OBSESSED.

We all have our obsessions - things that interest us and we just can't get enough of. These can be things that you would do without anyone ever telling you to do, objects you collect that you just love for no explainable reason, something that can hold your interest longer than anything else. Some artists become obsessed with the techniques and media, or even shades of different colours. Think about your own interests, passions, dedications, hobbies and fixations…           What are you obsessed with? 

In this unit, you will explore whatever is deeply personal and meaningful only to you.

INVESTIGATION WORKBOOK
Tasks to get you started:

  1. What are you obsessed with? Use a mind map or any other visual method of exploring your own obsessions. Think about all areas of your life – what do you care the most about? What are the things you do, love, collect, think about, etc. without being told to? Fill (2-4 pages) with images and writing about your obsession
  2. Photograph your obsession. Draw your obsession. Many times, many angles. You’re obsessed, right!? (6 pages)
  3. Investigate three artists (contemporary & from different cultures) who are obsessed. What are they obsessed with? Compare and contrast their work, identifying links and making connections between their works and your own ideas. Written information should be in your own words. Include relevant info and your feelings and thoughts – what ideas do they give you? How can you use (or reject) the information or ideas and why? What’s the significance of their artwork? How does the work they do relate to the work you’d like to do? (4-6 pages)
  4. Experiment with ideas and media (pencil, ink, watercolour, soft pastel, oil pastel, acrylic paint, photography, computer manipulation, sculpture…) Choose a different combination of media for each page in your IWB to think through your ideas for a larger studio piece. Think about what media would be best for expressing the ideas you have developed.  (6-10 pages)
  5. Document and Reflect. Write reflectively about your experiments, ideas, influences and how they change as you go along. Include photographs of your work as it develops.
  6. Plan your studio works. Of course ideas change when you make them, but try to think through your ideas and present them with detail, as clearly as possible at this stage. (2-4 pages)

STUDIO WORK
Guidelines

  • Series of work. A series is a body of work that relates to each other – usually the same subject, medium, style. Based on your experiments, choose your best ideas and compositions to create a series that explores your obsession.
  • Aim for 7-9 finished pieces (this may vary depending on media)

Guiding Questions

  • Is this artwork something only I could have made?
  • Am I doing something that is meaningful to me? If not, what could I do that is meaningful to me?
  • What are my intentions? Am I criticizing my obsession? Am I trying to get others to become obsessed as well?
  • Does the media I’m working in best express my intentions?