Feedback from extension project group crit -

* What did you learn from today's group discussions and how have they influenced your project?

I think the group discussion really helped finalise my project idea and helped me talk about my ideas in a clear way. My group seemed to understand clearly the connection between my idea and my concept. I think i was able to communicate this successfully through my use of materials which are unconventional and , household and industrial.

* How has your use of materials, scale and technique effected the decisions that you have made in your project?

The materials were one of the most important factors when creating my final piece. To make my piece structural, i had to use valuable and strong materials. I decided not to sew this piece and used duct tape instead to create a more structured frame. Because i was also using heavy materials such as wire grids and grass samples i had to think about how to attach these materials so they would be secure. I used ring binders to do this. 

11/10/2019

Project description: You have started to explore Form, Shape and Silhouette, developing your ideas and research within your sketchbook to form a paper structure. 

Previously you were expected to develop: observation drawings in your sketchbook, photographs documenting locations and documentation of your making processes. You must now evolve your paper structure or make a new one. You must consider what materials you would make it from (you can use found materials, garments and items).

I found my progress tutorial extremely helpful, especially when thinking about which extention project i want to persue next week. Reflecting on the past 6 weeks, i have really enjoyed my diagnostic workshops and have loved trying out many different pathways. It is hard picking just one pathway, but i feel as if the fashion/textiles route is the right route for me to go down. I am really interested with working with the body and its relationship to shape, form, structure and material. I found the 'your surroundings' workshop to be challenging yet very interesting and exciting. I would like to take my structure further, my looking at some surroundings closer to my home in South East London which is the complete opposite end of London to Archway. I am interested in looking at fashion the year my house was built in 1957 and the simple, geometric shapes in 'span' architecture. 

Today's fine art painting workshop is our last day of diagnostic, which makes me very sad but excited for the next steps ahead. I really enjoyed the workshop today and found it very intriguing. The revelation of erasure is an idea about taking away sections, details and elements from images which changes their original meaning. I brought in a series of found photographs from the internet which i found interesting and intriguing, including places I had been, old photographs and stills from some of my favourite films. I mainly used paint to erase detail in my photos, but other ways to erase were scratching, rubbing, cutting. I didn't really have any particular concept in my head when i was painting, but to change and obliterate sections of the images. An example which i thought was particularily successful was an image of a samurai's house in japan, which is extremely minimal, beautiful and simple. I used bright paints to block out sections of the peaceful, geometric setting. I found that through using paint to eliminate detail, it completely changes the context of the image.

In today's illustration project, 'Lost Letters, we were randomly given a printed letter/number form which was lost from its original typographic alphabet. I really liked this way of working because i had to work with what i had been given. We then had to think about the letter form as a shape and how it can be transformed into something new to translate an idea. I found taking these letter/number forms out of context really interesting and giving them a new life. I was given the letter 'O'. I found this was a great letter to work, with as i could transform it into lots of different ideas. Once we had finished sketching our ideas in our sketchbooks, we chose one and began to draw around the letter on trace. Then, we divided the sections into 3 colours : black, white and red. we then cut out the black and red sections ready for screen printing. this was a slightly complex process however, a really satisfying and exciting result. it was interesting to see how the print was going to turn out as you couldn't tell until the screen was lifted. I was very happy with my overall outcome and idea. I turned my letter 'O' into a space helmet, and turned it into an illustration of a spaceman. 

* Were you able to adapt your idea and visual language to the screen print process effectively?

I think i successfully adapted my 'O' to communicate a narrative. The letter 'O' was extremely versatile and adaptable for many of my designs. I was very pleased with my final print as it was clear, communicative and humorous.

* what were the biggest challenges you faced during the workshop?

I found it difficult when cutting out the colour layers for printing, however i got the hang of it after a while. It was hard to visualise what shapes were which colours. 

