Archive

Commedia dell’Arte

The Art of Expression

June 27, 2020
Art, Commedia dell'Arte, Design training, Drawing, education, Mask Making, OutMask, Performance Skills, Sculpture
Leave a comment

Today I have been making cartoonish drawings of Primary Emotions.

IMG_4076 A Neutral Face

 

IMG_4077 Sad and HappyIMG_4078 Angry and DisgustedIMG_4079 Surprised and Fearful

These I intend to  use next week for some online teaching, as I give a demo on mask-making to prop. making students.    I would like to get them active and not just give a     one sided lecture. I use these ideas when teaching mask performance skills so why not for makers.  I hope it will make it more personal for them as they  examine their own faces and feel what muscles they use to make these extreme expressions.

Quarter Mask for a Belgium Clown

August 8, 2019
Clowning, Commedia dell'Arte, Mask Making, Performance Skills, Theatre Workshop
Leave a comment

Ralf Weztel contacted me just three weeks ago from Brussels in dire need of a maker who could replicate a cheap plastic mask in something more durable (Paper Maché).

I met with him in Edinburgh last Tuesday, took a cast of the mask, brought it home and made the mask in time to post it on Monday so he could perform with it on Tuesday. He has a one man show throughout the Edinburgh Festival (August 2019.) Go see the show and tell me all about it as I am unable to make a return trip to Scotland.

Sometimes a tight deadline can be an exciting challenge, this one certainly was.             Felt good though, timing fell into place. As I was in the north anyway, a day trip to Edinburgh was an easy diversion  away from family in Berwick upon Tweed..                                                                                                        I do love it when there is a tangible  purpose to a job.

Ralf Wetzel    (Belgium)         ‘Absolutely Reliable!’  by Ralf Wetzel and Lee Delon

Venue C cubed, Brodie’s Close, Lawnmarket, EdinburghEH1 2PS, venue 50                                        Dates 1-25 Aug (not 13)    Time 22:00 (0hr50)                                                                            Ticket prices £9.50-£11.50 / concessions £7.50-£9.50 / under 18s £5.50-£7.50

Evolution of New ‘Arlecchino Mask

June 22, 2019
Commedia dell'Arte, Design training, Drawing, Mask Making, Sculpture, Uncategorized
Leave a comment

Over several month I have been working on a new ‘Arlecchino mask, breaking away from traditional representations in a search for a  more mature, tricksterish and altogether joyous character. Initial drawings to find some sort of ‘Essence’.

Progression was made in the clay design with several changes of direction, which retained elements of tradition but with a greater emphasis on asymmetry and uplift.

Experimenting with a lighter paint scene in order better see the sculpture.