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. 

ALPHASEMBLE - First Tasks

Following the project briefing things you need to do before your first lesson in the new project are:

• Choose 5 letters and 2 numbers (these could be from your name/date of birth or just randomly selected), try to get a range of different characteristics in the letters/numbers - curved, straight, open, contained spaces etc.
• For each of these 7 characters find 5 varied examples (35 characters in total) find your examples from a range of sources - e.g. Font websites (see links in project brief below), magazines, newspapers.
• Cut out/print out all these letterforms and bring them to your next session (a large envelope is a good way to keep them together).

Jasper Johns 

• You should also complete 2 pages of research into the letter/number inspired works of Jasper Johns - try to find a range of his images in this style, so ideally some drawings/prints and some paintings.
• As always with research consider layout carefully, keep pages busy and visually stimulating. The written content is also important, provide a brief section of background information about the Artist, but make sure you go on to analyse individual works in some detail.

You will need an A3 sketchbook for this new project. Either softback stapled @£3 (you might fill 2 of these) or hardback ringbound @£8 (one should do it).

TOOLS PART 2 - Evaluation Guidance and Submission Checklist

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF SKETCHBOOKS is 

4.15pm MONDAY 8th OCTOBER.

In your sketchbooks the following work should be present, please annotate your pages with some brief notes about the techniques you've employed, if you have additional experiments please include them:

• At least 1 sustained pencil drawing of your tool completed from direct observation.
• A series of thoughtfully lit and composed photographs of your tool, include wallet size images  of your whole shoot and print the best shots at A5/A4 and put in sketchbook.
• Other drawings of your tool in your sketchbook, these could be in pencil/biro/fineliner/pencil and tippex pen, 
• At least 1 good monoprint.
• One or more Gold Card plates cut and printed (present plates and prints in your book).
• 2 images produced through creative use of the Photocopier - e.g. Inverts/Colour Overlays/Colour Conversions based on your existing drawings and prints.
• Minimum of 2 good Food Dye and bleach pieces (working into photocopies of existing drawings/prints).
• Several spray stencil experiments, layering and repeating your motif to create interesting compositions.
• Heat Transfer experiments.
• Research into Jim Dine and Florian Nicolle (see earlier post for details).
• 2 Acetate Collages (at least one worked into with sewing machine).
• Spray Paint Artist research (see earlier post for details).
• 400-600 word, word processed evaluation (see guidance below).

• If you had any work that was incomplete from Tools Part 1 then this MUST be finished and included. 

EVALUATION GUIDANCE
In order to pass this project, you will need to write a short evaluation.  This should clearly define the processes and techniques you have investigated, as well as outlining any high moments and low moments.

•    Begin by giving a brief outline of the project – describing what you were being asked to do. Talk about why you selected your particular tool, what design and drawing opportunities did it offer you? What visual qualities appealed about your tool?  - mention specific shapes, colours, textures, surfaces, details etc.
•    Talk through all the different processes you encountered, keeping it brief & informative, which were the most successful in your view, & how have your existing skills been extended in the process. Use the checklist of techniques above to ensure you cover everything.
•     Talk about the artists you researched (Dine, Nicolle, Banksy etc.) why they were relevant and how you used what you learnt about them in your own work.
•    Reflect on how you worked throughout the project, did you manage your time well? 
•      What things might you have improved upon? 
•     What have you learnt about the way you work best and how you approach tasks?
•    To make your thoughts clearer within your evaluation  please include images from your sketchbook that help illustrate your answers

Tools Part 2 - End of Week 1 Update

We are coming to the end of the first week of the Tools Part 2, where we have been concentrating on working through a range of techniques. This weekend you should spend some time presenting and briefly annotating the work you have done so far in your sketchbooks.

