'Make Your Mark' Brief: Picture Books and Evaluation.

To finish the project, I decided to go with the picture book idea that I mentioned previously. Constructing these was fairly difficult, as I couldn't decide how I wanted them to open. Having them pop out (like paper pop up books) proved too difficult an idea, so I settled for something much less elaborate. My first one is about the backpack/badges idea. I combined many of the techniques I had used when experimenting with ideas, and picked out my favourites. This included white on black imagery, bypass printing and blind drawing.

For my second book, I use similar techniques, applying my favourite processes to create final images. For the hands, this included more collage, bypass printing, scans and text. This book was shorter, because I felt like what I had was strong enough to run with.

Evaluation.

Initially generating ideas for this project was difficult, I thought I'd have many ideas but I got quite stuck. Tasks like the quickfire questions/100 things I love were very useful, and are simple, thought provoking challenges that I'd do again. I got to try many new processes, including collagraph printing, experimenting with type and working more graphically (which I then continued to do throughout the project!). I'm definitely happy with the work I have produced, although ideas for themes were lacking. Moving forward, I need to push myself to explore further ideas and concepts which will give me a wider range of materials to work with, and generally make life easier!

'Make Your Mark' brief: Observational work.

I'm nearing the end of the project, and have been experimenting with more observational work, and the idea of having all the badges on one page (like previously). I've been working with mixed materials and just trying out different layouts on the page. Here are two badges in continuous line/collage. I really like both of these, I think the image on the right is stronger, with the little bit of black on white imagery.

The next two are mixed, one is all the badges collectively, and the other is a simple observational image of my hands, bringing it back to the previous project idea. I love the card outline in the first image.

This is quite a short post, but I thought I should show little bits of progress in between. I spoke to my tutor about rounding up the project, and we talked about doing little picture books, and looking at both the badges/hands idea (why I included both). I think it's a great idea and finalising both main ideas would be a good way to finish this project for me. 

'Make your Mark' Brief: My Backpack/Badges.

 We're continuing to explore different ideas for our brief. At the minute I'm looking at my little black backpack and my badges. I actually got my backpack at Chesterfield market, since then I've always had badges and brooches that I've attached to it. The problem is I'm always losing or breaking these badges, so they're always being replaced or changed around. I thought this would be an interesting thing to document. I started with a couple of collage/pen/ink illustrations of my backpack and a few of my badges.

I really like how this first piece came out, although for the text ('and all the badges I've loved and lost'.) I wished I had used a sea green/dark green colour. I think it would have worked much better. 

This is two of my badges, one broken and one surviving. It's a shame the colouring on the frog didn't quite work as I think it would have made a nice page! 

Minimalistic collage of a woman brooch I had. This is growing on me. Initially I wasn't sure, but I like the minimal colours and the use of white space.

A quick blind drawing/ink drawing of some buttons and badge pins. I think what works is the limited colour and the mix of detail and basic line.

Same as above really, but with my broken frog pin. 

Another of a pin in ink detail, with collage areas of another broken brooch. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing so far, but I need to expand it further. I'm thinking of illustrating the entire collection, just producing more work. I think I'll do this along with experimenting with bypass printing over my Independent Study days, as well as that I'd like to keep working on the hands idea. 

On another note, this is my 40th blog post! Worth a miniature celebration.

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.

3D Design: Connection/Tubes photography.

We were sent to the photography department with our tubes to focus on capturing the idea of connection. Initially, we were put into pairs and had to direct each other and the shoot. We were looking at forming different unusual connections using the tubes, connecting different body parts/people. I was made to connect my ear and foot, and I challenged my pair to connect his arm and foot using his tube.

I think the texture and the shape of the tubes work well with how the shoots were directed. Having the person sat down makes your figure look more entangled and connected without even introducing the tubes. I like how in the second photo I shot (bottom right) the lighting means his hand and foot actually look naturally joined, it's very fluid.

In the next shot we worked together and used both of our pieces. The way we are stood (head on) looks quite strong and confronting, and the tubes kind of ease that and create a flowing connection.

After this the group combined and we created 2 group pieces. Experimenting with 3D so far has been fairly eye opening, I've rarely worked with this media before. I enjoyed looking at the different effect these objects could have and the connections they could make, I wish I had to chance to work more with different ideas and medias as I think I could have created more/bigger pieces (relating to the tube project).

Fine Art: 'Transform' Brief: Day two

For Day 2 of the brief, we set out to produce 6 pieces of work in the first 2 hours, then 4 in the next, and then 2 final pieces in the last 2 hours (All working from our objects.) I started off mind mapping, reflecting on what had/n't worked in my work from yesterday, and also generally in the past. My main focus points going into this task were:

• Use less bold materials (collage), keep material colours minimal. 
• Use thread, looks good with tape.
• Use wash sparingly, for negative space?
• Take more risks, layer work up, work over whole pages. 
• Structure drawing works well.

Below are a few of what I created in the first 2hrs. 

After this, we were given feedback on our work. I was told my lines and collage were good, but I should experiment with more colour, and work a bit smaller. After the feedback, we moved on to working into our pieces, and creating four more. I started by cutting the above piece in half, to create two better pieces. I used wash and more colour. 

