The Final Piece

Bring my own ideas and approaches, and combining them with the styles of Picasso and Frink; this next piece shows reference to Picasso subject matter of cockerels, and combines this my my approach as well as Frinks. For this piece I used my own photographic reference. I first prepared the paper by drawning with wax, and layering the paper with strips of collage, this is to add texture much like Picasso shows in his work. Then I make use of Frink technique of loose brush strokes, to let it flow through the image; layer upon layer adding tone to the image. I then go back into the image with bleach which burns away the ink and gravy browning, and I also go into the drawing, using chalk and stick & ink, showing the mark making and fluid movements that both Frink and Picasso showcase.

Gravy Browning & Ink (Stick & Brush)

This selection of work is a response to artist, Elizabeth Frink. For this piece I took reference from an unknown newspaper photographer and Frinks fluid, loose brush work.
I have also showed some reference to the style of Picasso in the way that I have used a combination of mark making and loose brush strokes. As well as the use of stick  and ink to work back into the drawing, giving it detail. Differently to Picasso, rather than work from dark to light, I've applied light smooth brush strokes with gravy browning and deepened the tone of the piece with watered down 'Quink' Black Ink. This next selection is both a continuation of my response's to Frink, but I have developed myself further using a selection of water colours and 'quink' to create a more subtle tone. As well as 'quink' I have applied graphite and chalks to the selection to show the mark making that both Frink and Picasso used in their work. Before I started the work I first prepared my piece with loose strokes of wax candle, this cancels out, and causes the paper to become less absorbent to the ink and browning. I have also continued to take reference from the photographer, but I have also applied my own references of cockerels instead of birds, which in my opinion, is my preference reference. But the cockerels I  thought would be interesting because it reference both of the artist in my piece.

Elizabeth Frink

Frink rose to fame in the 1950s after she sold her piece 'Bird' to the Tate Gallergy. After the earlier abstract work she began working in a more figurative style and became one of the countries best known sculptors. Birds was one of many constant subject matters throughout her career. Her portraits of birds not only reflect the results of close observation of the creatures but also some historic references to dead pheasants and fame found in the 17th and 19th Century. Having the loose brush strokes in her work she seemed to be similar to Picasso.

For one example of Frinks work click here:
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=elisabeth+frink+dead+pheasant&um=1&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=640&tbm=isch&tbnid=qur28AtWuCXuaM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/DEAD-PHEASANT/E59E8A645A053DC8&docid=rfMX0zISpR0sLM&imgurl=http://c48743.r43.cf3.rackcdn.com/Images/2009_07/24/0224/601172/25b0d7b0-1176-4556-80cd-9f03a809b413_g_273.Jpeg&w=193&h=273&ei=InnJTry6OMeu8QPdxJyOAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=109&vpy=140&dur=1563&hovh=218&hovw=154&tx=71&ty=157&sig=107863842716363789734&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=102&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

Acrylic and 'The Cockerel of the Liberation'

For this piece of work I moved on to use acrylic paint, my reference was the 'Cockerel of the Liberation' created by Picasso in 1944. I then, using photographic reference of cockerels, create this work to show a way of working, that Picasso used.


To show this style and way of working I made use of acrylic paint; layering each colour from dark to light, scratching away to reveal the colour underneath, to create the expressive mark making seen in Picasso's work. Using a variety of tools texture is given to the work creating different tones.


We also referenced Picasso's colour palette which consists mainly of subtle greens, light blues, turquoise, and lime, pale yellows.


For a picture of Picasso's work click here: http://store.mam.org/Prod-18-1-91-7/bPablo_Picasso_The_Cock_of_the_Liberationb.htm (Milwaukee Art Museum).

Stick & Gravy Browning, Emulsion, and Monoprint

This is my sketchbook work responding to the works of Pablo Picasso. I first started with a monoprint, my references consists of a photo taken of a cockerel and the use of fluided mark making that Pablo Picasso used in his work 'Dove in Flight',  To further develop the piece of work I have applied emulsion and gravy browning to add texture and show the same fluidness that Picasso used in his work.

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso had an enormous influence in the 20th Century Art; he worked in an unprecedented variety of styles. The year(s) 1906-7 was the start of a revolutionary manner, influenced by Cezanne, Picasso and Braque, the creation of cubism was introduced to the world. He created his most famous painting in 1937, called 'Guernica'. Based on the bombing of the Spanish town Guenica.

