Throughout the course of this year I have experienced such a transition within my practice. Coming into the the year I felt completely lost and under pressure to find my personal creative "style" and make decisions about my career that I have in no way felt ready for.
The CoP2 module however took me on a journey I didn't expect and I have come out of the other end feeling a lot more confident about myself and excited about the future of my practice. It was a difficult module with a few personal failures along the way, however I discovered a true voice within my work and need to create art with substance and meaning. I want to educate through creativity, not just appealing to my audience because of aesthetics, but challenging perceptions and impacting the viewer so that they come away having learnt something new or questioning their own beliefs etc. there are so many issues I feel need addressing in our culture and society today and I like the idea of challenging myself by creating high quality creative/visual/interactive work that also has this deeper meaning.
CoP2 was so important to me and practice that I cant wait to get started on CoP3. I want to build on the HUGE body of research I have developed throughout the course of this year and take this even further - in the hope of producing a dissertation based on a really interesting and relevant subject matter i am passionate about.
My CoP3 Proposal
Friday, 29 April 2016
OUIL501 Summative Evaluation
OUIL501 Context of Practice
Jessica Dawson
jd255593
BA (Hons) Illustration - Level 5
Summative Evaluation
Throughout Context of Practice 2, I have seen a massive improvement in many skills I have been developing throughout my time on the course. Research has been key from start to finish and continuing on from last years module, I have seen the great importance of exhaustive research both primary and secondary - in order to inform my ideas through to concept, development and final outcome.
Despite the overall theme for my CoP2 module work being one I am familiar with and interested in personally, the world of "psychedelics" and "psychoactive substances" is extremely large and diverse, meaning that I have had to make research into this topic a daily priority, keeping up to date with exciting and new scientific research, data and the changing laws surrounding it. This in itself has been a challenge because the topic is a popular and very necessary one in recent times, meaning I have needed to be selective with my research and thorough when deciphering what is relevant to my work.
Informed by my own experiences, taking the initiative to attend scientific/academic conferences, gaining access to academic/medical journals, watching hundreds of TED talks, following relevant medical/psychiatric trials, wiping the LCA library out of relevant historical books as well as rolling out my own subject-specific survey in the hope of gaining primary research, have all provided me with the in depth sources and knowledge to produce a really interesting body of work and research, which I hope is seen as a strength in my submission.
Responding visually to this growing body of research I had collected, was a step away from what I am used to, but I feel resulted in some really strong visual outcomes, that I was able to develop further and further into a publication I am happy with, both in physical quality and concept. Usually I feel most confident in approaching creative work when I have a strong concept and idea of what the outcome will be. This has been forever causing me problems in other modules as it hinders the development process and eliminates any alternative, often more exciting creative avenues. In my CoP2 visual journal I was determined for a change, so went back to basics and began creating artwork in response to just my research, as well as trying brand new techniques relevant to my topic: marble printing and acrylic relief printing (Rorschach "ink blot" techniques). Producing artwork with no boundaries meant that I was able to freely enjoy the creative process, build a deeper connection with my topic as well as generate an exhaustive amount of visual work and starting points (patterns, textures etc), that I hope to be able to use again throughout my time on this course and on into my own practice.
The main aspect of my submission which I feel most proud of is the concept behind my publication. Rolling out my "Are You Wavy" survey received some really great feedback from all participants who took part and I really wanted to produce something visual to communicate this and the findings taken from my survey results. Whilst in an academic headspace thanks to my never-ending research, I surprised myself by being able to literally convert the answers given by the participants who took part in my survey, into visual values within my artwork (developed from my practical work within my visual journal). Each question and corresponding section of artwork would act as a formula, communicating the survey results, opinions relevant to my research and ultimately building a visual portrait individual to that of the participants who took part. Incorporating this concept into my publication took my research and survey findings that one step further, meaning I could showcase my artwork, some key research and results generated throughout this module, as well as interact with any new reader of my book - asking them to complete my survey first hand and contribute to further future research in this area.
Choosing my own topic and having the freedom to investigate and "become an expert" in an area I am interested in has made all the difference when approaching CoP2, so much so that I have learnt a lot more about myself as a practitioner. I have strong beliefs as a person and a lot more knowledge in social, cultural, political and medical areas than I knew i had, however I am also interested in educating and challenging other points of view, therefore being able to combine these important discoveries creatively has been like a "eureka" moment for me, as the final stages of my submission came together. I want to design and create work with substance, impact and thought behind it. I want to intrigue my audience whilst also educating, questioning, ultimately immersing them in an experience which will hopefully engage on a much deeper level in terms of my work and the messages/issues conveyed. I want to ask questions of my audience, which in turn cause my audience to ask questions themselves. I want my artwork to make a difference and this has been the one key discovery I have made about myself this year, thanks to CoP2.
I feel the main weakness in my submission is my academic essay and this is a great disappointment to me as I have really engaged with and enjoyed this module, and this lets it and my body of research down. My chosen topic is one of the broadest I have come across and i had real difficulty narrowing down to a concise area of focus, made even more difficult as i am inspired and interested by it all. Drowning in research is a complete understatement and I ultimately let the research snowball to a point where i just became lost in it all, wanting to include as many important aspects in my essay as I could, but resulting in a disjointed collection of sources and themes more descriptive and factual than analytical, challenging or conveying my stance/view on it all. As my research developed and grew, it became extremely difficult to decide on an avenue for my essay and stick with it, this coupled with recent and very difficult health complications has meant I have not committed as much time to my written work as i would have liked.
Despite this, I am really really looking forward to CoP3 and producing a body of work and dissertation I feel does this research and strong area of interest of mine justice. I want to progress with my CoP2 findings, continue to research over the summer, attend more conferences that I have lined up, collate data and evidence by way of rolling out more specific surveys/interactive booklets and artwork, keep in contact with key figures helping to lead this global/international research (Ben Sessa, Stephen Reid etc) and I am confident I will get ahead of the game in both prep and mindset before September and the beginning of level 6.
So lastly, thanks for a great module - its been one of the best yet in terms of developing my individual practice, applying research and injecting substance and meaning into my work. I'm really excited for CoP3 and to see where this will lead.
Saturday, 23 April 2016
New technique/Interesting media: Hama Bead - Art
Whilst approaching my OUIL505 module as well as OUIL503, I came across an old, familiar yet completely new type of artistic process. I love all things 3d and how different forms of interesting media can expand ones perception of what "illustration" as a creative practice can achieve.
These "beads" are such a blast from the past and I loved creating simple, bold and colour patterns and shapes using these as a kid.
What are they?
Completely shocked that not everyone knows what these things are - but happy to educate! :)
Hama bead or "Perler" beads (USA) are tiny colourful plastic beads which vary in size, opacity, finish and texture. The idea is you think of a design and then recreate this design on a pin board using these beads. Once the design is complete, you then iron over the beads, melting them together and securing the overall design. When the beads are cool enough, you can peel them away from the pin board and voila.
I am really interested in new and fun ways to create artwork and this has to be one of them. The process is long and tedious, you need pin tweezers and a steady hand on top of hours and hours of patience and days of standing on the bloody things - but i think this process has the potential to be fun and help create a different kind of visual response.
On the hunt for inspiration, tutorials and techniques.....so of course i made a pinterest board!
It really helps me to organise and categorise everything that interests me - makes it easy to refer back too and also makes for a lovely reading list/browse
These boards have also helped in other ways. Hama (Perler) bead art isn't exactly well known or a common process and is usually associated with children's activities. It took some digging but these images are a collection of more conceptual / refined artwork in which - if i experiment with this process for OUIL505 - i hope my results to be.
Bead stock website: http://www.hamabeads.com/
Notes:
Varying sizes of bead to be used in designs for different applications:
• Large beads (maxi beads) for larger, bolder, more pixelated artwork/designs.
- Murals?
- Graffiti?
- Hama Bead Graffiti?
• Medium sized beads (midi beads) are most commonly used and have the largest variety of colours/finishes
- Better for use with designs/artworks with many varying tones/shades of colour
- realistic artwork?
- 3D artwork?
• Small beads (mini beads) are tiny and come in less colours than the medium size
- Good for use in more complex, higher in detail designs
- Don't use for large scale concepts - would take forever!
Can only use iron process to secure bead design if all beads in the design are the same size. Different sizes would cause different raised beads to receive heat from the iron, but not fuse to the beads of a smaller height below.
My own experimentation and artwork:
Secret 7 3D psychedelic album artwork:
These "beads" are such a blast from the past and I loved creating simple, bold and colour patterns and shapes using these as a kid.
What are they?
Completely shocked that not everyone knows what these things are - but happy to educate! :)
Hama bead or "Perler" beads (USA) are tiny colourful plastic beads which vary in size, opacity, finish and texture. The idea is you think of a design and then recreate this design on a pin board using these beads. Once the design is complete, you then iron over the beads, melting them together and securing the overall design. When the beads are cool enough, you can peel them away from the pin board and voila.
I am really interested in new and fun ways to create artwork and this has to be one of them. The process is long and tedious, you need pin tweezers and a steady hand on top of hours and hours of patience and days of standing on the bloody things - but i think this process has the potential to be fun and help create a different kind of visual response.
On the hunt for inspiration, tutorials and techniques.....so of course i made a pinterest board!
It really helps me to organise and categorise everything that interests me - makes it easy to refer back too and also makes for a lovely reading list/browse
These boards have also helped in other ways. Hama (Perler) bead art isn't exactly well known or a common process and is usually associated with children's activities. It took some digging but these images are a collection of more conceptual / refined artwork in which - if i experiment with this process for OUIL505 - i hope my results to be.
Bead stock website: http://www.hamabeads.com/
Notes:
Varying sizes of bead to be used in designs for different applications:
• Large beads (maxi beads) for larger, bolder, more pixelated artwork/designs.
- Murals?
- Graffiti?
- Hama Bead Graffiti?
• Medium sized beads (midi beads) are most commonly used and have the largest variety of colours/finishes
- Better for use with designs/artworks with many varying tones/shades of colour
- realistic artwork?
- 3D artwork?
• Small beads (mini beads) are tiny and come in less colours than the medium size
- Good for use in more complex, higher in detail designs
- Don't use for large scale concepts - would take forever!
Can only use iron process to secure bead design if all beads in the design are the same size. Different sizes would cause different raised beads to receive heat from the iron, but not fuse to the beads of a smaller height below.
My own experimentation and artwork:
Secret 7 3D psychedelic album artwork:
Friday, 22 April 2016
Books of Interest
My love of books
I have bought a lot of books throughout the year as well as been given some as gifts. Building up my own personal library has been really beneficial to me and my practice and the physicality of having these books on hand has been invaluable to refer when approaching all of my modules this year.
