Alphasemble Project Update

PhotoShop Letter Overlays (with inverted sections)

So you have all (nearly) survived your first half term on the Art BTEC at Alton :) Hopefully half term will offer you (and the staff) a chance to recharge your batteries, but you do need to make sure you are up to date with your current Alphasemble project when you return. Mostly this is a case of finishing and presenting the work we have done so far in class effectively, but there is some additional research and photographic tasks we want you to do to. 
So by Monday 30th October the work you should have completed is:

• At least 2 really effective full page linear compositions based on your letterforms - these shouldn't include tone or colour so they can be photocopied and worked into with other media.
• 1 or more carefully built up A3 tonal/pattern based compositions developed from your linear work - use pencil and biro or fineliners.
• Photocopier inverts of your tonal pieces.
• At least 1 colour collage piece created by combining 2 or more "colour conversion" copies of your tonal work.
• 2 pages of well presented thoughtful research into Jasper Johns (number/letter work). Include at least one sensitive visual response. 
• A gold card plate cut and printed with the prints and plate mounted into your sketchbook.
• At least 2 printed out PhotoShop letter compositions, experimenting with layers, opacity, colour etc.
• Several other colour experiments with your letter compositions e.g. Food Dyes and bleach, spray stencilling, paint, cut paper collage.

Optional extra tasks you might include if you want to extend your work:

• An acetate collage, using cut photocopier experiments, along with other papers (newsprint, brown paper etc.) to fill spaces in your compositions.
• 2 pages of research into a second Artist/Designer who works with letterforms in an innovative way (e.g. Michael Craig Martin or David Carson). Analyse some specific works in detail, provide brief background biographical information, quotes from the Artist, a visual response ...you should be getting familiar with the drill!

Half Term Tasks (not optional):

Sample photographic Alphabet

• Complete a photographic Alphabet. Find or create letterforms in the environment around you and record them with the camera. Pay attention to the aesthetic aspects of each of your 26 shots (lighting, composition etc.). Present these effectively in the sketchbook.

Frank Stella, relief sculpture.

• Also in preparation for the 3D phase of the project produce 2 pages of research into the 3D relief work of Frank Stella, the work we will do after half term will form the visual response, but you need to build an awareness of his techniques. You should be getting familiar with the format of research - you'll need brief background information about the Artist for context, good reproductions and analysis of some specific works, offering your own opinions and referring to formal elements such as technique, colour, form etc.