Monday, 15 February 2010
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Evaluation...
EVALUATION
VISUAL COMMUNICATION
First and foremost, when this project first started out, I decided to look back at the previous Communication Technology brief from last year; a project about Social Networking, and trying to understand peoples fascinations with it. This didn’t work out, and I ended up disliking it more; and so for this project I wanted to do something which captured my attention, and that I would not end up condemning it later on.
I changed my mind a lot with the choice of topic, at first wanting to look in depth at hand crafts and becoming a self-sufficient artist. However then I remembered the interest that I had developed with video in my self-initiated brief before summer, this therefore led me to the video group, and before I knew it, I was somehow in the animation group, of which I am still not sure of how I ended up here, however I am very glad I did.
At the beginning of the summer, I made a conscious decision to make the most of the course, and its facilities and try and do as much that I am interested in, as possible, and animation was one of those interests.
The project has been an eye-opener to me, it is one, which made me realise, that as independent as I am, I am also able to work pretty well as part of a team. I do feel that the partnership that developed between myself and Hayley, is one which was incredibly beneficial, not in just finding someone that has similar interests and that we would work together relatively easily; but in the fact that we where able to really get more of a glimpse than most, as to what it would be like to be a professional animator, because as I have learned extensively, it is not a profession which one would be expected to work alone.
A few of the skills which I have learned about in this project, include, stop-frame, drawn, cut-out and cell animation; I have found developing these skills priceless, and I do hope that my works in the future, I will somehow get to experiment with animation once more. One of the key things that I enjoy about animation, is the magic of being able to give an inanimate object, such as a line, a shoe or a piece of a dough, a life force of its own, it was almost as if the objects where dictating what I did to them, and not the other way around. One of the key things that this has taught me, was whilst doing a claymation, myself and Hayley where working on a live brief, an advert for Blu Tack; and even though the project took its own format and left the brief behind, the final piece took a hell of a lot of work, considering the final outcome is a mere, 1:05 second video. The amount of changes we had to go through with set and figure design was extensive, and the amount of hours allocated to this supposedly easy project, built up, and took over from us having a lot of time to do our own things as well, until quite late into the project; it is because of this, that in the future, I would set aside a lot of time in larger chunks, as I feel that we achieved more, when working this way, rather than doing a couple of hours, and wasting a lot of that time, setting up the camera and scene, to fit with what we had ended on previously.
This project has been of great benefit to me, as it has been one, that has finally convinced me to change my ways, although I have done a fair chunk of self initiated work in this brief, I do feel that I have done too much conventional research, whereby reading into things too much, and not doing them enough, or as much as I could have, and it is because of this, that I have decided that I will for the next project set myself the task of many short briefs, in order to add pressure to myself, to have work completed, and to not spend too much time stuck on reading about them. Also, another problem I had on this, was sticking to keeping a Blog, I have never wanted or sought the need to have one, and so to be told that it was compulsory, made me not want to do it even more, and so I would update it irregularly, and keep a YouTube playlist, and reflective diary instead, however coming to the end of the project, I see the reasoning behind the blog, and will at least attempt to stick to it for the next project, hopefully another lesson well-learned.
I have also learned a great deal, from juggling my work, with my part time job, attending university, volunteering and trying to maintain a social life; I have learned that although this forced me to look at my time and use it more wisely and effectively, the concept was better than what actually happened, I found myself exhausted and getting quite ill, sometimes too much, is too much; and I will take this lesson with me as I progress, I feel that sometime in the near future, it maybe necessary to give up my part time job (and find another means of making money) and also to cut down on a lot of my wasted social time, creating a work/play balance that will be more fitting.
Finally, I do feel that this project has been extremely useful, not so much in the building of a portfolio terms, but in terms of gaining knowledge about the animation, and the many different forms it takes; but principally knowledge about bettering me as an artist, yet encouraging me to keep experimenting.
