CONTRASTS AND BANDS

Work by Marta Marce and Anselme Reyle (See Research) have shown a possible way of handling bands of colour/stripes using contrast to highlight colour frequencies / relationships:

First stage painting above. 

Sequence  of applying paint important - base wash of Payne's Grey applied by rolller. Banded areas then masked and painted out in white prior to adding colour- slight white edge at transition important in achieving crisp banding.

Seek to develop with further panels and two semi-translucent 'overlay' stripes.

Following discussion with Lothar try a light pink wash  (see below)

Verdict : probably a step too far - prefer previous version. Howver technical aspects of banding improved with less bleeding.

IS LESS MORE?

Discussion with Peter Wolland re current work - see below (approx 2m square, acrylic on raw canvas primed with PVA) Still exploring 'grids ans washes'

Expressed interest in colour as well as 'pictorial space' but finding difficulties and almost felt need to remove all colour and start again- felt that original 'taped up 'canvas, prior to painting which is very mute almost monochrome was more succssful than the finished work (see below)                                                  

Banding achieved using differing thicknessses of masking tape and 75mm black plastic flooring tape                                                                                    

Wide ranging discussion with PW covering issues from Abstract Expressionism and the various approaches to expressing 'pictorial space'





 
Agreed to concentrate on three issues:

• What can be got rid of (simplification)
• Colour
• Mark making - again simplification and removal of overt brushwork

Limitation of form and colour (1)

               Elongated format ( 1500x600mm)

               Raw canvas primed with PVA
                                        
               Yellow ochre based colour, darker at base,
                lightening towards the top

               Concept from Upland walls


                     








 


Success?  

Discussion with Lothar- severe vertical format probably too much against the landscape  feel of the work.The painting might work better at a larger scale with a more subtle gradation of tone/colour. Still feels like a significant stride in the right direction.               

Limitation of form and colour (2)

Second painting works with limited form- stripes/bands and a tight colour palette
(see below). Paint applied by roller with fine brush for stripes.

                                                                                

Conceived originally in landscape format with major, ochre area at the top. However,it works better in vertical format, Major areas of ochre and lovat green have subtle changes of tone within them (not readily appreciable on the blog) - uniform stripes work quite well as a foil/contrast. Reasonably satisfied with the restricted palette and sense of pictorial space acheived.
                                                                             
                                         

WASH UPON WASH

Difficulty in predicting outcome of washes- balance between too much control and 'serendipity' sought

Also problem in locating contemporay artists working with loose washses against solid areas of tone/ colour.


Trials to start understanding relationships/potential

                                                           
                                                         

                                       
  
 Floating one wash over another provides subtle shifts in both colour and tone

 

   Thin washes on PVA primed canvas

 

Observation

Short experiments / technical exercises valuable in developing practice and avoiding too many major errors on larger canvasses which are quite time consuminng to produce

SATURDAY WORKSHOP

See below works by Johnny Fokker, member of Bearpark Artist's Co-operative - he quite often uses grids as a starting point for his paintings. (Paintings 350mmsquare)

Decided  to work on small scale (505x405mm)

·         Base coat grey/purple scored through when wet to provide underlying grid

·         Exploration of colour within this matrix

                                                                                            

        Technically quite difficult to score grid throuh before acrylic dries                                

Fine brush control required working up grid withiout any masking off


Result - need to exploit properties of small brushmarks as is virtually impossible to produce uniform colour uptake.

GRIDS AND WASHES

Abstraction and Meaning

(See Research - Grid Possibilities)

Some would deem this an oxymoron, however the quest remains to produce a competent abstract painting using the 'language of Grids and Washes.

Viewing some of Sarah Morris's work she seems to make a valid comment on the urban environmnet through her particular language of abstraction

Untitled image of Sarah Morris's work

                                                    

 1.8m square stretched canvvas- PVA primed to retain 'raw canvas' and 'mid tone' value. Masking of canvas primed with PVA- 4 widths of tape used

 

Philosophical basis for work

Following the experimentation using grids and washes as already documented within this blog I view the grid as a metaphor for man's impact upon the landscape, a Cartesian statement of man's primacy. The washes (pigment held in an aquaeous suspension) therefore represent the processes of the natural landscape. It is the inherent tension between these two fundamentally differing aspects of applying paint that forms the  basis of my current work.

