AS Level Coursework Evalutation

Art Coursework Evaluation – Rosemary Robinson

At the beginning of the course, I was given the topic ‘natural forms’, and decided to continue this theme throughout my coursework as it seemed a very organic based topic, allowing me to discover my passion for sculpture and fine detailed work.

My first piece I created an observational biro drawing of natural forms, using masking tape to add texture and levels to the work. Surrounding this piece are my own photos and IT edits of these, giving colour and vibrancy. This vitality then allowed me to progress on the next page into a collaged jellyfish, stuck down and biroed on to add definition. The complimentary colours make the piece eye catching and give a sort of audacity that is rarely seen throughout the rest of my work. Following this I used photos of a pinecone and bark with dramatic lighting, and these photos have a huge influence on my following natural forms project. I begun to research sculptors who used texture in their work, and Gaudi and Peter Randall-Page were the most inspirational to my work. Randall-Page’s work influenced the ceramic pinecone I created, as each spine on the piece was carved to allow light manipulation, similar to his sculpture ‘Seed’.

The firs piece of skilled work I created during this course was my rope and snakes sketch, which spans a double page allowing me to work on a larger scale, and use different shading techniques to create both the scales and the rope. Following this, I created my own unique ceramic version of Randall Page’s work; this allowed me to continue using clay as a medium in my project as it created a direct organic link with my natural forms project. I produced many sketches and bio copies throughout my course work, and used both art history and my own photos as a basis. This allowed me to develop my skilled work. However, I also created a large scale painting with a natural formed theme, and did not enjoy creating or the final outcome, and so also created a much smaller painting of a leaf from block paint with a vibrant background. The outcome of the smaller scale work I preferred, and this allowed my to find my preference for sketching and sculpting work as I feel more control when producing the work.

The pine cone that I had used previously allowed me to see the connection with Fibonacci’s theorem of infinite spirals and my subject, and so I researched further into his works, creating a page linking Anthony Goldsworthy’s work with the work of Fibonacci. The mixed media here links the topic name with my research and photo, and the following work gives an autumn feeling to my work.

The influence of the bark photos I had taken, allowed me to create a clay face. This clay face was created so that people viewing it would be able to relate to a recognisable figure.

It is well-known humans find faces in all objects they see from birth, as a way of reassurance. I created this face to challenge that, and to show from different angles and a slightly different interpretation, it is hard to recognise such a familiar image. The piece was glazed a rich autumn colour to give an organic feel.

I also found the work of Georgia O’Keefe to have links to Fibonacci, and copied one of her drawings using coloured pencils and Brusho inks to give vitality to the work. The use of colours begun to inspire me, and so I used IT manipulations on one of my photos to bring to the surface the colours not generally seen by the naked eye; purple, green, red, blue and grey. This tests the general perception of people in the modern world, as well as giving the continuation to my project. Sculpturally, the Fibonacci’s theorem of infinite spirals inspired me, as did the vibrant colour, and so I created a variety of small never-ending coils.

I then did further research for artists who used texture, colour and effects of light and shadow. This led me to the work of Bruno Torfs. The variety of textures interested me, and so as well as sketching two copies of his work. I used the sculpture of a fearful child to influence me during a life drawing session. This small piece is again glazed in natural tones and has a disjointed shoulder and angular legs to show different use of textures. A as well as influencing my sculpting, Torfs’ figures also influenced my biro drawings as I brought forth the texture and emphasised the different light compositions against a dramatic background. The sculpting of body forms interested me, and so I created a sculpted head made fro strips of clay. I researched again, and found the work of Henry Moore.

Influenced by the different lighting from sculptures of Torfs and Moore, I intended to take another series of photographs and drape sheets over figures, clearly showing the change in light and shadow. I then chose to focus on the folds that were created within the sheets, as this allowed a much more detailed focus point, allowing me to branch off into sculptures. I then created two small sculptures using texture on one of these to discover if texture on a folded surface was suitable, and the other smaller ceramic I left smooth. These have not been glazed in natural tones as I was influenced by the use of colours in Torfs’ work. To relate my folded work back to bodies, and human forms, I looked into the wrinkles and folds within skin on a person. This allowed me o look further into this thee and created a large sculpture based on the folds of skin on an abstract form.

Finally, I created a summary of my work across a double page spread, showing the development of my work across my natural forms project. The main medium that I used was fine detailed sketches and biro drawings and ceramic sculpture.  

Throughout the school year, I attended life drawing sessions after school. By doing this, I learnt to draw on a large scale, different techniques when drawing and used a variety of materials. By discovering different styles of drawing, I was able to in corporate this in my on wok, and to work in a relatively short space of time for each drawing. The effects of this can be seen in the sketches created throughout the course.