I really enjoyed today's workshop due to the freedom and limitless experimentation we were able to work with. We were given a range of cards with words and images. We picked 3 each - my words were 'messy' and 'unnatural' and i had an image of a cheeseburger. This made me think about future foods, and how lots of the food we eat today may not be here in 50 years time. We will probably be eating unnatural genetically engineered foods. i used unnatural materials such as plastics and created a sculpture of a genetically engineered ready meal.

* How did you feel about not designing in detail before making?

I found it really interesting. I was able to come up with more ideas as i went along making my piece. I think it helped generate more interesting ideas as i was creating, which mean i had more to experiment with. 

* How did your outcome physically express the ideas on your cards?

1) Messy

The 'genetically engineered ready meal' was encased in a dome and sealed with yellow acetate, almost looking like a snowglobe. Because the 'food' was placed in this dome, it had no fixed state, meaning it was moving around all the time in random places uncontrollably. 

2) Unnatural

My idea was about 'genetically engineered' and unnatural foods which i used plastics and unnatural materials to represent this. Hopefully we won't be eating too much plastic in 50 years...

3) Burger

Im not a vegetarian, or vegan, but trying to cut down on my consumation of meat. Burgers are a big contributer to the production of greenhouse gases and global warming. This got me thinking about food in the future as it is such a huge topic today which is extremely important. 

* Does it matter if your outcome has moved away from your starting points?

No - starting points are there for your ideas to bounce off and think and develop new ideas and thoughts. 

* What did you discover through chance/accident?

* What would you improve in your work today? 

In today's workshop, we explored how fashion and textiles its communicated through drawing. We were given multiple quick drawing tasks using different drawing techniques and a variety of materials. 

We focused on portraits of our peers and the body using :

- Continous line drawing- The benefits of this style of drawing was that the lines were fluid, expressive, connected and clear. It meant we had to work fast whilst fully observing what was infront of us. It also teaches you to see how different parts of the body are related and connected. 

- Blind drawing (i.e.: not looking at the page) / continuous line - I found this extremely difficult - who doesn't! it was quite humorous but also meant we had to really observe the other persons face and features. Drawing blind also meant we could loosen up quickly and there was no care that the drawing would be succesfull because you couldn't see what you were drawing! This task was also good for loosening up my drawing hand and removed pressure to create a beautiful and accurate drawing.

- Left handed drawing - I found this type of drawing difficult too, but again it taught me how to look at the person's face properly. i knew that it wouldn't turn out perfectly, however i was happy with my outcome considering it was left handed. 

- Silhouette drawing - i found this type of drawing really interesting as it helped me look at space in proportion to the shape and form of the body. i really liked this one, as i hate leaving white space on the page when drawing.

- Collage - I loved collage as it got me to look at the shapes on the body created by the garment/fabrics, rather than detail. 

I used a range of different materials from coloured pen, finaliser, pencil, tape, collage, However i think a combination of collage and pen was the most successful for me. I really enjoyed drawing the body from life, especially when it was distorted with interesting materials and fabrics.

* How did writing your art direction shoot help contextualise your studio project?

It defiantly hoped me articulate my ideas clearly in my head. It meant i thought about each element of my shoot, such as choice of material, location and model which are all key elements in this process.

* How did giving a reading of your description aloud have an effect or change it?

I realised i had repeated my self a lot throughout my writing. This helped a lot as it made me think about simplifying how i explain things, and maybe i was overcomplicating ideas in my head. However this lead me to think about how i would re-approach it and be more clear with my writing so that others know what i am trying to communicate.

* What were the challenges?

- Identify 1 artist or 1 designer and 1 writer.

Write about a pathway from this week that interests you as a future career.

