Whhhhirrrr, Clank, Clunk

In the past few weeks I have been something of an art machine cranking out piece after piece and being largely unsatisfied with it.

My fibers screen printing project here I thought looked very good but it was practically destroyed in a very schizophrenic critique. It was further evidence that whenever I like a piece everyone else hates it and when I hate it everyone else loves it. Case in point, jewelry:

These shawl pins based on trillium I wasn't really feeling. Plus I didn't think they were up to snuff for the student sale since I know every little problem with them. But, the class loved them backwards and forwards literally as they liked both sides of the piece. Still not sure as to whether to put these into the sale.

For 2D design we began by drawing an egg for homework after practicing shading spheres with no reference in class...

Then we had to draw junk from the professor's basement and our own objects separately, then cut them out and arrange them in an 11x14 rectangle...

Then we had to arrange the objects physically the way we did with the drawings...

then redraw it again and mat it for the final piece. No, I have no idea what this is suppsosed to teach me. All I know is that the only reason I can sort of draw is because of taking Drawing I my spohomore year with the difficult professor. Once again no clue and I'm bored in class working on it.

As a bonus here is my last project for 2D, a transition from a gun like object to a penguin which I some how got an A- on. I choose to believe that this qualifies me as half a Rembrandt. Now to gear up for the student sale, the texture project, and see how big a pain in the ass weaving supposedly is.

Bada Bing Bada Boom.

The past week (or two?) in pictures, consisting of...

Burning pitch.

Happening late night studios.

Dyeing mishaps.

Chasing leaves.

More dyeing mishaps.

Craaazy soldering set ups.

A finished 2D project.

A finished jewelry piece.

Bored ceramics majors.

And a scenic view.

Design is a Process

Its taken me two days to come up with a composition for my 2D design class project. Part of this is because I am not very good designing at two dimensional works, partly because the professor hasn't explained anything about composition other than what the elements and principles of design are. Thus going on my spotty knowledge of proper composition (rule of thirds) and my four years of art history analysis I present you with an essay in pictures and haiku.

Drawing all class
The professor likes these lines
Due next Tuesday!

Broke down and sketched
So much for intuition
Naming it "Cellular Strands"

Too many lines, Not enough!

Trying to be Jean Arp.

If all else fails,

Make it look like a plant.

Perhaps it's scale!
Let's redraw all these lines.
Committed to dots and circles.

Does it look good or bad!?

Text an artist friend

"It's too detailed, they like minimal"

Reject pile's gotten huge

I think I'm on to some thing here...

What if I did this?

Dots ARE too complex,

Give up, go to plan B

Scribbly not-arabic.

Flip it around front to back,
Add this, subtract that,
Artist friend approves.

Oh God I like it horizontal,
She likes it vertical,
Either way it's "Butterfly" now.

Four people approve,
Only one majors in art.
Pretty pretty presentation,
It's done!