OUIL505-Task1

505 Task 1

1 thing I will take forward from 504

Roughing by hand (or not) was one of my biggest downfalls from 504, I need to start roughing properly and exploring ideas in depth before moving on to a developed image.

One way in which I will push myself

I want to start experimenting more with physical print and developing my process through playing around.

One thing I want to accomplish by May

I want to become a competent screenprinter, as at the minute I'm crap at is and I think it holds a lot of opportunity to develop my practice.

OUIL503- Brush Design- Brief 8

Start Date: 21/01/2017

Deadline: 28/01/2017

Brief

'Create a digital brush which simulates a the look and functionality of a calligraphy pen'.

Research

This brush was really easy to create. I started by watching a few Youtube videos of people using a calligraphy pen, then set about creating the brush.

Development

The development of the brush was really simple, to the point which I felt bad for charging the client for the work. The brush is basically a flat brush with a slight bit of texture in. As stated, the functionality is the key with this brush, tilt and brush direction were a really important part of how the brush works.

Outcome below (excuse my poor attempt at the letter 'E'.

OUIL503- Brush Design- Brief 7

Start Date: 14/01/2017

Deadline: 21/01/2017

Brief

'Create a set of brushes to be used within artworks which will be screenprinted'.

Research

This brief for me was really useful, I want to start doing more screenprinting anyway so this was just an excuse to get involved a bit more. I first wanted to find out about the different types of halftones used within the screenrprinting process, and I found out that there aren't really set rules for them.
Once I had researched some of the more commonly used ones which the client felt she would find most useful, I set about creating the brushes.

Development

I started out by creating the patterns for the halftones rather than the brush, which involved starting basically from the opposite end of what I would usually do. Working more with the patterns rather than the actualy brush was something I found quite simple to adapt to.

Outcome

The actual creation of the brushes was really easy, the shape of the brush is really simple, to make it as easy to implement as possible. Because of this, I decided not to send the brushes individually but send one example of the brush with separate patterns to load onto the brush to make it easier. Which the client was more than happy to have, I also told her how to create new patterns should she need to.

Outcomes below.

OUIL503- In Cold Blood Cover- Cover 2 Development

Moving on from the roughs, I decided the best image to use was the shotgun as it made the most sense to the actual content of the book. I started to digitally develop the roughs I had made and began to come up with a solution and an idea that worked.

I wanted the cover to be quite dark, to reflect the mysterious elements of the book. I chose to keep the colour scheme as just black and red, with the lettering contrasting in white.

OUIL503- Brush Design- Brief 6

Start Date: 09/01/2017

Deadline: 16/01/2017

Brief

'Create a brush with the texture and functionality of an oil pastel.'

Research

So this one was pretty open in description, just to create an oil pastel brush, so my first point of call was to experiment with oil pastels. Because I didn't have that much experience with them I wanted to find out how they are used, so I consulted a friend of mine whos practice is based heavily around using oil pastel. They showed me the different way in which oil pastels are used which gave me an idea of how I could implement this into Photoshop.

Development

I then went on to develop the brush digitally, using a hand drawn preset as a basis. I wanted to focus on functionality but without forgetting about the actual aesthetic of the brush, so I nailed the aesthetics first, then moved on to how the brush can be used.

Outcome

Both myself and the client were really happy with the final outcome for the brush. For me, the most challenging thing was finding the balance between aesthetics and functionality, something I feel I'll be tackling quite often during the creation of the brushes. I feel I really nailed both the look and function, and being able to use the edge of the pastel was something I was really keen to get in. The process took me though a few techniques that I'd never tried before so it was really useful to do.

Outcomes below.

OUIL504- Module Evaluation

End of Module Student Evaluation

BA (Hons) Illustration

Module Code: OUIL504 Illustration 1: Production & Presentation

Name: Matthew Mercer

Student ID: mm258303

Please identify where the evidence for each of the learning outcomes is within your submission and how well you feel you have met the learning outcomes. Please also grade yourself in relation to the learning outcomes using terms:

> poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent (Note- This is so that the team have an understanding of how well you feel you have done. It is not an indication of the actual grade you may receive.)

