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

Processes and Transparencies

Hello there dear readers

I apologise for missing out on a post last weekend. It was a ...turbulent time to say the least. But here I am and it's time for a new post.

So dear readers, let me share with you what I've been up to since I've gone back to varsity this year. So in third year, the second last year of the Fine Arts degree I am studying, we are considered to be "senior" art students, and therefore capable of setting our own projects and briefs to work with. This is a huge jump from first and second year, where the lecturers would decide upon the topic and the artwork we created was thus a response to this topic.

So let me share with you my thought process behind the project I've been working.

I have been interested in typography since a happy accident with typography in First Year. As regular readers of my blog will know (and if you're new, welcome to my blog and have a look here to see my work), I've worked extensively with the medium of typography over the last two years, and of course given the freedom of subject matter and medium, now I have full reigns to work with typography.

So for this particular project, I decided to relate typography to the idea of access. So when is writing accessible to people, and when is it not? I wanted to play around with ideas of English being perhaps a more accessible language to understand (within a university context) than the language of the artwork. And how I could refuse the viewer access, or certainly make it intentionally more difficult for the viewer to relate to and actually access or understand the work.

How I decided to go about this was to use transparency sheets to write on:

These sheets were my own personal feelings, thoughts and emotions, as well as opinions about how I feel being an art student at an art school is quite inaccessible and the frustrations of being in art school. 

After this process, I then wanted to suspend these sheets from the ceiling of my studio space:

As you can see... this was somewhat untidy and well... the sort of baby steps towards an actual installation. So after this I decided the bulldog clips and looked terrible, so I refined it a bit using beading crimps to tie the transparency sheets:

This looks a LOT better, but something was still bothering me about this format. After speaking to my lecturer, we kind of concluded that it was because they were at eye-level. It was too easy to engage with them on an artistic level and not to mention that the lighting wasn't as effective... so to combat this I decided to hang them differently...

Now here I had caught onto something that really worked. I loved the way the light diffused the transparency sheets and the words themselves, and as you can see in the first picture, it was infinitely more successful than I would have guessed before. But alas it still needs a bit of tweaking, which I will share with you this coming weekend, dear readers.

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

Creativity Withdrawal

At long last! First Semester is finally over! I completed my last exam on Friday and have reached the sweet winter holidays.

Without a doubt, it has been a stressful work and emotion frenzied semester, now for a brief reprieve before the intensive work begins again. I have to admit, I think after all the new skills learnt and applied this year in class, I think going back to some art basics will be really good for me. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, I mean some good old drawing... And maybe painting too if I'm feeling adventurous.

In other words dear readers, I have been suffering from creativity withdrawal and monochromitis (a fictional disease of the mind created when only black and white is used for an extended period of time) whilst I have been doing an art degree. So seeing as I have an overly active imagination at the moment...

HOW TO TREAT (AND CURE) CREATIVITY WITHDRAWAL

1. Doodle! I know it seems like an odd suggestion, but just scribbling away something without thinking is a good way to get yourself into more creative mindset.
2. Get a new art supply (or two... or a lot). Even if you just try out a new pencil or try painting with coffee, try something different to get you excited about making stuff again.
3. Try something different! If you have always been a person to work with pencils, try working with paint to get you out of your comfort zone.
4. Clean up your space! This one may only apply to a couple of people but I think that a clean space is like a clean canvas, just waiting to be used!
5. Look at your old work. I was feel reinvigorated to work when I see my old drawings and paintings, it feels like there's so much potential in the next piece.
6. Help someone else do something creative! It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it can just be something simple like helping them make something new.
7. ACTUALLY  MAKE SOMETHING!!

So dear readers, I am off to cure my creativity withdrawl. If you haven't noticed it yet, I've added a neg page to this blog dubbed "Art & Other Creative Items", this is where I shall keep all my images of my artwork updated , I would really appreciate it if you took a look every now and again.

Until we meet again

Talia

And So The June Countdown Begins...

Happy Mother's Day dear readers! If you forgot it was Mother's day then shame on you! Yes, I know it's only been 35 minutes (in South African time) but that's no excuse. Today is the day you take a moment to appreciate all the things your mother does for you everyday, not to mention the nine months she had to haul you around before that.

Now... I know it's late and yes I should probably be in bed by now... But unfortunately my workload seemed to magically pile itself up in one week to have all the time consuming elements take place in uncomfortably close proximity to one another. There always seems to be a million things to do when you seem to get one huge deadline out of the way... The list is constantly growing and changing... Kind of like life I guess. If things stopped changing and we didn't have to adapt, I think we would all get bored eventually.

But the frustrating thing about the workload now... especially for sculpture and printmaking, is that it takes so long to produce a single piece of work. After so many weeks of being back, I only have two final etching prints, a sculpture drying in the sculpture studio and a complete set of photos that still need to be made into a book. That's not much considering how much work and time has gone into everything...

I'm just itching to draw or paint something that I can look at when I'm done... But the saddest thing is that time won't allow me to do that until June... and that's still another month away before I can breathe normally again. But the show must go on, and no mental breakdowns can be allowed near the etching equipment. For now I don't have many pictures of work to share, but I promise I will post them all as soon as I can.

