Chatsworth House: Research

Chatsworth House has a wide selection of works of art on display to the public, ranging from; Classical Baroque paintings to 21^st centaury sculpture and paintings.  The Devonshire Collection is a record of one family's eclectic tastes and interests over 16 generations. Artists from Lucian Freud to Leonardo d’ Vinci, make Chatsworth house worth a visit. I was inspired by the diverse ranges of art displayed, I particularly liked the feeling of grandeur from the property its self. The ceiling paintings were magnificently decorated with sixteenth chapel style paintings. The collection also saw a modern collection of sculpture and painting, which allowed the viewer to experience the movement and impact of art over the centuries, and how art has moved away from aesthetics and skill and more towards expressive forms of art based on conceptual theories.

I felt much more influenced and inspired by the classical, traditional pieces of art, which had a strong sense of awe. I was particularly fascinated with the skill, process and labour which would have gone into creating such marvelous, exquisite works of art.

I was also inspired by the large size and scale of the paintings, which seemed to engulf the spectator, allowing one to become lost within the pieces. I feel this effect, made the work much more powerful and poignant.  

In particular, I felt the effect of trompe l’oeil in the painting, 'Violin door', by Jan Van der Vaardt, was very successful. The realistic oil painting of a violin, which was cleverly painted onto a door, in order to hold the appearance of being three dimensional, deceives the eye of the observer, acting as an almost optical illusion.

IPad Drawings: Sheffield University Orchestra

IPad Drawings

Developing and experimenting with the technique of IPad drawing. Several studies of members of Sheffield University Orchestra and musicians from a variety of cultures.

I really like the effects you can achieve from such a simple application. Using your finger allows you to create and transform images, quickly and easily. My usual technical and precise style of drawing was forced out of its comfort zone, however this allowed me to create much more movement in relation to line.

I was inspired by David Hockney's series of IPad drawings at his 'A Bigger Picture' exhibition, where he created a series of works based on Yorkshire landscape scenes.

Sheffield University Orchestra Photographs

Sheffield University Orchestra Photograph Material

Research - Royal Academy of Arts, London

David Hockney: A Bigger Picture




David Hockney's, A Bigger Picture, is a vast, diverse collection of works, from; oil paintings, to watercolours, charcoal studies, IPad drawings and film, all made from observations of British Yorkshire landscapes. The exhibition begins with a collection of Hockney's earlier painting's, which depict journeys and roads, LA scenes and the Grand Canyon. This is where the audience gets their first glimpse of the magnitude and scale which Hockney has began to introduce.

David Hockney's paintings capture the passing of time of seasons and months. His Oil's enable him to express the effects of light, shadow and colours.

 Winter Timber, David Hockney  Oil on Canvas, 2009

I felt the most successfully exhibited works, was that of, Winter Timber (2009)  a large oil painting spread over 15 canvases, which captures a purple tree stump and ochre logs, surrounded by a spiralling blue Forrest of tress. I was also inspired by the painting, The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, which was one of the largest paintings in the exhibition, capturing a magnificent Forrest, full of contrasting vibrant colours. The combination of texture and layering works beautifully, visually the painting is almost dreamlike, a kind of fairytale scene.

The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, David Hockney, Oil on Canvas, 2011  

 I was also inspired by the effect of using the modern technology of an IPad in order to create crystal clear representations of landscapes, these images were enlarged and printed onto paper. The images had a great sense of luminosity and depth to them.

Sculpture Proccess - Part 2

Sculpture Process - Part 2

Step 1

Investurite mixture placed in a vacuum chamber in order for any air bubbles to be dispersed, the mixture is then poured onto the sculpture

Step 2

Mix together three parts sand too two parts casting plaster in half  full bucket of water, in order to create an investment mould.

Step 3

Create three cylinders for the wax figures to be placed, using a sheet of plastic and chicken wire to create a stable mould for mixture to be poured into.

Step 4

Place the wax figures head first into mixture, allowing the funnel to be visible on the surface. Leave to set.

Step 5

Once set, place in the kilm at 90 degrees to rise slowly to 670 degrees. Leave 24 hours. Insure the moulds are left risen off the floor of the kilm to allow a flow of air underneath.

Step 6

Place the plaster cast moulds into the sand, and pour in molten bronze. Allow 24 hours to cool.

Step 7

Remove the moulds from the sand, use a chisel to break away the mould, revealing the cast figure.

Step 8

Cut away the sprues, which have left excess solidified bronze, file and sand blast the figures, until completely covered.

Step 9

Polish the figures.

Step 10

Repeat the process, in order to create the bronze base.

Step 11

Weld bronze figure to the bronze base, repeat sand blast and polish.

Music and Art - Research

Adam Beck

Adam Beck - Contemporary artist and painter, who enjoys working under difficult and distracting circumstances, such as being in the middle of a crowded event, faced with the multiple challenges of motion, unusual lighting, limited time and interaction with the public. His series of painting as can be seen below, attempt to observe and capture orchestras and musicians. I like the impressionist style of his paintings and the strong line of brush strokes, which accentuates the idea of movement, expressing the feelings which occur when listening to a piece of music.

Research - Art and Music - Performance and Painting

Mark Rowan-Hull

www.rowan-hull.com

Mark Riwab-Hull is a contemporary artist, who creates performance paintings based on music. His abstract paintings are created in response to live music. His painting's are very interesting, the unconscious actions of the artist, make his painting philosophically intriguing. The use of bright, bold colours is prominent in his work, and reflects the dynamics within music. His work is now very much fascinated in the powerful effect of music and art, which could play on the mind, a subject that continues in his work to this day. Throughout this formative time he became fascinated with the interrelationship between the senses, visual art, music and poetry.

In order to publicise his ideas of visualising music Hull embarked on a series of exciting performances and events involving painting live on stage responding to music by composers such as Messiaen, Scriabin, Debussy, Shostakovich and George Crumb together with Jazz and improvisation. These performances took place in a wide variety of settings including the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Festival Hall, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz club.

Some of the images of his work can be seen below: