Project EvaluationMy concept for this project was to combine several of my interests with an overarching theme of meta commentary. The themes I specifically wished to explore were Rococo, beauty, horror and dance, I also intended to explore Japanese and traditional western illustration techniques.
As such I approached this project with an open mind, being acutely aware this project could get very complicated very fast. Thanks to the many overarching themes and loose ends I had linking everything together, from inspiration to symbolism, and techniques. Needless to say, I may have been a tad over ambitious with this project brief. However with that being said, I do think I accomplished most of what I set out to do. Exploring how classical imagery and motifs can be re-contextualised to have new meanings in the modern world, and how them meanings can reflect real life issues and struggles. The main material I used was my iPad and digital art software. Given how illustration is often linked with digital art (particularly if the illustration is for commercial use) I think it’s quite clear how this links to my chosen speciality. I also used a bit of screen printing which has further relevance, as I am interested in textile design. And screen printing is one of the methods more commonly used to produce textiles. Meanwhile I was also able to expand my technical skills, looking at how to draw movement, design patterns and use a variety of brushes to elevate my digital artwork. All things relevant to illustration and design. When creating this body of work, I tried my best to plan it based around the design cycle, creating a flow chart in which sections in my project would correlate to steps of the design cycle. Steps I believe I have met at every interval. With that being said, I did however have to change my initial plan due to time constraints. As I originally planned to have an extra step between my digital art and my final piece. That would allow me a little more time to explore other ideas/ combine a few from my digital art section. However, this was ultimately not possible due to the nature of digital art, in that each piece takes a lot of time and effort to complete. Time I didn’t have. Along the way of making this project, I have encounter many a problem. One such being, how my work could potentially be misconstrued due to the nature of the more sensitive topics I touched on in my project. Particularly in relation to my masked portrait, given how it could be read as having underlying messages about sexual exploitation and religion, if one were to over-analysis it. Two topics which by themselves I don’t necessarily mind, its more a problem of the implication when you combine the two ideas. To counteract this potential problem, I tried my best to lean away from such connotations by reshaping the focus of the piece with lighting to draw attention away from such bold associations. Ultimately reframing the piece. I could’ve also removed certain elements that lent themselves to symbolism, however I felt it wasn’t necessary. The other very obvious problem I encountered would of course be time, which I have mentioned previously. To counter this dilemma, I had to make a number of concessions switching out some complex illustration styles for others that took less time. As well as prioritising certain work over others to ensure deadlines (both for the exhibition and project) were met. From this, I learned never to underestimate the sheer quantity of hours digital paintings can take. In the future, when I inevitably start another digital painting again, I will be sure to give myself adequate time. Despite some of the limitations that come with digital art (i.e. cost) it is however rather sustainable, as after all there are no waste products since it is digital. Meanwhile the screen printing has a few environmental concerns but since we used water based ink instead the traditional PVC based inks, most concerns were avoided. With that being said, it is still important to consider the biodegradability of what you are printing onto. However as I only printed onto paper and off-cuts of fabrics, the impact is minimal. Specifically with the fabric as I’m re-using bits that would otherwise go to waste. If I were to continue developing this project, I could take it in the direct of creating mock Rococo era portraits using digital art methods. Perhaps doing something akin to Francois Boucher’s Portrait of Madame de Pompadour or maybe even Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s The Swing. This way I could explore even more elaborate compositions while still refining my digital rendering skills. The main problem with this idea of course being time, as something as elaborate as that, could easily take weeks. All in all, I believe this project was a success as I was able to explore a lot of different interests of mine, from history to Japanese illustration, gothic art and fashion. And develop them in such a way that was effective in the process of telling a narrative through an image. I was also able to explore and experiment with a range of different traditional and contemporary illustration techniques. All which will further my knowledge and skills moving forward in my desired specialty, that of course being illustration.
