Extreme Composition
Y'know how on the interwebs you follow one link, which leads you to something else and before you know it you're reading someone's website or blog with little recall on how you actually got there? Well that's how I discovered Jane Davies. I landed on her website, fell in love with her work and almost immediately bought one of her online downloadable classes, Extreme Composition.
As an aside, after subscribing to Jane's updates I found myself reading an interview where I learned not only had Jane grown up in Halifax, NS but also that her mentor was a friend of mine. Small world!
ANYWAY. Extreme Composition. I am loving this class though I'll admit it's kicking my ass just a wee bit. That can only be a Good Thing.
In the exploration of shapes, and all the ways we can make them, we're asked to focus on a) just one or two shapes and b) neutral colours. There were many more sheets. The ones pictured are just 3 random ones.
Another exploration was using soft diffused backgrounds then creating a wandering line over top paying attention to, but not directed by, the shapes and edges of colour. And we were also asked to work in a series.Then finally adding separate shapes to create a composition. What this made me realize is that I intuitively do this but thinking about WHY I was doing what I was doing was very eye opening. I like balance. Unbalanced things make me squicky. As I discovered in this last photo.
The lesson was to use other elements besides, or in conjunction with, drawn or painted elements. I chose to use only collaged squares and circles that were intentionally left disconnected and discordant. It took everything in me to just let it be. Sometimes you need to push past the bleeding edge to discover why you prefer a certain look or feel. I actually had to cover it up lest I slap some more connecting elements onto it!!
The course has been a great learning journey! Highly recommend!
