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Clouded Iris - Finished Piece

- Just over a2 Graphite and charcoal over MDF, fixated plaster cast attached. -


Illustrated below is an assemblage of photographs showing the finalised 'Clouded Iris.' Originally I had set out to use the intaglio printmaking process of dry point etching, however given the surface being wood fibres rather than grain, the process could not be done. Instead I opted for a graphite and charcoal drawing over the board, I wanted to keep the drawing chromatic as to observe chiaroscuro induced methods of working with contrast. There is no particular target audience for my work, only everyone. As I have mentioned before I hope to eradicate the democracy within the art industry, in that art is expected to be seen rather than experienced. Working in a high contrast manner, be it chromatic or vivid in colour, works which obtain such contrast and bold lines can be seen easier by those who are visually impaired. Line and form were the key elements in the making of this piece, as both of these elements are essential in creating a bold visual narrative.


Portraying the organic nature of the iris was somewhat important to me, in that I didn't want the piece to be stagnant in its replication, I had used references loosely as to assume my own pattern; I found my strokes to become more lucid in their approach as the composition came on. Rendering the clouds of smoke cascading across the iris was quite a difficult task, in that I had to be careful not to over blend and to leave enough contrast enabling the iris and the smoke to be cohesive and harmonious, rather than the elements being indistinguishable.


The iris is caressed by a small congregation of Chrysanthemums, representative of happiness and longevity, shrouded with delicate clouds of smoke, adorning the pupil and iris itself; the smoke eludes a sense of depth, complimenting the focal point of the composition by inhabiting a sfumato-esc nature. The casting pultrudes from the surface of the illustration, reaching out to the audience, narrating the importance of the hands in someone who is blind or visually impaired. I had wanted to adorn the hand with hot glue drips which I would later seal with acrylic pigment; however in order to create such an effect I would have to be dependent on gravity... something of which I did not want to depend on, given that the glue may have fell onto the board creating raised abrasions throughout the composition. Instead I chose to keep the casting simple, allowing the detail obtained through the alginate to shine through.


In regards to how I would exhibit this particular piece, though mundane I think mounting over a white wall would be best. I feel that a detailed background or monotonous background would result in the piece being lost, I would much rather the piece stand boldly over a bare wall, allowing the viewer to hone in with the composition. The last image show in this gallery post shows a close up rendition of how I would exhibit 'Clouded Iris'



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