DIANA LINDSAY-LEHANE K1142357
PORTFOLIO GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CREATIVE PRACTICE PM6000
CONTENTS OF WORK COMMUNICATION DESIGN PATHWAY
CORE SESSIONS
TARGET AUDIENCE IRISH IN LONDON - ICONGRAPHY
PROCESS ZINE
ALTER EGO WOMAN IN THE BRITISH ARMY
OBSERVATION COLLECTION AND PEOPLE
WORD EXHIBITION DADA INSPIRED COLLAGE NEWSPRINTS PRESENTATION STARTING POINT BRIEF - FOLKLORE & SORY TELLING
TARGET AUDIENCE IRISH IN LONDON ICONGRAPHY
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Bernard Canavan & Brian Whelan I've decided to look at various imagery and documentaries about identity which is relevant to Irish culture and ways of life.The art work I've been looking at identifies Irish communities in London (artists such as Bernard Canavan (1.) depicts Irish immigrants in their transition to London during the 1960s. Another artist I have looked at is Brian Whelan. He is the son of Irish immigrants. His work was influenced by his culture; growing up around religion and Irish ways of life, the church and family gatherings with traditional music. I believe these styles of art work fit the type of messages I would like to also share, yet I want to pursue them in a different way. Not a way that it describes a stereotype par say but identifying with words to create illustrations, like a visual story. Guests of Another Nation This is a documentary that I have watched about several irish immagrants who travelled to London during the 1980s. This was captured by John Flemming. The documentary is filmed in a very bleak style. Flemming records the lives of a labourer, businessman and a nurse. Filmed over a day it indentifes how these three individuals had the preconception of London being the land of opportunity compared to the rural lifestyles of Ireland. Instead being a immigrant coming from Ireland was a difficult time and is described as being a lonely experience. 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland and the social tensions which came with them did not help these individuals seeking a new life and employment in the UK. (3,4) Daniel Meadows Daniel Meadows is a photographer who has photographed the working class in Manchester and surrounding areas where he would document everyday life. Ranging from every generation, Meadows not only photographs individuals, but also interviews them. I admire this idea as I feel that it is a good way of interacting with people and creating simple conversation by getting to know the stories behind the art. This also serves as a way of documenting everyday British life. (5.) Based on my overall research and each aspect I have looked at, I want to carry this information over to my thought process for an idea. I want to create a quite personal project where I will seek my information closer to home, for example from my fathers experiences being an immigrant from Ireland seeking opportunity.
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I began to look at books which discuss and tell the stories of Irish immigrants coming to london, analysing the book covers and how these images relate as an iconic way of looking at Irish stigma, is what and how I wanted to relate my project to ‘Irish Iconography.’ This can be deemed as a very broad subject matter as there are imagery of stereotypes, religion, brands, and appearances. I did not want to go down that route; I wanted to visually show memories and tell a story through images I envision from text. This was inspired by the documentaries by Flemming and Meadows as they show how the art of a photography and film supported stories of how people during the sixties and eighties lived.From reflecting on my target audience I wanted to show and tell a story of real life stories and experiences being told through imagery, sharing ideas and supported with illustrations. My target audience is for individuals sixteen years old and upwards, who have an interest in cultural changes in cities. There is a historical element here also; remembering and allowing people to share their memories to inform people who come from different backgrounds other than Irish.I sat down with my father and asked him four questions, about his transition to London. What was it like growing up in Ireland? Why did you come to England? What did you do when you came to England? How did the Troubles affect you whilst being over here? His answer was handwritten, giving a very nostalgic feel by talking about his experiences and what life was like for him. Using this information I want to pick out significant words to reflect on and create images, illustrating his story and in turn developing it into a possible illustration for a magazine or a book cover.
Here I have created a story board of what I could vision that was being communicated through my interview with my dad. The first four boards show the area and way of life he lived in rural Offaly in the centre of ireland, where it contains a lot of bog lands and houses being scattered miles from each other. The next to boards is an image of him with his four sisters, and the next is the symbol of the Irish Army .
These boards indicate my father’s travels to London, and his experiences of working in pubs and the social climate of the time during the IRA bombings in London.It was not deemed a safe place for Irish people as they were in the wrath of all these events.
I found this image of my Dad and his four sisters and thought it would be a good image to do a study of, I used watercolour to create a simple loose painting. My dad was one of eight however it is very difficult to find photographs with all of them in it. As previously mentioned I wanted to make it relevant. I may being going down the personal route as it is an interest of mine and using my Dad as the storyteller however I feel like there is a historical , biographical audience for this. I have always been interested in what people have to say and their experiences especially during different eras and the social climates of those days. Its a good way to inform people who did not belong to that generation, as these memories should not be forgotten.I tried to simplify and break down the interview because for my final outcome I did not want it to become too busy to the point that the audience could not make out what I was trying to translate.I did the map of ireland, drawing the outline in pencil first and then using watercolour to loosely paint it. I did the same with the crest for the Irish army, the house which is a standard style Irish country bungalow and the London skyline.
