Term 2 Reflections

In your reflections please consider and answer the following points: 

PART 1. Reflecting on Progress: 

1. Think about the work we have completed since the last review (Fashion and Architecture), how do you think you performed in these projects? 

2. Identify at least two elements of these projects you feel were particularly successful and explain why. 

3. Discuss at least 2 aspects of your work/approach that you feel you could improve upon. Most importantly identify what practical steps you can take to effect change in these areas. 

Some areas you might consider discussing in relation to the previous 2 points: 

• Your Observational drawing. 

• Your Attendance 

• Your willingness to experiment. 

• Your time management skills. 

• Your research. 

• The presentation of your sketchbooks. 

• The ambition and success of your outcomes. 

• Your use of IT, including subject specific software (e.g. PhotoShop). 

Talk about any new skills/techniques you have learnt in the last 2 projects. Are these skills that you are likely to use again? These might include: 

• Creating a Presentation. 

• Compiling Moodboards. 

• Fashion Illustration. 

• Garment construction techniques. 

• Arranging a photoshoot. 

• Mixed media collage. 

• Paint transfer. 

• Using PhotoShop. 

PART 2. Looking Ahead:

Have you decided what area of Art and Design you want to specialise in next year? What draws you towards this area? If you are not clear on your direction next year mention areas you are considering and ones you know are not in the running. 

Some of the main areas you should consider are: 

• Fashion Design/Styling/Marketing 

• Texile Design (Print/Constructed/Interior) 

• Fine Art (Sculpture/Painting/Print/New Media) 

• Illustration 

• Animation 

• Photography 

• Graphic Design 

• 3D Design (Product/Furniture/3D crafts etc.) 

Thinking ahead explain what you think your next step will be after Alton College (e.g. University, Apprenticeship, Employment). What practical steps are you taking/planning to help you towards your goals.

Illustration Project - Week 1



Quentin Blake

• Research into Quentin Blake's illustration (print out several examples of his work and include personal analysis of his technique, background information and at least one visual response).

Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Wes Anderson

Research into at least 2 Films that are based on works by Roald Dahl. Again include vital information: director, year made, lead actors, some personal written response and good images from the film. It is particularly valuable to find "behind the scenes" information about the making of these films, for example storyboards and Artist's visualisations.
• Photoshoot storyboarding for 3 scenes from your chosen Roald Dahl story with annotation.                                                                Carefully read some specific scenes from your chosen story, photocopy these sections (say 2/3 pages of text for each scene selected) and go through with a highlighter picking out key aspects to consider for your photoshoot (these could be descriptions of locations, characters, or action). Then use your analysis of the text to complete at least 3 pages of storyboards with annotation, also include breakdown of requirements for your shoot/s (models, location, props, make up, lighting etc.).
• Examples of good existing storyboards presented in your sketchbook with some analysis (e.g. work by Josh Sheppard).

You should be aiming to prepare for photoshoots either on location over the weekend or in the studio at the end of this week (or Monday next week at the very latest).

Illustration Brief

BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design

1^stYear Project Brief

“It’s Illustration Dahling!”

James Carver-Grenside - Matilda

Specialism:Photography & Illustration

TIME: 8 Weeks

ASSIGNMENT OUTLINE:

In this project you will be responding to a piece of narrative text (selected from the works of Roald Dahl), initially through photography, which will give you the imagery to develop towards making illustrations in a range of media.

The final objective is to produce a 1m x 1m presentation board of your illustrations. Your final images could depict a sequence of events or you may wish to select and portray several different scenes from the same book.

WEEK ONE: Research and Storyboards

In the first week of the project you will need to select and familiarise yourself with a book by Roald Dahl, many of you will know these stories well, but refreshing your memory through some reading will help you to visualise characters and scenes more effectively.

A full list of Roald Dahl’s work can be found online at www.roalddahl.com but here are a few you may want to consider:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, George’s Marvellous Medicine, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, The Witches, The Magic Finger.

As soon as you have selected your text you need to start shortlisting scenes that interest you in terms of developing photographic and illustrational work. Choose at least 3 separate scenes. Now you need to deconstruct these scenes …what do they include in terms of characters? Props? Costume? Location? Make Up?

You need to consider all these things carefully as you will be need to be resourceful and prepared in order to get as good a photoshoot as possible. To help you prepare for this you need to complete several pages of storyboarding for your shoot.

Simple Storyboard

Use your storyboards to work out shot composition, use of props and location, camera angles and lighting. A good storyboard usually combines visuals with thoughtful annotation. Find some good examples of these online and include them in your sketchbook with some analysis on why they work well.

