Alice Partington FE Foundation (Media Production - Stage 2: Developmental)

My Colour Palette - Version 1

My Colour Palette - Version 2

I made a slight change to the palette after realising I prefer a warmer green tone. I feel the new greens have more life to them and compliment the warmness of the fuchsia.

Final Colour Palette

Logo Design (& Creating the Colour Palette)

Paper Sketches

I wanted my logo to be my name, rather than just a visual design. Below are some rough versions experimenting with layout. I want my handwriting to be used in the logo as it is the ultimate thing that can show my character in writing.

Digital Sketches

I then started my digital logo with more sketches, until I found the right handwriting to use in my logo.

Process

Here is my process for making the logo. I went through many different colour choices before changing my colour palette to involve yellow instead of fuchsia. I chose this because the yellow stands out more, and is more light-hearted and exciting than the deep pink. I believe the yellow works better to encompass my excitement and passion for my work.

Final Version

I am really happy with my final version, I think the yellow definitely works the best out of all of the colours I tried. The pale green leaf accents work to show it as a logo design, rather than just a word. I love the contrast between the black shadow and the bright warm tones of the yellow. I like how the leaves provide some imagery, and with the main colour allude to flowers and nature, and compliment the writing well. To improve I would experiment with different brushes, and join the cursive between the "i" and "ce". I ended up choosing the warmer green than the pale one, as I think this supports the vibrancy of the yellow better. I made the accents smaller and flipped their positions to have them directionally face the "Alice", rather than away from it to draw the viewer's focus onto the name.

Final Colour Palette

Final Outcome:

This is my final outcome with my artist's statement, headshot, logo, and page of contents.

Evaluation and Reflection

This project brief was really helpful to reflect on my intentions as an artist. I had my professional head-shot taken, but the photos looked really awkward so I took my own. While I prefer this headshot to the other options, a more professional headshot would be needed to be used outside of this project in industry. I think my logo is fun and I adore the colours, but to improve it I would use more regular/consistent writing, as while I like the handwritten aspect it could look more polished with typography or just neater linework. I would try out different brushes for the redo.

PROJECT 8 - BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Artworks:

Mazzoni, M. (2011). Walkabout. Marco Mazzoni. Available at: https://marcomazzoniart.com/#jp-carousel-34 [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023].

Nishinaka, Y. (2020). Eternity. Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1588216/eternity-yukyu-vessel-yukito-nishinaka/eternity-y%C5%ABky%C5%AB-vessel-yukito-nishinaka/ [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023].

Pei, G. (2017). Legends. Guo Pei. Available at: https://www.guopei.com/ss17-legends [Accessed 3 Feb. 2023].

Walker, C. (2022). Roundmoor Drive. [Oil on linen] www.carolinewalker.org. Available at: https://www.carolinewalker.org/lisa.html [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023].

Warhol, A. (1962). Marilyn Diptych. Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/andy-warhol [Accessed 3 Feb. 2023].

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Project 9: Re:Assembly

BRIEF: Document and consider spaces where people usually congregate, gather, and assemble. Reimagine these spaces to be more inclusive for current communities. Visually express this through photography, for a one week curated show.

INITIAL IDEAS AND PLANNING

Presentation Notes: Inclusivity in the Public Space

These are my notes on inclusivity in the public space.

My Initial Ideas

These are my initial ideas. I have had a lot of experiences with spaces causing issues and being unfriendly for my high-functioning neuro-divergent brother (who has diagnosed ADHD and Autism). There have been many times where the environment he has been in has caused or contributed to his sensory overload and created massive stress for him. This can be extremely troublesome if he gets too stressed and shuts down, as then he may become stuck in this stress-inducing public space, which is the worst thing for him, especially if other people feel the need to interact with him.

Public Spaces I am a part of:

Notes on the Limits of Single Stories (TED Talk)

Video from (TED, 2009)

Potential Interview Questions + Plan Going Forward

DEVELOPMENT

Test Photography

Sav, Ella and I went around with a camera searching for areas in Ravensbourne with interesting lighting or relating to the subject matter of limited accessibility. Below are my best photos experimenting with different angles trying to capture light effectively. I am really pleased with some of the compositions of these. The more I practiced looking for interesting lighting the more I found it. I love the soft window lighting in the library with the photos of Ella, and the strikingly bold shadows from the circle windows in the last photo.

