Copic Mechanisms

Wow it has been way too long since I have been on here. I don't really have any excuses, sometimes life just goes a certain way and you get so caught up in it that things fall by the wayside. But here I am, and ready to get back into it.

Third Year in Fine Arts has been a really difficult year so far. So much has changed in the university environment, and my work doesn't seem to fit the current social and political context I find myself in. I've only made a handful of works this year and it just seems to be getting more and more difficult to keep on track.

But not all is lost. I found out earlier this month that I'm going to be featured in Strokes of Genius 9 - Creative Discoveries. For one of my works I made before I got into the University environment. I've been trying to come to terms with what will happen once I finish my undergrad, and pondering whether or not studying fine art was the best idea for me in the first place... But I know at the end of the day, even if things get incredibly difficult, the four years of blood, sweat and tears will be worth it,

In the mean time, I started working on some other artworks completely independent of my work at Wits... Just so that I can stay sane. I've also been getting in touch with my art supplies again, especially after increasing my Copic marker collection significantly since last year. I really do miss making what is considered more "traditional" artworks. I feel like a part of my soul just aches to make work that's beautiful, and makes someone happy to look at. So I started working on this drawing to prove to myself that I can still draw, and fairly decently (I would like to think)

This Copic marker drawing is still incomplete, but its the first large-scale drawing I have done entirely in Copics. The original plan was to use the Copics alongside Faber-Castelle Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils, but the bleed-proof paper I worked on wasn't very receptive to the texture of the pencils, so I just stuck to the Copics.

Here are some things I learnt about Copic markers while working on this drawing:

1. You can never have too many Copic marker colours. They are all useful for some part of a drawing.

2. Bleed-Proof paper, like all surfaces, can only take so much before it starts rejecting the ink of the Copics. You can tell when an area is getting over-worked if the ink dries to a shiny finish rather than a matte finish.

3. A good base drawing = a good final drawing

4. Take your time with learning to blend Copic markers and the results will make themselves clear.

5. It's easy to add darker colours to a drawing than it is to lighten an area afterwards.

Work in progress shot

Until we meet again

Talia

Just Do It!

Hello there dear readers.

My apologies for the late post, I've been moving houses and we haven't had access to the Internet until recently. But here I am now, so let's get straight to it!

Something that has been on my mind a lot this year has been the idea of determination. Determination is actually a difficult concept to define. Usually, having determination is seen a positive character trait, while being stubborn is seen as negative. To me, being determined means that once you have your mind set on a goal, you do everything in your power to make it happen, even if you have problems achieving it along the way. I see it as being so set on achieving your goal you would throw yourself into it to make it happen.

As some of you would know from my previous posts, last year was a difficult time in my life, and I not only lost my sense of self but also my sense of determination. This year, I managed to pull myself together to rebuild and renew my sense of self. I feel like this year I am more determined than I was before the troubles of last year, and that my ambition has returned with a vengeance.

I've found that determination isn't really a trait you're born with, but rather something that you teach yourself. It is something that can be learnt. and also nurtured. It also a skill that can be forgotten if not used.

Something I've noticed with a lot of people in my generation is the surprising lack of determination by a majority. People have no ambition, no drive to want to do better or push themselves,They've allowed themselves to grow comfortable with mediocrity, settle into a comfort zone of "average". And if they do perhaps decide to set a goal, one small hiccup and they give up.

I have no right to judge anyone about how they view their goals in life. I'm just surprised by how little ambition there seems to be. No determination to succeed or do better than the last time. And especially with people in their early twenties, in the prime of their lives.  Perhaps they are waiting for the devil of "tomorrow" to save them. The truth is, there is no tomorrow. The only time to make a difference is right now. But starting a million things and completing none of them is no use either.

Even if you dedicate your entire life to one project, if you finish that project at the end of your lifetime, I can almost guarantee a sense of happiness at having been determined enough to see it through right to the very end.

So here are some easy tips on how to ease determination into your life:

• Set small goals to start with. Say you want to read more often, don't say you'll read the entire Game of Thrones series in a week. You'll probably fail and sink back into the cycle of average. Rather say, I want to read at least 5 pages a day. 
• Set Goals that you know will make you happy. If you can imagine being ecstatic after completing a goal, and a goal that will improve your life, then you will be more determined to achieve it. 
• Ask for help. If you are struggling with being determined, ask your family and those closest to you to help you stay determined. Use role models to show you that all the work wont be for nothing.
• DON'T GIVE UP. This seems so simple but is at the core of determination. If you have a hiccup along the way, don't give up your entire goal because it temporarily became more difficult to achieve.
• Reward yourself for when you achieve your goals. 
• Your goals are not set in stone. If you feel like your goal isn't working for you, then change it.
• Surround yourself with determined people so that you have positive role models to follow.

