Illustrating the Importance of Nature Against Man-Made Forms

Depicting the relationship between nature and man-made forms through removing the natural/ urban aspects to see how the landscape is affected.

Watercolour portraying a landscape with completely natural forms by deliberating taking out the urban landscape.

This piece is successful in the execution of the illustration, portraying nature as beautiful and definitely bringing it to the foreground. However, this illustration doesn't appear to explore the relationship with the urban landscape as it has been removed completely. To the viewer this is simply a beautiful illustration of a natural landscape, failing to convey the message intended.

Below, I have taken into consideration the lack of meaning behind my initial illustration. In Photoshop, I have brought back the urban landscape by layering over the watercolour onto the original photographs. This makes the viewer question the media used as well as the composition. In particular the bottom illustration seems most effective in communicating a message that perhaps nature is ghost-like, and almost fading away into the distance whilst the urban landscape stays prominent. Merging the two forms of media definitely seems more successful at this stage.

Contacting Artist: Sharon Tiernan

Home is always pleasant and I wish I could visit more, though being at University has meant I cannot come back as often as I'd like. Bridlington, East Yorkshire, is where I call home and there is nothing nicer than being beside the seaside in an English summer. There are also other perks of visiting, and that is the local art scene; this is where I found the beautiful and technically brilliant work of Sharon Tiernan in a gallery in the centre of town.

 

As soon as I saw her work I had a desire to know more! Therefore, this is how Tiernan responded after I contacted her: 

"Hello Carla.

Thank you for your kind words. 
I don't mind you writing about my work in your blog, and don't mind you using my images.
I have included some of my Personal Statement, as follows:


Sharon Tiernan
Born: Scarborough 1979
Trained: (First Class BA Hons) University of York.
(MA Painting) University of Hull.
Currently works as an artist and tutor of art.


I have a solid grounding in the arts and have a First Class BA Honours degree and Master of Arts degree in Painting. I have exhibited previously in London and Leeds; but have mainly spent the last few years concentrating on passing on my knowledge of the arts through teaching others. I currently teach art and photography in a local Secondary School (full time). I have a studio in Scarborough, which tends to get used mainly on Saturdays and during the school holidays, but occasionally if I am feeling energetic then I will do a couple of hours after work.

This body of work comprises of an eclectic mix of images, demonstrating wide and varied interests. I see painting as problem solving; like a challenge and enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone. I am interested in the physical act of painting, particularly Realist painting, Trompe L’Oeil and photorealist painting. I have a love of painting for its own sake.The physical act of painting is a meditative act which enables you to ‘see’ and appreciate the beauty which surrounds us, which we often take for granted. It is essential for me when acquainting myself with a subject, to aim for accuracy and realism within my work. Usually when I am painting, something within the image will have captured my interest and intrigued me, whether it be the texture of fur or feathers, or simply the composition within the image. I tend to work from photographs and have a keen interest in photography, but on occasions I will work from direct observation if the subject permits.

The method I use is to lightly sketch out the image, and then block in the tones using brown under-painting. At this stage the under-painting enables me to correct the shape and look at the composition within the images without getting too involved with the fine detail. I tend to build the colour up within the painting using lots of layers, and gradually use smaller and smaller brushes to work into the image (using cross hatching and hatching techniques). I also glaze into the images with acrylic gloss medium to give a richer depth to the colour.

As for my recent inspiration: I had a brush with cancer in 2013 and consequently had 9 months away from the easle due to chemo treatment etc (it was frustrating not to be able to paint - the worst bit about the experience). Even during treatment when I could venture out; I still thought about my art and took my camera with me to record images for potential paintings... e.g. the squirrels within the exhibition were taken from photos I shot of them at this time. Little things such as feeding the ducks and squirrels became highly important and meaningful, and gave me a lot of upliftment and pleasure. As soon as I was able to get back into the studio, I began to transcribe the source material I had gathered, and recreate the images which had meant so much to me during treatment, in paint. Since getting the 'All Clear', I have been back in the studio with a vengence making up for lost time! It certainly increases your passion and desire to paint when that is taken from you. 

Hope that this helps?