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As I decided to lay my project out in stages rather then by week, I figured it would make more sense to put the weekly reflection on a separate blog post. Week OneThe first week went mostly to plan. I was able to generate three unique ideas for a project, and select the one I felt would best keep me engaged and challenge my artistic abilities. However despite these achievements I was not quite able to finish writing up everything on my blog yet, as it took me quite some time to come up with each idea. I don’t necessarily think this is a time management problem, more just a problem with me not being inspired by anything not covered by my first two ideas. Despite spring-boarding ideas off my peers. But ultimately, I did manage to come up with a third idea with a little help from my tutor. Next week I need to finish writing up my ideas on my blog, as well as doing research. Week TwoThis second week didn’t quite go to my initial plan as I was quite conscious of time. So I decided to instead start doing some sketches from my primary research of Shen Yun and flowers, in preparation of me designing/making my artwork. I specifically chose to draw from these two things as I knew for certain these were things I was going to include in my work. Given how they had themes of movement, narratives and naturalism, three topics I could link back to my research into Rococo art, whenever I actually got around to doing the said research. I also looked some design features of rococo patterns and fashion which I also knew I was going to include. Despite this not being to plan, I still think this week was pretty successful in terms of preparing to go forth with my ideas. I was also able to finish my generating ideas blog post which I didn’t from the week before. However, I am sensing the beginning a pattern here, whereby I’m always running out of time. Next week I will begin doing some sketches for my digital art alongside doing some research. Week ThreeDuring this week I conducted some research on illustration techniques, looking at various shading and sketching techniques. Specifically looking into the work of a few artists I knew I was going to draw inspiration from. I also sketched out some initial ideas. According to the my planner I should have been on the laser cutter workshop, however I was running out of time so I had to prioritise certain things over others. I also wasn’t entirely sure how I could fit laser cutting into my project so I elected to for-go it to save time. Next week I should write up my research, and begin sketching out ideas. Week FourThis is one of the few weeks that actually went according to my planner. As this week was primarily taken up with writing my essay, and doing some primary research such as going to Wolverhampton art gallery and Compton Verney. The first had some Georgian era paintings (same time period as rococo) and the second had Georgian and Baroque paintings and architecture. I also went to Attingham park, a national trust house and estate with baroque and rococo influences. While there I made sure to make a list of some paintings I thought might be useful for my essay, so I could refer to them at a later date. A slight constraint I faced this week was simply trying to find art that was firstly, the right time period and secondly, something I could actually use as evidence in my essay. Ultimately, I’m not sure if any of the art I saw will be applicable to my essay as I need specific evidence to support my points, evidence I’m more likely to find in France. But of course, going to France isn’t something that’s realistic going to happen. Next week I intent to make a start on generating outcomes. I also still need to catch up on the research. Week FiveThis week I started on my first outcome for my digital art section. As I was cautious of the time I decided to go with an illustration style that was by design messy. This would allow me to save time I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Comparing this to my original planner, this is somewhat on schedule, even if it wasn’t what I originally had planned. But regardless, it is still progress. Again my major constraint I faced for this week was time, given how I knew I’d need more time at the end of the project to make more complex illustrations. Next week I should continue working on generating outcomes, trying to squeeze in writing up research whenever I can. Week SixDuring this week I created my second outcome, again having to change the illustration style and concept because of time constraints. I also still did not get a chance to write up the research as all of my time was taken up brain-storming, drawing and adjusting my second outcome. Comparing this to my planner, I am technically on track. I just need to remember to write up the research and update my blog with the progress I’ve made on my outcomes. Hopefully this is something I will be able to squeeze in next week in-between the making of my third design and screen printing, but honestly I’m not overly optimistic. Week SevenDuring this week I designed and made my screen prints, one the the few weeks that aligned with my planner. I also started on my third outcome, getting as far as the rending stage but not quite finishing it yet. This is something I intend to carry on into the next week. Again my main problem here is that I’m running out of time. A problem I think I can chase back to my habit of overthinking things, particularly in relation to my work. Which I pack the the brim with carefully considered symbolism, most of which isn’t even obvious without an explanation. A problem I don’t even necessarily know if I have a solution to, as that is just the way my brain works. Week EightSo with that in mind… as I said in the previous week, I began this week by finishing off rendering my third outcome. Once I had completed