ROALD DAHL PROJECT BRIEF

ROALD DAHL PROJECT

SPECIALISM: ILLUSTRATION AND GRAPHICS

Please see link below for details of the unit criteria that this project covers

UNIT: 1 Introduction to visual language in art and design

UNIT: 2 Introduction to research skills in art and design

UNIT 3: Introduction to critical and contextual awareness in art and design

UNIT 4: Introduction to materials, processes and technical skills in art and design

UNIT 5:  An integrated approach to 2D problem solving in art & design

https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/14243/Level-3-Diploma-and-Extended-Diploma-in-Art-and-Design-specification-v11.pdf

A Publisher has commissioned you to produce a book of contemporary illustrations that interpret the idea of one of the writings by Roald Dahl 13^th Sept 1916 – 23^rd November 1990.  Dahl was a novelist, poet and screenwriter most famous for his Childrens’ books that we all grew up with.

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 book 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.

Time 6 Weeks week starting 7^th January – 24^th February 

Week 1 –  Research, Storyboards and Photography

Week 2 and 3 –  Drawing

Week 4 and 5- Printmaking and Mixed Media Experimentation

Week  6: Selection, Presentation and Evaluation. 

Some student work for this project:

The Witches

Fantastic Mr Fox

Dirty Beasts - The Scorpion

WEEK 1

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. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox Storyboard

Your storyboard must show a sequence of ideas over time to pass this project.  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,  it must include:

·                a sense of text and narration of the story
·        drawing that communicates clearly and reflects good layout
·        dramatic viewpoint and injection of theatre within characters
·        larger than life characters and dramatic expressions
·        lists of props, models, costume, make up
·        thoughtful annotation.
·        locations required. 
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 interpreted the work of Roald Dahl, this will involve collecting imagery and analysing Quentin Blake’s original illustrations and films made by Tim Burton (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) & Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox). 

WEEK 1- 2 Photography

You need to carry out your photoshoot(s) as soon as possible. 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 Annie Leibovitz, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Ruven Afanador, Viona Ielegems and Steven Klein.

WEEK 2 and 3 Drawing

Through weeks 2 and 3 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 John Hendrix, Peter Brown, Chris Haughton,  Esra Roise, Hope Gangloff, Dave McKean

WEEK 4 and 5

 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 6 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 booklet to show consecutive moments of your story.  This should compose of 10 sides 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 careful colour coordination to show coherency and flow of the story. You should complete your project with a word-processed evaluation of 600 – 800 words (further guidance for this will be given out nearer the time).

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 10 page booklet planned and selected showing a sequence of ideas and highlighted strong moments within your story.

·        A word-processed Evaluation of 600-800 words.

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

DEADLINE: Monday 24^th February – first day back after half term.

Project title/s ROALD DAHL
2	Be able to apply visual language to a range of art and design activities.	2.1	Apply visual language across a range of contexts, to influence appearance and meaning in art and design.
		2.2	Critically compare the use of visual language, across a range of contexts, to influence appearance and meaning in art and design.
UNIT: 2 Introduction to research skills in art and design
1	Understand research tools, methods and skills.	1.1	Critically compare a range of research tools, methods and skills.
2	Understand primary and secondary research sources.	2.1	Critically compare a range of primary and secondary research sources.
3	Be able to use research tools, methods and skills to inform ideas for creative activities.	3.1	Apply research tools, methods and skills to record and interpret information and develop ideas for creative activities.
		3.2	Evaluate the effectiveness of research tools, methods and skills to develop ideas for creative activities.
UNIT 3: Introduction to critical and contextual awareness in art and design
1	Understand critical perspectives that influence the analysis of art and design activity.	1.1	Critically compare a range of critical perspectives that influence the analysis of art and design.
		1.2	Apply knowledge of critical perspectives to the analysis of a range of art and design activities.
		1.3	Apply knowledge and understanding of a range of critical perspectives to support own art and design practice.
2	Understand the contexts within which art and design is positioned.	2.1	Critically compare a range of contexts within which art and design is positioned.
		2.2	Apply an understanding of a range of contextual parameters to support own creative development.
UNIT 4: Introduction to materials, processes and technical skills in art and design
	Understand materials, processes and technical skills used in art and design.	1.1	Critically compare a range of materials and processes used in art and design through experimental application.
		1.2	Apply understanding of materials and processes to support own art and design activities.
		1.3	Apply understanding of technical skills to support own art and design activities.
		1.4	Evaluate the use of materials, processes and technical skills to support art and design activities.
UNIT 5 An integrated approach to 2D problem solving in art and design
1	Be able to analyse and research a two-dimensional problem in art and design.	1.1	Analyse the requirements and parameters of a two-dimensional problem in art and design.
		1.2	Apply research activities to support solutions to a two-dimensional problem in art and design.
2	Be able to use an integrated approach to two-dimensional problem solving in art and design.	2.1	Demonstrate the ability to plan, organise and prepare solutions to a two-dimensional problem in art and design..
		2.2	Apply practical skills, understanding and methods to solve two-dimensional problems in art and design
3	Be able to use evaluation to support solutions to problems in two dimensions in art and design.	3.1	Analyse the effectiveness of solutions to two-dimensional problems in art and design.