Picasso's dove became a symbol for the Peace Movement. At the 1950 World Peace Congress in Sheffield, Picasso made a short speech recalling his father teaching him how to paint doves.

Art & Design Work

For the next few post I thought to showcase my Art & Design Coursework. Some inspirations and artist that I looked at for this project where Pablo Picasso and Elizabeth Frink. Thes are two artists that I shows responses to and reference in my work, combining many platforms and medias. The project that I was tasked with was based on Flight; this was then narrowed down to birds.

Image 9 & 10

This is an image of a refinery plant in Trafford Park (Manchester), the largest industrial estate in Europe. I took the image in response to Bernd and Hilla Bechers and is a part of my Unit 2 Exam project. I approached in a straightforward manner, and at a slightly low angle. This image was taken at noon, this is so I could capture lights reflection of the refinery which creates a very sharp, bold, and contrasting image.

This image is also taken in Trafford Park and is an image of a number of pipes and vents attached to a small factory. It is a response to the Bechers and is also a part of my Exam Project. I took this image at a slightly low angle to capture the impact of the size of these vents and pipes, and much like image 8 and 9 I have used and combined a different technical approach much like the inspirational work of Horst Hamann. Using techniques much like him to gain a sense of perspective in each of the photos.

Image 8

I took this image in Old Trafford near the Trafford Bar Metrolink tram station; the image consists of an old food refinery and was taken in response to the Bechers. For this photo I took the image from a low 45 degree angle and I took it at sun sunset to give the image a sharp, defined and contrasting look, much like the Bechers did with their images. I also thought to capture the suns reflecting light given off by the metallic building and the storage cyclinders. This image is a part of my Unit 2 Exam project, entitled, Evidence of Human Presence. The project required my to seek out and document the many subject matter that show evidence of human activity, in this instance I decided to document the architecture that we leave behind.

Bernd & Hilla Bechers Critical Analysis

This image consists of an old gas pylon, that seems to be located in a suburban area. The image seems to have a sharp, well-focused look; this image must have a long depth of field. The image has a very light sepia tone to it; this creates an old aging effect. There is also a high contrast to the image as the pylon appears very defined and sharp, this creates a very bold feel. Also, other than the image having a sepia effect, it’s clear that the image is in black and white.

Because the image is in black & white clearly the image was developed in the darkroom using chemicals. Also the image appears to be quite old so an old film camera might have been used, as well as a high contrast filter. Also due to the sepia effect in the image, the Bechers must have used a coloured filter or old film. The mood of this image is a very mixed one; this shown as the atmosphere it creates is very old. The black and white effect mixed with the sepia effect both create a very aging image, which makes you feel drained and depressed, but the sharpness and boldness of this image gives it a bit of life, this makes you feel calm and relaxed. This image must express the different attitudes and aspects of the Bechers.

Image 6 & 7

In this video I will explain images 6 and 7.

Image 5

This is a photo that I took outside a restaurant in Rusholme. I chose the subject matter to respond to the work of documentary photographer Martin Parr; it consists of plates of food, which Parr tended to document a lot in numerous locations around Britain. I approached the subject directly so the subject is clear and shows humour simliarly to Martin Parr; for instance his image that I analyzed was framed in a way that shows two diffrent cultures come together; I've taken the photo to show this person eating Indian food whilst reading an English paper. The image that I've taken in response to Parr, is used in the first section of my Unit 3 Documentary project, which I'm tasked to document objects, places, events, people in their natural state.

Martin Parr Critical Analysis

This documentary photo is a direct observation of a cream donut. The subject is treated in a realistic manner; you could say that the photographer used this photo to display a more diverse and cultural representation of Britain. It must be a way of displaying the growth of Britain’s cultural society, from being so segregated and isolated, to being more acceptant to other cultures and their traditions. I think that the picture displays a hidden meaning; that Britain has come very far, since the 1950s to 1980s.

The idea of this meaning is supported by the way the photographer takes the photo; it’s quite humorous at first, because it looks like her might have come across the subject by accident hence the composition is natural. The way, in which the subject appears, it is enhanced by the subject’s surroundings (in the background); it lies on a magazine or newspaper, written in Japanese. This isn’t clear at first; you have to really look at the image.

