9/03

Today I created my first artist research page. The artist I looked at is Heather day who is an American artist I first discovered through Instagram. Her work doesn't link with the rust, deccay aspect I'm looking at however she uses some spray paints on her work which remind me a lot of the graffiti I see around Barnsley.
I created the artist sheet with her work in mind but not copying any of it exactly. I also used the materials I felt comfortable with and in the ways which I felt most appropriate. I am really happy with the outcome of my artist sheet as it's bright and colourful and I would be happy to display this along side my work in my final exhibition. Today I also started a new mind map as I wasn't happy with my original especially after the peer assessments yesterday. The new mind map includes a nicer looking background which relates more to my theme it also includes much more information about my hopes for the project including artists, gallery I hope to visit and experiments I hope to do.

8/03

Today I carried on with sketchbook work mostly, I created 2 pages in my sketchbook based on the graffiti I photographed on my travels. I wanted to look at graffiti as I feel the different shapes and marks have a resemblance to my style of art work. I also think it will be great to look at due to the colours and different drips.
Today we also started to do some peer assessing of each others mind maps. After this activity I started to feel very worried as I didn't feel that my mind map was detailed enough to reach a distinction standard. I was really happy with the feedback I got from all my peers though. They suggested some really interesting ideas which included gathering rubbings from different buildings around Barnsley and adding them to my sketchbook and also gathering bits of Bark, metal and rust and adding that into my sketchbook.
Me and my teacher kat also decided that creating my own rust would be a really cool idea and another good element to my sketchbook.
Tomorrow I hope to start an artist sheet on Heather day.

7/03

Today at college I decided to focus on some sketchbook work as I haven't felt inspired to do much lately. I decided to start off with something simple. I created a painting in my sketchbook inspired by some of the images I had taken whilst on my travels. This meant me creating realistic rust colours and applying them to a textured background. I also used crackle paste and several layers of paper to mimic peeling paint. Another idea I had was to get some buttons and paint over them to look like rust bolts on my page. This idea actually worked really well and I think the painting looked extremely realistic. Another thing I did today was a few artist research pages on Gerhard richter. I decided to create an artist study on one side on my sketchbook and on the other look at and evaluate his work. I decided to look at his work as I feel his style and colours resemble the rust and decaying I'm focusing on. His colour palettes are very similar to the ones I'm looking at using but he has also been a favourite of mine for many years now.

6/03

Today I went on a walk around Barnsley town to gather primary research. I wanted to do this as I felt I hadn't been working from enough of my own pictures and I wanted a good set of photographs for my sketchbook. I managed to get a range of good images that I am very proud of. My partner showed me this abandoned building that had set on fire years ago. This building couldn't be torn down as it was listed! This has meant that the building as well as been damaged has slowly stated to decay and get old it has also been vandalised and covered with litter. Although this seems like a horrible place it was actually a perfect place for my primary research. The building was full of rust and metal, things falling apart! There was tonnes of peeling paint, graffiti and litter too. I managed to get some really good quality images that I can work with.
As well as the abandoned building I also just looked around Barnsley town centre, I looked at all the graffiti dotted around and all the rusting up the small alleys and streets. I looked also at the peeling paint on the old doors around Barnsley. I managed to get a few good shots of litter too.
Tomorrow at College I will print all these out and start working off them.

2/03

Today I finished my mood board. I'm really happy with the quality of it and I think it's at the level I need it to be. My mood board includes lots of different textures and incorporates all the elements I hope to look at ranging from wood to paint to rust to litter. I think my board shows a clear direction in which I am going and I feel i would be happy to have it displayed in my exhibition. I have also started a few observational drawings/paintings in my sketchbook to try and get into the pattern of working in it again. Throughout these weeks I have also been keeping a time management journal explaining all that I aim to do and all that I have done in that week.

1/03

I've started researching on Pinterest for my new project idea. I managed to collect a good set of images around Barnsley centre and I have printed them out to stay inspired! My mind map is complete but it's too rough for my liking! I want to refine it and add more detail to ensure it's at the level I'm satisfied with. Today I've also started ideas for my mind map, I haven't fully started it yet but I have sketched out a basic plan for it. I wanted to do a mind map because I felt extremely stressed about doing work in my sketchbook and just couldn't get into the swing of things. I decided to do the mind map on paper as I felt I could be more free and experiment with different textures and ideas on a stretched board.

28/02

Today I've had one of the worst days in college so far. I've decided to change my idea. The mental health path I decided to take ended up being too much for me to deal with. I've decided to change my idea and look at decaying and rotting. I am also going to be looking at things like graffiti and different recycled materials. Ive been inspired with this idea by looking around town and because of my upcoming visit to York where I feel I will be able to get really good quality primary research.
I'm really exited to start my new idea even though I'm behind it's the best thing for me at this moment.
I've started today by going on a walk and taking pictures around town of rust and decay, also of any graffiti or paint splats I've seen. I have also started a mind map in my sketchbook to jot down all my ideas. I've done this to try and relax my mind and put me at ease with this new project.

