Emma Allington
The central theme of my coursework is the human body in action. I was drawn to this through my passion for sport and activity, as well as a fascination with how the body moves and responds. My interest began with small observational sketches of dancers, which gradually developed into larger-scale studies exploring movement and anatomy. Each piece seeks to capture the strength, structure and definition of the athlete’ s body, while some works also reflect the psychological and emotional dimensions of sport.
Throughout this body of work, I challenged myself to experiment with unfamiliar materials and techniques. I found that charcoal allowed me to convey tonal depth and muscular definition, showcasing the power of the human body. I also explored new approaches to oil painting, pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. Although initially challenging, this process strengthened my technical skills and enhanced my ability to represent motion.
The most transformative aspect of my development as an artist has been working at a larger scale. Walking into the Art department at Sevenoaks, I was amazed at the size and quality of the artwork, and questioned whether I could meet such a standard. However, with encouragement from my teachers, I began to produce large-scale pieces, which ultimately helped me overcome self-doubt and a fear of visibility. Presenting work that could not be easily hidden allowed me to develop confidence in my ideas and decisions. Through this process, I learned to embrace mistakes and imperfections, how to decide if a piece is finished( often when I can’ t stand looking at it any more), and to take risks, as they are an essential part of artistic growth.