Day 39: Paint Workshop

The day was started with a mini lecture about fine artists and how they manipulate paint. We studied the language of paint expressing opinions, analysing and simplifying painting techniques. I found that the majority of paintings I liked, or learned to like or appreciate after looking at techniques. Afew of my favourites included Hockney's famous 'Splash' for the contrast in language and Peter Doig's 'What Does Your Soul Look Like'.

The first stage we had to paint using the opposite techniques which I found hard but refreshing as it produced a range of marks that I had never created. After group discussions and constant re evaluating pieces I finished the day with a final piece which started off as something abstract but then took shapes into life. Reflecting on the pictures I think I preferred the piece before I tried to remove sections I didn't like!

At the end I was left with lots of extra paint so instead of wasting it I created a really quick painting but using paper with a shiny surface so in the process of drying and working into it the paint cracked. I think this is really effective on a piece but obviously therefore means the artwork hasn't got a long life span.