Artlink; Cleaned up Images and Colour Ways (Final fox scan file gone missing but went through same process as these four)

Finalizing Images;

• I scanned each of the separate 'page layers' into photoshop and layered them up into one image, altering the levels so that the image was completely black and white
• Within the printing process I had to decide whether I wanted the coloured inks to go through the line-work or the negative space of each image. I figured it would be easiest to test out which looked better through photoshop, though looking at pre-existing illustration split fountain screen prints often used the line for colour rather than the white space. 

Colour Experiments & Chosen Palette;

• Went through the most colour experiments with 'Snow-y Staffy' print, covering a variety of temperatures and colour combinations. Staffy print seems like a good middle ground for nature vs figures so made more sense to experiment with lots of colours on one print rather than each individually. 
• Think that the blue / pink combination works the best. Blue tones give it a cold wintery vibe while the pink gives it a hint of emotional warmth; colours compliment each other well
• After exploring where the colour should go (line / white space) decided on the linework being the best option. 
• Tried this colour combo out on the other prints to make sure it fit. Once I was happy with it, committed to buying screen-print medium so I could start printing soon.

Secondary Research; (other illustrators split fountain prints)

• In some of these cases the linework seems to be a lot thicker than my own, I'm hoping this is a stylistic choice and that my prints won't be patchy or not expose well
• Often the darker colour is on the bottom to give the piece a 'weight' and not make it appear top heavy. 
• I was worried my pieces may have too much negative space, but after looking at some of these print examples I don't feel too bad about that now, I think the space allows the print some room to breathe.

Success with Virgin Media Box!

Today I heard back from Ruth that my Virgin Media box proposal had been approved by the Residents Association! Whoopie!

Me and Ruth have arranged a time and date for me to go down and pick up the paint and materials from her house. She'll also explain which of the boxes I'll be painting (location) and when I can start. I really excited for this project (even though the weather is getting a little colder) and I'm hoping to learn a lot about the process of painting something in the 'real-world' environment.

Finalizing Images for Artlink

Process;

• Here I began the process of adding detail and finalizing some of the chosen compositions. 
• It worked well for me to use the lightbox during the image-making as it allowed me to work with layers like photoshop, but using analogue media. This meant that when it came to making a decision about whether or not I should add something, I was able to try it out on another piece of paper without the worry of ruining my image

Media;

• I used a mixture of two pen thicknesses for the final construction of each image. This allowed me to work in a line quality that I know would be thick enough to expose through screen print, while the thinner pen let me add detail / thin / thicken certain lines out for more variation within the image.
• Given this is my first time screen printing in over a year, I'm thinking of doing each image as a one screen print bur perhaps using a split fountain flood so they're each two colours. This means I can focus on getting into the swing of screen printing again without worrying about time, as if I were to do a two screen print (colours not overlaying properly, one colour ruining the other one, having to do batches from the beginning etc).
• These pieces will be sold in gallery shop setting so I want to be proud of the pieces I display and not feel as though I've had to rush them; for this reason I think a split fountain one screen print would work well.

What Next;

• Finalise each image / clean up on photoshop
• Experiment with colour ways for images; want one that works for them all
• Print out on pure black for exposing
• Get to printing!

Presentation Board for Virgin Media Brief

Board submitted to Headingley Residents Association

Today I sent an email with my presentation board and proposed ideas for the box painting brief. I cleaned up some of the details within the bear illustration so they would be able to see them individually. I knew at this stage it wouldn't be appropriate to put an immense amount of detail into the images, as they would be refined during the painting process. I did include some small notes to give some elements of the piece more clarity and context.

I also included a small 'rationale' of the piece when I sent the email to Ruth (head of the residents association);

Hi Ruth,

I heard about your need for designs to be painted onto some boxes in the Headingley area of Leeds. I'm a third year student (illustration) at Leeds College of Art, and having lived in Headingley the past couple of years, would love to take part in this project. 

