Study Task 6: Presentation

Dan Forster

Markets his work on 'Etsy'

The piece of work is framed in the photo but comes unframed.

States the size of print and type of paper stock (270gsm)

4 colour screen print

125 editions




Big apple prints

Etsy user

Painter, scans his paintings in and prints them onto canvas's, posters or glossy prints.

Reproduces a lot of prints

Presented against a wall - show customers what it looks like in context.

Moving Images proposal

What do I intend to produce?

My initial idea was to produce a simple animation of figures walking from left to right along the screen and then walking off the screen with 'Toni Morrison' popping up. 
If this doesn't work (I heard making figures walk is actually quite difficult) I was thinking of having a figure praying and then blue eyes gradually start appearing until the whole page is blue and the 'Toni Morrison popping up.

Themes/concepts?

I want to use one of my prints which outline both my author's work and her beliefs. Based on her quotes and texts from her books.

Moods/ideas?

I want my animation to reflect more of an old retro feel - If i could add an effect to make it like this than I will. A lot of the stuff Toni Morrison writes about is from years and years ago so I think this effect will fit the animation quite nicely.

Audience?

My animation will be aimed at more of the older generation or people who understand what actually happened or people that can relate to the experiences. It could also appeal to the younger generation who don't know much about black history or slavery - potentially educate them.

Reflective report - printed pictures

What have I been doing?

I have established that lino print isn't successful enough to be considered for a final print. My designs are very simple and I feel like lino is for more complex designs with more line work.
Screen print is also something I have drifted away from, purely because of the crisp, precise compositions in the outcomes - something I don't want reflected in my outcomes.
Mono print not only conveys that gritty, dirty texture, but there is something really interesting about the unplanned and unpredictable nature of the outcome. Through experimenting, I have discovered some really interesting 'mistakes' which have contributed to the success of the composition. 

I have been spending a lot of time in the print room, experimenting, playing and testing.

What is working?

My colour palette of black and blue - very striking and the blue reflects the poignant emotion.
The simple imagery opens up various interpretations for the viewer - allowing them to relate in some way or another.
The texture the mono printing press is giving to the design adds that extra edge and gives it a greater level of sentiment. 
The texture of my paper also adds to this effect.
My designs cohesively work well as a series.
My concepts reflect my author's beliefs and themes from the books in more of a subtle way

What needs improving?

The paper I am using for my stencils is far too thick, therefore the ink is struggling to get through the smaller cut outs.
The printing press's pressure is too much and actually creasing my prints.
My stencils (A3) are perhaps too large and I need to reduce the size to A4.
Some of my prints are a little too messy and perhaps need to scan them in and clean them up a bit on Photoshop.

One to One tutorial feedback:

One of my designs (the space ship one) I have a 'space ship' with intentions of morphing it into a blue eye. My tutor told me it doesn't look anything like an eye so this was something I needed to adjust. 
For my 5th design I was struggling to come up with something. My tutor suggested that my theme seems to be repetitions of themes, for example the eye, the people, the hands - so why don't I choose something else to repeat. 

Ideas:

A mouth engulfing a figure (Sethe from Beloved) with hands coming out from the teeth.

Blue eye at the back of the mouth

Repetition of hands grabbing a figure

What am I going to do? Actions?

Design my 5th design and re do all my stencils but in A4 print so my prints don't crease. 

Study Task 5 - Sound study

Animation 1:

https://vimeo.com/47547114

'Two Finger Typist'

The sound corresponds well with the animation by changing colour. When the sound gets faster so does the change in colour. It gets faster and faster until the coffee spills on the laptop  - this relates to the kind of thing I am thinking of doing in terms of people walking and then the speed gradually building up alongside the sound. The sound getting faster and faster until the black figures walk along the screen when there is no sound anymore?


Animation 2:

https://vimeo.com/4020697

The sound in this animation is really interesting. It's harsh and the colours give it more of a fuzzy, fragmented representation. I like this idea in relation to mine - with the figures walking, each step they give off a fuzzy (noisy) effect with the sound. I quite like the fuzzy texture anyway because it gives off that old retro feeling (my author writes a lot about black history so it works quite nicely).

Study Task 4 - Animated shorts/stings

Animation 1:

https://vimeo.com/117803815

'Shapes'

The simplicity and cohesive narrative - each shape blending into another - strong relationship and smooth transitions. Variations of pace.

Animation 2:

https://vimeo.com/79823240

'Asu'

Complex - numerous transitions - Text mixed up with the characters - focusing on the walking cycle which is something I am hoping to try and achieve. Very fast paced. Effective cohesive narrative. 

Animation 3:

https://vimeo.com/47115080

'The Unconscious Homeless man'

Very simple but so effective - subtle transitions but a clear narrative with some added humour. Successful and elegant aesthetic - is this something I want to focus on? - making very simple movement with well illustrated pieces of work? Very slow paced which keeps you locked in.

Further ideas

I like the idea of morphing the famous 'blue eye' into a spaceship somehow, capturing all the black bodies. This whole concept is extremely provocative but I wanted to show the black people's urge to feel accepted and 'normal'. But it also shows aspects of being captured for slavery - this idea was mixing both aspects of 'The bluest eye' and the slave trade.

I wanted to really simplify the black figure down to convey that message of not feeling human and not being treated as humans.

Initial designing

I wanted to look back over some of my original sketches for my editorial work to give me some further inspiration.

One of Morrison's quotes which really stuck in my head was 'Trespassers among the human race' (when she was talking about how black people felt in the time.)

I liked the idea of a busy crowd of people walking in one direction to represent the 'human race' and then a few small black 'figures' walking in the opposite direction to emphasise the separation and isolation.

The contrast in the tall and small figures works so well as it really captures that idea of power and segregation.

The repetition of figures emphasises the busy composition and adds well to the intimidation the black figures are experiencing.

The black figures aren't the cleanest and sharpest pieces of work to represent that idea of feeling incomplete and not included.

Group Crit

Main feedback points:

Don't be afraid to be more provocative with your designs.

Continue printing and experiment with some more designs.

Try some mono prints with your stencils to add some texture.

The simplicity works so well with such a complex concept.