Family Profile

Mother – Lion

So for my mum I have decided upon doing a Lion for her to represent courage and strength as well as being the leader of the pack. Despite a lion not being female, I feel it suits having the lion more just for it’s visuals (main) the Lion is protective over it’s family – like my mum. Relating to Russian dolls I want her figure to be either the biggest or have some form/shape that will show this as the dominant figure to the rest – whether that be through broad shoulders or wider body. My aim is to keep in mind always the history and culture of Russian dolls but with my own twist, for I don’t want my figures going into one another but each having there own unique form/shape and there own colour – relating to there favourite colour. So it’s unique to that person but keep it collectable by it all the figures having the same style, or each having the same shawl and all containing a pattern. I decided on doing mammals with whiskers so that they all intertwine with one another. I also like the idea of incorporating wire to every piece for whiskers – within this I can explore/experiment with multiple types of wires – currently most persuaded with a wire with a gold sheen to suit to the Chinese symbols (explains below).

For my mum her favourite colour is red so I want to incorporate that in somehow, whether that be through the whole piece or elements of this colour being at focus. My mum also has a Chinese symbol tattoo that means FAMILY. I have decided this could also take place in making my figures collectable and could create a theme. I’m interested in looking at Chinese symbols to represent personality traits of each person – thinking of incorporating gold as this is often used in Chinese culture/history especially within ceramics for it’s aesthetics, which I feel will highlight the overall piece to. Only elements of metallic added for it to be in more effect.

Within my mums shawl/pattern it will consist of triangles (Aztec) for she always wears mad prints on her tops especially incorporating triangles – within the figures of my mum and my youngest sibling Meadow – I want to keep both with the cat family so it has the relation to the Russian Dolls mother and seed. Both consisting of the same pattern and both in the cat family will create this hierarchy and despite the viewer not being able to see this, it still has that connection.

I also want incorporated on every figure a Ying Yang Semicolon – for the reason being it’s something very personal to our family. My sister committed suicide and always wore a Ying Yang necklace around her neck at all times, so it’s not as much for the actual meaning of Ying Yang. Semicolon defines itself as “dedicated to presenting hope and love for those who are struggling with mental illness, suicide, addiction and self-injury”, and “exists to encourage, love and inspire”. “It represents continuance. Authors usually use the semicolon when they choose not to end the sentence. You are the author and the sentence is your life, and you’re choosing to continue.”

Most of my family have this tattoo, I feel it’s a way of memorialising her and a means in which to move forward. Underneath all the tattoos it says ‘ Swim ‘. This was my sisters favourite song Swim by Jacks Mannequin.

You gotta swim
Swim for your life
Swim for the music
That saves you
When you’re not so sure you’ll survive
You gotta swim
Swim when it hurts
The whole world is watching
You haven’t come this far
To fall off the earth

The currents will pull you
Away from your love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the door
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
Cracking me open now
I swim to brighter days
Despite the absence of sun
Choking on salt water
I’m not giving in
You gotta swim

You gotta swim
For nights that won’t end
Swim for your family
Your lovers your sisters
Your brothers your friends
You gotta swim
For wars without cause
Swim for these lost politicians
Who don’t see their greed is a flaw

The currents will pull us
Away from our love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave
Begging to tear down the door
Memories like bullets
They fired at me from a gun
Cracking me open now
I swim to brighter days
In spite of the absence of sun
Choking on salt water
I’m not giving in
I’m not giving in
Swim

You gotta swim
Swim in the dark
There’s an ocean to drift in
Feel the tide shifting away from this war
Yeah you gotta swim
Don’t let yourself sink
Just follow the horizon
I promise you it’s not as far as you think

Currents will drag us away from our love
Just keep your head above
Just keep your head above
Swim
Just keep your head above
Swim
Just keep your head above
Swim
Jacks Mannequin

Jack’s Mannequin explained on their website that “within the context of the song, the word ‘Swim’ is used as a metaphor for ‘hope, perseverance, courage, determination and strength.”‘

The song wasn’t about suicide but the artist had Leukaemia but I feel we and Lucah took the song for a way of keep going, keep positive, keep swimming. So I’ve decided I want the Ying Yang semicolon to be on all figures on front somewhere central for it be a main symbol that consists on every figure. For this is very personal to me and my family, though the audience/viewer won’t know the personal reasoning but even without knowing, most people know what the Ying Yang and Semicolon represents and in a way it’s still a way of sharing awareness though that’s not my aim within my figures but I like that still. I can see this being done using the laser cutter and creating a stencil and painted over.

Rabbit – Becca (sister,eldest,twin to Lucah)

I decided on doing a rabbit for my sister as she’s energetic, silly but can get quite nervous at times. Becca is also really loyal and independent, within her Chinese symbol I want it to represent loyalty, for I can trust and know she’ll always have my back. My sisters favourite colour is green so that will be incorporated as well as the pattern checker for she always wears checker clothing and is a big fan of Vans. Within the figures I really want to exaggerate on elements of the animal characteristics so for instance – really long big ears or for my mum, large mane. I’m still deciding whether I want my figures to be more human like and smoothed out or to be more animal like with more textures but so far I love the idea of incorporating both as for it’s a person and an animal being represented.

Mouse – Lucah (sister, twin of Becca)

So for my sister Lucah I decided on a mouse for her for her shy nature, though I want her chinese symbol to be INTELLIGENCE for she was crazy smart – you’d never see her without a book in her hands, she’d read anything even text on shampoo bottles. Originally I wanted to do an owl to represent Lucah for cleverness but I feel the Chinese symbol represents that and the mouse keeps within theme of mammals with whiskers. Lucahs favourite colour was purple and she adored elephants, I want incorporate purple within her figure and I am tempted to make her Ying Yang slightly bigger than on the other figures for it’s her that this is represented for. Her pattern will consist of stripes/lines.

Red Squirrel – Me

So for me I didn’t pick my animal but I asked my family to choose for me as for they know me personally the best. I told them the theme in which it needed to be and they came with the decision of a red squirrel – much nicer than grey squirrels. They decided upon using this and said for my organisation and how active I am – I feel they struggled a bit but I’m happy with the animal choice and feel it will go well with all the other figures. I could see it being interesting possibly incorporating a tail on this one – as well as to make it more recognisable of being a squirrel. My favourite colour is blue and orange but I hve decided in order to keep it in theme to do blue so each figure has there own colour though I do still want to take in mind complimentary colours to get the best potential out of my figures and this would be aesthetically pleasing. My pattern will consist of more organic shapes as I like more organic shapes over geometric, I’m thinking of mostly incorporating circles.

Tiger – Meadow (Youngest sibling)

So as said before to keep that hierarchy and bringing it back to the culture/history of Russian dolls incorporating this idea of Mother and Seed. I decided on a tiger for my sister as she’s feisty and sassy, she’s lovely and I feel this suits her as well just for her crazy red hair. She’s lovely and one of the most politest person I know despite at times she can sass you. Meadow is very similar to me and loves art and is very creative herself, she loves sewing, embroidery and drawing. I do like the idea of taking in consideration when figures are finished on how they’ll be grouped, I’m playing on the idea of keeping Lucah and Becca more close to one another for they’re twins and were closer as for me and Meadow we’re more close so perhaps we could be closer to one another but I do also like the idea of all figures going around the mother figure in a circular like shape or star shape. Meadows Favourite colour is yellow and her pattern will suit to my mums as said before for the relation of the Russian Dolls.

Overall I’m really happy with the animals I have chosen and can see them working really well with one another. I’m happy I’ve came up with this theme of mammals with whiskers for it keeps it in theme and therefore being collectable – I have carefully thought through the characteristics of each member of the family as well using symbols to represent the person and the connections of the family. I’m really loving how personal this is and especially in comparison to last years FMP doing disorders, I’ve really struggled this year with everything that’s went on and my attendance slipped. This has made me focused and I’m glad I went this route rather than going with the teddy bear idea of using other peoples memories, hopes and dreams. I need to constantly reflect throughout my work, though I feel researching into this area was still beneficial and led me to this.

My main focus now is on designing and coming up with final designs and when back at college after Easter Holidays to experiment making my own casts using Plasticine figures or looking for own vases to then then create a mould for as there wasn’t many options in college. Though through my experimentation on how I could do this using slip casts and extruded forms – I am tempted to possibly use both methods to come up with outcomes. After decided upon making I need to start making – I want my figures to be no bigger than 30cm – so that it can fit in the tester kiln and gives me more room to get the finer details with decorating, as said on previous posts I have decided upon not using glazes, slips or so on as within ceramics it’s very temperamental and I want these figures to be treated like gems and I feel paint will get the best potential for them. I also decided it was best not to use all members of my family and focus on the women in my family for doing 10 members is just not realistic to fit my time plan but however 5 figures works and the odd number also will work better aesthetically as it naturally does in art.

I decided against this as well for my knowledge I’ve accumulated in the ceramics room and I don’t like the selection of colours in slips as there boring and don’t have much of a selection and glazes can drip or not be an even colour/coat. Within paints there is still much to experiment with as with the fired clay I can coat it in white emulsion paint as a base and this then means I can apply a mix of materials such as acrylic, gouache, ink, pens and so on… it’s now just exploring this and seeing which is best suited or it could be a mix.

I also wanted to consider looking at materials that could be added as mentioned such as ribbon to represent each colour and could work as like a wrap – though I need to consider that this may just look tacky. I feel I was inspired by the ribbon through looking more at Chinese culture which led me to clothing – I thought does it need to be a shawl? It could be a belt consisting of pattern and colour, or a wrap or so on… This led me to look at Kimonos and Hanfu dress.

Hanfu – History and Facts about Hanfu

Hanfu (meaning clothing of the Han people) is a name for pre-17th century traditional clothing of the Han Chinese, which are the predominant ethnic group of China. Hanfu appeared in China more than three thousand years ago and is said that it was clothing of the legendary Yellow Emperor, a great sage king of ancient China. The basic of Hanfu was developed in time of Shang Dynasty, from 1600BC to 1000BC. Hanfu consisted of a yi, a narrow-cuffed, knee-length tunic tied with a sash, and a narrow, ankle-length skirt, called chang, worn with a bixi, a length of fabric that reached the knees. They were made of silk and painted in red and green. From the first appearing Han-Chinese clothing had changed and evolved with the fashion.

With the beginning of Western Zhou Dynasty hanfu begins to be method of distinction between classes. Height of one’s rank influenced the level of decoration of a dress, length of a skirt and the wideness of a sleeve. Sleeves were also made wider than in the time of the Shang Dynasty and yi tunic is also closed with jade decorations or with a sash tied around the waist. The collar were crossed and tied to the right while skirts and trousers varied in length from knee-length to ground-length.

Eastern Zhou Dynasty invented shenyi – “the deep robe”, which is a combination of tunic and skirt. It was cut separately but sewn as a piece of clothing with left side of the costume shaped into a corner which was used for closing the shenyi by fastening on the chest. Shenyi could be worn by anybody regardless of gender, profession or social class. Technology was advanced enough at the time that many complicated and magnificent patterns appeared on Hanfu.

A complete Hanfu garment developed in time with addition of other parts of clothing. Now, it is considered that it consists of several pieces of clothing: Yi – which is any open cross-collar garment and is worn by both men and women; Pao – any closed full-body garment, it is worn only by men; Ru- open shirt with cross-collar; Shan – open cross-collar shirt or jacket which is worn over the yi; Qun or chang -a type of skirt which is worn by both women and men and Ku – a type of trousers or pants. It is also considered traditional to decorate hanfu with tassels and jade pendants or various ornaments hung from the belt or sash, which are known as pei. Hats for men and hairpieces for women could also be traditionally worn in combination with Hanfu. This headwear also marked profession or social rank.

Hanfu disappeared at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) which was founded, not by Han Chinese who form the majority of the population of China, but by the Manchus, a semi-nomadic people which first rose to prominence in Manchuria. Qing Dynasty fell in 1911 and Manchu dress disappeared quickly in favor of western-style dress. Most of the Han Chinese wear western-style clothing today and hanfu is worn rarely. The hanfu is now worn during some festivals, ritualistic ceremonies (such are coming of age or rite of passage), by historical re-enactors and by monks and priests.

Within this I could see it looking nice with the ribbon being tied at the back instead of the front but taking inspiration from the dress, I find ribbon really beautiful and can see it looking nice with like a bang of pattern applied and attached to the figure then with a thin strip of ribbon wrapped around using the colour and pattern against each other. Thouhg I do feel my figures need some negative space to bring those elements just mentioned to focus and so that it’s easier on the eyes. I want my figures to be beautiful and interesting to look at – my main focus for my audience is the style and look of the work – I need to start looking at artists I have previously researched and see ways in which they display and sell there works to have a better understanding on who my audience is set out for. So far I can see my work, working more towards a gallery pieces.

Primitivism – Exploring Form

A complex and, at times, contradictory tendency, “Primitivism” ushered in a new way of looking at and appropriating the forms of so-called “primitive” art and played a large role in radically changing the direction of European and American painting at the turn of the 20^th century. Primitivism was not so much an artistic movement but a trend among diverse modern artists in many countries who were looking to the past and to distant cultures for new artistic sources in the face of increasing industrialisation and urbanisation. Beginning at the end of the 19^th century, the influx of tribal arts of Africa, Oceania, and Native Americans into Europe offered artists a new visual vocabulary to explore. In many ways, Primitivism provided artists a way to critique the stagnant traditions of European painting. Primitive art’s use of simpler shapes and more abstract figures differed significantly from traditional European styles of representation, and modern artists such as Gauguin, Picasso, and Matisse used these forms to revolutionise painting and sculpture.