Jenny Holzer is an American artist (born 1950) known for her bold messages and use of text within public spaces, provoking her audience. Working in spaces from the streets of New York to modern art galleries, she is able to communicate her words to a wider audience, not just people interested in art and her work. She uses her art as a form of protest and activism. She works with a wide variety of 3-D tools, from t-shirts to condoms to projection work to neon signs. Her main focus within her work is communication. Holler helps us recognise and think about the words which surround us in daily life. The writer Miss Rosen, a journalist who is interested in art and photography writes about Holzer's work; "Holzer’s ability to catch and capture the attention comes from her ability to navigate the space between image and text, transforming language into a visual spectacle and then holding fast with an idea that excites, confounds, or vexes." Holzers clever combination of text, space and form is what entices and provokes her viewers, making them question ideas in life from politics to gender equality. Her use of words and text through her artworks is how she is able to communicate her thoughts to the world. 

I find her messages on trucks and lorries very interesting. She places her words on something which transports/moves/communicates - her messages are transported across a space. The experience is also temporary and not in the same place at one time (like a painting in a gallery space), therefore people aren't able to have time to engage with the work meaning they think and respond fast to what she is trying to put across. She uses very bold and striking typography against a plain background. She doesn't need decoration as her message is the key point in her artwork.

This week i really enjoyed experimenting with language and text in the graphics workshop. I think i could definetly apply this to other pathways as language is such an important element of life, it needs to be communicated successfully.

https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/11126/jenny-holzer-on-the-power-of-the-word-in-art

* How do you respond to working as a team? 

I found it interesting - I enjoy learning from other people and listening to new ideas and suggestions.

There are always going to be disagreements which means you work as a team to overcome these issues. However, I found that as a team we struggled with time management and organisation. 

* What strategies were successful in creating experimental looks on the body?

- Exaggurating features on the body

- Layering items/garments

- Changing the purpose/context of the garments 

- Thinking about form, structure, shape, colour 

- Not being afraid to go too over the top 

* What have you discovered about Fashion Communication / Photography?

I have learn about how to express and communicate ideas and thoughts through the piecing together of garments and fabric. I have also thought about how to capture a type of essence and atmosphere through my photographs through angles, lighting etc to excentuate certain aspects.

* What did you learn from other peoples approach to styling and photography? 

I was inspired by my peers use of colour and pattern when pairing items. I also admired their simplicity when styling pieces together (in some cases, less in more)

* How did you respond to the process of translating the text from your conversation into a typographic communication?

I instantly thought about the words i was given, and what they meant and related to. 

The text I chose to use was "the person in my mind". I thought about the complexity of the mind and the structure of the brain. i decided i wanted to incorporate the text into the lines, form and shape of the brain thinking about how complicated and scary your own thoughts are which are powered by your mind. 

* What were your considerations in relation to choice of type material and placement of your text?

I chose to use wire to create my text. Wire as a material is strong yet bendy, flexible and easy to mould. i thought about how these elements apply to the brain too and how thoughts and ideas can easily be impacted and changed. i chose to use a light link colour to resemble the colour of the brain. i created a brain-like structure and incorporated the text into the lines, almost like a thought passing through the brain.

* How successful do you think text communication was? Does it function as you intended? 

I found that my text was slightly tricky for the viewer to read, however i really liked the overall effect it gave off. 

* How can we move freely in our bodies and across boarders in art boarders in art collage and across the cosmos?

By being completely open minded, pushing yourself out of you comfort zone and be prepared to put yourself in new positions. 

* When and how is photography a performance?

Through the process of taking a photograph freezes time and captures a moment which can instantly change seconds later. 

Identify one designer or one artist and one writer whose work influences the debate about our future. 

