Process Portfolio

Kathleen Sharp

TEXT:
History: Encaustic painting is one of the worlds oldest art forms. The earliest versions
of it were done by artists of Ancient Greece. The used it mainly to adorn sculptures.
Later, the technique was picked up by the Egyptians. They incorporated it into their
painting as well as the process of mummification. Some of these works of art are still
on display today, showing how, due to the nature of encaustic painting, the medium is
very durable. Encaustic painting continued to be used from Roman times, through the
Middle Ages (though its use declined during this time), through the 1700s and into
modern times.
The encaustic medium has remained such a widely spread medium, in part, due to its
versatility. With it, you can paint, print, collage, and sculpt. It also lends itself extremely
well to mixed media art.
Painting with encaustic wax is a multi-step process. The paint needs to be melted
before it is applied to a porous surface. After this is done, the applied wax is reheated
and fused into the working surface. The paint can then be buffed if wanted.
Encaustic support: The structure on which the group or the paint layer of a painting is
laid. The best supports are rigid, absorbent, and heat resistant. Wood is a good
example.
Techniques: Glazing and collage, encaustic monotype, opaque vs. transparent, line,
edge, and inlay, texture vs. smooth, pouring, dipping, scraping, stenciling, sculptural
applications
This is an example of some preliminary research that I did before used the encaustic
medium. Some of my later ideas are derived from this research. For example, through
this research I learned that objects could be imbedded. Because of this knowledge, I
used this technique in every encaustic piece that followed.

TEXT:
Rhonda Raulston has lived in three places: East Tennessee, New York City, and
Los Angeles. Shes traveled the world and worked in the motion picture industry.
Its these things that, according to Raulston, reflect her life and her work, which is
mainly encaustic painting.
In her artists statement, Raulston says she likes to explore layers and visual
perception in her art.. She does this in many different ways. In stills, shell meld
foreground with reflections. In floral portraits shell zoom in, taking a look at the
finer details of plants. In portraits, she likes to combine pictures of introverts as
well as extroverts.
In my opinion, its this exploration of layers that makes Raulstons pieces so
interesting. Not only does she do several different layers, with colors and patters,
but she adds found items to her work as well, adding texture to an already
dynamic piece. The pieces Ive chosen to display, from Raulstons eclectic
collection, demonstrate this layering quite well. Additionally, theyre abstract, an
art form I tend to lean towards.
In later encaustic work, I drew inspiration from Raulstons techniques. Her use of
layers and imbedded found objects were common themes in my work as well. I
also attempted to create a similar abstract style within my own work.

TEXT:
Batiking: the process of dyeing fabric by applying hot wax to areas to be left
undyed.
Batiking is an ancient technique, originally used to textile design. The oldest
examples of batiks were discovered in Egypt, dating back to 5th century B.C.
Batiks have also been found in China, Japan, Peru, Sri Lanka, and several African
countries. This method became widespread after the Chinese began to sell silk
batiks to [markets by] the Mediterranean Sea (via the Great Silk Route). While the
oldest pieces were discovered in Egypt, its believed that the first to use batiking
techniques were artisans from the island of Java. Due to the time consuming
nature of batiks, the patterns were originally worn by only the aristocracy.
Batiks became more common after the Governor of Java published a book about
the batiking process and the first batik factory was opened in 1835. Eventually,
batik technology improved, employing printing stamps, This both reduced the cost
of production and allowed for patterns to become more complicated. Today, batiks
remain a popular technique, used all over the world for art and fashion.
During the planning process for my own batik project, I felt it was important to
have an understanding of the history of the medium, so that I might appreciate it
better. In addition to learning about the history of batiking, I also learned a bit
about the mediums versatility, as its commonly used, not only for art, but also for
fashion.This idea gave way to the idea of sewing deconstructed batiks together to
create art.

Here I was planning a batik project, one that

would eventually become my piece, The
Movement of Sound.
For this project, my planning was inspired by
pictures found on the Internet. While I was
searching for images, I was looking for
interesting patterns pertaining to my chosen
theme. I tried to find a variety of shapes that
both explored my theme in several different
ways and would lend themselves to being
layered using batik as a medium. These
patterns were then simplified and transferred
to cloth

Image 2

Image 1

Images 3 and 4

In my design, it was important to me that the

idea of waves be communicated, as this is
how sound travels. One of my batiks already
illustrated this idea by itself, but eventually, in
my planning, I decided to further the idea by
creating more waves from that pattern. As
sound has many layers, however, I didnt
want this to be the only motif. Behind, the
sound waves I placed the batik inspired by
acoustic foam, and in front of the wave
pattern I place the batik inspired by ripples
made from vibrations. This changed the
meaning of the piece from being about how
sound moves in waves to, instead, about
how sounds interact with each other.

