Clara Lieu's Blog, page 39

RISD Project Open Door: Organic Form Projects

This semester I’m teaching a course for RISD Project Open Door. POD is a wonderfully unique program, whose dual mission is to “1) to increase access to high quality arts learning and careers in art and design for under-served Rhode Island teens, and (2) to provide a community education laboratory for RISD students, alumni, faculty, and staff.” I’m teaching the Portfolio course, which is for sophomores and juniors in high school.

I wrote in this past post about the beginning of our organic form project, constructed from reed, armature wire, and paper mache. We worked on the paper mache stage for two classes.  This technique is very simple, all you have to do is pour 90% Elmer’s Glue and 10% water to create the paper mache mixture. Next, tracing paper is dipped in the glue mixture and applied to the reed framework.  The process looks very messy while the glue is wet, but when it dries, it stretches the tracing paper and creates a beautiful translucent quality. Below you can see some of the finished works!

Fall 2014

This week I was invited to exhibit at a college art gallery in Boston in November/December 2014.  It will be either a solo exhibition or a two-person exhibition, the curator is unsure at this point. I already have a solo exhibition scheduled for September 2014 at the Sarah Doyle Gallery at Brown University, so it will be a busy season for me next fall.

This exhibition invitation was a big boost for me. I haven’t been feeling great about my work lately, simply because I’ve been absent in the studio over the past week. These two exhibitions give me concrete goals that will motivate me to stay on track.

Ask the Art Professor: How Do You Know When to Stop Working?

“When working on a piece of art, how do you know when to stop? I often find that the more I look at something I’ve drawn or painted, the more small things I’ll find that I’m not quite happy with, and I’ll keep altering and tweaking, which is fine up to a point, but I can end up ruining it. When do you draw the line and say enough is enough, this piece is finished? Is there always going to be something that you’re not 100 percent happy with, or should you keep working on something until you are 100 percent happy?”

Knowing just when to declare a work of art finished is an eternal struggle for many artists. The issue is that if you don’t work on a piece enough, the work can come across as incomplete. On the other hand, overworking a piece can cause the work to appear tired and tedious. The most compelling works of art throughout history are able to establish a strong balance of gesture and spontaneity while simultaneously appearing to be substantial and fully resolved.

So how does one learn how to achieve this balance? One of the classic problems that I see in the beginning of my freshman drawing classes is students not pushing their pieces far enough, and therefore never fulfilling their piece’s potential. To learn how to truly bring a piece to a full finish, I encourage my students in my classes to experiment with intentionally overworking their drawings to the point that the drawing is ruined. This way, when they have the experience of pushing their drawings too far, they develop an awareness of the entire process, and will know in the future when to pull back. You’ll never know how far to go until you’ve gone too far.

I look for specific signals in my work pattern that tell me that I am either finished or getting very close. In the beginning of a piece, I work very fast because there is just so much to be addressed. Gradually, my pace slows down as I start to work specific areas and hone in on smaller details. When I start to notice that I am needlessly picking at a piece and making the most minor adjustments that really have no impact on the overall work itself, I know that it’s time to stop. Other times, I’m simply sick of looking at the work for so many hours that I can’t stand to work on it anymore.

After staring at your work for many hours on end, it can be nearly impossible to see the work objectively with fresh eyes. There are a few simple strategies you can employ to help this. One trick I use is to look at my work in a mirror. Seeing the reverse image can frequently allow me to see mistakes in the piece that I wasn’t able to previously see. Usually when I’m deep in the trenches of working, my opinion of the work is very biased. Instead of making decisions on the spot, I reserve judgment on the work by putting it away for two weeks where I can’t see it. After that time period passes, I take the work out again. I’m often times surprised that my initial opinion of the work was quite off and that getting some distance from the work allows me to make better informed decisions.

In my experience, being 100-percent happy with a work is so incredibly rare that it’s not a goal that I even strive for. When I reflect upon my past works, there is always something that I’m not totally satisfied with. To combat this feeling, it’s a good idea to not be too precious about your work. Maintain a high level of productivity so that you aren’t investing everything you have into a single work. It’s usually a better use of your time to create a work, learn from it, and then know when to move on. Students ask me all the time whether they can rework their homework assignments. The majority of the time, I advise them to simply absorb what they experienced with that piece and then to move onto the next work. Getting too stuck on an individual work can cause one to obsess over details and concerns that in the larger picture don’t matter.

Ask the Art Professor is a weekly advice column for visual artists. Submit your questions to clara(at)claralieu.com

The Future

I haven’t been able to get to the studio for the past few days for a variety of reasons. When that happens, I start to feel a little anxious and disconnected from the work, so I try to think about my artwork by writing about it.  This morning I found myself thinking about what I’ll do after I finish “Falling.”

Lately two recent encounters got me thinking about the future of my artwork. Last week I went to a bakery in Chinatown to buy some glutinous rice dumplings, called “zhong zi”.  The woman who worked at the bakery asked me a question about the filling inside the dumplings, but I couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say, and she didn’t speak any English. She asked the woman next to her to translate, and I finally figured out that she was asking me if I was allergic to peanuts since the dumplings had peanuts inside them.

Then this morning I was sitting at the public library and an older Chinese man came up to me and asked me for help, speaking in Mandarin Chinese. My Mandarin Chinese is really not very good, even after several years of Chinese school as a child. I can get the basics of a conversation, but I can’t figure out the details or specifics. He needed directions to get to an address but I couldn’t help him with the few words that I could speak in Chinese.  When I lived in New York City, Chinese people used to come up to me all the time to ask for help, and I always felt badly every time that I couldn’t help them.

I have no idea where I’m going with this, but I think my next project will have something to do with why I’ve felt shame for not speaking Chinese. Sometimes I feel that the only part of me that is truly Chinese is my physical appearance.  I already like this idea because it’s deeply personal, but in a completely different way than “Falling.”

Pushing Ahead

This composition that I’ve been working on this week is I think my busiest composition so far. The composition is packed with imagery, and doesn’t really have any quiet areas where the eye can rest.  I think that I’m testing myself in terms of how far I can push the imagery. Part of me thinks this composition is too over the top, but then another part of me thinks that’s just the reason why it might be working.

What do you think?

Artist Masterclass: Taking Direction

Artist Masterclass is a series of conversations between myself and visual artist Sara Bloem. 

SB: Well, this week I finalized the details of the photo shoot. It will be this week, and I have three models coming in. I’ve been mainly thinking about how to get the most out of my time with the models I’ve hired. I have two hours, which I think should be sufficient.

CL: I think 2 hours will be plenty.  Any concerns about how to direct the shoot?

SB:  Yes, when you hire models, how do you make them feel comfortable?

CL: Making your models comfortable is really important actually, if they’re at all uncomfortable they’ll be less likely to do what you ask them to do. Just be polite, gracious and very respectful. Treat them the way you would want to be treated if you were in the same situation. Unfortunately often times many artist models are not treated very well, so they will notice and appreciate when someone is being professional and kind.  Did you ever take note of how I treated the models in my classes at RISD?

SB: You always let them know in advance if you’re going to do something.

CL:  Yes, it’s a good idea to sit down at the beginning and walk the models through everything that you’ll be asking them to do. That way, there are no surprises and they will know exactly what to expect.

SB:  When you have models coming in, how do you plan what poses you’ll be asking them to take? As in, do you draw out the poses you want in advance, or do you ever improvise based on something the model spontaneously does?

CL: Drawing out the poses in advance is good so that you and the model have something to start with, however, I do find that I like to let the model improvise quite a bit and follow their lead.  If you try to “pose” them, you’ll get poses that look very stiff and artificial.  Don’t ever say things like  ”Turn your neck to the left, arch your back 50 degrees, move your right arm to your left.” You’re laughing, but I had a professor in graduate school who literally did that.  I’m sure the models hated him, and the poses always looked awful. Can you believe how complicated this gets?

SB: My fingers have been itching all week. It seriously feels like there are one thousand things to think about.

CL: I think you’re going to love every minute of the photo shoot. You should be very excited, you are taking your work to a whole new level. This photo shoot is something you would never have considered doing in school.

SB:  I’m extremely excited to have the chance to make now, whereas before in art school it was just expected of me. I’m looking forward to every opportunity I have to draw or plan in a way that I actually didn’t as much sometimes in school. I took the time for granted.

CL:  It’s nice to work on one body of work, instead of making work for three studio classes at the same time.  There’s a level of focus there that you just can’t have in school.