Project Direction

Deciding my Public Space

I first made a list of all the places that I could photograph. After creating this list I consulted my brother about which types of spaces could make him the most stressed, which was shopping centres.

Decision on Public Place and Project Direction

Throughout my life I have had many experiences of neuro-divergent stress coming from the design of public places. My younger brother is autistic and has ADHD, so all throughout my life I have helped look after him, especially when he becomes stressed and overwhelmed. Due to his sensory processing (overstimulation of the senses from regular/normal amounts of inputs) large crowds, lots of noise and bright or flashing lights can increase his stress and be extremely overwhelming for him. All of these factors are present in many public places, but in particular shopping centres, with no quiet places where overwhelmed neuro-divergents can rest and calm down. When under the extreme duress of a meltdown or panic attack, the flight or fight instinct can kick in. With a lack of quiet places to escape, neuro-divergents can become stuck in these stress-inducing environments surrounded by people and noise, which only makes things worse. With this project I will explore this lack of accessibility and the unfriendliness of shopping centres on neuro-divergents' minds through my photography.

INTERVIEW

Interview Plan

I decided to chose the Glades shopping centre in Bromley. I planned to interview my brother directly about his experiences in the Glades, but after four or five tries he could not handle it. Instead, I interviewed my mum about her view of the Glades, which she goes to a lot due to the close proximity of the centre to her workplace.

Transcript

Sound Byte

I think that they could have quiet spaces for people to go in and I also think they could have quiet times where the noise is reduced and the lighting is dimmer.

I chose this quote for my sound byte as it provides a solution from the interviewee who has first hand experience in dealing with neuro-divergent stress in public spaces, particularly shopping centres.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Technique Research

I watched this video sharing professional photography advice in order to explore different techniques to improve my own photography. It was very interesting and insightful, especially with keeping the set simple in order to create the most eye-catching compositions.

Video from (Lally, 2023)

Location Recce

Before taking my photography, I walked around the Glades and took some shots capturing the nature of the space, shown below.

Taking My Photography

Organising the Photos

My Photography

Top Candidates

These are the top candidates for my final photo. I feel these are the most interesting compositionally, and have the most potential to look professional after editing. With my photography

Reflection on my Findings

These are the photos that I took at the Glades shopping centre. I found this task harder than I thought it would be - I struggled to take photos that linked to my topic of neuro-divergent stress that looked photographically compelling. Some of these are just of the shopping centre environment, while others look at places where I could see my brother running away to and hiding if he became overwhelmed. What that inquisition did show though, was that there was a lack of quiet and tucked away spaces that would provide sensory reassurance to a neuro-divergent person in a meltdown or feeling highly stressed. The closest places I found were empty corners by the escalators, fire escape doors and a nook in the roof car park. All of these places were in the middle of the flow of crowds, and would be directly in the middle of the noise if I went at a later time (I shot my photos from around 9:30-11am so it was decently empty). The quietest one would have been the car park, but it would be the most dangerous due to how close it was to where the cars drive and with it being a rooftop parking. From this photographic investigation I realised definitively how unfriendly this building is for neuro-divergents who struggle from meltdowns and sensory overload.

Two Best Photos - Reflection

Editing

Photo #1 - Black and White

Photo #2 - Black and White

Photo #2 - Coloured version #1

With this edit I wanted to highlight the shadows and contrast to make the photo really pop. I am not sure I prefer this version to the original, as the edits make it a bit too harshly bright I feel.

Photo #2 - Coloured Version #2

This is my second edit for a different tonal effect. With this photo, I still wanted to increase the darker tones through an increased contrast, but this time I decreased the saturation to create a less joyful tone.