I've attached a copy of my design board roughing out what the box would look like. I chose to roll with a bear theme given the area's historical bear pit background! Made to look a lot friendlier of course (no awful bear fight action on the box haha), with some bright and bold colours allowing it to really stand out. The final box would be completed in a style similar to that of the bear design on the board provided. 

Thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing back from you,

I have heard back from Ruth already, noting that her and the other members will be looking at all the entries next week, and that she was happy to see an animal entry as it would appeal to the children. Given that this is a community project, I did try to accommodate for the fact this would be seen by the general public, so I wanted the piece to appear friendly and fun. It's nice to know that reads through my design board!

Virgin Media; Roughs & Research

Concept;

I wanted to make sure for this brief I included something to do with Headingley within the artwork, even though it wasn't a necessity. I remember being told that Headingley and Hyde Park used to be a botanical gardens and a zoo. Down Cardigan Road, there is a small traditional piece of architecture that did in fact used to be a bear pit. I like the idea of using something figurative within my piece, and I love a good bear so this seemed like a good option to take. The turn around time on this brief was relativity tight, so I thought it best to choose an idea fairly quickly and run with that.

Bear pit off Cardigan Road, Headingley

Research;

In preparation for this brief, I decided to take a look at some pre-existing street art and culture. I've looked a quite a few graphic artists during my time at college, but haven't really revisited them since starting uni. What I really like about a lot of graphic / street art is their use of line work alongside bold colours. The brief stated that lighter, bright colours would be best in the practical upkeep of the box so the insides didn't get fried; the two go hand in hand for this brief. 

General graphic street art

Pinky Vision;

An artist in Hull I've been aware of for some time also seemed like a good point of reference for this brief. Pinky works in a very graphic way, and his illustrations have be applied to a variation of formats and contexts. As well as this, Pinky also often paints murals in the form of street art. It's good to see how an illustration can be translated from paper to something real-world. I need to take into consideration the practical 3D elements of this project when designing it.

Artwork by Pinky Vision

Artlink Scamps & Themes

Themes;

• Getting this brief there weren't any specific themes mentioned to take into consideration when making the pieces. Given that this would be a winter 'pop-up print shop' however in the run up to Christmas, I felt like doing some 'wintery' pieces would be appropriate, and maybe sell well given the time of year.
• I split my thinking up into two tangents; nature and figures. I liked the idea of doing some wintery woodland animals or animals in the snow, but wanted to try out some more of my words with illustration pieces.
• I was a little worried that the pieces may not fit together, but the overall show would be displayed as a shop rather than an exhibition, so as long as all the pieces were printed, it didn't really matter if they worked as a set.
• This in mind however, I did want a sense of cohesion to run throughout the work, so I decided I would do this with colour.

Key Pieces; 

• So far my plan is to create five prints these being

A fawn

A fox

A staffy dog in the snow

Two 'people pieces' (figures with text)

• I understand all of these prints seem a little disconnected, but I'm taking this brief as a chance to practice and explore my skills at screen printing more so than conceptually. I'm hoping at the end all the pieces do look as though they are part of one body of work rather than random bits and pieces, but as mentioned this will be through colour rather than subject matter.

Size & Media;

• I took this brief on as it would push me to practice my skills at screen printing, something I haven't really done since first year! So screen print will be my final method of image-making.
• Size-wise I'm thinking of doing these prints at A4. I think that will allow me a big enough space for the images to breathe and contain the level of detail I want, without pushing them to be overly big. I'm aware this is for a shop set up, and not everyone has the room in their house for A3/2 size prints. I think A4 would be a good enough size for a present, and wouldn't be cumbersome for the customer to carry out of the shop and around town.

Artlink Brief

The Client;

• Artlink Gallery, Hull
• They emailed me the brief asking if I wanted to take part

The Brief;

Hello,

As you know Artlink’s run the print open for the past 10 years but this year we wanted to change things around and give our visitors chance to buy more printed products for Christmas.

We came up with the idea of a one stop pop up print shop. We wanted to showcase the work of six Hull based print makers vs 6 none Hull print makers in hope to raise awareness, standards and ideas around new artists coming to Hull in 2017.