Until we meet again 

Talia

A Helping Hand

Hello there dear readers! Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate and Happy Eat-As-Many-Chocolate-Eggs-As-You-Can Day to those who don't.

So the first block of third year has already passed! And so quickly too. It has been a busy few weeks, and I have to say I am quite proud of some of the work I've already produced. If you haven't had a chance to look yet, you can check out some of my latest work here and here. I've also been trying to work on my online identity through Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook, posting more often and trying to have new work to post as well. But I will openly admit that it is a ton of work and a ton of effort that goes into doing these kinds of things.

And that brings me to the topic for today's post : Helping other people to succeed!

So, I can testify to the fact that building an identity for your own career is incredibly difficult. Especially when going into a creative field, such as the arts, music, drama, magic and the like. There are far fewer outlets to help young people make it in these fields as they aren't really seen as important or helpful to the economy. So unlike other careers that offer scholarships and internships (that actually pay), we are pretty much left to fend for ourselves.

Now I'm sure some of you are thinking, "But isn't that why you're going to university?". Ah yes, like most people who've gone the studying route, we choose to study in hopes that it will help us land a good job one day when we graduate. But as the unemployment rate of university graduates in South Africa alone, getting a degree isn't good enough anymore. So we have to find ways of making ourselves a career that we can be proud of.

This isn't easy to do alone however, With having to deal with access to specific materials, it can be almost impossible to help yourself with regards to your career. This is why I think it is so important that people, and not just budding creatives, actually make an effort to help each other out where they can. For example, I've been using social media and blogging to help market my work for a few years now, so while I wouldn't call myself a professional at it, I will say that I'm proficient at it. So my partner, Liam, is a budding magician. Writing is not his speciality as the the performing part of magic is his area of expertise. I know the blogging is a great form of exposure, so what did I do? I became a co-author of his blog so that I can help him on the advertising side while he is out there doing what he does best (P.S My Thoughts is the blog, check it out if you have a chance).

Another important part of helping your friends and family and people in general is being encouraging and supportive when things are going well.. and more importantly when they aren't. Help them with whatever resources and in whatever way you can. It could be as simple as lending someone a self-help book you have, or it could be helping them to print some business cards or pamphlets to give away. Any small thing helps, and it could be as simple as saying "I believe in you".

The world is a tough enough place as it is, but it doesn't mean that we can't do something to make it a little better, even if it's just for one person.

Until we meet again
Talia

Some Passion a Day to Keep the Blues at Bay

Hello again dear readers. So I've decided to get back to posting on a weekend again seeing as I have more time to play around with thoughts and ideas and it is easier to be a bit more consistent in posting times. So let's get started then!

So something that has been in the back of my mind since an argument had with my significant other was the idea of passion. And how I have tons of it in some ways and really not enough in other ways. And I guess you could say I was startled (to say the least), that it was thought that I throw so much passion into my artwork and very little into anything else. I liked to think that I was passionate about the things that matter to me, and not just art. 

So what is passion exactly?

Urban Dictionary : Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind body and soul into something as is possible.

That's a pretty good definition of it. Putting in a lot more effort than what is "required". So this is actually quite easy to measure with school and university and anything that distinctly measures your level of effort. For example, if 50% is the required mark to pass, but you want to put your all into it and you get 80%, then you technically put in 30% more effort than what is necessary. Now life is not that easy to measure, and no one is giving you that much feedback that is so easy to decipher.

I know that for me, being passionate about my career and art work isn't exactly difficult, it's second nature to me to do the best possible job I can, But I haven't ever put the equivalent amount of effort into anything else, just the thought of putting that much effort in exhausts me. 

But the thing is that great results only come from hard work and passion. Nothing good has ever been achieved without a ton of extra effort and dedication, and ultimately love. I have been trying to apply a passionate and dedicated attitude to my life as a whole rather than just through art. Making time for the people that matter, and making time for the other aspects of life, such as reading, spending time relaxing and also making memories with the people you care about.

I've found, like with anything else really, that making goals is a good way to help be consistently and consciously more passionate in all the areas of your life. For example, making sure you stop your busy work schedule to have tea when your special person gets home from work. Taking the time to say "I love you" like its the only chance you'll have to say it again.

Passion is a consistent job, but the benefits I think will be so worth it.

Until we meet again 

Talia

Exhibition Review: The Sound of Silence

Hello again dear readers.

So today I thought I would try something else new to help me to stay motivated to see exhibitions throughout the year. So to start off my own Exhibitions Review, I will talk about the newly opened The Sound Of Silence exhibition by New York based artist, Alfredo Jaar.

