Art : Creative Practice Unit 1
Outcome 3: Documenting and reflecting on the Creative Practice
In this area of study students develop their art practice by responding to the ways artists conceptualise, develop and make their artworks. They provide annotated documentation of their experiences in Making and Responding in a form appropriate to their art practice. Students reflect on their research and exploration undertaken in Area of Study 2, and understand that evaluation and documentation are integral components of the Creative Practice. They document the visual responses to the ideas they have explored, their creative and critical thinking, and their trials and experimentation with materials and techniques.
As artists, students reflect on their use of relevant components of the Creative Practice, and evaluate and annotate their use of visual language to communicate ideas of personal interest. They use the language of the Structural and Personal Lenses to critically analyse and evaluate their personal explorations and visual responses.
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On completion of this unit the student should be able to document and evaluate the components of the Creative Practice used to make personal visual responses.
To achieve this outcome the student will draw on key knowledge and key skills outlined in Area of Study 3.
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Key knowledge
· methods used to document and evaluate the use of the Creative Practice
· approaches to making and presenting visual responses that communicate ideas of personal interest
· the use of critical and reflective thinking throughout the Creative Practice
· methods used to reflect on and evaluate visual language
· methods used to evaluate the use of materials, techniques and processes in personal visual responses
· the use of the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens in annotations to analyse and reflect upon visual responses
Key skills
· document and evaluate the use of the Creative Practice, using written and visual documentation
· analyse and reflect upon ideas of personal interest communicated in visual responses
· use and document critical and reflective thinking throughout the Creative Practice
· document and evaluate the development of visual language
· document and evaluate the materials, techniques and processes used to make personal visual responses
· apply the Structural Lens and the Personal Lens in annotations to analyse and reflect upon visual responses
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What we are actually going to do:
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Using a journal format, progressively record and evaluate the Creative Practice with photographs, sketches and annotations. For each art form, make photographs, sketches and notes that critically evaluate personal visual responses.
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Journal entry
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Date
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Visual responses (pasted in or copies of)
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Artform
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Inspiration
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Observations
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Activity
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Observations
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Personal response
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Developing visual language
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Critical evaluation
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Example Journal entries
March 27
Inspiration:
We looked at Hilma af Klint’s work as inspiration. At first, I didn’t understand it and wanted to make a picture that was more realistic, but when we read about the spiritual story in her work, I liked it more.
Observations:
I started to think about what colours have a spiritual connection for me. I love the summer and being on the beach, so I decided to try strong warm colours.
April 5
Paste in visual responses
Activity:
We continued working on the watercolours. I found that I could mix the colours more easily and I’m getting better at using the brush accurately.
Observations:
These actually looked too bold, so my second visual response was softer. I added small areas of blues and greens to contrast with the warm colours.
I noticed that Hilma af Klint often included symmetry in her pictures, so for some of my visual responses I tried to balance the shapes.
Developing visual language:
Thinking about the message I was trying to communicate, the last two visual responses are quite luminous and remind me of the brightest days on the beach. I kept the shapes simple and large in scale, to try to capture the expanse of the air.
Critical evaluation:
There is potential for these visual responses to be developed further. Some of Hilma af Klint’s works were huge, larger than a person, and I’d love to make some massive watercolours on that scale. I’d need to use different materials as I don’t think paper would work that well if it was so big. Also, the brushes would need to be bigger, and I might have to use diluted acrylic paint because watercolours aren’t designed for such big areas.
March 30
Paste in visual responses, or copies.
Artform:
Painting (watercolour)
Activity:
Today we made organic shapes using pen on heavy watercolour paper. We played with mixing watercolours in various intensities, and painting these into the organic shapes with soft round brushes.
Observations:
I noticed that if the watercolour was even a tiny bit wet, the colours bled. This could be frustrating if you’re trying to make neat and tidy shapes, or it could be used to achieve an interesting effect, although it would be a bit risky. I noticed that if the watercolour was quite dry on the brush, the brush left marks. I also noticed that the colours dried lighter. The teacher showed us how to use the lid of the watercolour palette to mix and dilute colours, and how to keep a sample swatch of paper to test colours before using them. You can’t really cover up any mistakes or change your mind.
Personal response:
The shapes that I was colouring in were a bit corny, like flowers and leaves, so I made some more sketches where I let my hand move a bit more randomly. This was tricky but I think the resulting shapes are more interesting.
Guiding questions
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What strategies do artists use to reflect upon and evaluate their artistic practice?
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What components of the Creative Practice will I use to document and reflect upon my artistic practice?
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In what format will I document my art practice? How will I structure my documentation?
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How is visual language documented?
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What strategies will I use to critically analyse and evaluate personal explorations and visual responses?
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What aspects of the Structural and Personal Lens will I use to analyse and reflect upon visual responses?
How you will be assessed:
Helpful stuff:
Make:
Create a typology of skyscapes, exploring "dreaming", using a lifting of technique
WATCH:
Artist Julia Gorman discusses 'Growth habits' (2015) a commissioned abstract wall drawing created in vinyl and inspired by the free-flowing form of garden succulents.
Make:
Observe and draw plants, utilising a range of different texhniques that we have explored in class.
Caudullo, E & Olivia (Age 6)
Contour
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Blind Contour drawings
2020
Make:
Create a range of rapid drawing using fineliner and arange them into a typology
Make:
Choose one to draw larger and apply a different media to
Watch:
This is an album of six videos that focus on the work of six contemporary Australian artists and explore their sources of inspiration and subject matter, their selection and use of techniques, processes and technologies, the materials they use and the styles with which they work. Michel Lawrence interviews each of the artists in their own studio space - they are Louise Hearman, Luke Cornish, Deb Williams, Bruce Latimer, Andrew Browne and Graham Fransella. The videos are 2-3 minutes each in length.