Some have appeared on our reading list as a part of this degree course as well as some I have sourced myself - thinking ahead in terms of what I feel will be helpful to me and will inform / inspire my future practice as an illustrator.
Growing book collection:
As well as my own purchases, I have found the LCA library resource just as valuable throughout the year. Especially with my Context of Practice 2 module. Without this resource, I would have found it extremely difficult to source a variety of references and valuable information on a difficult research subject.
Library Book resources:
I have bought a lot of books throughout the year as well as been given some as gifts. Building up my own personal library has been really beneficial to me and my practice and the physicality of having these books on hand has been invaluable to refer when approaching all of my modules this year.
Some have appeared on our reading list as a part of this degree course as well as some I have sourced myself - thinking ahead in terms of what I feel will be helpful to me and will inform / inspire my future practice as an illustrator.
Growing book collection:
As well as my own purchases, I have found the LCA library resource just as valuable throughout the year. Especially with my Context of Practice 2 module. Without this resource, I would have found it extremely difficult to source a variety of references and valuable information on a difficult research subject.
Library Book resources:
Crystal Ship
http://www.juxtapoz.com/news/street-art/the-crystal-ship-in-belgium/
"The Crystal Ship is a contemporary art festival specialised in public space which sets sail to the city of Ostend, Belgium with talented creatives. World-renowned artists created gigantic murals and fantastic art installations that form a permanent artistic trail in the city.
A lover of all things graffiti, mural-esque and large in scale, i stumbled across this Colossal article showcasing a public art exhibit in Belgium. the type of work, application and creative context is just the type of work I would love to get involved with in my own practice. I plan on attempting to get involved in large scale artwork (larger than the the usual A5 - A2 at least) over the summer, creating personal projects and putting myself out there with the possibility of doing large scale artwork for free - if just for the exposure at least. I also plan on contacting relevant practitioners / experts in this field, asking for any tips on how to go about this style of work - without the added worry of vandalism etc...i want the artwork to last after all.
Possible areas of application:
"The Crystal Ship is a contemporary art festival specialised in public space which sets sail to the city of Ostend, Belgium with talented creatives. World-renowned artists created gigantic murals and fantastic art installations that form a permanent artistic trail in the city.
The curator of The Crystal Ship, Bjørn Van Poucke, is extremely enthusiastic about the collaboration with the city of Ostend. “Nowhere else in Europe have so many artists in this genre been brought together for a joint arts festival. With The Crystal Ship, we wish to bring art to the people and that is exactly what we did: Over the course of 2 weeks we created +20 impressive murals and +200 smaller interventions. Right in the centre of the city, the place where people live and work. That is pretty unique!”
Artists who contributed to the first edition:
1010 (Germany), Agostino Iacurci (Italy), Cyrcle (United States), Disorderline (Belgium), Elian (Argentina), Ella & Pitr (France), Eversiempre (Argentina), Guido Van Helten (Australia), Jaune (Belgium), Jaz (Argentina), Mister Fiksit (Belgium), Nuart preetns Biancoshock (Italy) and Isaac Cordal (Spain), Pixelpancho (Italy), Pol Cosmo (Belgium), Roa (Belgium), Robert Montgomery (United Kingdom), Siegfried Vynck (Belgium), Smates & Locatelli (Belgium) and Zio Ziegler (United States)."
*********************1010 (Germany), Agostino Iacurci (Italy), Cyrcle (United States), Disorderline (Belgium), Elian (Argentina), Ella & Pitr (France), Eversiempre (Argentina), Guido Van Helten (Australia), Jaune (Belgium), Jaz (Argentina), Mister Fiksit (Belgium), Nuart preetns Biancoshock (Italy) and Isaac Cordal (Spain), Pixelpancho (Italy), Pol Cosmo (Belgium), Roa (Belgium), Robert Montgomery (United Kingdom), Siegfried Vynck (Belgium), Smates & Locatelli (Belgium) and Zio Ziegler (United States)."
A lover of all things graffiti, mural-esque and large in scale, i stumbled across this Colossal article showcasing a public art exhibit in Belgium. the type of work, application and creative context is just the type of work I would love to get involved with in my own practice. I plan on attempting to get involved in large scale artwork (larger than the the usual A5 - A2 at least) over the summer, creating personal projects and putting myself out there with the possibility of doing large scale artwork for free - if just for the exposure at least. I also plan on contacting relevant practitioners / experts in this field, asking for any tips on how to go about this style of work - without the added worry of vandalism etc...i want the artwork to last after all.
Possible areas of application:
- Public wall space within the city (Leeds, or home town Cambridge)
- Inside wall space within various coffee shops, stores and creative outlets looking for an interior re-vamp
- Attending public exhibits like this, signing up for a space and having a go at live art on the spot - terrifying but a necessity if I am wanting to pursue this line of work.
- Festival space: It is soon to be festival season and with festivals come the need for visual artwork in and around the sites. A dream of mine, although how possible I am not sure....
Life, Advice & Helpful Resources
"Still striving for that manageable, creative, LIFE BALANCE"
I recently came across the below article, outlining a possible approach to beating bad habits and bettering your chances at the perfect life balance that everyone strives for. This is something that I feel has been my biggest issue throughout studying for me degree, so far that is anyway.
This without a doubt is my passion - it always has been and is the most certain thing I know about myself (which is a positive at least). I have drive and I want to be successful. I am committed to getting there...i just hate the sacrifices, the daily juggle of priorities and the various levels of stress, disappointment and failed attempts at organisation/catching up that comes with being a creative, being a student and attempting to have some sort of a fulfilled "life" outside of all the serious stuff.