SB:  You’re right, without my attention being divided between three studios, I feel more certain about what I want to do, instead of feeling like I have to develop in three different directions at once. The only other thing I’ve been thinking about is the importance of drawing from direct observation regularly. It’s like a muscle. A couple weeks ago, I realized that if I don’t keep myself sharp, by the time the actual drawings roll around I won’t actually be able to execute them. And I hadn’t been drawing that much this summer, honestly.

CL:  You don’t think drawing from direct observation is like learning to ride a bike?

SB: Out of pure terror I have been snatching time to do drawing from direct observation more often.

CL: I don’t think you have to worry about “losing” it.  I haven’t drawn from direct observation for years.

SB: I actually wouldn’t have expected that.

CL:  I just don’t have the time anymore. I have periods where I don’t draw for a week or two so to get myself back into shape I’ll do some “warm up” drawings before I work on the real piece. That usually kicks my ass back into shape pretty quickly.

 

Related articles:

Conversation #3: Preparations

Conversation #2: Logistics

Conversation #1: Solidity

Introductory Interview

Ask the Art Professor: 7 Tips for Surviving Art School

When I was a student at art school, I was so involved with making my work day to day that I wasn’t able to see the big picture and figure out how to get the most out of my experience. Now that I’ve been on both sides of the fence as a student and professor, I’d like to offer seven practical tips to students in art school.

1. Work on your homework with other students. 

One of the greatest assets of being in school is being surrounded by like minded peers. Many students make the mistake of working on their homework by themselves in their dorm room. If you work alone for a long period of time, it’s easy to start to feel crazy without any human contact. Instead, take your art materials and make a plan to meet your classmates in the studio to work on your homework together. With the companionship of your peers, you’ll be able to motivate each other to stay focused, and you can ask for feedback and support as you work on your homework.

2. Choose your classes based on the professor.

Many students will frequently choose their elective courses based on the subject, thinking that if they like the subject, they are guaranteed to have a good experience in the class. Know that an excellent teacher can make even the most mundane subject truly fascinating, and that a poor teacher can make even your favorite subject tedious and boring. As a freshman, I was required to take a three-dimensional design course, which I was not enthusiastic about at the time. The professor I had was brilliant, and eight years later I found myself doing a master’s degree in sculpture.

3. Form lasting relationships.

The people are what really make a school. A school might have dazzling facilities and equipment, but none of that will make a difference if you don’t have a vital community of faculty, students, and staff. Milk your teaching assistants for information, many of them will have the inside scoop on the school that you won’t find anywhere else. Ask a former teacher to have a cup of coffee with you, get to know the administrative assistant in the office. Whenever possible, develop sustained, long term relationships, as you never know where they will end up. To this day, I’ve kept in touch with two of my former professors for over fifteen years and I always look forward to our conversations with enthusiasm.

4. Look at student work. 

Make a point of going to the student exhibitions on campus, and expose yourself to as much student work as possible. You’ll learn tremendously from seeing such a wide range of approaches. When choosing your major, look at the student work being made in the departments you are interested in. Seeing the student work can be representative of what a department will be like. Don’t assume that a major is what you think it will be based on the title of the department. One of my students who had a passion for painting said that she personally liked the student work in the illustration department better than the student work in the painting department. For her, the illustration department was a more appropriate fit even though her personal interest was in painting.

5. Communicate with your professors.

Always talk with your professors when you have any concerns about anything. Most professors will respect you for taking the initiative. If you’re wondering what your academic standing in a class is, ask the professor how you’re doing. If you want to be a teaching assistant, email the professor to let them know that you’re interested in a position.

On the first day of class, I ask students to tell me if they have any personal issues that might affect their performance in my class. It could be anything from a learning disability, a language issue, a medical condition, or it could be as simple as just being nervous about taking the class. If you don’t want everyone in the class hearing about your concerns, request a private conversation with the professor outside of the classroom. Letting your professors know about your background will help them provide any accommodations that you may need during the semester.

6. Start early and spread out your work over several days. 

Students frequently compete to see who got the least amount of sleep. Every semester I hear students bragging about how they stayed up for three days straight, how their hands are numb from drawing for so long, etc. Doing a marathon work session the night before the deadline is the worst move you can make. The top students in my classes do well because they start early and spread their work out over several days, enabling them to make daily progress while getting a decent amount of sleep. They are able to work on their pieces, get some distance, and then come back and evaluate their work with fresh eyes.

