Unit 1: Portfolio
The coursework unit, entitled Unit 1: The Portfolio, is an opportunity for me to learn about a wide range of photographic techniques and processes and to refine my techniques. These will include camera-less processes (cyanotypes and photograms/Rayographs), the functions of the manual and DIGITAL SLR plus the latest mobiletools and applications (iPod/iPadography). I will be exploring a variety of photographic genres including portraiture, urban LANDSCAPE, still life and abstraction. I will also be finding out how contemporary artists use photography in their conceptual work. I will record all of my research and experimentation on this website and on my blog, printing and mounting preparatory work and final pieces for exhibition. Please click the links opposite to find out more about the course at Thomas Tallis School. |
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Unit One Evaulation
I began this project by researching a variety of artists and photographers whose work expressed the theme of edges, abstraction and fragments. During the edges project I particularly responded to the work of Randy Grskovic. His images are imaginative and skilful and I was keen to explore how to create images similar to his. The individual photograph that had the most effect on my own work was ‘Howl’. This is because I really like the pattern that he had created by cutting up the original photo. I also liked how the colours made the object in the middle of the photo stand out because if the way he arranged the cut outs of the photo as they were the wrong way round. In the abstract project I liked the work of Aaron Siskind. During the fragments project I really enjoyed looking at Lucas Simoes’ work particularly the photo called desretatos which translates to portrait. I really liked it because there is a clear pattern that distorts the actual image and makes the central object unclear. I also like how all the colours tie in with each other. His work has really inspired me and this is why my final outcome is the way it is. I found all of the artists from pinterest, an app that allows you to look at artists work and create boards with loads of pictures that relate to the same theme. From these photographers I have learned how to create a interesting effect using cut out parts of an image and how to make a 2D image more 3D. My first thoughts out the edges theme was that it could relate to building, silhouettes and shapes. As carried on t=with this theme I started to explore the ideas of building and shapes. My ideas didn’t really change. My first thoughts about abstraction were that it was going to be a difficult theme but as I continued exploring this theme I learned that every photo is abstract because it’s a still version of reality, therefore my thoughts throughout this theme changed. I have tackled many if the threshold concepts, for example
I have explored a range of media, processes and techniques in this project including photo shop and photogram. I mainly used these techniques and processes when looking at abstraction, I think that it fits best with this theme because abstraction is when you are unable to tell what the object on the image is and using a photogram is a more unique way to make a photo and as the pictures are black and white it is harder to tell what the object is. I used a lot of photo shop whilst studding my edges theme. This is because I created my final piece through editing a picture on photo shop. I did this to add shapes and edges onto my original photo however I did it digitally. I refined my work a lot using these techniques and processes, for example when looking at abstraction I created a photogram, then cut it up, then made a positive version of my original photogram, I then made an image using the same photogram however I splashed developer on it to create an splash effect. I then used photo shop to create a duotone of my image. I really liked experimenting the dark room to create really interesting photograms and I thought that my final outcome worked really well as it had the process clearly layed out when being displayed on board. I found photo shop difficult to use as there are many tools and things that you can do, however when I knew the technique I think it worked really well and I am really pleased with my final outcome. I developed my investigation by making many copies and trying different shapes and ideas when using photo shop. As I went along I learned what worked and what didn’t when using the darkroom, for example I had to change the duration of time I let the paper be exposed to the light and how to apply the developer.
I am pleased with my final outcomes because they represent how I feel about the theme of edges, abstraction and fragments. In the theme edges my final outcome was made using photo shop, it is a photo of a student who is in my class. However, I drew a shape onto the background using the custom shape tool. Then I copied the background layer, I then linked the two layers together by pressing ‘alt’ and then I moved the copied picture to where I wanted it. Not only did I find this technique the easiest but I really like the way it looked. In the abstraction theme my final outcome was four pictures that I took whilst on a school trip with my photography class. I then zoomed in on the image so you couldn’t tell what the object was. I then edited them to give them all an under tone of purple. The pictures I took also al had a running theme of pipes and construction. In my fragments theme I am really happy with how my final outcome came out. I took photos of one of my classmates and my sister. I then printed them out and mounted them on board. After that I used a scalpel to cut out shapes some rectangle and some were random and curved. I did different shapes on each image individually, then I placed them on top of each other making the outcome= different each time. Once I had decided which was my favourite I hot glued foam board onto the back of each picture, apart from the last one. Then I stuck them on top of each other in the order I had decided was my favourite. This created the image to be 3D. I was very pleased with my final outcomes for edges and fragments; however, I was a disappointed with my abstraction final outcome. This is because I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted my final outcome to be and therefore it was unplanned piece. If I had more time in my fragments theme I would have used the cut outs from the images to create another photo that demonstrates fragments. I feel like my work in very personal to me because I really enjoyed the artist I based my work around and I spend very long on each of my final pieces. Also I had an idea at the beginning of course and I have experimented and have finally achieved what I had set out to do from them start. When looking at my final pieces I hope the viewer understand what the theme is and what it could represent because that means I would have successfully understood the theme and interpreted it in my own way.