I placed and edited my images into PhotoShop to edit and tidy them up. I carefully laid out my images and layered on top to create a wholesome image. With the map of Ireland and the Irish Army crest I wanted to merge it within the house so that it can give a nostalgia feel as this was the last thing my dad saw and did before leaving to live in London.
I added the London skyline at the bottom to contrast the memory behind my dad and his sisters which can be seen as looking towards the furture , as they are only children in this image. which is a metaphor of what to come. I did inittally wanted to incorporate celtic weave as a border however I did not want to make it too fussy.
This is the final outcome of what I did finalising my editing which lead to be created as a book cover. Looking at the books I had researched the font styles were very simple and I wanted to use somthing similar which was Times New Roman. Using white to stand out from the dark background, contrasting the black type which is for the title.
“A unified and coherent company image is not possible without typography that has a unique personality and an inherent legibility.” (9) “Issues of functionality differ dramat¬ ically on a form, a pharmaceutical package, a magazine ad, and a website. The typeface needs to be flexible and easy to use, and it must pro¬ vide a wide range of expression. Clarity and legibility are the drivers.”(10) I decided to call it ‘Going to London’ in the simple fact that was what was achieved and its a title that a lot of people can relate to whether you are from another culture or have not. I would have liked to have developed this book further, obtaining moreinformation and creating a spine and back for the book. This could be a project I may later develop in the nearer future as these are topics and interests I do have. Given the time of this project and as it was our first, I was unsure as to how much detail to delve into. Upon reflection, I wish I could have completed more studies which could have been refined and progressed to make a more coherent and complete outcome.
OUTCOME
This project was quite difficult to grasp as I really had to consider who, what and why? They key to this project was the Target Audience. Mine was not as straight forward as most of my peer’s because I chose a very niche project which reflected upon myself I think that in reality this should have been for someone else as I was the designer. I tried to myself as a designer creating artwork for someone else’s story. Using my fathers experiences immigrating from Ireland to London, it was a phenomenon many people shared and had in common. This phenomenon even continues today, despite the social climate and ways of life being different in the 19th century to now. My final outcome evolved into a book cover. I knew that I wanted to illustrate images reflecting on the interview I conducted with my father. However it was not planned that it would end as a book cover. I would have liked to have created the spine and back of my book cover, however, i focused my efforts instead on how my layout for my book cover should be. I would have liked to have done more illustrations, however I feel this can be a project that I can progress in the future, come back to this idea and develop it further. I did enjoy this project as It did make me consider how we should not be designing for ourselves but for others, I would hope that my target audiencewould share the same interests as I in learning about everyday life of others and share a passion of others ex periences and history.
ALTER EGO WOMAN IN THE BRITISH ARMY
I decided to pick female soldiers as my alter ego because its a profession that challenges to understand that women are in fact strong mentally and physically to face combat roles. I wanted to show that woman are not just able for the domestic roles and looking a certain way. They are able to achieve the same goals and roles that men do. I have researched the roles of women over the years in the army. It has taken since World War II till now to allow women to serve shoulder to shoulder with men on the front line. In my mind map I have done my research by looking at the history of women in the British army, trying to concentrate on today’s army, having watched several documentaries, such as ‘Makers - Woman in War’ (11), which discusses how women increasingly want to participate and enroll into the American Army. It discussed the gender barriers and how the careers of women have been sabotaged with them leaving the army. I also watched the short series on All 4 called ‘British Army Girls’ (12) which is based in England and the training process to be part of the British army. They identify with gender and how women should push them selves to be respected within a maledominated force.
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These are examples of research I have looked at for promoting the Army to women. The images above are campaign posters featured in today’s army which plays on word about gender roles and stereotypes.
This is a collage I made in my sketch book showing examples of Propaganda posters from the Second World War. They feature beautiful women who are trying to inspire the women of the public to encourage them to take part during the war effort. Whether it was farmining, working in the offices in the army and creating artiliary.
Here are some examples of well known Propaganda posters during the Second World War which emulate these very beautiful women trying to persuade others to follow suit. These posters were used to encourage women to make a difference to the war effort. I’ve created water colour studies to accompany these images to identify the style that had been used to create these posters.
I went on to look at women in the Britisth army today and how it had been documented in areas such as the middle east.
These images have been taken by photographer Alison Baskerville who photographed this woman in Afghanistan.
I experimented with these photos by cutting them in half and then sticking them down. I created water colour studies to replace the cut out gaps in the actual photographs.
Above you can see the photograph of a woman puffing on a cigar, the actual photograph shot by Corporal Mike Fletcher, Royal Logistic Corps, Helmand Task Force Photographer, 2006. - I did a study of this image to replicate the message of woman are no different to men.
These are more studies I had created. I wanted to try and look at the face of women soldiers. Makeup is near non-existent. Identifying woman to men in camo makeup would be challanging but the aim is and should be equal.
