PAINT/PRINT Brief: Process To Image Week 2. Day 2. (Photo with People)

Process Into Image Paint Brief.

Week 2: PROCESS LED INQUIRY: Drawing from a Photo with People.

Drawing Processes:

* Select the first image to draw.

* Analyse this image’s visual properties (figural and abstract).

* Generate multiple drawings.

* Process this image by reducing, confusing, or altering using a range of methods (i.e. charcoal, graphite, provisional paint studies, gouache, or watercolour sketches, alterations using the photocopier, overhead projector, photoshop and other digital imaging software).

1. PHOTO with people – ‘Black and White Vogue Cover’ (Jean Patchett) by Irving Penn. New York, 1950. Gelatin silver print. Accessed September 28, 2021. https://irvingpenn.org/galleries.

I chose this photograph because the image is powerful in black and white, and it reveals a theatrical quality with a mask of white facial make-up beneath a netted hat. The crisp white shapes (and wrinkly gloves) sit starkly against the black dress, black scarf and hat. The overall silhouette of the female form displays striking defiant outlines that greatly appeals. Not only do I love black and white photography, and film, I have always been a lover of elegant Avant garde fashion with vintage netted hat and glove accessories.

There were many other photographs by Irving Penn that resonated, yet these two images below also appealed because of an elegant and very clever see-through effect (Left) and a graceful movement (even though posed still) effect (Right).

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Before I started to physically draw, I processed the image digitally. I introduced the visual art element of colour; choosing pinks, purples and blues.

I created repetition additions with reflections, and connected the overall look with a corresponding colour scheme. Like last week’s painting exercise, I utilised VERBS again, by making mathematical transformations of translating, rotating, flipping and reflecting.

I am pleased with the two digital photographs below titled: 5. ‘Neon Blue Jean’ and 7. ‘Neon Net-Face Jean’, because of their simple outlines. One of the brief’s drawing processes is to REDUCE. By reducing the majority of the female model’s clothes, and inner shape details, I was able to achieve a striking linear blue-lit fluorescent Neon sign effect. The black background turns into a night sky, illuminating a blue-lit outline. I do love electric blue!

Here below, I have altered the image again via enlargement and reduction. Through cropping I have zoomed in for a close up of the head, neck and shoulders to show the patterned detail on the hat-net feature.

My first physical drawing (Figure 8. ‘No Net Jean’) in graphite was (on purpose) a little slow and tight. The reason for this, was that I wanted to get the feel of the form. I needed to understand the linear quality, and gain knowledge of both the positive shapes and negative space in, out and around the silhouette figure before I commenced the quick sketches.

The next drawing was a very quick minute sketch, wobbly, loose and uncontrolled. I accidentally dented it and crumpled the paper at one point. The wonky nose makes me smile.

I changed methods and mediums, instead of continuing to use a pencil, a medium size charcoal stick said “Get me out of this box and play with me!” This box of charcoal had been sitting in a cupboard for decades, therefore I felt pretty rusty and unskillful at using these sticks.

I shouldn’t have worried, because it was lovely to make charcoal marks as quickly as I could, plus it felt freer than using a pencil. The more I did, the more confident and quicker I became. I amused myself making lots of rough sketches with fast dashes, and flowing long lines that curled up at the end. Jean, the Vogue fashion model was turning into a girl guide, then her hat looked like it was catching on fire! Next, Jean became just a tie, then a group of swimming ties, a scribbly shirt, and suddenly she turned into a hat and body with no head (see below), then a head with no hat! My mark-making was definitely loosening up with lots of mistakes and soft smudges.

I left the NET Hat feature to last, as this part looked difficult with a thicker-style charcoal stick, compared to using a finer pencil or a black biro pen. The net jumped off Jean’s face after my first attempt below, and transformed into an independent abstracted fishing net structure, and a straight and curving woven grid. It didn’t matter what it was, I was enjoying pushing the charcoal very quickly, criss-crossing and making lots and lots of marks.