Task 4: Shape: Drawing with Shape

SHAPE

Minimal and dynamic results come from flat colour, hard graphic edges and a minimal aesthetic. Often used in a commercial context because of its universal and instant nature.

I used shape with a combination of drawn line and detail to give my illustrations with shape their own unique tone of voice. I also worked on some using digital processes such as Photoshop to add complexity to the pieces.

I generated 30 studies in response to my chosen visual subject which was Punk but then narrowed down to Vivienne Westwood due to her connections with the Sex Pistols and her clothes shops such as Sex which really began to introduce punk style into the streets. I used reference images from her fashion shows and photographs in print, such as magazine spreads, and also images off Followwestwood Pinterest which was a great source. I did not rely precisely to these images however whilst doing the line drawings and when picking colours, I did try to convey the Vivienne Westwood garments as accurately as possible even though I let the work contain my own tone of voice and made decisions as to where this detail in accuracy to the original clothing should shine through and what parts should be left in a more simple way. I decided to explore character and figure with the models, object with the garments, sequence with a collection of models and opinion regarding the essence and vibe of Vivienne Westwood's collections. 

I did not restrict my colour but I chose particular parts of the outfits and models to highlight and make stand out by including and bringing out the specific colours in those spots. I also used a range of media to explore ways of portraying these garments without actually using a cloth material and I worked predominantly with shape yet added drawn line work and details afterwards. 

Making images with shape first rather than just drawn line required me to think differently about my process. I really liked some of the outcomes when I used acrylic paint to map out shapes of block colour and then drew over the top as it conveys a boldness whilst still maintaining a delicacy in detail and the line drawings. I think the shapes of block colour bought life and interest into the pieces and sometimes I felt that I should have left some work purely just these shapes without adding detail; this is something I find hard to do as I always want to get every detail in. But this task was good for my practice as it bought to my attention how simple yet effective shape and a basic block colour can be and I hope to explore working like this in my future work too. 

I found that some shapes created harmony and also tension between each other on the page, this was also due to the colours I chose and the brush strokes/texture of the shapes. Most of my work contained a lot of blank space with surrounded and seperated the shapes. I think the line work helped to draw them all together in one image but sometimes I think leaving just the shapes may have created a more powerful effect as the audiences attention is drawn to just the relationship between these simple shapes. 

The above pieces are some examples of some of my work with which I started off by creating shapes using block colours; picked out from the reference image through its importance in the garments or the atmosphere of the model/garment/catwalk show. I then used a thin black fine liner to add line and detail to outline the form and feel of the model and the Vivienne Westwood pieces. I think these worked well and I think the overlapping of colour and line without the background shapes being too accurate actually adds movement to the pieces and stop them from being too stiff. 

I also explored using felt tips and then adding water (above) to create a more fluid but outlined shape. These also used Vivienne Westwood pieces as reference images but I chose to only select a few, in my opinion 'vital', shapes such as the heart clutch bag and the skin of the model, and disregarding other parts such as the clothing and the hair. This is not something I would usually do but by having this task with shape I realised that the blank space can be a shape itself and sometimes less is more. 

Below I was just experimenting with adding block colour to the shapes, in an already drawn image, digitally. They are not my favorite pieces and if I were to have more time I would have definitely explored different colour palettes more. However, I do think the use of block colours and shapes juxtapose the intricately drawn pattern well and I think this makes for a cool effect.

Below I used shape with water colours to map out the Vivienne Westwood garments without any guide lines. I then added a small amount of detail with pen lines such as facial features, hands and garment detailing. I think these pieces were a good start to exploring how shape can form the piece and how it can interact with blank space. If I were to repeat this pieces I would think about how composition could help to give the shapes more impact and perhaps try it without the pen lines. 

My reference images for these above illustrations were from catwalk shows and photo shoot's found in 'Vivienne Westwood' by Claire Wilcox. I chose to focus on these as I could identify the shapes immediately and I liked the movement in the images. I tried making shapes with colour to highlight the clothing. I also used colour for some skin tones and makeup/hair however I tried to keep the blank white space as an element. I then couldn't resist adding line to them as I felt it would bring the image fully together- however in future I should try to focus on only shape, resisting the urge to use other techniques. 

(LOOK AT ENZO MARI and malika favre)