Here is myself modelling an Army jacket in the Army Museum in Chelsea London . This style coat would have been worn in the British army. I thought myself wearing the jacket could give an idea of the way it is worn, posture and facial expressions. I have done some studies in pen and water colour of experimenting with the facial expressions, colours and markings on the jacket. For my alter ego, using myself as the example could tie well with it being somthing I would be terrified to do which is being in the army and having to go on tours. Its quite fun to change roles, even though it is me in these images I dont see myself.
After my final critique in class for this project, we all sat around and split up in pairs. This is my feedback from my peers which are points I agree on to change as the working and type layering over the image as it cannot be seen clearly. Claire suggested to push this further and that I should progress this and experiment by creating a Gif using my images to then create a quick short animation. I have never made a Gif before so this would be somthing very new to me and figuring out ways I can do this, which would be using PhotoShop or illustrator. As I had the images already made Photoshop was be the best programme to use where I could just simply upload and create a sequence. The idea to create a gif is using the image of the woman in the army jacket and then remove the layer used around the head layer. Which is myself at work in my work clothes which seems more formal.
https://youtu.be/adqD6EYf4qo
https://youtu.be/ikQKo3GYAOg
OUTCOME
This project has taught me a lot about women’s roles in the Army, I have experimented using collage, direct studies and then recreating a soldier on myself. I never had expectations on how this was going to be finalised, I had in my head that it would be a poster to raise awareness that women should have equal gender roles within the Army. That thought never changed - the process did. Coming into my final critique with my peers and tutor Claire I felt like I had to explain my outcome when the outcome should explain itself. I’ve developed it slightly further by creating two Gifs , just by experimenting on Photoshop using the same imagery. It would be nice to create more characters to show there are and can be all different types of woman who can have equal opportunity in the army. The two Gifs have slightly different styles; one is just purely the images and the other one is the writing over layered onto the image which is slightly cropped but then develops into the whole message of the writing, like a gradual effect. I have enjoyed this project as it was something very different to what I was used to doing and with my work I like to convey a message and have meaning behind it and I think I got to achieve that in this project. In the book ‘Designing Brand Identity’ it says the following , “stay on message is the brands mantra. The best brands speak with one distinctive voice. On the web, in a tweet, in conversations with a salesperson, in a speech given by the President, the company needs to project the same unified message. It must be memorable, identifable and centered on the customer”(14) This is a perfect example of how a message should be conveyed and that it is vital that ive carried that through my awareness of womans equality in the British Army. I hope my designs have achieved that and has given it justiced on giving that message to my audience, men, woman , teenagers and children.
WORD “DADA”
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I have chosen DaDa for my project “Word” because there is a lot to look at and ways of using materials to create word in the DaDa style. Dada was an art movement during the first world war which allowed artists all over Europe to come together and express their ideas. Whether it was through art work, performance and creating fake news paper articles which would be put in as an article. This is a style I would never choose and that is why I was to look into it - to try somtehing new and experiment in different ways. As i love history the idea of the movement interested me couldand how a group of people can come together during tough times which has lead to be very influential till this day.
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“They followed futurists in disrupting normal syntax and the accepted ‘linear’ text; and even after the initial influence had waned, much of their typography continued to exploit the freedoms of arrangement and innovative use of type pioneered by Marinetti and others.” (19)
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“GAGA FOR DADA THE ORIGINAL ART REBELS” - BBC FOUR
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Researching about DaDa , I found this great documentary about the art movement hosted by Vic Reeves who is a comdeian and artist in hiw own right. He explores the origins and other artists of today who have felt they have been influenced by DaDa. Terry Gilliam who did Monty Python features in this documentary and his animations of surreal images are extremely influenced by Dada. Even designer Neville Brody, whos main focus is a graphic style, using typefaces in a bold format which can be deemed as as influence from DaDa on their posters and artworks they created.
“Dada, an art movement, used type to make statement about the horrific nature of World War I. It produced purposely incomprehensible pieces that were both abstract and expressionistic. The artists reveled in confusion, eliminating any meaning from the text or typographic elements employed in the images.” (23) “Type was set on the page forward, backward, upside down, angled, in a spiral and every which way, with no concern for flow or continuity. Dada was an introduction to the idea that type could be art”. (24)
started to get stuck in and follow the one of the examples DaDaists follow which is gathering news paper material or magazines. Cutting out images and text , ie headings and the actual articles themselves. The words are jumbled so that they do not make sense and recreate the art work by using irrelivent text and imagery in a collage format.
Here I have created ten collages using materials from magazines and newspapers. I have purposley decontructed articles to create my own, creating new illustrations which then have headlines around and then jumbled text which has no relivence to the image or title. I wanted to portray a satirical way of looking at newspapers as the media is often serious. Playing around with these words and images was something that I really enjoyed. After scanning into my computer, I then dragged into photoshop to create that grainy off coloured look like what you would see in classic style papers as it is DaDa inspired collages. I then printed the collages on news print to give that nice feel as if its printed the collages on news print to give that nice feel as if its printed onto a newspaper.
