Week 1: (02/03/2022 - 03/03/2022)
For the start of my FMP I did a work shop on how to use photo-shop for editing photos and combing work. After the work shop of how to use photo shop I used the skills that I learned to plan a collaged piece on photoshop based on the idea generating method: 'The Idea Factory' - I plan to create this next week.
Week 2: (07/03/2022 -11/03/2022)
For the second week of this project we are looking into what theme to chose for my FMP. Doing extensive research into what subjects interested me and what I want to use for this project.
We have also started practical work for this project, so I started my idea that I got using the Idea Factory.
Next week we are going over the expectations for this project and what I need to do to get the grade for University, and also continuing practical work now linked more with my theme.
Week 3: (14/03/2022 - 18/03/2022)
This week I am looking closely at the type of research that I need to carry out for this project. We were shown a PowerPoint on how to research my chosen theme and artists accurately.
I started making work from my first initial ideas based off the chosen theme using collage to visualize these ideas. I used collage because it was one of the techniques I haven't looked closely into before but, I liked the outcome of one of my pieces last project made out of the collaging technique. I then later in the week moved onto another material, watercolours, that I wanted to explore during this project. I thoroughly enjoyed both these techniques and liked the outcomes of each of the pieces I created using them.
Next week we are going to the 'Natural History Museum' and the 'Design Museum' to get ideas for how we could develop and lead this project. I also want to develop my ideas using collage and my ideas with watercolour.
Week 4: (21/03/2022 - 24/03/2022)
This week we are going to London to visit 'The Natural History Museum' and 'The Design Museum'. We are going to these museums to get inspiration of how we could develop and how differently we could look at out theme and project overall. I really enjoyed the visit to both museums but I found 'The Natural History Museum' to be the most interesting, I took many photos that I will use to develop my project. I want to develop my project to look into the extinct animals and how I could turn them into creatures and I also wanted to mix some of the extinct animals together and possibly mix them with plants as well to get an odd and unusual creature.
The rest of the week was thinking of answering the important questions for this project: Who cares? What? and Why? - which I then stated in my project proposal- As well as this I also thought about the different artists, secondary and primary resources I want to use to help me throughout this project and to inspire and develop my ideas for this project.
By the end of this week I completed in-depth research into the causes of extinction for animals so I can develop and lead the rest of my project down the extinction route.
Next week I want to develop my blob creatures using one of the materials, techniques and processes that I have researched or previously explored, I also want to create some more collaged pieces so I can visualise my ideas for each of the artists I have chosen to research.
Week 5: (28/03/2022 - 01/04/2022)
This week I developed my blob creatures into Lino prints. Lino printing was one of the materials, techniques and processes that I wanted to try again. I don't like the process or the technique for lino printing but I liked the outcome of previous lino prints, I wanted to try it again for this project.
I took three of my blob creatures and copied them onto the lino. One of the drawings was to detailed and intricate for me to cut out of the lino, so I only cut two out. I printed using two colours, yellow and purple, on both of the cut lino pieces, but one of the blob creatures was very hard to cut out, so I cut what I could but it printed blotchy and the details were mostly lost but, the other one came out well so I redid it in thew purple by itself and it came out neat and detailed. I planned to develop these further, but because most of my creatures have intricate and detailed line art I decided not to develop these pieces using the Lino printing.
I then later in the week went onto two different techniques. I tore up random pieces of coloured paper to get the shape of dinosaurs, linked to my extinction research, and then added a second layer of detailed and patterned torn up paper to add texture and shapes to these pieces. I didn't like this technique of collage because it wasn't detailed enough to create a new creature that I was happy with to develop further, so I didn't continue using this technique of collage. And the second task I started this week was using the first collage technique to visualize the ideas I came up with after my artist research.
Next week I will get formative feedback to see how I am doing for this project and how I need to develop my pieces further to get to planning my final piece or group of final pieces.
Week 6: (04/04/2022 - 08/04/2022)
This week I finished my collaging response to all the artists that I chose to explore for this project. Out of all the artists I liked Ellen Jewett the most, the collaged pieces I created based off her work I loved and developed them into using extinct animals mixed with her style of working. For the other artists, I liked the style of their work and the ideas I thought of to develop the pieces, but when I collaged them I didn't like the idea or the style the outcome looked. It possibly was because I collaged the ideas just to visualize the ideas or the ideas just didn't work, but I decided not to develop the other two artists, James Gurney and Beatrix Potter's, ideas further. If I had more time I would create the planned developed pieces, but because I want to develop this project further before creating a final piece I haven't got the time to develop them.
I also got formative feedback this week to see where I am in the project and what else do I need to do before developing my work into a final piece. Me and my lecturer created a list to complete over the half-term to help me develop my project to a place where I can start planning a final piece.
Over the half-term I want to complete the list I created to develop my project enough to a place to start planning or to create a final piece, so when I come back I can start my final piece or be able to plan one.
Half-term: (11/04/2022-22/04/2022)
During the half term I completed the list that I created to develop my project. My list was to complete artist research on Alice Irwin and Ernst Haeckel as well as research 'Tardigrades'.
I started with the research on 'Tardigrades' - these microscopic animals have been around since pre-historic times, believed to be one of the first organisms to leave the ocean to develop onto land animals after the extinction of the dinosaurs. After completing this research I wanted to explore the immortal animals, like 'Tardigrades' and other microscopic living organisms, like bacterium and some species of jellyfish, which are also immortal, in the work I was creating as well as using this research in my artist responses.
After my 'Tardigrades' research I moved onto the artists that I found that I think links to the Tardigrade idea. Alice Irwin's work looks similar to my idea of creating work based off Tardigrades. Irwin creates shapes that look almost human and puts random organic shapes in the head part of her pieces to make them almost look alive. Based off this reason I picked her as one of the artists I want to develop my work around. Ernst Haeckel's work is a lot more detailed and colourful compared to Alice Irwin's pieces. Haeckel's work focuses on the identification and detailed portrayals of scientific specimens. His work is filled with detail and precision, as well as colour, pattern and shapes. Haeckel's work is a great addition to study to develop the 'Tardigrades' ideas, as his work gives me new ideas that I could use on my blob creatures.
When I first looked at the images of these creatures they reminded me of the small detailed blob creatures I made from small random blobs made from watercolours. So using these blob creatures as well as the research I am going to make from my chosen artists, I will develop these into an idea for my final piece.
Because I have developed my project into looking at the animals that are immortal and can't die I developed my creative question into: 'What animals can't die under any circumstances?'.
With this question in mind I will create my final piece based off this question and the research I have gathered, as well as the experimental pieces I have done based off my new chosen new artists.
Week 7: (25/04/2022 -29/04/2022)
This week I used the research I gathered over the half term to start planning my final piece.
Before I started planning my final piece I did some experimental works based off the artists research I completed over the half-term. For Ernst Haeckel I made two A3 pieces, one using two different techniques and the second using just one. The technique I used for both is painting blobs onto the page with watercolour and then putting the details on with a black fine-liner, like I've done with the previous blob creatures I created, and the second technique I used was the same watercolour technique to create the blobs, but instead of using a black fine-liner, I used colour pencils to get a pop of colour and detail to make the creatures look as surreal as I could get them. I liked some of the blob creatures I created using the coloured pencils mixed with the watercolours, but most of them didn't turn out as planned, so I just continued this work with the first technique with the fine-liner.
For Alice Irwin I created fourteen screen prints, some are similar and some are different as I had difficulty getting the shape that I wanted to print or block out to stick to the screen. I was able to complete the prints, but I completed then roughly (I do like some of the outcomes of the screen prints), before I had to move onto planning my final piece.
I planned two different pieces, both based off Alice Irwin as I liked her work the most. One is a detailed screen print with various blob creatures that I will then add details with coloured pens and the second idea is to use the hot wire cutter to cut my blob shapes out of foam making them 3D and then using carbon transfer paper put the blob designs on them.
