68% - Fine by me, I really wasn’t expecting great marks! Any other project I would probably be ranting about being close to a first but honestly not arsed about comm tech. I definitely was NOT committed to this project, in fact I’m just gunna go all out and say I actually hated it.
I had absolutely no idea what I was doing; I had no direction and no final outcome, and the only thing that I learned from it was that I never want to do any of the things I experimented with ever again, result. But like I said, I’m really not arsed.
HOWEVER!! Now I DO have direction! I know (albeit very vaguely) the sort of thing I want to specialise in so I’ll be able to put a bit more focus into it next year. If bookbinding is still my main interest next year then I’ll no doubt explore technologies associated with that line of work - mass production, handmade papers, letterpress, intricate decorative techniques etc - all things that I’m enthusiastic about. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from comm tech this year it’s that no interest = no effort.
Totally inspired by my elective - I’ve decided to commit myself to book art. I loved the first module with the Leeds reportage books, I think it’s all about actually having a finished object that you can handle and being able to physically touch everything that’s good and bad about it.
My main inspiration comes from Louise Hopkins. I first came across her work at Alevel as I was working with farbic a lot at the time, but I revisited her for my elective, this time focusing on her book art, which just amazes me. I love her work because it cannot be bound into the ‘fine art’ bracket so easily, not like a painting for instance that reflects the artist’s personality through it’s brush strokes and colour. Hopkin’s work is a manipulation of everyday publishings into art. Even as simple as a sheet of graph paper tip-exed out and redrawn by hand, I don’t know what it is but there’s something I find beautiful about it’s imperfections.
CONTEXT
Concealment (also called abscondence or hiding) is obscuring something from view or rendering it inconspicuous, the opposite of exposure. A military term is CCD: camouflage, concealment and deception (looks the same as the surroundings, cannot be seen, looks like something else, respectively); in a wider sense the other two are also forms of hiding.
The objective of hiding is often to keep the presence of an object or person secret, but in other cases not the presence is a secret, but only the location.
More generally an object may be hidden from view, either purposely, or as a side effect; in this case the presence of the object is not necessarily a secret.
BRIEF
Through identifying and exploring the common characteristics that we use to define a book and its purpose, create a series of ‘books’ that demonstrate issues of concealment.
74% yesssaaaaa! I’m so glad my hard work was reflected in my marks, because I really did make sure I had every avenue covered in my powerpoint and for a novice animator I was DAMN proud of my video.
I know where I dropped a few marks as well so I have that to build upon - I need to remember to include ALL of my ideas, especially those that didnt work or that i discarded. You get a better sense of the development that way.
Despite this though, I don’t think I’m going to persue animation any further. I’m glad I tried it out but I’m way too critical with things like this and no matter what level I was at I’d constantly be comparing my work to professional stuff online and on TV - it’s silly I know but I just don’t think it’s for me.
At the minute I’m starting to explore my experimental drawing elective for possibilities of a specialty, and if I’m honest, creative bookbinding and book art is looking immensely attractive right now!
I’m really not good at keeping up with this blogging thing.
Not gunna lie, I was LESS than excited to start my elective. I was gutted that I hadn’t chosen something relevant to the way I want to progress in Viscom.. experimental drawing.. what use is that??? BUT, it was soooo fucking cool! I absolutely loved it.
Viscom hasn’t really been that productive lately, I don’t have anything to show for my hard work except a string of evaluations, but my elective was the complete opposite - the work didn’t feel like a chore, we were left to our own devices and when it comes down to it there really is no wrong answer, it’s just down to your understanding of art.
I loved the creativity and the freedom of it all, it brought out the side of me that wanted to do a fine art degree but couldn’t commit to the lack of a real job at the end of it. It was such a welcome break from the monotony of Viscom, I’ve comeout of it feeling motivated again and it reminded me why I wanted to come to an ART college in the first place.
I’m posting some examples of my work from the elective on here as well, I’m really proud of the amount of stuff I chieved in 4 days. It’s also inspired me to keep a personal sketchbook diary. I feel computers limit your creativity and it’s as though when I’m sat infront of my laptop I forget how to pick up a pencil and scribble an image on a page…but I’m turning a new leaf!!
