"PURE EVIL" private view of SOME BRILLIANT WORK!

Id like to take this opportunity to use this as my reflective post, as these images i stumbled accross last night strongly reflect not what i like, but what strongly inspires me and shows some of the personal work and my working style id LOVE to work towards in the future.

I am very process driven. i am quite self indulgent with my work, and ive learnt this is ok in some respects. Ive learnt its important to WORK TO YOUR STRENGTHS, "big-up" what you have, NOT WHAT YOU DONT HAVE. ive been terrified this would be to my disadvantage, not necessarily so, ive received some very encouraging feedback/employment due to my personal pursuits and way of approaching projects.

this isnt to say im closed to something outside of the print studio, not in the slightest. im much happier with something i can see,hold,smell i can udnerstand it and manipulate it to a far more interesting effect than on a computer.

the other thing ive learnt is many more skills on the computer. my confidence has grown with this tool.and im incredibly happy about not just that, but how alot of the workshops and projects and ecouragement has directly fed into what i want and aim for with my work and style.

one thing i wish to bring up in my end of year tutorial is this, what should i do, what self inititated projects should i look at? what do you recommend i do?look at for employment? etc etc

and i think the most imperitive lesson ive learnt, and is one i knew when i came to the course, but am reminded of it daily ;is time and utter lack of it.each and every minuite of my time here must be utilised and made the most of and i really wan to do this for next year which will most likely be my final year.i will never have enough time, even if i spent my life experimenting, learning everything i wish to learn and find out

ive come away from the first feeling delighted, encouraged,energised,excited and cant wait to explore and learn more.

briefly about the show, i spent the evening [an day!]have the most graphic design evening helping out with a very clever little street art projects around east london-i love this area so much-and thursday night turns out to be brilliant round this area!!

this artist 'aiko' ive seen before, and has worked with 'faile' ITS THIS WORK LIKE THIS I CANT GET ENOUGH OF AND WOULD LIKE TO WORK TOWARDS/INTEGRATE WITH MY OWN.

again, its this hand made, edgy collagy style that i find so exciting and modern.and just visually pleasing. i couldnt make a post soley on what inspires me theres so much, but something like this is very much up my street and i look forward to see what i can produce in the three week of undisturbed self intiated/and open brief work i aim to produce in the print studio after the hand in!

wicked collages. 

workshop.16-HIGH STREET MASH UPagaine

The great thing for me about different workshops is being taught by different teachers. each open up a new part of thinking for me, each teach me something new.

this workshop was run by darren and we looked back at some research techniques and some suggestions how to handle the research work for our books and for future projects.

we wrapped this around the brief of 'high street mash up'-contrasting one nice upper class high street with and more dirty lower class high street

we began by displaying all of our images on the wall, divided into the richer/poorer and spend a moment looking at each

we then traced some of the images to help us see what defined each area as richer or poorer.

this is a visual research technique. we should SHOW OUR RESEARCH not TELL our research

Lastly we took some of the images but traced them together, deliberately 'mashing up' the two together and see what reslults appear from the immediate and obvious contrast

WE NEED TO REMEMBER

we could and hsould get together to research, i know im lucky enough to speak in depth about projects, the overall subject of our course and inspiration with a small handful of incredibly inspiring people ive met here.and im damn lucky to have this, this peer based learning ive personally learnt is very important yet never mentioned

Also, THIS IS A GRAPHICS COURSE, NOT A WRITING COURSE-

SHOW YOUR RESEARCH, DONT TELL IT

workshop.15-PATTERN LONDON11

This workshop looked at how we can create patterns using processes on the computer

this is the pattern i created using the below image. i took this picture on a digital camera of some scaffolding. its something i see as very london, things being rebuilt and developed. also this imagewas very contrasted and posterised easily.

i feel the overall result is too busy, would work on a larger scale.

check out:

printandpattern.blogspot.com

this workshop looks at the aspects in SURFACE DESIGN.

