Image Detail: Josef Herman (1948) Sketch of Ystradgynlais, village and tip. [Ink on paper]. TATE.
Welcome! This is the English version of this project. If you want the Welsh / Cymraeg version please click on this link.
Who is this art project for?
This art project has been designed for secondary school age participants, anybody above the age of 11. Intended to as a participatory self directed course and to enjoy learning about Josef Herman.
If you have arrived here and you are younger that 11 or want an easier project click on this link.
Please remember you don't need to complete this project in one session.
Josef Herman (1911–2000)
What will you be doing?
In this art project you will explore the work of Josef Herman who was born, to a Jewish family, in Poland in 1911. Herman lived in Wales for 11 years from 1944 and is a really important artist with strong connections to Wales. You will be given some information about his life and work and will have the opportunity to respond creatively to his art.
You will be:
Looking at 4 themes
Place, Memory, People and Archive
In each theme you have the opportunity to:
- Explore Josef Herman's work
- Sketch in black and white and colour
- Look at short films, sketching and taking artists notes like Herman did.
You will have the chance to do 7 Tasks
In each task you will be:
- Sketching and developing ideas
- Making your own drawings and compositions
- Collating your work to make your own fun archive
FILM: An introduction to JOSEF HERMAN. And to the THEMES and TASKS in this art project.
CLICK to play this film. This film is about 5 minutes long.
THEME 1: Place
In this theme you will be introduced to Josef Herman and his relationship to Ystradgynlais in South Wales. You will also have the opportunity to 'Walk in Herman's Footsteps', through photographs presented to you in a film.
FILM: 'Introduction to Herman and Ystradgynlais'
CLICK to play. This film is about 3 minutes long.
Image: Herman (c.1958) Seven Separate Sketches. [Ink on paper]. TATE.
TASK 1
Looking at a film and drawing
In this task you will be looking at the film 'Walking in Herman's Footsteps' which comes next. Whilst looking at the film you are invited to collect sketches as you watch.
Prepare for watching the film by:
- Getting something to sketch with. A pencil is a really good idea to start with.
- Get some paper. You could use sheets of paper or a sketchbook.
Fill a page with as many very quick sketches as you can
See Herman's example 'Seven Separate Sketches'.
- Don’t worry if you don’t sketch everything as you watch the film.
- Collect some visual information which you will be able to use in the next task.
- Enjoy watching the film and thinking about Herman's life in Ystradgynlais .
Artist's tip: DON’T use an eraser. Here you can see Herman's marks, and how he drew in pencil and then overdrew in pen, brush and ink.
FILM: 'Walking in Herman's Footsetps'
Look at the film and sketch using the guidelines provided above. Each photograph will be on the screen for about 10 seconds.
CLICK TO PLAY THE FILM and remember you can pause at any time. This film is about 4 minutes long.
Now you have walked in Josef Herman's footsteps you can use your ideas and sketches to explore mark making in Task 2.
Image: Herman (c.1949–50) Sketch of the tip and landscape with trees by road. [Ink on paper]. TATE.
TASK 2
Making a Mark
Before moving on to making images it's important for an artist to 'warm up' so here is your chance to explore mark making before developing some drawings.
Think of drawing as simply the art of making marks on a surface. Through the continuous practice of drawing, the skills of looking, feeling, discovering and responding in marks, can be made into one harmonised action.
Surface
You can use paper, cardboard, newspaper, magazine scraps, tissue paper, sandpaper, sketchbook… whatever you have to draw on.
Drawing mediums
You can draw with pen, pencil, charcoal, chalk, pastel, stick with ink, fork, brush, string, paint etc. … whatever you have available to use.
Explore mark making
- What aspects interests you from the photographs, film, and images seen?
- How do they make you feel? Try to interpret this in your mark-making.
- Think about how the surface you are drawing on can introduce tone and texture.
- Play with the weight and thickness of the line e.g. a lighter, darker, thinner, thicker, twisted mark in response to what you are looking at.
Artist's tip - Experiment with the speed of your drawing to create different marks and play with the use of surface and medium.
Look at the marks Herman made to inspire you.
Artist's tip: Think about the surface you're drawing on, cardboard and different paper can offer a base colour. Different mediums like used tea bags and coffee can be used as a wash or paint when dipped in water, use different colour pens, pastels, pencils etc.