Final Photo

I chose this version as my final photo as I feel it represents my message well - by showing the car park nook it highlights how within the whole centre there are no quiet spaces for neuro-divergents to go to. I feel the abundance of blue both in the sky and reflected on the floor creates a calm atmosphere, and contrasts against the brick red-brown of the central post. I really like the slight tension that is brought from the lowered saturation. Considering I found this photography task more difficult than others, I am happy with my final photo.

REFLECTIVE WRITING

Evaluative Paragraph - To Display With My Work

Through my photography I had the chance to investigate how shopping centres are lacking accessibility to neuro-divergent people. From my own family experiences I have seen the struggles of being completely overwhelmed with no place to escape to for recovery. I have seen how being stuck in a stress-inducing environment can put a neuro-divergent person in a cycle of increasing duress, and the significance of being able to recover in a quiet, calm location. Being able to leave and get away from people, noise, and large amounts of sensory input is crucial, and without access to these can be extremely harmful to both neuro-divergent people and their carers. Loud noise and judgemental strangers in particular are damaging when a neuro-divergent is under stress in a meltdown or panic attack, so public spaces lacking any sort of quiet areas is detrimental to the livelihoods of neuro-divergent people. My photography specifically looked at the Glades shopping centre, in which the only places for a stressed neuro-divergent to escape to were nooks by the escalators, fire escape doorways, and crannies on the rooftop car park. All of these places were in the centre of pedestrian-busy areas, surrounded by noise or dangerous to stay in (blocking the fire escape door or directly next to moving cars). For shopping centres to become comfortably accessible and neuro-divergent friendly, they need to acknowledge the need for quiet spaces which are safe for people to go to when overwhelmed.

Manifesto

What do I believe in?

I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy and explore their own creativity. I think that we should work towards creating a more equal and loving society, where everyone is more considerate of other people. I particularly think that more knowledge and further understanding of different types of people and different people's situations should be spread to create a kinder and more empathetic world.

As a storyteller in Media Production it's important that in my work I show...

As a storyteller in Media Production it's important that in my work I show a variety of topics and a diverse representation of different people and perspectives. It is imperative that within media all types of situations, people and cultures are represented in order to promote equality and encourage compassion.

My work is important to me because...

My work is important to me because it is what I am passionate about. My work allows me to express myself and communicate my ideas and values to the world freely.

How do I want people to feel when they see my work?

I want people to see my work and consider its meaning. Most of my pieces invite the viewer to reconsider their perceptions on the topic I discuss; this piece aims to showcase the struggles of neuro-diverse people who are affected by the unfriendly designs of shopping centres. I want people to view my work and reconsider their views and open their mind to the ideas and thoughts I present within my work.

How do I intend to do this within FMP?

Within my FMP, I intend to invite the viewer to consider the experience of time through combining traditional fine art portraiture with animation through zoetropes. I intend to separate a moment of time into frames, and display each frame as its own painting. By doing this, I will highlight and celebrate each fraction of a second, encouraging the viewer to take in every moment and reevaluate their relationship with time. I want the viewer to reconsider their attitude to life by inspiring them to appreciate every fleeting moment they experience.

What tools will I use? Are they sustainable tools and materials, how will I try to incorporate sustainable tools within my practice?

I will need to experiment with different materials and tools to create the zoetrope mechanism. I can use sustainable and biodegradable material to mirror my theme of the ephemerality of time. However, the material I use will need to be able to hold its structure and be strong enough to support itself while it spins, so I will need to experiment to find the best material that is simultaneously sustainable and sturdy.

CURATION

Layout Planning

Layout Version 1

Layout Version 2+3

In these versions I wanted to showcase the photography more, so I had one page with the information and one with the photo. I think this has made the writing page too busy and compact, so I may have to spread my writing over more pages.

Layout Version 4+5+6

With these layouts I tried moving the thoughts on inclusivity back to the photography page to balance out the writing more. I do prefer the photo taking up more space, however it is a bit awkward to try and position the headshot on the artist statement and manifesto page, so I also played around with this.

Headshot

Editing

I decided to add edit my headshot to make it look more professional. Firstly I adjusted the angle so the patterns on the wall were more align so the photo doesn't look wonky.

I then added different filters to even out the tone.

