Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Sunday, 26 March 2017
Visual Communication: Studio Brief 3 - Final Work
Stamps
Postcards
Poster
What worked well:
• Using a limited palette of black and white.
• Employing and marrying together qualities of architecture and Op-Art driven by contextual research and experimentation.
• Combining Illustrator outlines and grids with collage textures and photography of vac-forms.
• Feeling confident in using all of my new skills to reflect a newfound love for Postmodern architecture.
• Listening to tutor feedback in regards to lots of experimentation and using simplified colours.
• Working with negative space, silhouette, line and contour.
• Working more independently out of the studio and in workshops to learn new skills and ways of making.
• Giving a sense of fragmentation mixed with the organic.
• Using varying perspectives in my stamps to give different viewpoints.
• Not going overboard in the limited space of the stamp and keeping it simple.
• How each piece is different and individual but they all work well together.
• Having a big enough canvas in the poster to really show all of the experimentation and hard work I have undertaken and using facets of each, which don't fight against each other to exist but work well alongside each other in harmony, telling my narrative and progress throughout this brief.
• Using a limited palette of black and white.
• Employing and marrying together qualities of architecture and Op-Art driven by contextual research and experimentation.
• Combining Illustrator outlines and grids with collage textures and photography of vac-forms.
• Feeling confident in using all of my new skills to reflect a newfound love for Postmodern architecture.
• Listening to tutor feedback in regards to lots of experimentation and using simplified colours.
• Working with negative space, silhouette, line and contour.
• Working more independently out of the studio and in workshops to learn new skills and ways of making.
• Giving a sense of fragmentation mixed with the organic.
• Using varying perspectives in my stamps to give different viewpoints.
• Not going overboard in the limited space of the stamp and keeping it simple.
• How each piece is different and individual but they all work well together.
• Having a big enough canvas in the poster to really show all of the experimentation and hard work I have undertaken and using facets of each, which don't fight against each other to exist but work well alongside each other in harmony, telling my narrative and progress throughout this brief.
What could be improved:
• If I had more time, I would liked to have played around with the fragments more on the A2 poster and tested what worked well next to each other. Because of time being a factor in terms of when I could get my work printed onto acetate, I had to be immediate with making decisions of where elements would go in the composition.
• I would have liked to have experimented with foiling onto acetate to accentuate the grids and contour lines as seen on one of the books I had borrowed from the library; which was a big visual inspiration and driving force for this project. Again, because of time and drop-in limitations I had to leave the idea.
• If I had more time, I would liked to have played around with the fragments more on the A2 poster and tested what worked well next to each other. Because of time being a factor in terms of when I could get my work printed onto acetate, I had to be immediate with making decisions of where elements would go in the composition.
• I would have liked to have experimented with foiling onto acetate to accentuate the grids and contour lines as seen on one of the books I had borrowed from the library; which was a big visual inspiration and driving force for this project. Again, because of time and drop-in limitations I had to leave the idea.
Reflection
Overall, I am really proud of my final outcomes as I was very uncertain of where the results would lead to at times during this brief. Choosing Zaha Hadid over Jim Henson was a very good decision to make right at the start as I knew I didn't want to spend another couple of weeks concentrating on the power of character design. Identifying that, reflecting on it and making the decision to change right away meant I had more time to research Zaha Hadid's legacy and make initial research. Going into the unfamiliar territory of Postmodern architecture was rather daunting at first, but I think Zaha Hadid has been the most wonderful starting point to explore how space and materials can be challenged and subverted in today's world to work in urban landscapes. Having a different perspective and set of ideals to work towards was really refreshing and gave way to a new direction in my practice; one which I am excited by and want to explore further in PPP after Easter!
The black and white of the final pieces give a sense of simplicity, charm and sophistication matching the work and personality of Zaha Hadid. Having undertaken so much research, both experimental, developmental and contextual, meant that I had no shortage of ideas of where to go with this brief - my only problem was ensuring that the final elements I chose were the right ones to evoke the magic of organic forms and the natural world alongside the sense of ordered distortion and fragmentation found in Hadid's legacy; being a part of the deconstructionism and parametricism movements.