I decided that I wanted to create the blob creatures out of foam, so that they can stand out. I also like the idea of them being slightly 3D and brightly coloured, so that they stand out amongst the other art works.
I have decided after cutting one out as a trial run, I want to take my favourite designs and turn them into these 3D pieces.
So during this week I cut about seven of my blob creatures out of foam and started to paper-mache them so it has a smooth layer to paint the block colour onto.
Next week I will be able to paper-mache the other side of my foam shapes and start painting them the block colours.
Week 8: (02/05/2022 - 06/05/2022)
This week I finished paper-macheing the foam creatures and started to paint them the closest colour to the original drawings that I created. I checked that the paper-mache layer is flat and all the pieces are stuck down before I started painting them the block colours.
I feel that I am on track with the time plans that I created at the start of this week. It is a week before the practical deadline and I feel like I can possibly make the deadline by the 13th of May, but if not I will defiantly have these pieces done for Monday the 16th of May.
Next week I want to finish painting the foam cut-outs their block colour and start with the intricate line work that I know will take the longest out of all the steps in this lengthy process.
Week 9: (09/05/2022 - 13/05/2022)
This week I completed painting the block colours of my foam creatures and have moved onto the detailed and intricate line work that make the blobs into the creatures I designed. By the end of this week I completed four out of seven of the line art needed for the blob creatures. I will hopefully be able to finish the final three on Monday.
During this week the lecturers spoke to the class about how we would want our pieces to be presented in the exhibition on the 21st of June. I decided to look at three different examples from artists and galleries of how they present their work, so I can gather ideas of different ways I could present them effectively and unique to my work.
Next week I want to finish the final blob creatures' line work, so I can move onto how I want my exhibition presentation to be and move onto final touches that I need on my website and for my work before the deadline.
Week 10: (16/05/2022 - 20/05/2022)
This week I finished my blob creatures and have now moved onto how I want my final piece to look in the exhibition. I looked at two artists that I have studied and a specific exhibition from the 'Victorian Art Gallery' in Bath. I researched each exhibition thoroughly, looking at instillation images of each presentation example and I evaluated what I thought about each exhibition presentation and the way each one was placed. I looked at a mix of 2D and 3D as my pieces are 3D, but not 3D enough to need a plinth to stand on, so I looked at different 2D presentation as well to see what composition I should arrange the pieces in.
Next week I want want to photograph my final pieces in the studio to present them on my website professionally and so I can have good photos of my pieces that I can present. I also want to focus on getting my website completed and up to date for the whole project deadline and to also see if there is anything practical missing that I can do during this week.
Week 11: (23/05/2022 -27/05/2022)
This week is the final week of this project. Throughout this week I have been presenting my work onto my website with care as I want to present the work that I am proud of with care and to make it look beautiful. I have also been completing all the extra work that I wasn't able to finish in the duration of this project.
I am happy with the work that I have created for this project, experimental and my final pieces.
Final Evaluation:
The theme that I chose for this project, I personally have an interest in. I created work that I feel is a personal and meaningful response to this theme.
At the start of the project, I referred to the ethical problems that I will be keeping in mind as I create work for this project in my project proposal. Throughout this project I have successfully applied the ethical problems that I identified at the start of my project. I applied this research by making sure the materials I used weren’t ethically inappropriate to certain cultures or the people that could see my work. And when I created work based off an artist, I made my own work only taking ideas from certain parts of a piece like the artist's style or use of visual language.
The work I created for this project effectively communicates the ideas that I intended, by how the pieces I created based off the ideas I gathered from research, primary and secondary, are clear and effective.
While researching my chosen theme, Creatures, I looked at the numerous sub-themes that are included in this theme. As I was researching a handful of the sub-themes that interested me, it informed me that there are multiple ways I could take this project. So, as I developed this project and my work, I constantly thought of how I could use each one effectively.
