Architecture Checklist

Leah Foulds - Digital Collage

So to recap on what you should have before you embark on development/realisation of your project outcomes:

• A selection of photos from the College Architecture, print contact sheets of your shoot and include the best shots printed out at A4 or A5 scale.
• At least one full page sustained careful pencil tonal drawing from your College photos (this should represent at least 3 hours work). 
• Minimum of one full page precise linear drawing using fine liner. 
• A set of timed expressive drawings.
• Photocopier experiments with your drawings (inverts, blueprints).
• A Gold Card print based on your College photos.
• At least 4 pages of research into 2 contemporary Architects (see the project brief below for names). Include background information and analysis of some specific buildings/projects. Discuss materials, aesthetics (form) and function. Include good reproductions of the Architect's work and take care over presentation.
• Contact sheets of your London Photographs.
• A range of your best London shots at A5 or A4 included in your sketchbook.
• At least one A4/A3 sustained and detailed monoprint based on a London photograph.
• A detailed A3 Gold Card based on London, cut and printed.
• An A4 carbon print from a complex London image.
• Research into at least one Artist who uses paper engineering in their work, references here http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/02/papercraft-creative-paper-art-design-sculpture/
• "Paper City" photos - include contact sheets and larger versions of your best shots.
• Produce a range of mixed media Collages (4-6) making use of the bank of Architecture based printing, drawing and photography you have accumulated and adding paint, coloured papers, acetate overlays, text etc.
• 2 pages of research into one Collage/mixed media Artist (see post below for names).

Architecture Collage Work and Supporting Research

Some examples from previous students.

By the end of Wednesday this week you should be aiming to create 4 (or more) mixed media collages. Use your existing Architecture imagery as the basis for this - prints, photos and drawings. Try manipulating them on the photocopier or through photoshop too. Combine this imagery with the additional collage ingredients supplied - coloured papers, stickers, tape, squared/graph paper, raffle tickets etc. 

A few pointers:

• Inclusion of text, numbers and symbols can be very effective.
• Using strong focal points (e.g. a larger image of a particular building) often helps your collages becoming too fragmented.
• As well as papers you might work back into your collages with paint, spray stencils, pens etc.
• Along with addition be aware that subtraction can be a key part of the collage process. If your images become overcrowded using areas of plain papers or white paint can be an effective way of freshening up your piece. Careful consideration about the retention of areas of space as you make the collage is another way to do this.
• As with other images we have created this year producing a composition with balance that leads the viewer's eye as you intend is the ideal. Repetition of colours or symbols can help achieve this, along with strong directional elements.

Supporting Research
To inform your own collage experiments you should look at the work of all the following Artists/Designers who use collage techniques in creating their work. Once you have familiarised yourself with their work choose one of the Artists whose work is illustrated below and produce 2 pages of research into their practice. As usual obtain several good reproductions of their work, provide some background information and analyse at least 2 images in depth, identifying what media are being used and commenting on how they are being handled is particularly important. 

Richard Galpin

Martin O'Neill

Robert Rauschenberg

Nazario Graziano

Tim Marrs

Paper City - Maciek Janicki

Architecture Update

Human Pyramid!

So having been to London we now have the imagery to branch out and create some really exciting work. From what I have seen you all have some excellent photography - we were pretty lucky with the light, even if the trains were a pain.

In addition to the work from the College Architecture (and the Architect research) from Week one (see earlier post) these are the things you should be completing by the end of Wednesday 24th January:

• Print out contact sheets of your London Photographs.
• Print out a range of your best shots at A5 or A4 for inclusion in the sketchbook.
• Complete at least one A4 or A3 sustained and detailed monoprint based on a London photograph.
• Cut and print a detailed A3 Gold Card plate.
• Complete an ambitious A4 carbon print from a complex London image.
• In preparation for the paper city work towards the end of the week you need to research at least one Artist who uses paper engineering in their work, there are a range of names you could find out more about in this article http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/02/papercraft-creative-paper-art-design-sculpture/

Tasks to complete before we start developing and completing our independent project outcomes:

• Finish printmaking based on London imagery.
• Carefully cut a building to contribute towards the group paper city from white card. This can either be a façade with supporting struts or a self supporting 3D piece.
• Take a good range of "paper city" photos on the lightbox. Get in close to create some interesting angles, try to achieve the feeling of actually being surrounded by the buildings - look at the video clip post (above) for inspiration and check out www.popupology.co.uk Print contact sheets and larger versions of your best shots.
• Produce a range of mixed media Collages (4-6) making use of the bank of Architecture based printing, drawing and photography you have accumulated and adding paint, coloured papers, acetate overlays, text etc.

You need to be completing this work by Wednesday 31st January, the end of next week will be dedicated to planning your final pieces, then you will have 2 weeks + half term to resolve your ideas. Final pieces will need to be supported by appropriate research (more guidance to follow).

Be ambitious😃 - Good Luck!

