July 26 – 27, 2023, 10 am – 12:30 pm
Many thanks to the artist Emily Hunt for her workshop introducing our participants to EXPERIMENTAL DRAWING: Caricature: Faces in the crowd – Drawing from collage during the basic course within the Studio Program at BAI | Berlin Artist Residency, Art School, Arts Incubator, and Live Online Courses & Classes.
“The course will begin with a short introduction to the history and contemporary use of caricature in print-media and painting. Caricature lends itself to exaggeration, excess, humour and play. At the centre of caricature is the human face, and its infinite combinations. Through using the human face as a landscape of features, this course will push and extend drawing techniques using the calligraphic nib. A series of exercises will focus on incorporating collage techniques as a starting point for drawing the human face. A selection of unusual vintage magazines will be used as source material for inspiration and spontaneous decision making in this drawing class.
Day 1
10 am – 10.40 am
The course will commence with an informative presentation on the topic of caricature in print-media, painting and comics and graphic novels. The presenation will elaborate on the topic of caricature in Renaissance secular prints, 18th century pictorial satire, the melding of animal and human physiognomy by Charles Le Brun and contemporary examples such as Peter Saul and Robert Crumb. We will discuss the articulation of the exaggerated human face within figurative art.
Throughout the course, we will focus on the portrayal of exaggerated human facial features within figurative art. This aspect will be a key point of discussion as we explore how artists have utilised caricature to highlight and emphasize specific facial traits for narrative or political reasons.
10.40 am– 10.50 am
There will be a short demonstration of how to use the calligraphic nib and ink
10.50 am – 11.20 am
During the initial exercise of the course, we will focus on utilising found images from print media. Participants will be instructed to choose a compelling character from these images. The objective of this exercise is to gain insights into the process of translating an image by hand.
To begin, participants will redraw the selected character six times using pencils. This repetitive exercise aims to provide a deeper understanding of how the hand interacts with the image and how each iteration may introduce subtle variations.
Once the pencil sketches are completed, the next step will involve outlining the drawings using a calligraphic nib. This technique adds detail and idiosyncratic decoration.
11.20 am – 11.50 am
Drawing inspiration from Charles Le Brun’s depiction of humans fused with animal attributes, this exercise prompts participants to select an image of a person and gradually transform their facial features to match an animal that resonates with their perceived personality. The objective is to create a series of four drawings that capture the transitional process.
To begin, participants will use pencils to create the initial sketches. They will gradually introduce animal characteristics to the person’s face, progressing in stages to portray the transformation. Each drawing should reflect a different stage of the metamorphosis, showcasing the gradual integration of animal attributes into the human face.
Once the pencil drawings are complete, participants will refine their artwork using a calligraphic nib and ink. Through this exercise, participants will explore the creative process of merging human and animal characteristics, emphasizing the connection between visual representation and perceived personality.
11.50 am – 12.10 pm
Utilising collage materials as a resource, participants will engage in an exercise that involves searching for visually unusual elements such as, plants, objects, and machinery. These unhuman components will serve as the foundation for creating a hybrid mutant portrait.
Participants will carefully select and arrange the cutouts to form a bizarre individual. These collaged elements will act as outlines or templates to trace onto a new surface. By tracing the cutouts, participants can capture the distinct shapes and contours that contribute to the overall appearance of the hybrid portrait.
Once the tracing is complete, participants will have a newly formed person composed of various collage elements. Building upon this foundation, the next step, to be continued on Thursday morning, will involve drawing a chimera. A chimera is a mythical creature that combines different animal features into a single entity.
12.10 pm – 12.30 pm
At the end of the first day, there will be a group discussion to review the progress
made so far and to assess what work remains to be completed on the following day.
This will provide an opportunity for participants to share their thoughts and insights, and to receive feedback on their work.
Day 2
10 am – 10.30 am
The day will commence with a focused discussion on the genre of graphic novels, specifically exploring the artistic techniques and nuances of caricature within comics presented in book format. To facilitate this discussion, a selection of books from Emily Hunt’s collection will be distributed among the class, allowing participants to examine and analyze them collectively.
10.30 am – 11.00 am
We will complete the chimera collage from the previous day with ink painting. A short demonstration about gradient and wash will proceed the exercise.
11.00 am – 11.30 am
During the second exercise of the day, the focus will shift towards the personification of inanimate objects. Participants will select an image from the available collage resources and explore the concept of attributing human-like characteristics to objects such as cups, tables, chairs, or other human-made items.
Using the chosen image as a starting point, participants will engage in a creative exploration of how to imbue the object with human qualities. This could involve adding facial features, body language, or other anthropomorphic attributes to transform the object into a character with its own personality and presence. Through this exercise, participants will sharpen their ability to observe and reimagine familiar objects in unconventional ways.
11.30 am – 12.00 pm
In the final exercise, the emphasis will be on capturing the inherent character of objects through their silhouettes. Participants will be instructed to select two objects each from their studio space to use in an outline drawing exercise.
The exercise will begin by creating one large drawing that incorporates the selected objects. By focusing on the objects’ silhouettes, participants will aim to convey their unique characteristics and essence through simplified outlines. This approach allows for a distilled representation that emphasizes the defining shape and form of each object.
Following this, participants will move on to creating another large drawing, this time using abstract or made-up silhouettes. The objective here is to explore the potential of non-representational shapes and forms in conveying mood, energy, or narrative elements.
12.00 pm – 12.30 pm
To bring the workshop to a close, there will be a concluding discussion aimed at reflecting on the various exercises conducted throughout the session. During this discussion, participants will have the opportunity to express which exercises felt more exploratory. They can highlight the exercises that encouraged them to step out of their comfort zones, experiment with new techniques, or approach familiar subjects from an unusual perspectives.
Similarly, participants will have the chance to identify exercises that they found particularly easy or straightforward. These exercises might have aligned well with their existing skills, artistic preferences, or areas of expertise.
Moreover, participants will be able to discuss exercises that presented difficulties or posed compelling challenges. Sharing their experiences can provide valuable insights and learning opportunities for the entire group.” (Text by courtesy of Emily Hunt)
Emily Hunt (b. 1981) lives and works in Berlin since 2017. Hunt has been running Big Ego Books since 2015. She was the co-Dictator of DUKE Magazine, an artist magazine focusing on Australian artists and thrift culture between 2005-2009. She has shown extensively in Australia since 2012, including at the Museum for Contemporary Art Sydney, First Draft, Casula Powerhouse, UTS Gallery, Artspace, Bundanon Trust, UQ Art Museum, KNULP and The Commercial gallery.Her work is held in collections that include The Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art (CCWA), Artbank, and Manly Art Gallery. She was awarded Marten Bequest Scholarship for Painting (2015), and Ian Potter Cultural Trust Grant (2017), with two grants from Australia Council for the Arts (2014 & 2019). Her work has recently been shown at the Arp Museum Remagen, Kunstraum Kreuzberg Bethanien, Zitadelle Spandau (ZAK) and Sim Smith Gallery, London. In 2020 Hunt was selected as a participant in the Goldrausch Künstlerinnen Projekt. In 2021, Hunt’s first solo exhibition in Berlin opened at Galerie Wedding.
More information on the Emily Hunt Website.