The Sound of Silence
2006
Wood structure, aluminum, fluorescent tubes, LED lights, flash lights, tripods, video projection
Software designed by Ravi Rajan
Installation view at école des Beaux Arts, Paris 2011
Photographer: Charles Duprat
Artist: Alfredo Jaar

On Tuesday night, in the heart of Braamfontein at Wits Art Museum (WAM), the much anticipated Sound of Silence exhibition was officially opened to the public. The curiosity in me for this exhibition definitely started when a prior visit to WAM revealed a massive black curtain concealing the sounds of machinery, an obviously large construction taking place behind the scenes but a secret to be kept until the opening of the exhibition.

As most exhibitions start off, there were speeches of thanks and gratitude to the museum and the artist and all the people involved in the organisation of the exhibition. There were free drinks and a surprisingly upbeat DJ present, and a large crowd of students, art-lovers, hipsters and the like hovering around the drinks tables. After the (thankfully) short speeches, we made our way into the gallery space.

We were met with a shockingly bright wall of light facing the entrance of the main gallery, made up of rows of vertical fluorescent light bulbs, Not only was this a shock to the senses of each visitor to the gallery, but it also heightened the intrigue surrounding this exhibition. This wall of light was part of a rectangular structure in the center of the gallery, and formed the exterior back wall of this room within a room. A queue was formed alongside the wall of the gallery for people to view this installation.

About 20 people were let into the room at once, and we were asked to switch off our cellphones.  We proceeded to walk around the room and walk in through a small entrance illuminated by a strip of green light. What was inside this room was essentially a small theatre, with both standing and room to sit. We positioned ourselves at the back corner. The lights, which were already dimmed, switched off completely as a small film began to play.

Now I am not going to ruin this artwork and explain every detail of the film, as it is best experienced within the artwork itself. But to simplify things, the film is about photographer Kevin Carter.

So now I will share with you some of my thoughts on this exhibition.

I felt like this was truly a remarkable piece and I would highly recommend that anyone who is able to get to the museum to view this work seizes the opportunity. While most of us are used to the shock appeal that most artworks generate, this installation is a refreshing depart from shock-appeal towards a more poignant need to create an impact on the audience. This impact is created from the moment the viewer enters the space and is affronted with this immediate bright, conflicting and intruding, wall of light. Viewers of the work are forced to face this light while waiting to view the artwork, and the light certainly creates an atmospheric tension surrounding the gallery.

The actual film is simple, poignant, tense and highly effective for the message it is trying to convey. I don't know about the other people who attended the exhibition, but I know that while watching this film I felt infuriated, and at the same time, hollowed by the content of the film. I left the exhibition with a profound sense of loss, and having experienced in the smallest of ways what it would have been like to be the "victim" of the photographer. This exhibition definitely made me consider photography as an act of violence and destruction, to both the photographed subject and the photographers themselves.

The exhibition closes on the 10th of April 2016 and the gallery hours are Wednesdays to Sundays from 10h00 until 16h00. The entrance to the gallery is free and the museum is situated on the corner of Jorissen Street and Jan Smuts.

Until we meet again
Talia

Get Up Again

Hi there again dear readers. I know, I went from a massive break from blog posts to a sudden flow of things to write about. I guess I've just had a ton on my mind lately, and I feel like talking about it with you, dear readers, is a good way to convey my thoughts and feel like someone out there is just listening to what I have to say. 

So dear readers, something I've had on my mind lately is the idea of strength and self-empowerment. To me, I've always had a deep rooted fear of appearing weak to other people. I hate crying, being sick, being injured, being too emotional. Anything that knocks me off my A-game. To be honest, it doesn't take much to knock someone off their A-game. It can be feeling under the weather. feeling over-worked, upset about relationship or personal problems, or just having a bad day. I have been off my A-game more often than not recently. For me, it's been because of relationship and personal problems. I've been so emotional in the last few months I think I've had my share of negative emotions for a lifetime. 

The problem with emotional turmoil is that I've developed the bad habit of moping over a negative situation. I can think of a lot of reasons why this has changed, but the biggest reason why it bugs me is that I feel excruciatingly weak. 

As said before, it is the one thing I am most afraid of.

So as of today, I am done with this crappy feeling of being weak. Yeah sure, things get crappy in life. We all make bad decisions and sometimes it feels like the light at the end of the tunnel is just an illusion, 

Life is hard, 

We get knocked down.

We get winded.

We bleed.

We must get up again. 

I am so sick and tired of waking up and feeling like getting through another day is going to be tough on me. I am 20 for God's sake, I should be changing the world every day, not sitting and moping about things that WILL NOT matter in the grand scheme of things. Here is where the importance of self-empowerment comes in. See dear readers, this is something I have realised over the last few years. 

No one else will make your dreams come true for you. 

No one else will fight harder for you than yourself. 

