Summative Project Report

Summative Project Report

Studio Brief 2- Printed Pictures

Printed Pictures

Structure              

I refined my interpretation of Atwoods texts (The Handmaids Tale, Alias Grace and Cats Eye), to key themes of women; being trapped by religion, defined by their uterus, always being watched, being unhappy and suppressed, having no rights. These guided my zine, providing it with structure and focus. Each full-page spread contains a full-bleed image alongside a simple mouthless face as a conversation with each-other to inspire the reader to reflect.

Colour

Two main colours are used in the Handmaids Tale. Red, the colour of: blood, love, seduction, violence, anger, intensity, pain (portraying the fruitful but enslaved handmaids) and blue (portraying the ladies of the house who cannot bear child). From these I chose to create purple, associated with ambition, wealth, wisdom and creativity, to represent that women were aware of what was happening, and were planning ways of escaping and rebelling.

Process

I found it difficult to start, in particular to identify ideas different from the editorials. However, this process allowed me to distil ideas from initial sketches into more abstract responses.

Although I like the results of screen printing, I didn’t like working with this method. I found the print-room intimidating, so much could go wrong for example; not preparing positives correctly, struggling to align the prints (although this worked in my favour for the Uterus print), not printing with an even layer of ink.

In contrast, I really like the process of mono-printing. I find the textures created satisfying and there is a feeling of experimenting and creating unexpected results. Some of these I can now edit digitally.

Experimentally, I like the roller prints from the lino (more than the actual lino-cut prints), finding them more interesting and having more depth. However, they were more challenging to work with and I struggled to use Photoshop to manipulate them so the line-work could be visible enough. I left some out of the final zine although they were really effective as analogues.

I struggled to collage so many different files on the computer. Realizing how much I prefer having things physically and visually laid out.

Conclusion

I realised from this module how important simplicity is and yet this doesn’t which come naturally to me. I found it useful to focus on specific quotes to refine specific visual messages. I also learnt that not everything has to look life-like as long as it contains the important elements.
I feel that I have taken a very calm approach to this module and steadily completed everything so I wasn't stressed near hand-in.

Studio brief 3- Moving Pictures

Moving Pictures

https://vimeo.com/250476424

Getting started

Animating images is a new process to me - the concept took a while to get my head around. Initially I couldn't even envision creating a sting at home, without an IT technician getting me back to my document when I double clicked or pressed a button. However, I created extensive notes from the After-Effect workshops, which enabled me to experiment with my imagery at home. 

My process

I found that I didn't chose to work with story-boards, as was advised. For me animating was a more experimental process (probably because it was developing a new skill set). The software was simple enough to use in reference to my notes. I now have a good understanding of the different transform properties. There was a lucky coincidence with the uterus which was visible when I imported the image so I decided to incorporate this. 

Areas for development

There are still some elements of the software I have no idea how to use (for example editing initial placements before key frames) but I managed to create a moving picture and work with what I knew. This meant that I have had to delete and start some imports again. I also struggle with flicking through files on the computer because I prefer to have things visually layed out. I found it difficult sharing the imagery with my In Design publication document. It meant that whenever I renamed in either programme, the documents had version alignment problems due to both Indesign and After-Effects working with links. To improve next time I should make separate folders with copies of the same documents and perhaps be more digitally/desktop organised. 

Reflection on output

I am happy with my sound piece. I think the quote really sums up the main theme I have been investigating and the timbre of the song is suitably mellow and eerie, as if one of the women in Atwood’s dystopian societies were singing. I have also tried to link the motion of the imagery to the song. The slow legato worked really well whilst having the mazes merge into one another. ‘Inside’ was a word where it seemed to work well to pause and freeze the imagery, allowing enough time to add the author’s name without it being too confusing, and then resuming to finish.

https://vimeo.com/250476424
Margaret Atwood final sting? (Converted) from Alex Fox on Vimeo.


Practice animations

Practice animations recorded on my phone (sorry for bad quality).
Trying to figure out how to successfully have one made merge into another maze.

Study Task 6 - Presentation

Presentation

• Packaged in a cello bag, containing contact details
• Pages presented with clips -more professional that having hands in the image
• 
  

• Basic description of the commercial reproduction of the product 

• Almost an analysis/evaluation... a lot more detail so people can know what to expect
• 
  

• belly-band tying multiple products together
• belly-band in style of and holding the title

• Containing the weight (quality of the products paper)
• Hand made and to order

• Lots of detail explaining the zine and its message (as this doesn't arrive as part of the packaging)

Study Task 5 - Sound Task

I reeeeally dislike storyboarding.

https://vimeo.com/36011399

The actions shown visually really linked up to the found sounds of objects.

Action-Reaction.

https://vimeo.com/176606459

The soundtrack was an upbeat engaging song which fits well with promoting a camping weekend. The images moved into each other fluidly, broken up by human sounds which was clever and entertaining.

https://vimeo.com/1344776

This sound track was very eery and with out a doubt created a very dark and uncomfortable atmosphere whilst visually taking you to a creepy, dense forrest.

I have decided that I definitely want to create my sound piece as a song. Writing a song with the guitar is my normal way to create original music so it makes sense to do something I enjoy. 

I firstly just recorded it on my phone in my bedroom when writing it and then asked a friend to book a recording studio room and help me record my track more professionally.

I am quite happy with its outcome and think that song (especially the minor chords) really captures the atmosphere of Atwood's writing and the use of lyrics also adds a more vulnerable and relatable vibe (especially as it is a female singing).