New Project Brief - ALPHASEMBLE (for both groups)

Digital response to Jasper Johns (Huw Williams)

BTEC Extended Diploma 1^st YEAR PROJECT BRIEF

PROJECT: ‘Alphasemble’, 

Specialist: Typography/Sculpture

Project Outline:

This project presents an opportunity to further develop your drawing, printing and mark-making skills, to come to a better understanding of colour and composition and to work in both controlled and expressive ways.  It also offers the opportunity to manipulate materials in the process of exploring 3 dimensional forms. 

This project is divided into two sections. The first requires you to work in your sketchbooks to explore 2-dimensional space, form & line, layered shapes, mark-making, surface quality, colour, composition & layout and to develop an awareness of good design and composition using letterforms and different typefaces as a starting point

The second requires you to interpret your 2 dimensional designs/ images into 3 dimensional forms using abstraction and to explore the language, techniques and materials of 3 -dimensional design (3DD) and sculpture.

In both sections you will study various artists in order to enhance your working practice and place the project into a relevant historical context.

Materials, equipment & resources

Pencil, fine-liner, biro, paint, pastel, collage, photo-shop, photocopy, acetate, food-dye, ink, bleach, spray paint, relief printing.

Card, paper, glue guns etc.

Artist Research: Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, David Carson, Michael Kenny, Michael Craig Martin, Frank Gehry, Naum Gabo, Philip King, Richard Deacon.

Resources:  Fonts - www.dafont.com, www.font.com, www.font101.com etc.  Modern Sculptors: www.sculpture.org

PART 1: Week 1

·     Start by choosing 5 or more different letters from your name. Begin to research into a variety of different type-faces and collect examples of these: Use websites, magazines, newspapers, computer fonts etc.

·     Using pencil/fine-liner/biro or pen & ink, experiment with the letterforms as compositional elements to produce several different designs/images.  Start by using the letter outline only and create several overlay examples (see Jasper Johns numbers).

·     Get out and see where you can see or create letterforms in the environment, record your discoveries through photography.

·     Next explore more ideas based on your selected typeface/letters by considering the following: changes of scale, symmetry & non symmetry, positive and negative shapes and close cropping so that only part of the letter form is visible.

·     Now start to play with some of this imagery by working into the negative and positive shapes with different types of mark making to create lively and interesting surface effects and a sense of depth and perspective. Your surfaces could be very expressive with an emphasis on fine art painting/ collage mark making etc or they could be more graphic.  Look at repetition and pattern, or combine both. An illusion of space can be created by considering the scale, weight and density of marks, and their relationship to areas of solid and void.

·     Produce research into Jasper Johns and either Michael Kenny, Michael Craig-Martin or David Carson. Your research should be presented carefully over several sketchbook pages, find images of the Artists work and analyse these alongside providing background information and visual responses for each Artist selected.

Week 2

·         Select the strongest of your drawings and start to introduce colour. You may work on the whole design or take a section and enlarge it.  Explore the use of the following colour mediums: paint, oil pastel, food dye & bleach and mixed media collage. You will be shown any new techniques as you progress.

·         Explore your compositions by devoting some time to cutting and printing a detailed gold-card relief print.

·         Now take the development further: photocopy some of your images onto paper and acetate; play with scale, inversion etc. Look at cutting away, layering and overlay to create collages. Scan some of your images into the computer and manipulate further using PhotoShop.

Part 2: Week 3

·  Select two or three of your strongest ideas/ designs. Start by identifying some of the formal elements of your images - i.e. both positive & negative shapes that represent the whole or parts of the letter forms you have been looking at.

·  Look at the work of Frank Stella and one other sculptor from David Smith, Eduardo Chillida, Naum Gabo and Richard Deacon produce research that analyses specific works by these sculptors and includes your own visual responses to their work.

·  Having looked at the work of Frank Stella use strong shapes from your drawings/designs cut-out, raise and interlock shapes to produce a ‘relief’ version of your image.

·  Begin exploring how to interpret these 2D images into 3D forms using twisted, torn and scored paper combining these with cardboard. You will also be expected to introduce colour and surface into your maquettes. As you progress you will probably need to sketch out some of your ideas in your sketchbook to help resolve ideas and problems.

·  You will need to carefully consider negative as well as positive space.  By the end of this week you should have at least one successfully resolved relief piece as well as 3D experiments that will help you to move onto the production of a final sculptural piece.

·  Take some dynamic photos of your maquettes using strong light and interesting viewpoints and angles. Include close up details as well as views of the entire piece.

Week 4

·         You are now expected to produce a final, well finished 3 dimensional piece that will demonstrate a refined application of the materials and techniques that you have experimented with in the previous week. You will need to pay special attention to scale, surface (colour and texture) and ensure that your final piece works well from all angles. This sculpture should be no larger than 40cm in any direction.

·         Ensure you obtain good photographs of your final piece and include these in your sketchbook. When taking these photos you should use a plain clean background and again consider lighting, viewpoint, details etc.

·         Complete a word-processed project evaluation (further guidance on this will be issued)

Minimum submission requirements:

·  1 x sketchbook packed with ideas, drawings, experimentation and that shows the development of your ideas.

·  Also in sketchbook: research into letterforms type-faces etc, relevant artist/sculptors etc. A series of photos of your maquettes and final 3D outcome.

·  Relief sculptural piece, plus any additional 3D experiments.
·  A final sculptural piece.

·  A word-processed evaluation.