Sunday 23 November 2008

What do YOU do with a (horizon) line?

One of the ways I've begun to use some of my artsy stuff with my social sciencey stuff is to do with research methods... being more creative (!) with them: e.g. some participatory research with young people on labour market experiences; some narrative biographical interview training and some more experimental focus groups methods.

See Horizon #1
See Horizon #1
Soft pastel on board, 15x10cm

Let's turn this round, and do some 'research' with this blog. I've been circling around the (horizon) line. It's potential to separate, hold together, hold in tension, be (not) there, to enframe or open up. The previous experimentations in pastel have provided some interesting insights.

And, then I wonder: while some of you have commented on the horizon line, I could do a bit of participatory blogging on this. So: here's a few questions:

1. What importance do lines have in your work?
2. A horizon: to be ignored, explored? Thought about? Forgotten?
3. Technique - paint it in, out, around. Not really bother with it?
4. Separation/tension/togetherness: what role does a (horizon) line play in this?
In addition, maybe any comments on media you prefer, thoughts on abstraction and the like...

As you can see, I don't really do survey research: a narrative interview is what I'm most comfortable with; so, please, take the above as pointers rather than a fixed order.

Either reply as comment, but also - my email is in the sidebar; if you fancy, please attach a piece of your work to illustrate. I would like to discuss other people's thoughts/approaches to the above in here.

Cheers!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! I came over here from the OCA forums. I've just been exploring the horizon in my Art of Photography course.
I love the colours in your pastel drawing!

Lala!! said...

Hi!

Love your work Gesa and thanks for the comments on my blog! I think having now received assignment 3 and seen the improvements they have made over 1 & 2 it will be OK! That is if I can stick with it too!! Think I will and just need to keep up the practice! Thanks again! Chris

PS as for "horizon" I have no idea in "art" eg drawing and paint etc but studied it all in photography! Thanks for your wonderfully enlightening blog! Chris

vivien said...

oh definitely consider it

in seascapes I like to break it up by looking hard at where the colour/tone is equal in sea and sky in one area and widely contrasting in another

Also if the sea is wild and you are down at the tides edge the horizon isn't always straight - it can be a heavy mass of swells powering towards you and quite scary

Gesa said...

Hi Chris and shashinsatsue - yes, I had a look at the photography assignment - very interesting. I'd be interested to hear more about your thoughts on this. Thanks for dropping by.
Vivien, that's an interesting comment: on breaking it up along similarity/difference between sky/sea - that's something I have considered to: as a way of blurring the line. It's a bit similar with sun reflections too: the line disappears. Thanks, too for the point on wilderness at a low view point. Hm, that's an interesting point for exploring nearness/distance. Will remember :)

Anonymous said...

Bibliotheksküsse, meine Süße. Laß den Blick von meinem Text wegschweifen und sehe Linien, Linien, Linien. Z.B. die der gelben Signaturenaufkleber auf den Büchern in den Regalen... und die Reihen der Stühle, in den sich leerenden Reihen hier... Kamera beim nächsten Mal. Thanx for the music. Ich hörSchau sie mir daheim in Ruhe an...xxx, I.

Gesa said...

na, schnucki. dann nimm mal die knipse mit... hab hier ja letztens auch schon wieder so'n paar highlights in der stadt verpasst: dating advice in form eines kopierten plakats am waschsalon und so :) aber klar: linien sind schon was wunderbares. xxx

Anonymous said...

1. What importance do lines have in your work? I often start with fairly loose, even random lines. They disappear as I work, but I know they are there underneath.
2. A horizon: to be ignored, explored? Thought about? Forgotten? I think the word for me would be integrated - the horizon is not a focus for me, it just *is*.
3. Technique - paint it in, out, around. Not really bother with it? Paint it in, in as much as it is there. In many things, the horizon line really *isn't* there at all...
4. Separation/tension/togetherness: what role does a (horizon) line play in this? I think when a horizon line is there, it often binds the pieces together. It helps meld the parts into a whole.