I guess I'am finding it hard to accept that this may just be how things are for me, for my practice and for my life that seems to be crumbling/losing focus around me. If I am unwilling to compromise, if I want to build/expand my practice, learn new things, be a specialist, create artwork to the highest quality I can, have great friendships, be social at least 1 night a week, be healthy, recover from illnesses, have time for my loved ones, experience new things, take risks, seek adventures, have time for myself and be mindful (as well as everything else under the sun it would seem) - then I can expect to have a pretty crap time trying to achieve it all.
An achievable and comfortable/fulfilling balance between the key elements of life that mean the most to me is the most difficult thing, as these key elements often need the most amount of time dedicated to them, in order to be worthwhile/effective/meaningful and my mind fogs up trying to process how to fit it all in when there are only 24 hours in a day. (24 HOURS....24.... why cant there be more?)
I am ever hopeful that one day my illustrative practise and my life outside of this will stop clashing with each other and begin to have some sort of synergy, working together to better my overall life experience and ultimately help me to live in the moment, for the moment, be present and experience, live, be conscious of and engage with every minute the day has to offer - as thats what its all about right? Living life in and for the NOW, instead of spending my present planning, worrying and reflecting about past times and future plans.
I haven't and wont give up yet. Just please 'life'...get better soon!
As creatives, we live and breathe design – whether it’s graphic design, art or illustration. Our minds are constantly running background tasks even if we don’t know it. You may appear to be chewing your food silently, but the real fact is that you’re thinking about that art piece you saw in a gallery a week ago. Or what about that time when you had that family vacation? Your kids were running around having fun and the only thing running through your mind is work – yup, the one you left back at home. Such is the mind of a working creative.
http://www.pikaland.com/blog/
Future helpful resources, advice, blog, creative tips and tutorials
I recently came across the below article, outlining a possible approach to beating bad habits and bettering your chances at the perfect life balance that everyone strives for. This is something that I feel has been my biggest issue throughout studying for me degree, so far that is anyway.
This without a doubt is my passion - it always has been and is the most certain thing I know about myself (which is a positive at least). I have drive and I want to be successful. I am committed to getting there...i just hate the sacrifices, the daily juggle of priorities and the various levels of stress, disappointment and failed attempts at organisation/catching up that comes with being a creative, being a student and attempting to have some sort of a fulfilled "life" outside of all the serious stuff.
I guess I'am finding it hard to accept that this may just be how things are for me, for my practice and for my life that seems to be crumbling/losing focus around me. If I am unwilling to compromise, if I want to build/expand my practice, learn new things, be a specialist, create artwork to the highest quality I can, have great friendships, be social at least 1 night a week, be healthy, recover from illnesses, have time for my loved ones, experience new things, take risks, seek adventures, have time for myself and be mindful (as well as everything else under the sun it would seem) - then I can expect to have a pretty crap time trying to achieve it all.
An achievable and comfortable/fulfilling balance between the key elements of life that mean the most to me is the most difficult thing, as these key elements often need the most amount of time dedicated to them, in order to be worthwhile/effective/meaningful and my mind fogs up trying to process how to fit it all in when there are only 24 hours in a day. (24 HOURS....24.... why cant there be more?)
I am ever hopeful that one day my illustrative practise and my life outside of this will stop clashing with each other and begin to have some sort of synergy, working together to better my overall life experience and ultimately help me to live in the moment, for the moment, be present and experience, live, be conscious of and engage with every minute the day has to offer - as thats what its all about right? Living life in and for the NOW, instead of spending my present planning, worrying and reflecting about past times and future plans.
I haven't and wont give up yet. Just please 'life'...get better soon!
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How to cultivate good habits that will encourage creativity
We’ve all given excuses before: I’m too tired, I’m too busy, etc. Whether it’s to avoid going for that run you’ve marked on your calendar, or to enter your studio during the weekends when you’ve already put in 40-hour-weeks at your day job – procrastination is a tough habit to beat.
As creatives, we live and breathe design – whether it’s graphic design, art or illustration. Our minds are constantly running background tasks even if we don’t know it. You may appear to be chewing your food silently, but the real fact is that you’re thinking about that art piece you saw in a gallery a week ago. Or what about that time when you had that family vacation? Your kids were running around having fun and the only thing running through your mind is work – yup, the one you left back at home. Such is the mind of a working creative.
But there is hope.
We wind up this way (yes, I’ve been there!) because we aren’t living in the moment. And while that may sound like it isn’t anything particularly serious, it’s a bad habit. And bad habits are one of the biggest obstacles to getting things done. One way that has helped for me personally is to introduce new habits – things that when done time and time again, will help you get back on the creative track.
So here’s what has worked for me:
Making a list
To-dos, grocery lists, or even things you need for your trip – you need to write them all down. Because if you don’t, it’s going to be hiding in the recesses of your mind, just waiting for the most ridiculous moment to pop up and remind you of its existence. And then you’ll forget. Yet again.
Our brains can’t cope with too much tasks at any given time. And when you load it with a task such as remembering X, Y, and Z, you’ll leave little room for the things you want it to do. Like thinking up rad new ideas or joining together ideas to form new ones.
So let it all out on paper. Write every single thing down so that you won’t forget and your brain can get some rest!
Having a routine
What gets your brain juices flowing in the morning? Coffee? A run? A shower? Do that. Sometimes it’s good to establish a routine, especially those that have worked for you before. By having a routine, it frees up a lot of time thinking about what to do – you’ve an automated schedule to run so that you can leave your imagination where it counts the most.