Final Headshot

Making My Zine Pages

For this project I used Adobe InDesign to experience the industry-standard program; I found it fairly easy to use and liked how many small specific details you could control with the text. I started by making my photography page.

Photography Page: Process and Reflection

With the artist information page, I made my layout in a straight-forward manner. I started with the headshot at the bottom right to not appear too close to the photography, added my name mirroring the Respite title, and then arranged the artist statement and manifesto text around this. I added subtitles for legibility, and made the text slightly grey to not draw all of the focus from the photography writing (I found this also helped to visually separate the pages into two separate pieces of writing).

CURATION

Gallery Installation Research

The Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition

• immersive exhibition - animated artworks projected onto all four walls
• narration/sound design included
• going through the timeline of work
• decorating the whole room with the paintings

Sunflower Seeds - Ai Weiwei

• installation piece
• tiny sculptures displayed as one mound
• simple environment - minimalist, drawing focus solely on the piece

The Twist Museum

• the whole exhibit space is influenced by the pieces
• the exhibition/curation space is the piece
• experiencing each section in the intended order
• precise light choices to allow the pieces to work as intended to the best of their capability

Curating a Theoretical Space

Ella and I wanted our theoretical curation to combine both of our ideas. Ella likes exhibitions where the room has been designed to fit the pieces, and I thought that an industrial environment would create an interesting contrast against pieces for them to stand out. We combined this by having rooms tailored to their pieces arranged within an industrial building. Below is my sketch showing this idea. I thought it would be fun for each mini exhibition space to have its own architectural style to reflect its interior, so I tried to reflect this in my sketches.

Curating a Real Space

FINAL OUTCOME

EVALUATION & REFLECTION

I am really happy with how the zine pages came out, I feel that they are up to a semi-professional standard. I think making my headshot black and white really improved it, although a professionally shot headshot would be preferable. I am really happy with my final photo; I struggled a little with this photography task as I found it difficult to find a decent subject and focus for the photography. I like the abundance of blue and off-centre composition of my photo, I feel it accurately creates a sense of restless peace similar to escaping to hide in that corner. I enjoy how my photo discusses shopping centres by highlighting a lack of quiet spaces in the centres, by showing a scene from the roof rather than the interior.

Project 9 - Bibliography:

Allen, J. (2022). Twist. [online] The Nudge London. Available at: https://thenudge.com/london-things-to-do/twist/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2023].

Lally, M. (2023). I Shot 100,000 Portraits: Here’s What I Learned... [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://youtu.be/qZUWdu2PnXg [Accessed 8 Feb. 2023].

Laura (2021). Two Not to Miss Van Gogh Immersive Experiences in London. [online] London Perfect. Available at: https://www.londonperfect.com/blog/2021/05/van-gogh-immersive-london/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2023].

TED (2009). The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/D9Ihs241zeg [Accessed 6 Feb. 2023].

Weiwei, A. (2010). ‘Sunflower Seeds’, Ai Weiwei, 2010 | Tate. Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/ai-sunflower-seeds-t13408 [Accessed 10 Feb. 2023].

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Project 10: british values

BRIEF:

Themes:

DEMOCRACY - a culture built upon freedom and equality, where everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities.

RULE OF LAW - The need for rules to make a happy, safe and secure environment to live and work, which are fairly applied.

TOLERANCE - Understanding that we don't all share the same beliefs and values. Respecting the values, ideas and beliefs of others whilst not imposing our own on others.

MUTUAL RESPECT - Individual liberty is the free exercise of rights without government control and the respect for an individual's dignity and choices.

RESEARCH

Initial Thoughts and Idea Exploration

Thematic Exploration

I started my idea generation through a mind map of topics relating to the available themes. I found that there were quite a few similarities between the different topics.

