Week 7 – Cause and Action

Out of all the previous workshops, I have enjoyed the digital graphic lessons the most (Steph’s) – looking at digital alternation and manipulation with images and text, expanding on the reasons for color arrangements and the layouts. Working with Adobe software – Photoshop and Illustrator platforms. I was fond of the text graphic lesson on transforming two-dimensional subjects into a three-dimensional form and on how to display text in a more creative and visual perspective. To elaborate, I enjoyed the dry-point etching workshop (Amy) – working with printmaking techniques and then using a range of material bases to print onto with a collection of intaglio inks. To finish, I also was fond of the repeat pattern workshop – creating a singular drawing or painting and then using the two motifs and producing a larger scale repeat pattern. Then using this pattern as a base material to print onto, I used my previous etching plate to layer a design onto another – I personally enjoyed this workshop.

In the next two weeks, I would like to experiment with printmaking skills (dry-point etching) and printing onto either a piece of clothing or cottoned fabric by developing onto the fabric – stitching, sewing or adding other materials/fabrics/buttons. Another technique I would like to develop is; photography. Taking primary images relating to oceanic plastic waste in a water based locale and then using a editing software (Adobe Photoshop) to make any final adjustments. I will use techniques learnt in previous workshops about how to improve an image – looking at rule of thirds, rule of odds, symmetry, etc. Having a collection of images, I may develop and expand one onto printmaking and use the image to trace. Carrying on, I would also like to produce a digital illustration graphic piece – looking into ways to present key information and statistics in a creative appearance.

In previous workshops, I have gathered a collection of secondary and primary quotes, slogans and information that I will use in my pieces. I have taken primary images around Lake Windermere of the plastic waste on the waters surface. Also, I have a large collection of secondary sourced images taken from online platforms such as Google and Pinterest. I have found multiple shocking quotes and statistics that are secondary sourced from services such as Wikepidia and Google. On the other hand, I have a slogans that relate to my topic that I created in a workshop that I will use for my final outcomes – as it will reflect a sense of importance and also raise awareness for this current issue.

Gathering more research – I need to collect more primary information and statistics that are found upon social media. For this, I will go on a popular walk and take images and collect any plastic waste. This will give me a primary base of information. To expand further, I may create some more slogans and short captions to display on my graphic based work. So, more of my work is primary based rather than relaying on secondary produced work and existing slogans, etc.

Looking at artist inspiration, I am influenced by the work of Mandy Barker. Mandy Barker is a photographer who created a collection of photographers named; ‘Artful Swirls of Plastic Marine Debris Documented in Images by Photographer Mandy Barker’. Which are elevated and focused on composition of the suspended subjects (plastic waste). Mandy Barker inspires me, to approach suspension photography and looking at developing any composition skills and techniques in photography. Jarren Vink’s artwork also inspires me – a photographer who approaches a still life technique. Taking images of plastic bottles in a tight and compact composition – emphasizing the lines, shadows, highlights and shapes in the substances. Finally, Barbra Kruger – an editorial, graphic designer who uses bold statements in the foreground on a monotone background. This artist inspires me to focus on color arrangement by using simplistic but meaningful captions to project awareness and importance for my issue I’m researching. All these artists above influence me for some minor pieces I am going to create for my FMP.

Working up to any pieces, I am going to roughly sketch ideas of any digital, photography or printmaking techniques I am going to develop. I will focus on what colors I will use/print with, the composition of the image or carvings and the sizing of the border and also the subjects inside. I will take a range of process images of my production and also uploaded any influential photos – showing a clear process of what I am working towards. I will present these images on my blog and insert captions below each image, explaining the process. I will take any rough notes in the back of my art sketchbook.

Practical, Digital Collage Experimentation

Orignial Version – 04/05/2021

Using Photoshop, a raster graphics editor for Windows and MacOS hardware, I experimented with the cropping selection by alternating the width and height of primary and secondary sourced images. Primary – I used my own images of plastic subjects in a previous worksop on the left side of the collage. Secondary – I used newspaper articles and headings of the plastic pollution issue found on Google. Also, I used images of turtles and bubbles that were taken from Google – I removed the surrounding background from these images so just the foreground was visible and there wasn’t excess white spaced boxes. For the primary images – I used several color alternation tools; Curves, Levels, Posterize, Black&White and Threshold. However, for the secondary images I kept the original colorings for the newspaper images. For the turtle and bubble imagery, I adjusted the Color Selection and changed the greyshade colors into a marine and oceanic color theme instead. Looking at the original collage, I am thoroughly pleased with the outcome. Expanding further, I am creating an dry-point etching piece and I am going to print the plate onto these collages. So, I might lighten the colors of the collage and create a more faded image so the intaglio inks appear clearer/bolder.

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Colour Experimentations – 04/05/2021

Displayed above, are the edited versions of the original collage. Overall, I am fond of the first image – having the coloured collage and a black and white version on the same placed. But placed in a diagonal angle, I am pleased with this outcome as it almost reflects a layering motion and the two images overlapping emphasizes a sense of depth and dimension. To elaborate, the second image also interests me as it as selective shapes of red against the monotone. This collage reminds me of Barbra Kruger’s work with the bold colouring with reflects an important message. Finally, on the fourth image is a blue/green tinted collage. Personally, I am also fond of this edited image as the blue tones represent and link to the oceanic and marine atmosphere. By, having darker blue shadows on the bubbles and imagery builds up the aesthetic and makes it visually appealing.