After my final critique for word, Claire suggested for me to create a fold-able news paper print, so I have been experimenting on different folds and which would be suitable for 10 collages. I wanted to have it fold-able like a zine which would become a poster on the back so people can have to keep. I made small mock ups using A4 sheet paper to get an idea of how my collages could fit and what way to the images need to be printed. once sorted on the layout, I then drew it in Photoshop to then create a printable version with my designs on it. As you can see over on the following paper to create the fold into the paper you need to have the images the opposite way so they can be back to back when folded. The two larger images will then become the poster on the other side when all un folded.I have never really have worked with booklets or zines before which mad for a nice change because it gave me the opportunity to try something different and learn a new way to present my work.
OUTCOME
Exploring the movement of Dada has been really enjoyable. Learning about the historical period it was created in has given me a appreciation of this style of art. I am always illustrating using the traditional methods of drawing and painting, so for me doing this using collage as a different form of illustration has been refreshing. For my final outcome I created a newspaper zine with all my ten collages in the style of Dada, creating deconstructed articles which serves the purpose of light hearted imagery which is relevant to today’s current affairs. I edited the imagery on Photoshop to create the grain style texture like newspapers of that time during the First World war with dull colours such as reds and then using the original colours on the text and imagery to modernise it. I have used paper folding to create a zine style print which led me to create myself a template using PhotoShop and then printed onto news print to give that authentic newspaper feel. I would liked to have progressed this further by considering the layout and printing style more as I have only made a prototype for my final outcome. It may be really interesting to use other ways of printing techniques such as screen printing or riso printing to give that crisp effect. Overall I have had a really worthwhile experience doing this and have learnt to try other materials and mediums for future projects.
PROCESS GRAPHIC NOVEL ZINE
When we were set this project it was quite a tricky concept. In my sketch book I just tried to visualise how I do my processes. I always usually work in a sketch book and show my progress through it. I do a lot of thorough research whether it could be looking at books, museums, exhibitions, internet and other artists. This is how I vusalised my steps within my research.
I was still stuck on the idea of presenting my process so after my research page I then went onto creating some rough story boards which then helped me to identify the stages I follow in the mist of my process through a project. At our critique I was told I was on the right path and that the style of my story boards were in the style of a comic/graphic novel with the black and white line drawings. I was told to look at two artists called Glen Baxter and Adam Dant. These artists do story board style works which are done in simple line drawings.
These are examples of Glen Baxter’s drawings which Greg told me to look at as the style is very similar to what I was trying to create and visually show my process.The images are simple black and white line drawings which is what I want to continue with because it will look neat and consistent.
25. He also uses caption boxes below the drawings to articulate what each image is about and I think that is a nice simple way of expressing what each image is and to identify each process. I like that he uses detail in his images which en-hances the drawings, doing just a simple etch or line thickness can really help your drawings and give it that boldness, especially whenyou are just using a black and white style. I will carry out this technique in my drawings which will help build contrast and enhancement. 26.
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Adam Dant’s work uses a similar style however his level for detail is stronger. Not all his works are simplified like these examples but these are nice little drawings which can influence me to look into more detail within my drawings and have more substance.
I like that he uses different tones withing in drawings which looks like he could be using materials such as inks or watercolours to create the lovely tones and shading. These are other materials I could consider using to create my process drawings.
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Here I have created Zine using A3 paper with my drawings printed onto them. I think this is a good starting point to what my zine could look like however I felt like I did not give into to much thought on the right materials used and it has that rushed look to it. Reflecting on my process I have experimented and tried to create my zine however I will need to progress my drawings and make it look neater. I will look at better layouts and consider the type of print I will do. Zines are not meant to look perfect however I have never made a Zine like this before so I will try again and create a layout using photoshop to create a neater and equal finish. I also want to push my drawings in the sense that I can create more images for my process, I think I have been quite limited in the way I have produced my drawings and could develope them further.
“Our processes determine the quality of our products. If we wish to improve our products, we must improve our processes; we must continually redesign not just our products but also the way we design. That’s why we study the design process. To know what we do and how we do it. To understand it and improve it. To become better designers.�(31)
I created a layout using photoshop to give that neater and accurate style. Keeping to the black and white theme, I have carefully places my images according to the order of process. I have created and added more drawings as my process has a lot of properties to it. When printed to the right of the page this is what the final outcome looks like before being printed which is then split and cut down the middle and folded to create my zine.
“In a good process of designs, this conversation with the situation is reflective. In answer to the situation’s back talk, the designer reflects in action on the construction of the problem, the strategies of action, or the model of the phenomena, which have been implicit in his moves”(32)
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OUTCOME
Overall I have enjoyed this project. I have faced ups and downs because layout is a skill that I need to work on and a attention to detail which is what I need to focus on in all my projects. I struggled with visualising my “process� at the start because it is a challenge to think of it in that kind of way when you subconsciously know your process and just do it.Creating story boards helped me put pen to paper on how I could show my process as sto-ryboards have been used for film and creating concepts for drawing. I felt it was the best way to continue and develope on. For my first zine I did not pay attention to detail however the aim was to keep it simple. However I then decided to use programmes such as Photoshop to create a template and use that for guidence for when I would print my final zine. Compared to my first zine I needed more drawings to show the entent of my process which I did how-ever from feedback in the class I was told to add feedback into the zine, instead of having to many research options. Another critisim was to create a more exciting front cover , to look more interesting. These are critisims I would agree on and again the attention to detail needs to be refined.
