Course Contexts Analysis
Pecha Kucha Presentation
In this section, each of us in MA Fine Art had been asked to prepare ten images showing things that give us inspiration for our research. During the presentation, we only had three and a half minutes to briefly talk about other artists’/writers’ works or any museum collections, objects, and places we are interested in, and most importantly, how these contents shape our project and research. Twenty seconds of talking for each slide was very tight timing. Everyone tried to speak as fast as possible to ensure the presentation covered everything. And quite a lot of people failed to complete within the time limit, which also happened to me. However, I found this session valuable and exciting as we got this chance to know more about what other people were doing for their projects and how they combined those research and inspiration with their work. By listening to others and giving/receiving advice, we can always realise something that we would not be able to find out if we just worked on our own. I also found that the time limit is meaningful. I have to decide which is most important about my project and learn to select carefully what I want to let people know the most. Overall, this is one of my favourite teaching events over the first term of the year.
Historical Drawing Materials vs Found Objects Lecture & Workshop with Craig
In this section, Craig briefly talked about different kinds of way to make pigment and paint colours. He also let us try a few materials on the paper to see how they perform in practical applications. I am really interested in this topic and did some relevant research afterward.
In ancient times, people created paint colours using a variety of natural materials. Some of the most common materials used included minerals, plant materials, and animal products. Mineral pigments were commonly used to create paint colours. These pigments were derived from minerals such as iron oxide (red and yellow), malachite (green), and azurite (blue). Pigments were ground into a fine powder and mixed with a binding medium, such as egg yolk or animal glue, to create paint.
Ancient Egyptians used henna to create a red-orange pigment, while the ancient Greeks and Romans used saffron to create a yellow pigment. Many other plants were also used, such as indigo for blue, charcoal for black, and lead white for white.
Animal products were also used to create paint colours. For example, ancient Egyptians used crushed insects to create a bright red pigment, while the ancient Chinese used crushed shells to create a white pigment. Additionally, a variety of other animal products, such as blood and urine, were also used to create paint colours in some ancient cultures.
Apart from that, many ancient cultures also used a technique known as fresco painting, which involved applying pigments to wet plaster. This allowed for more vibrant and longer lasting colours, as the pigments were absorbed into the plaster.
Unit 1 One Day Show
The Unit 1 One Day Show is held at the end of first term. We were asked to present one piece of work of our current practice and have been told that it can be a complete work or something in progress. We got two days of time to set up the exhibition in order to show a well-established exhibition. The whole process of setting up and presenting is useful as we got this chance to see what everyone else is doing for this term and communicate with each other. Pete was also there to help us on layout and find out the best way to put/hang each piece of works. People were not just focusing on their own work but at the same time giving suggestions which is very helpful. You can always learn something new from one another by exchanging ideas. At the day of show we did the crit with Dan Howrd-Birt, he led us to giving feedback on everyone’s work and reflecting on the results of the current phase. I present a group of painting with polaroid and perfume attached to visualize my feelings of the city Brighton and also memories, Dan’s talk makes me being able to expand on the possibilities of creation and presentation, as well as showing more relevant ideas. Overall this is one of the most useful teaching session for me.
Reference List:
Whitehouse, P. (2017) Painting with nature: Create beautiful patterns and textures, Mother Natured. Available at: https://mothernatured.com/nature-crafts/painting-patterns-using-nature/ (Accessed: January 31, 2023).
Taggart, E. (2022) Unearth the colorful history of paint: From natural pigments to synthetic hues, My Modern Met. Available at: https://mymodernmet.com/history-of-paint/#Paints_in_Ancient_Times (Accessed: January 31, 2023).
Serotta, A., Seibert, J.M. and Stünkel, I. (2020) Paint Like An Egyptian!, Metmuseum.org. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/metkids/2020/paint-like-an-egyptian (Accessed: January 31, 2023).