7. Learn how to give and receive criticism. 

Separate yourself from your work and don’t to take criticism personally. Remember, it’s a critique of your work, not of you as a person. Be constructive and generous in your criticism of others’ work. Listen intently and be willing to give every opinion a chance.

Ask the Art Professor is a weekly advice column for visual artists. Submit your questions to clara(at)claralieu.com

Transitions

I was away from the studio for a few days, so last night was the first time in a while that I stepped into the studio. I finished up the rest of the etching ink on this drawing seen above, and things started to feel more resolved. I think it will need another pass with the etching ink to tone down some of the whites, but I’m putting it aside so it can dry, and also so I can come back to it with a set of fresh eyes.

A number of transitions are coming up: the semester is ending in just a few weeks, and I’m looking forward to January and February when I don’t teach.  I’ll be teaching three days a week in the spring semester, which is going to be tough on my studio practice, so I’ll have to prepare myself for that.

 

 

 

Cohesion

After a lot of mulling, I’ve decided that I indeed want to go forward with the series of mezzotints. However, I need to somehow secure funding, so it could be a while before I launch this project.  I’m fine with waiting, these figure drawings are more than enough to keep me busy for the time being!

In last night’s studio session, I found myself really eager to address the entire composition all at once.  I had thought previously that I would draw and finish one figure at a time, and wait for it to dry before starting on another figure.  I discovered yesterday that that approach really wasn’t going to work, it felt too fragmented and I felt like I had no sense of the whole piece.  So instead, I leaped around the composition, addressing all of the figures all at once.  I think this approach will make the composition much more fluid and cohesive.

 

Artist Masterclass: Preparations

Artist Masterclass is a series of conversations between myself and visual artist Sara Bloem. 

SB: I’ve gotten a lot of the logistical side worked out. Last week we talked about getting references. In my case, generating references involves two things: model(s), and a camera-neither of which I had last week. This week, I contacted a local art school and they were kind enough to forward me their model roster. I emailed every female model on there, and I’ve gotten quite a few good responses.

CL: In your sketchbook pages you wrote that you felt frustrated.

SB: Yes, I have a couple questions: by using models who aren’t me to talk about my issues, is the content lost? If the figures aren’t from those cultures – I mean, I’m not screening my models by ethnic background – does it just become random pictures of women putting on clothes? I thought about fixing the problem by compositing other faces into the references later.

CL: From your sketches it looks like the faces aren’t really going to be that prominent in your compositions. It seems like the clothing and the gesture of the figure is the larger concern.

SB: I was wondering: how do you make your drawings transcend your reference?

CL: You have to use the reference photographs loosely; don’t be too faithful to them. I used to put my reference photos into Photoshop and intentionally make the resolution very low, so that the images were blurry. That way, I would resist the temptation to copy the references too accurately. I also think exaggeration of gesture and form is huge. I used to also up the contrast in Photoshop, so that the image was starker; I did that with my project Wading. I would play around with your reference photographs in Photoshop before you start drawing from them, you can get all sorts of interesting effects.

SB: That’s a great suggestion, especially because I was using Photoshop to collage photos before (see image below).

CL: Is there a chance the Photoshop collage process you used before might make an appearance again? I think that was a really great technique that you figured out for those final 6 portraits that you did in your independent study with me in your final semester at RISD.

SB: I feel like it really helped me get away from the strictly literal last semester.

CL: You might want to use it again, explore it in greater depth this time now that you’ve done it once before. I’m a big fan of sketching in Photoshop.

SB: I think that might help push me away from just copying my reference too.

CL: That way you’re processing the reference photos and manipulating them before you even get to the drawing stage. I think you’ll feel better once you’ve done the reference photo shoot, then you’ll have something really concrete to work with. I think you’re in really great shape, why are you worried?

SB: I think just because I didn’t draw for a few days. It’s hard not to beat myself up about that a little. I’m taking it as a learning experience and moving on.

CL: You can’t beat yourself up, there’s always going to be something!

Related articles:

Conversation #2: Logistics

Conversation #1: Solidity

Introductory Interview