildings and caused me to think about the possible consequences of recycling old architectural styles and the changing aesthetic of our streets throughout time. My village was originally farmland owned my my great grandfather. His land depleted as a school was erected and the village consequently grew. The pigeon represents my villages history and the link to the environment. Although depleting, nature is still present. The dripping orange watercolour dripping onto the house represents the volatility of changing architecture, almost burning down and being constantly reborn. The pigeon and nature however is constant, all seeing and immune to change.

Vanishing Point Power Saw

Two vanishing points have been used to confidently map out the complex contours of a power saw. First I perceived the object as if it was made up of basic cuboids and then I carved into these blocks to create the increasingly composite shape.

Heat Gun Rendering

Using a single green pencil crayon I rendered this heat gun. I varied the pressure to create light and dark areas and ultimately a 3 dimensional object. Being a glossy object, white chalk hinted at a shine. Black card was placed underneath to signify a shadow and make it look as though the object was sitting above the page. The colours chosen for the gradient in the background oppose green on the colour wheel and so enable the appliance to stand out. This is a flat piece but with the layering of artistic mediums I was able to produce a 3 dimensional object.