Justin Brice Guariglia is an American conceptual installation artist and activist. Sotheby's called him "one of the most prominent cultural figures working to address climate change" - the most important issue of today, but more importantly, the future. He is exploring the effects of human activity on the geology and ecosystems on the planet in our current times - the anthropocene. He is keen to collaborate with scientists, researchers and philosophers, who inject different and new information and perspectives, and help people better understand our current crisis. His primary aim is not just to create interesting art, but to engage his audience and act as a catalyst for change. "Reports suggest that by 2040 the impacts of human-caused climate change will be unescapable" says the BBC. This makes Guariglia's message more urgent than ever. He aims to force us to confront and question what our future might look like, in the hope that we might take positive action. Earlier this year, he took over the courtyard at Somerset House with a large scale installation - his biggest yet. It was called "Reduce Speed Now!" and consisted of nine large solar powered LED signs, usually seen on motorways. He placed these everyday, industrial signs in a traditional, neoclassical setting, trying to pull together the past, present and future, in attempt to grab the attention of the widest possible audience. Again, he has collaborated with a variety of other voices including the 16 year old Swedish political activist Greta Thunberg and French philosopher Bruno Latour. He also addressed the public in a range of different languages, again looking to connect with as many people as possible, some of whom may not be art followers. 

Charlie Brooker is an English author, screenwriter and producer. He is the creator and co-runner of the TV series Black Mirror which is often a disturbing commentary on our society and future. Through the variety of different and complex story lines (often containing techno-paranoia), he explores the fears of our contemporary and future worlds, often in dystopian settings. Although some are pure science fiction, the most powerful stories sit in our very near future, full of familiar and recognisable features. One example which I found particularly disturbing were the robotic dogs in the 'Metalheads' episode. Seemingly from the far future, something similar is in fact already in development by Boston Dynamics, a robotic tech firm in the US. The stories often feel like warnings about how technology and social media could easily take over our society. Ironically however, despite all the frightening predictions of out-of-control AI and evil corporations, the most popular (and award winning) episode is 'San Junipero', a romantic science fiction story with an optimistic outcome. 

Boston Dynamics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1LWMk7JB80

Sensualism / Ink / Suspend

1) Sensualism is the 'thing' / 'essence' - emotions, feelings, pleasure.

2) Suspension is how the 'thing' is recorded. 

3) Ink is the material / means to expresses the suspended sensual item. 

What is my idea?

My outcome is a machine which records emotion and produces musical scores. 

How does it work?

How is it sensual?

How is it suspended?

How is the ink used? 

* How has working with your group helped you get a broader perspective? What did the discussion with your peers provide you?

Through collaborating with my peers, we were able to expand and bounce off of each others ideas, especially when discussing fictional worlds, where anything could be possible. We were also able to relate our discussions to ideas in our modern society, especially with politics, feminism and the economy. Everybody's ideas were so broad and different which meant we could discuss ideas which were completely different to each other. 

* How do you think art and design can help shape the future?

Art and design will play a key role with the development of our future. We are going to have to design new technology which adapt to our ever-changing future. For example, a machine which helps reduce the pollution in cities etc. Despite the rise of AI, robots will be unable to generate creative ideas and fully understand human emotions, functions and desires. 

2nd September 2019 / Ideas Factory 

* What do you think the impact was of using shared & existing knowledge during the research stage of the project?

I think that the absence of technology / text meant that in our discussion as a group, we shared, adapted and interpreted ideas which instantly came to mind whist talking about our three words. We then came up with our own interpretive definitions / ideas which link to other ideas and processes. I think that this helped develop my thinking process as i wanted to think more about the connections between Sensualism, Ink and Suspend, which was especially hard as they were all completely different.

* How did not working with a practical restriction impact your idea generation? 

I think that it helped create lots of imaginative and unconstrained ideas which meant that i was able to "use" a wide range of different materials, mechanisms and processes. However, it became hard to zoom in on certain ideas due to impracticality such as cost and availability. Not working with restrictions meant i could view my ideas from a new and different perspective / outlook.

* What has been the most challenging part of the project so far? How did you overcome it?

Definatly piecing the three words together, as they are all so awkward when paired together. I found "Suspend" the most challenging word. I didn't want all of my ideas / outcomes to be suspended / hanging. After our group discussions, it meant i was able to approach the word in a different way - for example, the suspension of an emotion, feeling or sensation. i think i was able to overcome this hurdle by visualising the words in new contexts by looking for associations, connections and links.