Final output: non-linear thought process
Thought process and lack, there of.
I chose to take a closer look at a subversive figure in the art world as he appears to have an unusual thought-process to making art — Andy Warhol. His methodology was unusual, non-linear, experimental and unapologetic.
His approach was unique for each piece. For some pieces he looked directly at the end vision, keeping on a straight path to the end result and bringing in others to help execute his vision. More often though, his work was informed by experimentation with materials or processes, keeping his vision loose enough to allow for divergences from the standard practices.
He was often unapologetically uninformed and deliberately unaware of the science behind standard practices, but that was made some of his pieces great.
If you had asked an intaglio printmaker what would happen if you poured acid all over a copper plate, they would likely say it would just print as a black wash so why bother exhausting your acid bath. But as Warhol didn’t care to be educated on the history and correct methods of printmaking, he wasn’t confined by those parameters.
Taking the basic principles of acid on copper, knowing it would oxidize, his experimentation becomes an incredible piece of art, conceptually and physically.
“It was just copper paint and you would wonder sometimes why it did turn green and sometimes it didn’t. It would just turn black or something. I don’t know what made it do that.”
- Andy Warhol in Mark Francis, Andy Warhol: 1956-86, Mirror Of His Time, 1996
Andy Warhol, Oxidation Painting (in 12 parts), 1978
What Was Andy Warhol thinking?
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/andy-warhol-2121/what-was-andy-warhol-thinking
In Warhol’s practice, he was completely free. He wasn’t bound to the history of the mediums he touched, he didn’t care to know about the longevity and preservation of his work, and if that became a hindrance, he brought in collaborators and workshop assistants who were more informed and skilled in production.
This was crucial in order to produce art at the high volume he did, and allowed him to focus conceptually on the greater meaning and concept of reproduction and print media.
Warhol’s method of gathering existing materials to print on reminded me of choosing, sourcing and recycling fabric to make a dress from.
I envision him as the pattern-maker.
His non-linear thought process is represented by each piece of the pattern — each working independently, but coming together to make a unique garment. Even when the pattern pieces are made in large quantities, each piece is slightly different. A stitch out of place, a cut slightly off-centre, many hands with different ways of sewing.
My final outcome, a black line drawing that represents this way of thinking.
Andy Warhol, Ladies and Gentlemen Portrait
This series tackled the socio-political issues of cross-dressers. This print features a photo portrait and is transposed by blocks of color, emphasizing the glamorous and eccentric nature of cross-dressing men and women.
Readings and Lectures
There was a lot to unpack with this week’s lecture, so I began with reflecting on my own thought processes. I looked back at my past few creative projects and what approaches I took. I then applied it against the six hats, and found I was only ever wearing 2 or 3 per project. I don’t think I will ever get to a point where putting on all six hats will become natural for me, but I think it’s great to be able to keep this process as a guide, particularly when collaborating with other team members.
Some key questions to ponder: How do we as Designers combine different ways of seeing, thinking, feeling within our design process? How can we create broader context of thinking?