Overall, I am really proud of my final outcomes as I was very uncertain of where the results would lead to at times during this brief. Choosing Zaha Hadid over Jim Henson was a very good decision to make right at the start as I knew I didn't want to spend another couple of weeks concentrating on the power of character design. Identifying that, reflecting on it and making the decision to change right away meant I had more time to research Zaha Hadid's legacy and make initial research. Going into the unfamiliar territory of Postmodern architecture was rather daunting at first, but I think Zaha Hadid has been the most wonderful starting point to explore how space and materials can be challenged and subverted in today's world to work in urban landscapes. Having a different perspective and set of ideals to work towards was really refreshing and gave way to a new direction in my practice; one which I am excited by and want to explore further in PPP after Easter!
The black and white of the final pieces give a sense of simplicity, charm and sophistication matching the work and personality of Zaha Hadid. Having undertaken so much research, both experimental, developmental and contextual, meant that I had no shortage of ideas of where to go with this brief - my only problem was ensuring that the final elements I chose were the right ones to evoke the magic of organic forms and the natural world alongside the sense of ordered distortion and fragmentation found in Hadid's legacy; being a part of the deconstructionism and parametricism movements.
Friday, 24 March 2017
Visual Communication: Studio Brief 3 - Photograms
Reflection
Despite not being able to visit the Leeds Discovery Centre in time and photographing their collection of mushrooms and coral in the Biology centre, I feel my improvisation and problem solving has paid off. By simply buying a box of grapes and using the branches, a head of cabbage and a selection of mushrooms I was able to uncover my own interesting discoveries!
Advantages
• Old method that is slowly dying out so very useful to learn these skills.
• A new skill for me as I've never made Photograms before.
• A great alternative viewpoint to objects and a different approach to creating images.
• Pushing myself way out of my comfort zone as photography isn't something I am particularly good at!
Disadvantages
• Lots and lots of trial and error making test pieces.
• Long process of developing the images in different chemical baths and cleaning the image
• Very time consuming; I spent 4 hours altogether making my photograms!
• Limitations in terms of the objects you can use and the effects that will be given.
• Thick objects with lots of depth will not show throw any information; I tried to cut a mushroom in half t be able to read some of the underneath fibres - but ultimately it didn't work.
• Difficult when using green leaves as it can block out the light more; not showing the main interest of the vein system.
• Thick objects with lots of depth will not show throw any information; I tried to cut a mushroom in half t be able to read some of the underneath fibres - but ultimately it didn't work.
• Difficult when using green leaves as it can block out the light more; not showing the main interest of the vein system.
Scans
What would happen if I scanned my objects? How would the results differ from photograms? Would they be more detailed? How much more information would be conveyed? Would it be as interesting to look at or too representational?
These results are interesting and almost look like brain scans! I very well may use them in my final pieces. Collage? Overlays? Faded backgrounds? On the stamps and postcards perhaps? I will have to further my experimentation when it comes to crafting the final pieces...
Scanning was able to capture much more information than the photograms, but aren't as visually interesting. The charm of photograms is that the image is developed by you using a process of exposing and then aggravating in chemicals, a sense of 'by hand' and craft, whereas technology does all the work when scanning. There is something much more immediate and less magical about the scanned vegetables.
Throughout this whole process I kept asking myself, "What would happen if I put all of these cabbage leaves together and overlaid them? With the photograms too? What results would I get if I change the layer opacities and properties?"
These results are interesting and almost look like brain scans! I very well may use them in my final pieces. Collage? Overlays? Faded backgrounds? On the stamps and postcards perhaps? I will have to further my experimentation when it comes to crafting the final pieces...
Thursday, 23 March 2017
Visual Communication: Studio Brief 3 - Thumbnails
• Returned to my sketchbook to plan out possible ideas for the final pieces
• Process of putting my experimentation into final pieces and using the techniques I think have worked.
• I like the idea of overlaying collage and vectors to create a new visual language.
• I like the overlaying of multiple buildings filling in the areas that touch and are closed forms. Would this look good with 3 or 4 buildings? Or too busy?
Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Visual Communication: Studio Brief 3 - Photography
• Photography is always such a challenge for me as I can't see the viewfinder very well or the text options on my screen; and with no audio on the camera it is very difficult indeed!
• I faced another problem - the photography studios were all booked out! The guy in the shop wasn't particularly helpful either; he didn't seem as friendly and approachable as the guy I had for the photography induction workshop...
• I had to be resourceful and consider what I wanted to do. Is this something I can do out of uni? I have my own Canon 1200D and a daylight lamp that emits powerful white light - so why not set up my own studio in my flat to photograph my vac forms? Carrying the heavy vac forms, with clay still inside them, from uni back to my student accommodation would be a struggle - but I can do it! Heck, I used to walk from the train station to Vernon Street every day last year on the Access to HE course with Tami, my heavy pink tartan suitcase, an A2 portfolio and a canvas bag of heavy library books. I'm Wonder Woman!
• To create an infinity cove, of sorts, I taped together two sheets of A2 on the underneath with some washi tape and taped it to my Mac to help stand it all up. Washi tape is a decorative paper tape used in crafts such as card making, scrapbooking, planning and journalling and I knew it would pose no problem of easily being removed off my computer screen without causing damage.
• All set up! With the daylight lamp, the fold between the two pieces of paper wasn't apparent at all and I am so chuffed with my ability to not be overwhelmed by the amount of workshops that are fully booked, step back and problem solve on my own. Viva independence!
• Next was setting up the camera. I had learned a lot more about what my camera could do thanks to the digital photography induction. Instead of using the Creative Auto setting that I always used, which automatically adjusted settings depending on the lighting and the object, I now had the ability to play with the white balance, flash, aperture and focus along with a host of filters. I had to experiment quite a bit with test shots but I am so impressed with how my photographed vac forms turned out!
• The high contrast of the black plastic against the white background worked particularly well, giving me lots of ideas for my final pieces, and the white light reflects off the surfaces nicely. Using the clay to model my pieces gave inaccuracies, blobs and wrinkles and those were all picked up by the vac form - giving visual variety and interest.
• I especially like the textural pattern of the dotted / bobbled surface from the vac form machine - this surface perfectly captures Zaha Hadid's fascination with technology and the 'future' aesthetic!
• This has a visual language all of its own and I can't wait to start experimenting.
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Visual Communication: Studio Brief 3 - Illustrator Files and Laser Cutting
Illustrator
• Using Illustrator for this project is most definitely something that is working really well.
• The software has the ability to be accurate with the pen tool and create both simple and intricate pieces.
• Combining the curve tool and the regular pen tool give some interesting effects that compliment and contrast in equal measures.
• Sticking to 'strokes' or outlines allude to the visual language of blueprints, schematics and technical drawings so I will avoid filling with colour.
• After going to the Illustrator workshops and using it extensively to create 3 stickers, I am now so much more confident in using the software at home and purchased it through the Adobe Creative Cloud to use in my own time.
• Drawing with Illustrator is still very new to me but I am fascinated by the ability of vector art and feel this will be a skill I'll continue to develop and implement into my practice. The most time I spend on it now, the better!
Laser Cutting
• The nifty thing about learning to use illustrator is that the file can be taken to the laser cutter to raster or engrave into wood.
• I did quite a lot of laser cutting and engraving last year and love the results - and the smell!
• It would be extra helpful if the laser cutter machines weren't constantly in use...
• I need to be mindful of time-keeping in future projects and book sessions in workshops well ahead of myself so that the option is there to use it. It's impossible to get a space otherwise and I only happened upon an empty window because the technician was understanding that what I wanted to create would take a few minutes, if that.
• While I do like laser cutting, I don't think it has translated very well in this test piece; the stroke lines would need to be thicker for it to be more apparent and contrasting but then, from experience, the rastered / burned lines affects surrounding areas and can look quite unprofessional...
• Laser cutting and using wood was something I was initially considering for my final pieces; but with the machines constantly being booked and the result not being to my liking I will need to keep pushing forward with more testing.