'Make your Mark' Brief: Collagraph Printing.

We got to try out collagraph printing, one of the ways of doing this is cutting into layers of card, and adding layers/materials to alter the depth and texture. We had to use a viewfinder and pick different elements out from our sketchbook to turn into prints. Keeping with the brief, I decided to use parts of the graphic spreads we did earlier in the week. 

I tried to keep the shapes quite blocky and simple, but have lots of altering heights and bits of crossover. I also added some mesh material to give it texture. The actual cutting was okay, it was remembering which bits needed to be higher/lower in order for it to look a certain way that was the more difficult part!

The printing itself was really quick! I love how these came out, I'm glad I stuck to solid shapes and used the mesh material. I like how in some areas of overlap shapes have been isolated and so are completely white against the background. I think I'll definitely use this method of printing again, and maybe experiment with more colour than just black/white. 

I think this one (below) is my favourite, the lines are quite clean and the overlap worked out really well.

'Make your Mark' Brief.

This is the beginning of a brief all about 'our story'. After answering some quick fire questions I created three double page spreads of graphic responses based on my answers. I was using my favourite colours (Dark red/sea green) and shapes (circles), and also letters and numbers (B, S, I, 8...). I was trying to maintain a balance of shapes and colours across the pages, so it flowed, and also keep a balance between the shapes and the white page.

My first response was fairly simple, I was just experimenting with different shapes and techniques. I like the textured brown paper and also the cut out shapes, but overall it needs more to it. More overlap and texture, and better use of space.

For my second response, I used bypass printing to create further depth in the overlap and colour, and less actual cut out card. I liked this piece, it flows better than the first, and the colours are generally quite muted with little pops of red/green. 

For my last response, again I used bypass printing. The brown paper came out a funny dull pink colour, I quite liked it though and just used it. I think this last piece has a defined colour palette, and the greater use of black/grey sort of complements that. I'm happy with the responses. It was nice learning different elements of graphic design and how far it stretches. I think I managed to keep elements of me in there too with the shapes and letters! 

Independent Study, 'Reconstructed faces'.

As part of our Independent study days, we had to explore the idea of a 'reconstructed face' over a number of double spreads in our sketchbooks. I did a few thumbnails to explore different ideas and decided I wanted to start with something very straight forward. I did some basic collages using only a few photos, and then for the second, I reprinted the first image in a lower saturation, so the new additions to the image would stand out. I liked how you could still piece together the faces despite them being broken up, and the colours are quite calm and muted, but with some pinks/blues to bring it out.

For the second spread, I wanted to vary the media I was using. As well as collage and magazine cut outs, I decided to use thread as an alternative to drawing. I tried to create this idea of connection, and to join the different features of the face. Again, the first image was quite simple, but for the second I decided to create features with the thread and well as just using it to connect. I liked how these turned out, and despite the different elements I think they work together to create one face or image.

For my last spread I wanted to do something different. I did some blind drawing of different facial features and then scanned them into photoshop. Like I did previously with the hands, I rearranged the different elements to make a face. I did a little bit of colouring too. For this tasks I had to think of a variety of different ways to approach the phrase, which can be quite challenging. I enjoyed getting to work with media I've not used in a while too, like the thread! 

Daily Drawings/Journal Entry.

As part of the Visual Communication pathway stage we have daily observational drawing tasks, I've really been enjoying this challenge, and also managed to get other people involved drawing blind continuous line portraits the other night! I thought I'd share a few of my favourites from the last few days. These are from the blind/continuous line portraits, and objects (from a list we made) in block/negative shape collage.

Cecelia

Maddy

Pesto, I liked the muted colours here, but wish you couldn't see the crack in the negative green area!

Pens/Books, I think the layout and colour works well as a double page spread.

Maddy/Cecelia Spread. I'm enjoying the daily tasks and think it's really getting me used to the pace of this pathway! I'll try and share more of my favourites along the way.

Body Parts: Experimenting with Photoshop.

As part of my brief, I started looking towards recreating a collage but in a kind of more illustrative/graphic style. It started just from some observational drawings I was doing of my hands, which I then decided to scan in! 

I haven't used photoshop properly in a long time, but I do have a basic knowledge of how to work it. So I decided to try and teach myself how to colour in drawings using photoshop. To begin with I was doing really simple ones, playing around with the sizes and areas of colour. I liked how these looked, however the lines are a little sloppy (and are throughout!).

You can see the heavy lines around the fingernails below, I think this is mainly to do with the original drawing, so if I do more I will have to be more careful.

After this, I learnt how to rotate the brushes! This gave me much more options in terms of placement and composition, which I then started to take into more consideration. I made the images busier this time and tried to create connections within the image. I think the use of colour is more fluent too and they look more like a set.

For my last two images I wanted to be a little more experimental. Finished you can see that it was less about the drawings and more about colour blocking and experimenting with overlapping the images. I think the last two look great and I'm happy with how the idea evolved as I was working through it. (Again, I apologise for the really close up shabby lines in the second image!) I think this was a great place to start in terms of trying to work within the pathway I'll hopefully be moving on to! Re-training myself in photoshop was frustrating but fun too, I'd like to come back to this way of working at a further point and experiment with more possibilities. 

