My subject also had different colours in their coat, so the hunt for suitable shades in the local newspaper, had me cutting out the same segment multiple times. It had to be just the right shade, or it looked odd and ruined the subtly.
Click to enlarge
I'm not entirely happy with it, but I wonder if it's only because it didn't conform to the image I had in my head. Perhaps it works in its own way? It was meant to be a patchwork cat after all.
But I learned a lot from this particular gruelling challenge too. It's worth looking for just the right image and shade to create an illusion of depth or reflective surfaces.
Closer view
The shadow of my cat, came from a ceiling in a hall for a community meeting. It had some fancy lighting which reflected off the white roof. This gave my shadow, a more luminous quality, that wouldn't have been so with a flat colour or just newsprint.
This was a wonderful discovery, worth the hair pulling at times.
Most of this picture is collage, with only the front of the face and front leg - a little back-leg outlining too, in watercolour pencil.
I'm glad I went for it when the opportunity arose. It was intimidating me somewhat, because I didn't know exactly how to make it work. Yet now I have something to show for moving forwards and have learned a little more about collage too.
The only way I'm going to improve my art, is by making mistakes and happy discoveries, all at the same time!
This piece has a great deal more drama than the geisha. I can see where you had those challenges but I'd say you did a great job in solving the issues that came up. What an amazing shadow first of all! I like the bits of orange-the warm color brings that part of the body forward. The shade is nice and fresh as well.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways this cat is on the verge of becoming abstract and in other ways it is realistic which gives the idea that the cat is morphing into something- a shape shifter-or….?
I really don't like telling people how to approach their work because its hard to know what is going on in your head on this-but if I made a single suggestion-it would be that if you wanted to create it again, explore using cooler tones in combination with the warmer ones which would created more depth.
I call this a success-a wonderful piece.
I guess it can be considered abstract - probably more so than not. It was a challenge for me, as I wouldn't consider myself an abstract artist nor proficient with collage. But the cat is growing on me the more see it sitting on the kitchen table. Its not entirely perfect and you can see the experimentation going on. But its incredibly honest, lol.
DeleteI'm not sure if I will redo, but will certainly keep your suggestions in mind. I've found that collage, while enjoyable and something I want to do more of, its a big time commitment. I take up multiple tables in the house, just to lay out the different papers I'm cutting from. I won't say goodbye to collage, completely, but it will have to be spared for those rare chunks of time I can work on a piece.
Thanks for your feedback. :)
I'd say that your end result speaks more for your skill than you might think. Its a great piece and so was the Geisha.It seems that you learned a great deal in the process. I enjoy collage now and then but for me-its a mood so it becomes much more abstract than my other work. I can't seem to do more realistic collage at all. lol.
DeleteI understand not having space however. I hope that when you shop around for a home you keep your needs in mind and that your budget will allow you to carve out a niche in some way. I have alot of space now but I didn't always and its made a huge difference in my attitude-but even small space is workable as you have proven.
I recently saw a very interesing piece of art-a portriat where the hair only was collage but it also was painted over a little while the face was inked. The collage was highly abstract. I loved it! I think incorporating something you want to know more about like you have into something you are very strong at already (drawing) is a great way to explore. I admire you for having done so Chris.
Thanks for this lovely comment, I've been meaning to respond but I've had a few Christmas plans change last minute, which meant I've had to race the clock. How does Santa do it? ;)
DeleteWherever we end up in town, I'll make a space for myself to create. I imagine it will be incredibly small and pokey, but as long as its within budget, I'll be happy. I actually want to build my own draughtsman table. I looked at buying one but they're very expensive and I didn't need some of the features on them.
Regarding collage and paint, I've seen some successful pieces like that too. I don't know the technique involved, but it can look really convincing. I've been meaning to pop over to your blog to comment on your latest work. I might not manage it today, but I'll try. :)
Santa,much like Martha Stewart, has an entire village of slaves to do the hard work. His wife overseas everything. I bet she doesn't do any art either. He gets loaded up onto his sleigh and goes off on a walkabout, eating cookies while everybody else cleans up the mess. lol.
DeleteI don't have any idea if you reallly want to go outside to work but you do have the climate most of the time. Plein Aire work is lovely if that is where you want to take your work. A porch is nice to work on too, nice natural light, good shadows when you want to see them. I worked at a dining room table at all times-now I have a studio but the dining room table beckons more often than not-just out of habit.
I also am not sure how the collage and paint work is done-in some cases I wonder if its not paint made to look like collage or if its been printed on or if its really paper. I guess it could be any and all of these.
Picasso and Braque did some works on collage newsprint with paint. A good look at their work might reveal more about techniques.
Thanks for being so supportive of my work. If it were not for your support I'd probably not blog so much. I wish you could join the group I joined on Facebook-there are three people who are active and its lovely to get a variety of feedback. You would fit right in-ironically the two who comment the most are of course Australian. Sisters I think. lol. I am working up to asking them to join the challenge too.
Well, that's an interesting piece! You've taken collage to new heights with the attempt at realism. I would never have thought of collage in that way.
ReplyDeleteThe geisha is still my favourite, though. :-)
I never meant to make it too realist, but the pieces of paper I cut from decided they would do a convincing impersonation of a watercolour palette, lol. It's funny how it kind of emerged, like my Geisha - into something more than I was expecting.
DeleteThe Geisha definitely works on a simple scale, which inspired me to try the cat. Only animals are notorious for being difficult to work with, lol. ;)
Just wanted to add....you've got me going. This morning I went and bought a set of watercolour pencils and a watercolour sketch pad. Now I've GOT to do something.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
That's amazing! Have fun with it - I know you will. :)
DeleteAnd a Merry Christmas to you and your fluffy chooks too. Thanks for stopping in to tell me about your new acquisitions. I think you'll really like what they can do.