that I began work on my fourth outcome, however I was not quite able to finish it as finishing the previous outcome had set me back a bit. But with that being said, I managed to get as far beginning the first sections of the render. It also probably doesn’t help that this particular piece of work is a digital painting, recurring a lot of attention to detail and work hours. Comparing this week to my planner, it is clear that I greatly underestimated the amount of time I would need to make each individual outcome. As on my planner I have this week down as book binding, something that simply didn’t have time to do. With that in mind hopefully I can find another way to incorporate book making into a later week, perhaps when I consider presentation ideas for the exhibition. Next week, it is very possible I may just start on making my final piece even if my fourth outcome isn’t finished. As I need to prioritise it for the sake of the exhibition. Week NineAlthough I hadn’t finished my fourth outcome yet, I decided to move onto to making my final piece as I was running out time. Especially since I knew I needed to get the final piece done before the exhibition. And so this week was dedicated to making my final piece, specifically the planning phrase which including brainstorming, moodboard, sketching, rough colour and sketch refining. On my planner I have this week down as development but it is clear I greatly underestimated the amount of time it would take to create my final piece. Next week I intend to carrying on with my final piece, moving onto the rendering phrase of it. Week TenAs expected this week was entirely taken up with my continuing my final piece. Attempting to complete the complex rendering and lighting effects I need to add. Ultimately however, I was not quite able to completely finish it all during this week and so I will carrying on the with the finishing touches in the next week. When conferring with my planner, this week went very much to plan as I did indeed work on my final piece. I didn’t however print out my final like how I have intended, but this was because I changed my mind about how I was going to present my final at the exhibition. It was also partly because it wasn’t done yet. Again my major problem this week was time, especially as I knew I needed to give myself enough time to make a digital painting like this. Week ElevenThis week was a mad rush to get my final piece done in time for the exhibition, as I result of rushing I’m not entirely happy with my final piece as their after a couple of things that could’ve done with a little extra care such as some shadow mapping. But it is what it is. This week went in a similar direction to my planner, in that I was preparing for the exhibition. I just didn’t quite anticipate that I would still be working on my final piece during the beginning of the week. Over the next week (which happens to be a half term) I need to as much done as is physically possible, that includes writing up research, blog, evaluations, exhibition, everything. Week TwelveI spent the entirety of the half term doing as much of my blog as was physically possible, doing all the writing from blog post 2 up until the fourth outcome of blog post 4. At which point I had to stop writing so I could actually finish the fourth outcome, as I hadn’t had chance to yet. I then later went back and wrote up my fourth outcome, final piece, exhibition and anything else I had missed.
Though I am glad this week happened to fall on a week off, as it allowed me a little more time. I certainly didn’t feel like it made much difference, as I was still struggling and overworking myself. I also ended up losing two days to a migraine, a problem I seem to suffer from rather frequently, so that just delayed things further too. Ultimately, I did get everything done but not without an extreme level of stress I never want to repeat again. When deciding how to display my work I first had to consider who my audience were. Ordinarily if I were to publish my work on social media or in a publication of sorts, the audience may be slightly more specific. But since I only really had the intention to exhibit my work at the end of year show at my college, the audience was a bit more vague. As it would primarily be made up of fellow creative students, their friends/family, college staff and potential future students. As such there weren’t as many limitations as would traditionally be, if I was making my piece for a client or publication. And so I was free to exhibit my work however I pleased. With that in mind, it then become a matter of what type of display/presentation method(s) would best suit my digital art and allow it flourish. Some methods I considered are as follows: Display Methods• Print-outInitially I intended to print out my work on gloss photographix paper using the high quality printing the college has. However after doing a brief experiment with printing out one of my development, it was clear the printer just didn't do my work justice as I tend to use a lot of dark colours that are rather difficult to see on the printout. Pros
• Digital DisplayFollowing this, my tutor then suggested displaying my work on a screen and it would provide enough lumination to clearly see the darker colours and it would make the vivid highlights pop more. Pros
• Magazine/Book FormatHowever, I did also consider other options such as a magazine/book format. The idea here being that it would enable me to show several screenshots of the making process of my work. Something that would allow me to show the full breathe of the hard work that goes into each piece, from concept to final render. However I was not overly keen on this idea as my making process is particularly messy and I don't like showing unfinished work. With that being said, I did create a digital magazine with the help of my tutor in InDesign. So I had that option available for displaying my work. Pros