Doing nothing at all
When your body is reluctant to do something – listen to it. It’s trying to tell you something. Instead of just dragging your body to the gym (or somewhere else you need to be), stop for a moment and just take a nap. Or just lie on the couch and read that book you’ve been putting aside. Maybe what you really want is to catch that favourite TV show? Then just do it.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how refreshed you’ll be when you start listening to your body instead of going against it. We’re not recommending that you flake on your appointments all the time – but sneaking in some time for yourself – especially if you don’t do it enough – will save your sanity.
Limiting time on social media sites
Yes, you heard me. It’s a time sucker. And when you’re refreshing that feed of yours, think of the time you could have spent on other, more productive things – things that could improve your art, or figuring out a way to earn more income through your art. Besides, reading too much Facebook is depressing – definitely not something you’d want when you’re trying to be creative.
Limit your viewing to 5 times a day, or only check your social media happenings in the evenings. Or perhaps it can be a reward for when you’ve checked things off your to-do list. The point is, get things done instead of watching others get things done.
Looking up. Or down.
We always look at things that are eye-level. Supermarket shelves are stocked so that their popular items are placed at eye-level. But look deeper – up the aisle and down as well and you’ll be surprised at the things you find. Life is a lot like that as well. Inspiration is everywhere, the saying goes. And it’s certainly not limited to the scope of vision that we’re used to looking at. So Remember: look up and down wherever you go. Soften your gaze a little.
Writing down ideas.
Much like the above, you should write down any ideas you come across. Not just lists of things. Business ideas, ideas for your art, a new way of experimenting with your technique – all these should be written down because as we mentioned earlier, our brain can only do so much. And once you forget them, it might be gone forever.
I’ve kicked myself so hard because I had on many occasions, a great idea that I forgot to pen down. I would then spend hours or even days trying so hard to grasp or fill in the blanks. It was a waste of time indeed. And that’s if I can recall it again!
Revisit ideas and combine them to create new things.
Once you have a book of ideas, take some time to flip through it when you’re stuck. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find jumping out between those pages – because when ideas get together, the party is just getting started!
Doing the most important stuff first
Contrary to beliefs, your emails isn’t the most important thing that you need to do. So instead of firing up the Mail manager, you need to work on your work first. We get so wrapped up responding to things that we sometimes forget to create. So before you get sucked into the menial stuff, make sure to put your energy where it’s needed most of all – creating work that matters – before you start on the small stuff. Believe you me, it’s the small stuff that will suck the energy out of you before you know it!
Practice, practice, practice
All the above are simple measures to help you rein in your time. But without practice, you’ll fall into the same old bad habits that got you into trouble in the first place. So keep at them and you’ll find that all these habits will come naturally.
There you have it – my go-to list on creating new habits to encourage your creativity to flourish.
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Amy Ng blogs at Pikaland, a popular stop for illustration lovers, students and artists who are looking for answers on how to find a balance between art, creativity and commerce.
Future helpful resources, advice, blog, creative tips and tutorials
Saturday, 16 April 2016
"The Secret Lives of Lab Rats"
Hannah Faith Yata
http://www.hannahyata.com/latest/
"According to Yata, her work “seeks to interweave political ideas, (using nature, women, and feminism almost synonymously), environmental degradation, and themes of moral injustice into increasingly chaotic paintings.” Yata incorporates the female form as a way to deny objectification of women and she incorporates animals into her work to allow them to “speak their consciousness.” The resulting work is a chaotic mix of bright colors and imagery, coalescing in fantasy worlds that seamlessly integrate ecstatic celebration with dark cynicism about contemporary society."
Original source:
http://www.juxtapoz.com/news/painting/the-secret-lives-of-lab-rats/
Example of politically aimed, satirical, fantasy paintings with a unique subject matter to convey and important, relevant message. Explores current moral issues using strange fantasy scenes and characters to tell their "story" and portray the concept/message.
How does this link to my own practice?
Deeper meaning to work, has a message, strong and direct tone of voice, big impact, meaningful application - to spread knowledge, convey opinions, speak the truth, inform, - have a voice.
"Creative protest"
Friday, 15 April 2016
Amazing Animation
https://vimeo.com/63823593
- The use of free transforming painted layers - independent of each other. More engaging
- Cinematography, pace and flow
- Use of true to life muted similar toned colour scheme then use of being neon to reflect light and draw attention to alien character - contrast! Real vs alien
- Empty shots/frames in sequences with slight, silent content to convey the city atmosphere and give overall mood and tone of voice
- Feels like the north...wind...grim...cold...factories / cooling towers, industrial
Thursday, 14 April 2016
OUIL503 Summative Evaluation
OUIL503 Responsive
Jessica Dawson
jd255593
BA (Hons) Illustration - Level 5
Summative Evaluation
This module has been a challenging one in many aspects but definitely one i have taken so much from, right from the very beginning.
I have never undergone entering any competitions before - let alone entering my own work publicly and this has really helped me to gain a better understanding of the Illustration Industry and the highs and low points all creative practitioners must face when committing to deadlines and creating artwork in response to a competition brief.
Throughout this module I have attempted to push myself in many different directions including the approaches and practical skills i have learnt and applied to each brief.
