Molly Percy Self Portrait Esher College

2016

Initial Sources…

Initial sourcesMy main initial source was Michael Craig Martin. While I was at the national portrait gallery Martins work of Dame Zaha Hadid really

stood out to me it wasn’t the typical self portrait painting it was different and that’s why it stood out to me. Their was no paint

involved, this piece was controlled by computer software that makes constant randomized color choices. The work slowly changes over time in infinite combinations. The effect of this was really interesting to me, instead of getting one portrait I felt as if I got a new one

every time as all the color combinations would change the piece completely changed from being calm to angry all with the use of

color. I was mesmerized and wanted to delve deeper into Michael Craig martin. Martin is a British conceptual artist who was a significant influence on a younger generation of artists including Julian Opie,

Gary hume and Damien hirst. This piece marks a new departure into the realm of portraiture as martin subjects usually include everyday objects and the relationship with the spaces they inhabit. The

subject being dame zaha hadid is very powerful as hadids projects build on over thirty years of experimentation with cutting edge technologies, and so it seems appropriate that her own likeness

should be realized in the form of a computer portrait. I left the national gallery feeling skeptical to how I would combine this piece and develop it into a portrait of me, I couldn't’t stop thinking of all the colors and how the mixtures and combinations had so much

power and effect on the piece

Michael Craig Martin

Initial Sources

Even though my final piece didn't’t look like a Francis bacon piece he still played a big role in my development. Bacon used triptychs all

throughout his life as presenting his work and I feel the way he used three canvases for one piece really tells a story, I'm attracted to things in

threes, they aesthetically look good to me and are balanced in my mind. I had trouble trying to mimic Michael Craig martins multicolor computer

effect and by doing three canvases in all different colors I feel you are still getting the same effect of the different colors each connoting a

different mood and effect over the image.

Francis Bacon

Initial Sources

The colors of David choes work really

influenced my work, the color pallets he uses are so bright and

contrasting and looking at his work really

opened my eyes into new colors and combinations and allowed me to be

more expressive with my choice of color as well and not just picking “safe” colors instead going for more daring

combinations.

David Choe

Experiments and Decisions

Experiments

Experiemnt 1 For my first experiment I wanted to play around with the different compositions of my face and angles, I really wanted to keep that initial Michael craig martin style with the harsh balck out line and the bright colours, this was my favorite experiment.

Experiment 2 For this experiment I wanted to try using more than one compositon, I combined all

my compositions and put them into one piece. When I came up with this idea I thought it would be better than it came

out as, there is just too much going on in this piece and it just didn’t work. All the

colours are just too much to take in, doing this piece mad eme learn less is

more.

Experiment 3 For this experiment I went for the less is more approach but

trying a new compositional angle. I don’t think I like this

angle as much as my first experiment as you cant see my face as good and it just doesn’t

feel like me.

Experiment 4For my last experiment I wanted to

delve deeper into my first experiment and develop the colours a lot more and try out different combinations. I really like this colour combination and the look of the pink skin with the green hair really contrasts and makes the whole piece really pop. At this point in the project I was really set on having this as my final

piece, I feel it really captures my personality, I really like the

alternative angle as well, its eye level with the viewer so I feel

like it’s a closer insight into me. I really like this colour pallet

and it mimics whaty my final pieces look like.

Final Outcome…

From this project I learnt how hard it is to do a self portrait, everyone sees themselves differently and

sometimes you see yourself in ways no one else does, its hard to capture

yourself but I feel in this triptych I have really captured myself. The way the composition is quite relaxed and how the canvas has a lot of extra

apace on the left gives the portrait room and a sense of power and

independence. The colors are so bright and beautiful and I feel like I am a colorful person. The mixture and

combinations of colors really helped to show different emotions, the contrasting and complimenting of certain colors created quite an

interesting piece to look at. I wanted to capture Michael Craig martins harsh black outline effect, Francis bacons triptych format and David choes colors into one. It was a hard task but I feel I have pulled it off and it has

opened my eyes into new ways of combining and mixing colors and being more free in the way I paint. Doing this project has also reminded me how working on canvases is so much better than paper and I should really carry on using canvas into the future.

Reflecting on year 1

…

One of the most valuable learning experiences I have

gained while doing the course is being able to screen-print, I found the

whole process so interesting and It was

something I had never done before and I find new

things really interesting. I liked how quickly I was able to create pieces

within a few minutes I had another piece. The way I could switch colors so easily was also a plus. Making the wallpaper was one of the highlights of the year and I really

applied and pushed myself during that project.

Screen Printing

Life DrawingAnother highlight of my

year had to be life drawing, I was amazed by how interesting it was and it really helped me understand the human

anatomy a lot more and the specific angles and shapes the body makes. Over the course we did

loads of different experiments and I really enjoyed the whole thing. I would defiantly want to try life drawing

again as I feel it’s an experience that you learn so much from

Improvements into the second year Time management is my biggest

fall down. I always find myself never fully completing the work and being in such a stress in the last couple of weeks, I end up going crazy. I need to plan my time more wisely and use my study

periods more to catch up on work missed or not completed because that’s how it all

stacks up.

Plans for future

…

My current progression aim is to go to Ravensbourne and study digital photography. I'm not exactly perusing art any further but my art has

definitely helped and influenced my photogtphy in the way I look at things and consider composition and the way I look at colors and combine them with other colors. To get into the

digital photography course I have to have 2 A-levels grade C or above. It’s a 3 year course and I feel I can achieve this but its my actual photography work

itself that will determine whether I get in or not. It’s the only university I shall be applying to as I feel it’s the one best suited to me