Student Protests

Bit like marmite. Some love it, some hate it. But marmite haters lie, they don't mind it that much....

I realise I have mainly been using my blog to show examples of my work as a form of reflection. From now on I intend to use it to look at other peoples work as a way of developing and influencing my own. Honestly, I am quite slack at recording research. I love looking into it and my memory has a tendency to remember visual things which have caught my eye, this way I feel it naturally edits the jumbles of information in my head as I only remember key items which meant a lot to me or had a positive or negative impact... rather than just looking at numerous artists and designers who do not particulary stick in my head for the right reasons! To many this seems lazy, to me it seems to work. However, I will try, who knows, change is good too after all.

Hale

 

Since being at Chelsea I have not really had the chance to paint in many projects, mainly due to the quick succession and speed projects develop, however I realise tutors or students do not know me as well as past teachers and other people have done, thus do not realise painting in another passion of mine. 

Here is a brief independant series called Hale. Using acryics applied with firm square cuts of cardboard and neater brushstrokes over the top whilst dry is a technique I am aiming to developing further. I have also experimented with this in Oils and will be sure to put some of those results up soon! I may also add a 5th image to this series, I've never really liked the number 4..

Secret Signs or Sign Language?

 

Ill keep this brief. Sign language is not a secret sign to those who know it. However to those who don't, it is a complete other language. By drawing out individual phrases, letters or words onto acetate, layering them to conceal the message further, I like to think I have created a number of secret signs. Its not often you recieve a letter in corrupted sign language in the post now is it?

Faulty Toys

 

Before you see the Frank Sinatra mug shot in these, or a cliche'd way of releasing inner emotions.. look again. I'd like to think i've stepped away from both those things. Maybe I'll upload pages from my sketch book aswell..

Crossroads II

The 8 weeks of rotation courses at Chelsea have thoroughly broadened my perceptions on the abilities, options and directions to take within different courses and career choices in the art world. I have enjoyed experimenting in all areas, some more than others, and on the contrary to my previous beliefs that I would pursue fine art, my mind has clearly been altered.

The area I felt that pushed me forward the most creatively was visual communications as it made me think more about how the work was perceived visually by others rather than just what the work meant to me. Another reason it appeals strongly is the range of mediums I could potentially experiment with to create images. Materials and mediums are a big part of why I would choose and area as my background before attending Chelsea was strictly fine art, painting etc, however the rotation has made me realise that the concepts in fine art lack enough direction for me even though the type of mediums technically fit my style more so. However with visual communications I feel I can still incorporate painting, photography and mixed media in my work as well as learning more about illustration and animation all channelled towards images which communicate and project a direct message rather than a variety of interpretations.

The challenging nature of visual communications is another reason which attracts me to this area as I constantly feel pushed to think more and create a more developed piece. By taking me slightly out of my comfort zone it enables me to produce more thorough work rather than thin, incomplete concepts. This is just one of the reasons why 3D spatial design was not a match at all. I felt too controlled in the design making process rather than being allowed to let the creativity flow, also it entirely lacked an element of concept for me and seemed to focus more just on the practicality of objects in context with other objects, size, form, and structure.

This is not to say though that I did not enjoy any other rotation other than visual communications. As previously stated on route to my first day at Chelsea I believed fine art would be my most preferred area. To a certain extent I did enjoy the projects and creating an animation was definitely a highlight, however if anything that spurred me on to develop my work into more vis com friendly ways where I could possibly learn how to take ideas like animation to another level, as well as using more fine art processes like painting and photography in those ideas. Fashion was an area which originally threw me off before starting as having never touched on the subject beforehand. Nevertheless, the ways of drawing and being taught to gather research from your own work was a massive help to my learning process. I did enjoy fashion/textiles a lot and I feel it concluded the rotation for me in a sense of feeling fully developed however in terms of specializing I do not feel connected or dedicated enough to pursue it at degree level.

The way the tutors have managed to strip any remaining a level processes of working has benefited me extremely. Not prepping sketchbooks and just thinking about a continuous stream of ideas rather than concentrating on a final outcome has developed my creative mind enormously. Being taught to use artists and designers more as references rather than the sole source of my own ideas has made me realise that it is a better method of working to complete a well rounded concept/source in contrast to one purely originating from another persons creation. By looking at the blogs of Dominic Wilcox and Margaret Huber it has encouraged me to use illustrative drawing among other styles which is definitely an area I wish to go into and therefore choosing visual communications seems like the best option to specialize in.

Photography