Would you be interested in showing with us? We are installing a shop experience in the gallery space from Monday 6th November, with a preview on Friday 11th November. The exhibition will run until December 10th. Work will be on a sale or return basis and we take 25% commission on sales (so we ask artists to consider this when pricing).

We would need around 10 prints and a couple of products, we can also let you know if stock is low throughout the show.

Please let me know if you’re interested in this, and feel free to give me a call to discuss it further.

Kind Regards,

Kate West

Gallery Manager

Rationale;

• Kate from Artlink emailed me this brief after finding me through my Hull creative network. I think this would be a fab experience for getting hands on with a gallery and also being able to showcase and possibly sell some of my work! I mentioned previously I would love to get a little more knowledgeable on how to contact and speak with galleries, and I think this would be a great start! It'd also push me to get a little better at screen printing which is something I've been trying to do for ages; overall very excited for this brief! 

Virgin Media Box Brief

The Client;

• Headingley Residents Association
• Virgin Media
• Brief found through uni email oppertunities

The Brief; 

• Written above in issuu post

Rationale;

• When this brief popped into my inbox I immediately felt excited by it! It combines my love of live work, large scale painting and artistic freedom. There aren't any particular restrictions on subject matter, and being able to paint something real world is incredibly exciting! I like seeing my work applied, and this brief offers an oppertunity for doing more than simply 'mocking up' an image. As well as the practical benefits of the brief, I also think it's just a nice community project. I've lived in Headingley for the past two years, and I enjoy working for the local community. 

Photographs Sent Off & Reflection

I photographed my pieces, and set them to the specified 72dpi format and size. It mentioned within the submission guidelines that you were allowed up to two photos per submission; one to show the piece in total and one to show close up detail. I took the photographs in natural lighting, making the most of my student housing fireplace.

I think the three pieces work well as a set, but as previously mentioned, I'm unsure as to whether they will fit the Ferens Gallery expectations and high standards. Even though I'm in my final year at LCA, I still really enjoy experimenting and pushing my practice. Perhaps these paintings aren't quite there yet in terms of craft and finalization. But I'm glad I did this brief as larger scale work was something I wanted to try out this year. This is a starting step, not a resolution! 

Second Painting Finished (forgot to take progress photos oops)

I finished the second painting yesterday (unfortunately forgot to take any progress shots while painting oops). I feel as though this image is more successful than the last one, as I think it makes better use of the space, and the overall piece feels better composed. 

I really enjoy writing with my images, and the emotive result I often get from it, however figuring out how to do this large scale comes with it's struggles. My piece at HSS felt very successful in a live art environment and through the public feedback I got form it, however with these two pieces it's hard to tell how successful they are.

I think the linework on this piece is definitely better than the previous, and it feels a little better crafted. Though I'm pleased with these images, I think I see them as an experiment into larger scale work rather than a final resolution. 

Brief Deconstruction Task; One a Week

Task completed in class for CD//Vinyl Cover a week self initiated brief

Statement of Intent Rationale; Revised

Revised Rationale with 5 Want // Needs

FIVE CHANGES TO RATIONALE

1. I want to make bigger work that doesn't just sit on a page or piece of paper, EG more painting, murals, public art ect

2. I need to figure out how to find client work I'm interested in

3. I need to know how to approach galleries // shop spaces (in regards to stocking my work)

4. I need to refine how to package and present my work professionally

5. I want to make work with emotive content and value; make work I'm proud of

THOUGHTS ON PRACTICE

Is my practice made up of two components at the moment; self driven emotive work and music illustration? How do I make these two contexts fit seamlessly together? What are my underlying themes all my work encompasses? How do I want all my work to feel? Tipsy conversations in the garden at 3am.

Painting Progress and Finish

Today I finished the first painting for my submission to Ferens Art Gallery Open Exhibition. There are quite a few elements within this painting that I've come to like (the details on the blue hair especially) however there are some aspects I'm not so happy with. I think the face on the left looks a little static and perhaps not thoughtfully crafted? It's hard for me to know at this point whether or not these pieces would work in a city gallery setting. 