No one else will ever be able to understand your life better than you,

Stop relying on other people to make things happen for you, they have their own lives to worry about. So at the start of every day, you are the one in charge of how it goes and how it ends. I won't lie, I've had a bit of a crappy day, and I have no one else to blame but myself (much as I would like to shift the blame I know I would be kidding myself), but here and now, typing this blog post - and listening to Pump It! by the Black Eyed Peas - I feel like I am doing something with my day. and something in me is stirring. A flicker of that inner strength that has been so stifled in the months past. 

I am not backing down from life anymore. I will fight until my last breath. I will make every day count this year, and I will be damned if I let anything and anyone get in my way.

Fight for your dreams dear readers, make your days count for more than yesterday-filled-regrets.

Until we meet again

Talia

P.S. This was the inspiration behind my latest art positivity typography pages, you can check them out under the Art & Other Creative Items Page.

Sweet '16

Wow.

2015 has come and gone in the blink of an eye and here we are, fresh (well a little bit stale now) in 2016. A few days ago, I felt a feeling within me that I don't think I have quite experienced before. I could best describe it as a feeling of ambling along, you know, letting life just happen to you instead of making things happen in your life.

I guess you could say I've been feeling like this since last year, when my passion for art wasn't take as much of a part in my life as I would have liked. A lot of emotional and personal issues also made it more difficult to feel stable in my own life and a lot went downhill for me. But I remember reading a saying recently, something along the lines of when your life seems to be falling apart, in reality its all the pieces falling into place.

I'll say that since last year I have learnt a lot about myself. Mostly negatives I had chosen to ignore, but also strengths that I didn't know I had. I've learnt to balance people in my life, and that a life filled with only yourself and work is indeed a lonely life. I've also learnt that without my passion for art to guide me, I am nothing. A nobody with nothing to show. SO this year is the year I WILL make the change for myself.

I am done taking orders from lecturers at art school telling me how my art should look.

I am done trying to be something I am not.

I am my own artist and I will damn well make the art I like and want to make. Maybe if I stop caring so much about what other people want me to make, then at least I will be proud of everything I have made. And hopefully make this year a far more fruitful and encouraging year than 2015.

Goodbye Awkward 2015.
Hello Sweet '16.

Until we meet again
Talia

P.S. I have uploaded a photo of my latest work onto the Art and Other Creative Items page.

Fight Not Flight

FEAR. The stomach-sinking, heart-pounding, hand-shaking feeling that strikes everyone at least once in their lifetime. Fear doesn't necessarily have to be a phobia, and it doesn't always have to be something you can predict in advance. Sometimes fear strikes you on the spot in the heat of the moment.

Other than phobias and common little fears that most people experience every now and again. Today was the first time I had experienced the real fear of losing someone incredibly close to me. I've never experienced emotions like what I've experienced today. If you've watched Inside Out, you would know that the personified emotions of fear and sadness were separated. Today I felt like I had an insane mixture of the two that happened to be on some crazy steroids.

I won't share the whole story of how these emotions came about. But when I thought that I had lost that person forever, and not even by my own choice, I panicked. I had never felt emotions like this before, I had no idea how to react or how to get myself back together. I felt like a massive explosion of bottled up emotions had imploded through my veins. I felt like my blood had actually run cold, somehow icily still pumping through my heart into the rest of my body. I was defeated. More defeated than I can ever remember before. I pray that none of you have to go through that feeling, because it truly is a wretched experience to endure.

But.

All was not lost.

In some far corner of my petrified heart, a spark of adrenaline made my brain override the emotions and fight. If you've ever met me, you would know that I'm not a fighter. But dammit I fought today. I was not enduring this pain that was inflicted upon me. I fought and choked back those stifling tears. And I didn't become a victim of the battle. By some miracle I got the person I care about so dearly back. I don't know how this day turned around like it did. I still feel like I was in the battle of the century. But I survived. And more importantly than surviving, I managed to get my incredibly special person back.

I'll be damned if I get that close to losing you again.

Dear readers, don't EVER let it get this close. Don't neglect someone to the point that you can't get them back. Never take the people around you for granted, because I promise you you don't want to know what the world would be like without them. Love them like both of you could be gone tomorrow and there's no chance to show them you love them again.

Until we meet again
Talia  

Don't Tip Those Scales

So it's currently 12;11am, and it's Sunday. I am sitting in bed... contemplating life as I type away on my tablet. It's been a busy long weekend so far, and technically it hasn't even gotten to the "long" part yet... And tomorrow is going to be even busier, but that's a good thing I think.

The thing about being busy is that you have to learn to plan your time really well so that you get around to doing everything... without spreading yourself too thin and ending up doing everything to a poor standard. This is a very tricky balance to maintain, especially when the nature of the work done is so time-consuming. I've mentioned her before in my blog, but my friend and fellow blogger Dominique Gaydon, has a very productive plan that "the sooner it's done, the sooner it's done". I like that philosophy I feel like it can relate to a lot more than just class or lectures.

