Amy Brown SP4 sketchbook

I am in the process of resolving work along side making new work. I am thinking of how I could present my work in the degree show, I am thinking about how I can link a series of paintings together, I could in one sense expand the paintings with a grid wallpaper background as this pattern appears in my work, its a simple enough pattern to not overwhelm and take away attention from the focal point which are the individual paintings. I have tested this idea using pvc black tape in the studio, I will continue to experiment with mock ups and see how I could produce a more professional version of this idea intended for the degree show. I will also look at this idea from a curatorial perspective and discuss whether my work my benefit from this background. I am keen to not show on a white background as I think this wouldn't compliment the work. 

Painting in progress. Questions to myself. Should the figure have hair? Why are the facial features bigger than normal? why are the eyes closed? what's happening In the background? In order for me to get to know my paintings I need to have an outsiders perspective, I have been asked frequently about my decision whether to include hair or not for the figure, I have always intended for the figures I paint to have elements of mystery to them, I draw and paint all my portraits based on photographs of myself, I have always thought of myself to not have strong facial features, I have quite a small nose and mouth.  I don't feel as though my face is interesting enough to produce portrait after portrait from, so I decided it would be fine to produce portraits which resemble my face but are also on the boundary between being me and being someone else.  I have started to think about the idea of the painting being a character I'm creating in my paintings base...

I've been working on a painting which in terms of concept would be the second painting within a series. I have changed the painting a few times, as I want to try my best to resolve it rather than leaving it unfinished and moving on to a new piece of work, this has been very challenging. I know that I can leave a painting and continue with it again, but the problem with the painting was that I was unhappy with the portrait, I want the portrait to be strong as it is the focal point of the painting, even though there will be other objects surrounding it.  first stage: priming: acrylic prime applied vertical, horizontal, vertical, light sanding, repeat.  Second stage, drawing of the figure and composition. I found it difficult to draw from photo and original sketch, I have researched how to make this easier and more accurate, I will try out drawing a small and accurately proportioned sketch from photo then hire a projector and the image up to a larger scale onto the hardb...

I am planning each painting of the series of works I am attempting, the planning should show to be thoughtful and detailed. the second painting of the series has a starting point from one of the photos I took of myself in a bathroom environment, firstly, I made lots of sketches from the photographs to be come familiar with the images, from this I thought It would be easier to plan the paintings. I want 'painting 2' for the character to look unsettled and uncertain about where they are, the photograph I took of myself representing the figure uncomfortably balancing across the sides of the bath, awkwardly gripping the sides. My first thought came from Sp3 when I looked at Jenny Saville's 'propped' for research as part of the dissertation module. In the painting 'propped' presents a figure gripping their thighs and is in front of a steamed up mirror which has text written across. Last semester towards the end of SP4 I started to carve text into near dry oil ...

Today I have been working on 'painting 1' I am using this piece as a starting point to a series of narrative paintings. I am wanting to explore the idea of the modern day we live in and our new normal with using social media to record our lives and interact with each other, this idea will be the starting point of the narrative I will attempt to explore, I have been referring to this painting as 'pre hotel' as I want to communicate that this character in the painting is swarmed and overwhelmed by the influences of society and they are trapped in the overlap of people recording and sharing their movements with each other through social media. I want the work to show how people unknowingly sacrifice their privacy being part of the social media loop. I don't want the work to stress too much that this is a negative thing, I would prefer the work to communicate a feeling of uncertainty. I have also been looking into identities and how a person can have an inside identit...

Today I have had my feedback tutorial for studio practice 3. I have understood that in SP3 it was uncertain whether my paintings were finished by choice, or if I had just stopped, moving forward I know that I need to plan and make finished work. It was also mentioned that I had not thought enough about my material grounds to work on, I have decided I am going to work on hardboard and I will prep them to the best I can for a more professional standard. I was advised to focus on my painting practice and to make a strong series of work. I now know that I need to communicate my work better and evidence where I have got my ideas from. I also need to start questioning the work in order to improve and to find what's missing.