20/02

Today I have created a sketchbook page on artist Francis bacon. Francis bacon suffered with mental health problems throughout his career and I think his paintings show that. His expressive brush strokes and dark senses of colour show how he clearly struggled and had troubles.
I created an artist study on his piece 'george d on a bicycle' I did this because I thought it was one of his more detailed pieces and I really liked the use of the brush strokes and colours init. I like how his pieces almost look like they have smudged or as if they are moving.
Tommorow I hope to complete this page with annotation and start some pieces on canvas inspired by my moods.

16/02

Today I started by printing my final proposal and handing it into kat for the final read over.
I also started to create a mark making page. On this page I drew squares and used different mark making techniques that came to my mind. I didn't have any plans I just went with the idea which I think is a good thing as the whole idea of my project is to paint with what's inside me.
I'm fairly happy with the page I just think it needs some more annotation. I wrote on the page how the certain marks made me feel.
I also started a page on my visit to York art gallery last year. I know it was a while ago but I saw some beautiful artwork that include a range of marks and emotions as well as some mixed medium pieces.
Tomorrow I will be working but when I get home I am going to try and think of some mood board ideas as that was what I was struggling with today.

15/02

Today I pretty much finished my proposal. This meant me Harvard referencing books for my bibliography and writing the end part of my proposal as well as editing bits that needed changing. Because I was feeling quite stressed I decided to do the first of my small paintings. I will be producing two small paintings a week and hopefully at the end of the project these paintings will come together to show the change in my emotions throughout the project.
I was feeling angry and stressed so I feel the small painting I did could show this.
I'm happy with the painting I think it works well and shows how I was feeling at the time.
Tomorrow I hope to start a page on mark making and also gather some more books for research.

14/02

Today I finished my page on Georgia okeeffe in my sketchbook. I added Images of her artwork which I found inspiring. I got these images from a book. I also had to do a presentation for my mother and child project so the first part of the day I couldn't do much. Towards the end of the day I carried on with my project proposal. I'm finding my project proposal difficult and stressful as I know I want it to be at a distinction standard. This means I keep tweeting it and editing it until it's at that level.
Tomorrow I will hopefully finish my project proposal.

12/02

Today I started researching artist Georgia O'Keeffe. I decided to look into her art work as she is an artist who suffered major mental health problems throughout her career and she used her art as a way out.
I find her work really interesting too, I feel that her work defiantly shows emotion.
I started to create an artist research page in my sketchbook as I wanted to write more about her and her circumstances.
I created artist studies on two of her pieces 'Light Iris' and 'Lily turned away'.
I chose these pieces as I love the subtlety of them also her piece light iris has more of an abstract feel.
I created these pieces using water colours both in tubes and pans. I really enjoyed painting these pieces and I am very happy with this sketchbook pages so far.
Her work  is very beautiful and moving so it was very easy to connect with her paintings.
Next I will be annotating this page and possibly adding more studies or some photographs of o'keeffe's original pieces.

FMP

Today we got given our FMP Brief.

This was really exiting for me as I had so many ideas floating around in my head and today I could finally start deciding.

Kat gave us a massive power point and talked us through all the constraints and possibilities to this years FMP. The only constraints where as followed:  

No Disney, No tattoo design, Nothing that primary research couldn't be done for and also nothing we didn't feel fully passionate or committed about.

As an abstract artist I knew straight away that the theme I wanted to chose would be done in an abstract way. Abstract expressionism has been a massive inspiration for me since I can remember and this is why I'm wanting to go down the expression route.

Mental health is also a massive issue in my family and I suffer with it myself so I wanted to incorporate mental illness into my project. I decided on possibly going down the route of emotion and expression as the link between creative people and mental illness is very strong. 

I think this will be really interesting to look at and I feel I can produce some really good primary research and experiment a lot with my ideas. I also feel like my idea isn't too restricting and I still have freedom to explore within my theme. I am hoping to look at a range of different artists including artists who have suffered with mental health issues themselves such as Van Gogh and Jackson pollock. I also want to look at exhibitions on near me and see what inspiration and research I can gather from them. 

Overall I'm really exited to start this project and tonight I have started drafting my project proposal explaining my plans for the project and where I want to end up. I'm also in the middle of creating a mind map in my sketchbook of all the possible avenues I could go down for this project.

My next job will be to finish my mind map and get my first project proposal draft up to a distinction standard.