Yours Sincerely
Sharon Tiernan"
I couldn't be happier with Tiernan's response. It is honest and genuine, really expressing the artist's journey as a painter. Her skills in painting are completely perfect, capturing the vivid tones and textures in the subjects of her work. The detail in the pieces is defined and it is clear how much time and passion goes into each one. Tiernan's recent experiences have only enhanced her love of the arts making each piece even more special.

Personally, with my love of animals and nature, the subjects of Tiernan's paintings are what drew me to her work, although I could not ignore the skill and precision in every piece. Her story only gives the paintings more depth and meaning, instantly connecting with the viewer on a more personal level. I certainly will be looking out for more of her work!


Thanks for reading,

Carla

Nature in Watercolour

As a development of my project, I was keen to explore more traditional medias in my work and steer away from photography as I felt that personally, this was a generic way of working and there was not a lot of room to re-invent the imagery beyond Photoshop filters.

Therefore, I explored the use of watercolour to innovate my work, starting with re-inventing two of my primary source photographs:

The watercolours I have created are visually stimulating due to their subtle colour and delicate lines. I deliberately avoided adding too much detail as I want the viewer to be able to interpret the imagery with their own imagination and almost 'fill in the gaps'. This is important in my work as I feel it portrays a sense of elegance which I find harder to create in any other media than watercolour. Suddenly the elements of nature are out of context, avoiding being too literal and inventing an innovative style which can be viewed from many perspectives.

I believe this method of working is innovative due to the way the watercolour is allowed to take its own forms, creating new imagery with a reference of the original. The new forms are completely new through the way in which they are painted, this is biomimicry in art as I have taken an element of nature to re-invent them into something new.

Photography Edits in Photoshop

Using Photoshop, I manipulated my primary source photography to alter the tones which give different moods, almost changing the context of the natural form.

Whilst these Photographs above are of the same plant, they are captured and edited in unique, innovative ways. The image on the left presents a calm atmosphere with the orange tones, hinting at a morning sunrise. The image on the right is darker and appears more mysterious. The sharp white of the plant cuts through the darkness, creating a strong image.

The image above is more simplified with its black and white tones. The plant almost imitates a 'scribble' in the air. I love the natural delicacy in all of these images which the camera has captured. The different colours emphasise a variety of moods which the viewer can interpret.

On my venture to Castle Hill, I actually found and photographed some burr plants which were initially used by George de Mestral to inspire him to create velcro. It was intriguing to see them in person as when I photographed the oddly shaped plants and edited it in Photoshop, it gave a sense of futurism. Even the background gives a sense that they are on another planet.

These images are cropped versions of the original close up dead flower which was photographed indoors. The pink is natural and unedited whilst the blue tint on the left image gives a more subtle hint of tones and a greater sense of elegance and calm.

Simply rotating an image proves to be effective as this one imitates a flame, when in fact it is a leaf. Changing the colour to reflect its new shape instantly puts the natural leaf in an entirely new context.

The edit of the left highlights the line in the image, framing the individual petals. This was created using a gradient filter in Photoshop. The photo on the right is more natural looking, it almost appears at though a bright morning sunrise is shining down onto the petals, highlighting their beauty.

I believe that editing the photographs was a success, there a some new innovative approaches to standard photography which are unique and re-contextualise some of the nature. This kind of approach could be adapted to traditional media artwork inspired by this photography.

Art of Nature: Anna Atkins

After researching into art in nature, I stumbled upon this book by Judith Magee, 'Art of Nature: Three Centuries of Natural History Art from Around the World'. 

When I looked through, all of the illustration I found were beautiful but one really stood out at me: a book cover by Anna Atkins, also thought to be the first female photographer and among the first botanists to study and publish on the subject of algae. 

 

British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions completed in 1853, made up of 389 handmade photographic plates replacing traditional methods of illustration.

Having seen this beautiful piece of art, I looked for more of her works and found some amazing imagery.

                     

I love the delicacy of detail in her work which presents nature in an entirely new way. After taking some of my own photography, I applied Atkins' style to my own images to see how they would look:

Primary Source Imagery: 

Photoshop manipulation to imitate style of Anna Atkins:

Once I manipulated my own photography, I really saw the detail in the flowers and leaves. They almost look translucent in their appearance which creates an interesting effect that could be applied to further development.

