IB Visual Arts Inspiration Centre

[Vincent Casey F]

Hey guys,

I just finished IB and I wanted to continue helping the IBers after me cause when I was doing it, I'd greatly appreciate a helping hand.

I took Art HL Option B and got a high 6 so I decided to focus on helping people in this area of the IB program where I have the most knowledge.

Most IB art students "run out of ideas" during their senior year. They just don't know what to make for their final piece. People who are good at painting often fail to show diversity in media because they're comfortable with one media only so they just do that over and over again.

I wanted to open a discussion here where I and other IB Visual Art students come and share any ideas they have that might help other students diversify their portfolio and take it beyond just paintings.

In every post, I'll be introducing you to one idea and will teach you how to do it. So follow this discussion cause I'll be updating it almost everyday.

The first idea is a typography technique that most of you can use. As far as I'm concerned, "Nature" and "Environment" are two of the most common themes that people choose. If you're the type of person who usually uses text in their work, you can take a look at these cutout letters that can really take your mixed-media painting to the next level:

To do this, all you need is a cookie cutter. Pick up some leaves and press with a cookie cutter to cut out the shape of the cutter, but make sure you use a metal cookie cutter cause the plastic ones wont do it. Also try and find fresh leaves cause the dry ones will just shatter if you press the cookie cutter on them. You can also use this method to make your workbook more interesting. You can modify your cookie cutter to achieve different results. You can purchase letter cookie cutters here or at any local store that has baking stuff. It doesn't only end with letters though.. you can use different cookie cutter shapes like stars and such to get different results.

[Vincent Casey F]

Another idea is 3D cutouts. It's very simple but very appealing to the eye. To do this, you just need a picture fram that has depth to do, meaning that the front glass element of the fram doesn't touch the picture and there is a gap between the two. You can stick some of your cutouts on the rear element of the frame (background) and some to the front glass element of the frame (foreground).

This is the art of Jayme McGowan. You can use him as a model artist.

Now that you get the idea, you can use it for many other things. For example instead of using a frame, you can stick each layer on a piece of glass and put the pieces of glass right after each other to create depth of field and to blur the layers in the back to create a greater sense of depth. An example is the art of Jeff Zimmer:

By painting on each piece of glass, you can add depth to your paintings too. It doesn't have to be cutout.

Make sure you project a light behind your stack of glasses to really show what's inside or you won't be able to see the very last elements in the stack of glasses.

[Vincent Casey F]

I didn't really like painting when I was in IB. I was more of the installation/digital art type of guy. But I was forced to do some paintings to show diversity, knowledge of my own strengths and weaknesses, and to show that I undertook new challenges. To do this I decided to make my paintings look better by painting on different surfaces rather than a canvas. You can paint on cardboard, wood, skateboard, etc.

This next idea is about making a surface for your painting to make it look better.

It takes time and effort but the final results are amazing. It's called "Paperbag Floor" and this is how you do it:

1.Tear brown paper bags or painter roll and make sure edges are torn – not cut.

2. Crumple for texture and dip in a bowl of 50/50 elmer’s glue and water.

3. Spread on floor and smooth-out any air bubbles.

4. Apply up to six coats of Polyurethane making sure to completely dry between coats.

source

[lizzie james]

Thankyou so much! I have concepts for my artwork but am already struggling to find techniques and mediums to use.

[IB231997]

i have just started with ib and i have chosen visual art hl.

if you could give me some tips that could help me through out the course ?

any help would be appreciated.

thank you.