OBSERVATION COLLECTION + PEOPLE
For this project we were given the task to look at collections, find objects that have been collected in a museum, around the house, in shops or supermarkets. This was a big challenge to do because I am not used to walking around and standing in front of an object and drawing it from observation. This was a tricky task , however it is a task I did enjoy. I carried on with this project after we had finished as I felt I did not cover enough but I felt like I have some good examples of collection drawings. I am lucky enough to live in a house with collectable antiques which I could draw from and having visited Budapest I got to explore the lovely markets and medieval museums which had great collections of religious artefacts and armoury.
“Seeing is about observation. Observational skill can be improved if we see what we need to see and to analyze at what we are looking at.�(34) Here are a few examples of my studies. I tried to use a lot of mediums from acrylic metalic paints, watercolour, gouache, pencils, oil pastels and black pen. This has benifited me and has made be more motivated to carry on when I am out and about.
OUTCOME
These are my observational studies for the second half which was people. This one was slightly harder as its people and people move. I had to remember colours from memory or write down what colours were present in the scene. I did enjoy this part of the project because the human form is important to draw. I also think that as an artist it is good practice to draw people and all their mannerisms. I have mainly used watercolour to colour these ones in because the fluidity I felt suited, I did do a lot of black and white line also in my sketch book.
“The understanding of drawing depends on accepting that it is improbable that several of the cards have small pieces cut out and that they are all really on the same line in space. We have to see the real ‘space clues’ so your observation can be accurate, and your drawing will be able to recreate the effects you have observed.”(35) The overall experience has been beneficial tp my development. It has given me confidence in the way I draw, especially with observational style. I would like to keep carrying on as I feel it will be good for research in the near future and when you are out and see somthing that could be of great relivence to a project I am currently doing or because I like it and the camera would not do it justice. It is also a good way of incorporating your drawings by using different materials, ones that you may not be comfortable using. This will help you and give you confidence to use more often, it is nice to see progression in yourself and diversity.
EXHIBITION + PRESENTATION
EXHIBITION ENVIRONMENTS On Wednesday 8th of November we visited many art galleries which held different types of fine art exhibits. Unfortunately I have not been out to galleries in a long time now however after that day I have been encouraged to try and explore a bit more in London. Each gallery held very different art work. I was drawn to focus on the lighting and how specific pieces we hung or lit. I have previously worked in an art gallery and assisted with art fairs so this is something I was familiar with as it does take from the artwork if not presented well. How the artwork is hung really gives the viewer the right proportions and visual experience. If it is done wrong it can taint the experience entirely.
“Similarly all decisions about the architectural layout and sequencing of works should reside with the exhibition-maker, as well as ultimate decisions about lighting, signage, labelling, brochure, and text-panel design and content, typography, wall colour or absence of colour, and every other detail, large or small, that substantively conditions the encounter between the viewer and the work.�(36) Each gallery we went to was different; in the affluent areas such as Mayfair the galleries were old styled buildings with very high ceilings and wooden floors. Due to the nature of the buildings these locations had long glass windows, which drew in natural daylight to enhance the artwork. The Blain Southern Gallery was a contemporary style gallery. It had high ceilings with an industrial feel roof. The lights were extremely harsh because of the depth of the room and the white plastered walls needed lighting. The cold-cemented floors made the experience feel almost inhospitable but that did fit in with what the exhibit was showing.
PRESENTATION SCRIPT The exhibition we chose as group to discuss was the Olivier Malingue Gallery showing Laurent Grasso - ‘The Panoptes Project’. The exhibition features a unique and interesting subject that distinguishes it from all the other galleries we had seen. The gallery presents Grasso’s work with a common theme, the eye. Using different medias and material, they are all connected from the same theme. The work in the gallery we had found very interesting from a thematic point of view because usually when one goes to an art exhibition one expects to see different subjects or styles belonging to the artist. However here there is a single and clear theme. This exhibition presents the eye in its different forms. Grasso is very interested in the concept of vision and the way things are seen. This means that this theme, the eyes and surrealism, is found and repeated throughout the exhibition alongside other art work that Grasso wanted his works to complement. Here are a few examples of the artworks that were featured in the exhibition, which stood out to us. They show the reoccurring theme of the eye clearly and the element of surrealism of the eye used on these different pieces Grasso has made.