X-Ray Artist: Arie van 't Riet

Further research brought me to the wonderful art of Arie van 't Riet who uses x-ray images in his artwork. His main subject is on using the natural world including plants and animals and combining them to make new natural scenes made from his x-ray imagery. These vibrant images are absolutely stunning and provides a new insight into the world of nature, focusing on what the human eye cannot see and making it into inspiring artwork. 

Here is an interesting video from Ted Talks where the artist himself explains the process of developing his artwork:

     

Beautiful, innovative imagery made by Riet:

Original x-ray image

Poppy, penstemon, rododendron 

and lizards.

Dimensions of the original siverbromide

 negative 12" x 16" . Digitised 300 dpi, 

12 bit. In photoshop the x-ray image was

 inverted and partly coloured.

Riet has inspired me to try and look at nature in new ways as a method of innovation. This links well with Biomimicry and nature is studied in a way which is beneficial to mankind, rather than extracted from its natural habitat.

Artist: Ian Phillips

Having decided to go with the theme of nature, my initial artist exploration took me to the beautiful work of Ian Phillips.

His linocut prints are original and innovative, taking nature and making it into something visually new and appealing. This approach is effective especially with his use of vibrant colours and layering technique. He also appears to simplify his landscape prints by using geometric shapes to pick out tone and texture.

"Boat wake returning home"

Original linocut

Print Size: A2 (594 x 420mm)

Phillips also explores animals in nature in his work. This simple bird with detailed, intricate patterns makes it look contemporary and unique. This interpretation of nature could be applied to my own work by simplifying forms and making detail into intricate geometric pattern.

"The Ibis of Ideas"

Original linocut

Print Size: 560 x 750mm

More of Ian Phillips' work can be found on his website at: 

http://www.reliefprint.co.uk/website_2011/linocut_pages_2013/linocut_studies.html

Frottage and Leaf Relief

As I chose to look into how nature has inspired innovation, I was interested in how this related to several art practices.

Max Ernst

Initially, I found a true innovation in art in the form of Max Ernst's surrealist frottage. This technique is often associated with our childhood memories, where paper is placed over a natural textured surface i.e. wood, leaves etc. and graphite is rubbed over the paper to gain interesting effects which mimic the texture of the natural surface.

Max Ernst's 'Forest and Sun', Graphite Frottage on Paper, 1931

Ernst used this technique of frottage as a starting point to enable him to build on the initial lines and markings to create inventive, surrealist imagery.

Although the element of frottage is definite in Ernst's work, it often lacks colour and tones. Often the viewer has to piece together any meaning reflected in the imagery as it seems quite spontaneous, working with textures rather than a particular subject.





Leaf Relief

Through research, I found an interesting article by Cassie Stephens based on leaf relief, which explored the simple process in step by step form. Following this article, I created my own versions using found leaves.

Process:

- Found leaves spray mounted onto mount board

- Seal with more spray mount over entire surface

- Measure foil to size and place over board

- Carefully rub the foil over the surface to bring out the texture of leaves underneath

- Using black spray paint, completely cover foil

- Wait for paint to dry fully, use metal scourer to reveal foil underneath in certain places and to reveal lines of the leaves. 

After creating my test pieces, I was pleased with the result, though felt that some of the lines were lost among the foil scratching surrounding them. To make the lines clearer, I could try using string and other various materials to create the imagery. However, I think the hint of silver with the foil gives a more sophisticated, delicate finish which I value in the pieces.

Inspiration Project Brief

Last week I was set a short project brief based on inspirations. After expressing what inspires me on a personal level on my previous blog post 'My Personal Inspirations' and sharing my thoughts with the rest of my peers at University, we were set a challenge in randomised pairs to create an illustration based on the other persons own inspirations.

I was paired up with Katie Mcternan who's personal work can be found on her blog at: http://katiemcternanillustration.tumblr.com/

Katie's Inspirations:

Nature- Andy Goldsworthy, man made vs nature (destruction of nature)- Julian Schnabel, patterns - Yellena James and Beatriz Milhazes, texture, butterflies - colour and pattern - Damien Hirst, Fiona Rae, visiting galleries, collect objects and images of things I like to make mood/inspiration boards, taking photos of things I see and like, time- decay- watching things age, experimentation with materials, life drawing, drawing.

