Why I have selected work for my portfolio?

Subject matter - I have selected examples from a range of subject matter to give an overview of the  units I have covered - Unit 1: Contextual References in Art and Design (4 seasons work); Unit 2: 2D visual communication (abstract on a built environment theme); Unit 3: 3D visual communication (found objects); Unit 7: working with graphic design briefs (promoting a destination); Unit 13: working with visual arts briefs (the figure).

Technical skills - the range of work includes experiments with pencil, charcoal, acrylic,  watercolour,  collage, print making, sculpture and digital manipulation.

Creativity - I  have chosen pieces which show that I have taken a theme and approached it in different ways and influences, and not simply copied or replicated other artists work.

Developmental work -  some of the pieces show how I have progressed a theme (for example, using black and white and then colour with my 'joiners' experiment, and the progression of the pieces in the abstraction of a church window).

Personal feelings and emotion - some of the pieces particularly show my emotional response and personality eg the 3D found objects humorous theme with the tennis balls.  The abstract art included is very much a record of emotion and personal response to the brief.

Evaluation - in the sketchbook and blog, I have been able to record my evaluation of my work, and finally the evaluation of all pieces in order to select images for inclusion in my portfolio.

And finally...I hope the portfolio  shows potential for my future work and that people actually enjoy looking at it. I am not an artist who works to just please myself, I find satisfaction if others can relate to it in a positive way.

How artists and designers use portfoloios

A portfolio is a selection of work which the student or artist wishes to present to an audience.  This can be for many reasons from applying for a place on a course, applying for a  job, entering a competition, selling their work, or making a proposal to a gallery.  It is a visual diary showing the development of work, ideas and creativity as well as demonstrating  technical ability.

(left is a sample of my lino print design sheet)

The format of a portfolio can range from a selection of original work to a variety of digital media eg photographs, videos, CDs and DVDs, blog and web sites.

The type of portfolio needs to relate to the primary use and should be of the highest quality.  Digital media works well for promoting the artists work and giving a flavour of the range and media used.  However, if someone is buying work or judging for a competition or gallery exhibition, the original portfolio is better suited.  Also, if the artist is not competent at using digital media this may result in a poor quality presentation which will not do justice to the work.

When applying for a place at university, some colleges will request a digital portfolio in the first instance for preliminary selection process, prior to calling the shortlisted students to an interview where they are able to talk through their portfolio in greater detail and with more passion!

The portfolio is also evidence of the student or artists ability to evaluate - the choosing of work to include, the descriptions attached and any commentary - all help to show the person's passion and personality as well as artistic ability.  Make sure the digital images you use are good ones.  In my experimentation I have found that scanned in images are by far the best quality.  However, it isn't always possible to scan an image due to its size and I then used a photograph.  When taking photographs it is best to go somewhere where you can use natural light as the flash of the camera can distort or change the colours of the original.

Cropping digital images for use on a blog or website is as important as finding the right frame!  A badly cropped image, or one that hasn't been cropped or tidied up at all, will again detract from the quality of your work.


Portfolios on websites or blogs have the advantage of being open to a wide an international audience.  The downside of this is that your personal work and ideas are up for grabs!  Anyone can copy or take your ideas.

To conclude, I have experimented with using digital media via photographs and a blog, as well as the traditional portfolio.  I have found the quality of some of the digital images to be not as good as I had hoped and therefore I don't think they show my work to its best in some instances.  On the other hand, I do like the ability to be able to show the viewer a display of my work from a variety of angles (Photo Story videos) which, in itself, is a demonstration of your own creativity.  Digital media is a great way of being able to show an installation and I have put together the following video showing my own 3D sculpture made from discarded materials - old tennis balls mainly!  It can also help you show the humorous side to your work..

Developing the theme of four seasons

I have chosen to develop a theme depicting changing colour and light throughout the seasons, having researched examples mainly from Impressionism and Fauvist movements.  I started looking at portraying light and shade.  I chose a wooded landscape (from my own photograph) producing four simple pen and wash drawings.  This progressed to using mixed media (acrylic and masking tape), in a series of abstract tree groupings, and then sunrise/reflection studies.  I then developed samples based on a kaleidoscope –symmetrical patterns showing the seasons in the form of trees viewed looking up the tree, through the tree canopy, to the sky.

My primary research was mainly from my own photographs, as shown in my sketchbook examples – these informed my thinking regarding colours and light. I have also visited several galleries and exhibitions in recent months including the John Moores Exhibition (Walker Art Gallery), Tate Liverpool, and a couple of local art galleries.  My secondary research was via various websites, in particular the Tate, using Google to research artists and themes, and library books.

Throughout this unit I have mainly used acrylic paints.  This was my first experience with this medium and I like the strong bold colours of acrylic and the method of working with opaque and thick paint.  I have also used collage (tree and sky studies), and pastel (chalk and oil).  The sky studies were achieved with a thin acrylic (plenty of water added to paint).  The roller work on the tree studies and abstracts was achieved with thick, impasto style paint, which I was able to scrape and blend with a plastic card to achieve the results.

My research has widened my understanding of how famous artists have used and developed the theme of seasons – light, weather, atmosphere, etc.  It has influenced my style in making me look at negative spaces and shadows as an intricate part deserving of particular attention.  I have always liked a loose painting style which has fewer, bold brush strokes with an open feel, rather than an intricately worked and detailed piece and I have enjoyed trying to work towards this in the project.