Image: Herman (1955) Landscape with tip (Notes from a Welsh Diary).[Ink on paper]. TATE.
TASK 3
Place
Produce work in response to PLACE - Ystradgynlais and Josef Herman.
You should now have explored mark making and have some drawings from the photographs in the film. If you haven’t done any drawings from the film Walking in Herman's Footsteps go back to do some quick drawings now.
3A
Herman's Place
Using the techniques you have learnt so far, create your own composition using Josef Herman’s work of Ystradgynlais as your inspiration.
Work on this for about 15 minutes or longer.
Artist's tip: Remember that artists work in different ways and this may be 1 drawing or a series of drawings. Don’t be afraid to experiment but most importantly have fun!
Image: Herman (1947) View from the Bridge, Ystradgynlais (Notes from a Welsh Diary). [Ink on paper]. TATE.
3B
Your Place
For this task think about ‘YOUR PLACE' where you live, combining everything you have learnt so far.
Respond to the outside world in 10 or more very quick sketches or 1 composition of what you can see around you. Go into your garden or view the outside from a window. Remember Herman drew from the pub window when he lived in Ystradgynlais.
You can you use a sketchbook for this or any surface of your choice.
Work on this for about 15 minutes or longer if you're having fun.
Artist's tip: Don't be afraid to make mistakes just draw over them. Take inspiration from Herman and his place. What did he draw?
THEME 2: Memory
Learning about Josef Herman’s early life and art. Leaving Poland and remembering Poland - Memory of Memories (1940-43). This is a very sad but also very beautiful part of Josef Herman's story.
Artist's tip: Sketch and take notes during the presentation.
FILM: Memory of Memories
CLICK to play. This film is about 5 minutes.
Now you have learnt a bit about Herman's early life and the beautiful drawings that he made about memory and the stories relating to them. In the next task it's your turn to think about story-telling through drawing.
Image: Herman (1940-43) I dream about my sister. Glasgow Drawings, Memory of Memories the Eye Centre Glasgow (1985).
TASK 4
Memory and story-telling
How did Herman remember his family and friends through drawing? What stories does he tell?
4A
Sketching Memory
- Study these 2 drawings which Herman drew from memory.
- Look at the marks
- Look at the people
Make some quick sketches.
Image: Herman (1940-43) I dream about my sister. Glasgow Drawings, Memory of Memories the Eye Centre Glasgow (1985).
Image: Herman (1940-43)My grandmother telling a story on a Friday evening. Glasgow Drawings, Memory of Memories the Eye Centre Glasgow (1985).
" … I could not touch them but I could follow them with a line; I could draw a characteristic detail of their clothing, an expression, a gesture of their hands. ... I followed a dream, … my memory of those people was beautiful; …” Herman (1985)
Image: Herman (1940-43) My grandmother telling a story on a Friday evening. Glasgow Drawings, Memory of Memories the Eye Centre Glasgow (1985).
4B
Tell a visual story
Think about and plan a story you would like to tell like Josef Herman has done in these drawings.
What is your story about?
- Is it a dream?
- Is it a memory?
- Is it from your imagination?
- Do you want to tell a funny story?
Drawing your story
Using line and tone, spend around 30 minutes developing your story. You may want to include yourself in the story as Herman did.
Artist Tip: Close your eyes and draw. Remembering the outlines of people, buildings, landscapes or objects.
THEME 3: People
Josef Herman is well known for his drawings, paintings and prints of people. Especially the Coal Miners and people of Ystradgynlais in the South Wales Valleys.
Josef Herman was a prolific writer, notebook keeper and sketcher. His notes can be very difficult to decipher as shown in 'Study for ‘South Wales (Notes from a Welsh Diary)'.
Artist's tip: Artist's collect sketches and notes for their own creative process.
FILM: People
Watch the presentation and sketch as you look.
CLICK to play, pause and re-wind whenever you want. The film is about 3 minutes.
The sketches you have made during this film will help you in the next task.
Image: Herman (1953) Three Miners [Oil paint on wood]. TATE.
TASK 5
Looking and responding to the theme of People
From the presentation and the examples of Herman’s work think about introducing colour into your drawings. Study the images below and see how Herman cleverly uses subtle colour in his work.
5A
Herman's People
Spend about 10 minutes sketching ideas and exploring the theme of People in response to the 2 pieces and detail by Herman.