Secret 7 for me, was an example of taking a step back, getting back in touch with the very raw things that inspire me creatively and running with whatever follows. I didn't have a plan to use digital techniques for some if any of the album artwork I produced (other than for final post-production based touch ups etc), however having "no plan" and just listening to the music and being inspired by sound and attempting to convey this through colour and pattern - digitally - surprisingly paid off. I really enjoyed being able to work with my own hand printed marbled textures I had made when listening to the secret 7 tracks, and was surprised at how quickly I learned and managed to master a few new tricks in Adobe Photoshop, such as the blending tool and how layers can be layered up, masked and grouped to create various editable "smart objects". I feel this will help me greatly in my approach to new briefs in the future.
Having my artwork selected to appear in the Secret 7 exhibit at the Sonos Studios in London is a massive highlight for me and I hope to be able to find the money to take a trip and see my artwork on a sleeve in person. What I hope to take forward from this experience is to not put so much pressure on myself. I tend to battle with meeting my expectations and staying realistic to what can be achieved. Here I have showed myself that letting go, undertaking new techniques and just seeing what happens instead of worrying, can throw a little curveball but can ultimately take my skills, practice and love of creativity in brand new directions.
As well as these new digital techniques, I was also able to get my head around seamless pattern making for one of my individual briefs Feathr. I have always wanted to learn how to master this trick as I know how helpful it would be to me when creating new textures, stamps and pattern fills / brushes in Photoshop. It did take a bit f getting used too as various online tutorials I had found seemed to go about the whole process in quite seemingly different ways.
A clear area of success and enjoyment within this module for me was Secret 7, however there are also clear areas of weakness. I would have liked to invest a little more time communicating my ideas and evaluating them on my blog and in my boards a lot more chorally. I have really struggled to collate all of my information and work throughout this module in time for submission because we have had so many different briefs going on, I simply ran out time to group it and put it all together - which is a shame because I feel it lets down my work for a module and briefs I have really enjoyed and committed too. I have often felt like i had 5 heads all at once but all in other places and struggled to manage come submission.
5 main things I will be taking forward and feel will benefit the most when approaching future briefs and modules:
-The true benefits of good research. This module has introduced me to a whole new way of researching and thinking about my audience as an illustrator as well as the context in which it fits and the real importance of "knowing" your client and market. The research alone helps to shape and guide ideas from the word go - and definitely gave my work a sense of deeper meaning and value.
-TIME MANAGEMENT - I say it every time but seriously something has to change. I put myself through so much stress trying to manage my time...that I don’t live it, experience life and get work done to the best of my ability without killing myself. _Maybe save the mind-blowing ideas and processes....for after uni!?
-Working with new people and taking charge isn't too bad. I have definitely surprised myself in this case in terms of my overall state of mind recently and my confidence levels. and actually find myself looking forward to collaborating with people in the future. I think I must like the challenge after this module and my groups collaborative experience.
-Be realistic - I AM SLOW. Not intellectually I hope, but I have noticed how long it takes me to get into the swing of things (no matter how motivating my ideas). To combat this - I am going to try and approach things a little differently from now on and not get hung up on the "knowing" where creativity will take me but instead enjoy and revel in the "not-knowing". Im sure I will surprise myself as i have in this module and look forward to learning new skills, applying unfamiliar techniques and meeting / working with new people in the future
And finally - how lucky I am to be a part of such a great course. The abundance of creative opportunities presented to us throughout this module and my overall time here, have been far better and more exiting than I have experienced before - and more so than the majority of other universities im sure. I really want to make the most of everything LCA has to offer me in the remainder of my time here and plan on signing up for some induction courses in other department (wood, pottery, laser, vinyl etc) and I think it would be great to also join a society...I have never been a part of have before :)
Monday, 11 April 2016
Saturday, 9 April 2016
36 Days of Type
http://www.36daysoftype.com
https://www.instagram.com/36daysoftype/?hl=en
Successful presence:
-rolling this out over instagram helps and appeals to a broad community of people to get involved and share / be inspired by entrants - who's new work is posted on the instagram daily. Strong online presence. If your online, be dedicated - make it a part of my practice.
Ideas for a possible personal project or level 6 idea
• Personal project / challenge.
• Could try and undertake this but make all letters very typographical but 3D / interactive? GIFs? Paper cut / engineering? Painted and photographed acetate? 3D lense?
Saturday, 2 April 2016
Colours May Vary: "Off the Page" - LCA Level 5 Illustration Exhibition
The Brief:
Off of the back of the OUIL504 'Authors' brief, I had 1 design that I hadn't gotten around to completing fully in terms of lino-cutting and felt saving this design for this event was initially a great idea - giving me something to work with right off of the back.
It was important to keep in mind the dimensions and layout/format of the final prints for this brief and adapting my artwork to fit within these guidelines:
Initial designs:
As with my work and process of creating digital roughs in order to work from and ultimately transfer onto lino for cutting - I used this process to cut up and finalise a rough to cut from again.
The design I was unable to finish from 504, was my compositional A2 design for the city of "Octavia", inspired by city within Italo Calvino's novel "Invisible Cities'.
Full original design:
Digital play (to fit the design and its key compositional elements within the required frame dimensions):
A change in heart:
After the stress and what felt like years of lino-cutting for OUIL504, during drawing up these digital roughs and after transfer onto the lino, I just couldn't bring myself to complete the cutting.
I was aware that most other people on the course were using cropped/scaled down versions of their final artwork from the 504 module meaning that no new work was needing to be created, or that if it was-it was easy to recreate because of the "small scale" printing methods they had already being using to generate their final resolutions.