The different artists that I used throughout this project, 2D and 3D, have supported and helped me develop my work, by the way these artists use different materials, techniques and processes effectively to show their intended ideas clearly and detailed. I wouldn’t have done anything different because, I think the results I got from the artists I chose and the specialist pathway I explored and developed in this project supported me enough to create work that I am happy and proud of.
I used my primary research such as photographs from the museum visits to The Natural History Museum and The Design Museum, observational drawings and personal experience to effectively inform my work by how it helped me get initial ideas that I never would have come up with without this primary research. It helped me develop my project into looking at the immortal, microscopic animals I could turn into creatures and get inspiration from. If I could have done this differently, I would have liked to do more observational drawings as I don’t think I did enough, but the primary research that I did complete was informative enough to support my project throughout and help me develop my work.
For this project, I researched practically the different materials, techniques and processes that I wanted to explore or revisit, from previous projects and the artists I gathered for this project. The experimental pieces that I made using each material, technique and process effectively informed me which ones I liked the most and should develop, and the ones where I didn’t like the outcome or the process of creating the piece. I wouldn’t do any of the experimental pieces that I created looking into different materials, techniques and processes differently as I think they all informed my work enough and helped me develop my project throughout.
The other research that I completed for this project was my extinction research, developed research into ‘Tardigrades’ and the research for examples of presentation to generate ideas for my exhibition, as well as the research into my theme, creatures, at the start of the project. This extra research that I completed throughout my project was effective by how it informed me and helped me move forward with this project. I wouldn’t do this research differently as it was informative enough to progress my project and gave me as much information as I needed.
Throughout this project I generated initial ideas using different methods. The one I used at the beginning of my project is my favorite that I have used in previous projects and have loved the outcome of. This method is the ‘Idea Factory’. I think to start this project off it is a great method to start thinking of different ways I could use unusual materials and ideas for this project. The other idea generating method that I thought helped my project developed the most was the visit to the ‘Natural History Museum’ in London. I took photos of the different exhibits that I found interesting, and thought would help my project. As I was walking around, I thought of multiple different ideas, that I sketched out, that I could develop my project into. I wouldn’t change any of the methods that I used for this project, because I think each idea helped me develop the next. I am happy with the effectiveness of the methods I chose to generate my ideas for the duration of this project.
I feel my whole project was successful, but the parts that I think were the most successful in my project were the research, idea generating and the final pieces that I have created. I think for this project I did in-depth research into the theme I chose, the artists I explored and any extra information I needed to develop my project. From this research I gathered new and different ideas that I developed. I also used some idea generating tasks, like the Idea factory and thirty ideas in thirty minutes. I think the most successful pieces of work that I created for this project are my final pieces. Each piece came out detailed and as intricate as I designed them. I was happy with the outcome of each piece with the colors I mixed for each piece, being bold and the line work being detailed and neat.
If I did this project again, I would thoroughly think about what I wanted this project to be. In the end it was a bit of a rush to complete my final pieces and get my work together. I would take more time to effectively plan what I want to do for the end of the project halfway through, rather than have a rough idea and also plan extra time during my project for if I want to develop my ideas and work further like I did in this project. Although I am happy with the result of this project and going back through my work, I am proud of how this project turned out, even if it was rushed in the end.
My project changed from my original ideas of extinction and developed into what animals are immortal. This led me to change most of my ideas and create new work close to the deadline, but I think this change led me to explore new artists that I loved the work of and using them, I developed unique final pieces. Other parts of my projects that didn’t go as planned were some practical experimental pieces, so I had to change some of the designs or decided not to develop the pieces any further.
My visual language that I have used throughout this project is shapes and color. I figured out what my visual language was at the beginning of the project by looking at previous works and what my specialist pathway revolves around. I have used my specific visual language skillfully and imaginatively throughout my project to communicate my ideas by the way I think of the color palettes for each piece that I am creating and what kinds of shapes I want to use. My project developed into looking at organic shapes and the colors I chose were bright, so it could stand out against the mostly dark outlines that I chose to put the details on my creatures with. I wouldn’t change any the ways I communicated my visual language, because I think that my work shows that the visual language that I wanted to show is colour and shapes.