Other OptionsThere are also some more unrealistic display methods I considered if time and money were not a problem. Them being: • MerchandiseThere is also option of commercialising my work, printing it onto merchandise which I could potentially sell. Merchandise such as t-shirts, mugs, magnets, keyrings, mousepads, etc. Things I have technically done in the past with my freelancing work by way of third party websites. Though this method is technically not out of the realm of possibility, due to the cost of such an venture (both if I were to create these merchandise myself and if I were to go through a third party) it seems a tad unrealistic. Pros
• Large Scale Display ScreenIf I had the resources available, I could display my work on a large digital screen. Whether that be a billboard or just an excessively large screen. This way I would be able to showcase my work in exquisite detail, at such a grandiose size that would undoubtedly leave quite the impact on an audience. Besides the obvious problem of this being wildly unreasonable, due to lack of financial resources, there is also the problem of my work becoming pixelated at such high resolutions. Despite my work being in one of the highest resolutions Procreate allow (without crashing the program), it still had some resolution issues under closer inspection. For context my work was made in a 2732 x 2048 pixel canvas, the optimal size for my device. Pros
The Job of an Art CuratorOrdinarily in professional art galleries, the management of exhibitions would be placed in the hands of an art curator. Who’s job it is to procure, care, display and light the work. They are also in charge of editing the collection, bringing in/ taking away pieces that don’t fit, or would look better elsewhere. Notable art curators include Hans Ulrich Obrist (1968-current) and Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev (1957-current). References Initial information provided in spoken lecture delivered by E.Jukes in May/2022
Placement within ExhibitionThe next thing I needed to consider was where within the exhibition my work was going to go. I had three options open to me: the foyer, the theatre and the media room. Each with its own pros and cons. in the corner of the room, next to two films. My thinking being that it would best stand out, when next to something that is drastically different to my own work. Given that the rest of the room was filled with other static imagery such as photography and a few character designs, the corner seemed my best option. Artist StatementAccess to Higher Education Diploma (Art & Design – Graphics, Media & Photography) Name: Sarah P
Title of work: Decadence Destination: ——————BA (hons) Illustration Sarah is a digital artist who experiments with semi-realistic digital painting. Her work explores themes of beauty, horror, fashion and portraiture, with a focus on how these themes can be interwoven to reflect the world around us. Her art features elements of Japanese illustration and traditional western oil painting. She finds herself drawn to digital art as it allows her more freedom both artistically and vocationally, being the medium for her work to reach a wider audience and further in her chosen career path as an Illustrator. During her Final Major Project, Sarah tasked herself with tackling more complex compositions, experimenting with how lighting and movement can be used to create a variety of effects. Sarah uses Procreate to draw digitally on an iPad with precision and unique artistic skills. PlanningFor my final design, I wanted to create something that encompassed all (or at least most) of the themes I was looking at. Given how this was a rather demanding ask I created three sketches using my moodboard/plan I created in conjunction. My moodboard features a variety of influences from music videos, underwater photograph, Japanese illustration and contemporary rococo art. My first idea was a simple illustration of a woman in a flowing dress sinking into water. The idea bring there's be under lining connations of mental health. Similarly with the second it would also be a women underwater, but more focussed on the face. Something which would allow me to do a complete portrait in the semi realism style I liked so much. However I felt this wasn't challenging enough as it was too similar composition wise to other work I had done in the past. In the end, I decided on the third sketch, an overall more complicated piece both in terms of composition and connations. I felt this would best allow me to showcase the skills I had learnt over the year and challenge myself to improve further. Sketches/ConceptConceptMy concept behind this illustration was that it would be illustration in the semi-realism style with a few hints of contemporary Japanese illustration, that would explore themes of over fairytales, dolls, poisonous wealth, and how a person can break free of these confines. Initial Sketch/ Rough ColourTo create this illustration I used a pose reference I found online, to ensure my proportions and perspective were correct. However I did change a few things such as the legs, so it would better fit in with my concept. Following my initial sketch, I then created a rough guide for the colours I was thinking of using, so I had a brief idea of how my illustration would look, that I could also refer back to later. Sketch RefinementsI refined some of the elements of my initial sketch, adding in additional details and changes. In particular, I changed up the hair as I felt the loose hair was too messy and made the rest of the illustration look unpolished. I based the hair style on some images I found online. Although this is very clearly not historically accurate for Rococo period attire (like how I initially wanted it to be), I decided to make the outfit more of a contemporary twist on Rococo, to enable