VISUAL COMMUNICATION
First and foremost, when this project first started out, I decided to look back at the previous Communication Technology brief from last year; a project about Social Networking, and trying to understand peoples fascinations with it. This didn’t work out, and I ended up disliking it more; and so for this project I wanted to do something which captured my attention, and that I would not end up condemning it later on.
I changed my mind a lot with the choice of topic, at first wanting to look in depth at hand crafts and becoming a self-sufficient artist. However then I remembered the interest that I had developed with video in my self-initiated brief before summer, this therefore led me to the video group, and before I knew it, I was somehow in the animation group, of which I am still not sure of how I ended up here, however I am very glad I did.
At the beginning of the summer, I made a conscious decision to make the most of the course, and its facilities and try and do as much that I am interested in, as possible, and animation was one of those interests.
The project has been an eye-opener to me, it is one, which made me realise, that as independent as I am, I am also able to work pretty well as part of a team. I do feel that the partnership that developed between myself and Hayley, is one which was incredibly beneficial, not in just finding someone that has similar interests and that we would work together relatively easily; but in the fact that we where able to really get more of a glimpse than most, as to what it would be like to be a professional animator, because as I have learned extensively, it is not a profession which one would be expected to work alone.
A few of the skills which I have learned about in this project, include, stop-frame, drawn, cut-out and cell animation; I have found developing these skills priceless, and I do hope that my works in the future, I will somehow get to experiment with animation once more. One of the key things that I enjoy about animation, is the magic of being able to give an inanimate object, such as a line, a shoe or a piece of a dough, a life force of its own, it was almost as if the objects where dictating what I did to them, and not the other way around. One of the key things that this has taught me, was whilst doing a claymation, myself and Hayley where working on a live brief, an advert for Blu Tack; and even though the project took its own format and left the brief behind, the final piece took a hell of a lot of work, considering the final outcome is a mere, 1:05 second video. The amount of changes we had to go through with set and figure design was extensive, and the amount of hours allocated to this supposedly easy project, built up, and took over from us having a lot of time to do our own things as well, until quite late into the project; it is because of this, that in the future, I would set aside a lot of time in larger chunks, as I feel that we achieved more, when working this way, rather than doing a couple of hours, and wasting a lot of that time, setting up the camera and scene, to fit with what we had ended on previously.
This project has been of great benefit to me, as it has been one, that has finally convinced me to change my ways, although I have done a fair chunk of self initiated work in this brief, I do feel that I have done too much conventional research, whereby reading into things too much, and not doing them enough, or as much as I could have, and it is because of this, that I have decided that I will for the next project set myself the task of many short briefs, in order to add pressure to myself, to have work completed, and to not spend too much time stuck on reading about them. Also, another problem I had on this, was sticking to keeping a Blog, I have never wanted or sought the need to have one, and so to be told that it was compulsory, made me not want to do it even more, and so I would update it irregularly, and keep a YouTube playlist, and reflective diary instead, however coming to the end of the project, I see the reasoning behind the blog, and will at least attempt to stick to it for the next project, hopefully another lesson well-learned.
I have also learned a great deal, from juggling my work, with my part time job, attending university, volunteering and trying to maintain a social life; I have learned that although this forced me to look at my time and use it more wisely and effectively, the concept was better than what actually happened, I found myself exhausted and getting quite ill, sometimes too much, is too much; and I will take this lesson with me as I progress, I feel that sometime in the near future, it maybe necessary to give up my part time job (and find another means of making money) and also to cut down on a lot of my wasted social time, creating a work/play balance that will be more fitting.
Finally, I do feel that this project has been extremely useful, not so much in the building of a portfolio terms, but in terms of gaining knowledge about the animation, and the many different forms it takes; but principally knowledge about bettering me as an artist, yet encouraging me to keep experimenting.
Friday, 22 January 2010
And here it is again...
Constantly, I'm battling myself, between what I should be doing, and what others expect me to be doing. I'm always putting thing's off, even if it will benefit me, especially to do with education. For years now, I have been leaving things until the last moment, and in the mean-time, relaxing, socializing and generally not doing much.
