For our first exercise we were set the task of experimenting with fluid media during a time when we have ‘mental space to be more reflective’. The task was to make a series of drawings in quick succession using your chosen form of fluid media. The idea being you let your hand respond to your thoughts without analysing or dwelling on them.

The time I selected for this exercise was just after my morning run. I find this to be a time when I am both relaxed and energised. My brain seems to happily wander at this time of the day and often solves problems that have been lingering at the back of my mind. This mental space and my morning run have become increasingly important for my mental health under coronavirus lockdown. These images were created and further worked on in the early days of lockdown. I used dark green acrylic paint to which I added water to make it more runny. I picked this colour partly because I assumed that my mind would wander to thoughts of the trees and greenery that I love to see on my usual running route.

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Initially the trees and plants on my route did influence my drawings as you can see above. The shapes I drew look like plants or vines. As I carried on drawing however some slightly more unexpected shapes began to appear. Shapes that look like bridges and tunnels appeared to form and later a drawing with shapes reminiscent of cranes or industrial machinery (as below). I run down an old railway line and there are many bridges so this element is maybe not so surprising but the tunnels and cranes are more unexpected. Living in the suburbs of a city, I guess it is to be expected that these more manmade shapes emerge out of my subconscious. Even on coronavirus lockdown in the suburbs you can see the towers and cranes from the city (a city shut off from us at the time of my drawing). It does sometimes feel like the towers get closer and closer by the day, as they further develop the city. It is as if the urban sprawl is closing in on all the green spaces.

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There are only two drawings of mine where figures appear to have emerged. I think it is interesting how these two images are similar but represent two quite different feelings. The image above appears to have a figure kneeling in the middle. What seems to start off as bridges from the outside of the paper turns into boxes further towards the middle, in which the figure is enclosed. This could represent feelings of isolation and being trapped during the pandemic lockdown (particularly in a small flat). In contrast, although the below drawing has a similar figure kneeling in the middle of the image, I see this figure as protected rather than trapped. The figure has space and a protective shape above it. This shape is sheltering it. A major difference in this image is the representations of nature. This figure feels safe and is sheltered by nature, whereas the figure above is trapped by manmade structures.

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The way the paint is used is also quite different between the two images containing figures. In the first image the paint is quite thick and opaque. As the drawings progress you can see the paint being more and more watered down and in the painting above, the paint is translucent. This adds to the drawing’s gentle, dream-like feeling; whereas the images with thicker paint look bolder and more solid. You can see in the image below, where I have laid out my drawings in the order they were created (starting from top left), that the paint starts off thick, gets water down and then I add more paint so it is thicker again. You can also see in the picture below how my energy varies. I started off with bold, flowing, energetic stokes but as I carried on with the process my strokes became slower and more meandering. I have heard people talk of ‘flow’ (when a person is completely absorbed in an activity) and I think in this instance I was in ‘flow’ during the slower portion of my drawing.

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An interesting pattern that developed in the mid stage of this process can be seen represented in the images below. These images show branches of lines splitting off into pairs or threes. Initially I thought these looked quite plant-like, especially the one on the right. It looks a little like bamboo (which is growing in the communal garden of my block of flats). On further consideration I realised that it may be a continuation of some drawings I have been doing in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. These drawings were largely for therapeutic purposes because I find it helpful to think about things through drawing or painting. Thoughts from this previous work seem to have emerged here and the images I have been dwelling on regarding this subject must be stuck in my head.

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The drawings regarding Covid 19 that I refer to above are in response to the visual representations of how the virus spreads. There have been a lot of images circulating in the media and on social media that are like the drawing below. They are designed to visually explain how the virus spreads and how small decisions, such as working from home, can stop the spread in its tracks. This shows that these decisions can prevent a whole branch of people from becoming infected (in this case 21 people). I find this interesting because the way this type of information spreads is similar to the way the virus spreads and thus it is a representation of its own method of spreading. We talk about media going ‘viral’ and this is an accurate word for it. I find the role technology and social media has played in the pandemic interesting and I will write a separate post about the drawings that have influenced the above images.

Other interesting trends in the patterns I have created are the looping, almost writing-like patterns and also some stripes that started to appear. You can see this in the images below. I think I have been subconsciously inspired by the wealth of graffiti that I see on the bridges I pass under on my run. It is true to say that it is an enjoyable part of my running experience to see the creativity and messages that surround me on my route. I like the idea that people are leaving each other messages, particularly in these times when we are cut off from one another. A lot of the graffiti has obviously taken some time to create and there is real skill in it. I love the bravery of spending so much time over something that could just be painted over.

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Some of the looping patterns I turned into faces (as below). Maybe this is the inherent need to anthropomorphise everything we see to make sense of it or make it more familiar. This could also show a certain paranoia in me. It could represent the paranoia of being watched or that of being constantly monitored. There is now so much data out there about each person, especially with the current need to trace people, it is hard not to feel like you are being monitored. It could also represent the paranoia inherent in the age of social media; that feeling that your life is on show to be judged and scrutinised by your peers.

It is also worth noting that in the image to the right you can see influences of Louise Bourgeois’s ‘À L’infini’ that I have studied in my previous post.

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Spending time with these shapes I can see an emerging theme of the tension between man and nature. The wonderful, uncontrollable chaos of nature that man nevertheless tries to control, monitor and manage. I see the evidence of this conflict on my run: tree roots bursting through pavements, plants growing through brick. One of the final drawings I produced (see below) could be influenced by environmental issues. These spherical shapes could be seen as planets, maybe our planet. In the middle of the largest shape the pattern is somewhat nest-like. Nests are nature’s places of shelter and comfort. Maybe this is my subconscious representation of how precious our planet and place of shelter is and how we must do more to nurture it.

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Self Assessment (before use of dry media):

This exercise has been fascinating and quite therapeutic as a process. I feel that this may become a useful tool for me to help free up my brain and see what ideas float to the surface. However, I do feel slightly conflicted about the resulting drawings. Some of the drawings feel quite childish. Whilst there is nothing wrong with a bit of childishness, I feel that some of the drawings would need a fair bit of development before I was entirely happy with them. I guess this was not the point of the exercise though and it was probably more about the journey than it was the destination.

One image where I feel the childlike element is actually an asset is the image of a kneeling figure in a box/under bridges. This is a simple representation of the feeling of isolation that many of us are feeling now and whilst in some ways it feels too obvious, it is also relatable.

My choice of fluid media was acrylic paint which I watered down. I feel that maybe I did not water it down enough as it did not drip or run as much as I wanted it to or I think the exercise intended.

My pace of drawing varied quite a bit. The more tangled, energetic drawings were done at a quick pace whereas some of the images towards the end were done at a slower pace. I think the varying pace was a positive in this process as it gave me the opportunity to explore different strokes, shapes and patterns.

For my ‘counterpoint’ dry media I have chosen my fine line black drawing pen. I have decided not to add to all of the drawings but there are some I feel compelled to add to. I feel particularly compelled to add to the images that represent graffiti. The fluidity of the paint led me to make mostly lines or bold flowing marks rather than shading or specific shapes. These marks are a bit like writing and therefore I feel I would like to add words to some of these drawings

I will be writing about the addition of my ‘counterpoint’ dry media in a further post.