Learning Outcome	Evidenced where? Blog, Visual Journal, Roughs, Final Illustrations, Stings, storyboards, development sheets etc. (No more than 75 words)	Your grade Using words: > poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent
5A5: Demonstrate an informed understanding of issues relating to image, media, format and context through the delivery of solutions to identified visual problems. (Knowledge & Understanding -  Critical Awareness)	I feel through roughing and storyboarding I have been work out issues with my work with regards to composition etc. Repetition of image has helped me to refine my ideas and develop towards a final image much more effectively. As always, my blog had been by far my most effective way of reflecting on my previous work to develop through issues in the future.	Good
5A6: Understand the potential and limitations of a range of processes, technologies and techniques involved in the development and production of work for print and screen based delivery. (Knowledge & Understanding -  Research)	I feel I have effectively experimented with different print methods to define which one I should pursue not only for this particular brief but for my practice as a whole. Most of my favorite illustrators use one or more of the print methods discussed in this brief so through researching their processes outside of he brief and in study tasks I feel I have developed a much better understanding.	Good
5B4: Analyse and critically evaluate primary/secondary source material to inform the development and contextualisation of ideas, concepts and products through individual responses to set briefs. (Cognitive Skills - Problem Analysis, Problem Solving)	My initial research into William Burroughs brought me a decent foundation on to which I could build a decent body of work based around his life. Aside from SB2, I feel the research I did through primary and secondary sources enabled me to properly understand where my work should be going. This made it much easier to blog, rough and storyboard as I had a breadth of information on which to base my ideas around.	Satisfactory
5C4: Select, manipulate and apply appropriate media, processes and technologies in the development, production and presentation of ideas, concepts and products. (Practical Skills -  Practical and Conceptual Development)	Working with physical print processes has influenced my practice hugely. I have loved working towards developing print textures into my digital based work and I definitely feel it has pushed my practice, both within and outside the module, to a new level. Having other considerations with regards to print has led me to rough differently and learn to understand the limitations and benefits these processes have.	Good
5C5: Identify, evaluate and apply practical/technical processes, materials and media in order to produce technically competent and conceptually appropriate outcomes. (Practical Skills - Visual Quality and Technical Competence)	I have made a real effort within this brief to develop my craftmanship, be it using better paper or folders to present final prints. Working with physical print and digital allowed me to create work which I feel has a technically competence about it.	Satisfactory
5D4: Demonstrate the ability to communicate the development and resolution of ideas through appropriate visual and written presentation of work. (Key Transferable Skills - Presentation and Evaluation)	My blog is the main place I have communicated development within my work. I feel being immediately reflective is one of my strongest attributes; especially within this module where I have missed out on so much feedback from tutors and peers.	Satisfactory

Summative Evaluation (See Evaluation Guidance on next page for more information)

You are required to write a 750 word Summative Evaluation of this module.

Please type up your Summative Evaluation in the box below. Make a PDF of the document, print out a copy to submit with your portfolio of work and post the PDF as your final post on your OUIL504 blog.

My main objective coming into this module was to 1, understand my practice more and develop my work as a whole, and 2, to experiment more with print based processes. I was incredibly unfamiliar with a lot of the print techniques, having never really tried them to this extent before, however I have really enjoyed experimenting with shape and texture a lot and think this module has been my biggest transformative moment for me as an illustrator as I have a much better understanding of my work and general 'style'. The main thing I am taking away from this brief is the experience of working with printed texture and digital manipulation to create a more natural looking aesthetic within my work. Throughout last years modules I was constantly striving to find a better way of adding a more natural and hand made feel to my work and I feel through experimentation with the different processes I have definitely pushed it to a new level within my own work. Roughing has also been a big part of the module for me; I have taken much more care with my hand drawn roughs and tried my best not to rush straight to digital work as I know this can be really damaging to my work. I will look to continue this and am looking to start using my roughs more effectively by scanning them in and working with the actual roughs to develop my image. Throughout the module, I feel as though I could have experimented more with the actual production of images through different print methods. I spent most of my time collecting textures from the processes and manipulating them digitally rather than creating shape based images directly from the process. My thinking behind this was that I know how I like to work digitally, using shape to create images on there. I will definitely look to continue to experiment with image creation through print as the little I did with lino, I feel, came out quite nicely, and I actually really enjoyed making them. I feel towards the middle of the module, around November, I fell out of love with SB2, I was feeling really out of touch with my author, and my workload definitely slacked off a bit as I simply didn't enjoy what I was making. This is the point which I completely switched my idea and the work I was making in the brief took a nosedive. This resulted in my final prints completely lacking in concept and I am really not happy with how they turned out, I don't think they give a proper reflection on the work I have put in throughout the module. My attendance within this morning has also been incredibly poor. I missed out on numerous crits and general catch-ups with Teresa and Ben through various reasons and this definitely affected my work. I wholeheartedly regret missing so much within this module as I think my work and my general experimentation within the module would have benefited from having that guidance and feedback throughout. I will definitely look to attend more throughout the next module, and I really am looking forward to having Teresa and Ben's guidance to push my work to a new level and develop my practice as an illustrator. Going forward, I want to experiment more with the screen printing process. I feel I suffered from a lack of confidence with it within this module as I did not feel I was good enough to be able to experiment properly with it, but as I stated in my blog, I really like how screenprinting CAN look, I just feel I need to develop my own technique to make it look that way. Overall, I have really enjoyed this module, minus the slight blip in the middle and the frankly nightmarish December I had. I am happy with my progression as an illustrator within the module and I am really happy with the way my work is starting to move and how my skills are beginning to develop as a craftsman. Attendance has been my biggest let down with this module, as I think the lack of feedback and guidance I received really damaged how my work ended up and the general quality of my work throughout the module. I will 100% look to be completely involved in the next module and look to progress at a much faster rate.