I began this project by researching a variety of artists and photographers whose work expressed the theme of edges, abstraction and fragments. During the edges project I particularly responded to the work of Randy Grskovic. His images are imaginative and skilful and I was keen to explore how to create images similar to his. The individual photograph that had the most effect on my own work was ‘Howl’. This is because I really like the pattern that he had created by cutting up the original photo. I also liked how the colours made the object in the middle of the photo stand out because if the way he arranged the cut outs of the photo as they were the wrong way round. In the abstract project I liked the work of Aaron Siskind. During the fragments project I really enjoyed looking at Lucas Simoes’ work particularly the photo called desretatos which translates to portrait. I really liked it because there is a clear pattern that distorts the actual image and makes the central object unclear. I also like how all the colours tie in with each other. His work has really inspired me and this is why my final outcome is the way it is. I found all of the artists from pinterest, an app that allows you to look at artists work and create boards with loads of pictures that relate to the same theme. From these photographers I have learned how to create a interesting effect using cut out parts of an image and how to make a 2D image more 3D. My first thoughts out the edges theme was that it could relate to building, silhouettes and shapes. As carried on t=with this theme I started to explore the ideas of building and shapes. My ideas didn’t really change. My first thoughts about abstraction were that it was going to be a difficult theme but as I continued exploring this theme I learned that every photo is abstract because it’s a still version of reality, therefore my thoughts throughout this theme changed. I have tackled many if the threshold concepts, for example
I have explored a range of media, processes and techniques in this project including photo shop and photogram. I mainly used these techniques and processes when looking at abstraction, I think that it fits best with this theme because abstraction is when you are unable to tell what the object on the image is and using a photogram is a more unique way to make a photo and as the pictures are black and white it is harder to tell what the object is. I used a lot of photo shop whilst studding my edges theme. This is because I created my final piece through editing a picture on photo shop. I did this to add shapes and edges onto my original photo however I did it digitally. I refined my work a lot using these techniques and processes, for example when looking at abstraction I created a photogram, then cut it up, then made a positive version of my original photogram, I then made an image using the same photogram however I splashed developer on it to create an splash effect. I then used photo shop to create a duotone of my image. I really liked experimenting the dark room to create really interesting photograms and I thought that my final outcome worked really well as it had the process clearly layed out when being displayed on board. I found photo shop difficult to use as there are many tools and things that you can do, however when I knew the technique I think it worked really well and I am really pleased with my final outcome. I developed my investigation by making many copies and trying different shapes and ideas when using photo shop. As I went along I learned what worked and what didn’t when using the darkroom, for example I had to change the duration of time I let the paper be exposed to the light and how to apply the developer.
I am pleased with my final outcomes because they represent how I feel about the theme of edges, abstraction and fragments. In the theme edges my final outcome was made using photo shop, it is a photo of a student who is in my class. However, I drew a shape onto the background using the custom shape tool. Then I copied the background layer, I then linked the two layers together by pressing ‘alt’ and then I moved the copied picture to where I wanted it. Not only did I find this technique the easiest but I really like the way it looked. In the abstraction theme my final outcome was four pictures that I took whilst on a school trip with my photography class. I then zoomed in on the image so you couldn’t tell what the object was. I then edited them to give them all an under tone of purple. The pictures I took also al had a running theme of pipes and construction. In my fragments theme I am really happy with how my final outcome came out. I took photos of one of my classmates and my sister. I then printed them out and mounted them on board. After that I used a scalpel to cut out shapes some rectangle and some were random and curved. I did different shapes on each image individually, then I placed them on top of each other making the outcome= different each time. Once I had decided which was my favourite I hot glued foam board onto the back of each picture, apart from the last one. Then I stuck them on top of each other in the order I had decided was my favourite. This created the image to be 3D. I was very pleased with my final outcomes for edges and fragments; however, I was a disappointed with my abstraction final outcome. This is because I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted my final outcome to be and therefore it was unplanned piece. If I had more time in my fragments theme I would have used the cut outs from the images to create another photo that demonstrates fragments. I feel like my work in very personal to me because I really enjoyed the artist I based my work around and I spend very long on each of my final pieces. Also I had an idea at the beginning of course and I have experimented and have finally achieved what I had set out to do from them start. When looking at my final pieces I hope the viewer understand what the theme is and what it could represent because that means I would have successfully understood the theme and interpreted it in my own way.