happy xmas

Finished oil painting so its all over bar some last-minute anxiety over the coming days. (will def occur)

 Painting is designed to add to the contrast between the stadium and surrounding neighbourhood. Not a very imaginative target but I think it is realised OK and gaps/colours/rough definition of nbackground work well together to produce an interesting image.

pen ultimate issue -

Hi , Addition of portrayal of stadium from outside of the ground at an angle where you can see a large section of the crowd. I have placed the scenario in the evening with the surroundings of the stadium in dark/muted shades. In contrast the outside of the stadium is cool metallic,white,blue,grey in colour to ad drama to the vibrant red used to define the crowd.....who make the place what it is. I am very happy with this , continually going over the surroundings with sequential layers of pastel till I got the right contrast. What do you think?

remaining submissions still to come are oil painting described in previous post...almost there now...and possibly an abstract piece depending on how it works out. Might also try something in ceramics as my 2 2hr sessions amounted to nought.

pre xmas ,last gasp,not a second to lose,entry...to be reptd 2morro

Hi All (ha-ha), completed roof based structure. pretty happy but still to add some phosphporescent paint for some glow in dark surprise element. Would like overall effect to be beautiful from some perspectives and ugly frm others...symbolising the role the stadium plays in Limerick society.

Other dalliance in the graphic arts is shown below where the somewhat tenous visual similarity betwen the venus flytrap and the stadium itself is used with the text of 'welcome to thomond park'. For insects this warm welcome results in certain death ....which while not strictly reflecting the attitude towards visiting teams ...does get across the hostile atmpshere in a humorous way. Only visual hint is small set of white lines to represent rugby posts at the back.

Attempts at more abstraction and emotional responses ...to follow.

examples of woodblock print

meant to add these a week or more ago.....

Finally, final stages of oil painting showing ominous space-ship like Thomond Park behind derleict space in neighbouring house estate. Stadium defined in smoothly painted surfaces with mega  sharp lines in stark contrast to haphazard defintion of derelict wall and grass land/debris. How well this works will be down to how I finish it off.....we'll see ...again.

THOMOND PARK EXPLORATION contd

Total focus now on Thomond Park and the different guises it adopts. The good the bad and the ugly. Attempts at exploring the beauty thru large paper roll based scultpure. Will eventually look like a propellor with the ridge of pyramids holding the whole thing together each supporting a roof - wing-like expanse. We'll see!

Current bits being assembled....

In addition have started playing with intimidation of stadium/crowd/Munster from viewpoint of visiting team.
See charcoal outline below....

thats it for just now. plan is to finish sculpture, maybe have a more focussed effort at 'intimidation' and also to record night-time/matchday experience at next big homegame in a couple of weeks. possibly some time-lapse movie of images showing very different views.....

progress of a sort ...

Completion of 3D models of Thomond Park Roof and pyramid sub-section. Further investigation of wooden block printing has also gone pretty well ...images on Monday...or so.
Visit to Thomond resulted in following images showing dramatic curves made up of straight lines of metal....

progress of a sort

 Moved onto 1st print trials and 3d modelling mock-up. Print was wooden block depiction of houses in front of looming thomond park.

Is print successful. I think bits are interesting....scratches on hourse surface are in marked contrast to deep grooves on stadium. If stadium was smooth this contrast would be heightened.Next attempt on drying rack.

3d model is beginning to take shape and is a depiction of roof of thomond park stand contsructed out of wire and paper tubes.

 View of partially completed stand roof structure from above.

Looking along the underside. To finish or not to finish...that is the question.

1st photoshop lesson from Paul Gardiner. Kwik attempt at separating sections of photo and alteration.

AIm is to play with colour,contrast etc to change relationship between houses and spaceship. Possibly to be used to help create prints/painting.

wed 13th october

completely and utterly stuck on simple combination of visual elements of rugby ball,thomond park,crowds,pub fronts.....aieee!!!!

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

After expolring 3 distinct ideas in parallel for the last 3 or 4 weeks have finally focussed on the role rugby plays in the life of Limerick city. The city is unique in my opinion in the way rugby is played and supported by all walks of life breaking down any social barriers that may still exist in these somewhat more enlightened times. Society was not always so liberal and egalitarian  so what makes Limerick a little different from teh largely public school origins seen in other countries and even in Dublin,Cork within Ireland is a bit of a puzzle.
I am exploring this history as best I can but the reason rugby started out this way in Limerick and has not changed thru the decades even under pressure from the GAA instigated purge of all foreign games in the 1920's is as yet unknown.
Limerick pubs are covered in rugby memorabilia of locsl clubs and Munster acheivments and there is a great synergy , fuelled probably by the financial rewards of attracting supporters , whi have an inclination for alcohol. On match day , everyone wearing the red of Munster, the crowd becomes a large entity , proud of its rugby heritage and very aware of the ritualistic behaviour regarding songs, silence at opponents kicks which are rigourously maintained.
In my mind the crowd seems to know that divergent behaviour ,such as shouting at kicks...will inevitably lead to the break up of the mystical forces that hold this vast body of many different types of people in harmony...resulting in teh ultimate demise of the crowd.

So, lots of ideas ...but little imagery to work with. Any ideas would be gratefully received. Initial image posted shows Thomond Park as viewed from neighbouring housing estate. This in itself is unique in  that most rugby grounds of this size would traditionally be placed in well to do reasidential areas reflecting the strands of society that support the game in these cities,countires....

1st YEAR LSAD - David Bain

In 1st project I aim to explore the long standing relationship the city of Limerick has with rugby and pub culture.
ceramics elective - raku firing experience
graphics elective - typographical and illustrative examination of the word 'above'
painting elective ???