Interestingly, I found many similarities with my own personal inspirations. Therefore, I naturally focused on these things and decided that to create my illustrative interpretation I would use the themes of nature and decaying over time. I also looked at the artists which were given and actually really loved the work of Yellena James who uses plenty of colour and pattern in her illustrations in a subtle and delicate way.

After researching and thinking about potential ideas for my illustration, I came up with an initial sketch:

The idea behind this was to illustrate how trees lose their leaves throughout the seasons. I visualised this as a form of decay and thought it linked quite well with Katie's inspirations. Furthermore, the bird signifies the beauty of nature and I thought that a bird would be a perfect icon for representation to reflect this. 

I then went on to develop this further with watercolour as my choice of media to reflect on the subtle beauty of nature.

Original watercolour illustration

Digitalised version of original illustration. Applied manipulation of brightness/ contrast, hue and saturation.

Final version of digital illustration

I believe that the final illustration I created was successful in the sense it portrays a sense of time and decay in a simple manner. The dark space gives the composition a sense of space, but also reflects the negativity of the theme of decay. The birds are almost 'dancing' in the air which gives a sense of juxtaposition and calm when the surroundings and themselves appear to be deteriorating.

Once digitalised, I feel it has enhanced my original illustration and made it stronger. It is not giving too much away and allows the viewer to interpret the illustration in their own way.

Cropping the image right makes the birds iconic without needing the rest of the image to understand the theme of decay within nature.


Reflection on Project

Overall I have found this project has given me a sense of relief from the main 'The Black Mirror' project. Forcing me to work at a fast pace has actually been a huge benefit to my approach to creating illustration, allowing me to illustrate my ideas visually without over-thinking or questioning them. As a matter of fact I believe through the creation of this illustration I can move forward with my main project and produce more visuals for my final outcomes.


Katie's Illustration based on my own Inspirations

As I was paired up with Katie for this brief, she also created an illustration based on my own personal inspirations (which can be seen on a previous post 'My Personal Inspirations').

After seeing Katie's illustration it immediately struck me how similar our compositions appeared to be, and how we both picked out the nature elements of our inspirations. We both also used watercolour as our choice of media which was interesting and demonstrated how similar our inspirations actually are. I think Katie has done a great job of depicting my personal inspirations, and how she chose to illustrate my childhood within quite a maturely painted and subtle background.

My Personal Inspirations

One of my main personal inspirations which has been consistent throughout my artistic journey has been nature and the outdoors. Thinking about my childhood, it seems that this interest began through my several camping trips I was taken on with my family. I also remember as a young child playing outdoors with other children, where one of my favourite artistic memories was creating coloured chalk drawings on the pavements (ending with my dad having to bring out the power-washer). This element of nature has stayed in my interests and work right until this present moment.

Other inspirations from the past have been books. In my teenage years I went through a phase of reading many books based on the supernatural, mainly vampires. This still interests me though not as much directly into my artwork. Political issues have also been an inspiration, for example animal cruelty and human rights. This has also carried onto now, most recently I have dealt with the issues of feminism. Moreover, I seem to have an increasing interest in superstitions.

More general inspirations at this present time include: everyday life, nature, people, happy accidents and depending on the brief given at any time, it may change.

Experimenting with Blending in Photoshop

                          

After seeing a 'how to' video on blending images in Photoshop which was shared by +joe k, I got quite excited and couldn't believe I'd never tried this before!

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi_3H1iXD_Y

So, as you guessed, I had to try it for myself! Here is the outcome with two of my own images which were traditionally drawn/ watercolor, manipulated in Photoshop, and then merged with this really handy technique :)

Original watercolour painting drawn
with masking tape

Original mixed media butterfly

Final Image

I think this technique has worked well as the blending is very subtle yet the images are still bold and strong in colour. The hue of the leaf was changed in order to match the colour scheme used for the butterfly image. 

Overall: success. This technique will be used in future for sure!

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