Saturday 30 April 2011

Self defined Brief - Frost/Nixon




My next double print will be about the Watergate scandal involving Nixon. As some research I've been watching a documentary by David Frost about his interviews with Nixon, and also the film 'Frost/Nixon' with Michael Sheen. They were both so helpful in understanding what actually happened - something I've never really known. I got some pretty good images for it too. The reason why I'm using collage for these prints is because they are supposed to be a form of documentation, of what really happened and what the authorities wanted us to think happened, so it gives it a greater sense of reality. This doesn't come across as well trying to draw realistically.

Friday 29 April 2011

self defined Brief - Northern Ireland second final


This is the second final piece for the Northern Ireland print. I'm pretty pleased with it. It's pretty full and busy, but that suits what I'm trying to get across. I wanted it to look as if extensive research had been done by the army. They had everything under control. There is nothing which looks initially violent other than rioters. Hopefully this will come across to the viewer.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Self defined Brief - Drawing of Majella


This is a drawing I did of Majella O'Hare. It's going to be part of a mural on a wall on a row of houses if it looks ok. I'm trying to add a mural in somewhere. I think it's an important element in creating the setting of Northern Ireland. A way both sides of the troubles got their message across.

Friday 22 April 2011

self defined Brief - Photos from Aerofilms



Here are some photos that I found in a pack in David's Bookshop, Letchworth. There's about 20 photos in all, and date back to the 1930's where they were used for educational purposes on urbanisation and land use. I was so lucky to find these, especially for £4! I really want to use them in my work. I'm definitely not cutting them up though!

Self defined Brief - One of my final pieces nearly done.


This is pretty much done for the illustration on the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. I need to do another one for this subject but thats ready to be completed too. I just need to photoshop them together, so hopefully that will go ok. I'm just wondering whether it needs typography on it somewhere. I'll experiment with that and see how it looks. Maybe take quotes from newspaper articles or something along those lines. I'm really pleased with how all my images have come together. I was a bit concerned that they wouldn't really go together as one image but I'm really pleased with how they flow across the image. It's supposed to show the damage the paras actually did which I think it does. The other image will show the paras 'organised', controlled image they wanted to show the rest of the world - basically showing how they're 'helping' Northern Ireland, so it will need to be much neater and controlled in composition unlike this one. The spray paint will probably have to go then.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Self defined Brief - More collages on the 'Troubles'.


Here are a couple more collages I have created. I need to start putting them together on photoshop now to see where I'm at. I've done some drawings of people etc to put with them so I'll post them soon along with the variations of compositions. The top image will have a drawing of Majella O'Hare (the 12 year old girl the a Para shot) on the end wall of the house, like a mural.

The bottom image needs the drawings of people running away. I wanted to make the paras like giants, destroying everything to kind of show their huge presence and impact. I have done an alternative one where the para's faces are more cartoon style - Ralph Steadman's influence, so I still may use that. I'm taking my time on this print. I think when I've sussed this one the others will be much easier.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Self defined Brief - Collages on the 'Troubles', Northern Ireland





I have started creating collages of some of the horrific things that happened during the 'Troubles' from images I have taken from books and off of the T.V. I have also drawn and painted into them with acrylic, spray paint and ink. I think these are quite good materials to use as it really helps give a sense a run down urban area - which it did become, while the public began to express their feelings in the form of graffiti and murals. This is something I really want to capture. These works are only preliminary, so I will probably have to go back and do some of them again, better, and on a smaller scale (no more than A3). These were much bigger so I had to photograph them, which I don't want to do for the finals incase they are not so clear. I will keep working on this style, which I'm beginning to love, but I've singled out certain images which I think will look better drawn, so I'll post these on here soon.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

self defined Brief - Ralph Steadman



I have decided to create a series of small books for a few examples of the abuse of power throughout (modern) history. It will be poster, or piece of art which is folded into a small book. When it is in the form of the small book, the images you see will illustrate that particular event. Only when the book is unfolded will the true abuse of power be seen. I want the book to have to be really deconstructed - picked and torn apart to see the full picture.

I think Ralph Steadman will be a major influence of how I illustrate these events. With the conflict in Northern Ireland, in front of the press the British Paras will be smart, neatly drawn, but behind the scenes they will appear more like monsters, wreaking havoc.

I also plan on doing another book on the watergate scandal. Steadman's portrayal of Nixon is perfect!

Monday 4 April 2011

Self defined Brief - Martin Postler Paper Models

I went to Magma the other day and saw Martin Postler's work for sale which has given me a few more ideas. I was thinking that the book could, pulled out, turns into some kind of model but I think this is going to be pretty impossible!

Maybe it could be sold as a book, but it is also a template for a model, so the buyer has the choice between a book and a model.

Friday 1 April 2011

Self defined Brief - 'Bloody Sunday'





These are photos I took while watching Paul Greengrass' film 'Bloody Sunday'. I'd really recommend this film. I watched it to try and get an insight into what Northern Ireland was like in the 1970's during the 'troubles'. It really showed the attitudes of the people involved which I can hopefully get across in my work - the frustrations of both the republicans and unionists, and the harshness of the British Paras.

Lots of accounts I have read about the shooting of Majella O'Hare depict the British soldiers as brutal, which I thought surely must have been exaggerated, but in this film they are exactly the same! This definitely needs to be in my work somewhere!