Remember a storyboard should be a functional tool that helps you resolve potential problems and prepare effectively, if it also includes strong drawing and good layout that is a real bonus. You may also find making some lists of props, models, costume, make up and locations required is helpful to your planning. Think ahead, if you need to book studio time then do this in advance (use photography if possible, otherwise a small space exists within the Art department).

This week you should also look at how others have responded the work of Roald Dahl, this will involve collecting imagery and analysing Quentin Blake’s original illustrations and 2 films that interpret Roald Dahl's stories such as Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. You should also find and analyse 2 existing storyboards, try looking at Josh Sheppard's work at
www.thestoryboardartist.com

WEEK 2: Photography

This week you need to carry out your photoshoot(s). Remember the imagery generated from this shoot will be sustaining your work for the next 6 weeks. If you get fantastic photos you are already a huge step down the road towards a successful project, poor or limited imagery will make the next 6 weeks a real struggle.

Consider every aspect of your photos and be resourceful. If you have ambitious ideas about location shoots make every effort to carry them out, if you need time away from the college campus to do this, then this can be arranged, but staff must know of your plans in advance.

Use your storyboards for inspiration and direct your models to get the shots you need, don’t forget that dramatic lighting and camera angles can help create powerful imagery.

Take lots of photos and print off contact sheets for your sketchbook. Select your favourite 12 images to start your illustrations from and print these out at A5 or A4. You may need to tweak your selected images with Photoshop to ensure you have optimum colour, definition and contrast.

Alongside your photography you need to research at least 2 photographers who explore narrative or fantastical themes through their work. Some good examples of this are James Carver-Grenside, Ruven Afanador, Viona Ielegems and Annie Liebovitz.

WEEK 3 and 4: Drawing

Through weeks 3 and 4 we will be concentrating on making a range of good drawings from your photographic source imagery. We want to see you explore drawing more thoroughly than you have done before: sustained studies, quick sketches and experimentation with a range of media.

Research 2 Artists/Illustrators whose work is focussed on strong drawing technique for example David Foldvari, Esra Roise, Hope Gangloff, William Kentridge.

WEEK 5 and 6: Printmaking and Mixed Media Experimentation

Some time will be focussed on producing strong monoprints and relief (gold card) prints from your photos. We will then use the work you have generated to this point in the project to experiment with a mixed media approach. Use the photocopier, drawn elements, text, image transfer, photomontage, collage, printmaking, paint, acetates, photoshop etc. to come up with some inventive responses.

Research the work of at least 2 of the following illustrators to gain ideas for ways of applying a mixed media approach Eduardo Recife, Martin O’Neill, Tim Marrs, Dave McKean, Nazario Graziano, Mario Wagner, Eva Han, Tez Humphreys.

WEEK 7 and 8: Selection, Presentation and Evaluation.

In the final weeks of the project you will select, scan and print your best work from the preceding weeks then compose these images onto a 1m x 1m board. You may want to enhance the presentation of your images by adding interactive elements to your board, cut throughs, raised sections, moving parts, lights, sound, real objects etc.

Be inventive, resourceful and ambitious. You may find some images need to be reworked through PhotoShop so that they interact together effectively. Other images might require further hands on work to give them some tactile qualities and avoid a board made up of flat computer print outs.

You should complete your project with a word-processed evaluation of 600 – 800 words (further guidance for this will be given out).

MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

A full detailed list will be given towards the conclusion of the project, but the following will all be required:

1 (or more) Sketchbooks with all the relevant research, storyboards, photography, drawing, printmaking and mixed media work.

A 1m x 1m Presentation board showcasing your best work from the project effectively.

A word-processed Evaluation of 600-800 words.

 

REFERENCES: See the text in the brief. Use the internet, use the library, use your imaginations!

Architectural Forms Evaluation & Submission Guidance

Lisa Borgiani

It is good to see a wide range of final pieces taking shape in the studio. Over half term you need to make sure all the sketchbook elements of your project are fully completed, do any final touches to your outcome and complete a written evaluation ready for submission on the first day back (Monday 23rd Feb.).

After half term we will be starting work on an illustration project based on the stories of Roald Dahl, so start giving some thought to which book you might want to respond to.

Architectural Forms Project.

 Evaluation Guidance.

Your evaluation should be word-processed and be between 500 & 800 words in length. Please discuss anything you feel was significant to your work in this project, but ensure you cover the following points:

·       Describe how you gathered source imagery for the project, how successful were your drawings and photos? What did you see in your images that you thought had potential for development into substantial 2D or 3D work.

·       How did you go about developing your imagery? What techniques and materials did you use? How successful were these experiments? Did your printmaking and collage work help you to reach your final outcomes?