TEXT:
Ian Falconer is an illustrator and author of childrens books, known for his Olivia
series, the first of which won the Caldecott Medal in 2000. Additionally, he is a
costume and set designer. Before starting his career, he studied art history at New
York University and painting at Parsons School of Design and Otis Art Institute.
In the realm of theater design, Falconer is known for marrying classic stage sets
with complex moving films. Similarly, in his childrens books, namely Olivia, he
employs a technique where he combines his own illustrations with images of
famous paintings.
Another technique Falconers Olivia books are known for is the restricted color
scheme. The main colors of the first book are red and black. Starting in the second
book, green is introduced to the color scheme as well.
The unique blend of illustrations and other artists work and the restricted use of
color are the reasons why Olivia remains one of my favorite childrens books.
For this project, my ideas were based on Ian Falconers books. My goal was to
represent the first two books in the series, Olivia and Olivia and the Missing
Toy. After I had done some preliminary research about Falconer (previous
slide) I began to look more closely at his illustrations.
One common thread that I noticed was the restricted color scheme, including
white, red, black/grey, and green. In my rendition of Falconers work, therefore,
I decided to incorporate this theme. I also noticed how Falconer used shadow
to show depth. As I had chosen to make a silk painting, I decided not to include
this feature. Using silk painting, I could, however, create the sketch-like effect
that Falconer had created by using black gutta to draw my lines.
To the left is a sketch of my silk painting design, incorporating what I thought to
be some of the most important aspects of Falconers style.

These pages show the development

of my project based on hunger in
Ohio. After I had completed my
preliminary research, as I always do,
I began to compile images that
represented themes I could use.
I played mainly with the ideas of
contrast and imbalance during this
project. I compared ideas like hunger
and obesity, light and dark, full and
empty, and ripe and rotten. When
thinking of how to show this in my
piece, I thought about using starkly
different colors and dissimilar
textures. I considered how
asymmetry would affect the
appearance of my piece. I also
considered the medium which would
best show these things.
Later in the process, my ideas shifted closer from the abstract to the concrete, and
I decided to use the idea of a rotting apple. Rather than show this literally,
however, I decided to simplify the image using geometric shapes, which, in turn
changed the meaning of the image, now denoting emptiness rather than decay.
This idea of emptiness also tied in well with the idea of unraveling that I later
explored. In the end, I still used my earlier ideas of employing color to show
meaning and of showing imbalance (which I did by using different sized triangles
and the placement of beads in my final piece).

Here is a planning page based on my research on the

experience of losing a sense. Going into my research Id
guessed that the experience would be described as
traumatic but not impossible to overcome. After research,
my suspicions were confirmed. My task was then to
represent this in art.
I looked at the work of some other artists who have
explored this idea. One piece, by Arthur Ellis, struck me in
particular. Running with his use of a circle, I began to think
symbolically. The circles symbology is far reaching,
including ideas of inclusion, wholeness, unity and infinity,
to name a few. This was the opposite idea that I was going
for, so I decided to show a circle breaking apart.
Explored in these two pages are three different ways I
thought of possibly showing this, each using widely
different mediums.
Arthur Ellis
piece

Here I have explored zentangling. Zentangling is a

technique of drawing, meant to be relaxing. By
design, zentangle is meant to be unplanned and
almost aimless, resulting in something completely
different each time. Its ironic, then, to create a
zentangle as a print, something that will be the
same every time.

Compare:
Color:
Bold, vivid, and bright colors (Cezanne moving towards
Fauvism)
Warm, accented by cool
Contrast
Brushstrokes:
Thick brushstrokes (drawing away from impressionism)
Allow geometric shapes -- strong emphasis on shapes
Subject Matter:
Fairly ordinary, based on people and everyday activity
Influenced by surrounding culture (early 20th century
France)
People are active -- movement
Composition:
Simplification
Movement
Perspective

Here I have compared and contrasted Paul

Ceznnes The Card Players and Portrait
of Ambroise Vollard and mille Bernards
Buckwheat Harvesters at Pont Aven. In
doing this, I hoped to develop my own
personal style

Contrast:
Style:
Cezannes style is closest to Impressionism, Cubism,
and Fauvism
Bernards style is closer to Cloisonnism and Synthetism
Shape:
While both artists tend towards visible shapes to
illustrate people, Bernards painting uses shapes more
clearly
Subject Matter:
Both show everyday activities, but of a different class of
people
Emotion:
Emotion is Bernards piece appears to be brighter,
happier, showing a sense of community
The Card Players seems to show tension between
players
The portrait looks contemplative, pensive even