Colour Exposure Alternation – 04/05/2021

This is my chosen image I’m going to use for my dry-point etching prints. I chose this image as it is faded and extremely light colors. This collage would work better as the coloured intaglio inks would show up better on this collage rather than the darker versions. Using this collage, would mean both the fore and background are focused and clear. If, using a darker version it would mean the background is a clear distraction to the etching prints. To create this, I simply alternated the exposure and lighting in the ‘Image’ settings on Adobe Photoshop.

Photography Experiment

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Primary Images – 05/05/2021

For my next sample, I set up a background and base white sheet (held up against a board with pegs). To produce the birds eye angle, the camera was placed facing downwards on an adjustable stand. For lighting, I used soft lighting sources – umbrella and diffusers for a soften image with no harsh shadows.

Primary Image – 05/05/2021

Camera settings/ features – Manual mode so it can be alternated to the features I desire. ISO – 200, APERTURE – 1/125, F11, shot with flash. These settings were altered throughout the process, so it was regularly changed to fit the standards of the image I expected.

Secondary Image – found on Google and Pinterest. Photographer – Jarren Vink, he is a still life, studio photographer who in this image has focused on the plastic bottles details, water droplets and layering bottles. This image inspired me to focus on the minor features and monotone imagery of simple objects. Having the bottles layered and in different positions creates depth and dimension into the photograph.

PRIMARY PHOTOGRAPHS

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Unedited Primary Photographs – 05/05/2021

Contact Sheet – 05/05/2021

Displayed above, are a series of photographs I took in the studio. Focusing on plastic bottles, to add more depth – I twisted and bent the plastic so there is more shadows and highlights on the bottle. Overall, I am not pleased with the outcome of these photographs – I would off preferred a hard spotlight to intensify the shadows and indents more. To improve this, I am going to transfer these images on an editorial software and alternate the colour intensify, definition and pigments. On the other hand, I am fond of my idea to create creases in the bottle as it produces more texture and depth into the plastic material.

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Primary Images – 05/05/2021

These are images taken on an iPhone camera of a screen, displaying my editing work. For the images, I used the ‘Magic Wand’,’Quick Selection’ and ‘Eraser’ tool to remove any coloured background and surroundings so the bottles are on a transparent background. I used imagery with two bottles in, I then copied the edited layer so there was multiple bottles on a page (6). For the software, I used Adobe Photoshop (a raster editing software) as I am comfortable with the features and settings on the platform.

Sketchbook Page – Final Sample Ideas

On this page, it displays my intentions for my collection of final samples – to promote recycling, stop littering, re-use items to reduce/decrease your plastic intake. What media I will need; digital software – for editing. Workshop access – photography studio, for images and ceramics when producing large-scale artwork. I will collect further research by creating more Pinterest boards and finding more statistics (primary and secondary) to expand my sources. Artists I am interested, inspired by – Jarren Vink (still-life photographer) and Barbra Kruger (editorial graphic design). Ways to show messages – dramatic imagery and facts to make the viewer feel sympathy, personal pronouns so the audience feel included and they are part of the issue, images or drawings of what are oceans could look like if plastic pollution wasn’t a problem.

FINAL PHOTOGRAPHY SAMPLES

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Edited Primary Photographs – 05/05/2021

For the colour adjustments – I created monotoned images, light and dark blue pigmented images and a high saturated image. These are my final photography samples, reviewing plastic bottle definition and focusing on line and texture of the substance. Overall, I am pleased with these edited images I produced as the saturation ones emphasis the creased, highlights, colour and shadows. Whereas, the colour block edits show a sense of pigmentation repetition and uses the shades of the colour to identify darker and lighter areas.

WEEKLY REFLECTIVE

Throughout this week, I was digital based. Working to produce a series of different pigmented collages with a range of primary and secondary images and newspaper articles (found on Google). These collages were created so a future etching-print can be layered/printed on top of the collage. Out of all of the coloured collages, I am most fond of the lightened exposure edit as it means when the ink is printed – the ink is viewed easily, a clear compare between the back and fore ground. All these collages were created on Adobe Photoshop. I then moved onto taking primary photographs based upon Jarren Vink’s images – focusing on defining the plastic bottles textures and details. Developing further, I edited the images into singular coloured, monotoned and intensifying the saturation and pigments. These edited images are going to be used for a guide for my dry-point etching prints, producing next week. Materials I have used; digital software/ computer hardware, camera, plastic bottles, lighting resources – light umbrella and diffuser, camera stand.

I have met all my targets for this week – by creating a range of samples and having a plan to combine them all together. Next week, my plan is to start carving this bottle photography onto acrylic material and to print it onto cartilage paper and onto the collages, shown above.

I have been inspired by Jarren Vink’s work when doing the photography work in the studio. I was inspired on the birds eye angle and how he uses shadows, highlights and details to create dimension into a regular plastic bottle.