While on its face, Primitivism was an attempt to embrace and raise the status of tribal arts, it was itself an inherently Eurocentric enterprise and, in many cases, was biased against the very arts it appropriated. Throughout the later 20^th century and into the 21^st, artists and scholars have attempted to historically contextualise Primitivism and expose its shortcomings as a framework for understanding art from non-European cultures.

KEY IDEAS

As understood by the modern artists, primitive art not only provided new aesthetic forms, it also offered a deeper and more complex emotional and spiritual model that the artists employed to critique the modernisation of Western society.
Tinged with nostalgia, Primitivism sought connections to a pre-industrialized past in which people were more connected with nature and each other. The lasting legacy of Primitivism and the long-enduring assumptions about the inferior quality of art from colonised areas has made it difficult to incorporate African, Aboriginal, and Native American artists into art historical narratives, but attempts at creating a global art history are underway.
Contemporary responses to Primitivism, often by African American artists and others with a connection to various countries in Africa, are an attempt not to simply appropriate the forms of tribal arts but to explore, recuperate, and re imagine the fullness of African heritage in contemporary society.

Throughout my time on the art course, I have always had a love towards Primitive Art whether that be though painting or sculpture. I am mainly interesting within the way the figures in sculpture are depicted. I especially like the use of abstract form/shapes, I find it aesthetically pleasing and more intriguing to look at. I want to take inspiration from some of the sculptures which will be below – whether that be through body shape or facial features and body language.

I don’t want to produce a primitive figure but I want to take elements of it to possibly seek inspiration from, I want my figures of my family members forms to all be different for each person is different to one another as well as for the visuals. I’m interested in exaggerated features, really manipulating the form – as previously mentioned throughout my research and development I have mentioned my inspiration of the Russian Dolls and the meaning behind it, I’m taking this idea with the mother and seed and history/culture but with my own stylistic choice. I feel Primitive art will help me expand and acknowledge new ways I could manipulate the form.

The main thing I’m focusing on currently within my designs is the form and how it’ll be decorated through sketches in my book. Russian dolls have abstract shapes – often just using a curve to show the head and shoulders which I want to do but I want it to be more engaging than them all being the same.

I just find works like this amazing, I find it quite funny in a way due to the exaggerated features but theirs something magical about it that makes you keep looking. I like the triangular shape it has to it, the bottom of the figure almost like a banana shape. I feel the patterns (carvings) and more three dimensional decoration (neck piece) make it that much more interesting – a piece in which when seen in person you would want to hold and glide your hands along the textures. Through my tiles I have experimented with carving and I have previously experimented with adding more three dimensional decoration onto surfaces – I want to incorporate both as when combined really adds character to the overall piece. Though what I like with this is that both elements just mentioned isn’t over top – theirs simplicity to it – the carvings separate to one another. This shows me that within my designs it doesn’t need to be overly decorated for it to still be full of character and aesthetically pleasing, sometimes less can be more. I feel as I’m progressing I’m like the more abstract and simplistic approach – I feel within my pieces which I want to be full of colour – that the colour will bring out the best potential. Though highly decorated things still have a beauty to it like Claire Curneen but I want my symbols through the designs I’ve came up with like the Ying Yang semicolon and chinese symbols to be at focus as both have so much meaning within them – though the audience won’t know the full extent of the meaning – they can still be able to identify and view with ease and awe – I want to treat my figures like little gems whilst still having a fun, whimsical, I want them to have character.

I really like the facial features and outwards belly, I want to consider these facial features that being the eyes and nose but not as exaggerated and not as 3 dimensional as I want to paint the eyes on and feel this will be done best on a flat surface. I like the element of colour on the neck – perhaps I could keep in mind that the base colours of the figure could be rather light and neutral and when it comes to where I’m incorporating the pattern for each figure that’s where more bright and colourful colours could come out – this would create a nice contrast and bring the pattern to focus.

Very similar to the one above – shows again how small changes can make it unique and it’s own whilst still going well together. I like the fact that the figure is sat on a base here – perhaps I could create my own base for the figures that could possibly have decoration? Pattern? I could see it working nicely especially with either the carving or adding more 3 dimensional pieces of clay. I also like the fact that materials – fur? have been added to the figure – nice contrast of real texture. I was playing on the idea of incorporating ribbon suited to the colour of each person from inspiration of

Experimentation, understanding method to form

So now that that my slips casts are ready and the write consistency which is leather hard but slightly softer – I remove the bands in which is keeping the mold together and carefully separate the parts to then take the clay shape/form out – you need to be careful with this approach as if the clay is still to wet it can tear the clay or get stuck to the mold still but it is also easy for you to damage the clay piece just by how you take the the clay piece out even at the right consistency – with ease it should just pop out.
I decided upon these 5 – they had a nice variation of shapes and sizes suited to what I’m aiming for. I would’ve preferred more options but there wasn’t too many available in the ceramics room but also with slips casts you can cut or join different bits of clay to form new shapes so I’ve also got that to take into consideration.
Within my book I’ve used these shapes and looked at the methods I which as previously mentioned on my last post also ways I could now make the figures.
Whilst also keeping in consideration my plasticine models that I made – which works better for size reference not within the casts but for more my desired measurement – which with this method also works well when it comes to the slip casts

So I came up in my book with quick ideas on how I would make my figures using this method and though here very messy, the clay at first is very soft and you have to give it time in order for it to be more workable.
Using damp newspaper to form the desired shape and to keep the shape in tact – in the kiln the newspaper will just burn away and cause no damage to the piece – I’ve done this before.
Using a stick to balance and understand the sizing of what I want it to be but then later removing.
For this method I used to shoulders of same height and size which will later be joined and pinched pot head – once the either shoulder joined together I then make a ring of clay and join that on then the head. Through each one always allowing time for it to fully dry so that the piece is strong and works as one.

At this point it is hard to tell how it’s going to turn out but within ceramics I have learnt that you do need to just back away sometimes and later go into – I feel through previous experience I’m starting to understand the best consistency’s to work with – I feel the disadvantage with slip casts though is that they dry out really quick and this therefore making it harder to manipulate.

So before joining I just add them all together to see if it works together and check whether I feel proportions are suited – within my figures I don’t want them to have exact proportions suited to the human form but to exaggerate and manipulate the form to be more illustrated. I want to take what I know of surrealism and artists such as Sara Swink, Nancy Kubale etc and really add character to my figures but with my own style.
So first I cross hatch the mold and do the same with the two shoulders – first attaching the shoulders and leaving to dry then once that’s a joined piece I then join it to the base of the slipcast using white joining slip.
Then doing the same method but as mentioned earlier with a ring for the neck and filling the head with damp newspaper to hold shape and also cross hatch both to attach.
Then that forms top half of the body – once all the joining slip is dry I can then smoothen out carefully with a damp sponge to get more shape and press into areas to form eye sockets and nose and other facial elements such as cheeks etc – depending on desired style.

Then I made the ears resembling a rabbit which again will be joined using the slip, then I attach wait to dry again and smoothen all out with a damp sponge. Then using my finger tips to create indents for eye sockets and add clay to the nose.

I then dampened body and indented it – I found this to be quite tricky as said before the slip cast dries out really fast and can be hard to then shape, I accidentally pierced a hole through but managed to save it. I did this also before when doing my cups on the last project – I feel with practice I’ll get better at this.

I used a little bit of clay and smoothened over and used a damp sponge to give a more even finish.
I then started adding small details in the face to make it more animal-looking small fur like marks and pierced holes in the cheeks to later experiment with using different types of wires that could later be glued in.
I thought the wire as whiskers could be a really nice touch – throughout my designs I decided I wanted all the animals to be mammals and have whiskers for it to be collectible and more aesthetically pleasing – I feel this touch will give it a very whimsical and make it much more interesting to view

Then leaving it to dry out and will be ready to be fired in the kiln and will come or once I’m back after the Easter holidays.

I then made a start on my next figure this time being a lion – I used the same approach but different slip cast and method – rather than joining each shoulder I made it pinch pot – which is a faster method but I haven’t had a lot of practice in this area so probably takes me longer than what it could but with abit if practice in the long run would be more time efficient.

The pinch pot method is relatively simple but there’s an act to it, you knead/wedge the clay to get all the air out of it and then go around the clay pinching it with your thumb and index finger going around in a circle, pulling the clay towards you.

Once it’s formed I then fit damp newspaper in as I have done with the last figure to hold the shape as previously mentioned and then it’s a matter of creating that ring for the neck and joining then using the pinch pot method again to create the head joining and a matter of cleaning up using damp sponge.
I decided to make the shoulders more broad this time as I’ve said the lion one will be my mum which is meant to be the biggest of them all – despite the height not being any different to the rabbit the width and broad shoulders also make it appear more bigger and shows it’s the the more dominate figure.
So same process as before and a matter of joining and waiting for consistency’s to be right so that the figure will be stronger and easier to work with.
I then added a ring of clay around the head of the figure – which at first looks more like a flower, joining this with the slip and again waiting for it to dry so that it’s stronger, I then later cut out triangles to appear more lion like and add mane at the back of head which follows onto the shoulders

I decided with this figure I was gonna experiment with texture on it as the other was smoothed out – then later I can compare which qualities work better

Doing the tiger with texture I’ve noticed there some bits I like about the texture but I feel I won’t fully know how I feel about it until it comes to painting on the surface of the texture though I feel the textures mane works well rather than smooth – perhaps just small areas of the figures should consist of texture

I then used this small extruder which had multiple attachments to create different extruded shapes – thinner, can create interesting textures
I used this long line one and thought could this possibly work at say a belt or perhaps to show outlines of the shawl?
I then created a triangular pattern suited to my mums pattern – within doing this it’s also made me want to keep myself open on different possible design ideas – perhaps it wouldn’t need to be a shawl but could be a belt or like a wrap around the waist that consists of the pattern
Overall I was really happy with how this turned out and the same with my smoothened out rabbit – considering it was my first approach with this method
So far I like the idea of of incorporating both smooth and textured – the smoothened out makes the figure appear more human than animal and the texture makes it appear more animal that human – within this I want it to have both characteristics as the idea is using the animal to show the traits of the human but I also want there to be a balance in between to show there’s a form of humanism – so you can see the manipulation of each thing going into one to create a unique character
For instance the Chinese kimonos usually have a rather large belt that fit around the stomach/waist could this possibly be a way of showing the pattern and also could relate to the Chinese symbols that will be on the front of the figure? The belt often consisting of pattern anyway whilst having a contrast of negative space around it to bring it more at focus
Traditional Hanfu dress – Kimono

This also gives me the idea of maybe incorporating ribbon suited to the colour of each family member and wrapping it around the clay figure – I find ribbon beautiful and the mix of colours will keep it all collectible due to the material and the the bow. I could see this working really well and now also want to explore this and visit a shop in town – ribbon is good for a variation of colours as well as aesthetics

History & Culture of Hanfu Dress

Extruder forms

I then wanted to explore the extruder as I’ve used this before I know the clay using this method is good for showing movement as the clay is much more pliable due to the clay instantly being pushed through the extruder as for the slip casts as it dried in the mould for a couple of days it makes my harder to manipulate
There is usually 2 extruders in the ceramics room and I have used both and one tends to pick up marks and just doesn’t extruder as well as the other – the other is much easier to use and you just pull the leaver when you put the clay in the top as for the other one it goes in sections of pulling the clay through. Unfortunately the one I prefer was knocked of the wall and can’t be used for time being so I had to use the other, luckily I’ve been told they’ll be refitting the good one in time for me to do my figures
As said when extruding the clay sections of the extruded clay was pierced and left dent marks which isn’t what I wanted and was also creating air bubbles within the clay despite being wedges beforehand
I was more interested in this method as said before it’s easier to manipulate and there fore I could show movement more within the figures possibly to suit there traits more – for instance with the rabbit I say my sisters rather silly, perhaps the figure could have a slight bend to or for the mouse showing the shyness the head could be tilted down a little – showing body language could work well especially within a collectable set as they could show movement going into one another like Nancy Kubale

Within looking at this and all my research I have noticed a lot that I love this torso form – I want to explore this further within design and also consider it as a possible final design as I just Locke the look and when combined together they just flow and look beautiful next to one another

This is the extruder and to use you first have to wrap the head with cling film, then you have these slides with various shapes that you attach at the bottom and screw in – each shape extrudes to that shape, so there is a range of shapes as well as a range of sizes to choose from. For me I’m using the circle as all mine will have a rounded base
You then need to wedge your clay and create a sausage like shape and place it inside the extruder like above and then put the square piece (wrapped in cling film) and and measure it up to the clay (do so by holding the leaver up) once in place you then pull the leaver down and the clay comes from the bottom of the extruder
With this it’s best to have someone close by who can make sure the extruder clay goes straight down as if you do yourself the extruder piece of clay can go of in different directions – one clay has pushed through, you use knife to then cut the clay and then you have your extruded piece in which you can work with

Within the next step of how I formed the extruded figure to be suited to my design of a tiger which is more rounded I wasn’t able to get pictures for this piece is very fiddly
I dropped the extruded piece lightly on the table to form a base and begun to use the pinch pot method and used my figures to form a ball like shape, once I got this I used dampened newspaper and well rinsed it and placed it inside the ball like shape so that it would hold the shape better, I then worked upwards to create a waist and torso while continuing to fit the newspapers to hold it – with the consistency being so soft I knew I needed to leave the clay piece for a bit so it would be easier to handle and make the shape more rounded