If you're a sort of regular reader of this blog you would know that I don't tend to enjoy it when very little new work is being made by me because of university. I feel like this year of Fine Art at university has involved lots of time consuming effort to create very little of a tangible outcome. So on top of all the University work (and homework and assignments etc.), I've been trying to balance a healthy social life with getting good marks, good health and good relationships and vibes overall... But I've realised something...

BALANCING THINGS IS REALLY HARD... It is really easy to say you're going to do something to sort out some aspect of your life, but acting on it and sticking to it are what actually matter. So I thought I would share some of the little nuggets of wisdom I've figured out:

1. Figure out what you want in life. There's no point making a plan to sort out stuff if you don't even want it. If it's important to you, make a plan to get it done.
2. Keep short-term goals. These can be up to a day or even a a few months, try and compartmentalise your time so that you can set up realistic goals.
3. As always... Write it down. I am telling you that you will forget SOMETHING unless you keep everything noted. And it's really satisfying ticking something off that list!
4. Make time for you...Don't forget to look after yourself, you can't accomplish anything if you're not able to try
5. Have a plan B... And C if you have a penchant for accidents, like me.

And with those midnight thoughts dear readers, I shall say goodnight

Until we meet again
Talia

P.S Check out this little blog's pearls of wisdom if you get the chance:  http://amagicalmusiciansthoughts.blogspot.com/

Colour-Coding My Way to Productivity

So dear readers, I know it has been two weeks without a post. I do apologise profusely, I blame faulty printer cables and fried laptops. But anyhow, we are now in August everyone! so that means there is officially only one third of the year left... and I still feel like I've accomplished so little art wise!

So I've been having a series of epiphanies over the last few months. They haven't been directly related to my art or my work at varsity but rather to my personal life, but they've helped me figure out some neat little tricks and tips to help me out (and looking up life hacks on Pinterest isn't a bad idea either!). So dear readers today I thought I would share my little tips and tricks to make your planning life a little easier, so you can fit in all the things that are important to you.

I personally have an awful memory, and unless I write down what I'm supposed to do... well most of the time it won't get done or it will be a half-hearted job... So I have a diary and lots of coloured pens and matching Post-Its. My personal code is this:
Turquoise = Fine Art/Video Art
Lime Green = History of Art
Orange = Design & Drawing/Book-Binding
Yellow = French
Oxblood = Relationship and Personal Life

This is how I colour code my diary, which is super tiny. I also update my calendar as well as my MyStudyLife App to remind me about tasks that need to be done. I also try to distribute my work out a bit better so that I can spend more time spread out over a few days and really get into the work rather than rushing it and messing it up completely.

Another useful thing I've found is prioritising my To-Do list before I start completing anything, because I find I tend to do all the little easy things first when I have the most energy and then I wonder why I have no energy left for all the important things on the list... which can be problematic at best. So I draw a square next to each To-Do Item:

Big Square = Most Important (as in get off your lazy butt and get this done!)
Medium Square = So So, would be useful to get done today
Little Square = Annoying but useful task, not a train smash if it doesn't get done today

So this is just a small part of my organising tips that should help you to get everything done in time and get it done well. I hope maybe it helps you just a tiny bit!

Until we meet again 
Talia

From Start to Finish: The Garden

So dear readers, I just finished another drawing last night and thought that I would share the process behind it, seeing as I haven't done that for a while. Just for the sake of being thorough, I use Unipin pens, and all of the sizes available. I hope you enjoy these behind the scenes images of my drawing!

As always, any work of mine needs to have a solid drawing to start off with. I use a 2B pencil to sketch in the outlines and compose the image. (Why 2B? Because 2B or not 2B, that is the real question)

I started out by filling in the darker part of the sky. To get the tones here I use the 0.05mm, 0.1mm and 0.2mm pens.

Here I started filling in the darker areas of the hills so I could gauge how I should go about toning the sky. I started using a 0.3mm pen to fill in the darker areas. 

Now that I had a set of dark values to compare to I started filling in the rest of the hills and grass.

Now that the lower part of the landscape is complete, I can figure out how much toning the sky and clouds need.

Here I start blocking in the sky, using mostly the 0.05 and 0.1mm pens

Here the sky is completely filled in, you can see I left a few areas plain to contrast the busyness of everything else.

After adding in the foliage and a few final touches, we have a completed drawing!

Until we meet again

Talia

May The Force Be With You

Strength. It's a funny word. It can mean so many different things, it can be interpreted in so many different ways. To some it can mean brute strength, as in being able to punch and kick and shift the world around you. To others it can mean not falling apart when things go wrong. It can mean defying reality during a crisis or being able to hold your ground. To me strength has a pretty simple, but also quite a flexible meaning:

STRENGTH (unclassifiable into a single category)

 A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY

 During my life I've felt weak, and I've felt strong. What I've noticed is that strength manifests itself in different ways each time, and it very seldom shows itself in the same way twice. Strength for me is something internal, something that kicks in when most needed and marks a point of change in my life. I never feel the same once that inner force has shown itself.

