Nathaniel
Project 1
Nathaniel’s Project 1 was created in response to his chosen starting point, ‘Landscapes’. With a particular interest in science fiction and dystopian stories, he explained, “It’s fun to imagine a world where extraordinary things are real if you’re brave enough to explore them.” Throughout the project, he took this starting point in imaginative directions, exploring a range of imagery and different approaches to visual storytelling. His research included several science-fiction artists, most notably Scott Listfield, whose compositions featuring astronauts within dystopian landscapes inspired him to develop his own narrative centred around an astronaut exploring unfamiliar worlds. Nathaniel experimented with a wide range of media and materials to bring his imagined environments to life, culminating in a large-scale final piece depicting his astronaut looking out into a galaxy from inside a spaceship. The final work combines traditional painting and drawing with layered sheets of acetate, used to create the appearance of glass windows and add a sense of depth to the composition.
“I’ve always loved good stories such as Star Wars that are set in a huge galaxy but still deal with relevant issues like good versus evil and loyalty vs betrayal. It’s also fun to imagine a world where extraordinary things are real if you’re brave enough to explore them”
Project 2
Nathaniel’s Project 2 was created in response to the starting point ‘Twisting and Turning’. Following an initial brainstorm and visits to art galleries to gather inspiration, he quickly became drawn to Op Art and the different ways artists use pattern, shape, colour and form to create optical illusions. Throughout the project, Nathaniel experimented extensively with creating his own Op Art, exploring a range of media and techniques including drawing, painting and collage. His compositions developed considerably as the project progressed, becoming increasingly ambitious in both scale and complexity, while his use of colour evolved from initial black-and-white studies into colourful outcomes. His final piece brings together the skills and ideas developed throughout the project, using optical illusion to explore the contrast between illusion and truth.
“I spent some time in London visiting lots of galleries. I particularly enjoyed going to the Twist Museum which was full of illusions. I learned about how artists can use simple lines and shapes to trick our brains into thinking we’re seeing something that isn’t there”