This actually turned out really well for my first go considering I’ve not done this before, I used my plasticine model to reference the shape by so I had that to do comparisons

This is when I smoothened it out more and added the ears using the slip joining method – I feel I could’ve done this to a higher quality but due to it being a tester I wanted to move forward with other work
I’m feeling confident within both of these methods and still plan on making my own moulds with plaster for the plasticine figures I made – I only made two, I feel if I made 5 and the method didn’t work well then I’d be wasting valuable time

Plasticine Figures

Within making the plasticine figures, it’s a very simple method for it’s not like clay and needs to be a certain thickness
The plasticine came in blocks and I would tear it into smaller blocks so that it would soften easier – I softened the plasticine using cloth on radiator and leaving then later beginning to form the shape – also tried the method of placing the plasticine into plastic bag (no holes) and filling sink with hot water and leaving the bag in the sink – I found this way was better for it made the plasticine much softer and was quicker time wise

Was pleased with how these turned out and didn’t really need to add the ears for if it was a mould I could always add the ears afterwards but I wanted to have more of an insight of how it would look if so – within doing this I made the ears much smaller than desired just to see how it would look. This made my decision more final on making the ears of the figures much bigger and exaggerated, I feel the exaggerated ears adds a lot of character and just makes the overall piece appear bigger and adds to the surreal nature of the pieces – I’ve also been considering using jewelry in which some figures could have attached to the ears such as hoop earrings & charms but yet to still explore this

Plaster Mould Method – Creating a Slip Cast

How to Mix Plaster – 10 Steps

1. Prepare your mold. A common mistake of potters is to mix plaster only to realize everything’s not set up for pouring. Before casting, make sure your model is set, the mold boards or cottle are secure, and all the surfaces you’re pouring onto are coated with a parting agent such as mold soap.

2. Prepare your work area. You will need a clean mixing container for the plaster, a scale for weighing the plaster, a measuring cup for the water and a rinse bucket. Note: Plaster cannot be permitted to go down the drain, because it will form a rocklike mass. Even small amounts will accumulate over time. Line a rinse bucket with a plastic garbage bag and fill it with water for rinsing your hands and tools. Allow the plaster to settle for a day, then pour off the water and discard the bag.

3. Use fresh water. The mixing water you use should be at room temperature or 70°F (21°C). If the water is too warm, the plaster will set too fast and vice versa. Use only clean, drinkable tap water or distilled water. Metallic salts, such as aluminum sulfate, can accelerate the setting time, and soluble salts can cause efflorescence on the mold surface.

4. Use fresh plaster. Plaster is calcined, meaning chemically bound water has been driven off through heating. If the plaster has been sitting around in a damp environment, it will have lumps in it, in which case it is no longer usable. Pitch it. Use plaster that has been stored dry and is lump free.

5. Weigh out materials. Do not guess about the amounts of plaster and water you’ll need. Once you start the mixing process, you do not want to go back and adjust quantities. To determine the amount you need, estimate the volume in cubic inches then divide by 231 to give gallons or by 58 to give quarts. Deduct 20% to allow for the volume of plaster, then refer to the table.

6. Add plaster to water. Slowly sift the plaster onto the surface of the water. Do not dump the plaster or toss it in by handfuls. Adding the plaster shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes.

7. Soak the plaster. Allow the plaster to soak for 1-2 minutes maximum. The soaking allows each plaster crystal to be completely surrounded by water and it removes air from the mix. Small batches require less soaking than large batches. If the soaking time is too short, it may contribute to pinholes; and if it is too long, it will contribute to fast set times, early stiffening and gritty mold surfaces.

8. Small batches of plaster can be mixed by hand. Use a constant motion with your hand and you will notice a change in consistency from watery to a thick cream. Break down lumps with your fingers as you mix. Mix only for a minute or two being very careful not to agitate the mixture so much that air bubbles are incorporated into the mix. Mixing time affects absorption rates-longer mixing times produce tighter and less-absorptive molds.

9. Pouring the plaster. After mixing, tap the bucket on a hard surface to release trapped air. Pour the plaster carefully. Wherever possible, pour plaster carefuly into the deepest area so the slurry flows evenly across the surface of the mold. Once the mold is poured, tap the table with a rubber mallet to vibrate the mold and release more air bubbles.

10. Drying plaster. When plaster sets, it heats up because of a chemical reaction. When it has cooled, it is safe to remove the cottles or forms-about 45 minutes to an hour after pouring. Molds must be dry before use. Drying molds properly promotes good strength development, uniform absorption and reduced efflorescence. Dry molds evenly. Don’t set them near a kiln where one side is exposed to excessive heat or the relative humidity is near zero. Place them on racks in a relatively dry location away from drafts.

Water to Plaster Mixing Chart

This table is based on USG(r) No. 1 Pottery Plaster mixed to a consistency of 73 (73 parts water to 100 parts plaster) recommended for most studio applications. Excessive water yields a more porous but more brittle mold, and less water means a very dense, hard mold that will not absorb water.

YouTube method link

Make a Two Part Reusable Mold Using Plaster

The advantage of a two part mold over a one part (where molten material is poured into an open mold) is that much more structurally complicated objects can be duplicated in this way. To demonstrate the process for the instructable, I have chosen a sea shell since it is an object that cannot be duplicated with a one part mold system but is very streamlined – it lacks advanced features such as protrusions.

Plaster is an ideal material for this project as it is very malleable in its unhardened shape, and can withstand very high heat when dry. Therefore, finished molds will work for almost any casting material – I preferably like to create projects out of wax, tin, silver, and gold as these materials are very easy to work with. For this project, and for cost issues, I will make a casting in wax.

Step 1: Materials

Materials needed for making the mold:

an object to duplicate – make sure it is something you can sacrifice in case of a screw-up 🙂
a generous amount of plaster of Paris
Hot glue, or any glue that can be easily removed when dry
Play doh or modeling clay, or any other material with the same consistency
Soap (to act as mold release) – there is also professional mold release spray that can be bought from eBay or amazon
paintbrush, or any tool to spread mold release
water
a plastic box, or four strips of plastic or other material that can be glued together to make a hollow box
portfolio paper cover, or a paper plate, or anything other than newspaper to serve as an overspill guard

Additional materials to make a wax based duplicate:

a large candle, or any excess wax
cooking pot and stove
boiling water

Whatever perimeter you choose, make sure that it will be big enough to contain the object you chose to duplicate.

If you don’t have a spare plastic box, try creating a perimeter out of strips of plastic – a good place to get those would be out of plastic packaging for products. Here I used an old GLAD brand food container.

The overall shape of the perimeter does not matter, as long as it is taller than the height of your object.

Cut out the bottom of the box and glue it to your overspill guard. I prefer to use only four small glue applications, one on each side, as it simplifies detaching the guard later.

Step 3: Play Doh Time!

Use your Play Doh, or substitute material, and pack in down inside your perimeter. Then take your object and press it roughly halfway in the play dough. Make sure to cover any interior crevices before inserting your object (I glued up opening of the shell)

Note- push back the Play Doh so it will not engulf the object any more than half its height. Not doing so will greatly complicate removing the object later, and you will likely have to break either the mold or the object to make either usable.

Step 4: Protrusion and Lubrication

This step will detail the preparations before casting.

If your object does not have a flat base or is not touching the perimeter, it is important to create an artificial tube through which molten material can be poured once the plaster dries. I created mine by cutting and gluing four sections of a drinking straw and placing them at the top of the shell. As shown in the picture, it does not have to completely touch the edge. It is easy to break off whatever thin layer of plaster will accumulate there.

Using the end of the paintbrush, or a pencil, make indentations in the play doh. These will come up as bumps on one of the halves of the mold and will make for easy alignment of the two parts (think of two Lego bricks locking together).

Now spread a generous amount of soap all over the play doh, object, and sides of the perimeter. This will serve as a non stick layer and allow for easy removal.

Step 5: Pouring the First Half

Mix your plaster to an even consistency with as little clumps as possible. Tap your mixing container repeatedly on a table or other hard surface to remove air bubbles – remember that air bubbles trapped around your object will distort the final shape and give it a tumorous look.

When pouring, pour only at one corner of the perimeter and let the plaster slide naturally over the object. Pouring directly over the object will heighten the chances of air bubbles forming in crucial areas.

Top off using as much plaster as possible without spilling.

Step 6: Pouring the Second Half

Detach the perimeter from the overspill guard, flip it upside down, and re glue.

Remove the play doh – be careful to not knead it back into its container before washing so it can be reused for later projects

give the mold and sides a generous coat of soap before pouring the plaster, using the same method as the first pour.

Step 7: Observe Your Creation

Separate your two halves and remove your object.
If needed, break off the thin layer of plaster covering your pour-access tube.

This step concludes the mold making part of the instructable. From here, I will describe how to make a duplication using wax as a medium.

Make sure to wash out any remaining soap as it will distort the shape of your duplicates.

Link to this

Wk 3 mon – tues experimentation, slip casts & tiles

So last week I made a daily list for this week as I needed to know on each day what I could be experimenting with.
Due to me being in the ceramics room more now I am also now using my journal more on blood to reflect and write up processes after I’m done in the ceramics room due to it being more time efficient and I can write up ideas quicker through the blog as I have the app on my phone. I have wrote so in my journal book – the journal book came handy when researching in library but also due to the messiness of clay I’d prefer not to have books out as it can get on the pages.
I decided that doing slip casts first would be best due to it having the longest drying process – I looked at small vases or shapes that I could possibly manipulate to look more human-like (Russian doll). I like the idea of having variety of forms – I feel this will make it more engaging and make each character more unique.
I’m mostly inspired by the culture and history behind the Russian doll than actually making Russian dolls that go into one another – so the idea of having a family set, having the mother being the biggest to represent how she holds the family together as well as fertility and the smallest representing the seed
I’m more inspired by the style and character within Sara Swink, Nancy Kubale and Claire Curneen.

Within these (Sara Swink) they all each have there own unique style & character but are still collectable due to still having the same qualities, such as the dress shape, the tiny arms – each as a different colour, different head and different animal printed on the dress. This shows that within what I produce I can show each individual in my family to suit there traits but I also need to consider how I can keep them still being collective – I’ve been playing with the idea of having a clothing piece (shawl) and use of animal heads to keep them working harmoniously together.
But like how Sara Swink has done – I can make each head different suiting to either human or animal – though I like the animal head idea and interested in seeing different way I could manipulate it to suit to the person for instance My little sister has a sassy, feisty attitude – perhaps she could represent a tiger. I could use this and take elements of a tiger and look at different ways I could portray it on my form. Whether that be by giving it the actual face of a tiger, or only the ears or having a normal face with the print of the tiger over the face: these are some inspo

I also feel these faces fit in with the more traditional look of Russian dolls but the the head pieces make it more engaging – especially with the use of pattern/print.

I plan on experimenting with faces/heads Friday once my slips casts are ready
Again with all these examples above they’re all different and have separate clothing, faces, pattern etc but still hold the same style which therefore keeps them working collectively together

I’ve also decided through having previous experience within ceramics for the last few years that white clay will be the best suited clay for what I’m making, white clay for me has the best consistency to work with for this as it’s smooth and molds well especially when carving or joining for decorative touches whist also the colour being which means application of colour will show better than what it would say take or red.

I feel Raku clay will not work best here due to its gritty like consistency and raku is more for more big structures as it’s a more strong durable clay.

For red I do like the consistency it’s like white but I’d say more smoother, I don’t want to use this clay simply for the colours of the clay and white is just much easier to work with especially within what I’m wanting to make, I find red can often lose its shape easy and at times can be difficult to work with as it’s just more wet.

Slip cast method

So I’ve done this process before and know the times to get the best wall thickness – you don’t want it to thin or too thick – just in between
I picked my vases first all being rather small but a variety of sizes which I can later manipulate to suit more a human like form
Using rubber bands to hold the pieces together – always making sure to look for cracks as the slip will just come out and create mess
I then take the wooden pieces of the slip workshop and stir the slip – I use the jug and will the mould to the top and leave for 5 mins after 5 mins top up again and wait another 5 mins and top up then a further 3-5 mins depending on wall thickness. Use needle to check wall thickness.

Once done you tip over the slip workshop and I chuck it so all the clay will fall out as some of the mould have a smaller hole on the top and it can get stuck to the bottom – I then leaves these upside down on the wooden sticks so the excess can drip out. I then left them for abit to later clean up edges around the moulds and left upside down on shelf to keep moisture so it can slowly dry but not dry out too much otherwise can’t work with it later. I did 5 in total but decided to do 3 then another 2.