“The exhibition-maker is the first, most critical viewer in the way that a good editor is the first, most critical reader. He or she must have the artist’s trust and can only earn it through the closest scrutiny of what the artist has done and by developing an instinctive sense for all that was involved in its creation.”(37) The rooms have more low-beamed lightning than your average gallery; specific pieces are lit more then others. The neon piece of the eye is very different to the other pieces in the show - it is graphic and stands out compared to the other pieces. In the front room was the René Magritte eye chess piece. Grasso wanted this piece for the show we were told when they started the project, and they gave him a list of 150 artists. He then chose the artworks to create work that would work along side these other surreal artists. In the first room Laurent produced the rock with all the eyes carved into it. This piece was the starting point for the exhibitions that led him to follow through the process of creating the exhibition. For the artist and gallery to retrieve the originals, they had to loan them from museums, artists such as Picasso, Magritte, Max Ernst, Francis Picabia, and Odilon Redon were used to be accompanied against Laurent Grasso’s works. The viewer’s perception feels distorted in the way that the paintings are presented giving a surreal atmosphere. Laurent Grasso likes to bring his work to one level so that the viewer struggles to differentiate his work from the historical pieces. A lot of the artists in the show had problems with their eyes, which is the common denominator in the exhibition as it is about eyes. The Picasso and Picabia are placed together in the exhibition because Laurent Grasso wanted them accentuate the meaning which are solely about eyes and their eye problems. In the second room the wall hangings changed where there were landscapes, with some hanging lower then others which the light fixtures fixating to the particular pieces. The dark blue walls balanced with the work because they are contrasting and enhancing them. Towards the last wall of the exhibition there is a video which juxtaposes with the other art, the paintings, sculpture and neon, which really works effectively.
We went to another gallery called Blain/Southern - Jake & Dinos Chapman, ‘The Disasters of everyday life’. In comparison to the Olivier Malingue it was a much bigger space with bright white walls, tall ceilings and stone flooring. It had a colder feel to Olivier Malingue however the work in this exhibition is very different in the way the images are hanged and presented. A very heavy lit room and there are spurts of images on the walls and sculpture in the centre. The images we found relevant to Laurent Grasso were the Chapman Brothers have reworked Francisco Goya’s series of etchings, which noticeably has eyes on some of the drawings. This was a great comparison to see because this gives a clear example of how eyes are used in a similar way to Grasso and can be a great importance in surrealism.
Studio International - Emily Spicer
“It is Goya’s etchings, known as The Disasters of War, which provide the crux of their inspiration. These works chronicled the violence that swept through Spain in the early 19th century and depict rape, mutilation and famine, among other horrors.”(38)
OUTCOME I found going to these exhibitions really beneficial. Not only that, but the experience of going out in one big group with a tutor made it more enjoyable as you surround yourself with others who share the same or similar disciplines to you. I felt like I was an investigator looking at how certain galleries present themselves and how they make the art work presented aesthetically pleasing. After that day we were put into groups to work on which galleries we enjoyed most. Unfortunately we were one person short throughout the process so myself and Camilla equally wrote out the main information about out favourite exhibitions which was Olivier Malingue Gallery showing Laurent Grasso - ‘The Panoptes Project’ and Blain/Southern - Jake & Dinos Chapman, ‘The Disasters of everyday life’. We decided to choose these two exhibitions because we felt they shared a connection and we wanted to compare them. The Laurent Grasso - ‘The Panoptes Project’ was a strong contender with everyone who saw it because when we entered into the exhibition we were swallowed up with eyes and how many shapes and forms they came in. The Gallery assistant as very helpful and kindly took us around and gave us a deeper understanding about all the pieces. Grasso’s work next to all the old masters gave it that extra bonus point in my opinion. I loved how the gallery was laid out - it was not too big and excessive with the amount of art that was hung, and the lighting was efficient for the work because it was against dark maroon and blue walls. In the Blain/Southern - Jake & Dinos Chapman, ‘The Disasters of everyday life’, it was a very different affair. I would not have chosen it as my favourite however I wanted to show the comparison to how Goyas prints had been manipulated by the Chapman Brothers with adding googly eyes, as eyes were the main theme in the Grasso exhibitions. The gallery , Blain/Southern, was the complete opposite to the previous one, it was cold and very bright with an industrial feel and it suited the work perfectly because it was about The Disasters of everyday life’. Which is a dark themed exhibition, about war and death. In conclusion, this was an engaging experience and getting to put skills such as team work and collaboration into practice was different, challenging and enjoyable.
STARTING POINT BRIEF FOLKLORE & STORYTELLING BRIEF - FOLKLORE & SORY TELLING
GROUP SESSION In this session we had an activity day with Greg and an MA Illustration student. We were set the task individually to come up with an Idea, Aim and Audience. Given three different colour sticky not we had to write five of each for each category at random or of interest. After that we were places in groups of four. With all out fifteen sticky notes we chose four from each category from our group that we liked and then allocated them in order of Idea, Aim and Audience. We were then told to choose one of the four we had made and then keep that as our favourite. As a class we exchanged out chosen decisions and had to come up with an idea, ours was: IdeaSamurai, Aim - Beautiful and Audience was Tube. This seemed like an unusual and difficult choice. We brainstormed as a group and thought about creating an exhibition about how the Samurai has influenced art, fashion, design and film. Creating a poster for an exhibition, which would be displayed on the underground. We went to the library to research and find imagery to use that has Samurai i nfluences, in fashion Yoki Yamamotto, artists like Boccia and in film Star wars. We created a mood board to evidently show our thoughts and examples of past exhibitions from the V&A displaying their posters on the underground. This is a good way of advertising and attracting passers- by. With all the materials we had that day and images that we had left over from our mood board we created a poster, which would be displayed on the underground, of a Samurai collaged with the images we had collected and the V&A hosting it. We presented our idea in front of the class and we received positive feedback, because we kept it very simple the group with the original idea had thought about a real Samurai on the tube or rushing through the Underground, creating maybe awareness or a funny story. They liked our idea and felt it was clear, overall this was a good experience to understand how a brief is created and broken down for you to create something. I have definitely taken a lot from this day regarding my starting point project and feels it has benefited me to reflect on my Capstone Project in the new year.
THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN ANCIENT FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY
My Idea Whilst investigating how I would approach this, I looked back on my spider diagrams of themes I am interested in. The common topic that came to mind and was visibly shown was a message; something being told. This could be creating something that has a purpose with a meaning, and by informing the audience. Narrowing it down in my spider diagram, the aims simplified to: Language Meaning Studying the past Ancestors Origins Mythology The World Typefaces Worship These aims can be deemed very broad, as they could be individual projects in themselves. However I have created another spider diagram which condenses and finds common ground between all of them.
“The process starts with a review of your design and marketing brief to determine what you actually have to work with. It’s the only place that lists all the key ingredients of the “what” of your message; analysing those ingredients, and combining them with your own marketplace observations, will eventually help determine the “how”.”(39)
From analysing my spider diagrams, I have come to the conclusion that I am interesting in communicating with someone through word and design. These ideas derive from my Irish background which has a rich culture in design, type and story telling. I have been brought up with the knowledge of these stories from being told them by my father. Having visiting Ireland throughout my life, I was exposed to stories of folklore from family members as a child. This encouraged my wild imagination. Incorporating this into my Capstone project, I would like to take different aspects of my ideas to channel into my project. The art of storytelling uses imagery inspired by ancient history and texts. This can educate and inspire people to appreciate what has not been forgotten, yet to revive and celebrate history.
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Reading list . The Art of Story Telling: Easy Steps to Presenting an Unforgettable Story – John Walsh . Storytelling Art Studio: Visual Expressions of Character, Mood and Theme Using Mixed Media – Cathy Nichols . Design Is Storytelling – Ellen Lupton . Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies and Symbols – Nancy Duarte . Irish Gods and Hero’s (Celtic, Irish) – Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
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AIM Create a story, to inform a new audience or one who has an interest in ancient folklore and mythology. TARGET AUDIENCE Children and adults who enjoy and want to be informed in folklore and Mythology The Brief Create a narrative to inspire and to inform an audience who can engage and enjoy the art of story telling. We should be able to identify how telling a story can be seen, whether it is through word or imagery. Being an illustrator you have to be able to tell your audience what is being perceived. Exploring the use of type or an illustration can give a narrative to the viewer. Research into your chosen aim and explore the ways how it can become a narrative, you are the designer. Therefore creating an idea from a specific topic and then visualising that using different methods, using different mediums and ways of showcasing a story. Creating images can also tell someone a meaning, an emotion and information. How can this be portrayed? Many designers use word and imagery to send a message to people which is vital to communicate. Whether it is for a book illustration, an advertisement, and graphic design, an audience needs to understand and be to be informed. Just because you have an interest, you will need to make sure you consider your target audience, it could be trying to create a new one or targeting people like you who follow the same interest. Your final outcome should identify to your chosen aim and clearly inform a target audience who has yet to enjoy the tales of your story.
