A short film I made after being offline for a month. In an attempt to convey what I became mindful of when I wasn’t consumed by technology. I used a lot of artificial noise, in the mist of some really refined natural sounds; and that was used in attempt to show how the month offline felt for mehttps://m.youtube.com/channel/UC6L6G2RRy2JHRsKw2s4DCBg

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.

As part of our unit 7, we were asked to make a short animation. I decided I wanted to do mine at home because I prefer the homemade look, and also beacuse I felt like I’d be more productive. So I started off by making a story board of how the animation would go, I then made the characters and began to take picture bit by bit I moved the characters along. This part didn’t take too long and I actually really enjoyed it. The thing that I found the hardest was finding a platform to colate all of my pictures into a video and also finding an app that allowed me to speed it up to create a smoother more linear affect.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kX3vKpFD3Xc

A few weeks ago, we started the journey of translating 2D to 3D. We began this by drawing from a still life installation. From there we started to look at the shapes we had drawn, and begin translating the 2D drawings to a 3D design. I found this really hard and it took me so many attempts to finally get the hang of what was being asked of me and also how to draw a 3D design. I then started to map out on my plaster where I was going to hammer and take away.

Last Monday we went to the Manchester art gallery to visit some new exhibitions that we hadn’t seen, to help us translate our 2D-3d work. The first exhibition we saw was a Manchester born sculptor Halima Cassell, whose work consisted of multiple different types of clay, from all over the world, and some beautiful ceramics. I think because I’ve worked 3D before I could really appreciate how hard something so seemingly beautiful and smooth as making a clay bowl actually is. How nervous she must have been placing each piece in the kiln, that she’d worked hours on- to only hope it wouldn’t be ruined. I often find the way galleries word things, and Manchester art gallery in particular, very difficult to depict without having to read multiple times and this exhibition was no different. So I think if I had fully understood the information then I could have appreciated it more, so now after researching her will probably go back and really enjoy it.

We then went to the Leonardo Di-Vinci exhibition which I had already been to, and to be honest, I found the exhibition very disengaging and forgettable. The very few drawings, in a crowded room with limited light did not compel me to stay or revisit. However, I did appreciate how accurate and precise his drawings of the human form were, and how revolutionary for his time he was and a few of my friends, did love the exhibition, so is just personal prefernce really.

Then finally, we went to the Martin Parr exhibition, which I really liked. I LOVVVVVE how the pictures in the exhibition were based in Manchester because not only did I recognise some of the places, but the people around me who were older than me were getting exited about places that they remember looking like that which was nice.

I really enjoyed Ian’s presentation and felt really inspired by the objects he brought in to show us. Although half was through I did begin to become slightly disengaged, I still found what he said very interesting. The thing I loved about Ian’s practice was that it seemed to not only be his work, his interest or hobby. It is a way of life for him, he lives and breathes that stuff. Which was evident when he told us about all of his trips to Europe to chase that fascination and interest 🙂 It really inspired me to really make work about something I am that passionate about 🙂

We did a peer review afternoon a few weeks ago, and after seeing Joels work I felt really inspired by his whole aesthetic and style. So after that, I decided to make a few collages experimenting with texture and layering which I really really enjoyed.

gathering alternative drawings in and through nature

Within the tasks we were asked to complete surrounding unit 7, was finding alternative ways to draw. I had a long think about this and eventually decided that I would love to base my alternative drawing sequence around nature and explore some little ways that we experience art everyday in small natural things. From sequences of light, to the translucent skin of a leaf, I found so much beauty and art in nature.

I did really enjoy taking these pictures of alternative forms of pattern and drawing within the natural world. I think as this blog progresses I would really love to learn how to access and navigate other tools such as giffs, and just some alternative ways of presenting my work through this platform.