I’ll check up on these daily but should be ready by Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning

This method works well as it’s rather quick and gets a good perfected shape which is easy to manipulate – as well as being perfectly smooth dependent on the mould as one I had, has bubbles on the inside which would probably show on the surface but can later smoothen out with damp sponge

Tester tiles

I then started making tester tiles and for this I needed to wedge the clay to get rid of air bubbles as it can explode in the kiln if not done. I then used 5mm rulers and started to roll out my clay but mid way stopped as was introduced to a roller which you put down 2 cloths either side suited to clay your using and place clay in middle and use handle that pushes the clay through the machine – this saved a lot more time when making tiles – I then used a cutter to cut out the tiles to then experiment with slips & texture

Then I started to experiment on the tiles with slip to begin with – I decided to use multiple techniques and experimentations on one tile to try get the most out of the tile

So within this I used blue and yellow as them being complementary colours – there’s sections of different techniques with the slip application and texture

For this I used card and with a craft knife cut out some straight lines which would leave negative space lines which when fired will be white. I mostly like this but of the tile the most and when done with laser cutter it will be more precise and could mess around with a variety of lines or shapes differing with size and pattern – which I now plan on doing loads tomorrow morning as ceramics room is busy.
I think I like mostly how bold it is and I feel it works with the circles texture that’s pressed in the negative lines but feel it works well without also. It would be interesting to see the negative lines filled with a different colour which just means I could layer a background of slip then use the decal (stencil over). I like this method for possibly working on the shawl as within my designs I’ve said I want each form for each person to have a different pattern – only thing that put me off with slips is that there isn’t many colours but I’m interested to create the decals on laser cutter but try with paint on glazes or underglazes to have more of a variety of colour.
Paint on glazes work well for really bright vivid colour and underglazes have more of a watercolor effect depending on how much water you mix with it so that’s always an option – I’m gonna use previous fires work and try this out to see how it differs to the slips.

I feel if I do use the texture and pattern combined I will need to have some area of the form with negative space so that it’s still easy on the eyes and it’ll show off that detail better as there’s a contrast then. I do like the more abstract simplistic patterns – it’s more neat and eye-grabbing.

For this I dabbed on the slips using an end of a thick paintbrush I the end of the drill and took rotated it back and forth pressing into the clay which created a marble like effect – I did like this bit but feel the little holes around it wasn’t needed as much. I feel within most of my testers today I just added too much texture and for my next approach with tiles will bring it back abit as simple can still equal beautiful.

Though I like this I can’t see the slips with it being blended into one another really grabbing the viewers attention – I want bold contrasting colours and I feel more solid colour and texture I’ll bring it to its best capabilities.

Same as the previous really with application of slip but with brush strokes, I then pressed a hammer which had small cube triangle like ends on it – I do love the texture but feel there’s something really dull about it but possibly if painted over the squares a different colour could be more visually pleasing but the hammer you don’t really have much control with it so for a tile yeah it’s good but for a piece that is going to be round and three dimensional not as much.

I really didn’t like how this turned out, just used the knife and cut thin lines through the clay, I just find it uninteresting and it doesn’t grab my attention whatsoever, maybe without slips and just using oxides it might be better as the oxide will go in the cracks and create a contrast.

I really like just the circles using the end of the drill on there own and you can get a variety of sizes with the drill pieces, I could see this working nice small to add some decoration – I don’t feel it really needs colour but again would be more interesting with the likes of oxide.

Second tile

This time I used black and yellow, again contrasting colours and I do really like this tile and as mentioned before tried fitting numerous techniques on one tile

Really like these curvy lines being caved into the the surface, I like it on just the yellow areas as well as the more textured background because it exposes the white it makes it pop out more against colour, I used a biro pen to do this, if definitely consider using this technique – I can see it working well with different lines not just curvy – it would be interesting to see what pattern I could make using this method

On the last tile I did really like the slips being mixed into each other but I think that’s more the dabbed look I didn’t like – I do however like this approach, I used some card and spread it on instead which give a nice bold approach, you can have control over this also and create pattern – you can see black squares going in an order which I like the effect. I used the card again and lightly made lines into it – again like but feel it wasn’t necessary but still glad I did so as I do like it with and without.

Used biro pen for this and tried creating more of a pattern – I like the straight lines but not the circles as much

So did this same process with using card but this time using square cut out but I didn’t let it dry long enough so it spreads quite abit – again really loving the decals (stencils), I’m really liking the use of contrasting colours so far within the tiles and want to consider it possibly as theme within my figures, for shawl perhaps.

Tile 3

With this I wanted the focus to just be on the texture to later experiment with oxides or underglazes

So going by my designs in book I’ve mentioned I want my mums pattern to consist of Aztec pattern and I feel I’m aiming more for triangles for her pattern. I do like how this turned out but interested in doing a decal (stencil) on laser cutter for more precise pattern. Possibly triangles being bigger and having smaller triangles within it.

With this I like it but dislike it at the same time, I feel if done more neatly it could potentially work but overall not too keen on it

I really liked this pattern using screwdriver, if done neater could see it working better, I’m still stuck between whether I want my figures to be textures or smooth or have an element of both. I quite like the surface being smooth so if hand painted is easier to apply, I don’t want the figures to be too much on the eyes though I feel elements of pattern/texture coming in will make it more visually eyegrabbing.
I just did this with a knife creating a cross hatch, don’t like it and can’t see myself using it. I’m so far more like just bold abstract shapes that could create pattern. I feel this just makes it look messy, I want the pieces to have some form of repetition – I want the figures to be treated like gems, something that is beautifully decorated whilst showing craftsmanship and I feel doing animal heads to suit the traits will show this.
Within the designs I did for the mother figure I wanted the pattern to be Aztec and I do actually really like this pattern but it’s so messy but could see it working though looking at the more imprinted textures/pattern compared to the slip, I’d say the slip is much more appealing but the slip puts me off as the colours are quite boring and doesn’t have many colour variations – this is why I’m more persuaded to use paints on my figures and will later practice painting on fired clay surfaces or getting my hands on some quick dry clay to practice painting faces – there is still much to explore within what other materials could be applied to the ceramic figures.
Such as using white emulsion paint to then use different paints like acrylic, gouche, ink pens etc…. through previous experience within ceramics I have decided to keep away from glazes as they’re too temperamental. I planned ahead and know if I was to do glazes it would fit within my timetable due to me aiming my figures being less than 30cm so it can be fired in the test kiln. Which means it will be done within 24hrs.
I can see gouche working really well over the white emulsion for the bright matte colours they have.

Same here with previous, just seems to messy to me, I want a nice clean finish – though I will take in consideration small elements where it can possibly be used to its advantage.

Sot his actually happened by accident, I had a squeeze bottle and wanted to try using the clip and added water to make it a more smooth consistency, the idea of creating a pattern or something almost like how you would with frosting on a cake. But it just exploded and went everywhere, I actually really liked how it turned out but it’s definitely not suited to what I’m aiming for though, the second time doing it again I did more to compare the colours against each other. I really liked all 3 colours combined, I feel the black being those two light/pale colours more notice – perhaps take in consideration when doing profile for Becca (sister) as her colour is set for green. Though I want to refer back to colour wheel to get best combination of colours.

I was just experimenting with mixing the slips and pressing holes into the clay once applied, overall I don’t like the tile, the colours are just too bland for me and my focus is mor eom bold colours, the texture doesn’t interest me either though I feel if the pressed holes were more separated it could work for small sections on figures possibly.

Rather than use a tool pressing into the clay, I’ve used the joining method to apply clay on to create a more three dimensional pattern. I’ve used this method before so I can do it with ease I used the strips from a previous tester which I will show next.
For this method you cross hatch the base of the clay (tile) and the strip or clay you’re joining and use a paintbrush to apply the slip – I usually use a little more just so it definitely joins and clean up excess once I’ve left the joining slip to dry slowly, this makes sure the joining is more efficient. Then I push the clay piece on to it leaving no air bubbles or gaps, leave to dry then clean up afterwards with damp sponge.
I feel this method is really effective and I’ve used it in previous projects such as my cups and teapot which was coral themed – I know with this method that through just designing on paper I have the ability to do so without testers due to experience and I definitely going to consider this when making as its a lovely decorative technique. I could see this working well on the shawl, as mentioned continuously in book I want a pattern for each member of the family suited to what they tend to wear and because it’s not a big section, with the comparison it’ll be a nice contrast against a more smooth base which could have the paints. The idea of having a nice contest of forms elements – whilst being subtle and precise making it more appealing to look at.

Using a tool in which slices away the clay, carving the clay with a metal rounded head. I also like this tile but prefer the one above mentioned – both same pattern with lines/stripes but having the comparison you can see which is best suited and I just find the one above much more interesting and if painted can see the colours really bouncing of it.

I did two of the tile above and then circles it into a cylinder and used the joining method to attach. Doing this shows me also that my idea of using the joining method would work better as I have more control and can dictate more where the pattern can be as well as having more of a impact.
Within my book I also did patterns using just simple abstract shapes but overlaying them to create something more unique. I do like this tile and the more simplistic approach to creating patterns, it’s more easy the eyes and I feel simplicity has a beauty to it. Though I do love textures and mad patterns, I need to choose which is best to get the most out of my figures and really make them bold and stand out rather than it being a bit chaotic to look at. The simplicity element will allow you to look at the figure with ease and admire it with minimal effort. I feel the priority is more the precise detail to the figure and the craftsmanship of the making and applied decorative details. I feel through the tiles I’ve experimented on it would be best to keep my now designs with a more simple approach whilst still making it eye catching.

I used pieces of acrylic in the 3D room that had cut outs of shapes and used the simple cut of shapes to make this design and the previous, I much prefer the previous, I used a pen and used a carving tool to create texture on the negative space but like other previous textures just too messy, I feel using the knife which was used for the above is the best for a more clean precise cut than the other tools.

I also explored cut it’s but definitely not feeling it with this tile – maybe if the cutouts were really small and fine I could see it say for the base of the figure – consisting a pattern

For my next plan of action I now need to consider how I will make my figures and looking at different methods to do so. I want to explore slip casting which I feel will work well for having the base form of the body to then working the shoulder and neck later which can also use to two different methods for that, that being jointing either shoulder and then joining neck and head or the other method being making making a pinch pot and then attaching the neck and head – for both using damp, well rinsed to keep the shape I’m place and leaving the clay to a leather hard state to then later work with whilst keeping it strong. The aim for the wall thickness to be no thicker than my thumb otherwise it can explode in the kiln.

I can see the slip cast method working well but from looking at vases that could work there wasn’t many molds suited to what I’m doing and the size is much bigger than what I would’ve liked as I need to take in consideration the size of the tester kiln. Though I do want to consider finding my own sources of say vases at home or store bought and create my own molds with plaster – this then opens me to more shapes and sizes better suited to fit within the dimensions of the tester kiln.

I also want to make figures suited to each member of the family using plasticine using my designs on big sheets to reference the shapes – I can also do my own plaster colds with these so this could possibly be a quicker method than said above but can only do once back after Easter holidays – at that point it will be mid point, so over the Easter holidays I really need to crack down on the best way and method. The first week we were doing our essays so I feel my experimentation has been more limited than what I would’ve liked but at the same time I feel more at ease due to me having the experience within the ceramics room.

I also want to consider using the extruder to create forms – I feel the extruder could create interesting forms as well as having more of an approach to show movement like Nancy Kubale as previously mentioned. I have more control on the shaping with this method.

Reflecting back on the quick action plan o did in my book I feel just trying out these methods will fill in the whole week, I want to keep my method of creating these figures still to a good quality so I can be really realistic with what I can get with these methods – as for tiles it’s quite easy to see what the outcome could be if done neater. I need to get a feel and understanding with creating the actual figure as this is the part where most the craftsmanship will come in and as mentioned in my project proposal/concept – I’ve said this is crucial for me, also as with going to uni I’m exploring model making and attention to detail is more at focus. This is why I feel using the animals heads to represent traits of each person works well psychologically and to potentially show skill level within the more model making approach.

Keeping in mind within all my designs and practical work the idea of this objective and subjective – Objective refers to objects and events in the world that anyone can, in principle, observe. Subjective refers to feelings and experiences that depend on the individual’s own particular viewpoint and traits.

I want this philosophy to intertwine within my work and through my essay of researching Henry Moore I’m inspired to keep this in mind always.

Distinctions between objectivity and subjectivity lie at the heart of debates and conflicts in philosophy, morality, journalism, science, and more. Very often “objective” is treated as a vital goal while “subjective” is used as a criticism. Objective judgments are good; subjective judgments are arbitrary. Objective standards are good; subjective standards are corrupt.

Reality isn’t so clean and neat: there are areas where objectivity is preferable, but other areas where subjectivity is better.

Objectivity, Subjectivity, and Philosophy

In philosophy, the distinction between objective and subjective normally refers to judgments and claims which people make. Objective judgments and claims are assumed to be free from personal considerations, emotional perspectives, etc. Subjective judgments and claims, however, are assumed to be heavily (if not entirely) influenced by such personal considerations.

Thus, the statement “I am six feet tall” is considered to be objective because such precise measurement is presumed to be uninfluenced by personal preferences. Moreover, the accuracy of the measurement can be checked and re-checked by independent observers.

In contrast, the statement “I like tall men” is an entirely subjective judgment because it can be informed solely by personal preferences — indeed, it is a statement of personal preference.

Is Objectivity Possible?

Of course, the degree to which any objectivity can be achieved — and, hence, whether or not the distinction between objective and subjective exists — is a matter of great debate in philosophy.

Many argue that true objectivity cannot be achieved except perhaps in matters like mathematics while everything else must be reduced to degrees of subjectivity. Others argue for a less stringent definition of objectivity which allows for fallibility but which is nevertheless focused on standards that are independent of the preferences of the speaker.

Thus the measurement of a person’s height at six feet may be treated as objective even though the measurement can’t be precise down to the nanometer, the measuring device may not be completely accurate, the person who did the measuring is fallible, and so forth.