The way the photo was taken, tells me that some amount of planning went into the shoot, like the location, where to look for subjects, how to approach it. I think that he must have looked at locations around Britain that offers the most cultural diversity. Because I think this image happened by accident and appears to be natural. The saturated look of the image tells me that he hasn’t over exaggerated with the use of enhancements. He must have used high saturation film to give it a more natural saturated look. I think that Parr is trying to create a happy and humorous atmosphere; I like the image because the colours of the donut look great with a sharp, saturated tone, which makes it standout. I really like how Parr caught the subject on its background, that consist of a Japanese magazine/newspaper article, I think it’s very effective in challenging the view or thoughts of people.

Image 2, 3 and 4

This second image that I took was also in Rusholme. The subject matter consists of two people, who seem to be looking down at pieces of paper. This photo is also a part of the first section of my Unit 3 project, I had to go into Rusholme and document objects, places, events, and people in response to a selected photographer. I also took this photo in response to Henri Cartier-Bresson, capturing the 'decisive moment', approaching the subjects in their most natural, unrehearsed state. For this image I tried to stay as far away as my lens would allow before becoming very distant from the subject.

 This is a third image that I took in Rusholme. The subject matter is that of a man in a telephone box. With the 'decisive moment' in mind, I approached the subject, in a straightforward manner, much like Bresson did with his photographs. This photo is also used for the first section of my Unit 3 project. I maintained the sense of a natural and unposed style by standing back from the subject.



This photo was taken in near the Rusholme Job Centre; the subject matter consists of man sat on a chair reading a newspaper. I took this photo at a distance to remain unseen by this person, so I can achieve a more antural and unrehearsed feel. I approached the subject matter realistically and I take a straightforward manner to achieve this 'decisive moment'; much like Bresson. This photo is a part of the first section of my project.

Image 1

This is an image that I took in Rusholme, Manchester. The subject matter consists of an oldish looking man; while looking for a subject matter to arise, this man came up two me and said, 'Hey!! Take a picture'. The photo is a part of the first section of my Unit 3 project, entitled 'Documentary', for this section I had to go into Rusholme and document objects, places, events, and people in response to a selected photographer. I took this photo in response to Henri Cartier-Bresson, capturing the 'decisive moment' similar to the way of Bresson, approaching the subjects in their most natural, unrehearsed state.

Henri Cartier-Bresson Critical Analysis

This documentary photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson shows a direct observation of people casually walking up and down a set of stone stairs. He documents the people walking past as well standing or congregating near the bottom of the stairs, going about their business. The photographer must have taken a series of photos in this location so it gives a sense that a locations atmosphere can change over time, some of the people are quite close to the edge of the photo, thus creating a decisive moment, because you’re unlikely to see them again; he sets out to capture this in his series of photographs.

I think that the photographer composed his images in a way that shows an area that at some point in time can be quite isolated, but also at some point be very populated; he does this by photographing a certain area and framing some of his subjects very close to the edge of the scene so it creates a decisive moment. The decisive moment gives the image a very natural feel, is shows the subject in a contrived way. Bresson must have used a film camera to capture the subject and used a darkroom enhancement; this gives the image its very smooth look. I like this image for its bold feel, because the image is in black & white it shows elements of contrast in the dark and light spaces of the image. The atmospheric aspects of the image show it to be time consuming and busy, the subjects are rather spaced out so the photograph is clearly a decisive moment.

A quote that inspired Cartier-Bresson:
'There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment' - Cardinal de Retx, 17th century

Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography is capturing the predominant facial expressions of a person or small group of people. The face of that person(s) becomes the focal point of the image. The image is composed so that the subject(s) looks directly into the camera (a posed portrait), but the image can also be taken in a more natural approach (unposed, unrehearsed portrait).


Famous Portrait Photographers:

• David LaChapelle
• Henri Cartier Bresson
• Hans Malm

Documentary Photography

Documentary Photography, (can sometimes be considered as a form of unintentional photography) is a form of photography in which the subjects range from objects, people, events, and places. It is a manner of photographing the subject in its natural state.

Three famous documentary photographers:

• Horst Hamann
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
• Bernd & Hilla Bechers

About Me

I'm a Upper Sixth student at Loreto College in Hulme; I currently study A2 Art & Design, Photography and Media Studies. I've been interested in Photography since starting my AS studies, September last year, having been inspired by the work of Horst Hamann, and the work of contemporary photographer David LaChapelle. I am interested in studying Photography because I enjoy working independently and creatively, as well as learning new techniques and approaches that will help better myself as a photographer.