I really like working large scale, however I think I'm definitely still finding my footing in how to use this media and scale to the best of my abilities / make it suit my way of working. I definitely want to make more large scale work but I think I maybe need more practice? I'm not sure, but I figure I have nothing to loose in entering them to the Open Exhibition.

Final Amendments to Text; La Bete EP CD

Dan got in touch with me recently as, just before the CD went to print and manufacturing, he noticed he supplied me with the wrong song title for number 3 on the EP; haha!

Luckily this was easily fixable, I simply covered the old title in photoshop using the stamp tool, printed it out again, wrote the correct song title and scanned it back into the digipack. I turned this round in a couple of hours much to Dan's relief. The final has now been sent for print and should be out around February time I believe?? 

** Had these posts in draft for a long time as I couldn't post the artwork online until the CD was released

Ferens O.E.; Scamps & Writing

Painting done HSS'16

Previous Painting & Rationale;

• Completed painting above at Humber Street Sesh over Summer as part of a live painting event
• Really enjoyed working large scale so wanted to try this again
• Public reaction to emotions of piece were positive, want to see if I can translate subtle emotion through larger work as I do with my sketchbook / smaller scale work
• For this brief, complete two more painting in a similar style to this one (acrylic and pen on emulsion-ed board) - submit all three paintings as a set

Ideas / Intention;

• I want the other two paintings to follow a similar theme to the one above
• Focus around feelings of being home and safe. That warmth you feel in your stomach when you're outside having a drink at 3am at a friend's house party and the weather is nice and everyone's had a good night and you're just happy to be alive in that moment
• Looked at past photos of my friends and family for inspiration. Drew up quick composition sketches to see which ones felt the most emotive

Writing;

• Love to have writing alongside my illustrations similar to that of David Shrigley but with more subtle emotions and statements/ different atmospheric vibe.
• Takes a long time to get the writing for my illustrations to feel right as seen below haha
• Picked out the key phrases and moments that worked well
• Wanted to keep all three pieces positive

Chosen Compositions; 

• Two girls wearing shades; focus on friendship
• Couple looking at each other; focus on love
• HSS'16 painting; focus on home

Composition studies & writing

Delivery of PNG Line-Work and Completion of Brief

 I spent today editing the final files to send over to Dan for their video 'Breaking In'. I cleaned up the original scanned line-work and edited the files so they were white lines on transparent backgrounds (for animating by J.Moore). I knew that sending the files over just as their final PNGs wouldn't be very helpful for Dan's visualization (doesn't have photoshop, images would just look white).

So I overlaid the final artworks onto the designate frames and sent those over first, so he could see each of the images in context. Once these had got the okay, I sent him a file containing the PNG's for manipulation.

As ever Dan and the boys were super speedy with payment, and I think they really value my competence at being able to turn over a brief quickly and to a professional standard. It's a really great feeling that I may already be getting a kind of 'regular' client.

This brief also forced me to look at my illustration in a new format and context. I really enjoyed this brief, and working with line on their past two projects has been really enjoyable. I think looking at my image-making through the lens of line is something I'd like to take through to some other briefs. I'm still not really sure what my 'tone of voice' is or where my work sits, but it's encouraging to know I'm already getting some little bits of live work!

This is the first 'collaboration's style brief I've done this year too. I'm not involved with the editing side of my images so I'm interested to see how they'll turn out. Given that I was only asked to supply one image for each frame, I'm wondering how these images will be animated or manipulated into moving; but this is a job for their videotographer.

Another brief down with a happy client!

Ferens Open Exhibition; Brief & Rationale

The Client; 

• Ferens Art Gallery, Hull

The Brief;

Artists are invited to submit artwork for 2017 Open exhibition

The Ferens Art Gallery is calling for submissions from professional and amateur artists for the 2017 Open exhibition.

Artists aged 16 or above from across the region can submit up to three pieces of work for this popular exhibition, now in its 50th year, between Thursday 22 September until midnight Sunday 16 October. For the first time, artists will register their works online, submitting photos for the consideration of an invited panel of external selectors.

