Color Chart book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

I loved this idea and will be doing this one with my students. What a great way to get the mind working. Using colored (free) swatches from paint stores, we were to chose a certain number and looking at the name of the paint, draw the first thing that comes to our mind. It could relate to the name or it didn't have to. Loved this one!

Project Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was by far the most exciting part of the week for me. My project book was all about LINES! The theme was "ALONG THE LINE"... I found that lines were a common theme throughout my work this week and I'm attracted to all kinds of lines. The ideas really took off immediately in my book. I had been researching string installations, but when I went back to get started into the book, I began to think about one photo I took of a rope. It then just transformed into this wonderful idea book all about how I could build ceramic posts (cylindrical and rectangular forms) with different string/ribbon flowing out from them. It also became a way for me to think about what could be "contained", or kept out by using these lines. I felt my hand wasn't able to keep up with my brain quick enough to record my thoughts. I'd really like to work these ideas out in sculptural form.

Project Book Concept web & research, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This is a wonderful idea to do when starting something big. The concept web really helped me narrow down ideas and get a feel of some outcomes or possibilities for projects.

Image of Choice

This was the first assignment of the course. Sent home with only a roll of tape and two sheets of paper, we were to interpret the assignment however we saw fit. I started by covering the box of tape to use as the book "cover." I then cut and taped small pieces of paper together that were cut to the size of the box. The pages were then folded accordian style. I chose to go the more traditional route by illustrating the book using words and pictures. Of course I had to throw some humor into the mix since that is a big part of my personality. The story is about my travels to UF and all of the emotions, thoughts, and activities along the way.

Research, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For my research, some of my favorite artists were Wayne Thiebaud, Henry Moore and Andy Goldsworthy. All three of these artists I can see where my work has some element from each of their work. It was exciting to actually see sketches from their personal sketch books and see how and where their ideas developed.

Flag Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The flag book was a fun way to look at a book/assemble a book. It unfolds in a an opposite manner, which is very interesting. The kids will love this one!

Collection, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The collection drawings were fun. We were asked to bring in a collection of something.... my collection was band aids. I almost didn't bring any, but decided last minute that I'm pretty accident-prone, and I would probably need them. It just so happened I did- the last day! haha

Transfer Samples, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was so neat to learn. One of my favorites. Playing around with different photo copies and how we can use them in our sketch books, and altered books. The use of gesso, gel medium, packaging tape, clear contact paper and clear transparencies were all used.

Memory Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The memory drawings were one of my favorites. I loved starting out with just a square on the paper and writing or telling the story of a dress (with our eyes closed). It didn't matter whether we were writing over top of what we had already down on the paper. Once we were done describing, we erased about 50% of it. We then drew a blind contour of our dress we just described. We then played around with positive and negative, and what it might look like if those were present in our picture. The second drawing was of when my husband proposed to me. It's a picture of the ring.

Walking Studies, Nicole Kirkpatrick

We went on an adventure after eating at Burrito Brothers. We used a view finder and narrowed in on a few plants. I later went out and sketched some other plants. I really liked how the shadows were more apparent than the day we went on the walk.

Altered Book

My book was originally about "Time" which I found very inspiring and interesting. I enjoyed "mining" the book for images and research; I plan to carry on with this theme for quite awhile. Throughout the pages I allowed myself to visually explore this theme through shape, line and color. I am happy with the resolution of most of the pages; they have already informed my subsequent project book. The images below are my favorite spreads.

1-minute studies, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For the 1-minute studies, we each were given a prop. We had to think of "pose" to put ourself into that would incorporate the prop. We each had to pose for the class for one minute as they drew. These were to be very quick sketches of poses.

Mini-Collages, Nicole Kirkpatrick

The mini-collages were my least favorite this week. We were to come up with 5 separate mini-collages and do studies of them. We could do color, black and white and any other study of that collage. Then post 5 more mini-collages without the studies. I've never really got into doing collages, but this was a good way to break into an interesting way to look at shapes and color.

Prompts, Nicole Kirkpatrick

For Prompts, we all came up with a large list of themes or ideas for project books. We were asked to come up with 5 more. I love this list! I can't wait to use these ideas in class.

Donut Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

We were given a donut and were asked to sketch the donut in different ways. My donut was in one piece when I left the studio, but when I got back, it was in crumbles. My last five were mainly crumbled donut drawings.

Blindfold Drawings, Nicole Kirkpatrick

This was a fun exercise. We partnered up and took an adventure blindly outside. We were instructed to draw what was in front of us as we were blind folded. We were given instructions as where to place the drawing on our paper. These sketches are in our "Everything Sketchbook".

Altered Book, Nicole Kirkpatrick

My altered book took a completely different look than when I first started. I really didn't have any idea on how to alter a book. I truly struggled with it. I wanted the book to be about the use of pockets and how they are used to hide items. The idea that there are so many secret compartments or pockets and how one becomes quite curious as to want to know what's inside. The issue of trusting others with what one may have as secrets also plays a part in my altered book.