College One: Problematic issues with the possible workshop idea...

As the students will attempt to make paint using unusual medium, I wanted to try out some typical medium as well as some unsuspected ones. My issue with using unusual medium is whether the materials will be able to be put into a balloon and how the balloon reacts with the medium once popped: will it explore, splatter or drop etc. I started off with the basic medium of paint and due to the amount put into the balloon, the paint dropped causing a blob of paint of a small amount of splatter.

I expanded on this experiment by using 4 different coloured paints and putting them into one balloon. I expected a bigger blob with minimal splatter because I used more paint, the balloon would drop heavier but the results were the complete opposite. It splattered creating lovely linear patterns. I knew using paint would work but will it work without wet medium or objects?

I wanted to try an experiment using objects so I chosen Elastic bands, because the elastic bands are not a wet medium, I decided to add runny glue that would fix them together and the on the paper. I was unsure of whether this would even work and I know the students would make paint but their paint may be clumpy, forcing the balloon to drop with no splatter and forcing the objects to remain together. This is what happened to the elastic bands.

I decided to try attempt a bigger experiment using a variety of different mediums instead of producing smaller samples. There were 7 different balloons, 2 containing paint, 2 containing pigment dyes, 1 containing thread, 1 containing cut up pieces of tissue paper and the final balloon containing marbling ink. I thought using wet medium first would hold down the loose objects and it did.

These materials make this piece look cheap but the students will be using more natural found objects which will improve the look of their final piece.

All of the materials that we buy for the workshop, will be reimbursed by Louise but we do not want a high budget. The main cost will go on the canvas the students will drop their balloons onto. I also think that we will need to buy funnels so the medium can be added into the balloons cleanly, creating less clean up time for the students and us, leaving more time for the practical side of the workshop. The paint that the students will create will have to have as little clumps as possible to ensure the medium will stay on the canvas. As this piece will be abstract it would fit perfectly with their theme of their current project and it will most likely be outside of the school or at the least the school building.