Something I Put Together

This is something I did earlier today. It was a photograph out of a book about New York, which then drew from making a few changes to its composition etc.

Another Drawing for Collaboration with Rikki Hewitt

Another drawing I've done for this collaboration. I took a photograph from a book I found, documenting the people that live in a mental institution in America, and thought it was a pretty good one to use. It has profiles about the patients, written by the patients themselves so its fascinating to read. I love using high contrasted images so this was perfect. I have quite a few images to use in some way out of this book so expect to see more soon. I'm not sure where this interest has come from, but I have been reading 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' recently so maybe that's it. I promise there will be some colour in my work soon aswell!

Self defined Brief - Abu Ghraib Second Final Image

This is the second and final print I will be making for Abu Ghraib and the entire project. I'm really pleased with this! Again, quite simple, but, I think, effective. I used an image from Abu Ghraib of a prisoner made to stand on a box with their arms out. They have wires attached to their hands, so if they fall off the box (normally they're on it for about 72 hours) they will be electrocuted. This is a lie, there is not electricity running through the wires - its a psychological thing. I thought this is good as with their arms out it not only shows this torture technique, but with their arms out, its a pose you associate welcoming someone with.

I've tried to make the images on it a bit blurred or pixelated to increase the sense that these are documented. All the negative sources for this prison that made it to the media were like this, as they were taken quickly, or on standard digital cameras, without the army knowing, so I tried to keep this idea in the print.

The children's slides are there as they were trying to claim this prison is so nice, prisoners won't want to leave, so I thought 'what is the object furthest away from a dark, threatening environment?' and I thought of a child's playground. It's a bit random, but its a personal response, and I think it works. Also, it should make the viewer think about it more.

Self defined Brief - Watergate Final Two

This is the second Nixon image done. I was a bit worried with how this one was going to turn out, but I'm actually pleased with it. I think it sums it up pretty well. I tried to keep the colours looking a bit seventies-ish which I think it is. Only the images for the Abu Ghraib prison. These will hopefully be uploaded by wednesday. I'm giving myself a personal deadline of thursday 5th for them to be done so I can go and get them printed.

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.

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.

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.