I feel my work has developed and I am pleased with the results.  I have never looked for abstraction in my work before this course or even thought about it!  I have enjoyed abstraction and semi-abstraction as it appeals to how I like to work, and this has helped me with broadening my approach.  I am gaining a greater understanding of tone and colour and some samples have shown me what doesn’t work as well.

I would like to improve on my tonal qualities and achieving different effects within a painting, being able to create depth and harmony in my samples and a better understanding of the principles behind this.

This photo story gives a flavour of my work produced for this unit.

Experimenting with abstraction

Working towards a developed piece 

Windows – I wanted to continue to explore the windows theme in a simplified form.  I thought I would do a series of ‘windows’ having taken inspiration from George Braque (one of my chosen research artists) and  Robert Delaunay ,whose work includes different treatments of  window studies.

 Outline : I sketched three outline drawings in preparation and wanted to keep the simplicity and reduce the detail.   I considered patterns and line, and how I could create 3-D of looking through a window by using the repetitive patterns.

Colour:  as in my preliminary pieces,  I wanted to use primitive primary colours in the main.  My research into Sonia Delaunay had inspired and helped me to consider the colour combinations that worked best,  and although using bold primary colours I wanted to achieve a subtlety of blending (merging) and also to help  represent light coming through the windows, to give the feeling of translucence.

 

 I did a series of samples using water soluble ink which I thought might give a more translucent vibrancy than acrylics.  I worked through different colour combinations:

Rainbow effect – primary and secondary (and reversing the combination).

Opposites – green/red, yellow/purple (violet), blue/orange

Red/blue green, red/ blue, purple/ yellow.

Using wider colour ‘bands’ to improve  the wet into wet flow

Using fewer colours.

Experimenting with acrylics

I decided I would use the acrylics as I like the way the paint moved and mixed with a more undertone showing the  graded effect of the colours merging. I decided to try to keep to as clear a colour as I could in creating a ‘rainbow effect’, for the under painting.

Experimenting with textural effects and influence on colour when scraped. I realised that certain colour combinations gave the darker tone effect for when they naturally mixed as I scraped, this is  what I was looking for, ie use of red/blues producing a darker (deep purple/black).

Scraping (impasto technique – thick paint scraped):  I sampled different lines for scraping ie. cutting shapes out of plastic cards, using a metal picture hook, to create the texture.  I used different thicknesses of paint and in one example mixed a thickener to the paid (impasto gel).  

I experimented with thick and thin paint (adding more water), and I like the effect the paper surface made on some of the samples I was using (slightly rough, ‘not’).

Evaluation of my work with the figure and sketchbook

This unit gave me a great opportunity to experience consistent practice in life drawing, which was very much a first for me.  Having always avoided putting any sign of human presence in my work, I wanted to come to it with an open mind. In my research I initially found very few artists, historical or contemporary, whose work I could relate to as something I actually would hang on my own wall.  Now, on having experienced the difficulties of portraying the human form for myself, I can at least appreciate the challenges and triumphs of those who try. 

On reflection, I’ve treated the full colour work as I would a landscape, and tried to define the image interestingly with tone and colour. I also enjoyed experimenting with the diverse representation of ‘the figure’ as has been the intent for many artists, past and present. I researched Hockney for his modern interpretation of people and their lives, and sculptor Stephen Broadbent for the challenges of depicting the figure in the arena of public art; an arena that is open more than most to mass and daily critique from everyone who passes by.  Left is my semi abstract interpretation of Stephen Broadbent's sculpture outside of Chester's Town Hall 'The Celebration of Chester' from my sketchbook.

 My secondary research has been via the intranet and library to see what current trends were emerging as well as historical influences. In looking at how to develop related work as a student artist I have looked at a variety of figurative images and found an excellent source from a photo shoot of the Olympic swimming team which I hope to develop further. Primary resource included visit to the Alex Katz exhibition, 105 (approx!) studies of our patient life model, and self portrayal, in the absence of anyone else.

I have taken the opportunity to try to use a wide range of materials and techniques and these have included ink and wash, acrylic, watercolour, water soluble pencil, graphite, charcoal, pastels (chalk and oil), digital manipulation.

I enjoy watercolour as I like its subtlety, immediacy and freshness, and was pleased with some of the outcomes eg swimmers, joiners. I continue to find acrylics a challenge but have found the medium useful in my final full colour pieces in being able to take time to blend and give texture to the tones of the model.

As I have said previously, my understanding and appreciation of life drawing has benefitted greatly from the practical work of this unit. It has given an opportunity that I never thought I would have, and my confidence in tackling the human form has definitely grown.

Considering I avoid doing figure representations, I have approached it as any other subject in trying to be accurate and at the same time developing my own response and style,  something which has come a long way and continues to improve.  Improvement would come with more work in colour and practice in working large and more loosely, which is my aim in my work in general. 

Has my research influenced or inspired?  It certainly has.  It has given me confidence and I have been able to use a variety of sources, modern and historic (see sketchbook).

What is good about my work and what can be improved?   I have a good sense of proportion and as I have said previously, I would like to become freer with my interpretation and push the boundaries more, and in my work overall.

Influences – I hope I have shown that I can relate to other artists work as well as trying my own version and interpretation.  I liked Renoir’s fresh and natural work, and my final colour pieces have benefitted from this research. (photo on left is an extract from my sketchbook, Renoir 'After the Bath).

Developmental work on the figure

This is my portfolio which shows work from black and white line, to tonal studies, to working in colour and experimenting with various themes.

I particularly liked depicting sporting figures and have experimented with 'joiners' and vibrant water colours of swimmers.