Daily Blog, 14th March 2011

Back in the studio after the weekend, I spoke to Dave about how I could move on with my project. We both felt that I had pretty much completed my primary research and I was now in need of doing secondary research by going out taking pictures, photocopying etc, things which I felt could be categorised into emotions. I could make a booklet of pictures, colours shapes etc that represent these emotions and then once I have collected these items I can pick one of them and progress with it.

I looked into how I could explore metal, I chose to look a bit into foil. I thought it was an easy thing to start with, I tried scoring it, smoothing it crumpling it etc I would like to carry on with this but maybe using the line drawings in my sketch book of emotions to create the same sort of images.

After this we had a meeting on the London trip; leaving on wednesday, really looking forward to this as its such a good chance to go around the amazing variety of galleries and shops. At 4pm Indea, Carl, Jo and myself went to the throwing class in the ceramics department. I was really fun and learn't how hard it is to do.

Great end to a day...

Daily Blog, 11th March 2011

I've been doing lots of research on ways in which certain emotions can be evoked with particular shapes and colours. I was interested in the way that dangerous and poisonous plants and animals have certain characteristics that are similar. I looked in particular at Puffer Fish, Sea Urchins, The Venus Fly Trap and Thorny Devil Lizards. I found similarities in the shapes that were used and the environments that they were in, for example the sea urchins are heavily spiked and are a dark purple colour that means that they are camoflaged as they are in such dark areas of the sea where no light can penetrate these depths. Also, the Thorny devil lizard blends in well with its sandy, desert environment. The puffer fish blows up like a balloon... with spikes attached I might add, competely unsuspect.. at first. It might be interesting to make a 3D object with these attributes, could it blend into its environment so it cannot be noticed as it is a dangerous object and cold pounce any second?

I realised that when I make this object that I cannot only be concerned with how the object will be percieved. If I am going to make an object that creates emotion I will need to consider the environment that the object is in. For example, Bansky's work make a political statement about the society we live in and human reactions, like the girl swinging from the "PARK" sign, with "CAR" covered over slightly, it reminds us playfully and subtly what society prioritses and has given up for money. His art work is pointant and straighforward, taken from a different perspective which makes poeple look up and see the BIGGER picture.
However, if we look at his artwork in a different context such as in a "PARK", then it would no longer be ironic, it does not force us to see the issue he is trying to raise.

I want to look at emotions and how objects can make us feel, I'm not too sure what emotion yet, I'm thinking more the darker side of things..so when I know the emotion that I want to use, I have to put this into a context which people can relate to.

From my research I have also found that using a light source with the object would be a great way of creating mood/atmosphere/emotion so it could be a light of some sort which uses this to its advantage. I  have started looking into different art periods such as Romanticism, where Turner and constabe for example "employed colour as a psychico-expressive medium to lend mood to landscape" (Itten, Johannes, The Art of Colour, 1973) and Neo-Impressionism where Seurat and his followers used dots of unmixed colour  in order to instill a sense of organisation and permanence.  Ogden Rood's book 'Modern chromatics, with application to Art and Industry' acknowledged the different behaviours exhibited by coloured lights and pigments.

I am now looking at Cubism, as these artists reduce objects down to simple shapes; squares, trianges and circles....

Daily Blog, Thursday 10th March

I looked at a few artists and looked at books about colour and 3D design. How colour can be used to greater effect and also materails that I could use that would create different colours and different textures.

I also did some drawings on expressions, I thought they were particularly expressing anger, mournful and very upset.

Daily Blog, Wednesday 9th March

I had my interview for MMU 3D Design today. Hoping that all went well it was a group interview so it was very different from what I was expecting and a bit daunting. However, it was nice to see other peoples work from other colleges and I thought that the tutors on the degree course seemed like nice people.

After my interview I looked at drawing in ways that made me think of an emotion. I found it quite hard but I will keep using different shapes and colours to portray different feelings.

After experimenting a bit. I found that trying to draw in way that makes me think of anger, dark or gloomy feelings also reminded me of certain botanical plants and how these are also dangerous and may be poisonous such as a cactus with its spikes or carnivorous plants....

These pictures to me represent moody, glum, uneasy feelings. 

Where as these drawings seem happy, uplifting and cheerful.

Daily Blog Tuesday 8th March

I vistited the Manchester Art Gallery this morning to see Anish Kapoors exhibition. I was blown away by the work that was on show. The materials that he had used really tapped into my emotions and I found the experimentation with mirrored surfaces created a sense of wonderment and excitement. Where as his use of clay on Half moon made me feel uneasy and a bit frightened.

Seeing his work has made me inspired to work with mirrored material where I can experiment with colour, I think that the mirrored effect in a certain environment creates such animation and excitement that it could be really interesting for my final project.

Grayson Perry was also showing a few pieces on the second floor and as he is one of my favourite artists I really enjoyed seeing his humourous, honest ceramic vessels and prints.

Also on the second floor is one of my favourite rooms, the Craft and furniture section, which thankfully is permanent. There was an array of objects which used colours, shapes and materials in really interesting ways. I have taken some photos that inspired me....

Japanese joinery

Jane Atfield Boooklet