Even the choice of measurement units is arguably subjective to some degree, but in a very real objective sense a person is six feet tall, or they are not regardless of our subjective preferences, desires, or feelings.

Reflection so far and Insight at Artists – Discovery of development to Final Idea

So within my research I have been looking into memories, hopes and dreams. Also Family oriented collectables and come to two ideas that being these collective small teddy bears that have visuals on the surface of the memories suited to the survey I did –
I feel I’ve went abit off the teddy bears as I feel it’s too literal.

I also considered doing Russian dolls and even though I feel this one will mostly be the most effective due to the history and culture of Russian dolls as well as the surface working well for decorative touches, I also need to take into consideration the making process – I could yes perhaps make my own moulds but that’s whether that’ll fit within my time plan. Though I do want to do some designs to give it some scope and look at the possibilities. Reflecting back though, I could take form of the Russian doll – it can be a solid form still. It will still capture the bond of family and have the mother and seed element, I like the idea of taking the history and culture of the russian doll to show a collective set showing family. I want to do my family rather than using my survey as it’s more personal to me and I feel I could portray it better on the surface due to that.

But also reflecting back to my proposal, yes I have said I am interested in creating in form and looking into childhood memories, stories and journeys. Through my research I feel I have researched into this area a lot but also want to keep in mind where I said about selling being a focus. The idea of the form just being aesthetically pleasing and looking into themes – this is where formal elements again could come into play. I really loved the work of Claire Curneen and Sara Swink though they’re both so different but yet they both hold this unique style and consistent shape/form that represent human/animal figures. I feel Claire Curneen has now been a bit of a game changer for me as it’s not as literal but still holds a beauty to it that still holds narrative within desires, fear and mysteries – could I not take the same approach but suited to memories, hopes and dreams but look more at colours and textures that could set of an emotion suited to the nostalgic feeling rather than it being so literal? I like the idea of looking more deeply into primitive figures as an approach to the figure but maybe Claire Curneen for decorative purposes?

CLAIRE CURNEEN

Claire Curneen’s work is distinct for its figurative representation. As one of the UK’s foremost ceramic artists Curneen draws us into a world of narrative, where the tension between the real and the imagined is played out before us.
Her ceramic figures have an imposing presence which tap into our desires, fears and mysteries.
They are highly visceral, referencing Catholic imagery from the early Italian Renaissance. Porcelain, terracotta and black stoneware create an exquisite textural finish to these works, with dribbles of glaze and flashes of gold to accentuate their rich qualities.
These figures bear bold narratives of human experiences and explore themes around death, rebirth and the sublime, which are both subtle and dramatic.

I just find her work so stunning and I was inspired by her for my original idea of the teddy bears with having transfers of imagery onto the surface. The focus more being on pattern, colour, body language and imagery – I love the idea of taking elements of all my research so far and combining to create a mysterious like figures that hold memories, hopes and dreams but not as literal – so for instance a memory of mine when I went to london – could be the buildings, could I not take the geometric patterns within the building and put it on to the surface of the figure? the figure could have the body language of the emotion or feeling I was currently having – the figure wouldn’t have to look like me niether though I could take in consideration some aspects of my characteristics. I especially like these ones where it’s from the waist upwards – this would work well and give it the balance to be self standing also due to bottom being able to support the supper half.

LEADS ME TO:

NANCY KUBALE

Work attempts to identify real truth, to transform sight to insight and to ask questions that make others ask questions. The challenge of our existence is both to figure out the meaning of our own lives and to do work that genuinely develops us, as we develop it. My ceramic figures are constructed as nudes, although the use of colour, stripes and polka dots may lead some to believe otherwise. Their “nakedness” is metaphorical of my existential inquiry. In order to find real truth one must undress oneself in the inward sense: removing biases and assumptions that colour our perception and worldview.
Imagery is influenced by Catholic statuary, Ancient sculpture, and Southern and Indigenous Folk Art. Some of the larger pieces utilize “stages and backdrops” to create an environment or context. Graffiti and ceramic tags are used to reference essence; the “I AM” / “I WAS HERE”. Text is used for the way words and language shape our perceptions and to further offer context.

I just find these amazing, the use of colour on the white surface just stands bold and makes you want to know more about them. They’re so bizarre yet engaging and even without the context you can see how they’d be sell-able, they have a surreal look to them whilst incorporating a mix of history and culture. I feel the body language and colour and use of facial expression speaks for itself – her sculptures work well on there own as well as a combined set. Especially the first image above, I love how the bodies intertwine with another and create a movement within the figures.

I quite like the idea of looking at my own memories, hopes and dreams and by looking at my own photographs from my past possibly using patterns found on clothing or my own childhood or families possessions – something again personal to me but with it just being on the figure keeps it anonymous to the audience whilst keeping aesthetically pleasing – perhaps mixed with the colour associated to that emotion feeling of that said time.

Making the focus more on me and my personal experiences and my associations with my family, as it’s more personal I feel I will be much more engaged and passionate about how I express the memories. From past to present, to future. For instance when I was younger my mum used to put these hard bright red, cube plastic bobbles in mine and my sisters hair and when she would do my hair it would hit of our head – this is something so random yet so vivid in my memory – I could make a pattern of red cubes for instance and put it onto the surface of the form. Keeping it visually pleasing to the eye whilst still having that memory for inspiration. Semiotics and symbolism could massively come into play with this – not only how I associate colours but consideration to the audience and how they’ll perceive it.

With that in mind – I feel I my main aim is to put focus on this Russian doll idea as it’s what I’ve been mostly interested in the most and I’d like to give it more scope, I still want to take all my previous work in consideration and it has been a roller coaster of not knowing what I want but I feel from looking into a mix of areas it has now made me clear of what pathway I want to go with this. I now need to profile my family which I did briefly but now I want to go further with it and start some designs and start planning the production of these. I feel all artists I have researched will give me the ability to look at my designing process in numerous ways and that’s now for me to explore but with my own stylistic approach. I want the surface of these Russian dolls to represent each member of my family, the shape represents the place in which each family members role is – I’m thinking in age order but with my mother being the biggest doll to represent the main symbol of the family whilst keeping the mother and (seed) youngest member relating somehow to reflect back to the culture and history of Russian dolls.

Reflecting back in my book from the page when I went to the wildlife park, I was considering looking at spirit animals but the more I thought about spirit animals I just wasn’t interested and couldn’t see myself going further with that. Though I do like the idea of using animals as a way of representing each person in my family, looking at the personality traits of animals and who I think each person suits.

MUM – Lion

My mum being a lion to represent courage and strength, she keeps the family together and is protective over her family – this is also works for the role of her within a set of figures as the lion is often seen as the king of the jungle. My aim for her figure is to show that this is the main figure that is holding the other figures together – much like how families do.

My mum has a tattoo of a chinese symbol representing family – I want to take this as a way to keep a theme amongst the figures but have a Chinese symbol for each family memeber in chinese that represents us – so for me for instance – creativity as I’m a lover of art and want to pursue this as a career.

I want the focus of colour being red as it’s her favourite colour, I also want within the figures them to have a quite surreal, illustrative like quality whilst having elements on each to represent our family as a whole. Such as the Ying Yang with semi colon which is tattooed on members of my family, the symbolic meaning isn’t of the normal symbolic reasoning behind the ying yang but because my sister who died always wore a ying yang necklace and you would never see her without it. The semi colon punctuates mental health awareness, semicolon leaves “a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is more to come; read on; it will get clearer.” My sister Lucah committed suicide and struggled with her mental health and other factors, I feel the semicolon is a way in which the family looks at it and takes it as means to keep going. A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence but chose not to. My sister also loved the song Swim by Jacks Mannequin – the song itself was about the artists struggle with Leukaemia. Though both different matters, the message within in the song is to carry on, everything will alright, you just got to keep swimming. Despite the sadness, I feel us a family want to take the this ying yang, semicolon symbolism and the song swim as a way of moving forward and keeping our family together even through the toughest times.

You’ve gotta swim
Swim for your life
Swim for the music that saves you
When you’re not so sure you’ll survive
You’ve gotta swim
And swim when it hurts
The whole world is watching
You haven’t come this far to fall off the earth

The currents will pull you
Away from your love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets they fired at me from a gun
A crack in the armor
I swim for brighter days
Despite the absence of sun
Choking on saltwater
I’m not giving in
I swim

You’ve gotta swim
Through nights that won’t end
Swim for your families
Your lovers
Your sisters and brothers
And friends
You’ve gotta swim
Through wars without cause
Swim for the lost politicians
Who don’t see their greed as a flaw

The currents will pull us
Away from our love
Just keep your head above

I found a tidal wave begging to tear down the dawn
Memories like bullets they fired at me from a gun
A crack in the armour
I swim for brighter days
Despite the absence of sun
Choking on saltwater
I’m not giving in
I swim

You’ve gotta swim
Swim in the dark
There’s no shame in drifting
Feel the tide shifting
And wait for the spark
You’ve gotta swim
Don’t let yourself sink
Just find the horizon
I promise you it’s not as far as you think

The currents will drag us
Away from our love
Just keep your head above
Jacks Mannequin

BECCA – Sister (eldest), Twin – Lucah RABBIT

I decided on doing a rabbit for my sister Becca, she’s energetic but can be quite nervous at times. She has a soft side to her and can be silly at times but also independent and loyal. Her favourite colour is green and I want to incorporate that within this figure, as well as a checker pattern – within the forms I want them to all have a matching shawl to keep them collective but within the the shawl the pattern will consist of clothing they tend to wear – so checker would be Beccas – she loves checker shirts and likes Vans also. ^ My mums would be Aztec – triangles as she always wears mad printed Aztec clothing – within the seed figure (youngest sibling) I want her to have the same pattern so it shows the russian doll connection between mother and seed. The Chinese symbolism being loyalty.

LUCAH – Sister (younger) Twin – MOUSE

I decided on doing a mouse for Lucah as she’s always been quiet and tends to keep herself and to family. I also thought a owl could represent her as she’s very intelligence and you would never see her without a book in her hand. I decided to do a mouse as within the designs I did, they’re all mammals which is more collective and they all have whiskers. I thought the Chinese symbolism could be intelligence to show her love for reading – she’d even read the backs of shampoo bottles and all sorts, Lucah was always passionate about understanding and seeking information. Lucahs pattern would also be stripes and the colour will be purple.

ME – RED SQUIRREL

For this I didn’t choose it myself, I asked family members what they could see me relating to within the theme of mammals with whiskers – I could see this working well to keep it a collectable theme. They decided on red squirrel for me as I’m organised and active. My favourite colour is blue and orange but to keep it more being collectable I’m going to choose blue as each member has there own colour relating to there favourite colour though I do still want to keep in consideration complimentary colours as this could make is more visually and aesthetically pleasing. I’ve decided upon using more organic forms like circles as my pattern as I’ve always loved more organic shapes compared to geometric.

SISTER – MEADOW (youngest sibling)

For my sister I’ve decided for her to be within the cat family suiting to my mums figure – I want there to be a hierarchy between these two figures relating to the culture and history of Russian dolls. I feel these two having some more similarities than the other will show this and that’s why I’ve also decided for the pattern set on my mums, I will do the same for my sister or use the same shapes (triangles – Aztec) pattern. I’ve decided upon using a tiger to represent my sister just for her nature, shes feisty and can be very sassy at times. Meadow is very smart especially considering her age, she’s also into art the same way I am.

Overall I’m happy with the animals I have chosen for each member of my family and can see them working harmoniously & collectively together. They’re all mammals which have whiskers and I can see adding wire to each figure to show the whiskers could have a really beautiful, interesting affect. I feel it’ll make the figure much more interesting to look at, within this I can experiment with a mix of different wires to see which is best suited whether that’s through the thickness of the wire or colour. I can see gold working quite well as within my designs I’ve mentioned I want each remember to have a Chinese symbol representing that person – I decided upon using Chinese symbols as my mum has a Chinese symbol (tattoo) that says family so this sparked the inspiration. Often within Chinese culture they tend to use gold over silver so I feel it would suit more having the colours both the same to each other though I do still want to experiment with say silver or rose wire.

My main aim now is to focus on making (experimentation) and explore a wide range of design ideas to get me to a more finalised idea as after easter holidays I will probably need to make a start if making, especially if I want them to be at a high standard. As mentioned I’ve said I want to explore painting on the figure more than suing the likes of slips, oxides and glazes as I feel with paint I will have more control the material as within using those other materials just stated can be temperamental. I feel confident in not using these materials and through being on the course for the last 3 years I am confident in what the materials can do and I feel for this that it’s not best suited for what I’m wanting to create.

I do however want to take this idea of stencils (decals) that I used on my tester tiles and try find a sticky back paper that I could use in the laser cutter to create the patterns for the figures as it’s much more precise and if it’s sticky back I can place around the ceramic figure – painting straight on the surface would be harder due to the figures being cylinder and round. I feel this will be the best method – using ethos to create the patterns – then a matter of sticking pattern on the ceramic figure and applying paint and waiting for it to be completely dry then take off.

Collectibles – Why do we collect things?