Architecture Project - WEEK 1

Architecture Project Week 1

Before the trip next Thursday you should all complete the following:

• At least 4 pages of research into 2 contemporary Architects (see the project brief below for names). Include background information and analysis of some specific buildings/projects. Discuss materials, aesthetics (form) and function. Include good reproductions of the Architect's work and take care over presentation.
• A selection of photos from the College Architecture, print contact sheets of your shoot and include the best shots printed out at A4 or A5 scale.
• At least one full page sustained careful pencil tonal drawing from your College photos (this should represent at least 3 hours work). Choose a complex composition that will challenge you.
• Minimum of one full page precise linear drawing using fine liner. 
• A set of rapid expressive drawings - we will complete these as a class exercise.
• Photocopier experiments with your drawings (inverts, blueprints).
• We will also aim to complete larger scale (A1)drawings and hopefully some printmaking before the London Trip.

So from Day One you will need:

• Cameras (with plenty of battery and memory capacity, also USB download cables or card readers if you have them).
• Memory sticks/online space for saving your photos, your college workspace is too limited. 
• Money for a new sketchbook (or purchase online) - A3 generally best for this project.
• Drawing media - pencils, fineliners, biros, erasers etc.
• Printing/photocopying credit.

New Project: ARCHITECTURAL FORMS

BTEC Extended Diploma 1^ST YEAR PROJECT BRIEF.

PROJECT:  Architectural Forms

TIME:  6 Weeks + Half Term

ASSIGNMENT OUTLINE:

We will be generating original 2D and/or 3D responses to modern architecture. We will develop our project outcomes through a sustained development of imagery gathered from primary sources.

We will begin the project by producing observational drawing from primary sources such as the college architecture and going to London to gather imagery from modern architecture such as The "Walkie-Talkie", Tower 42, The "Cheese Grater", The Lloyds Building, 1 Canada Square as well as Norman Foster’s “Gherkin” , British Museum Courtyard and Canary Wharf tube station.

Once we have accumulated adequate primary material we will begin to develop responses using drawing, painting, collage and 3D maquettes. After a thorough exploration of our imagery we will conclude our investigation by producing one ambitious outcome. This outcome can be figurative or abstracted and can be in either 2 or 3 dimensions.

Throughout the project we will enrich our practical work with research into relevant modern Architects, and Artists whose work has been influenced by Architecture.

GUIDELINES: 

• Ensure you begin the project with a range of high quality observational drawings. Good line drawings are particularly valuable as they reproduce well and can be used as a starting point for more experimental collage and mixed media work.
• Make the most of the trip, it is essential that you gather a rich and diverse body of imagery from the day. In addition to a sketchbook and basic drawing materials you will need to bring a camera (if you do not own one, borrow one or arrange to loan one from college).
• After the trip it is important that you print photographs within 2 days, as any delay will hinder your progress in the project.
• Once you have got your imagery you will need to be inventive and experimental in developing responses to it. As a group we will produce some printmaking and collage based images, but we would encourage you experiment widely with a range of the following approaches: 

1. Line Drawing
2. Photocopying
3. Tonal Drawing
4. Painting
5. Integrating Text
6. Paint Transfer
7. 3D Maquettes
8. PhotoShop
9. Photo Montage
10. Collage
11. Mixed Media
12. Acetate Overlays
13. Monoprinting
14. Relief (gold card) printing
15. Film/animation
16. Sewing
17. Spray Stencils
18. Heat transfer

• Imagery derived from modern Architecture lends itself towards abstraction, try zooming in on shapes, overlaying them, repeating and rotating them to develop interesting compositions.
• Be thoughtful in your use of colour, subtle neutral colours can be very effective, and may be more in keeping with your Architectural sources.
• Once you find an approach/idea that has potential you need to explore it thoroughly in a range of studies before attempting to resolve it in a final piece.
• You will need to develop and realise an original and ambitious outcome. The outcome needs to express the Architectural theme in some way but the form is entirely of your choosing - it could be anything from a painting to a garment to a piece of animation. Your outcome should be clearly developed through a process of visual investigation and experimentation with your chosen media. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

You will be marked on how effectively you:

• Observe and record from primary sources.
• Demonstrate resourcefulness in gathering appropriate source imagery.
• Develop your observational studies through experimentation with media and mark-making.
• Generate ideas through purposeful investigation.
• Demonstrate inventiveness and skill in the handling of materials.
• Select and resolve compositions.
• Research and present information and imagery related to the project.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Sketchbook including observational drawing, photography, developmental studies and research material.
• A fully resolved project outcome.
• Word-processed project evaluation (500-800 words).

(For additional guidance on submission requirements and evaluation see separate post)

REFERENCES:

Architects:  Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Nicholas Grimshaw, Frank Gehry, Cesar Pelli, Mario Botta, Renzo Piano, Shigeru Ban, Daniel Libeskind, Santiago Calatrava. 

Artists:  Lyonel Feininger, Maria Elena Vieira da Silva, Charles Demuth, Charles Sheeler, Naum Gabo, Ben Johnson, David Hepher, Richard Galpin, Carla Klein, Brendan Neiland, Robert Rauschenberg.

WEB LINKS:

www.artcyclopedia.com/                                         www.GreatBuildings.com/gbc.html

www.artnet.com/                                                       www.archinet.co.uk/index.html