1.TAKE A SHAPE FROM SURROUNDINGS TO BASE YOUR PATTERN ON

2.SIMPLIFY SHAPE BY CUTTING IT OUT 

3.DO IT IN BLACK+WHITE FIRST, THEN USE NO MORE THAN 3 COLOURS

4.CREATE PATTERN:

-Image>image size > [untick "resample image"]

-using pen tool cut out shape: Pen tool>hold alt

-click image with black arrow>click live trace at top of screen

[USE C.M.Y.K. founf under the drop down menu/SWATCHES>left button on pallet>swatch library]

-open in Indesign>EDIT>STEP and REPEAT

i definately enjoy learning more about the joys of what the computer can offer me. so much in this tiny little box, but to me its a closed box i cant look inside and hold the tools i need to learn more of the language

the animation part of this was really good and quite fun!its so easy-create different layers>animate. make sure the time between animations is quick otherwise itll look like it doesnt work!

WORKSHop.14-A-Z PERSONAL MAPS

THIS WAS BRILLIANT!

i got to really like rachels style and workshops so i came with high hopes.

i had just spent the morning doing scale 3-d maps and wasnt as full of motivation and keenery as i could of been. felt the whole maps thing got a bit stale by this stage.....

....until i started!!!!!

The workshop was quite open and relaxed, the brief was simply to make a personal map of london. draw it collage it whatever you wish, i started a simple drawing -black pen and white paper- and really got into it!!really went mad with the detail!!

whats really fueled my fire is that i havent drawn to this degree of concentration and attention to detail for YEARS so this really made me happy and really encouraged

I basicly started working on a memory map, i began with my current home area but quickly changed to work on the area i grew up in. as this was a PERSONAL map i felt it more apt to follow this approach to show more of myself and my memories. and it reallu worked! i feel ive made a very interesting proposition

at the same time i feel ive failed spectacularly by not including enough text/information of my memories. i did approach this by integrating quick one or two word memories or impressions into the illustration itself

i feel this could be worked further by adding some kind of diagram or side panel with arrows pointing to areas with the memory attached written out clearly.how this would work is a little tricky. but my first wish is to display the quality and interest of the illustration in my book

by doing so i aim to experiment with having large blow-ups of the image accross two pages which fold out into a detailed large scale image.and when folded back into its original housing the front will have the orginal size so if you were just scanning through the book all the relevant info is still there

these are some details of the draqing. the final image is still only a4 but the detail is tiny, for the sake of this blog [and probably for my bok] ive enlarged particular areas 

ive drawn here lots of tunnes and train tracks which i remember vividly accross the local landscape.just behind my house we had the forgotten little tunnel under one of these tracks, was still used, but was really old and just uncared for and really low and echo-y. we used to set off fireworks in there for that reason. and further down was this maze of shortcuts and alleys ,one of which was bordered by just wasteland and some gypsies moved in with all horses. the horses wer really freindly.
'bird shit bridge'.pretty self explanatory really. notice the 'rip off' petrol station. its details sucha as this why i ought to enlarg the image

workshop.13-SCALE PART 2

following on from scale part one where we looked at the reality and idea of scale we put this into use by making a 3-d scale model of a section of london in a group.

we decided on using a table as our 'canvas'

provided materials to work from

we took the idea of scale and applied it to perspective...

by doing so we would have the far away landmark made small in comparison to closer landmarks and buildings

little bit silly but relevant,we used a giant default toilet door man not just represent scale but how in london rheres always someone just infront of your periferal vision

as we were basing this ona view looking from tower bridge-a very touristy area we felt it was quite apt too!

also it works as good scale too, we used smaller and smaller profile characters further down the viewpoint we set up to encourage the sence of SCALE and PERSPECTIVE.

We focused on building specific landmarks, such as HMS belfast there

the other groups  good effort

All in all a good workshop.it encouraged thinking and doing i wouldnt of ventured into otherwise.overall i wasnt that into it simply because im not really into making 3-dimentional things but it has lead onto other self initiated ideas in collaberation with another student making a 3-d robot, taking my drawings off the page. but well my robot obsession has absolutely nothing to do with london or this workshop at all. but itll be fun as well!