Sometimes, I validity my actions, by calling it thought time, time for me, time to develop, a time when, I can grow as a person, and this can be used as my inspiration. Truthfully, this does actually pay off, this state that I am in, of just wandering around aimlessly, sometimes it takes me to wonderful places, and I meet some very inspiring people.
The huge F*****G problem; is me. I love doing these things, well, most of them. But the problem with doing them, is that I either forget to record them, which honestly, I have to do, because my memory, well, lets just say that it is of little existence.
I have so many memories inside of me , that maybe subconsciously help me, but honestly, I don't believe that most of them do. And so here is to me, finally, doing something about these memories.
I do not have a clue, why I have just wrote this.
It's not exactly what I need to concentrate one right now.
Sometimes, I validity my actions, by calling it thought time, time for me, time to develop, a time when, I can grow as a person, and this can be used as my inspiration. Truthfully, this does actually pay off, this state that I am in, of just wandering around aimlessly, sometimes it takes me to wonderful places, and I meet some very inspiring people.
The huge F*****G problem; is me. I love doing these things, well, most of them. But the problem with doing them, is that I either forget to record them, which honestly, I have to do, because my memory, well, lets just say that it is of little existence.
I have so many memories inside of me , that maybe subconsciously help me, but honestly, I don't believe that most of them do. And so here is to me, finally, doing something about these memories.
I do not have a clue, why I have just wrote this.
It's not exactly what I need to concentrate one right now.
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Dan Flynn...
'Facebook Friend' Is Another Way of Saying 'Stranger'
I don't own an iPod, XBox, or a Blackberry. I avoid Facebook and MySpace. I like technology when it saves time or makes life easier. I try to steer clear when it wastes time or complicates life. I proudly never learned to program a VCR, with its displacement by the DVD vindicating my ignorance. I wear your "atavist" charge as a badge of honor! Despite repeated entreaties that I start a Facebook page, I have stayed away. Matt Labash articulates my aversion to anti-social social networking sites in a must-read Weekly Standard cover story. For my mouthpiece Labash, Facebook is a cyber cesspool of superficiality, exhibitionism, and voyeurism, where "there is the crushing anticlimax of people re-entering your life who might've fallen away into your past, because in each other's past is where you mutually belong."
I don't own an iPod, XBox, or a Blackberry. I avoid Facebook and MySpace. I like technology when it saves time or makes life easier. I try to steer clear when it wastes time or complicates life. I proudly never learned to program a VCR, with its displacement by the DVD vindicating my ignorance. I wear your "atavist" charge as a badge of honor! Despite repeated entreaties that I start a Facebook page, I have stayed away. Matt Labash articulates my aversion to anti-social social networking sites in a must-read Weekly Standard cover story. For my mouthpiece Labash, Facebook is a cyber cesspool of superficiality, exhibitionism, and voyeurism, where "there is the crushing anticlimax of people re-entering your life who might've fallen away into your past, because in each other's past is where you mutually belong."
Artist Research...
Simon Starling...
http://www.viewoncanadianart.com/2007/11/23/what-is-art/
Sam Taylor Woods...
http://www.balticmill.com/whatsOn/past/ExhibitionDetail.php?exhibID=48
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/nov/28/sam-taylor-wood-interview
http://www.viewoncanadianart.com/2007/11/23/what-is-art/
Sam Taylor Woods...
http://www.balticmill.com/whatsOn/past/ExhibitionDetail.php?exhibID=48
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/nov/28/sam-taylor-wood-interview
Monday, 21 December 2009
Stockton Riverside...
So yesterday I got up early, and went into town, I had the intention of buying all of the Christmas presents that I needed for people in one day, and so I was up and out by 8.30, making my way into town, I went into my town, nothing much there, and so decided to go into Stockton, where i knew there would be enough choice, but it wouldn't be as busy as Middlesbrough, so I walked down, and around and round for hours, and I spent the day literally going through town and walking to different industrial estates and what-not, and just when I was finished, I started walking back, and I saw a road which I had never seen before, and decided to walk down it.
