Animated Canvases: Process and Inspiration

This work evolved from a stopmotion project I conceived on Instagram in Spring 2018. A collection of textures and repeat forms found in the field, as the weather deteriorated I looked to replicate animated graffiti by using famous works of art as a source. Ryman, Rothko and Warhol were great starting points, but the images never did quite what I wanted so I decided to create my own.

Each A1 canvas is divided into 64 frames (8×8) with masking tape horizontally then vertically with pencil. Each resulting rectangle represents one frame of animation and is a piece of art in itself. I apply one colour at a time working across the canvas in sequence. Once complete, the frames are photographed individually and edited together to form a looping animation.

The challenge with this work is to create an animated sequence that is visually balanced when deconstructed onto a flat surface. Abstractions and mark-making yield the best results, though I have also experimented with masked spray paints and relief collage.