Unit 7, although being my least favourite unit and brief so far, has actually been the place I have learnt the most within the course so far. Throughout the unit as a whole, I have struggled in multiple areas, the main one being my lack of computer skills. When I was first introduced to the blog as a platform to display my work, I struggled to even make an account. Navigating all the different elements of layout, to uploading images and text, whilst keeping a high level of aesthetic awareness throughout my posts, was something I found incredibly challenging. I spent days upon days with help from my peers, trying to upload the same post, and a few weeks in was ready to give up. But I am so glad I didn’t.
The blog is arguably one of the things I am most proud of producing within this course so far. Overcoming the challenges I faced and problem solving enough to fully be able to use it effectively was so rewarding. I think my blog is very professional, displaying a high level of aesthetic awareness throughout and also very personal. The blog presents a snippet of my artistic stamp. With pages of my sketchbook scanned in, and my distinctive handwriting on show, my mind has completely been changed. Before this I viewed virtual platforms such as blogs impersonal, too detached. But this process has taught me so much. That a lot of the time going out of your comfort zone, and tackling things that challenge you help you expand, grow and learn.
Researching people such as Samantha Taylor-Wood and Mona Hatoum before beginning to complete the tasks of recording different sequences, in retrospect did really influence me. When I look back to the pictures I took I can see small imbedded glimpses of their work, and the subconscious influence they had on me. I also realise how relevant they are to the brief, both producing time based work in such interesting ways.
I planned and reflected consistently within unit 7, both in and out of my sketchbook. I found that especially when producing my stop motion animation, the time plan needed to be massively extended, when I came across countless problems that needed to be solved. That piece of work, may not be the most beautiful piece of work I have ever produced but again was so rewarding to complete.
I feel really proud of myself for being persistent and dedicated to finishing the tasks within unit 7 regardless of the challenges faced, and of the final outcome being my blog, the contents of the blog, and all the new skills I have accumulated.
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