I'm currently at an in-between phase in my life, quite far away from the last point I found my inner strength but haven't reached the next point just yet. I feel like a point is approaching where I need to be stronger than I have ever been before, for not only me but also for my future. For now all I can do is train myself and prepare myself... and perhaps just wait.

Until I reach that point again, there are of course a million things to get done.

Until we meet again
Talia

A Print For Your Thoughts?

Dear Readers, I apologise for my sudden AWOL, I have had exams and crazy deadlines for the last few weeks and as a result I haven't had much time to dedicate to a set blog post. But I have returned now... And I actually have some new work to share!

So, at the University of Witwatersrand (In Johannesburg, South Africa, for those of you abroad), I am currently doing a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts as a second year student. For the practical elements of the course (where you should hypothetically make stuff), we have two "classes". The first one is FINE ARTS and the second one is DESIGN AND DRAWING.  So for the second half of this semester, we did Printmaking and Sculpture,,, Let's just say it was a messy and time consuming... And exhausting...

But now at the end of it I have new skills and new work to share... So enjoy dear readers!

PRINTMAKING

INTAGLIO ETCHING

So this was the first technique we learnt: Drypoint etching
In a nutshell, you use a sharp metal instrument, like a nail, to scratch lines into a metal sheet like copper or zinc, you then put ink on the plate so it goes into all the lines you've carved into the metal, and you wipe off the rest of the ink. You print the plate and voila! 

Hardground Etching
So this is a technique I preferred to drypoint. So basically, you put a layer of this stuff called Hardground onto your metal plate. It is acid-resistant and water-proof. Using a sharp metal implement, you draw your image into the plate. The areas where you scratch the hardground reveal the metal underneath. Once you're done drawing, you submerge the plate into a bath of acid, which etches (or digs) into the metal plate. You take off the hardground layer, clean your plate and ink up.

Aquatint 
This was by far my favourite technique and is quite like painting in its final effect. You put a light layer of aquatint, which is made up of either rosin particles (or spray-paint for us art students) onto your metal plate. This layer resists the acid for an amount of time and allows you to work in layers. Using what is called stop-out, you cover up areas of tone on your plate, one tone at a time. For example, all the areas you want to stay white will be covered first. Then you etch the plate. Then you put another layer of stop-out, then you etch again... building up the tones with each layer. 

Combination Print: Aquatint and hardground
By far the most successful print, this was completed mostly in aquatint with some refined detail added in hardground.

So dear readers, those were the outcomes of my printmaking course. I will share my sculpture work soon, I just need to sort out all of the imagery.

Until we meet again

Talia

A Little Guide to Art School

How Not To Make Art 101

During the last few weeks of varsity, I've learnt a lot about how not to make art, and how not to be an artist. It's surprisingly easy to fall into this trap in Art School, so I thought I'd share a little bit of naive wisdom that I've figured out.

Apparently no lecturer can tell you "how to make art", but there are a lot of unwritten laws about things you shouldn't do when you're making art: Here is the technically-unwritten-but-typed list of things you shouldn't do.... Unless you're an avant-garde artist who's already made a name for themselves. 

1. Compose your image or work centrally. Seriously, apparently its "too perfect".
2. Use anything cliched... so butterflies, wolves, arrows, the globe, watches, hourglasses, dogs, cats, dream catchers, skeletons, naked people.... the list goes on
3. Leave a lot of empty spaces... Unless you are really good at understanding negative spaces.
4. Paint from photographs... draw from photographs... referencing photographs unless you're doing photography
5. Only use grey tones or mid tones. This one I do agree with, having a deep dark tone and an almost white tone is a good way to create depth and contrast in an image. 
6. Forget about preparatory work... This one varies from artist to artist, because people see planning in different ways. For me, writing and thumbnail sketches in ink are a perfect means of organising an image, for other people full scale perfect sketches work for them. It all depends on what works for you.
7. Comparing your work to other artists work, This is a sure fire way to stop feeling inspired and to give up art entirely. Rather all yourself to be inspired and learn from others instead of putting yourself down.
8. Leave all your prep work and current work in a mess. Trust me after two weeks of working in a messy pile of papers, trying to find one prep drawing is a bit of a nightmare.
9. Take criticism badly. Yes some people are honestly just rude and unhelpful, but most of the time criticism, both positive and negative can be really useful and help you to see your work in a slightly more neutral way.
10. Give up. No matter what happens, never ever give up on what you love to make. That's a good way to never become an artist

So dear readers, a little advice for those of you studying art or know someone who is.... Make what you love doing and you should be okay. 