A checklist of what you should have for the project so far is included below:

• Well presented research into Florian Nicolle (collages) and Jim Dine (tool drawings), thoughtfully presented over at least 4 sketchbook pages and including sensitive visual responses to each Artist.
• A series of dramatic photos of a single hand tool - print out contact sheet thumbnails of your whole shoot and include some of your best images (4-6) printed at A5 or A4.
• A well finished sustained piece of tonal drawing from your tool (full page).
• One or more good carbon print images based on your tool photos.
• Any quick sketches completed in class (not sure if both groups have done this).
• 2 Acetate collages, at least one of these should be worked into with machine stitching.
• 2 or more layered spray stencil experiments and developments from these using colour inversion on the copier.

As extension work it would be good to add diversity to your drawing by experimenting with other media, e.g. expressive ink work, fine liner or biro sketches.

Next week please bring £2.50 each as a contribution to materials for the project (the Spray Paints are the main specialist resource we need to fund), Thank You.

Techniques we will aim to cover next week are: monoprinting, gold card printing, heat press and PhotoShop image manipulation.

Tools Project - Supporting Research

For homework you need to research the Artist's detailed below, refer back to the post below (on Hockney's Joiners, for tips on structuring the written content and presentation of research). You should complete this work by Monday 1st October  at the latest.

Two pages of research into the Tool drawings of Jim Dine and the same for the mixed media collage work of Florian Nicolle - find good reproductions of their work, give a brief bit of background information about each Artist, provide some analysis and personal opinion on at least 2 specific images by each of them and make at least one visual response of your own to each Artist's work (this should be an interpretation of YOUR TOOL in the style of each Artist, not just a copy of one of their images).

Jim Dine

Florian Nicolle

Homework Drawing Task

To complement the work we are doing in class you should make a sustained full page pencil tonal drawing working from photos taken of the still life arrangement. You should aim to spend 4-5 hours on this drawing and complete it by Wednesday 20th September (it will be assessed as part of your project).
Select a good photographic image that is relatively complex (probably best to get something from a different viewpoint than your chalk and charcoal drawing). Set your composition out carefully with a B/HB pencil in line then add a range of tones using softer pencils (2B - 6B), make sure your darkest tones use the full depth of tone you can achieve (press hard).
This should be a sustained piece that shows off your drawing ability to the full, you might use a rubber to help you pick out the highlights.

Photographic Joiners

Don't forget to bring cameras/cameraphones/card readers/download cables in with you today (Thurs. 14th September).
You will also need to ensure you have some printing credit (or bring money to put some on your student card).

A few tips for when you do your photo joiners:

• It helps to take your photos all from approximately the same position. Move the camera to capture different sections, rather than wandering around - otherwise you may end up with a set of very disjointed images.
• Whilst you are going for a fragmented look if you vary the zoom or viewpoint too much the whole thing quickly becomes incoherent.
• You will be surprised at how many photos you need to make an effective joiner, as there is inevitably some that aren't useful - I'd suggest a minimum of 30 shots.
• I found when working at A3 scale (for final joiner collages) that selecting the "Wallet Prints" option from the printer wizard was the most effective - this gives you 9 images on an A4 printed page. 

Hockney Joiner Research

Photo Joiner by Hockney - Portrait of his Mother

You need to find and print out at least 4 examples of David Hockney’s “Photographic Joiners”. Research this aspect of his work and analyse at least 2 of the images you have found in depth. This work should be thoughtfully presented over at least 2 sketchbook pages.

The work will be assessed as part of your project submission, you need to finish it by Wednesday 19th September, as there will be fresh homework tasks next week.

RESEARCH

1. Title your pages with the Artist’s name, in this case David Hockney, you might consider using fonts available online from sites such as www.dafont.com


2. Find good examples of Hockney’s photographic joiners – not paintings and not tiny jpegs that print out pixellated.


3. Give a little background information on the Artist, when he was born, when he started to make his photographic collages and why.