- How has Herman used colour?
- What does colour evoke and represent in Herman's work?
- How has Herman used layers?
- Look at the highlights.
"Herman’s artistic style was bold and distinctive and he source much inspiration from the Welsh mining community and the working people most notably coal miners, imagery for which he is still fondly remembered". (JHAF 2020)
IMAGE: Herman (1946) Pregnant Woman with Friend. [Pastel, graphite and watercolour on paper] TATE
5B
Self-portrait
Draw yourself. You could look in a mirror or even close your eyes and feel your face as you draw. Remember how Herman drew his themes and included them in his art, you could also include what you have learnt so far in your self portrait.
- Colour
- Layers
- Highlights
- Dark and light tones
- Mark making
- Landscape
- Remember looking out of your window at your place
Spend at least 30 minutes on this.
Artist's tip: You can include all the things that you have learnt in this project for this composition. Be selective!
THEME 4: Archive
In this section you will be introduced to the Archive of Josef Herman's work at the Miner's Welfare Hall in Ystradgynlais. You will be invited to look at some work produced by Josef Herman and to make your own responses.
Finally you will be given the opportunity to create your own archive by collating all of the work you have produced in this project. If you like, you will also be given the chance to share your work on our Instagram gallery.
FILM: Exploring Archive
Look at the film and sketch.
CLICK and play. Remember to sketch and take notes if you like. The film is about 4 minutes long.
In looking at Herman's work we can see what he experienced in order to create his art. This gives us a better understanding of how he worked and how he developed his practice over time.
Artist's tip: Artists study the work of others to learn about their practice.
An archive can:
- store work
- preserve work
- present work
- decipher work
- be an exhibition
- be a gallery
- be a sketchbook
Artist's tip: When looking at the work of an artist in a collection, exhibition or archive it is important to sketch and make notes to remember what excited or interested us.
Image. Herman Archive visit and visual responses (JHAF 2017)
TASK 6
Archive
6A
Drawing in response to Herman’s work from the Archive.
- Compare the following two images and create your own versions of each piece. Think about how the work has developed by the introduction of colour.
- Do some exploratory drawings for about 10 minutes developing your ideas and using any medium that you want.
Artist's tip: Compare each image and think about how it has developed and incorporate this into your work. Practice re-creating the simple forms using the processes you have learnt.
Look at the interesting facts about these images:
- They were produced 5 years apart
- The first is a lithographic print
- The second is gouache and pencil on cartridge paper
- The second is a study for another painting
- Why do you think Herman did this?
Image. Herman Archive visit and visual responses (JHAF 2017)
6B
Self-directed composition
Create a self-directed piece of work of your own choice based on what you have learnt in this project. Choose from one of the following themes:
- Place
- Memory
- People
Spend about 30 minutes exploring and developing this composition.
Artist's tip: Develop some of the themes, techniques and processes you have learnt into your work.
TASK 7
Your Archive
Collect the work produced in this project to form your own archive.
Create your own archive for someone to look at in the future. Include all your ideas, sketches, drawings, notes, compositions and so on. Think about your collection and how you can present yourself as an artist.
Some ideas to consider are:
- Display your work on a table, on a wall or on the floor
- Inside or outside
- Photograph this work
- This is your exhibition
- Share this work via our Instagram gallery
Artist's tip: Exhibiting work and sharing ideas is a vital part of an artist's practice. Think about your archive. What is it? What can it be? How can it be displayed?
Image. Herman Archive visit and visual responses (JHAF 2014)
We would really like to see what you have done.
The Josef Herman Foundation Trustees are always happy to see responses to Josef Herman's work.
Please share with us on our Instagram online gallery:
@orieljhcymru #jhsp20 #capsiwlcovidjh20 #josefherman
Thank you for participating in this project we hope you enjoyed learning about Josef Herman and producing your own work. We look forward to seeing your responses on Instagram.
Links to further information about Josef Herman:
Project Artists : Gwenllian Beynon, Nicola Dowdle, Jessica Burtonshaw, Catrin Bradley, Owain Roberts.
All of Josef Herman's art works used by kind permission of ©The estate of Josef Herman (not for commercial use) Photographs ©JHAFCymru ©Bernard MitchellHerman studio ©Llew E. Morgan estate Herman Ystradgynlais. Work available at TATE