Until we meet again

Talia

That Confusing Question

"Is being consistently inconsistent the same as being inconsistently consistent?" Chances are your brain just froze a little bit trying to decipher that question. Mine does the same thing even though I've thought about this question more than once. Whilst you're probably picking your brain trying to figure it out... I thought I'd pick my brain a bit on consistency and persistence.

Throughout my life, the one thing I've always been consistently good at is throwing myself into my art and putting in so much effort that what was required. I was so consistent at it that I made it a habit for myself. And last year when I was going through an especially rough phase in my life, my work and my art became my reason for existence for several months. Metaphorically my art became my significant other.

This is a good strategy when you're going through a rough time and feeling quite alone in the world. But for me, I suffered for a while and then the suffering stopped. I picked myself up and started living life again. I found someone I could actually talk to and touch and be held when I was feeling upset. Someone who makes me feel special, and someone who I can care about. I remember for a while when I was single I would actually miss caring for someone, but then I would distract myself by drawing and painting.

Now I have realised a flaw in my past strategy for beating loneliness through art. When you apply consistency to only one area of your life, and you apply a lot of it, chances are the consistency everywhere else in your life diminishes. There's the flaw you don't really see until other people point it out to you, and I realise that I have been a guilty party for quite a while. I guess you could say I'm both consistently inconsistent and inconsistently consistent in many other aspects of my life.

As various self-help books will probably tell you, admitting you have a problem is the first step to fixing it. Now my goal is to be consistently consistent in every other area of my life. I think posting once a week every week on this blog is a good motivation to be consistent.

Until we meet again dear readers
Talia
P.S. Being consistently inconsistent isn't the same as inconstantly consistent, just in case you were wondering. It took me an hour to figure it out, but I have an answer now at least!

The Work In Progress You Don't Always See

So Dear Readers, the end of April is almost upon us... and that means that one third of this year is already over. It still feels like the year is off to an extremely slow start, but I think that the reason is because we haven't been doing much work where the process can be seen.

At the moment, we're working on various forms of etching and sculpture  in clay... which is messy work almost all the time... but the process that goes into both is really difficult to see. You can't really show all the work that went into drawing into the copper or all the clay you've put on and taken off. All you really see is the final outcome of a slow process, Which isn't a bad thing, it just feels like a lot less work to show at the end.

I feel like not being able to see the process also relates to a lot of things in life, you can't see all the effort it takes to build a relationship with someone, all you can actually see is the current work in progress. You can't see how much time it takes for someone to become the person that they currently are.

If you're lucky, in art, you may get to watch someone work and see how a work transforms from a blank page or an empty space into something more tangible. Life is very much the same, you only get to see the slow transformation when someone lets you get incredibly close to them. That comfort and trust is a privilege, not a right. It is earned by trust and care, But the thing to remember about works in progress is that they have ups and downs, and the negatives are just as important as the positives to see how things turn out. I guess that you have to remember that the bad parts about progress are sometimes more meaningful than the good, because they teach you so much more than reinforcing what you think you already know.

So dear readers, if someone you know or something you may be creating has hit a bit of a rough patch, that's okay. Just remember that sometimes you have to have a patch of darkness to understand the light.

Until we meet again
Talia

Who Needs That Many Fireworks Anyway?

Do you ever feel like there's so many things to do, so many things you want to experience, that your mind actually tells you it's impossible to achieve them all? I do that a lot... I can focus on the present for a certain amount of time, then my brain decides it wants to think about things that would be fun to do... Only this time it was different.

I started thinking about all the things I'd been wanting to do, achieve, accomplish... Whatever you'd like to call it. There's a million thoughts buzzing through my head, crashing and bursting... I guess you could say like fireworks on a perfectly clear night... You know the stars that stay constant and shine in the distance, but the fireworks are so loud and bright that they distract you from the things that stay constantly beautiful... Even if they're light years away. I would say that all the fireworks are thoughts about today, tomorrow, next week even. My mind is so drawn to those that I've forgotten the stars in my mind, visible only on a clear night, the thoughts that are about things relatively far away.

The all knowing They say that right at this moment, time is a gift, and that's why it's called The Present... But the little clause they tend to leave out is that the present only means something when there's a future ahead... A goal you could say. I think I've been good with the present, but all those fireworks have made me forget that the present is always leading to the future. Once the bright colours and noises have faded away, the stars are what remain there no matter what.

Mental stars are different for everyone, some people focus on one constellation, others a single star... Some chase after a shooting star (only to figure out it was a plane). Some spend their whole lives searching for the star no one else has found. For me, I can say I've focused on one constellation my whole life... the one that kind of looks like an artist. But I had a moment of clarity... and there's a sky full of other stars out there... Ones that make you realise there is so much more to life than a single constellation. I guess you can say that from now on, there will always be a set of stars that shine brighter for me than all the others, the ones that will shine clearer even through the fireworks on a mental New Year's Eve.

