Archive for June 2015

Pigment collecting at sunset!

The Burnt Umber, I only found a few pieces of this pigment

Poor Man's Grey next to a ball of Bideford Black (straight from the cliff)

The clay (larger jar), dries a lot whiter than how it looks when wet. The yellow ochre looks a lot more yellow too.

My little sister's pigment box; I wish mine was as neat and clean looking as hers!

I went out collecting more pigments on Friday! I got Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Poor Man's Grey and Ball Clay. I'm testing mixing the pigments with a different man-made medium at the moment; it is called "Mod Podge" it is like PVA but is stronger and acts as a sealant. Mod Podge does add a shine to the dried paint (which may or may not be desirable). I am hoping to buy some oils, a large pestle and mortar and a muller and glass worktop soon. I've also decided on something I want to paint (yes, I had an artistic chain of thought which has left me unable to want to paint anything else); anyone want to buy me some 8ft canvases?

“Black is a property, not a quality. In terms of weight, black is heavier, creates a larger volume, holds itself in a more compressed field. […] Since black is the densest color material, it absorbs and dissipates light to a maximum and thereby changes the artificial as well as the natural light in a given room. A black shape can hold its space and place in relation to a larger volume and alter the mass of that volume readily.”
-Richard Serra

I am really excited at this personal project using local pigments as it is something that is emerging as a natural progression from past experiences and projects. It does not feel forced or contrived in any way, if anything it feels like an adventure. I'm genuinely excited!

I am looking forward to having this personal reflection on land art and soil culture. I also see this as hands-on, history of art, pigment research sort of expedition. I'm hoping to experiment with different techniques and mediums used over the years to create paint.