Marc Chagall

This first piece I have loaded up by Marc Chagall is titled 'Juggler', the hybrid bird character is shown dressed in jester-like clothing, juggling various people and objects from a bride, a violinist, and a grandfather clock. Juggling is a skill much seen in the circus, as to is contortion which the character is also performing. The jacket painted on the bird-man is fitting to how I illustrated my ringmaster.

Otto Dix

I found this picture and thought it linked well to my project even though the themes common in the artists work are highly indifferent from my own; Otto Dix uses harshly realistic illustrations of World War 1. I came across Dix's sketches and this one in particular I personally felt showed themes of the circus. Though quite violent the image surely reflects the artists want of humour in the work, shown through the child-like drawings of the small clown rebelling against the taller ringmaster-like character. I like the use of blatant hatching and shading which adds more depth to the illustration, i intend to use this technique when working on my mono-prints as i feel this visually would work well within this skill. The humour revealed in this sketch is what I am looking to incorporate within my work, the ringmaster has an been impaled by an oversized nail, he also has a rather unconvincingly fitted axe protruding from his head.

Robert Rauschenberg

Rauschenberg was both a painter and a sculptor, he also worked with photography, printmaking, papermaking, and performance. I have focused on Rauschenberg's work which combines mixed mediums and taxidermy as it reflects my theme of work.
Within many of Rauschenberg's work he has used combinations of materials, in his piece titled 'Monogram' he uses a stuffed Angora goat. A theme of humour is reflected in this through the old tyre hung about its neck. When looking at this piece I am reminded of a circus animal dressed to entertain.
Through my research into this particular piece I drew inspiration for my lino print of 'the cat and the saddle', where my original thoughts were with Rauschenberg's ideas of combining various materials and images into one piece.

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali was best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. I have used this artist as his paintings of elephants in particular are very interesting. They were inspired by Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture base in Rome of an elephant carrying an ancient obelisk.

It would be interesting to use Salvador's style of elephants on other animals such as a cat in the circus. I think i would draw it with an ink pen and edit colours into it on photoshop instead of paint it.

Charles Avery and Damien Hirst

I intend to use humour in my chosen album cover, 'The Circus', using animals as the primary visual tool. Through my artists research, I identified two contemporary artists who use animals as a form of observable media within their practise.


Charles Avery who's entire career has focused on the visualization of his own fabricated Island, he presents his findings through a range of hand-drawn images, an amalgamation of taxidermy creatures (put together in his own vision), paintings and sculpture. It is predominantly his cross breed taxidermy sculptures which he displays in a variety of humorous poses that I relate my concepts to. The bearded snakes exhibited in the National Gallery in Scotland, reflect the humour I aim to achieve through the imagery I have created for my chosen cover.


Damien Hirst has repeatedly used animals in his practice to shook and awe his audience. Through his sometimes brutal displays he has forced a response from the viewers, through not meant to amuse his striking use of animals and the ways in which he composes each piece have helped me to realise a greater understanding of composition, and the use of extreme and retained imagery within my practice.

Paula Rego

Paula Rego is a Portuguese painter, illustrator and printmaker. Her work often takes fairy tales, such as Snow White or Alice in Wonderland, and paints characters or scenes with an added twist. She changes people into animals or adds a feeling of the macabre or creepy.


Here I have posted paintings that I think link well to my theme of 'The Circus' I think the 'Insect Ball' perfect for my album cover. It is not Paula's usual style of painting; she usually paints with dull but rich colours to give mood. I like the idea of animals in old fashioned clothes, it gives it a very abstract look

Lucy Casson

Lucy Casson is well known for her scuptures made from tin and found objects. She makes models using the colour of collected tins in contrast to other materials such as plastic and aluminium objects. These sculptures are influenced by animals, emotions, the human figure and the environment.


I like Lucy's work, her sculptures are very well put together. She puts alot of character of her work however I don't think I would use this style in my own. I think it is really effective that the clothes and decorations in her work have text on whatever recycled materials have been used for, i'd like to use this idea in collages or any sculptures I make in future.