Lighting in Photography

I felt that the communication of the group worked very well. We were able to direct each other with how we move, reflect, turn the lighting off or on and direct lighting worked well to produce good pictures. For a while I hadn't worked out the use of the IOS and shutter speed which took away a bundle of time to work on better quality photos. Changing the IOS t the last minute was a great surprise and next time I feel that if I got the model to be in different places and tried a white background, some better photos could have come out of it.

By experimenting with the IOS, shutter speed and planning the photos' composition I feel like my use of photography and filming could come out with better images. 

Summary of Exploratory Stage

All in all, the last 6 weeks have been extremely helpful for understanding the features of each pathway and how they can, not only help me gain an understanding of what one I would like to go in to but also, compliment each other to create ideas within something specific.

For example, 3D and graphics worked together in the fashion pathway in designing the paper garment where I had to ensure something designed to look good but also had to be practical, wearable and strong in it's solid form whilst picturing it's visual brilliance in the right way through photography fitted in to the lens based pathway.

Although I enjoyed each pathway, I found that the lens based pathway was the most exciting in it's relation to storytelling through visual presentation of reality and manipulated creations. However I still plan on using elements of all pathways in my future work.

Day 17 IT Day Future Self Article/Poster

At the age of 29, Summer Scott has moved from lead character designer for the

beloved Disney studios to leading

animation director of a 2D renaissance of beloved animated films.

‘I just felt that the western world needed to come away from this idea that all animated films were for kids. If you compare our most popular animated films to the Japanese anime industry, it’s  acompletely different story’ says Scott.

Indeed her animated films written and directed by herself delve in to

issues out of a child’s understanding. Scott’s new film ‘Light in the

Shadow’, coming out this Christmas, is said to be one of a series of

sci-fi films dealing with the issues of morality and war.

‘I’ve been wanting to get this film done since I was 14 but have had

to put it aside until I could get the perfect resources to make it a

reality!’

With that long to wait we can only expect yet another animated film

of perfection but in the mean time fans await with anticipation for the

release of Scott’s tv series ‘Better’ released on DVD in October.

For today's activity we were experimenting with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create posters for an article about our future selves in 10 years time.

The editing of the two photos went well but I felt the logo could've matched the colours a bit more to fit the poster. Also the image itself was a bit awkward to put my own logo next to the Walt Disney Studios sign. Next time I should think more about the colour and composition of the images. 

Day 16 'Homeworkers' Exhibit at The Tate Modern

 The 'Homeworkers' collection, as part of the Energy and Process exhibit,  found on level 4 in Room 8 of the Tate Modern gallery. It features works from Tracey Emin, Rosemerie Trockel, Annette Messager and Margaret Harrison which together carry political statements surrounding women's rights and gender division in the work place through the use of stereotypically feminine, textile craft. 

Curaters, Ann Coxan and Valentina Ravaglia, achieved an open spaced layout thus avoiding a cluttered room which Annette Messager's busy piece 'The Pikes' doesn't get lost in. Messager's use of violent imagery beside children's toys hints to the cruelty of adults' own version of child's play and the pikes being seen as weaponry for women to tear apart it's traditions of sexism.

Opposite is Tracy Emin's 'Hate and Power Can Be A Terrible Thing'. 

A collection of hateful messages in response to Margaret Thatcher's role in the Falkland's War appliquéd together on a hanging quilt like fabric. The stereotypically soft, feminine imagery surrounding quotes such as 'YOU CRUEL HEARTLESS BITCH' I feel arguably presents the sickly sweet and neat appearance of Thatcher and yet her debateably cruel and inhumane role as prime minister in relation to issues such as the sinking of the Belgrano which the words 'PERMISSION TO FIRE' situated at the top are powerful in targeting the issue Emin is trying to push forward. That this female prime minister was so privileged to gain the leading position in the work place, as a woman of a still developing society, and yet gained quite a tattered reputation due to her controversial decisions. Because of this it is believed by many of the feminist movement that 'she is an icon of individualism, not of feminism' (Brand, 2013, http://www.russellbrand.tv/tag/blog/)

Alongside from Emin's piece hangs a knitted pattern spread across canvas by Rosemerie Trockel. It portrays the shift from women's craft starting on a small scale of knitting jumpers for sons and daughters to the mass production of wearables and patterns appreciated by the fashion industry that became able to serve more than to just the middle and upper class and thus taken more seriously.

