In this session we took inspiration from the unique and inspiring work of Canadian Artist Sandra Silberzweig. Working on black construction paper and with chalk pastels the group explored elements of her work. Initially we had hoped to use glue relief work to outline the images, but although Tacky glue (a personal favourite) leaves a very solid raised surface on the paper, the drying process took several days. So instead we simply used black chalk as an outline.
To complete these images the group focused on a range of elements including:
use of line (thick, bold, black)
pattern work and texturing
repetition
filling in the entire space with colour
flatness
breaking sections into closed shares
bold colour use
the use of negative space (ie. the images flows off the page)
distortion and variety in form and pattern
blending of analogous colours (colours that are beside each other on the colour wheel)
patterns in contrasting (light and dark) colours.
To set the chalk and prevent smudging, the completed images were spayed with one or two coats of cheap hairspray – a much more affordable option than fixative!
Photographs by Stephan Graham