About a third of people in the UK collect something. Their reasons and manner vary hugely. For some, like the football fan who collects club memorabilia, it is a way to express loyalty; for others, like the stamp collector proud of rare finds, there can be an obsessive streak.
One psychoanalytical explanation for collecting is that unloved children learn to seek comfort in accumulating belongings; another is that collecting is motivated by existential anxieties – the collection, an extension of our identity, lives on, even though we do not. More recently, evolutionary theorists suggested that a collection was a way for a man to attract potential mates by signalling his ability to accumulate resources.
There is also a phenomenon known as the endowment effect, which describes our tendency to value things more once we own them. Another is the concept of contagion – some collectors are attracted to celebrity belongings because these objects are seen as being infused with the essence of the person who owned them.
Humans are unique in the way we collect items purely for the satisfaction of seeking and owning them. The desire to collect only became possible about 12,000 years ago, once our ancestors gave up their nomadic lifestyles and settled down in one location.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/09/mackenzie-crook-allegra-mcevedy-michael-faber-pete-paphides-collections

^ Through the link above it shows a variety of people that collect items but items that are completely different to one another. Each persons reasoning for why they collect such items varying whether that be through the history within the item/s or because of something more personal to you and the list goes on. Within collecting there are always the usual things you associate it with like stamps, coins, comic books, doll etc. From looking at the fundamental reasoning to why we as humans collect such items is a key element of how I can reach to my audience, which right now is open but I’d like to start narrowing it down. I feel with my main idea being on Memories, Hopes and Dreams – it’s quite hard to know how to get a specific audience at this stage but feel by looking at reasoning into why people collect specific items will give me an insight on how and who I should eventually lead my audience to.

being a true collector requires an emotional connection– which can sometimes border on an obsession. Time and money mean nothing to them when compared with the delight they get from owning these objects.

The Thrill of the Hunt

Collections originally come from a hobby or interest, they soon find that the excitement of a new find draws them in.
This sensation only increases as they get deeper and deeper below the surface.
Many will progress further down the rabbit hole, hunting down more obscure releases, limited-edition coloured vinyl, and international pressings. To an outsider, it may look like they have wasted money buying the same object over and over again. To the collector, though, their emotional connection to the band in question makes it all worth it.
It’s a compulsion they can’t quite explain.

The psychology of collectors

Because life is uncertain and can easily make a person feel helpless some people use their collections to create a private comfort zone that they can control. By arranging and disarranging their collections compulsive hoarders can regain the sense of control over their lives.

These actions reduce anxiety and helps those people cope with the uncertainty of the real world.

some collectors are nostalgic. They are so much attached to the past because they believe that it was much better than their present. Because those people want to keep these good memories they turn into compulsive collectors. By doing so they unconsciously believe that they have protected the important memory and prevented it from being taken away from them.

People who suffer from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) have a higher chance of becoming compulsive hoarders. When examining OCD and compulsive hoarding from a psychological point of view you will find that they have a lot in common.

In both cases the person is distracting himself from the real life challenges by perusing simpler challenges in his own private world.

Reviving good memories through collections – NOSTALGIA

Some people collect stuff in order to create a bank of good memories that they can get back to whenever things go wrong. If their lives became bitter those people can get instant mood boosts by going back to their collections and recalling the good memories.

Even though i am not against any of these coping strategies its important to know that the only way to achieve real happiness is to fix your present instead of recalling your past.

No matter how better you feel after revisiting your collection your current life will force you back into the bad mood. The only way to fix things permanently is to fight for a better future instead of leaning on a good past to feel better.

EXAMPLES OF COLLECTING – FIGURATIVE

A Brief History of M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures

BY ROB LAMMLE NOVEMBER 28, 2012

The Manga

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that M.U.S.C.L.E. figures originated in Japan. The figures were the toy line for Kinnikuman (above), a manga introduced in 1979 by Yudetamago, the pen name of creative duo Takashi Shimada (writer) and Yoshinori Nakai (artist).

When Kinnikuman first debuted in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, a manga anthology magazine, it was billed as a parody of popular chojin (superhero) staples like Ultraman and Superman. Instead of being an impressive figure, though, the titular fin-headed hero was an inept, bumbling wannabe who was reluctantly called upon to fight the bad guys when all the other chojin were busy. As the series matured, the stories shifted focus to an intense intergalactic form of professional wrestling, where an ever-revolving stable of surreal combatants with specialized, bone-crushing, blood-spouting finishing moves fought it out in the ring. This shift allowed the dramatic mythology of the series to develop, as alliances formed, characters switched sides, deaths were avenged, and honors restored. But the series never lost its comedic edge—including the fact that the hero was still a bit of a buffoon.

The wrestling also ushered in what would become one of the most defining aspects of Kinnikuman: the character designs. Taking a cue from Kinnikuman himself, which translates to “Muscleman”, most of the characters follow an old superhero naming convention—thing + “man”—with an over-the-top twist. For example, instead of Batman or Spider-Man, Kinnikuman battles wrestlers like Oil Man, whose body is made entirely out of oil cans; Mammothman, whose head and feet look like a Wooly Mammoth’s; and Benkiman, a porcelain-tiled wrestler with a Japanese-style benki toilet embedded in his chest. With the character formula in place, readers started getting into the spirit of things and coming up with their own outlandish designs. As the fanmade drawings started pouring in, Yudetamago began featuring them in a special section of the manga, and even adopted many of the best designs as canon characters.

With an intriguing mix of drama and comedy, Kinnikuman has been going strong for over 30 years. The manga is still published today, with the latest collection—Volume 41—coming out in December.

The Japanese Toys

The Kinnikuman manga spawned an anime series in 1983, produced by Toei Animation and broadcast on the Nippon Television Network (NTV). The series ran until 1986, for a total of 137 episodes, and even branched into seven theatrical films. As was so often the case in the 1980s, the cartoon also had an accompanying toy line for kids.

The Kinnikuman toys were produced by toy company Bandai in the keshi (eraser) style. Keshi figures are usually about 2 inches tall, often feature highly-detailed sculpts, and are made out of solid, durable plastic. They were introduced in the 1970s, and saw their first worldwide success with the well-known Monchhichi characters. As is common with keshi, the tiny Kinnikuman toys were molded out of a single color of plastic (flesh-colored, in this case) to keep production costs down. This meant that school-aged children could easily buy a figure from a vending machine using loose change, making them an instant hit with kids. With a low price and high collectability quotient, as well as the crazy character designs, the Kinnikuman keshi were extremely popular; so popular that it created its own subgenre of toy, known as Kinkeshi.

By the time Kinkeshi fell out of popularity in 1988, Bandai had cranked out 418 unique figures. More traditional Kinnikuman action figures have since followed, but few have matched the popularity of the kinkeshi toys. To celebrate the toy line’s 29th anniversary in 2008, Bandai released a massive collector’s box set that included every figure, plus DVDs of the complete anime series.

M.U.S.C.L.E.-ing In On America

Although the anime was never adapted for America because it was too violent to get past the censors, toy company Mattel took a gamble and launched their own line of kinkeshi toys in either late 1985 or early 1986 (accounts vary). Re-branded as “M.U.S.C.L.E.” (Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere), the line used the same molds and flesh-colored plastic as their Japanese cousins. However, instead of vending machines, the figures were available in a variety of retail-friendly packaging options.

^ With this in mind, this shows me that forms/shape of the figures can differ but in order to keep collective needs to have something that keeps the theme flowing – for instance here they either have matching colours, or differ from form but all have this small blocky body. This shows me that I can be more experimental with how I could do my work – whether that be through pattern, form/shape, colour, texture or so on.

Illustrators Exploration & Formal Elements

Within the proposal I said I wanted to explore both subject areas – illustration & ceramics. I didn’t want illustration to be my final outcome but as a means of coming up with idea generation & development
Within this I need to take the formal elements into consideration as all of the elements come into play here and by using this it will help me portray my designs better and suit it more to my proposal but that isn’t just my focus, within my work I have explained that I want to draw everyday relevant or not as when reflecting back to say the form of an object it can be manipulated to something else which could possibly further my idea generation

With that in mind, I want to explore illustrator that I have taken inspiration from:

Dr Seuss – Theodor Seuss Geisel

Dr. Seuss was a storyteller in the grandest sense of the word. Not only did he tell fantastical tales of far-away places but he also gave us a unique visual language that carried his stories to new heights of artistic expression.
Surrealism provided the foundation from which he built his career, but like a launch pad sitting idle just before liftoff, surrealism was soon to be engulfed in the flames of ridiculous fun.
Dr. Seuss’s horned, whiskered, and winged creatures played while contemplating the issues of the world within deco-inspired landscapes of pure nonsense. These iconographic images became the basis of Ted’s most well-known books for children, delivering messages on such heady topics as racial tolerance, environmental stewardship, nuclear war, and the vital importance of unimpeded childhood fun.
Ridiculous fun permeated everything—a rocket’s plume engulfing even his own life story. When explaining the “logical insanity” of his work, Ted said, “If I start with a two-headed animal, I must never waiver from that concept. There must be two hats in the closet, two toothbrushes in the bathroom, and two sets of spectacles on the night table.” That consistency reveals itself across the spectrum of Ted’s life and work. Yet here, with this major survey of his paintings, drawings, and sculpture, the truth of his talent rests undeniably in the power of his unique artistic vision.

As a child growing up, I’d always loved Dr Seuss and his books as well as the movie Cat in the hat, his work is bright and full of character! I especially love the way he uses colour within his work, it contrasts and stands bold.

Within his characters they all have this consistent style to them – hand drawn then digitized to make these colours more vivid! throughout the character design Seuss consistently uses this anthropomorphic design within these whimsical make belief characters; which often feature pear-like rounded bellies with long bird like hands & fingers and rather long sock-like feet.

The facial features differ between what role Dr Seuss is trying to portray but always have this upper lip going over the bottom lip to quite a big extent. Throughout his work you can see how it just unleashes the imagination for children and adults, the surreal aspect and complete wackiness opens a door to a world of make belief. Whether that be through the character design, colour scheme, use of line (adds child-like element) or the backgrounds (props).

Looking at his work, I really love this rough looking sketches despite being rather muddy and not perfected. I like it as it shows the idea development, for instance the one above with the 2 bird-like characters. on the left the background blue is very roughly coloured over, despite this not looking visually pleasing.. it still give the artist and the viewer an idea of how the image could potentially look with colour. Work does not need to be a masterpiece to get the imagery or narrative across and I love that someone as talented as what Seuss is, shows the unfinished beginnings of an idea.

I’ve also taken interest within the form of his characters, they all this rounded circular/pear shapes – maybe using abstract forms/shape and bringing it back to basics can work as a way of understanding proportions whilst being able to play with the manipulation of them – then later play with the smaller details that will give it that bit more character. A way in which to explore CHARACTER DESIGN.

ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER SHAPE THEORY WHEN MAKING CHARACTER – ANTAGONIST AND PROTAGONIST

Agnes Ernoult

Fine ladies in wigs, angry witches and crazy dinosaurs – these are just a few of the characters French illustrator Agnès Ernoult has created for her clients in recent years. Each persona has its own unique charm, interesting expressions, and little touches of detail you won’t see anywhere else. That’s why her work is in demand at a range of children’s book publishers, magazines and more.
The artist’s life is a reality for her, she still harks back to old Disney films and Peter Rabbit stories for her inspiration. Agnès loves to see animals wearing clothes, like The Fantastic Mr Fox. Cakes, pastries and famous chefs also give her a creative spark, as does the music of French film composer Alexandre Desplats.

Approach

Optimism is the very first stage in Agnès’ process. When she starts an image she tells herself it’s going to be the best work she’s ever done. She is always aiming to improve. Then she begins with some quick sketches to explore the subject matter and when she’s settled on what she wants to capture, Agnès creates a bigger sketch with as much of the final detail as possible.
Watercolour is her medium of choice, and when the sketching is complete she tests out some colour combinations on a small piece of paper. This way she can find something unique, perfect for the piece she’s working on. She has mastered a range of watercolour effects, and often uses ink for the outlines.

Style

Agnes’ style of watercolour painting gives her work a soft and delicate look. It’s a subtle style, with a retro feel and a touch of humour. She loves to include nature in her illustrations such as floral details, and little insects and animals that give each image extra life. She also offers a looser and punchier cartoon style, which is ideal when the illustration needs to make people laugh.

Within looking at Agnes’s work it inspires me to perhaps look or use watercolour a bit more within my work, I feel he colour element will portray a more calming, soothing emotion.

I really love Agnes work especially the ones above which consist of this family oriented theme which goes within my research of collectibles. As you can see within the figures it consists with this use of shape, often more rounded circular shapes to represent the figures (head) here as they appear more friendly and approachable. So if making a collective set that revolves around the family I need to take this into consideration, family works harmoniously together due to the nature of as humans being brought up by are parents. Even children that don’t have parents still tend to have parent-like role models that they look up to, humans tend to look subconsciously for people they feel comfortable around and then dictate who they wish to associate with.

LEADS ME TO:

Willow Tree – Susan Lordi

Willow Tree^® is an intimate line of figurative sculptures that speak in quiet ways to heal, comfort, protect and inspire. Artist Susan Lordi hand carves the original of each figure from her studio in Kansas City Missouri. Pieces are cast from her original carvings, and individually painted by hand. Expression is revealed through gestures only… a tilt of the head, placement of the hands, a turn of the body. The simplicity of form and absence of facial features signify Willow Tree. It is Susan’s hope that these pieces be meaningful to both giver and receiver.
Susan describes herself as a maker. And when she’s not making something, she’s thinking about it. Her artistic process is rather intuitive; she “sketches” in clay as she forms and carves each piece. This one-of-a-kind approach to product creation makes her pieces truly individual… her hand, and her unique perspective, is evident in each sculpture.

