Visual Exploration 2: Black experiments and mind map

 Medium experimentation with black

For the colour story project, I want to experiment with various black mediums and ways of mark-making so my final result will be visually interesting. I made some drawings exploring this linking to the meanings and themes of black.

1) Charcoal. I'm brand new to using charcoal but I find it very enjoyable to work with. I'm fairly satisfied with the results of these skulls but also see a lot to improve on such as my accuracy of the form and blending skills. I used different mark making techniques for this which made it look visually dynamic.

2) Black India ink. I really enjoy painting with India ink, it's one of my favourite mediums to use. I like watering it down and using a brush to get a variety of shades as well as dry-brushing to create texture.

3) Black paint pen. I've been enjoying using acrylic paint pens lately so I tried illustrating using only the black one. I like the texture I can create with it when the pen dries out, it makes the fur look fuzzy in areas. I also love the boldness of the solid matte black.

4) Paint pen + water + brush pen. For this experiment, I added water to the paint on the paper and then drew on top of it. I like this almost ghostly look.

Black association mind map