David Hockney part 2

Whilst doing research for this post I discovered that there are a huge number of people who use, or at least experiment with, David Hockney's photo-collage style. After looking at some images of these collages, I tried a few of my own which I really enjoyed piecing together from all the different photos I took.  Not all of the ones I used as inspiration were actually Hockney's but I did like his collage of Merced River.


Merced River,Yosemite Valley, Sept. 1982

The following collages (in Hockney's style but not by the artist/photographer himself) also inspired me:

For my first collage I decided to use photos of a tree near our house.

I then experimented using photos of a couple of lights at the college:

I do like the look of these images but I think the tree looked better so next time I will try using other, more natural objects.


I then tried using photos of one of our cats, Tortie, and Ashiestiel Bridge  .

I really enjoy using this style and look forward to continuing exploring the possibilities of this photo-collage technique.




Yoav Kotik

Yoav Kotik is the designer of "Precious metal" jewellery line, and is a graduate of the industrial design department of "Bezalel academy of art and design" in Jerusalem.

I came across his website when I was looking for jewellers who used metal bottle tops in their work. I think it is amazing how many different items he can get from a bottle top - flat, curved, folded, etc.

 

 

I love these designs/ideas and can't wait to try them out for myself.



To see more of his work go to:
http://www.kotik-design.com/

Robert Mapplethorpe

A couple of years ago I went with my higher art class to an exhibition at Old Gala House of Robert Mapplethorpe's work. Most of the photos were figurative but there were also a few of flowers.

For the photography unit this year we are encouraged to do research on at least 6 photographers and the differences in the types of photography they do. This made me remember the Mapplethorpe exhibit so I found his website and selected a few of the flower photos that I liked.


Calla Lily, 1984

I  love the contrast between the white flower and the black background. I think it makes the flowers so much bolder and eye-catching.
 

Calla Lily, 1987

I really like the yellows and pale greens in this photo as I think they help give the orchids more depth.

Orchids, 1989

I love the colours in this photo as well as the twisted stem and the light reflecting off the petals.

Poppy, 1988

I really enjoy taking photos of flowers, although I usually use wildflowers such as birds-foot trefoil, wild orchids and broom.

I look forward to experimenting further with my plant photography.

Sam Cornwell: Astrophotography

I have already done a post on two of Sam Cornwell's photos but I decided to do another post because I felt I could have gone into more detail about astrophotography itself.

Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography for recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. The first photograph of an astronomical object (the Moon) was taken in 1840, but it was not until the late 19th century that advances in technology allowed for detailed stellar photography. Besides being able to record the details of extended objects such as the Moon, Sun, and planets, astrophotography has the ability to image objects invisible to the human eye such as dim stars, nebulae, and galaxies.

Alderbaran through trees
Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick
29th Dec 2014

I really like this photo because, before I read the title, I thought the darker areas were either: ripples and the sky was a reflection; or the image was taken through a sort of smoky/foggy cloud. Either way I love the atmosphere in this photo and I am in awe of Sam Cornwell's astrophotography skills.

David Cass

David Cass is an artist from Stow who works mostly in gouache and uses found  objects e.g. old tabletops, old matchboxes, etc. as the surface he paints on. He also has bottles of seawater from the places he has traveled to which he mixes with his paint, instead of tap water.

When David Cass came in to talk at the college, he spoke about how he would go out to find the surfaces that he paints on, how he goes to flea markets to find objects that no one else has a use for anymore and how he gives those objects a new life as a piece of artwork. I really liked this idea of using objects that needed a new purpose.

Two Seconds (Lauder Moor) 2013
Gouache on two drawer bases

To The Land V (Lauder Moor) 2013
Gouache on trunk lid

I really like these paintings because of the calm but also wild atmosphere created by the brushstrokes Cass has used. I also think the brushstrokes create the idea of movement like the grass is actually moving in the wind.



He also spoke about spending the last year in Spain and the Almeria Alpine-Desert. I found it really interesting because he was talking about making art from a sort of toxic landscape using resin (which is a toxic material).

Spanish — Espejismo: Mirage / Optical Illusion / Wishful Thinking

He also made a video of these pieces of art being made: http://www.davidcass.photography/actions

I think this is a really interesting project and it is a very clever idea and it would be interesting to learn more about this.

For more of his work go to:
http://www.davidcass.co.uk/index/

David Hockney part 1

David Hockney (b 1937) is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. He is considered one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century.

Whilst doing research I found a website that gave a biography on Hockney including how his photographic collages came about:
"In addition to pools, Hockney painted the interiors and exteriors of California homes. In 1970, this led to the creation of his first “joiner,” an assemblage of Polaroid photos laid out in a grid. Although this medium would become one his claims to fame, he stumbled upon it by accident. While working on a painting of a Los Angeles living room, he took a series of photos for his own reference, and fixed them together so he could paint from the image. When he finished, however, he recognized the collage as an art form unto itself, and began to create more."

Hockney's photographic style is very well known and often imitated. He has developed this by taking photos of his subject from lots of different angles and then collaging them together to create images like the ones below.

In 1982, Hockney created this photo-collage of Merced River.

Merced River, Yosemite Valley, Sept. 1982

I really like this image because I think all the different photos/angles create a strong feeling of the river actually moving. I also love the colours and all the different light effects within the collage.


Hockney has also made collages of people...


Photographing Annie Leibovitz While She Is Photographing Me, Mojave Desert, Feb.1983

 

Including his mother...

Mother, Bradford, Yorkshire, 4th May 1982
Composite Polaroid

Personally, I prefer the collages of landscapes and nature but I think using the polaroid photos, with the white part around each photo, creates an interesting effect on the overall image.

Linda Lovatt

Linda Lovatt is an illustrator who makes 3D "illustrations" of hares and birds using old keys and vintage china. She joins these together using copper, most of which is coated in crystalline verdigris.

When she came in to talk to us she also brought a few of her "Beastie Assemblages". I particularly liked one of a hare with a dandelion type flower made from daisy spacer beads and bead caps, which had been soldered onto a copper wire stem.

Although I couldn't find the exact assemblage, I managed to find a very similar one. The description of the piece from her website is "This prancing hare made from embossed copper sheet with a china saddle, beaded tail and brass whiskers jumps through brass and copper dandelion clocks and leaves."

Hare Running on Key

I really like the style of the dandelion and may try to incorporate this idea into some of my work in the future. I also like how Linda Lovatt uses objects which would otherwise be thrown out.


To see more of her amazing work, click the link below:
http://beastieassemblage.co.uk/shop