Supporting Documentation

Nina Musial
My work and it's development
My work began as a passion project, just
exploring faces and showing emotion and
horror, of how I see my own world, but it slowly
transformed into the human body, and how I
can express emotion without having to show
the face. It made me delve deeper into the
human condition, and how to actually express
certain things with the body. It was a lot of
scribbling and trial and error, but I feel like I
came out with strong work to show progression
from the face to the body.
 Experimentation with Wet

paint Dry

I wanted to try using paint to express my feelings and

perceptions of people. I turned to black paint, as I felt that
it was the most appropriate; I also love the fact that it fit
my monochromatic theme. It was fun to experiment with
it, using both wet and dry brushes to make lines and
create texture in my paintings.
I definitely will be using an effect like this again, as I feel
like it brings a lot of depth to the pieces – to have a
variation of dry and wet, as well as to include pencil in it,
to have some line variation.
Experimentation with colour
I don't often use colour in my work, however I wanted to try it
for this project, as I wanted to learn how to use colour, like
pencils and pastels.
I first used it while I was exploring faces and how facial
features express emotion, and I feel like it worked really well,
especially the green as a transition stage from the blue to the
yellow.
The second was when I was exploring the body, using the red
and yellow to show shadows as well as the lights. It almost
looks like one of those heat maps you get on cameras. I feel
like I had a certain degree of success with my colourful works,
and I will definitely be trying it with my future works.
 Female torso,
Cambodia

Gallery
I went to the Sainsbury Centre in UEA. There was a lot of
foreign sculptures, as well as art, but I found a few sculptures
and such that I liked.
I feel like they were related to my work, as they expressed the
human form.
I think I like the female torso the most, despite it being the
one unnamed piece. It's well proportioned, as well as
aesthetically pleasing.

Half figure no.2 - Henry

Moore

Study of a nude – Francis

Bacon
Research: Context week 2
Develop mind
mosaic about
interests and
expectations for
the next project/
coming weeks.
Research: Context week 3
Tasked with watching a video and
making notes on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fje0JEvzG50
Research: Context week 5

