Solo Performance Tom Baines

“Final Thoughts…”

May 26, 2014May 26, 2014 Tom Baines

It occurred to me during my process that the vast array of elements that have helped me to form my performance can very much be the definition of ‘performance art’ and indeed ‘art’ itself.

Art across the eons has evolved. Form drawing, painting and sculpting to many multi visual and multimedia art installations.

It is apparent to me that my process of finalising my performance has including all aspects of art. I started with early observational drawings to practice the intricate lines from the features of an elderly face. These pictures progressed to early sculpting tests with air dry clay to practice the carving and moulding the clay to form these folds and lines. I then began the process for mould making with Plaster a Paris, and alginate, which gave me the plaster cast of my face to begin the sculpting. I then sculpted the elderly face on to the plaster then moulded with Plaster a Paris again to create the negative of the elderly face to pour the gelatine in between. Once the two plaster moulds are pressed together the appliances are removed and painted. Again the painting involved lots of observational colouring from other pictures to get the skin tone right. Once the face was completed the character was constructed by looking at mannerisms of lecturers I know and elderly people I know. I create a character similar to how Eric Bogosian would. Then of course the presentation slide aspect which is of course a projection, and connects to the whole performance.

“A time for reflection on two other performers…”

May 26, 2014 Tom Baines

Jake Robbinson’s Solo performance went very well and captured a quintessential essence of the Eric Bogosian and Anna Deavere Smith styles of performing. It can be considered he was stand up – esque in his delivery as it made people laugh, however this can still be considered along the Bogosian performance roots.

James Barker by contrast but similar in some aspects, performed a political stand-up set, in which the audience were enthralled and capsulated by the very get go and grasped the core nature of stand up being very similar to that of such performers as Doug Stanhope and Frankie Boyle.

They were very different performances but similar in their way of delivery using humour and personal stories. Two very powerful, very compelling performances.

“Dr McCallahan enters Lincoln University…”

May 21, 2014May 26, 2014 Tom Baines

On the day of the performance I got up early and applied each piece of gelatine on my face and blended all the lines with liquid latex. I then used a foundation colour, slightly darker than my own to blend the appliances into my natural skin. i also applied some liquid latex to the back of my hands and with a bit of paint they became wrinkled also.

And voilà!

The Character of Dr. Anthony McCallahan (finally thought of a name!) was formed.

The performance itself went well. I made the audience laugh and I interrupted the flow of the performance with phone calls. I was true to my research into Eric Bogosian and I used laughter as a means of a distracting technique to break up the action of the presentation. With some feedback from my peers it was said that the prosthetics were very good and very believable though when I went onto the phone some seems could be seen.

On reflection if I was to do this performance again I think I would advertise it earlier on as didn’t receive any students from the wider course of the university at attendance. This may due to it being May time where they will have exams and possibly have returned home for the summer. But I am pleased with how I performed and it was well received by the audience.

“The Old Man and the Lecture – Part six – The Application…”

May 18, 2014May 26, 2014 Tom Baines

Finally I began the process of creating the prosthetic pieces to put on my face. I mixed gelatine, water and glycerine together and heated it to create the liquid rubber I needed for the appliances.

This was the first test

As I got better at the process I experimented with the consistency and translucency until I was happy with a realistic enough skin tone. Even though I was to pain over it I still found it useful to have colouration in the gelatine already.

I then tried a practice application with some of the pieces.

I then painted each piece as realistically as I could, and left it to dry.

“The Old Man and the Lecture – Part Five – The Sculpture…”

May 10, 2014May 26, 2014 Tom Baines

Before I attempted the long task of sculpting I began to watch videos on tools, techniques and tutorials that would work best for sculpting this face.

Looking at the pictures from Neil Gorton’s website and other images of elderly faces I experimented with some observational drawings of some areas of the face that would hold great amounts of detail. From this I then bought some ordinary air drying clay and began to experiment with different strokes, lines and indentations.

I watched the following video which gave me impeccable advice on how to create different skin textures.

I then applied clay to the to the entirety of my plaster face

Then began to smooth it all together.

I then sculpted on the finer details to create the look I wanted. The bigger nose, heavier brow, hollow looking cheeks, a wrinkled neck and larger chin.

After this I then covered it in another layer of Plaster a Paris to create the negative of the wrinkled face.