Initial Ideas for FMP (Final Major Project)

I used to love to draw and paint on a large scale, but I have lost that passion during the years of uni. I want regain that passion back as I know it’s still inside of me. I feel it twinge now and again wanting to come out.
We were set a project at college (back in the good old days) to reproduce an old master’s painting. Mine was “An Artist’s Studio” by Jan Vermeer (see below).

"An Artist's Studio" by Jan Vermeer

I reproduced it as this;

"The Studio" by Dionne Clarke

I wanted to capture a modern day studio, that is full of passion and that breaks down boundaries; with another strong passion of mine being tattooing, I took one of the most famous tattooist and painted her doing what she does best.
I only used tones of blue, not only to represent the colour of old school tattoo ink but because Vermeer used a lot of blues in his work.
I chose to use tattooing in my painting because it is an old and valid tradition, that as varied through out the years, and while remaining true to it’s originally ‘creators’, it as become  partially excepted in todays society and it is seen by many as an art form.

Just how Vermeer would study is object’s body deeply and explore the details, and become close to his subject. Tattooist do the same, they get to know their clients, understand the reasons and ideas behind a client’s tattoo and create something personal to them. Not only that but the process of tattooing crosses boundaries that would not be crossed in other circumstances. Tattooist invade their clients personal space; with bodily contact that out side a tattoo studio would not be received very well. A tattooist becomes linked to their clients through ink, blood and needles, just how a painter becomes linked to their subject and canvas, via the paints and brush strokes.
At the same time of creating or re-creating this old master I discovered a quote which as always stuck with me and I find it to be true. It reads;
“Ink to paper is thoughtful,
Ink to flesh, hard-core.
If Shakespeare were a tattooist,
We’d appreciate body art more.” Carrie Latet


For my FMP I would like to create a series of old masters reproduced, maybe using tattooing inspirations through out some of them or maybe not depending on what direction I wish to take.
I do feel this is my passion and something I could get excited about again.

Where as before I would use acrylic’s on canvas, I am going to experiment with ink’s and water colours.

Tattoos/tattooing is not as dark and skull ingested as many seem to believe. It’s about life, many lives in fact, about tradition, a ray of many different cultures; about colour, fantasies/dreams, experiencing, having regrets and memories. They deal/represent life, and show how many people deal with life itself.






Peace. Im out.