Evaluation of Exploratory Stage

Initially in 2D design I really struggled, I found it hard to work so freely and openly. Tasks like the blind drawing and left hand drawing were difficult, I know that sounds ridiculous but completely changing the way you work/look at your work can be quite daunting at first! However I just got on with it and very quickly embraced this new way of working. Before the 2D block I'd never really considered composition at all, and I also never thought about the massive range of possibilities within that area. Activities like the found imagery illustrations and observational drawing kind of opened my eyes to many new ways of working. I think starting in the 2D block was perfect for me, because of the fast paced nature it allowed me to quickly acquire new skills and a feeling for what I should expect for the rest of the course. This made the transitions between the other blocks much smoother.
Fine Art/Photography differed slightly, we worked much bigger and with more of a focus on shapes and form -working with/constructing objects quite regularly. I think what I gained from this block was this idea of being quite structural in my approach to creating work, and also much more experimental. We got to work with materials I'd never have thought about, like shoe polish, or just painting with sticks and pieces of card. Photography was mainly just a new thing, I've never been taught photography so again just hearing about/experimenting with the different possibilities was a learning curve for me. The activity we did where we directed the shoot and had to cover up all body parts taught me alot about positioning, and how much difference slight movements can make to a shot.
The 3D block wasn't what I was expecting at all! It was much more experimental than I thought it was going to be. I got to work with materials I'd never thought about even using to construct something. It was much more about the nature of different materials and those connections, how they work together and what you can do with them. I enjoyed trying out and exploring my ideas and watching my work and materials constantly change/evolve.
Life drawing really helped me from the first class! Learning how to properly approach and structure our drawings really made a massive difference straight away. I'd like to think my drawings have improved throughout the exploratory stage, I certainly feel much more confident in my techniques now compared to when I started.
Overall, my experience of the whole exploratory stage was completely unexpected, but exactly what I needed. I've learnt so much over the past couple of months and I just hope I can continue learning and progressing throughout the pathway stage aswell!

Life Drawing Update.

Today in Life Drawing we did something very different to how we usually work. We started doing 5 minute drawings, which meant we had no time to properly structure of measure out our drawings. The style was much more open and playful, and we could be more free with the lines. Also, we experimented with overlapping our figures to create more depth/action to the drawings. The difficulty was she was stood in difficult positions, so getting the proportions right was even harder! Looking at my drawings later on, I am please with how some have turned out considering the small time frame. I also think on some pieces the overlap looks great and adds something new, however on some of my drawings it can look a little messy!

In this piece I tried to contrast softer lines with thicker dark shadows. I think I went a little overboard with the thick lines and didn't shade the rest of the drawing enough.

I like the overlap of this one, but the proportions aren't quite right.

I wanted to contrast larger drawings with smaller ones, but I think the scale difference is too much here.

I think this is my favourite outcome from the day, the proportions aren't too far off and the slight overlap makes the whole image more interesting, but not overpowering.

This was the only piece where I did a fair amount of overlap. I like how it looks, but again getting the proportions right was hard!

Overall I really enjoyed this task, we haven't worked this fast or in such a free way before, so it was something new. It was challenging at times but I'm surprised and pleased that a few of my drawings came out quite well! It was a nice change in technique that I'd love to try again.

'Body Parts' Brief: Day One.

We were set a new brief for the next two weeks, the title is 'Body Parts'. The brief is completely open and in our control, which is both exciting and a little unnerving. We started off just covering the brief and then it was up to us! I did a quick mind map in my sketchbook covering possible areas of interest, and then went to do some artist research. I found two artists yesterday who's work inspired possible ideas for experimenting within this brief.

The first was Nicolai Howalt, the images were from a series he did called 3x1, where he documented a stay with a family.

I thought these images were so simplistic but striking. In terms of 'Body Parts' I hadn't thought about being so obvious with ideas, but looking through his work I thought it may be a good place to start. I love how the hands (both right) are so controlling in the images.

The next artist I looked at was Isidro Ferrer.

I loved his work, I printed off much more that this but these were some of my favourites! His work is clever and witty and something I would like to look into doing more! It was very similar to what we were doing today.

As well as artist research, we worked on creating different images/objects out of separate parts. It was the beginning of the 'Body Parts' brief and gave us an idea of the different ways we can interpret the phrase. I had so many different objects to choose from, and I tried to be quite imaginative with the shapes and what I was doing. 

A drip and a hook, I like the drip but i'm not sure it's obvious what it is. The hook was a little too obvious.

A question mark and a scooter, I'm happy with both of these. I think the simplicity of the question mark works well, and the yellow material with the colourful scooter is appealing.

A telephone and a dragonfly. These were the last two I did and I'd finally got my head round what worked and what didn't. These are probably my favourites from the day.

Playing around with the nails and creating different emotions.

A bare coat hanger, and one with a shirt on it. I don't like the shirt, I should have found a thinner material to do the outline, it just looks a bit off and awkward.

A man, and another face.

A face and an eye, The eye was probably the only one where I layered materials up.

A face and a chest of drawers, the drawers were the first thing I did, and I think you can tell. It's too simplistic and not really clear what it is.

Overall I had a really interesting day, and I have come away with a few ideas on where to start with this brief. I'm excited to get started and experiment with different possibilities.