Final Piece.

Project Proposal:

"I will explore vulnerability through the use of painting techniques. I want the viewer to feel uncomfortable, so I will be exploring large scale portraiture, and through experimentation I will decide on a painting technique, medium, material and tools to use for my final piece. I shall make samples using different media, a range of surfaces and tools, documenting the exploration and my ideas digitally on Blogspot."
______________________________________________________________________


As a result of my research into artists, painting techniques, and my own investigation through experimenting with media, materials and techniques, this is my final piece...

I chose scrap cardboard as a surface for my final piece as it is classed as a 'poor material' because it is cheap and highly manufactured which links to my theme of 'vulnerability'. This particular cardboard has creases and jagged edges, making the material itself look vulnerable, it isn't as strong as wood but it isn't as weak as paper but it is extremely absorbent so I did find myself working at a fast pace and applying the paint really thickly, which shows in the painting itself with the directional marks I made with my fingers. These marks are really gestural and create form by showing the rounded cheeks and forehead  as well as the shape of the nose. I chose emulsion paint for the painting because it is cheap and everyone uses it. In fact this piece cost me nothing but time, as they were all found materials, so the cardboard and the paint had already been used which links to vulnerability as I have used abandoned, worthless materials, to create a fine art painting of my sister as a baby. The subject itself is vulnerable; a child. The expression on her face is innocent, and the way she is looking up suggests she is weak and almost afraid, and the quick layered paint technique of contrasting cold and warm colours stir a vulnerable atmosphere where the subject seems scared, not just because of the expression, but the use of the unrealistic and unblended scratchy streaks of colour create an abusive brutal painting. The colours I have used build up tonal value to the painting, the purples are darker and the blues and whites are lighter, combined with my gestural mark making the painting looks 3 dimensional, instead of flat, I gave it depth which somewhat brings it to life. I used the under painting and overlaying painting techniques to build up this painting with layers of paint to create this colourful fast expressive piece using only my fingers and hands to apply and control the emulsion paint, which I really enjoyed because I could get close with the paint which felt quite intimate, because this image is personal to me and the use of my body painting a portrait of my sister worked really well, I really think it is an appropriate way of painting this piece.

I really think this project went well, considering I was working completely out of my comfort zone by working large scale for the first time. I had to move around the painting to work on each section which is something I have never needed to do before with the small scale pieces I have produced in the past. This was an active piece of art work and I really enjoyed making it, and stepping out of my comfort zone which I think is very important in the art industry; trying out new things to push your artwork further because you just don't know what will happen until you try. I surprised my self actually. I must admit I was quite worried to work big scale in case it all went horribly wrong, it isn't something you can hide if you make a mistake whereas working small at a desk is easy, because no one is there watching over you, so I did in fact gain confidence with this project, as I had to work in the hallway at college as there was no room in the classroom, so people were walking past watching me paint, which is something that I have never liked, but I did get a lot of compliments.

I had a few ideas on how to present my final piece, I thought if it was left off the wall it would keep to an abandoned theme, as on the wall it would look out of context. It wouldn't look vulnerable it would look valuable, and that would not work well with the theme, so I had a play around with found boxes to make some kind of rubbish tip installation, making the painting look abandoned, I added a rubbish bag and decided to include the tubs of paint I used, arranging them and spilling their contents down boxes in the installation. I took photos of this as I wasn't able to keep this in the corridor as it would have been in the way, however,I plan to reduce the installation and keep it out the way in the corner of the corridor, because I really think the arrangement of neglected worthless objects reinforce and create a vulnerable atmosphere for my painting. I considered cutting the cardboard down to shape and using the edges to reinforce the back of the painting to keep it sturdy and flat, but as I played around with the arrangement, I decided I really liked the creases in the cardboard and how I could bend it at angles to create something more sculptural than just a 2 dimensional painting on the wall. I am really pleased with the way I presented my final piece, it was fun and I have never created an installation piece before and would love to do it again.

The only factor that I didn't like is the quick drying time of the emulsion paint which forced me to work fast and literally slap the paint onto the cardboard so it was thick, as I needed to work the colours into each other before they dried to build up tone with the contrasting colours with my fingers, but then I did actually get a positive thing out of this. The layered paint created a textured painting and the marks I made with my fingers look obviously fast which gave the painting it's layered brutal appearance, as if the contrasting and unrealistic colours cut you up with its edgy atmosphere, accentuating vulnerability. So even though the experience of creating my final piece was rather difficult, I am really pleased with the outcome and I believe I have successfully worked closely to my project proposal and created an outcome that exactly explores vulnerability. Personally, the layered jagged textured  paint combined with the afraid look in the child's eyes does create a vulnerable atmosphere, but whether you  feel uncomfortable or not, you decide.