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11. WOMEN IN WAR. (2016). WOMEN IN WAR. [Online Video]. 12 August 2014. Available from: https://www.makers.com/documentary/womeninwar. [Accessed: 11 December 2017]. 12. All 4. (2016). British Army Girls. [Online Video]. 7 April 2016. Available from: http:// www.channel4.com/programmes/british-army-girls. [Accessed: 11 December 2017]. 13. WRAC recruitment poster, 1990, (1990), WRAC recruitment poster [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/breaking-boundaries [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 14. Wheeler, Alina. Designing Brand Identity : An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/kingston/detail.action?docID=918218. Created from kingston on 2017-12-13 01:10:21. 15. El Lissitzky, (1923), Merz-Matinéen [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.moma.org/ learn/moma_learning/2525-2 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 16. Max Ernst, (1920), The Hat Makes the Man (C’est le chapeau qui fait l’homme) [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/max-ernst-the-hatmakes-the-man-1920 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 17. Theo van Doesburg (Christian Emil Marie Küpper) with Kurt Schwitters, (1922), Kleine Dada Soirée [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/2562-2 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 18. Raoul Hausmann, (1920), The Art Critic [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tate.org. uk/art/artworks/hausmann-the-art-critic-t01918 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 19. Bartram, A. (2005). Futurist typography and the liberated text. London: The British Libr. 20. Jim Moir. (2014). GAGA FOR DADA: THE ORIGINAL ART REBELS. [Online Video]. 4 May 2015. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07w6j9h. [Accessed: 11 December 2017]. 21. Terry Gilliam. (1988). campaign for Andersen’s Split Pea Soup. [Online Video]. 4 May 2015. Available from: http://nightflight.com/terry-gilliam-apologizes-for-being-dead-howhis-pre-monty-python-animation-helped-define-a-generations-sense-of-humor/. [Accessed: 11 December 2017]. 22. NEVILLE BRODY. (1984). CABARET VOLTAIRE – MICRO-PHONIES: NEVILLE BRODY 1984. [Online Video]. 4 May 2015. Available from: https://underthemusiccovers. wordpress.com/tag/neville-brody/. [Accessed: 11 December 2017]. 23. Bosler, D. (2012). Mastering Type: The Essential Guide to Typography for Print and Web Design 24. Bosler, D. (2012). Mastering Type: The Essential Guide to Typography for Print and Web Design
25. FLOWERS GALLERY - GLEN BAXTER, (2002), Rumours had been circulating that a light continental breakfast might be served, 2002 - Ink and crayon paper [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.flowersgallery.com/artists/view/glen-baxter [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 26. GLEN BAXTER, (1978), It was Henderson’s Sixth Attempt at Lasagne [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/baxter-it-was-hendersons-sixth-attempt-at-lasagne-p07604 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 27. GLEN BAXTER, (1978), ‘To me the window is still a symbolically loaded motif’ Drawled Cody [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/glen-baxter-709 [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 28. GLEN BAXTER, (1978), WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY WIMPLE? GROWLED BIG ‘BULL’ HARPER [ONLINE]. Available at: https://visualhumor.wordpress. com/2012/10/08/glen-baxter/ [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 29. ADAM DANT, (2015), Standing Under, An Introduction [ONLINE]. Available at: http:// www.christies.com/features/Artist-Adam-Dant-illustrations-for-Christies-250th-anniversary-7584-1.aspx [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 30. ADAM DANT, (2015), DRAWINGS [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.paulgravett.com/ articles/article/adam_dant [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 31. Dubberly, H. (2017). [Beta] How do you design?. [online] Dubberly.com. Available at: http://www.dubberly.com/articles/how-do-you-design.html [Accessed 03 Dec. 2017]. 32. Schön, D. (1991). The reflective practitioner. Aldershot: Avebury [Ashgate]. 33. @FARELLFLITZER. 2017. MINI ZINE. [ONLINE] Available at: https://twitter.com/ farelflitzer/status/661460461267779585. [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 34. Edwards, B. (2002). Drawing on the right side of the brain workbook, New York; Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin. 35. Simpson, I. (1992). Drawing seeing and observation (3rd ed.). London : A&C Black. 36. What Makes a Great Exhibition?, edited by Paula Marincola, Reaktion Books, Limited, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/kingston/detail.action?docID=1887783. Created from kingston on 2017-12-13 03:30:18. 37. What Makes a Great Exhibition?, edited by Paula Marincola, Reaktion Books, Limited, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/kingston/detail.action?docID=1887783. Created from kingston on 2017-12-13 03:38:03. 38. SPICER, EMILY, 2017. Jake and Dinos Chapman: The Disasters of Everyday Life. Jake and Dinos Chapman: The Disasters of Everyday Life, [Online]. 1, 1. Available at: http:// www.studiointernational.com/index.php/jake-and-dinos-chapman-the-disasters-of-everydaylife-review-blain-southern-london [Accessed 11 December 2017].
39. issuu. (2017). Creating the perfect design brief how to manage design for strategic advantage peter l phillips. [online] Available at: https://issuu.com/samrudhiipalshetkar/docs/creating_ the_perfect_design_brief_h [Accessed 13 Dec. 2017]. 40. samcannonart, (2017), PRINT [ONLINE]. Available at: http://samcannonart.co.uk/ [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 41. MARC POTTS, (2017), TREES [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.marcpotts.co.uk/MZfMZ/ [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 42. Land, Sea and Sky, (2013), à ine, the Faery Goddess [ONLINE]. Available at: https:// ayearandadaywicca.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/aine/ [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 43. TOMM MOORE, (2016), Song of the Sea Movie Poster [ONLINE]. Available at: https://bananaroad.com/products/song-of-the-sea-animated-movie-poster-11x17?utm_campaign=Pinterest%20Buy%20Button&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Pinterest&utm_content=pinterest-buy-button-00fc151b9-ef7e-4559-9dce-0ba13423c0db [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 44. Cindy Lawson, (2016), Pagan Horned God [ONLINE]. Available at: https://exemplore.com/ paganism/What-is-Paganism [Accessed 11 December 2017]. 45. ascholarlyskater, (2015), The Book of Kells – Day One of Medieval Manuscripts [ONLINE]. Available at: https://ascholarlyskater.com/2015/10/01/the-book-of-kells-day-one-of-medievalmanuscripts/ [Accessed 11 December 2017].