My work dynamic throughout this project was focused and effective. At some points in the project, I would take longer on outcomes than needed, but I think those outcomes were detailed and done with the best of my abilities. I think the materials that I used throughout this project have been used creatively to make my pieces unique and the practical research I did with new materials was informative and helped me develop my project and ideas further. I wouldn’t do this any differently because I was happy with the different ways, I used my chosen materials creatively to inform my work and progress it into various imaginative ideas.
The ongoing reflective practice that I used throughout this project has been helpful with knowing where I am with my work, and reflecting forward, setting myself goals to complete for the following week was keeping me on track with where I wanted this project to go. And the reflective practice I completed after every piece of work such as artist response or practical research, informed me what techniques I liked using or created a great outcome, so when it came to picking pieces to develop into final piece ideas I knew which materials, techniques and processes I wanted to develop further.
In my project proposal I stated the use of sustainability that I have kept in mind throughout this project. I think I have effectively achieved the goal that I set for sustainability throughout this project. I used up as much material as I needed, like foam board, and if there was any that still could be used, I put it back the others to be reused. Throughout this project I kept sustainability in mind when working with larger materials, like foam board or the screen printer, so I can reuse as much as I could. I don’t think there is anything else I could have done in this project to consider sustainability more, apart from using wasted materials to create my pieces.
Throughout this project I have been organized and kept to some of the deadlines that I have set for myself for this project. Near the end of the project, I rushed to complete certain tasks such as finishing a piece or completing extra research. Overall, I am happy with the way I organized my time for this project as I am delighted with the final outcome of this project because I took that extra time with my pieces.
This project was slightly rushed in the end to collect all my work and upload it onto my website, but my other planning for pieces and other work was the right amount, I just must find the right amount of time planning so I can fit all the work I want to complete into the short time I am given.
The final piece that I have created was based off the microscopic animals ‘Tardigrades. When I asked people if they knew these animals, some said they did, but others didn’t know what they were. I don’t think that the audience at the exhibition will understand what they are based off but, I created these pieces to be random blob creatures that the audience would think was quirky but would feel like they are pleasant to look at.
I was delighted with how the presentation of my work like research, sketchbook pieces, experimental work and my final pieces, was presented on my website. I think the way I have presented my work, flows into each other well and reads fluently. The presentation technique that I chose for my exhibition is well thought out from the composition to how I will place each piece. I focused on the presentation of my work throughout this project because I wanted the work that I enjoyed and am proud of making to look beautiful on my website, so I took extra time presenting my work.
I think I have effectively identified my audience that my work would be directed towards because at the start of this project, I identified the audience that the type of work I am creating in my project proposal, and throughout I have been checking that the groups of people that I stated was still accurate to the type of work that I have created.
The work that I created for my final piece is a mix of 2D and 3D materials, techniques and prosesses. I created illustrations that I then put onto a 3D medium. In the context of these working as illustrations I think my pieces are effective as I would classify them as 3D illustrations because they are characters placed onto a 3D medium and aren’t a free-standing structure.
I wouldn’t change anything about this project. I was happy with the theme that I chose, and I am proud of all the work that I created throughout this project. I wouldn’t add anything to this project either, possibly could of created a detailed screen print to go alongside my creatures, but I am happy with the outcomes of the work that I created, especially my final pieces.
My personal goals as a creative practitioner is to develop my skills in illustration techniques and processes, so I can use these developed skills to create thought out and effective animations.
This project has supported the progression of this goal, by focusing solely on illustration materials, techniques and processes to develop my understanding of how I could use them to develop more in-depth and imaginative ideas and pieces.
The next thing that I can do to keep moving this goal forward is to continue looking into any other illustration materials, techniques and processes that I haven’t explored in this project, and to start applying these skills into creating storyboards and short animations.