“I try to keep the interpretation of Willow Tree open. I hope this makes it more personal, and allows the viewer to decide its meaning…”
Susan Lord

“The ideas that I try to communicate with Willow Tree come from my own life experiences, my own understanding of the world. I think they have to be personal for them to be truthful.”
Susan Lordi

When I did my sketches in my book of memories with my family I noticed that my drawings were very similar to these, not having facial features helps specific images or here sculptures become more universal. These work really nicely together as you can have the option to buy individual pieces that could suit to the audiences own family – say mother & 2 sons or mother, father, son and daughter…

Always, a focus on form and gesture that speaks to the universal. By stripping down the essence of emotion to pure form, she opens the interpretation of each piece to the giver and the receiver.

Family Groupings

Groupings of two or more figures positioned to appear to be interacting, like families do. Select pieces that reflect your relationships.

You can see through the video how you can make this unique and suited to your own family, I think what I like also is the block-like form they have and choice of clothing. The style is neutral and definitely suited to a house to give it that homely feeling. Like when you go through a home catalog – NEXT for instance. Within many homes, families keep this more but subtle look.

THIS LEADS ME TO: Scandinavian Interiors

Neutral Colors in Scandinavian Designs
Neutral Colors Show Off Furnishings and Textures
Never Grow Tired Of Neutral – Neutral will always be a classic. If the mood strikes and you decide you need some vibrant hues in your life, then you simply add a few inexpensive pillows in a bold color, or buy a beautiful bouquet of bright flowers.
Neutral Colors Offer Colorful Opportunities
Neutral Works For Any Style – Allow a room to seem larger, more airy, clean and welcoming.

neutral color schemes are the ideal choice for any interior style statement. Use neutral colors in your home to ensure that you never grow tired of your design choices, thereby creating a classic home that never gets old.

Neutral colors are also great options for modern interiors, allowing the architectural elements of your design to take center-stage.

Audience

With that in mind, within me making designs I need to consider my audience and what the use is of my collective set. Will my designs be used for interior design to add a homely, family oriented theme? If I’m wanting to go for a more surreal approach which I am interested in currently perhaps I need to consider collectors avenue – antique shops? Pawn shops? I need to consider how I will engage with my audience. So far I’m mostly interested in the idea of having this family oriented, elegant forms and surreal teddy bears suited to people childhood memories on the questionnaire. I originally planned to look more into hybrids and possibly using animals to represent the person – insight at stereotypes and spirit animals. I do want to touch in these areas but can feel myself drifting away from it as these two other ideas have drawn me in a lot more but I do still want to keep myself open but want to start narrowing ideas down so I can nail it down with audience as that key.

This is why I also took interest within a stereotype collective set also because as we grow we develop different social skills, styles and just begin to choose or try to understand where we belong in the world. We can often express this through clothing, hair style, body language, music and so on… Stereotypes have a wide category and within each category they they all have the same approach to things but as humans we like to separate ourselves separately from the group, a means in which we have our own uniqueness. It’s what makes us human. Within looking at Agnes’s work it inspires me to perhaps look or use watercolour a bit more within my work, I feel he colour element will portray a more calming, soothing emotion.

^ With that in mind, each group can be portrayed throughout the figure to suit a group but the play could be within the characteristics you choose to best portray it – could work as a set taking 1 stereotype from each group to have an interesting variety or could be say 5 figures from the same group but dressed uniquely but sticking to the same style /category.

Sara Swink & Exploration to Personification, Anthropomorphism and Zoomorphism

Makes clay human and animal figures with a psychological stance. Swinks hand-built sculptural works impart ideas through stories, often with a humorous edge.
Swink has always loved animals and enjoy expressing human foibles through the animal persona. She likes to form fast in a gritty sculpture clay, incise into the clay, bisque fire, finish with oxides, underglazes and glazes, then fire to cone 5.
Ideas derive most often from a process methodology that she teaches in workshops, which employs simple and accessible techniques like collage and doodling to unleash the unconscious.
Then Swink tries to stay out of the way, letting ideas flow, selecting the ones that most resonate to bring into clay. Swink also get ideas from what she is reading, a phrase or concept that triggers an idea for a piece. Swink sketches a lot, and one piece often leads to more ideas.
There is a thread of personal narrative that runs through all my ceramic work. Reflection and writing helps her to recognise and make some sense of the progression. It’s the process of inner exploration that keeps her moving forward.

Sara Swink was a major influence of mine during coming up with the pitch and proposal of my FMP. I just love the quirkiness to her work, each character is so unique but all incorporate this same style choice. You can tell through style choice of facial features, abstract (blocky) like form and colour that it’s her work and I feel this makes it more intriguing. This will also make her more recognised, making her work therefore more collectable and sell-able.

I’m interested within this idea of unleashing the unconscious and I feel my research within my blog post surrealism could intertwine well together. Perhaps again looking into memories and maybe using clay human and animal figures combined to create a narrative but with my own stylistic approach, as said on my Surrealism blog post – what are peoples hopes and dreams? Could I ask just random question to each individual and then use that information to make a bizarre hybrid or anthropomorphic (human-like) piece/s?

Within this I feel looking at anthropomorphism, personification and looking at zoomorphism will help develop my idea generation and idea development later.

Personification vs. Anthropomorphism

Personification and anthropomorphism are often confused because both terms have similar meanings. Anthropomorphism refers to something nonhuman behaving as human, while personification gives particular human traits to nonhuman or abstract things, or represents a quality or concept in human form. Personification is the attribution of human qualities, characteristics, or behaviours to non-humans, be they animals, inanimate objects, or even intangible concepts.

About Personification

Personification and anthropomorphism are often confused because both terms have similar meanings. Anthropomorphism refers to something nonhuman behaving as human, while personification gives particular human traits to nonhuman or abstract things, or represents a quality or concept in human form. Understanding when to use personification vs. anthropomorphism will help you improve your use of figurative language.

In classical rhetoric, personification is referred to as prosopopeia. When a writer uses personification, he or she is applying human traits to objects. For example, people who are frustrated with technology often claim that their computer hates them, even though it’s obvious a computer has no real emotions.

Personification is also sometimes used to represent an abstract concept in human form. For example, law enforcement officers and lawyers often say, “Justice is blind.” Justice is a concept and obviously does not have eyes, but this phrase expresses the idea that all people are entitled to equal treatment under the law, regardless of characteristics such as skin color, gender, or financial status.

Other examples of personification you might hear in everyday language include:

I love the sound of raindrops dancing on the roof.
I’m on a diet, but that candy bar is calling my name.
After a hard day at work, the couch is looking at me invitingly.
The sun is smiling at me today.
The angry clouds hint at the upcoming rainstorm.
I wasn’t looking for a new job, but opportunity knocked at my door.
This novel speaks to me.

Personification is often found in popular music. Examples of personification in songs include:

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.”Good Riddance,” Green Day
The highway won’t hold you tonight
The highway don’t know you’re alive
The highway don’t care if you’re all alone
But I do, I do.”Highway Don’t Care,” Tim McGraw/Taylor Swift
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right.”Here Comes the Sun,” The Beatles

Other examples of personification you might hear in everyday language include:I love the sound of raindrops dancing on the roof.

About Anthropomorphism

Applying human behaviours to animals, objects, or nonhuman entities. The thing is acting human rather than doing something like a human. Anthropomorphism is often used in children’s stories to teach concepts or make abstract ideas easier to understand. For example, a picture book about animals might draw an ant with visibly large muscles who is lifting weights at the gym to reinforce the idea that ants have tremendous strength relative to their body size. The characters in Thomas The Tank Engine, Clifford: The Big Red Dog, and Martha Speaks are all examples of anthropomorphism.

The opposite of anthropomorphism is dehumanisation, which means describing human beings in non-human terms. Examples of dehumanisation can be seen in Nazi propaganda. By portraying Jewish people as animals or savages, it became easier for citizens to look the other way during the horrors of the Holocaust.

What are the Key Differences?

When discussing the differences between personification and anthropomorphism, it may be helpful to remember the following:

Personification gives a figurative meaning, while anthropomorphism gives a more literal meaning.
Personification creates visual imagery, while anthropomorphism allows animals or objects to act like human beings.
The most common synonym for personification is “representation,” while the most common synonym for anthropomorphism is “humanisation.”

Zoomorphism

Dr Larka & Tattoo’s – Using the surface to express inner self

The work of Jerónimo López Ramírez, better known as Dr. Lakra, is characterized by irreverent and provocative images that transgress established norms, leaving the viewer teetering between attraction and repulsion. While he is best known for his drawings and paintings on appropriated posters, erotic magazines, and postcards, his practice encompasses mural painting, collage and sculpture.
Through these different mediums he explores his interests in anthropology and ethnography, documenting his fascination with the taboos, fetishes, myths, and rituals of different cultures. An avid collector of diverse objects, Lakra views the search for materials and images as an essential aspect of his practice. His compositions combine historical references and contemporary images, incorporating quotes from popular culture and intermingling them with religious and social iconographies.
The way he juxtaposes and refashions these various elements reveals a deep understanding of art history, as well as a subversive sense of humor. Dr. Lakra dismantles and subverts dominant ideologies to question what is considered civilized or barbaric, correct or incorrect, “high” or “folk” art.

Within Larka’s work I really like this aspect of attraction and repulsive, perhaps I could visually display this suited to my research such as memories – good and bad (be symbolic) use things within history, religion that could possibly represent that memory and imprint onto the clay figure. I especially love these creepy tattooed dolls below:

I really like the combination of using something human-like perhaps a toy, teddy, doll and through the surface expressing through imagery small things that could represent each person. With the dolls above I feel they speak to me as they’e covered in tattoo’s and with tattoo’s it usually always have a meaning to each individual. For instance – texture, typography, colour, oxides. using an inanimate object stick within a a theme of collectible characters whilst using those elements on the surface to suit to an individuals experience, psychologically (how you present yourself) and physiologically appearance (eye colour, hair colour) > perhaps this could be used again but with representing on each character different stereotypes for instance – goth, emo, punk… would have darker tones, more brutality, spikes etc as for the other stereotypes could contrast this for instance… Hippies – more flower power, lighter tones, colourful, peace and love. Within both stereotypes there is different symbolism.

Could see this working well as a set, there’s a lot of possibilities in ways I could manipulate the form, I imagine like a set of ceramic teddy bears but with a anthromophic form (human characteristics) suited to the stereotype.

It could also work as sticking to one stereotype but coming up with numerous ways to display it, so 5 emo-like teddies maybe suited to a group of people I could find – all within same group but each individual has there own unique way of displaying it.

Goth – 5 pointed star.
Hippy – Peace sign.

Why Do People Get Tattoos?

Ever since they left their ancient and tribal settings and have become a part of modern culture, tattoos have been fascinating and puzzling onlookers.

Because of Their Culture

Tattooing is an ancient practice. The earliest evidence of a tattoo dates back to roughly 3100 BCE. In many cultures, the practice of tattooing the skin is an extension of ancient rituals or traditional aesthetics.
The Maori, for instance, use traditional tattoos as social markers rather than mere fashion statements. The tattoo marks them as members of a particular family or tribe and identifies where they stand in the social structure.
While the designs and styles of these cultural tattoos have in some cases evolved and departed from their traditional counterparts, they nevertheless retain this cultural purpose.

Subcultures

In some cases, the tattoos have no history as part of a long-established culture but still serve as a marker of affiliation to a subculture.
Members of biker or prison gangs, political fringe groups, or even straight-edge punk rockers and vegans might get certain tattoos as proud displays of their membership (official or unofficial) in these groups. Having these permanent symbols can also bolster their sense of pride and belonging to these groups.

To Get Something Personal or Meaningful to Them

Some find that the permanence of a tattoo or even its conspicuousness make them ideal for marking something of personal significance.
Unlike tattoos used as markers of tribal or cultural affiliation, these tattoos indicate something of significance to the individual, not their community as a whole.
Although these are often intensely idiosyncratic (sometimes to the point of being undecipherable by anyone other than the person with the tattoo), there are a few common themes in this type of tattoo.
Tattoos commemorating the birth of a child, for example, are common, as are those that are meant as tribute to a deceased loved one. Many will also tattoo a slogan, motto, or saying that they hold dear and use to orient their lives, whether it is a classical one such as “memento mori” or something more modern like a song lyric.

Because They Just Like the Look of a Certain Tattoo

Many people are drawn to tattoos simply because of their beauty or because they look cool.
Even if they attach no broader significance to the tattoo, they might be compelled to get one because they are enamored with a particular design or image and want it permanently inked on their skin.
Others use tattoos as a kind of permanent fashion accessory – a way of complementing their overall look or personal aesthetic. This can be the case whether it’s simply a small star or heart displayed discreetly on the wrist or a full sleeve of colorful ink.

To Express Individuality

Have you ever noticed that your eyes sometimes just gravitate to people with tattoos? There’s something about tattoos that can really make someone stand out in a crowd.
For some people, that is their biggest appeal. They feel like their own person and want a way to display that. They don’t just want to look like any other anonymous individual, so they get tattoos – often quite prominent and bold ones – so they don’t just become another person who blends into the background.
For others, it’s a bit more localized than that. They don’t just want to stand out in a crowd, but they want something that will be a physical manifestation of their personality. They get tattoos, in other words, to express something about themselves. Whether they’re quirky, bad ass, or intellectual, they want a tattoo will display that side of them.