4. Include quotations from the David Hockney (ideally that relate to his photographic work). Try www.artquotes.net

ANALYSIS

1. Give a detailed description of the artwork.


2. Analyse – comment upon use of colour, composition, technique/media, scale etc.

WRITTEN RESPONSE

1. Give an opinion on the Artworks, but ensure you justify what you say. Avoid simple value judgements (‘I really like/dislike…’) or vague, meaningless statements (’This piece is really effective’). Comment upon how successful or unsuccessful you find the artwork, and give specific reasons why you hold this opinion (I find this joiner particularly interesting because of the way in which the Hockney has explored mixing up different scales and viewpoints).


2. What is the relationship between this work and your own? Identify and explain connections between this artist’s work and your own.

VISUAL RESPONSE

1. You will be responding to Hockney’s work by producing our own Joiners based on the still life arrangement, look at how Hockney makes his images to help you create your own.

OVERALL PRESENTATION

1. Take pride in the overall presentation of your research, it should not be rushed. Consider each element carefully:  type, layout, titles, visual responses etc.

Welcome BTEC Class of 2017

Art BTEC First Year teaching staff - Gayle, Ivan & Charmian

Hi Everyone,
                  I hope you are all feeling excited about starting the Art BTEC at Alton on Monday. A few nerves are to be expected too, but we'll do our best to make you feel right at home from day one.
On our first day we will be starting some practical work, we'll be using charcoal and it could get messy, so don't wear clothes you feel too precious about (good to avoid delicate or light coloured garments).
Both first year groups will meet in Room 855 at 10am to start the day and distribute timetables. Later, when we start work we'll also be using studio 815, these two rooms will be the first year base rooms throughout the year.
Useful things to bring on day one are :

• A chunky eraser (or 25p to purchase one from us).
• £3 for a sketchbook for your first project.

Paper, chalk and charcoal will be supplied.

Teaching staff for the first year BTEC this year are Gayle, Charmian and myself (Ivan) you'll meet us all on the first day. I will be the Tutor for both first year groups.
I hope you've all had a fantastic Summer and are now raring to make a flying start to your new venture here at Alton. Looking forward to seeing you all on Monday,

Ivan

1st Project - TOOLS (Part 1) 18

BTEC Extended Diploma 1^ST YEAR PROJECT

Jim Dine

Anna Held Audette - Scrap Metal

PROJECT:  Tools (Part 1).

SPECIALISM:  Fine Art.

CONTENT:

Working from direct observation we will be exploring a variety of media and approaches to image making. Our visual reference material will be a structural still life featuring Tools and other objects. We will start with some large scale sustained observational drawing, as we move through the project our focus will shift towards more expressive techniques. Over the course of the project we will use various drawing media, photography, paint and collage techniques. We will enrich our understanding of how Artists approach observational work through sketchbook based research.

Week 1: Observational Drawing/photomontage:

We will be producing a sustained observational drawing using Chalk and Charcoal on an A1 scale. Alongside this we will be undertaking some photography and creating some David Hockney style photographic "joiner" collages.

Some Pointers for your Observational drawing:

• Think carefully about your composition, how much of the still life arrangement should you include to achieve the most visually stimulating image? Don't go for an easy option, challenge yourself
• Look hard at what you are drawing, you should visually analyse shapes and tones and carefully observe how they relate to each other.
• Start by mapping out your composition in line, then start adding tone. Often it is easiest to start the tonal work by identifying the extremes of light and dark, ensure you establish these tones boldly, then start looking at the subtleties of tone in between.
• Use the charcoal and chalk with confidence, you need to approach your piece with energy and enthusiasm, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. 
• Look around you and learn from the approaches of other people in the group.

Week 2: Expressive Approaches

In the second week of the project we will explore further media and approaches to image making, working quickly to produce a range of pieces. We will aim to use ink, paint and collage to produce these images. Further guidance will be given as we tackle these pieces.

ASSESSMENT:

You will be marked on how effectively you:

•      Demonstrate confidence and skill in handling media.
•   Show willingness to experiment and embrace new approaches enthusiastically.
•      Select and resolve compositions.
•      Observe and record.

REFERENCES:

For Photography: David Hockney.

For Still Life/Tools: Jim Dine, Chaim Soutine, Euan Uglow, Anna Held Audette.