Journey Through the Museum

An exploration of tone through colour. We were tasked to draw five objects from a local museum and then create a sequence of five pictures taking the viewer through the museum itself with an element of narrative.

I went to one my hometown's main attractions, Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich. There is a vast array of objects and paintings on display so I had a fair amount to pick from.

Until this course, I don't recall trying exclusively complementary colours. I've enjoyed finding the effects of each: blue and orange/red and green/yellow and purple. I have always liked to take a non-literal approach to colour, it's often the role of the artist to bring things to life as a camera cannot.

If ever I sketch at a gallery, I will usually go straight for the sculpture. It's always a good opportunity to draw the human form with a completely still model.

The sequence of five. I wanted to include transitions from room to room, so the second picture features a walk through a corridor and the last shows a staircase spiraling down. The unusual sense of colour helped to emphasise the change of rooms. For instance, I could forecast a shift into green before filling the frame with the full colour.

1. Self-portrait in an old ornate mirror.

2. Walk along corridor into the next room.

3. The next room. Globe and standing mannequin.

4. Grandfather clock.

5. Looking down the staircase.