I was extremely excited to start off this project as I had done a similar one last year which compiled collaging and cut out paintings and pieces of work to create pieces with more dimension. However I was not able to attend all of the sessions and workshops we had planned for this project as I fell ill and ended up unable to attend or produce any work for a while. The group used Apps such as Aurasma to create collages from hand made collages, that moved like an illustration when seen through the app. I kept up to date with all of the things that had been going in the group and experimented with my work. From the few sessions I was fortunate to attend before, I thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from and in fact has influenced my work throughout the rest of my subject work.

We began experimenting with different types of collaging such as using magazines, newspapers and comic books to overlap, tear and texture our pieces with. We cut out hundreds of images that we wanted to use in our work and began collaging. We used paints and drew on some pieces as well; which showed us that collaging doesn’t just have to be overlapping magazine clippings, but can take on a 3D element instead of the usual 2D, which left us with an endless amount of opportunities to experiment with. This is one aspect that has been influencing my subject work specifically and has encouraged me to use text and textures in my work more and to give them more dimension. For example, I have been experimenting with hot glue over text to give it a bubbled effect, scrunched up newspaper articles under patches of paint to make it blend and give a ‘hidden’ feeling, and even layered bits of corrugated card and found bits of cut up wood to create a not so usual ‘square canvas’ like piece. Whilst catching up with the work that I had missed I began to try using other materials as encouraged by my tutor to experiment and build up a strong body of work. My subject work has allowed me to tie in everything I learnt through this project as a large aspect of my work was about found objects and reworking into them and ‘beautifying’ them. Using old bits of wood and card I have been collaging over, spray painting using stencils, and painting patterns onto my work to build up these layers enhancing what would have been before, a simple portrait, adding a whole new depth to my work.

Although I wasn’t able to attend all the sessions and workshops I benefitted immensely and am thankful I was able to attend some, as they helped add a new dimension to my work. It kept me excited and inspired to produce work while I was unable to attend, and still does with my work throughout the rest of the year.

Starting our first field project i was unsure of what to expect. We started off with some simple tasks like experimenting with primary, secondary and complementary colours, and how to achieve these using different shades of the primary colours. The tasks seemed simple at first but I soon learnt that it was a much more precise and time consuming process trying to achieve exact shades of colours. Trying to match exact colours (for example of vegetables, which was one of the practices) was a tedious but tremendously interesting experiment, because I hadn’t previously realised how many different colours including white and black (process black and mixed black) could create such a variety of shades of one colour. We experimented with colour swatch after colour swatch and with these I built up a fantastic sketch book and use it to refer back to my work whenever i need inspiration or a starting point for the colour scheme I’m going to use in a particular piece. This began to get me motivated to experiment more in my own practical work.

I had previously been afraid of using bold and bright colours in my work, and felt safe using darker more dull tones to achieve a more serious feel throughout my work. I quickly learnt however that the use of colour, in fact, could strengthen this if used in the right way. I began experimenting with different shades of one colour in my work and ran with it. I used a variety of complimentary colours that I associated with the Middle East (which relates to my practical work). For example, I tried to show the vibrancy of the culture through the use of bold colours like ultramarine blue and its complimentary colours cadmium yellow. This has become a pattern throughout my work now and I have been experimenting with bolder and brighter shades of the colours through the use of paint, instead of my previous habit of dulling them down with blacks and greys. This field project has given my work a new dimension and allowed me to think about and appreciate he colours i use in my work more, where I had previously not thought about the strength they can have to improve my works narrative. Overall Ive found this project to be extremely inspiring and have come away with so much more than I had expected. I am now excited to use more colour and specifically brighter shades of bold colours side by side in my work, to strengthen my pieces and to stop relying on duller colours with texture. I am so much more confident while working with colours now, and can already see an improvement in my work because of this and have started to really enjoy painting with colours again.