The reason why I wanted to create "new work", was that I wanted a full lino-cut print and composition to fit within the 30cm x 30cm dimensions as a part of this brief and my final A2 work would in no way do this. Scaled down as a digital print - an A2 composition does not fit within a 30x30cm window and many of the tiny details would have been completely lost- as my initial attempts show:
To me cropping my prints/scaling them down and reproducing them digitally, would de-value the hand-made /hand-printed original artwork and not be so sought after at a primarily "analogue" print-makers exhibition.
I was stuck between a rock and hard place: I couldn't scale down my original prints, I couldn't re-print them at a smaller scale by recutting my designs, and I had no right hand left in order to cut a brand new design of the required size for the exhibition. Seeking vital help and speaking to the tutors didn't exactly help or comfort me either which was extremely frustrating and disheartening. I was told that yes I should try and refrain from including digital work in the exhibition as it would not be as well received and other students are able to produce the necessary analogue results so I should do this also. It was suggested to me that I create a new lino-cut piece that fits the dimensions.
Quick yet important note: Does no-one understand fully how long it takes to carve high detail into hessian-backed lino? This isn't just a quick process - ask the professionals (tugboat print shop) or watch live feeds of the process online. It is why they sell for so much money-blood sweat and tears - literally - is what it takes to complete this work, its not just a "sit down with a cup of tea and complete at your leisure in an afternoon" kind of process.
- All i have received is negative and un-informed advice regarding my attempt at the linocut process - even throughout the course of the 504 module. What knocks me should make me more determined...but i have to admit it is getting exhausting being this miss-understood whenever i show work and ask for advice. I am not a professional - hence why I am on this course. Please cut me some slack whilst trying to progress with my practice and attempt new and ambitious methods of creating illustration - that genuinely interest me and I put a lot of if not all of my effort in to.
This rather mind-boggling advice ultimately stalled me in terms of what I could possibly do for this brief at this stage - as time ticked by and the exhibition drew closer.
I had no choice but to return back to my large final A2 lino-cut prints (above) from the 504 "Author" module to see if I could use any of this work and potentially physically chop it up to fit within the framed dimensions. Yes chop it up.
These prints were of such high quality and of great personal value to me - being the best work I have created to date within my practice as a developing illustrator, - that i couldn't help but feel saddened by this potential resolution to my problem.
The printing process of using a high pressure hydraulic press to create these prints, meant that I could only produce a limited number from my lino-cut plates - as the high pressure required in printing had ultimately crushed my plates and were no longer usable to get any more prints from. Not only this but each print took a total of 15-20 minutes from start to finish to physically print, giving them added personal value on-top of the total 2 months worth of 16 hour daily cutting it took to generate the final lino-cut plates (I had no christmas, no birthday, no new year, no mothers day to create these plates, my family wil vouch for that and currently still aren't happy with me.)
- I was so close to chopping these up, but needing a total of 4 prints for the exhibition - identical to each other - (which obviously meant sacrificing a large portion of my few limited edition A2 pieces), and this honestly just seemed completely stupid and would be destroying all the hard work I put into creating these final prints in the first place...
• So after the backwards and forwards struggle, i made the decision that was best for me and I decided that a digital crop of one of my finished prints was the way forward. I could protect my actual prints from the chop, whilst providing a snapshot of the larger original compositions for the audience at the exhibition. The prints would be digitally printed to the best quality I could afford, on the best quality stock to try and appeal to more people and fit in better with the prints produced by my colleagues (unbeknown to me at the time that a good chunk of people from my course were also producing digital prints for the exhibition - with apparently no qualms from the tutors might I add.......)
Final designs / final choice:
Chopping up digitally reduced my stress levels considerable and i was able to play around with both of my A2 final prints in various ways to see which ones worked best within the 30 x 30cm frame constraints.
I felt after checking out various options, the detail within my print "Despina" provided the most interesting square compositions when chopped up and continued to play with this more within Adobe Photoshop.
After asking a few of my friends and colleagues, I finally decided on one composition and used the digital printing resource at uni to produce the 4 prints necessary to meet the brief in prep for the exhibition.
Final composition from the exhibition:
All packaged up:
Information slip / mini version of my larger original print (included in each of the 4 packages for sale):
"Off The Page"
The event was a complete success and had such great vibes from start to visit. Everyone that came - students, friends, tutors etc all were so supportive and being the first event I have had work on show - I felt proud to be a part of it.
Everyones work was of such high quality for the "Authors" brief and I think this was the perfect way to showcase this work and end a difficult but enlightening 504 module.
Personally this was a great chance to bring my partner along and introduce him to all the great friends I have made on the course and have a taste of what being an illustrator in industry is like. This event reconfirmed my love of my practice and motivated me once more to strive for success in what could be a really enjoyable career. It is possible - i Just need to work hard to achieve it.
Good News!
In the end a total of 2 of my final prints sold, which was a real bonus following the successful and enjoyable event.
Initial thoughts:
Off of the back of the OUIL504 'Authors' brief, I had 1 design that I hadn't gotten around to completing fully in terms of lino-cutting and felt saving this design for this event was initially a great idea - giving me something to work with right off of the back.
It was important to keep in mind the dimensions and layout/format of the final prints for this brief and adapting my artwork to fit within these guidelines:
Initial designs:
As with my work and process of creating digital roughs in order to work from and ultimately transfer onto lino for cutting - I used this process to cut up and finalise a rough to cut from again.
