Statement for Assessments

Ok, so my class can't be the only one needing to complete Statement for Assessments any time they are nearing completion of a brief or project so I thought for future reference I would place up a semi-detailed idea of what should be included in one.

SECTION 1 : Explain what you did in your project - how
                                                                               - What was the subject matter? like of the drawings etc.
                        Relate to the outcomes given in the handbook/brief - Strengths
                                                                                                     - Weakness

                    What pathway have you focused on in your project?

SECTION 2 : Evaluate research - How it helped you? What ideas it gave you?
                                                   - How you analysed the information you found?
                                                   - Things you did or could have tried
                                                   - What exactly did you research? eg, artist's books.

SECTION 3 : Explain the experimentation - Mediums you used
                                                                  - How they join in with your take on the brief
                                                                  - Why you liked/disliked what you tried
                    Lists are ok - bullet point certain ideas

SECTION 4 : Transferable skills - Learning & progress
                                                    - Time
                                                    - Cost
                                                    - Skills
           
                    What you would have done differently if these things had been different.


This is morely for me but if this helps anyone... yay

The pathways project

Our Pathways project was to be a book based on a journey. My journey was about the day of an average student, the thoughts and feelings this student has through the average day faced with situations and such that the average student has to deal with. The book I was going to make was going to be a real hard back book, made with red fabric for the outside covers  and grey board and sketchbook paper. The art work on the inside will be a mix of mediums such water colour paints, markers, acrylics, sketching pencils, etc.

The subject matter in the book will vary from pictures of people I have seen but never met, like the people I see daily on my bus, selfies with my class mates, people who influence your life, things you encounter like mountains of work, deadlines, lack or or excessive sleeping, and obviously the lack of money and full on partying that is associated with student life.

When I complete the book I will upload a almost tutorial on how I created the hard back book. Step by step pictures. I haven't entirely started the physical making of the book because i still need materials and such but that should be completed tomorrow, well at least the combining of the cover to the paper, maybe not all of the pictures on the paper. My problem is with that I don't want the paper to crinkle due to the use of paint but my only real alternative is to do the paintings in my sketchbook and take photos and print them and stick them into the book instead but I don't think that will be much better, I'd like it to contain all the originals.

I am sorry that right now I don't have any real pictures to show to go along with this post but I swear there will be a descriptive post about the making of the book within the next week.

My transformation project

My project for specialist skills was based upon the transformation of games, the Evolution of games over the last few decades. I looked into the range of games that have existed coming from the game pong, going up to all the more violent games nowadays such as COD and GTA and also trying to see about the consoles for gaming.

Because this project was a whole year long I don't want to bulk this up with just pictures upon pictures of my sketchbook pages and so I will only show and explain my final pieces.

My first piece is a 80cm by 40cm acrylic painting. I showed the difference between old games and new, conceptually showing them in battle, like, which is better, fight it out. One side is the old versions of Pac-man, Mario, Link and Pikachu, all looking like they are in 8-bit form. And the other side has all the newer high definition versions of those same characters. Although, all characters are surrounded in a light haze to make them stand out from the dark grey background. The background was a mixed up colour so in some places it is a little darker or lighter because I didn't mix it correctly. The middle shows the word "FIGHT" done in the style of Mortal Combat, which is a popular fighting game.

 

My second piece is done with photoshop using Mario as a background to show how the girl is drawn into the game, becomes her life. I have never used photoshop and it took weeks to complete but luckily Jack from my class let me use his artist's tablet thing so I was able to act like I was drawing rather than attempting to use the mouse. I got really proud of this because it almost looks like a real person... Almost. Well, as close as I could get her in the time frame.



Well in the end I was pretty proud of my final pieces. My work in the sketchbook leading up to them could have been more in depth and better done I believe... But if I pass I will be proud of what I accomplished.

How to.... Make PAPER!!

HOW TO MAKE PAPER! - I swear it is actually fun

Things you will need : Tub/ basin
                                 paper pulp
                                 size/glue
                                 paper/printing press
                                jiffy cloth & towels
                                sponges
                                 mesh & deco - specialist equipment, I suggest asking lecturers or art shops for them.

STEP ONE! - You fill up a tub or basin with water, paper pulp & glue/size - so that the paper will stick together when dry.

STEP TWO! - Stick your hand right in there and swirl it around so that it doesn't all settle on the bottom.

