Zarah's Blog: Art Nouveau Inspired College Work (Part 1)

I finally brought home my a-level art work from college. This was one of my favourite units as we could choose our own topics rather than choosing from a specification. The theme I chose to base my art work on is the natural world inspired by one of my favourite movements, Art Nouveau. I took close-up photographs of pretty flowers with vibrant colours and also facades on buildings as I like the pattern detail.

From my photographs, above are the observational drawings I produced using pencil and biro, in which I then scanned into the computer transforming my images into a digital image design by using Photoshop. I was inspired by artists such as Alphonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt who were part of the Art Nouveau movement. I just literally love everything about their work, I could be on google forever viewing pictures and researching them.

I chose to screen print this design as it was one of my favourites. I like the traditional Art Nouveau wall-papery effect it gives as well as using my own contemporary style by using bright and bold colours. I had to register the pattern carfully as each screen was A4 size and my final size was A2.

To be honest, this one happened by mistake but the outcome was a pleasant surprise. I kind of played it by ear a little because I originally mono-printed the image of my sister on to calico material which I had dyed black (you can see the failed attempt of red in the background). The photo of my sister is below. Yeah, so stiff material and mono-printing don't go so well together. After,I then decided to sew on top of it giving a finer line. Still having no plan, I randomly decided to screen print on top of it in a contrasting blue giving it a nice finished boarder. This is one of my favourite pieces, maybe I should be more spontaneous...