So……

I’m at that brick wall at the moment. I need to climb over it !

What have I done so far in this project ?

• Took photo’s of found objects (over Christmas – couldn't actually collect them)
• Used photo’s for inspiration to draw from
• Collected found objects in Dundee (from wasteland next to Seabraes)
• Assembled found objects collected in specific way and photographed them.
• Etching – both detailed (images drawn from photo’s) and more random prints (using turps and objects to remove hard ground from plate)
• Woodcut prints – using images drawn from photos of found objects
• Worked on top of found newsprint (stuck down in sketchbook) developing on patterns found within the newsprint and also producing observational drawings from found object photo’s.
• Paper Art – using pages from Yellow Pages to create paper sculpture.
• Began producing sculptures / work using found objects themselves (yet to upload pictures)

I have actually done quite a bit so far in this project although I do sometimes think I could have done more / got further with where I actually want to go ! Last week was an open tutorial week were we could sign up with any tutor we liked. I thought this would be a good opportunity to get a different opinion on my work and discuss were I wanted to go now. I signed up with Aileen as she had been my tutor once before in the “drawing project” and I had found her ideas and opinions very useful and inspiring. She asked what I had been up to so I explained to her about what my project was all about, showed her the found newsprint which was my initial inspiration and then went on to show her the prints I had been making. I also showed her my visual sketchbook and explained why I was keeping my two sketchbooks separate – she seemed to like this idea and completely understood were I was coming from. She reassured me that there was no problem with writing and it can be just as equal to drawing when it comes down to art practice. The random qualities and marks that are found in the newsprint within my visual sketchbook she seemed to particularly like.

Aileen asked me were I wanted to go from here and I explained how although I have enjoyed learning the processes of different print methods and do like the outcomes it’s not necessarily were I thought I would be heading in this project and how I was unsure if it was the direction I wanted to move forward in. Aileen had noticed the artists who I’d been looking at originally in my sketchbook and I explained to her that in my original statement I talked about how I wanted to explore sculpture. This obviously led onto her asking me why hadn’t I been doing it ! I couldn’t answer this as I was asking myself this question ! Why hadn’t I ? I don’t know….because I have wanted to get into it but I have been too busy learning different print methods ! Yes I have enjoyed learning these methods and I think I will use them further in this project however I think it’s now a good idea to experiment with what I had originally wanted to.  Aileen said it would be a good idea to go ahead and start constructing different sculptures (similar to that of Dianne Cooper – one of the artists who I had originally looked at) using the Found Objects that I had collected on my desk and to use this idea of assembling them together in similar ways to what I had already (to photograph them) – but making these  constructions permanent.

I think for now this is what I’m going to carry on doing for a bit – constructing sculptures out of the found objects I have collected. I really enjoyed making the ones I have already and particularly liked how there was no planning involved (like there is in print). I think this is maybe what I have missed – the lack of planning. I’m used to producing work were I don’t have to sit down and necessarily think of how I am going to put the piece of work together or what I have to do to get a certain result. I can also use these structures to then draw from and photograph. I will then take a look of what I have done and see were I want to go. It may be that I use sculpture and print together in some way, using the different printing techniques I have learned. I’m unsure how I will do this at the moment but I think this may be quite an interesting way forward – we shall see ! When I get to that point I shall look at everything that I have done and figure out even if I want to combine methods – this may not work ! Or if I do….how will this be done so I can produce pieces which I like and which I will enjoy working on ?!