Part 5: Personal Development – Assignment Criteria and Reflection – Rachael's OCA Blog: Painting One: The Practice of Painting

Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills (35%)

Materials: This part of the course has definitely been the most exciting so far and has encouraged me to push the boat out much more in this regard. In fact, I am actually rather disappointed the course has drawn to an end as I would love to continue exploring this further. I shall, however, do so within my future courses.
Techniques: I definitely think my techniques have become rather defined and personalised throughout this course and has given me good grounds for future courses to build upon.
Observational Skills: I feel my ability to choose interesting subject matter has also improved throughout my journey thus far and I am now able to discern interesting narratives better.
Visual Awareness: As above,, I feel my tutor’s comments regarding leaving some stories unfinished have really made a mark on me and I wish to explore this further going forward.
Design: As with interesting narratives, I feel my final assignment series was well constructed and the design well thought through and executed.
Compositional Skills: This has definitely improved and I feel I have a much better understanding of how to apply the paint in such a way to be economical and powerful at the same time, yet I still feel there is always room for improvement.

Content: Again, I feel the content of my pieces and blog are rather concise and to the point, making it easier for the viewer to relate to and engage with.
Application of Knowledge: I have definitely learned a lot throughout this course and have definitely given it my all in respect of incorporating what I have learned from my research and have definitely come a long way in a short space of time.
Presentation of Work in a Coherent Manner: I feel my work is always well presented and easy for the viewer to follow and whilst having refined somewhat, has always been on form.
Discernment: I am finding that the language used within my course manual, by my tutor, fellow students, artists and critics is developing day by day. It is almost a separate language I am learning and I am slowly becoming more and more fluent. This has definitely helped with my understanding of what exercises require of me.
Conceptualisation of Thoughts: Again, I feel that now that I am becoming more fluent with this ‘language’, I am better able to vocalise my thoughts in a manner which is relevant to an ‘educated’ viewer, whilst still being legible to those without the fluency.
Communication of Ideas: As with conceptualisation, I feel I am definitely able to communicate my ideas well and show the workings out, such as one would explain a maths equation and the route they took to reach their answer.

Imagination: I used to think I was not very imaginative and that that was a flaw for any artist, yet I am finding I actually have a lot of imagination and the more I learn, the more I can imagine incorporating techniques and concepts used by other artists and adapting them to my own style.
Experimentation: As with imagination, I feel my ability to experiment and be free of ‘pretty pictures’ is also developing. I still feel I have a long way to go in fully relinquishing control, however, the two abstract pieces I created by mixing in other materials are quite indicative of this progression and are actually two of my favourite pieces from the course as a whole.
Invention: Again, I am finding that having studied other artists and techniques etc, I am finding my own way of doing things.
Research: I can safely say that carrying out research into the different topics really has helped me develop as an artist as a whole and is almost as the theory side of driving is to the practical side; you cannot have on without the other and both help you create a whole.
Critical Thinking (Learning Logs): I feel my learning log has always been consistent, concise and easy to follow for all.