To Rebel

Tattoos may be growing in popularity, but they still haven’t been completely accepted, especially in some circles.
People often get tattoos to defy cultural norms, family expectations, or push the envelope in professional settings.
A woman who has always been regarded as a “little princess” by her family, for instance, may start to chafe at that label and its expectations. Getting tattoos might be a way to push back against this perception and make a statement about her opposition to it.
Those who turn their backs on their religious or cultural upbringing might also get tattoos as a signal of their new lifestyles and their break with the past, especially if the religion or culture they are leaving either prohibits or frowns upon tattooed skin.
Others might sport tattoos to show that they are not conforming to some of the expectations of their professional roles. It’s not unusual now to find tattooed creatives working in corporate settings. Some attorneys, politicians and business people are getting tattoos to show that they are pushing the envelope of what is acceptable within their profession.

To Cover Imperfections

Sometimes, tattoos are used partly for cosmetic reasons. They can cover over or even incorporate certain imperfections in the skin to make them less prominent and visible.
Tattoos can be used by people who want to mask just about anything from stretch marks and scars to beauty marks and discoloration. They’ll much prefer people see a butterfly, the logo for their favorite band, or some painted skulls than the blemishes they feel a bit embarrassed by.

Because They Are Addicted to the Pain or the Process

This can seem especially strange to those who can’t even fathom getting a tattoo due to their fear of needles or because they blanch at the thought of how much pain would be involved. However, some people get tattoos precisely because they want those sensations.
Getting a tattoo is a unique experience. It involves voluntarily subjecting yourself to a painful (though not excruciating) procedure, sometimes for hours on end. Plus, the payoff is often euphoric – people seeing their finished tattoo for the first time are often overwhelmed with joy. It’s sort of like the “runner’s high” people get when they try to beat their marathon time: the association with those intense positive feelings at the end can make you crave the endurance test that got you there.
Of course, this doesn’t usually explain why people get their first tattoos. Most people who feel the urge to go through the process of getting tattooed have already been tattooed before for some other reasons (probably one of those listed above).

Deciding to permanently modify your body is an intensely personal act. Even when it’s done for traditional reasons, it’s still a conscious individual decision to live up to cultural standards. Because of this, there is no singular reason people get tattooed.
Still, there are some common themes. If you’ve ever found yourself looking at a heavily tattooed person wondering what they were thinking and when they decided to get all that ink look above ^

With this in mind, I have printed out some templates that I found on pinterest – teddy bear and Russian dolls (Maharashtra dolls) and do some quick character designs on the teddies suited to the stereotype theme, for this I can gather research online but would also like to do it via primary as it’s more personal then. I could do this again but with memories, dreams etc. I really love the aspect an inanimate object and using the surface to express self. I need to look at different groups and explore reasons they feel they fit within that group.

I feel I like the inanimate objects being a teddy bear or Russian doll as it’s then a quite quirky collectible set and would be sell-able to a wide range of people – all of us can relate to teddy bears since growing up with them as a kid – teddy bears have been and still today collected all around the world for high prices. Same goes with the Russian dolls, all have the same shape but each one has it’s own pattern & design ranging from a variety of sizes.

Matryoshka is a nesting doll. It is a set of typically seven wooden dolls of decreasing sizes that all fit inside of each other, one by one. Each stacking doll splits in half at the midsection and opens to reveal another smaller doll nested within. Each Matryoshka is handmade, for this reason, it is unique: you can not find two Matryoshka identical.
In Russian, the word “Matryoshka” is matrëška, the diminutive name for Matrëna, a female name which comes from Latin word matron (mother).
Combination of teddy bear & Matryoshka ??

History of Matryoshka

The first Matryoshka was designed in 1892 by Vasilij Petrovič Zvézdočkin, a craftsman of the “Childhood studio”, created by Savva Ivanovič Mamontov (1841-1918), a famous collector. Probably, Mr Zvézdočkin was inspired by Sergéj Vasíl’evič Maljútin’s painted. He painted a Fukurama statue, a Buddhist God of Honshu (Japanese Island). The statue was brought by Mrs Mamontov. The statue had inside other mythological figures. Mr Zvézdočkin created a doll with round in shape and decoratively painted to resemble a pretty young faced peasant woman dressed or bundled up in an extravagant Sarafan costume, a loose fitting traditional Russian garment. The original Matryoshka was a set of dolls which represent: a big mother, five peasants, a Russian boy, and a baby. The original Matryoshka is exposed at the Museum of Russian Matryoshka, in Moscow.

In 19000, The Matryoshka was exposed at the International Expo in Paris. It was a success. The production of the Matryoshka improved, and the craftsmen produced different kind of Matryoshka: each craftsman became an artist. They were inspired by characters of fairy tales, and, recently, by politicians or historical characters, like Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachev, Putin.

The symbolic meaning

Matryoshka is made by different dolls. The biggest doll is called “mother”, the smallest one is called seed.

Originally, the biggest doll represents a strong female matriarch who is the main symbol of the Russian family. In itself, the doll fits inside little dolls which represent daughters and sons.

For this reason, Matryoshka represents fertility and motherhood.

The Matryoshka is also the symbol of Russia: the big doll represents Russia mother, and in itself she hosts children, women, men, but also feelings like pain, happiness, joy. It is a mother who can host all these things.

Matryoshka can represent also our life: we are like a big doll with other dolls inside which represent our stories, relationships, experiences. We are one person with different experiences. The seed represents our soul which is innocent and it is the real essence of ourselves. – THIS IS KEY.

In conclusion, a Matryoshka is not only a souvenir from Russia. It is a handmade object, which represents more than a female figure. It hosts a story, feelings, experiences. Each Matryoshka is unique like each person. Each person has its own Matryoshka. It is not a chance, it is a choice.

Exploring Surrealism

The Surrealists sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the imagination.
The Surrealists believed the rational mind repressed the power of the imagination, weighing it down with taboos.
They hoped that the psyche had the power to reveal the contradictions in the everyday world and spur on revolution. Their emphasis on the power of personal imagination.
The Surrealist impulse to tap the unconscious mind, and their interests in myth and Primitivism, went on to shape many later movements, and the style remains influential to this today.
André Breton defined Surrealism as “psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express – verbally, by means of the written word, or in any other manner – the actual functioning of thought.”

I feel looking at surrealism is a good start when exploring avenues within characterization. I love the bizarre element to surrealism, Within a figure I could see by taking this art movement in mind would open me to wide range of ways I could manipulate the form. Salvador Dali quotes:
“The fact that I myself, at the moment of painting, do not understand my own pictures, does not mean that these pictures have no meaning; on the contrary, their meaning is so profound, complex, coherent, and involuntary that it escapes the most simple analysis of logical intuition.”

With that in mind, I can take visually engaging imagery and portray it on the ceramic figures whilst keeping in mind a consistent theme – or just body shape so that they do work collectively together but each have there own unique weirdness to them. I’m interested currently at the play with memories and feel Surrealism could take some aspects of each person and there own individual memories and express it onto the form. Each person experiences different things and feels eternally different things, with that in mind taking visuals such as loved possessions, quotes, favorite animal and so on… I like the idea of playing with these memories and using just a human/hybrid form and putting the elements onto the clay – whether that be through engraving or the form holding a particular possession, perhaps the form could be the loved teddy bear but with other elements like quotes etc engraved on to it.

Andre Breton

Breton was a major member of the Dada group and the founder of Surrealism. He was dedicated to avant-garde art-making and was known for his ability to unite disparate artists through printed matter and curatorial pursuits.
Breton drafted the Surrealist Manifesto in 1924, declaring Surrealism as “pure psychic automatism,” deeply affecting the methodology and origins of future movements, such as Abstract Expressionism.
One of Breton’s fundamental beliefs was in art as an anti-war protest, which he postulated during the First World War. This notion re-gained potency during and after World War II, when the early Abstract Expressionist artists were creating works to demonstrate their outrage at the atrocities happening in Europe.

Salvador Dalí

Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Filmmaker, Printmaker, and Performance Artist

Salvador Dalí is among the most versatile and prolific artists of the 20^th century and the most famous Surrealist.
Freudian theory underpins Dalí’s attempts at forging a visual language capable of rendering his dreams and hallucinations. These account for some of the iconic and now ubiquitous images through which Dalí achieved tremendous fame during his lifetime and beyond.
Obsessive themes of eroticism, death, and decay permeate Dalí’s work, reflecting his familiarity with and synthesis of the psychoanalytical theories of his time. Drawing on blatantly autobiographical material and childhood memories, Dalí’s work is rife with often ready-interpreted symbolism, ranging from fetishes and animal imagery to religious symbols.
Dalí subscribed to Surrealist André Breton’s theory of automatism, but ultimately opted for his own self-created system of tapping the unconscious termed “paranoiac critical,” a state in which one could simulate delusion while maintaining one’s sanity.

I very much like the artist Salvador Dali, his work really inspires me and I just love the wackiness to it. I especially love his quote above ^ as it speaks out to me, sometimes you just don’t need a reason to be creative and perhaps now it doesn’t currently mean or interpret something but I think that’s the amazing thing about it. It’s an act of story telling really, digging deep within your mind to unleash the imaginative. I was playing on the idea of memories but reading key points for Dali’s reasoning inspires me also for the idea of dreams. Could memories and dreams not go into one another? I feel both still express inner self and with the fantasy like element of dreams, I could just see it opening up so many possibilities. What are are goals? ambitions? What keeps us going everyday? Do you wish you had powers? Do you wish you could fly? the list goes on… the idea in which I could use the form and add these elements on for instance could the form that’s portraying the figure have wings to express the dream-like world of an individual that dreams they could fly? The means of making it more surreal and symbolic but whilst also have the the elements of the reality of the life they’re living such as tattoo’s etc. Could use body language to express the feeling of euphoria or sadness as with dreams there also comes nightmares – there is many possibilities and each will be unique due to the nature nature of us as humans.

THE BURNING GIRAFFE

Dali painted **Burning Giraffe** before his exile in the United States which was from 1940 to 1948.

Painting shows his personal struggle with the battle in his home country. Characteristic are the opened drawers in the blue female figure, which Dali on a later date described as “Femme-coccyx” (tail bone woman).

” The opened drawers in this expressive, propped up female figure thus refer to the inner, subconscious within man. In Dali’s own words his paintings form “a kind of allegory which serves to illustrate a certain insight, to follow the numerous narcissistic smells which ascend from each of our drawers.”

This artwork really speaks to me, it really gives me a sense of horror. the figure in blue which expresses the emotion of sadness despite no facial expression on the figures face, the body language speaks for itself. The figure seems unbalanced with arms out in attempt to keep standing, the drawers give this sense of unbalance as well as the feeling of chaos. With only a wooden stand to keep the body in place, the painting withholds a hierarchy going from the central figure, then the figure on the right to then the burning giraffe. I feel once you get to the burning giraffe that’s when it hits hard the reality of the chaos. It’s very symbolic and and despite it not all perfectly making sense, you can still see within the visuals the personal struggle Dali was feeling.

http://umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/F/fire.html

Fire can represent the emotions of pain and death but that’s dependent on the content in which it appears.
Fire is viewed by Christians, the Chinese, and the Hebrews as being a symbol of divinity (Cooper, 1978). In Christianity, fire can also be symbolic of religious zeal and martyrdom. In Egypt it represents a sense of superiority and control. Many cultures view fire as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.

Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man, 1943 by Dali

Within this image before taking context into reasoning, I feel this act of anxiety. The feeling of being compressed into a spot unable to break free, it shows this to me with the man in the egg gripping with one arm the outside with imprints of his head and foot stretching out this egg – something that is often seen as fragile. I feel that gives the horror to it more, especially with the draped like material above the egg almost like a stormy cloud above it. Noticing now that there’s some type of material on the egg which makes it look like earth, perhaps this is saying something about himself trying to free himself of the damage within the world but can’t break free. The background being rather empty and ominous, almost looks deserted. With a figure in the right corner pointing at the central figure, maybe he is directing us the viewer of the reality of some sort of disaster.

I really love the symbolism Dali uses within his works, without context it’s still engaging visually and emotionally, I really love the idea of looking further into symbolism to represent inner self – imagery can speak a thousand words.

Records Dali’s shifting perception of the war then in progress in Europe. The war’s devastation and its psychological impact on Dali can already be felt in some of his more somber canvases before his period in America. In this painting, however, his style shows a new, more philosophical classicism.

Initial notes for the work read: “parachute, paranaissance, protection, cupola, placenta, Catholicism, egg, earthly distortion, biological ellipse. Geography changes its skin in historic germination.” These cryptic words offer some hint of the work’s meaning: at the bottom right of the painting, the gaunt body of a classical figure, standing for the Old World and its emaciated civilization, reveals a central scene to a child, who peeks at the male struggling out of a terrestrial globe, distorted into the shape of an egg, which cracks open and releases a globule of placental blood.

This strange scene, emblematic of the emergence of a new order after the war, stands in direct opposition to the desperate imagery of Dali’s earlier painting Spider of the Evening, countering the more pessimistic sentiments of 1940. The small child, unlike the weeping putto in *Spider of the Evening*, does not lament. The central scene of global rebirth is protected by a parachute-like floating cupola that, when seen in conjunction with the cloth at the bottom, forms an oyster-like configuration of fabric which open; to present the pearly clarity of Dali’s optimistic new vision.