October 2022

250 Word Self- Reflection- Talking Pattern

For the second half of this task, I looked more closely at the patterns within my images, zooming into the references to pull out recurring textures and shapes. I used a combination of traditional and digital media to create these images, which subtly use repetition, colour and mark making. I found that this task enabled me to build on the thoughts and inspirations behind my drawings for the first task- taking a subject which is often overlooked and seen as ugly or unattractive, and turning it into something interesting and almost beautiful. I feel that my drawings could translate well into textiles, particularly knit, with certain textures that could be recreated using yarn and various stitches. I found that taking my original drawings a step further by translating them into patterns allowed me to refine my ideas, and think about more unconventional ways to turn an initial idea into a conceptual, wearable design.

Within these drawings, I attempted to broaden my style by looking at each reference in a different way. For some, I cut up the original piece and arranged the fragments randomly, and for others I created a more coherent, repeated design. I also created entirely new patterns, by zooming into my reference images to pick out tiny details, such as cracks, tiles or reflections of light. I attempted to use colour more freely within these drawings, using small sections of brighter colours to create contrast against my mainly muted palette, which highlighted key sections of my drawings.

<Reflective statement>

Observing my surroundings, I was able to meet a lot of wonderful things. I could see the wide nature in the park, gorgeous buildings and stores. Also, at night, I could see a shining night view. Then I began to think about how to paint and transform these things into patterns. 

I have mainly used pencils to draw realistic pictures with shading and details. So this time, I wanted to develop the ability to simplify and pattern paintings with more diverse materials. Therefore, I tried to use materials such as water colour, oil pastel, acrylic, marker pens and so on.

For me, who usually draws in detail, the first task of colour made me focus on the colours and overall shape. The oil pastel was so dull that it was difficult to use, but I could also feel its own rough charm.  When I use acrylic with the technique I tried, I can feel both rich colours and textures. I thought I could use this technique to devise and develop various knit samples in the future.

During the second task of pattern, I also used phone functions to enlarge and photoshop program to repeat them. Using these technique makes me more interesting to make patterns.

I was able to escape the obsession with details and draw freely with a comfortable mind. Also, by using many materials, I learned what materials fit me well and I was able to develop my technique by trying the same material in various ways. Most of all, I am proud that I was able to improve my confidence in drawing and creating patterns.

At the beginning of Task 1, drawing subjects on the spot was challenging as compared to taking a picture with the camera function on my phone. I had difficulty letting go of the urge to get the drawing perfect but when I started experimenting with different mark markings, focusing on the geometrical shapes, colours and textures, drawing became much more fun and quicker. It was also a great opportunity for me to use various mediums and materials. I found myself liking oil pastels much more after this task due to the bold and thick lines it creates.  

The theme ‘Talking Colours’ also had me looking out for colours in my subjects. I was encouraged to broaden my colour palette as wide as possible. For example, in the oil pastel drawing of magnifying glasses, I decided to use pale pastel colours to highlight the reflective surface of the glass. Similarly, I have used dark shades of green and purple for the shadows of the magnifying glasses instead of choosing the colour black. By bringing out these colours in the light and shadows of my subject matter, it makes the final product of my artwork much more exciting and vibrant.  

In conclusion, exploring London and drawing whatever interests me without the pressure of it having to look exactly the same helped me to keep an open mind when it comes to being creative, and allowing myself to embrace and appreciate the outcomes of having fun with art.  

Reflection:

When observing my surroundings, I felt drawn to the London Underground. A maze of tunnels that thousands travel through daily, yet is often overlooked. People are often rushing through, failing to observe the array of colours and textures surrounding them, so I decided to take the time to look closer. I noticed a lot of wear around the tunnels, such as cracked paint revealing unexpected colours, intense textures carved into the walls, as well as objects such as elaborate doors. I also looked at the way light bounces off the screens, and the rain on overground platforms. 

Using a variety of media, such as oil pastel, acrylic, ink, watercolour & collage, I captured these textures, exaggerating them and highlighting the muted, but varied colour palettes within.

In some pieces, I thought carefully about the way I applied the media- using small, delicate brush strokes to portray the texture of tiles, or collaging torn paper to recreate the rips and cracks in the paintwork. I also created some observational drawings, such as the blue door, which were more realistic and allowed me to focus on the object itself.  In other pieces, I worked more loosely, as I found being free with the media led to more interesting outcomes that I may not otherwise have found. This included mark making, where I used a butter knife to apply the ink, resulting in a new texture that could be translated into patterns.

Overall, this task allowed me to explore a variety of media and look at subjects in an new way, giving outcomes that I may not have reached otherwise. 

To deal with the creative block I was experiencing I decided to go out for a walk around my neighbourhood to look for inspiration for task 1. What I love most about Wembley Park is how pedestrian friendly it is and how the area is always busy with families and students going about their day. There’s a nice balance of modern buildings and greenery coexisting. 

For this task, I experimented with watercolour, gouache, markers, colour pencils and oil pastels. Some of the drawings were done outdoors as there was plenty of seating with tables for me to use and some were done in my room. For the base I used cartridge paper, watercolour paper and colour paper. I decided to draw what I saw often going about my daily life here, the view I see on my walks to the grocery store, the prints I see on people’s clothes as they walk by me and the greenery around Wembley Stadium when I take a walk in the afternoon to clear my head. Whilst on a walk, I met Jenny, a mural artist who was working on painting murals with nature motifs on electrical boxes around Wembley Park and enjoyed seeing her progress everyday as she completed her murals day by day.

I liked how it wasn’t too hard for me to start my work as there were many different colours and textures for me to pick up on and use mixed media materials to create my drawings. There were also many murals and artwork for me to take inspiration from. For example, the murals being created by Jenny and the concrete blocks that have art work by Mr Doodle on them in front of my local Sainsbury’s. It felt very freeing to be able to just spread out my art supplies on a park bench and just start drawing with whatever medium I could get my hands on. Quickly scribbling whatever was in my view before the weather would turn for the worst. I rarely used oil pastels and markers before this and it was fun to learn how to work with these new mediums as opposed to water colour which is what I usually use.

Overall, this task has taught me how to be spontaneous with my art and be able to draw inspiration from my immediate surroundings. It has also enabled me to not overthink about how nice or perfect my art looks and focus more on creating art based on how I see and feel the world around me.