After some testing of what to fill in the middle I think I’ve settled on three leaves, I do actually quite like them as an additive layer if I were to just stick them on but I think it does interfere with the cohesion, so I’ll be painting them onto the surface.

Some process shots of my expansive work over the past week, I was really inspired by Sue William’s work, particularly her use of colour, shape and negative space to convey meaning. It is definitely not a super expansive work, but I wanted it to act as a reflection of my reductive work, and act as a comparison piece rather than just a stand alone.

I particularly love the look of the photos in progress, as it moves from reductive to expansive and the contrast of the new colours gives the other colours greater vibrancy.

I am still struggling to figure out what I want to put in the centre of the piece, I quite like it empty, but I think an abstract figure or something similar could complete it.

Currently in the process of trying to stretch out my reductive work, the gesso’d canvas was stored folded, but it’s the only canvas I have so there are creases in the work to try and get out.

I’m really happy with it compositionally, there are a few tweaks and touch ups left but I think it really captures the transitional effect I was going for and is rememiscent of Hilma af Klints work that I was inspired by.

Some progress on my reductive work, I was really inspired by Carmen Hererra and her precise geometric work and simple use of colour, and tried to incorporate that into my piece. 

Have done a bit of experimentation with the composition and colour palette of the final piece, and decided upon a slightly simpler composition. I used careful measuring and a compass to mark out the phases, aiming for a parabolic grouping of the phases to represent the lunar cycle. 

I also settled upon a cool colour palette, as while I loved the warm tones they seemed less similar to the night sky and the phthalo blue and black combination was quite spectacular in person (unfortunately doesn’t show up as well as I’d like in the photo).