me to show more of the details I otherwise wouldn't be able to such as the legs. Which I needed visible in order to show the movement and falling motion of the woman in the image. However with that being said, the rest of the outfit is very much based on features of Rococo dresses such as the overcoat/skirt. Which I specifically decided to draw cinched at the waist, with cascading tiers of fabric making up the bulk of the skirt. Something reminiscent of a lot of Rococo dresses I had seen in painting from the era. The V shaped corset with bows is directly inspired by Francois Boucher’s 1756 portrait of of Madame Pompadour, a woman who was a leading style icon of the Rococo era. Likewise the neckline and sleeves are also directly inspired by the painting. RenderingDress - Colour ChoicesNext I began the rendering process, first change I made was the dress colours. I decided to change the colours as I felt the purple not only didn’t fit in terms of colour theory (as purple is associated with power and royalty) but because it was too dark. Something which I had a feeling would become a bigger problem later when I did all the lighting effects. I decided to replace the purple with light blue and pink, as those are two colours often associated with innocence and youth. And I figured the light colours would compliment the dark of the background quite well. I then drew up a rough lighting plan to make it easier for me to plan out how I wanted the lighting/shadows to look. Before I began blending, I first look up images of how to draw silk. I then mimicked the technique using a lot of smooth light colours to give the illusion of light bouncing off the material. Corset and Shoes - DesignWhen I began work on the corset, I decided to change the number and shape of the bows as I felt the previous design made the bodice looked out of proportion with the number of bows. Next change I made was the shoes, which I designed based on Rococo shoes with the frill, gem and low back. Characteristics I identified after conducting some brief research, looking at images of rococo era paintings/illustrations and modern remakes of Rococo shoes. Skin and Eyes - Design/Shading ChoicesI then moved onto the skin which I shaded in a semi-realistic anime style. Using pinks and browns to make up the shadow and give the skin a slight blush like what you might expect from an oil painting. The eyes meanwhile are very overdrawn in an anime esque style, I choose to do this to make the woman look more doll-like, linking back in with some previous themes I explored. It also furthers the narrative elements of the piece as it could imply she is a doll breaking out of the world that binds her, whatever that may be. Mirror DesignAfter I had done the full render for the woman, I began work on the mirror. I decided to design the mirror based on Rococo motifs particularly the swirls and shells featured in the period’s interior design. I actually produced two design for the mirror as the one I initially made, upon review I felt it was too complicated for the time I had left since I was already running out of time. And so I opted to make a second less intricate design. However I still prefer the first design, but I suppose that’s something to keep in mind for the future. I choose a gold and purple colour scheme for the mirror as they are two colours entwined with wealth and privilege. When both are used together it could imply the over indulgence of such things to the point where they are bad and poisonous. It is from this idea that I came up with the title for my piece, Decadence. A word which summaries my entire concept quite well, when it comes to both the good and bad connotations that go with the word. Important to note, I only rendering the top half of the mirror as the rest would be obscured by the dress. LightingNow I had rendered all elements of my illustration, I then completed the after effects such as lighting using dark blue and purples for the shadow and neon blues and white for the lighting. I specifically chose these colours to further fit with the atmosphere of the piece, with it being hopeful yet dark. Likewise I added in some blue and purple mist coming out of the background of the mirror to give it a mysterious allure. Mirror ShardsFinally I added the mirror shards, I tried my best to model these after another illustration I had seen using mirror shards. Given the how a mirror is rather difficult to draw by definition, I tried to make the surface look as reflective as possible using vivid highlights and darker contours to imply the dispersion of light. Evaluationfirst being the mirror frame and shards. As I don’t believe I blended them into the background sufficiently, as they still look a bit like they’re popping out of the canvas and not in a good way. Particularly the right side of the frame could’ve done with some adjusts. Whether that be bringing back some of the bold reflective light that is present on the left side onto the right, or blending some of the background shadow with the frame. Or both. Perhaps it may also be a result of me forgetting to add the harsh shadow that the dress would cast on the frame, especially when the light source is so bright and singular. A faux pas I can put down to simply running out of time and having too much on my mind of things I needed to get done. Ultimately this is a time management problem, partly my fault as maybe I didn’t manage my time as efficiently as I could’ve, but also this could just be a result of doing these kinds of illustrations. As complex illustrations like this always take a lot of time and effort to do.
But other then these blunders, I have quite happy with how this piece turned out. Both as an individual piece and as the final piece of my project. As it encompasses all my main themes and styles I explored during this project, in a way that is poetically beautiful yet tragic. |