'Record' Project: Working With Text In Photoshop Again...

Another extension of previous work, looking at combining the text with the images.

I think the text really works with the image here, however because I put the print in negative to get the colours I wanted, I think it lost some of the quality, but I didn't want to block in the characters because then I'd lose the texture! So I was a little stuck.

I really love this image. I like that the colours are slightly visible and it's not just black and white. I replaced what was the speech arrows with the text and used the same green to emphasize certain words. I'm really happy with this image, moving towards creating final imagery I think this is more like what I'm looking to put together.

'Record' Project: Working With Text In Photoshop Continued...

Trying to improve my images based on the evaluation of the previous ones, and also experimenting with new phrases and text.

This text was more difficult, I decided to make certain areas transparent so it would blend in with the image. I actually like how this looks, I decided to overlap it with the speech arrows to further bring across the idea of speech or conversation. It's very bold but not overpowering, I'll definitely experiment with this more.

Same print different text. I didn't like this at first but it's growing on me. I think leaving the rest of the page clear was the right decision, however I worry it's now a little boring. I'm conflicted because while I like the technique and the colour I just think it's too simple. At least it blends together quite well.

My last one, and first time mixing the two phrases together. I think this would really work if the two elements actually worked together, because here they're quite separate. I love the colour of the bottom half of the text, and I think I'll experiment with separating colour within the phrase again because it works quite nicely!

'Record' Project: Working With Text In Photoshop

I started using my first scans, and working over images I've created previously, editing them here and there to fit with the text.

My first image, I clean up the text a little and decided on white, it's still a little messy but I quite like it! however if I could fix something I think I'd make the text smaller, I didn't adjust the size at all and I think it takes up a little too much of the image.

My second, using the stamps was a good idea, it hardly needed cleaning up at all! I love the style and consistency of the font but I regret the colour choice. I think it looks flat and forced, I'm worried this type will only work in black. 

My favourite of the three. I think this type works really well, particularly with the quite bold imagery and colour. I reckon it's also quiet enough to handle any colours. I'll need to try this out with busier images and see what happens.

'Record' Project: Sounds

More recorded sounds, but I've been focusing more on conversations. I think these are more interesting, some of them are quite muffled but some are complex and busy. I like how you can make out small areas here and there but not always the whole picture, which is really what I've been looking at both in my journals and during development of work.




I think this is a good example of what I was talking about before, I was quite lucky here because on the bus the background noise is usually too loud to make anything out! There are probably around 10 different conversations happening here.




This is from the library in college. This was just one conversation between lots of people which I liked, because you'd think the sound would be clearer, but they were all talking between themselves and over eachother so it's still quite difficult to make out.




This was a large group of people all talking to eachother, and you can hear the television on in the background, with presenters having a conversation with eachother, and the viewers if you like. I think that adds another dimention to the recording as there are different types of conversation and also communication involved.




This is a good example of what I meant about the buses, it's hard to make anything out past the background noise! You can hear some muffled conversation but nowhere near as clear as my other recordings.

The clear recordings are a great addition to my work and I think now I'm really rounding up the basis or theme if you like. It's good to have something other than drawings and recorded conversations in my journal to go by. To improve I think I'd need to place myself in busy places or situations to get good quality clear recordings of the conversations, because some of these are quite hard to understand! I am happy with them though, I like that you can get a little look into someones day or situation.

'Record' Project: Text.

I've been thinking about using text in my images, to decide I looked through all the type in my journal so far, evaluating and picking my favourites.

I like most of these, I think they could be really interesting drawn up with conversation.

A few of these are very similar to what I like to use normally, I'd like to try quite a few of these though, it won't do any harm to have choice.

I tried out several in my sketchbook, and finally drew up a few I liked to be scanned in.

All the phrases were taken from conversations I've recorded in my sketchbook, I thought they were interesting and can also be used together.

I'm planning to use these in Photoshop, and I think my final decisions were the right ones. There is actually a fair amount of variation and I think I'll be able to work with all of them.

'Record' Project: Using Cut Outs / JP King

I talked before about starting to use negative space in my collage work. I first saw JP King's work when we started the course and were being introduced to the Visual Communication group. His use of cut outs is very slight and careful and not over the top. It often is the main focus or helps to compliment an image. I think it's very clever the difference these small differences can make.

My first try, I like the mix of materials, however I think I'm overcrowding the page. The negative space isn't as significant because there is so much going on around it. 

Another progression, thread is actually red but it didn't show up. I think this works quite well but the negative space still isn't clear enough! I think I overused the dress pattern instructions and all the words is a little too much.

Another one but this time I cut the words from a book, I wanted to try another way of showing conversation. The words are from a conversation in my journal. I wish I'd extended the cut out a little more to the right and not had it almost completely filled by the brown paper, other than this I quite like it.

using the negative space and making it work is much harder than you'd imagine! I want to keep incorporating this technique, as well as the collage into my work. I think its a more experimental way of exploring different elements of my theme, that and I'm really enjoying it.

'Record' Project: Artist Research, Hollie Chastain.

I was looking at collage artists and remembered seeing Hollie Chastain's work earlier on in the course. I love her imagery, and think it's quite similar to what I've been doing at the minute. Although her pieces aren't necessarily about communication or conversation, I love her technique and style. The use of colour and material in the work is lovely, and there is a great mix of flat images, drawing and textures.