The design I was unable to finish from 504, was my compositional A2 design for the city of "Octavia", inspired by city within Italo Calvino's novel "Invisible Cities'.
Full original design:
Digital play (to fit the design and its key compositional elements within the required frame dimensions):
A change in heart:
After the stress and what felt like years of lino-cutting for OUIL504, during drawing up these digital roughs and after transfer onto the lino, I just couldn't bring myself to complete the cutting.
I was aware that most other people on the course were using cropped/scaled down versions of their final artwork from the 504 module meaning that no new work was needing to be created, or that if it was-it was easy to recreate because of the "small scale" printing methods they had already being using to generate their final resolutions.
The reason why I wanted to create "new work", was that I wanted a full lino-cut print and composition to fit within the 30cm x 30cm dimensions as a part of this brief and my final A2 work would in no way do this. Scaled down as a digital print - an A2 composition does not fit within a 30x30cm window and many of the tiny details would have been completely lost- as my initial attempts show:
To me cropping my prints/scaling them down and reproducing them digitally, would de-value the hand-made /hand-printed original artwork and not be so sought after at a primarily "analogue" print-makers exhibition.
I was stuck between a rock and hard place: I couldn't scale down my original prints, I couldn't re-print them at a smaller scale by recutting my designs, and I had no right hand left in order to cut a brand new design of the required size for the exhibition. Seeking vital help and speaking to the tutors didn't exactly help or comfort me either which was extremely frustrating and disheartening. I was told that yes I should try and refrain from including digital work in the exhibition as it would not be as well received and other students are able to produce the necessary analogue results so I should do this also. It was suggested to me that I create a new lino-cut piece that fits the dimensions.
Quick yet important note: Does no-one understand fully how long it takes to carve high detail into hessian-backed lino? This isn't just a quick process - ask the professionals (tugboat print shop) or watch live feeds of the process online. It is why they sell for so much money-blood sweat and tears - literally - is what it takes to complete this work, its not just a "sit down with a cup of tea and complete at your leisure in an afternoon" kind of process.
- All i have received is negative and un-informed advice regarding my attempt at the linocut process - even throughout the course of the 504 module. What knocks me should make me more determined...but i have to admit it is getting exhausting being this miss-understood whenever i show work and ask for advice. I am not a professional - hence why I am on this course. Please cut me some slack whilst trying to progress with my practice and attempt new and ambitious methods of creating illustration - that genuinely interest me and I put a lot of if not all of my effort in to.
This rather mind-boggling advice ultimately stalled me in terms of what I could possibly do for this brief at this stage - as time ticked by and the exhibition drew closer.
I had no choice but to return back to my large final A2 lino-cut prints (above) from the 504 "Author" module to see if I could use any of this work and potentially physically chop it up to fit within the framed dimensions. Yes chop it up.
These prints were of such high quality and of great personal value to me - being the best work I have created to date within my practice as a developing illustrator, - that i couldn't help but feel saddened by this potential resolution to my problem.
The printing process of using a high pressure hydraulic press to create these prints, meant that I could only produce a limited number from my lino-cut plates - as the high pressure required in printing had ultimately crushed my plates and were no longer usable to get any more prints from. Not only this but each print took a total of 15-20 minutes from start to finish to physically print, giving them added personal value on-top of the total 2 months worth of 16 hour daily cutting it took to generate the final lino-cut plates (I had no christmas, no birthday, no new year, no mothers day to create these plates, my family wil vouch for that and currently still aren't happy with me.)
- I was so close to chopping these up, but needing a total of 4 prints for the exhibition - identical to each other - (which obviously meant sacrificing a large portion of my few limited edition A2 pieces), and this honestly just seemed completely stupid and would be destroying all the hard work I put into creating these final prints in the first place...
• So after the backwards and forwards struggle, i made the decision that was best for me and I decided that a digital crop of one of my finished prints was the way forward. I could protect my actual prints from the chop, whilst providing a snapshot of the larger original compositions for the audience at the exhibition. The prints would be digitally printed to the best quality I could afford, on the best quality stock to try and appeal to more people and fit in better with the prints produced by my colleagues (unbeknown to me at the time that a good chunk of people from my course were also producing digital prints for the exhibition - with apparently no qualms from the tutors might I add.......)
Final designs / final choice:
Chopping up digitally reduced my stress levels considerable and i was able to play around with both of my A2 final prints in various ways to see which ones worked best within the 30 x 30cm frame constraints.
I felt after checking out various options, the detail within my print "Despina" provided the most interesting square compositions when chopped up and continued to play with this more within Adobe Photoshop.
Final composition from the exhibition:
All packaged up:
Securing to the frame:
 |
| Signing |
Information slip / mini version of my larger original print (included in each of the 4 packages for sale):
 |
| All packaged :) WOOOO! |
"Off The Page"
The event was a complete success and had such great vibes from start to visit. Everyone that came - students, friends, tutors etc all were so supportive and being the first event I have had work on show - I felt proud to be a part of it.
Everyones work was of such high quality for the "Authors" brief and I think this was the perfect way to showcase this work and end a difficult but enlightening 504 module.
Personally this was a great chance to bring my partner along and introduce him to all the great friends I have made on the course and have a taste of what being an illustrator in industry is like. This event reconfirmed my love of my practice and motivated me once more to strive for success in what could be a really enjoyable career. It is possible - i Just need to work hard to achieve it.
Good News!
In the end a total of 2 of my final prints sold, which was a real bonus following the successful and enjoyable event.
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