STEP THREE! - Place the deco on top of the mesh frame and then place slowly into the water at a slight angle till you get to the bottom then level it out.

STEP FOUR! - After a few seconds raise evenly and slowly out of the water, if there are gaps or big dimples just remove deco, place the pulp back in the water and swirl around some more and try step 3 again.

STEP FIVE! - Place the deco on the edge of the basin to balance and to keep it level so the pulp doesnt shift to one side. Remove the deco when the paper has sat for about 5/10 seconds and is more stable.

STEP SIX! - Sponge the excess water from the paper from underneath through the mesh.

STEP SEVEN! - Lay out a towel and place some jiffy cloth on top of it, then turn the mesh paper side down and with a dry sponge press hard on the mesh to unstick the paper fibres.

STEP EIGHT! - Once the paper is safely off the mesh it should be placed into a printing press between sheets of tissue paper and then into a printing press that applies even pressure. Once pressed it should be left on a flat surface to dry if that is the look you want or if you wanted a textured surface... place it on something textured to dry overnight and...

TA-DAH!!!!!

You have created paper! Go out and enjoy this skill... Maybe. 

How I Got Super Poor...

Well.... I just got my bank statement for this month... I got super poor.

To explain, I have been saving up for a good year and a bit, trying to save money to go to Japan for my 21st, dream big! But I don't have a real job so it took me forever to get to the point I was at of £460ish. 

SO! Student life was rather mean to me... Due to people wanting to hang out in town, clubbing, eating out, drinking.... then you have college supplies, sketchbooks, paper, paint, pens, fabric... the lot. Add that to the random money withdrawals at cash points to get random items when in town and I spent a hell of a lot...

Guess how much... just GUESS!

£383... SO MUCH MONEY! The statement was weighty let me assure you... See if those letters from Harry Potter were real, the screamers? Yeah, my statement would have been one...

Looks like I'm living under a rock till I get a job.

Why does it have to be so hard to save money? Students have all these things they wish they could do or that they do anyway and end up flat broke... WHY DO THINGS HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE?!

And art... I mean, why must your supplies cost to much when there is always a necessity for more!?

Learn from my mistakes people, don't be drawn in by sales, or foods, or let people talk you into buying things they think you should have... BE A STRONG INDEPENDENT RACE OF HUMAN AND WALK ON! 

And if you ever see me doing any of this again... slap me.

Lately...

Ok, so recently the course has gotten frustrating with how, everything is due at the once and everyone seems to think they are the most important, and that each of us actually has the time and means to do everything they say when they say it so... yeah. That ain't true. So's you know. We are kinda dying.

Well we got a new brief for Pathways, we are to create a book, based on a journey. Now this can be any interpretation of a book or journey that you want or can think of, makes narrowing down possibilities kind of hard but I think its one of our best briefs. I've decided to base mine on the journey of a student through every day life. The physical journey and the figurative, like through the thought process and the toils they overcome. It will partially be based on my own experience because I travel far, and what I experience specifically as an art student. But then my life can be boring so I thought maybe have it based on the average student for parts, like how, generally, students socialize, parties, drinking, websites, etc. Although, I don't want it to be like a picture book, but too much words would wreck not only the aesthetic but the idea behind it to just portray the thoughts and feelings which might be difficult without words.

For the fact of the book I wanted to make a literal hard back book, which will be difficult but will be worth it if I do it right. Either it will look like a fancy book that students would use to research or study, look like a textbook, or there are more ideas but they've escaped me. Basing it on a notebook style with the lined pages and maybe even coffee rings and stuff in it because obviously students stay up late, live off caffeine whether in coffee or energy drinks.

I don't have many ideas because well... we only got the brief today.

How To.... Make Silk Paper!

Things you will need :- Wallpaper Paste
                                       Plastic sheet/ bubble-wrap/a ball/a cup... etc.
                                       Voile

What you do :-

1. Lay down the plastic sheet or whatever you are covering with the silk.
2. Take strands of silk and place into desired style/design.
3. Layer so that strands are thick enough to stay together. 
4. Place voile carefully on top and then spread the paste evenly and quite thick so it seeps through to all fibers.
5. Lift off voile so it doesn't attach to your design. 

Silk paper should end up not fluffy, (unless that is the desired effect) because that means not enough paste reached those areas. 

It ends up looking very shiny and can end up with a smooth surface if there is a LOT of paste used.