This flows well on to 'Homeworkers' by Margaret Harrison whose mixed media composition of written messages and clothing advertisements explains the dreadful experiences of working class women in Britain before the Equal Pay Act of 1970. We'd usually associate these stories with sweat shops of 3rd world countries but the truth was that not only were women not being payed equal to men, but were underpaid for their work in general. Annotations surrounding a couple of brooches from Debenhams explain them being sold for less than they were made. This rather depressing information under many of the clothing advertisements, Harrison lines up in the middle, pictures the luxury of wearing these garments in conflict with the labour gone in to making them.

My immediate reaction to these pieces was one of extreme positivity and interest. Being a feminist myself, my interest in political issues concerning women's rights enabled me to understand the messages and historical links of these collection of works. I also felt connected to the artist's arguments due to being a woman and yet disconnected from them due to being a privileged one, lucky enough to not have to experience these situations. The works inspire me to not necessarily create artwork in the same style but to work with a strong message that speaks to the audience about what is affecting the world we live in. The combination of textiles and installation I feel is successful in enabling the audience connection to the artwork therefore bringing them closer to the fact that they are indeed on the same planet as they are happening.

Russell. (2013) Russell Brand.tv [online blog]. Accessed on: 9th April 2013. Available at: <http://www.russellbrand.tv/tag/blog/> 

Day 15 Paper Dress Garment

 

I was very pleased with me and, my activity partner, Siobhan's paper garment dress. I suggested we could follow a design I had put together in preparation for the lesson and she agreed we could go a long with it with a few alterations here and there. We started with the headdress and thought that the pleated shell like feature was a nice touch. By the end, though, rather than a crown we decided to have it worn around the neck so it wouldn't get in the eyes. For the dress, a lot of folding had to be done to fit around the body of the mannequin properly and when putting it on Siobhan, as the model, I thought it fit better as a skirt. If we had more time I could have added more paper around the chest to make it more of a dress. When Siobhan wore it, I somehow saw it as quite an empowering outfit. Whether, it was her modelling in it or the dress itself, it showed some sort of goddess like warrior image whilst being worn. I loved it! If I could have done anything else it would be to redesign the headdress and add more to the chest area. But all in all, I found I was very prepared for this activity, with the help of my trusty stapler and decorative card to add the finishing touch, the day went rather smoothly.

Day 14 Sampling Outfits on 2D Figures

I found today rather successful due to the fact, what I was working with surprised me in many positive ways. I had a few ideas with what I wanted to see in the outcomes but was experimenting at the same time. I was mostly happy with cutting out patterns from enlarged images we photocopied from our 2D figures' designs. I was mostly inspired by the clothes worn on the cover of Jpop band Perfume's new album Level 3, where they use a lot of pleats and fan patterns in the skirts and dresses. The blue dress is my favourite creation. If I could have done anything better I would have tried bringing in nicer paper to work with but all in all I was very happy with the day. In preparation for next lesson I will bring some nice things to work with.

Day 13 Sampling and Putting Together Garments

Today's activities were quite interesting. I found I was successful to some extent in creating a collection of different ideas for sampling patterns and textures for a garment however I didn't follow the brief to the best of my abilities as I made more big samples than many medium sized ones thus leaving me with a minimal garment to create by the end of the day. Thus I feel to keep in mind for next time, I should make as many as possible and not care too much about the quality in an activity like this. Of course they should be good samples but not literally perfect when we are still at an exploratory stage. So in preparation for the next activity, I should have a bundle of ideas in mind so not to be tempted on working purely on just one.