Oh and dear readers, I know I talk about the sky a lot. It helps to think about the universe out there, that there is so much more to life than the little things that bug us every day. The one thing I love about load shedding (scheduled power outages due to strain on the grid, for those overseas), is that when the lights go out, if you stand outside, you can see the stars clearer than on any night in Johannesburg. I guess now I don't need the lights to go out or even for it to be night time to see my own stars.

When in doubt, find your own stars dear readers.

Until we meet again

Talia

The Secrecy Of Seclusion

So dear readers, I have survived the first quarter of Second Year relatively unscathed! Before I post an actual post, I thought I would share the final (work-in-progress) documentary I produced for my Digital Photography Course:

This was my explanation of the project to go along with the photographs:

The Secrecy of Seclusion

secret [skrət] adjective 1. not widely known: known by only a few people and intentionally withheld from general knowledge 2. undercover: working or operating without the knowledge of the general public 3. unadmitted: acting or feeling in a particular way without admitting to it   a secret admirer

When was the last time you kept your own secret? Sometimes secrets don’t have to be things you’ve done or decisions you’ve made. A secret can be a memory. A secret can be a person. But for me, a secret can even be a place.

Albert’s Farm is the second largest park in Johannesburg, yet even the residents who live around out seem to keep it a secret from the rest of the city, maybe even themselves. That is why the park has an air of privacy, of seclusion, of hidden secrets waiting to be found.

But secrets are easier to uncover when you look for traces of them, and the best way to do that is when the park is almost completely empty. Seclusion and Secrecy seem to go hand in hand.

I shall return soon again dear readers, with a proper post and lots of words.

Until we meet again

Talia

You Reap What You Sow

Hello There Dear Readers!

No this isn't an entirely proper post, but I thought I'd just share some of my work that was completed this week! For Art History, we are currently studying Landscapes In Art, with our main focus this being The Mined Landscape. As part of our lectures, we went on an excursion to the Krugersdorp Mine Fields (In Gauteng, South Africa). Our assignment is based on our interpretation of this landscape.

What stood out for me the most, was that the impoverished people in the area are trying to grow mielies (or corn for those abroad) didn't know that the soil and underground water beneath them had been contaminated by Acid Mine Drainage. In essence, the very thing that was keeping them alive was also killing them. This struck me quite profoundly, and this is the work I produced as a result of this realisation:

 You Reap What You Sow

Watercolour and Red Ink on Paper

21cm x 29,7cm

2015

That's all for now dear readers, I'm off to get some creative things done!

Until We Meet Again

Talia

Inspire me

Inspiration is difficult to come by... if you don't try and look for it. It's is a funny thing, although it seems like one of those miracles that just falls into our laps, most of the time we find it by actively looking.

During December of 2014 I was at a loss for inspiration, and now in February 2015, it feels like that inspiration is coming back in huge tidal waves at a time. And I have to admit, I absolutely love it! It feels good to get back into a mode of productivity before varsity has started... And now that I've found inspiration again, it feels like I wasn't looking properly before.

Well, now that I seem to have found the not-so-secret formula for inspiration, I thought I would share with you some of my findings:

1. The Internet will either MAKE you or BREAK you! It's entirely your choice whether you feel inspired or demotivated by what you find online. Personally, when I find artists with incredible abilities, I find myself in awe, wanting to aspire to reach that level of mastery with my own art. Don't feel demotivated when people are better than you, the saying goes that if you're the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room!
2. Never underestimate people! Sometimes, it's the people who give you your greatest inspiration... and surprisingly (not really), talking to people about what you love and WHY you love it is a great way to feel motivated!
3. PLAY! As an artist, when you get creative block (Yes it's a real thing in your mind!), sometimes the best way to get out of it is to play around and experiment with things just for the fun of it! Not only will it release the stress and tension, but you might get "happy accidents" that inspire new work.
4. Go outside (and bonus points for switching off your phone): Seriously, in this day and age we've forgotten the good that fresh air and grass between our toes does for our minds. Sometimes it can take ten minutes walking around the block, or a good few hours relaxing in the park... but when I get back home I feel rejuvenated and ready to work (or play) again.
5. Just start something. Whether it's a doodle, a poem, a story or even chores, just do something to get your mind working as well as your body.

So far I've found all of the above, and good food, have helped me to feel constantly inspired. My mind is in such a good place at the moment that I can barely keep up between making work and thinking of new work! Hopefully at least a fraction of this buzzing mental energy will materialise on my blog and other pages in the weeks to come!

Until we meet again

Talia 

P.S Check out artist Kerby Rosanes to get some inspiration!

A little outcome of going to the park