I'll add that I changed my object to the bottle top for the second 2hrs. 

I then created 2 further pieces (total: 4) 

I am happier with the above two. I think the choices of colour and materials were much better. The thread, wash and brown paper have a good balance together. 

For the final 2 pieces, I took a piece I didn't like and quartered it. I used 2/4 for working into and used the other 2/4 for collage material. I did some testing in my sketchbook, and then used printing and stencilling on the pieces.

Overall I was happy with what I produced for my last two pieces, I experimented with media and took risks with colour and material. Over the two days I experienced transforming objects and experimental drawing which I hadn't really tackled before. I made some mistakes, on pieces and in my sketchbook. However I tried to rectify them by cutting and changing the pieces. 

Fine Art: 'Transform' Brief: Day one

Over the course of 2 days we were to complete a project incorporating all the techniques we've learnt so far in Fine Art. For my object I chose a milk bottle. I thought the shape, texture and material had a lot of potential for structuring and shaping in different ways.

I started off doing some quick sketches/compositions in my sketchbook of the bottle in full.

I then cut the handle off the milk bottle, because I thought separately it resembled an iron. I also liked how the main bottle section had changed, the space was much larger and would be able to hold larger things, cutting out the handle had created two completely different objects. 

Again I did some sketches/compositions reflecting on the changes and shapes of the new objects. 

I then decided to change the iron shaped object again. I slit down both sides of the handle, and turned the plastic in on itself, creating a curved knot looking object. I really liked this transformation, as it was now a completely new object! You could not see/tell it was part of a milk bottle anymore. 

For my last change to the object, I wanted to do something simpler. I cut off the lid (and small area surrounding it), and then made small cuts every few centimetres round the edge.

 I did one more sketch, then finished for the next day. I am very pleased with the transformations I was able to achieve/explore with this object. I also think the object has potential for further changes.  

Fine Art: Photography: Artist Research.

We were shown a presentation of 50 photographers of note, and instructed to blog about a piece of work by three different artists.

The first photographer I chose to write about is Martin Parr, I really enjoyed looking through his work. Much of it has a running theme, exploring british/western culture and consumerism. For me the look of his work matches this -extremely high saturated pictures, lucid block colour (I love the deliberate-tacky feel that really works!). This repetition and simple factor to it. Matching people with food and money, and the zoom allowing us to look close at particular quirks or branding. This picture I chose to post here was from one of his books 'Common Sense'.

I think this image sums up my analysis of his work, the sea of people all looking the same and with the same towels with a huge price tag stuck over the top. The badly painted toenails, tanned feet and glittery sandals (I love those!). Together it really does have an impact in bringing across this theme of consumerism.

The next photographer I decided to post was Lewis Hine. I think the fact his photo's were quite instrumental in bringing about child labour reform in the US is so important, and brings so much more depth, meaning and emotion to the photos whilst viewing them. His work is very plain, you are drawn only to the reality of the images, the detail, the time and people. The picture I chose to post is of an 11 year old girl who works in a mill. 

I think this photo is so beautiful. You can see an endless stream of spinners (work), this is complemented by the lack of focus. She is surrounded by grey, plain, dirty conditions and she stands in focus looking out of the window and into the light in wonder. His work is very impacting and very real, and I really enjoyed looking through the photographs. 

The last photographer is Mary Ellen Mark, I love her street photography of New York. The angles she uses are particularly interesting, tilting a shot and a blurred image as if the photographer themselves is moving. It really creates this sense of movement and busy cities. Again there is a real focus on people and character, and with no back story the images leave the viewer to interpret their own characters and scenario. The photo I picked was...

As I said before, it's the angles that interest me. It's almost as if she was walking down a busy street with camera in hand, and accidentally snapped a picture! I love how she cleverly manipulates your view of the surroundings. The photos are just a snap of a second in time. I found her work really thought provoking.

Fine Art: Photography

We started by working with old t-shirts. I had to 'wear' the t-shirt in a way that was unusual/manipulated the shirt. I chose to put my head half way through the sleeve, I was given further direction to push against the insides of the shirt with my hands.

I do like the pressure this created in the t-shirt, as you can see it but can't quite tell where it's coming from. We were then paired up and challenged to both get inside the t-shirt, again in an unusual/manipulative way but also it was about joining, transforming something so it connects two things.

Then were were given materials and props. We had to direct the shoot, which included dressing the other person. Faces and skin, or shoes etc. were not allowed to be showing. It was almost like creating a character using the props and materials in an unexpected way. 

I decided to try and recreate a shepherd style character, using an off white bed sheet (for age/worn effect) and a greyish green material as a massive cloak/to shield the face. I chose to use only use a stick as a prop, I think the simplicity worked well. I had him sit down and hunch towards the stick, again in a kind of worn/aged/tired fashion. 

I think the images came out fairly well. If I could change anything I would fix the chair legs which are poking out on the right, and perhaps try one where he is leaning forward even more. I am pleased with the outcome though. I also realised how important body language was to evoking a character or emotion. Especially as the face was covered, slight movements and positioning was very important! 

Here is the one of me dressed up as a ninja (I think that is what I was...)