Technical Issues

• difficulty of producing precise lines through bleeding- attempt to seal edges of tape with further application of PVA (JH tip). Not entirely successful due to use of very wet washes. However am reasonably happy with result as it neatly represents the somewhat confused overlap between man driven processes and the natural landscape. If I had been aiming for a hard edged 'urban' character as Morris successfully acheives (see above) this would be quite unacceptable.

• difficulty of anticipating result as initial washes applied over the tapes- not able to properly appreciate the resultant grid until tape removed. Further modifications would involve retaping various sections.

• anticipating visual effect of overlaying different coloured wahes and mixing wet into wet which can produce very interesting and subtle results- some trials necessary

GRID OPTION 2

 

GRID OPTION 2

Second Option worked up by developing ground then imposing grid.

Retain similar colour range                                                                                           
intensify somme areas with
increased use of deep hue cadmium
yellow 





                                                        

                                         

 

Quick test for scale of grid using 2"x1"latts

Consider options for imposition of grid :

• full grid as in previous option
• partial grid -implied rather than fully stated 

• Decide to run with second option Grid intersections only marked out in white - taped out and overpainted in white                                                              
  

     

Testing colour options-
      Payne's grey / violet







                                                                                 


Left -all white option

Right- violet intersections, modulated in intensity related to saturation of background colour.See detail below.

                                                                                     

Observations:

Varying intensity of crosses in relation to background adds interest and helps to engage the viewer with the piece, which is essentially a simple composition of regularly spaced crosses on a ground.

FINDING A LANGUAGE

Studio Progress - Finding a Language

Resolve to go as large as possible within confines of the studio space  -use approx 2m square unstrecthed canvas treated with PVA diluted with one third water.

Reflection  following term end
'Traffic Lights' review and Mondrian discussion have strengthened resolve to reintroduce grids to my work. This approach seems to reflect my concerns over the 'manmade intrusions' upon a 'natural landscape' The grid reflects the inflexibility of the Cartesian view of the world and man's 'dominion over nature' The loose acrylic washes aptly reflect the natural processes - influenced by water and gravity. This provides me with,for the first time, a language with which to attempt to develop my work - no doubt this will morph into something else before too long!


Referencing Mondrian seems important - he worked so hard to remove all landscape reference (or, indeed,any other) from his work although he initailly made many studies based on landscape subjects edging towards total abstraction (e.g. his Tree Series). He sought to restrict the experience of viewing his work to the picture plane - I am trying to introduce a sense of space into the canvas without any overt landscape reference!

His grids which imply a connection beyond the confines of the picture  provide a connection which I would wish to emulate (unlike say Agnes Martin whose grids often relate to the picture itself).


Undergrid design options worked out on paper first.
Original thoughts of utilising a Mondrian painting as an underpainting are abandoned in favour of an orthoganol grid, strongly influenced by Mondrian. (This thought was triggered having seen Jim Shaw's work at the Baltic where he produced some stunning extra large works utlising old theatrical drops, most interestingly integrating the original 'theatre painting' into the finished work).
As ideas further worked up two of the strong verticals are canted slightly to the right, breaking the full strictures of the 'Mondrian grid' - this feels good and is 'my statement'.

                                                                               
Tape sizes available:  
75mm
50mm
35mm
25mm                 
                                                                                 
                                                                                                                            
Grid tape in place

               
First washes                                                                       

Further washes, experimenting with complementary colours - yellow / purple. Canvas lifted from top edge to allow latest wash to 'run' creating links between top and bottom of the canvas  




                                                                                      

With tape removed
Some bleeding beneath tape 
but softening / integration of grid generally welcomed
                                                     

                                                                

  Observations

•   Scale and unstretched nature of canvas quite liberating
•   Purple /rich cadminumyellow work well against the neutral canvas -( PVA primed)
•   Bleeding of colour into grids not intended but adds to richness of painting - would  have been major problem if the work relied on precise, Mondrian like geometry.