My Joint Project

The Ravensbourne School, Year 12 Art Students in the UK, and Inclusive preschool ‘Kerala Kids Early Childhood Centre’ students in INDIA

By: Jazmin Dervishali

Gopika age 4 is another of the real characters at the preschool. She loves elephants and can often be seen pretending to be one! Gopika is also a very talented photographer and loves taking pictures. Her favourite food is chocolate and she also likes drawing. Gopika was born with Hanhart syndrome which is a genetic condition.

Primary Source Drawings

Here is a range of my primary sources of drawings, paintings and photographs as she also enjoys photography, and also I have included her favourite animal, an elephant.

Here is a range of Secondary images, I have used an Indian symbol as it represents Gopika’s religion. I have also included her favourite food which is chocolate, and her other hobbies of photography and an Indian elephant.

Secondary Source Drawings

Here is a one of my favourite pages where I have researched Indian art, this is to give myself an Idea of how to decorate Gopika in Indian jewellery, and how they are painted to complement their religion as a painting.

Research on Indian Art

This is my Portrait of the child, Gopika. I have used bright colours for her jewellery, accessories and the decoration on the Indian elephant. I painted Gopika with the elephant as she loves them and have put a camera around her neck as she enjoys taking photographs.

Portrait of Gopika

I received feedback from the school that Gopika attends and this is what they wrote. This gave me a great feel of achievement, but as they have said I haven’t captured her strong, playful characteristics, but I created a painting on the information and image that was given to me from Gopikas preschool.I can understand that I haven’t captured her real persona in the painting but I didn’t want to change the image of her that I was given as I may have changed her whole look.

Gopika

The Indian influence is very strongly represented in the drawing of Gopika and the close connection between her and the elephant is very warming. The clothing and jewellery (on Gopika and the elephant) give a strong sense of colour and attention to detail. The artist hasn’t shied away from showing Gopika’s physical condition but manages to capture her spirit very effectively; the camera is obviously an important element in this. However, the strong playful character of Gopika is not quite captured in this painting – the impression is that she is a bit passive, whereas she is much more lively in reality.

Feedback on Gopika from her preschool

Gopika, my Indian Child

My portrait of Gopika

Here is My Portrait and the original image of Gopika