Watched another video.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0720m7r/the-
century-of-the-self-1-happiness-machines
Research: Context week 8
Tasked with reading John Bergers the Ways of Seeing and Micel Foucault's The Order of Things.
John Berger's Ways of Seeing is a groundbreaking exploration of art, perception, and the impact of visual
culture on society. Published as both a book and a television series in the 1970s, Berger challenges
conventional ways of understanding art, encouraging readers and viewers to question assumptions and
consider the broader social and cultural context of visual images.
The Order of Things is Foucault's analysis of the shifts in knowledge and classifications that have occurred
throughout different historical periods. He introduces the concept of "epistemes" to describe the underlying
structures that govern the production of knowledge in a given era. Foucault argues that each historical epoch is
characterized by a unique episteme that shapes the way knowledge is conceived, produced, and organized.
Websites I used throughout my work
• Quickposes (quickposes.com): An online tool that generates random poses for timed practice
sessions. It's a useful resource for gesture drawing, and I could customize the time for each pose.
• Line of Action (line-of-action.com): Line of Action has a section for life drawing. It provided timed
poses for me to practice how to capturing the human figure quickly.
• Croquis Cafe (onairvideo.com/croquis-cafe): It provided high-quality videos of live models posing
for timed life drawing sessions. It was a great resource for me, as I was looking to practice gesture
drawing and capturing the human form dynamically.
Expressive Figure Drawing: New Materials,
Concepts, and Techniques by Bill Buchman
While many figure drawing books gear towards more realistic
anatomical representations, this book adopts a looser
approach. Most of the exercises use "blind" contour drawings.
It's not about constructing figures from imagination. The
book's actually about life figure drawing so you need access to
a posing model, or reference photos. There is more emphasis
on how you draw rather than what you draw. Bill Buchman
uses a lot of different drawing materials so you can see how
different each figure feels from the other.
The figure: Movement and Gesture by Willem
de Kooning
The Figure: Movement and Gesture focuses on the
movement of transformation from figuration into
abstraction and the complex ways that de Kooning
depicted motion as he rendered the human figure.
This was a very interesting read, as it showed me
Kooning's thought processes and thoughts about
his own work. It helped me discover more about
him as an artist, as well as helping me understand
more about my own artistic processes.
Anatomy by Christopher Joseph
This book was simply to help me learn more about the
human anatomy and how I was drawing it. It was very clear,
and had a lot of diagrams about how each part of the
human body worked and looked.
Overall this book really helped me understand the
complexeties of the human body.
The Art of Drawing and Painting VOL 1
This is the first Volume in the installation of 6 that I
read. I have owned this book for a long time, and it
helped me discover more about the mediums I use
and how to use them.
It taught me a lot about charcoal especially, and how
to use is efficiently as well as how to make it look
better.
Francis Bacon (1909–1992)
Francis Bacon, a luminary of the Renaissance era, left an enduring legacy as a
philosopher, statesman, and pioneer of the scientific method. Born in 1561 in
London, Bacon's early intellectual prowess led him to Trinity College,
Cambridge, and later a distinguished legal and political career. Despite facing
a tarnished political reputation, Bacon's most enduring contributions lie in his
philosophical works, particularly the essays that advocated for a pragmatic
approach to knowledge and a keen interest in empirical observation. His
seminal work, "Novum Organum," laid the groundwork for the scientific
method, emphasizing the importance of experimentation and induction.
Bacon's clear and concise literary style, evident in his essays, reflects not only
his deep understanding of human nature but also his commitment to
advancing knowledge for the betterment of society. His influence resonates
through the corridors of philosophy and science, marking him as a pivotal
figure in the evolution of intellectual thought.
I feel like Bacon's work relates a lot to mine, so researching into him was very
interesting. He does more paintings rather than loose pencil work, but I still
felt that our work was connected.
Egon Schiele (1890–1918)
Egon Schiele, an Austrian painter born in 1890, stands as a provocative and
influential figure in the world of art. A protege of Gustav Klimt, Schiele's
distinct style emerged during the tumultuous period of early 20th-century
Vienna. His art, characterized by its expressive lines, distorted figures, and
intense psychological depth, challenged societal norms and pushed the
boundaries of traditional portraiture. Schiele's works, often exploring
themes of sexuality, death, and existentialism, reflect the zeitgeist of his
time. Despite a short life that ended tragically at the age of 28 in 1918,
Schiele's impact on Expressionism and the evolution of modern art is
profound, leaving a lasting imprint on subsequent generations of artists and
admirers alike.
Schiele's work relates to mine in the sense of theme, especially since my
work also addresses existentialism, and many other depressing themes. His
work made a direct impact on mine, as I loved the thickness an thinness of
the lines in his work, and I attempted to recreate it in my work also.
Willem de Kooning (1904–1997)
Willem de Kooning, a Dutch-American abstract expressionist painter, left an
indelible mark on the art world with his dynamic and innovative approach
to abstraction. Born in Rotterdam in 1904, de Kooning immigrated to the
United States in 1926, where he became a prominent figure in the mid-
20th-century New York art scene. His works, marked by bold brushstrokes,
vibrant colors, and a relentless exploration of form, reflect a constant
tension between abstraction and representation. Notably associated with
the Abstract Expressionist movement, de Kooning's iconic "Woman" series,
characterized by frenetic and fragmented depictions of the female form, is
a testament to his ability to capture raw emotion and the human
experience on canvas. With a career that spanned several decades until his
death in 1997, de Kooning's contributions to modern art continue to be
celebrated for their energy, complexity, and enduring influence on
subsequent generations of artists.
Kooning's art is very expressionist and abstract, but I still love his
exploration of form, even if it's not very legible at first. It helped me think
of my work more loosely, and helped me keep it mildly abstract, like his, so
that it's not always obvious what my work is at first.
Georg Baselitz (born 1938)
George Baselitz, born in Germany in 1938, is a pioneering artist
whose impact on contemporary art cannot be overstated. A
prominent figure in the Neo-Expressionist movement, Baselitz is
renowned for his distinctive approach to figurative painting and
sculpture. His early works challenged conventions with their
inverted figures, provoking viewers to reconsider traditional modes
of representation. Baselitz's art is characterized by a raw and
visceral quality, exploring themes of identity, history, and the human
condition. Throughout his prolific career, he continued to evolve his
style, experimenting with materials and techniques while
maintaining a commitment to the emotive power of his subjects.
Baselitz's influence extends far beyond his native Germany,