It was on a side of the river which I didn't have too much knowledge of, but I thought I'll give it a go, as I could see Stockton's brand new infinity bridge looming over the industrial units. So as I'm walking down this snowy road, i decide to walk up a path which was on a hill, dredging through the 6 inches of snow, I made it too the top, and very quickly it became apparent that it was sunset, well whilst on the top of this hill, I could see a tree lines path, leading the to bridge, and the most amazing sunset through the curves of the bridge, i felt around for my phone to capture the sight but stupidly I'd forgotten it.
I sat down and enjoyed the sight for the short period that it lasted.
It sounds really really silly, even to me, but just seeing that made me really happy, and made me think about how beautiful the world is, how beautiful stockton is, even though most who live here wouldn't agree. It has made me think about this, and I would really like to create a collection, maybe of photographs, maybe of something else to do with Stockton, however I just want people to notice the things that they take for granted, can be very beautiful to others...
It was on a side of the river which I didn't have too much knowledge of, but I thought I'll give it a go, as I could see Stockton's brand new infinity bridge looming over the industrial units. So as I'm walking down this snowy road, i decide to walk up a path which was on a hill, dredging through the 6 inches of snow, I made it too the top, and very quickly it became apparent that it was sunset, well whilst on the top of this hill, I could see a tree lines path, leading the to bridge, and the most amazing sunset through the curves of the bridge, i felt around for my phone to capture the sight but stupidly I'd forgotten it.
I sat down and enjoyed the sight for the short period that it lasted.
It sounds really really silly, even to me, but just seeing that made me really happy, and made me think about how beautiful the world is, how beautiful stockton is, even though most who live here wouldn't agree. It has made me think about this, and I would really like to create a collection, maybe of photographs, maybe of something else to do with Stockton, however I just want people to notice the things that they take for granted, can be very beautiful to others...
Friday, 18 December 2009
The Globe...
The Globe, the building that I am currently researching and have been trying to get permission to enter. It lies on my high street on Stockton-On-Tees, and is a beautiful Art Deco building which has been left in a state of disrepair, since the closure of it as a bingo hall, happened in 2000.
I've searched high and low for the owners, and even stockton council where unsure about the tenture.
However yesterday, I asked my mum for help, with finding out this, as it would be easier to do this, living in the town, not far from the location, she agreed, and said that she would speak to some people she knew in the council.
Well that was yesterday, and 20 minutes ago she phonecalled me, spooked out, as she arrived home from a trip, to find the local newspaper on the doormat, with a picture of the buidling on the front; telling all that the Grade II listed building, is due a new lease of life, going back to it's original purpose, of being a live music venue. The planning permission is in, and awaiting response from Stockton Borough Council, which i'm sure will not refuse, as the building has been waiting for this, for quite a while.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-teesside-news/stockton-billingham-news/2009/12/17/plans-to-restore-stockton-globe-theatre-to-former-glory-84229-25413562/
I'm going to have to move fast, and get in touch with the vendors, Jomaft, before they start; and hopefully the company will understand my request, and I can maybe be of some use, promoting the buidling in some way...
I've searched high and low for the owners, and even stockton council where unsure about the tenture.
However yesterday, I asked my mum for help, with finding out this, as it would be easier to do this, living in the town, not far from the location, she agreed, and said that she would speak to some people she knew in the council.
Well that was yesterday, and 20 minutes ago she phonecalled me, spooked out, as she arrived home from a trip, to find the local newspaper on the doormat, with a picture of the buidling on the front; telling all that the Grade II listed building, is due a new lease of life, going back to it's original purpose, of being a live music venue. The planning permission is in, and awaiting response from Stockton Borough Council, which i'm sure will not refuse, as the building has been waiting for this, for quite a while.
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-teesside-news/stockton-billingham-news/2009/12/17/plans-to-restore-stockton-globe-theatre-to-former-glory-84229-25413562/
I'm going to have to move fast, and get in touch with the vendors, Jomaft, before they start; and hopefully the company will understand my request, and I can maybe be of some use, promoting the buidling in some way...
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