While brainstorming to come up with spontaneous lines, I kept trying to think of ways to create lines that were not forced or created to look spontaneous. At this point, I remembered Marcel Duchamp’s work Three Standard Stoppages.
(Taken from https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/marcel-duchamp-3-standard-stoppages-1913-14)
How Duchamp created this work was by dropping three one-meter-long threads from the height of one meter onto three canvas strips. The threads were then adhered to the canvases, preserving the random curves they had assumed upon landing. Duchamp then cut along the profile of the curves to create the three pieces of wood in the work.
I was inspired by the means of creating this work- the idea of the artist having as little involvement as possible in the way the threads fell onto the paper. I then came up with the idea of tying string to markers and allowing the string and pen to swing freely as I move my hand randomly around the table.
The pens and markers that I used (the first two courtesy of Jia Hui!) I tied string to the end of the markers to allow for less control and more randomness.
I then proceeded to swing the markers around the paper to create the random, spontaneous lines.
What the final product looked like!
Here’s a quick time-lapse video of the whole process!
In terms of aggressive lines, I remembered an artist who painted very violently- Willem de Kooning.
(Taken from http://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/willem-de-kooning-woman-i-1950-52-2)
Willem de Kooning tended to create works of art that were provocative- but his means of painting was really interesting. He continually reworked the surface of his works by scraping paint back and slathering it back on violently with a paintbrush- before aggressively scraping it back with a palette knife. He did this process so vigorously that he even punctured holes in the surface of his canvas.
I really liked the idea of painting aggressively so I attemped to test his painting style with a simple piece of black paint.
I put on layers of paint onto a piece of paper and then used the knife to scrape it off before adding more again (and repeating the process).
I added a little too much force sometimes and tore the paper (but it was interesting)
A close-up of the holes I tore in the paper. I also liked the texture of the paint that was not scraped off (it looks like little veins)
This method of painting was very interesting but it felt a little too plain. My next step is to create more intricate lines but with the same amount of aggressive force.
love the variety of mediums and techniques you’re experimenting and exploring with <3
this is AMAZING progress and confidence from week to week..how good to use Duchamp! scraping is looking great on photo