In the start if the semester, I completed an Abstract Landscape with Stools and Figure. This particular projects moves from line to shape, and places attention on the “spaces between” things as a way of constructing a form.

We began with gesture drawings, then longer poses. Using charcoal, I concentrated on contour and relationship of figure to surrounding forms and edge of page.

After the figure drawing, I created a “landscape” pencil drawing out of several artists’ stools in the classroom. I drew this landscape analytically, focusing on structure and on spaces between forms.

The following week I brought one of my figure drawings and my stool drawing and scanned them into the computer. In photoshop, I used “Multiply” to make one drawing transparent, move drawings around to create a composition with fewer, larger negative shapes. I then saved my composition as a Photoshop PDF.

Finally I traced negative shapes in the combo composition. I transferred the tracings onto white bristol, and cut out 2 sets of white shapes. I found 12-15 shapes in and them in two 10″ x 10″ compositions.

1) White Figure on Black Ground

2) Ambiguous Figure/Ground 

In Illustrator after, I traced negative (white) shapes to re-create my collages digitally. I created 2 artboards, both 10” x 10”. I drew a 10” x 10” black square on each artboard; lock layer. I pasted my collage scans on a new layer to use as a template. Lock that layer too. Next I created a new layer and copy & pasted my Pen-Tooled white shapes onto it. I moved them around to re-create my collage compositions. When complete, I hid the template layer (revealing black square).