Focused Inquisition into Recent British Politics

I started to explore into politics, specifically recent political decisions that have directly impacted the general public's way of living. Thinking about the announced ULEZ zone expansion, I started listing the negative effects this change would have on the British public. I then researched and thought about the positives and the reasons for this expansion. Throughout this exploration, it became more clear that the political decision was both proposed to improve society, while simultaneously potentially negatively affecting the general public. This made me want to explore whether there was a "right or wrong" decision in difficult political situations, a question I heard discussed in a recent conversation discussing the pandemic lockdowns. I will be exploring the consequences of the ULEZ expansion under the Rule of Law topic theme.

Contextual Research

ULEZ Expansion Explained

Public Reactions to the ULEZ Expansion

Artist Research

I made some notes on the type of piece I might make for this project, so I have a starting point on the artists I can research. I am currently thinking of using photography to capture the negative effects of polluting cars to relate to my investigation into the ULEZ expansion.

Peter Brookes - Political Cartoons

• hand drawn comics, with an almost watercolour quality
• over exaggerated faces for recognition and added humour
• simple and clear shading for depth and clarity
• capitalised sans-serif typeface on a highly contrasting background for legibility
• narrative implied through simple imagery, small details show progression
• contextual subject link

Pierre-Yves Riveau (AKA Pez) - Drawings About Refugee Crisis

• multimedia drawings about refugee crisis
• monotone drawings with complimentary simple colouring
• clean, simple images for clear communication and clarity of message
• use of visa book to enforce the piece
• contextual link of political decisions and consequences

Moose - Reverse Graffiti

• contextual link to traffic pollution
• highlighting the problem through combining a unique medium with related imagery
• publicly available - relating art to the audience
• spreading message into everyday life
• emphasising the severity by showing the harmful damage caused visually using real objects

Mike Mandel - People In Cars (Film Photography)

• photography of cars/traffic - thematic link
• black and white photography capturing everyday life
• carefree expressions, relaxed atmosphere
• natural compositional framing from the car window frames
• greyscale - seriousness and truth, focusing on lighting and shape

Enrique Bernal

• pencil illustrations enhanced with digital lighting
• greyscale creates high contrast with the brightly coloured lighting
• using colour to enhance both the black and white tones and the piece's composition overall
• coloured lighting creates a clear focal point and sense of direction
• creates a further sense of depth through a combination of pencil markings and digital lighting
• selective detail and realism creates dynamic compositional balance to each piece

PLANNING & MAKING

Inspiration & Piece Plan

I originally wanted to use photography, and I started thinking about what I could photograph to highlight my message. I became inspired by an overgrown car that has been on my road for years, and want to use this subject for my piece. I think this is the perfect subject to relay my topic, as the run down car indicates what will happen to lots of cars that aren't ULEZ compliant and are not financially able to be sold or disposed of properly. Some households will be forced to find alternate methods of transport due to a lack of finance to be able to afford a new, ULEZ compliant vehicle. At the same time, the plants overtaking the car highlight the positive environmental impact from reducing traffic pollution, allowing nature to heal. The plants also provide health benefits with less toxic quality of air, which helps everyone but particularly those with breathing problems.

Choice of Medium & Title

I have decided to create an illustration rather than photography for my piece. I feel photography would be difficult due to the immovable nature of the subject, as well as it is someone else's property. I would also not be able to get a full shot of the car as the driveways are fairly narrow and the road is constantly busy. I believe illustration would also be preferable to display my message, as it references the hand drawn medium of political newspaper comics. It shows an opinion through the simplicity of a single drawing, creating a clear dialogue for the viewer to read into. I will combine my illustration with the title "Decisions, Decisions", linking to the narrative of the positive and negative consequences from all political actions. By repeating the word 'decisions', the title has a conversational tone while simultaneously commenting on the lack of good or bad choices.

Reference Images & Process

Drawing References

I decided to base my car illustration on a Citroen C2, this is the model I have which is not ULEZ complient and is having to be sold (this adds a personal touch to my work, linking it to my own experience with the topic).

Process

Before priming the A5 canvas board, I sketched the outline of the car. I then used black water colour to shade in the car's shadows and highlights. For the overgrowth I used a variety of green watercolours combined with yellow and orange. After this had all dried, I went back over to improve the detailing and shading on the car. To add more depth to the overgrowth I used crayons in green, orange, yellow, and red.