OUIL504- Printed Pictures Proposal

OUIL504 - Moving Pictures Proposal

OUIL504- Moving Pictures- Final Comp

Below is my final composition for the moving pictures brief. Overall I am relatively happy with the final product. I really like the first transition, with the petal falling from the top of the frame, I fell like it falls in a way that suggests blood falling, adding to the mood of the video. The second transition with the eyes appearing again, makes the video seem quite strange. I think the only thing that lets the video down is the third transition. I couldn't find a way to alter the third plant in a way that added intrigue to video.

I think the soundtrack works perfectly for the skit, simple and mysterious.

Final Composition from Matthew Mercer on Vimeo.

I think the skit adds a little but more context to my prints, especially with the mysterious music.

OUIL504- Printed Pictures- Final Prints

So these are my final prints. I am pretty happy with how the have turned out. I need to now print them and deckle the edges ready for presentation and hand-in. I have found some stock frame images online to give me an idea of how they would look in the frame. Although it looks crap, it's just to give an idea.

OUIL504- William Burroughs- (Final Images)

Below are the final images for the brief. As a whole I am pretty pleased with how all of the images look, however I am most keen on the concept of the top image, with the other two I feel slightly lacking in thought and idea. I feel that this is simply down to the larger amount of time I spent on developing the top image, which I think is definitely apparent in the final outcomes.

By far my favourite image is the bottom one, I feel aesthetically it translates the best to the type of work I want to produce. Obviously the main aspect of this brief was to make editorial images, which would usually mean conveying a message or mood, which I feel my images have done. I think the tone is immediately apparent, as is the message.

OUIL504- Chosen Visual Journal Pages

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OUIL504- Printed Pictures- Presentation

I decided to try and make my prints look a little more professional and made small presentation pockets for them; which I think actually turned out pretty well. Presenting my prints is something I have always wanted to explore so making these has been a great learning curve for me.

I used some thick backing card, which I chose quite a dark colour to make the prints stand out more, and some acetate sheets to act as a protective barrier for the prints. They do look pretty decent to be fair.

I also decided to deckle the edges, which was a pain in the arse but I think looks alright too.

OUIL503- In Cold Blood Cover- Cover 1 Further Development

Once I had decided on the type I wanted to use on the cover, I went on to play around with how the type would sit within the image and be laid out on the cover.

I thought about how I could contrast between the blood drop and the background, as they would have to be different colours to contrast properly.



I think my favourite one by far is the top right. I like the contrast between the red and the B&W. I will look to develop this further into my final cover design.

OUIL504- Justifying Concepts

Having spoken to Teresa and Ben, which I need to start doing more, we discussed the lack of concept within my prints and how unhappy I was with them. We decided that the best thing to do was to try and bring out the concepts in the prints out through the moving pictures brief. Which I have tried to do and I think somewhat successfully.

In the first sequence of the skit, I made one of the petals fall down as the image moves out of shot, falling straight down, I tried to get this to reflect a drip of blood dripping down. Coupled with the needle like structure of the stem of the plant, I tried to indicate Burroughs' substance abuse, and generally create a dark mood.



In the second sequence, I wanted to indicate Burroughs' fear of insects and an uncomfortable creature like feel. With the staring eyes appearing out of what seemed to be a normal plant I think shows a really mysterious feel to the skit.



The final sequence is the most simple and possibly the most subtle, I refined one of my prints to almost reflect Burroughs' love of guns, shaping the leaves like bullets, and I struggled to find a way to make this obvious within the skit without it being a bit cheesy. I therefore decided to make the third plant move quicker initially across the screen and make the leaf in the shape of the bullet be the first and last thing you see as it pans in and out of shot.

I am relatively happy with how the skit justifies the prints, and I think it does add a little bit more context to the actual concept behind some of the images.

OUIL503- In Cold Blood Cover- Cover 3 Further Development

So I think finding that boot print was very lucky. I'm really starting to like the way the idea is coming along and I'm genuinely exited to finish it off and get it onto a mocked up cover.

I decided I wanted the lettering to sit within the gaps in the blood on the print. So I roughly traced over the image with a pen and gave myself a quick guide as to where the words would go. It's almost like the letters fit perfectly into the outline of the boot, which makes it feel a bit like I'm cheating? There was not really development of the image needed, as I knew exactly how I wanted the image to look and knew exactly where the letters would sit in the image.

OUIL503- Brush Design- Brief 5

Start Date: 22/12/2016

Deadline: 04/01/2-17

Completed: 07/01/2017

Brief

'Create a brush which can be used to add a non-repeating, dark noise texture'

Research

This one was a really easy brush to research, I just needed to look at different noise patterns and establish exactly which type the client would prefer, this required a lot of back and forth between myself and the client, which wasn't always easy, especially over the Christmas period. Which is the main reason the brush wasn't completed on time.

Development

During the conversation with myself and the client, I decided to go ahead and produce a mock up brush, just to give the client an example of what the brush would eventually look like. As it turned out, once I had sent the mock up brush to the client they were totally happy with it and decided to take that one as the final.

Outcome

The brush actually turned out really well, and I'm much more pleased with this texture brush than the previous one, which is great as it shows my skills are definitely progressing with the more briefs I do. Results below.