Happy Mothers Day dear readers!

Until we meet again
Talia

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

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

Parks and Recreation

I have survived week one of Second Year dear readers! And I have returned with a revelation... Balance in varsity life might just, JUST, be possible this year!

Last year I didn't have much of a social life to speak of (More like none at all), and I used to spend almost all my time at varsity. And when I wasn't in class or staying late, I was working like a machine at home. I'd gotten to the point where a social life just felt like a triviality: Good for occasional fun but not necessary for survival.

After this week, I can say that I was being stubborn and just plain anti-social. Yes, not having a social life meant that I could get all the work done and to a pretty high standard... But here's the thing. Interacting with other people is so integral to the way we function and grow. Other people are so important, your family, your friends, your neighbour (who may also be your best friend), even your dog, cat and rabbit are important!

This week, I consciously made a point of working productively during the hours I was at class and more importantly the hours in-between (I'm sure the people working at the library must recognise me by now!). This productivity isn't just good for the mind and not to mention the work, the productivity also means I get things done before they're due. I show up at class prepared with the readings and research. I have a good idea of all the deadlines and when to start... But most importantly, I have my weekend back.

This weekend, I actually had the time to spend with the people that matter to me. And I enjoyed that time so much. I think it was the most enjoyable weekend I've had in a long time, the perfect balance between work and play, productivity and relaxation.

Now that I've given myself enough time to get assignments done, I also have the opportunity to enjoy the assignments. At the moment, we're learning how to use DSLR cameras on manual, giving us full control of the image. I still have a lot of practising to do, but I think my first attempts didn't come out too horrendously... This is probably my favourite photo from the park.

Hopefully by the next post I'll be able to share some more experienced photographs and maybe even some secrets to productivity.

Until we meet again
Talia

The Moon Among the Stars

What a week it has been... Good thing I'm not afraid of falling, because let's just say it was one crazy roller coaster ride! Now anyone who has ever met me will know that I run mostly on logic with occasional doses of emotion... But this week, I've realised that emotions force you to face things your mind has built walls to keep out.

It has been a crazy week, There is no doubt about that. For the first time in a long time, I was able to see a little bit of the future... A future that depended greatly on the decisions I had to make this week. The truth is this, ignoring a decision doesn't make it go away, it just makes it worse. Eventually we're all forced to make a decision when cornered, and the Fight or Flight instinct kicks in.

For a long time, flight had most often been my decision. Because, well, it was easier to start again. After this week, I can say quite happily that now I've grown into fighting for what is right and what in the very core of my heart I know what is worth fighting for. I read a saying once...

"Never ignore a person who loves you, cares for you, and misses you. Because one day you might wake up from your sleep and realise that you lost the moon whilst counting the stars."

 I found it quite odd that this was the saying that came to mind this week, because I've been feeling incredibly inspired by the night sky as of late... I can quite happily say now that I don't think I will ever lose sight of the moon again. 

One thing any artist will be able to tell you is that emotional outbursts often make for fantastic artistic inspiration... I can tell you this. Positive emotions sometimes fuel more passionate works because you find inspiration in good mental energy. When work is fuelled by anger and frustration, the art becomes a form of escapism. When work is fuelled by passion and positivity, it becomes a reflection of the way you see things.

Here is some of the work fuelled by the night sky:

Lunar Lineup
Ink on Moleskine
9cm x 14cm
2015

Stardust (Work in Progress)

Although I have the infinite night sky as inspiration, I think I've found a little piece of the universe to call my own personal source of inspiration.

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

From Start To Finish: Re-Inventing Typograpy

Hello dear readers! After reading Austin Kleon's book SHOW YOUR WORK!, I have been following his advice about sharing both the process of making art, as well as the finished product. So here is another brief post about the work that went into my latest piece (As of today!).

From Start to Finish, my latest little typographic sketch: Re-Inventing Typography

The initial sketch of all the letters

The detailing and filling in of the first line...

Repeating the process with the smaller letters...

Almost Done! On this line I decided to use a 0.5mm pen because it was lacking some contrast...

Voila! The Final Sketch

Details

 And as you can see... it seems like this will be the year for Typography!

Until we meet again
Talia

From Start To Finish: The Skull From Beneath

Hello again dear readers! No this is not an entirely new post... but as you may have noticed in previous posts, there have been snippets of a work in progress, and that is precisely what this blog is meant to show!

So today I will show you the makings of my latest work, which I completed roughly half an hour ago. This post will show the process from start to finish.

The journey of: The Skull From Beneath

The first sketch and outline of the skull in HB pencil. This takes a lot of time to get all the proportions accurate.

The very first words filling the page. I like to start at the darkest, most central point of the image.

Slowly the words begin to ripple outwards, filling the gaps and crevices marked by pencil...

This is quite the slow process, seeing as I use 0.5, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.05 mm fine liners. My personal preference is Unipin Fine Liners

A bit of patience and the skull starts to materialise...

And Voila! We have the completed skull!
Click here for more details on the drawing

Detail of the final drawing

And so dear readers, I have one more completed work to tally for 2015... Hopefully there are plenty more to come!

Until we meet again
Talia