2017 is the 50th anniversary of the Ferens Open and will be an extra special year due to input from three highly respected external judges: Dr Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery, the Hull born actress Maureen Lipman CBE and the internationally renowned sculptor and Royal Academician David Mach.

The chosen artworks will be displayed from 21 January to 12 March 2017, taking centre stage for the gallery’s re-opening in January 2017, when Hull is UK City of Culture.

This is a unique opportunity for artists to show their work alongside internationally significant paintings from the Ferens permanent collection. 

Councillor Terry Geraghty, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure and chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “It is fantastic for Hull that we have an exhibition to showcase exceptional local and regional talent. 2017 also marks the exhibitions 50th anniversary making it extra special for the artists and gallery.”

Kirsten Simister, curator of Art at Ferens Art Gallery, says “The Ferens Art Gallery looks forward to receiving entries from not only well-established and popular artists but new and emerging talent, aiming to create an enjoyable and stimulating exhibition in the spacious and impressive setting of the gallery.”

Cash prizes are on offer for the chosen works, which have been kindly donated by Friends of the Ferens and BSB Architecture.

Any work submitted must have been created within the last 12 months.

The selection will take place on 25 October 2016 and all artists will be notified of the selectors decision by email by 9 November 2016.

For more info and to submit artwork visit: http://www.hcandl.co.uk/openexhibition

Rationale; 

• I mentioned in my OUIL603 prep that I was considering entering Ferens Art Gallery's Open Exhibition. I think this competition would allow me some space to create larger scale work, like my Humber Street Sesh painting over Summer. I'd quite like to complete a further two paintings that complement the one I did at HSS'16, as more of an experiment than anything else. Prior to my painting at HSS'16, I was worried that my words and subtle emotional value I treasure in my personal work, may not resonate if up-scaled to something bigger. However the response I got from the general public was overwhelmingly positive. I'm interested to see whether or not this kind of work would sit in a professional gallery setting. I'd love to take part in more exhibitions this year, as it's a context I can see a lot of my personal work sitting in (as opposed to commercial context).

Received Frames & Line-work Creation

  Today I received access to the dropbox file containing all 14 frames that La Betes wanted to be drawn over.

As mentioned, the line-work had to be in-keeping with that of the front cover of the EP. I chose a berol fine liner for this task, as it gave me a relatively consistent line quality while still allowing for pressure control and 'shaky' line movement.

I wanted the line-work to amplify the notion of sound and thoughts, creating focal points within each frame, drawing attention to the sources of sounds and lyrics.

Dan also specified that he wanted lyrics written on specific frames so I made sure this hand-rendered typeface was consistent with the overall atmosphere and vibe of the video and imagery; making the most of the composition of each frame.

I created the images by printing each frame out to size and using a lightbox and good weight stock paper to draw over the top of them. Analogue media felt the most appropriate for this brief.

Extended Practice Workshop

For next week

Five clear statements using "I want..." & "I need..." for rationale

La Bete Blooms;' Breaking In' Music Video Brief

The Client:

• La Bete Blooms
• Very happy with previously completed EP 'I know it's nothing' CD design
• Come back for more ;)

The Brief:

• For their upcoming music video 'Breaking In' a selection of frames from the video (shot by J. Moore) will be sent to myself. These frames are then to be drawn on-top of (seperate layer to original image) and sent across as PNG files to be layered over the original video and animated by J. Moore. The line work should be in-keeping with that shown on the front cover of EP 'I know it's nothing', and white in colour. Preferred client media; analogue. 

The Rationale:

• As I've worked for Dan and La Bete's previously I trust them to work with me on a professional level, whilst giving me enough artistic freedom to play around a little bit. In preparation for level 6 I wrote a blog post speaking about perhaps doing a brief based on line (as I've been looking at a lot of tattooists work over Summer), and I think this would be a fun and experimental way of exploring that concept. I haven't had my work manipulated for moving image by someone else before, so I'm excited to see how it turns out! This brief also in-keeps with my focus for music illustration, but while branching out the context and format I'm working in!