·       Describe your outcome, discuss their formal elements such as composition, technique, use of colour and tone etc. Do you consider your outcome successful? Discuss its strengths and weaknesses.

·       What Architects and Artists work did you research during the project? Were any of these particularly helpful in providing ideas/inspiration for your own work? Identify the aspects of Artists/Architects work that you found helpful or interesting.

·       How well do you think you worked in this project overall? Did you manage your time effectively? Suggest improvements you might have made to your approach. Did you enjoy the project, if not suggest changes that might have made the project more enjoyable.

Including photos of your final piece in your book alongside your evaluation is helpful.

Please submit your word-processed evaluation with your sketchbook and project outcome/s.

Submission Requirements

• Pre trip work:
  
  • Selection of your best photos from the College architecture.
  • Research into 2 modern Architects (see the brief for names).
  • 1 or more sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your College photos.
  • 1 or more controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawings based on your College photos.
  • At least 2 additional drawings exploring alternative media/technique - these could be faster more expressive pieces.
  • 1 good Gold Card print from your College photos.
   Post Trip work:
  
  • Selection of your best photos from the London Trip.
  • Research into 2 Artists/Designers whose work is inspired or influenced by Architecture (see the brief for names). If you know what you are planning for your final piece then try to find at least one practitioner whose work has a clear relationship to your intentions - so if you are planning a sculptural garment look at a Fashion Designer/collection that extends the body through structural garments.
  • A sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your London photos and/or a controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawing.
  • 1 or more good Gold Card print from your London photos.
  • At least 1 sustained and successful piece of monoprinting based on London Architecture.
  • At least 3 Collage/mixed media pieces developed from your London imagery. Use a range of techniques to create these (refer to the brief for a list of potential media).
  • 3 or more PhotoShop collage pieces (either developments of scanned work or created from scratch digitally).
  • Other experiments e.g. Carbon prints, copier inverts, paint transfers.
  • Paper city photographs, edit your best shots and print them out at A5/A4 for inclusion in your sketchbook.
  • Research into at least one paper engineering Artist (see link in previous post for names).
  • Visual planning and notes that outline your intentions for your project outcome. The nature of this planning might be very different from person to person, it could take the form of Fashion Drawings, experiments with 3D media, storyboards for animation or many other things. Annotating your developmental work is important!
  • An ambitious and well resolved final outcome.
  • A word processed evaluation (see the notes above).

SNOWED IN!

Hi Everyone! Due to the snow (and where we live - down a single track lane at the bottom of a steep hill) Gayle and I are unable to get in to College today. Please refer to the blog post below for what you should be getting on with. Hopefully back to normal tomorrow. Ivan.

Architecture Update

David Hepher



Iris Van Herpen

So you should all now have quite a substantial body of work for this project and be at the stage where you are ready to plan and realise your final piece. Planning stages should be complete by the end of tomorrow (Tuesday 3rd February), so that by Wednesday everybody is working on final outcomes, this should give you time to resolve some hopefully ambitious plans.

Pre trip work:

• Selection of your best photos from the College architecture.
• Research into 2 modern Architects (see the brief for names).
• 1 or more sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your College photos.
• 1 or more controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawings based on your College photos.
• At least 2 additional drawings exploring alternative media/technique - these could be faster more expressive pieces.
• 1 good Gold Card print from your College photos.

 Post Trip work:

• Selection of your best photos from the London Trip.
• Research into 2 Artists/Designers whose work is inspired or influenced by Architecture (see the brief for names). If you know what you are planning for your final piece then try to find at least one practitioner whose work has a clear relationship to your intentions - so if you are planning a sculptural garment look at a Fashion Designer/collection that extends the body through structural garments.
• A sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your London photos and/or a controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawing.
• 1 or more good Gold Card print from your London photos.
• At least 1 sustained and successful piece of monoprinting based on London Architecture.
• At least 3 Collage/mixed media pieces developed from your London imagery. Use a range of techniques to create these (refer to the brief for a list of potential media).
• 3 or more PhotoShop collage pieces (either developments of scanned work or created from scratch digitally).
• Other experiments e.g. Carbon prints, copier inverts, paint transfers.
• Paper city photographs, edit your best shots and print them out at A5/A4 for inclusion in your sketchbook.
• Research into at least one paper engineering Artist (see link in previous post for names).
• Visual planning and notes that outline your intentions for your project outcome. The nature of this planning might be very different from person to person, it could take the form of Fashion Drawings, experiments with 3D media, storyboards for animation or many other things. Annotating your developmental work is important!