Buchloh, B. H. D
(Date of publication)
Gerhard Richter : paintings from 2003-2005.
[Name of Publisher]

This book talks about Gerhard Richter’s paintings he created
from 2003 to 2005. It starts off talking about how Richter began his career and how he developed into exploring different techniques and colour schemes within his work. It also explores why there are no words used in his work’s and how this was influenced by WWII. After the war the use of symbols became more common so this influenced Richter’s work as a German artist.
Being a German artist he was hugely influenced by the war. His influences came from other artists before him, such as Jackson Pollock the process painter, because of his use of colour and paints. Richter began his abstract paintings in 1961 which meant he had to challenge its reputation and credibility at the time.
When asked about being a “postwar German artist”, “your experience as a German after the Second World War and after the Holocaust has inevitably concerned you in your work has shaped you deeply?” by Benjamin H.D. Buchloh, Gerhard Richter replied “Certainly, yes the past has been absolutely formative for me.” This shows that he take’s on thing’s that have happened in the past and this effects his work.

I developed this spin painting from a collection of smaller spins made on paper I had been experimenting with. This piece was created on a sheet of wood which I had painted white. I made the spin machine using a router machine with a base piece of wood on the top. In total I used three different coloured acrylic paints, I believe these work well together and draw the eyes attention into the centre of the piece. I layered up the paints to give the piece depth and to make it more intricate.
It took me a long time to develop this technique, as before this I experimented with a lot of different tools to apply the paint, such as needles, syringe’s, paintbrushes and pipettes. To create this piece I used a needle to drop the paint in small droplets from a height. The speed and movement of the spin forces the paint to travel outwards creating the small splatters of paint. I would develop this technique further by experimenting with spin on fabric and incorporate hand or machine stitching into the designs created. I could also explore hanging pieces from the ceiling using fabric, embroidery threads and ribbons to see if it gave the technique of spin painting a different impression on an audience.