solidifying his place as a transformative force in the global art
landscape.
Baselitz's focus on the form is very familiar to me, as my own work
addresses the same theme. I felt inspired when I saw his works,
specially when I was low on energy, and it made me draw. His work
inadvertently helped me make more, so I thought I'd include him
since his work helped me so much with inspiration.
Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920)
Amedeo Modigliani, an Italian painter and sculptor born in
Livorno in 1884, is celebrated for his distinctive and elegant
depictions of the human form. Working in Paris during the early
20th century, Modigliani became a prominent figure in the avant-
garde art scene. His elongated and stylized figures, characterized
by almond-shaped eyes and elongated necks, convey a sense of
timeless grace and sophistication. Modigliani's portraiture, often
featuring subjects with a timeless and enigmatic allure, reflects
the influences of both Italian Renaissance art and African
sculpture. Despite a tragically short life that ended in 1920,
Modigliani's oeuvre continues to captivate audiences worldwide,
leaving an enduring legacy that has profoundly influenced
modern figurative art.
I loved the colour in Modigliani's work, and how clear his human
forms are, despite still being styalised. It made me think about the
proportions and colour in my own work, and it inspired me to
make a coloured piece to show relation of my own work to his.
Chaim Soutine (1893–1943)
Chaim Soutine, a Russian-French painter born in 1893, occupies a
distinctive place in the annals of modern art with his visceral and
emotionally charged works. A key figure in the School of Paris and a
contemporary of Amedeo Modigliani and Marc Chagall, Soutine's art is
characterized by a bold and expressive use of color and a profound
exploration of texture. His subjects, often depicted in distorted and
tumultuous forms, range from landscapes to portraits, all bearing a
dynamic intensity that reflects Soutine's own tumultuous life
experiences. Soutine's unique style, marked by a fusion of post-
Impressionist influences and a deeply personal approach to his
subjects, has earned him a lasting reputation as a master of emotive
expression and a precursor to the Abstract Expressionist movement in
the mid-20th century. Despite facing personal challenges and the
upheavals of war, Soutine's contribution to the world of art endures as
a testament to the power of raw emotion and unbridled creativity.
The emotion in Soutine's work mirrors my own, despite my work not
having many faces. I loved the distortion in his work, though you can
still tell what's in the painting. My own work is very distorted, as each
limb is either slightly too long, or too short, and I attribute that to
Soutine, and how his work inspired me.
Alice Neel (1900–1984)
Alice Neel, an American painter born in 1900, is celebrated for her
emotionally charged and psychologically penetrating portraits. A trailblazer in
figurative art, Neel's works capture the essence of her diverse subjects,
ranging from friends and family to prominent cultural figures. Her distinctive
style involves bold, expressive brushstrokes, and a vivid use of color, creating
portraits that go beyond mere representation to reveal the inner lives of her
sitters. Neel's unconventional approach to portraiture, often depicting her
subjects in raw and unidealized forms, reflects a deep humanism and a
commitment to authenticity. Despite facing years of relative obscurity, Neel's
artistic vision gained widespread recognition later in her life, solidifying her
place as an influential figure in 20th-century American art. Her legacy
endures as a testament to the power of portraiture to illuminate the
complexities of the human experience.
Neel's work is very raw in the way she shows the human form, and it made
me understand more about my work and how it presents my perception of
the form.
Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945)
Käthe Kollwitz, a German artist born in 1867, left an indelible mark
on the art world with her poignant and socially engaged works.
Renowned for her powerful prints, drawings, and sculptures,
Kollwitz's art served as a compassionate reflection on the human
condition, particularly the impact of war, poverty, and social
injustice. Her stark and emotionally charged images, often
depicting the struggles of the working class, mothers, and victims
of war, convey a deep sense of empathy and urgency. Kollwitz's
commitment to social justice and her ability to capture the
universal aspects of the human experience transcend time and
place. A pioneering figure, she became the first woman elected to
the Prussian Academy of Arts in 1919. Käthe Kollwitz's legacy
endures as a testament to the transformative power of art to bear
witness to the struggles and triumphs of humanity.
Kollwitz's work heavily inspired mine, especially since she uses the
human face to express emotion. She uses charcoal, my curent
prefered medium, which made her work relate well to mine. I want
my own work to show emotion like hers, despite not many of my
works having faces.
Eric Fischl (born 1948)
Eric Fischl, an American contemporary artist born in 1948, is
celebrated for his provocative and psychologically charged
paintings that explore the complexities of suburban life and the
human experience. Rising to prominence in the 1980s, Fischl's
works often depict scenes of domestic intimacy, imbued with an
unsettling tension and surreal undertones. His mastery of
figurative painting, combined with a keen eye for composition and
narrative, allows Fischl to convey the underlying emotional
landscapes of his subjects. Whether exploring themes of sexuality,
identity, or the nuances of interpersonal relationships, Fischl's art
invites viewers to confront the complexities and contradictions of
contemporary existence. His contributions to the figurative art
movement continue to resonate, offering a compelling exploration
of the often unspoken and deeply personal aspects of the human
psyche.
My own work is meant to affect the human psyche, and the way
people look at the world, so I felt very connected to Fischl's work.
He didn't inspire me much, as his work uses a lot of colour, but I
still really liked the way it affected me when I looked at it.
Lucian Freud (1922-2011)
Lucian Freud, a towering figure in 20th-century art, is celebrated for
his uncompromising and intensely visceral depictions of the human
form. Born in 1922, Freud, the grandson of Sigmund Freud, became
known for his unflinching exploration of the human psyche through
portraiture, especially in the nude. His paintings, characterized by a
meticulous attention to detail and a mastery of texture, often present
raw, unidealized representations of his subjects, revealing the physical
and psychological complexities of the human body. Freud's work
stands at the intersection of realism and abstraction, capturing the
nuance and vulnerability of his sitters. Notable for his long sittings and
the intense engagement with his models, Freud's oeuvre includes
iconic pieces like "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" and "Naked Man, Back
View." His legacy endures as an influential force in figurative art, with
his distinctive approach to portraiture leaving an indelible mark on the
art world. Lucian Freud passed away in 2011, leaving behind a
profound and enduring contribution to the exploration of the human
condition through art.
I feel like my work is very similar to Freud's, despite the fact that he
uses oil painting, but I still really related to how he painted the human
form, how raw his work is. It inspired me deeply to create more, and
to put more depth and complexity into my own work.