AIRSIDE studio visit

Airside studio.other than this we would of had no idea it was a leading design studio from the humble front door on the angel high street

again its encouraging to see alot of ideas generation and these grrrreat fancy projects start off from the humble thumbnail drawing. cool characters here too

[also blogger still being a total arse about uploading images the right way round even tho i edited and saved them properly]

a design studio busy at work!

encouraging to see around us the tool we use such as macs, but also all the fun and interesting books,posters and items of just awesomeness

The airside studio visit was very interesting in different ways. They predominantly worked with animated screen based media, which isnt something i would wish to specialise in.regardless i took alot form it

importantly hwo the studio operates, again how each during a project is assigned a role, and how things such as the animations are requried to have an incredible skill to produce, are outsourced to trained animators.phew.

also listeneing how the design studio survived through the recession.

some interesting point how smaller offshoot design agencies from companies such as 'mckanns' which is the big daddy of 'saints' studio who createc the decode exhibition designs are making MUCH MORE CREATIVE AND FREER WORK. i guess a portfolio with deep sense of creativity is a bonus. -i really need to strengthen my concepts. PROBLEM SOLVING thats what its all about

always establish a good working dialogue with your clients.be good to them.they will come back and give you more cash

workshop.12 -london Souvenirs

This was a great little workshop. was new, was fun it challenged what i know and reveiwed some important skills shown earlier in the course

for me the overall point was reveiwing,learning and practicing some EXCELLENT research and anylising techniques that can be applied accross a range of different  subjects

-We were each tasked to bring in a typical tacky london souvenir. 

I brought in a cheap postcard of the union jack on it. but there were some fantastic offerings, i saw andy brought in tourist 'i love london' toilet roll.genius. i think my personal favourite wer max's nightmareish london dolls. cheaply made out of plastic and childrens nightmares.

WHAT TO LEARN:

we split into groups of 3 and practiced the kipling method of

WHO 

WHAT

WHY

WHEN

WHERE

HOW

and spend at least 5 minuites doing this. the point is after a few minuites all the obvious questioned get asked and you start thinking differently and thinking of the more bizarre creative and interesting questions after this time.

-also we can overlook the most obvious questions/points too and this brings it into focus.

-Uncover interesting and less obvious way of looking and thinking about the subject/object

-to be PLAYFUL and CHILDLIKE in our thinking, [to be more open, less judgmental in a way] childrens imaginations are very questions based,generating mad ideas-WHICH AS DESIGNERS WE SHOULD TRY TO DO

-to give yourself a research brief-QUESTIONS NEED ANSWERS.research is answering the questions

-to question and think about the subject for OTHER PEOPLES PERSPECTIVES.to be able the empathise with a target audiences/clients NEEDS/REQUIREMENTS all different from your own

 

after thinking of this put the THREE MOST INTERESTING QUESTIONS TOGETHER TO CREATE A RESEARCH BRIEF

1.DOMINANT IDEA

listing all the obvious things,the things you cant help notice or think about

make a list.to be creative refer to this list as THINGS TO AVOID

2.CONCEPT CHALLENGE

to create ideas that REVERSE EXAGGERATE DISTORT 

APPLY WISHFUL THINKING TO THE DOMINANT IDEA.do this to generate ideas that are just CRAZY IMPOSSIBLE ILLEGAL WRONG NON-PRACTICAL WEIRD INSANE DANGEROUS ideas that would simply not be realistic or useful

The point of this is to escape our normal way of thinking and allow our imaginations to run free. By stretching out our minds and thinking of strange and wonderful ideas we're playing with the obvious and known.

THE IDEAS YOU COME UP WITH SHOULD BE AS STRANGE AND AS IMPOSSIBLE AS POSSIBLE

we were then tasked to apply either one of the concept challenges or 3question brief to create a visual bu by this stage the fire alarm went off so we didnt get a chance to do this. 

-but these methods are incredibly useful and i will apply these throughout the book and work i make.this is why im not going to make an individual chapter about it but it will be mentioned.

workshop.11 - inspiration follow up

following on from my reflection on the urban camoflage workshop ive gone to look back at the collection of work thats inspired me [and been meaning to make a post about!] similar to the style id like to adopt for a pattern and process.

for one, using a pattern made from the rubbings i have taken, and another using collage of adverts from newspapers etc. this could be very promising-and using bright vivid colours to 'dazzle' and 'divert' -although the advert has been deliberately designed to shout at you and grab your attention we generally actively try to ignore them. the perfect camoflage. -unexpected and ignored. -yet with great possibilites for some shit hot imagery!

also for the london characters, although i have explored that fully ,for a long time ive been clamouring to make some imagery using screenprinted collage and truly get back into working with good colour combinations.