Book binding

Slightly off topic, but we had a book binding workshop, and for various reasons, I only finished my book today. This is what I made.

I didn't, make the covers quite big enough and the pages are a little irregular, not to mention the face it has precisely nothing to do with my project. I am proud of it though. I think it is quite cute, and I am happy to show it off to the world.

Threads

Sorry for the long wait, I have, in my infinite wisdom, ended up doing very time consuming stuff. This dose't seem like such a good idea to me so early on in the project. I didn't expect it to take me so long. Anyway I will stop being cryptic and show you.

This is lots of threads attached though a drawing of Peter Sutcliffe, or the Yorkshire Ripper. All the different threads look like veins. I was thinking of all the different parts that make up the wish to murder,the different little motivations that tie into one big motivation.

Here is what my space looks like now, as some people came very close to decapitateing themselves on my peice.

Homicide and felting

To start with, this is what the sheet i couldn'tshow you last time turned out like.

I like the faces, but I think more variety of size could have helped.
This is what my space looks like with all that up.

I also have now done some pin prints of murderer Peter Sutcliffe.

I quite like the image, though it was hard explaining to my mum why I was doing such detailed drawings of a serial killer. It printed quite messy, but that is not a problem.
We also have had a work shop on felting.

I like my result, though the Heather themeI went for is currently fairly irrelevant. I may use felt again though in a 3d way. It was very fun.

Further layering

I did a bit more layering, but my tablet ran out of charge, so I don't have the final images of these things. But here you go. This is a continuation from last time.

The sketchbook

Sheet one

Sheet two.

Sheet two has a final stage I couldn't photograph yet.

I quite like the outcomes. Text makes you want to read, but when the image is the most prominent feature, the image invites you to think about it more as a whole. I think I should start considering colour a bit more though.

Also I did something to my hand I quite like. Its like a cross between a horrible skin disease and white freckles. I thought it was pretty.

Layering up

Today has been an experiment with layers. I have been working with three different prices; two sheets and one sketchbook double spread. This is how they javelin advanced.

The sketchbook.

This one was a bit random, just trying out techniques.

Sheet One

This one was looking at the theory behind why people committed crimes, reading a sociology text book and things like that.

Sheet two.

This one was focusing on the killers and the story's. I didn't particularly look at one story, just a mixture of the all.

And then I looked at printing using the pin images I made. By painting over them I get this lovely, pop art like effect.

That sums it up.

Portraits

I have started out by making portraits of friends so they can be analysed fir criminal tendencies.

I decided do thread. Some I did while the person sat in front of me, and others by drawing on the back. They both worked out OK.

I then noticed the effect without thread looked quite nice. So I did a few of those.

I like how vague they are, and unclear, rather like trying to discern motives. And echoes portrait is made up of loads of different aspects.

I must experiment more with this.

Motivation Reasarch

Sorry for all the recent writing! It is because it is the start of my final project which is completely self directed. I chose to study motivation, with the theme of crime and its motivators running through it. I started with what I thought was the long disproved theory of Phisonomy, in which it is believed a criminal can be discovered through facial features such as a strong jaw, a pointed head and a rough beard. Although it was repeatedly disproved as a theory, I still managed to find this south Korean image analyzing north Koreans leader Kim Jong-Un.

I decided to look more into the theory, especially at famous phisonomonist, Ceasare Lombroso.

Here is an image in his book. Group  A are shoplifters, group B are swindlers, group H are purse thieves and group E are murderers. 

Apparently you should be able to see the  common features in each type of criminal therefore analyse what kind of crime people may commit, and possibly arrest criminals before they committed a crime. This was based on the theory that criminals were bread and there was a criminal gene.

“A group of Villain Faces, after Hogarth, and three Heads expressing Inhuman Satisfaction, from Voltaire’s self-sufficient Sneer, up to an Infernal Grin.” Johann Casper Lavater

This is Lavater's book, he who advanced the theory. Basically I found out it is all mumbo jumbo, but a great theory to work with in art.

I could analyse the criminality of my friends, which could be fun.

That is briefly a selection of what I have learn't.

Anyway, I got the images from:

http://armscontrolcenter.org/issues/northkorea/articles/kim_jongun_face_tells_all/

http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/police/policework.html

http://library.vicu.utoronto.ca/exhibitions/nassr/science_of_physiognomy.htm#title

Confirmatory Project

During the exploratory stage I found 3D and Fine Art particularly interesting, the former as I got to physically make objects with a concept in mind in a fairly free environment, and the latter for its conceptually driven tasks mixed with learning about drawing and skills associated.  I therefore chose to study Fine Art 3D.

 I found the first project, Document, a struggle. Most of my work in the past has been concept driven, and this was the first time form took priority. I enjoyed exploring the form of leaves, but I missed the more conceptual side and found the project harder to get immersed in. The second project, Transparent, was a lot easier to get very involved in as I started with more focus. I explored identity and history, though experimenting with the creation of see through veils.

This has lead me to believe that a concept driven Confirmatory study would suit me best. History and news stories inspire me, especially people who have committed acts which are difficult to understand such as Hitler or Stalin. I decided that what interests me the most is other people; primarily why did they react to situations as they do?

Therefore I propose a study titled Motivations. In will look at people and events that are difficult to understand, examining actions, history and context and draw up timelines and theories.

I will start with historical research. I would like to look at a local person or event to make primary research and drawing easier. A selection of people I could look at are Mr and Mrs Pochin, Peter Sutcliffe , Charles Peace, The Fowler brothers, or most recently David Rooke, all who would be interesting to examine. With events or institutions I could look at Workhouses, and the harrying of the north. I would also be interested in the history of the death penalty, touching on the fascinating story of Spencer Broughton and the execution of the Fowler brothers. I would focus on drawing people, looking into theories of physiological characteristics revealing criminal tendencies, popular in Victorian times.

I would primarily be using internet and library research. I may need to see about visiting university libraries and the Sheffield archives to get further information. I would also visit museums and locations of possible relevance such as the emergency museum. I also plan to use my journal to record information I find out about the people and events that relate to my project.

As for an outcome, I would plan to create some sort of object or instillation as a document of what I have discovered, exploring the motivations and reasons behind what I decide to research, alongside a documentation of my research.

Evaluation of the Transparent Project

I started out by researching artists and became particularly interested in Maurizio Anzeris who obscured people’s faces with thread. This got me interested in identity and hiding it. I came across Victorian mother’s hiding in their children’s photographs and it reminded me of Burquas and Niquabs, which made me think about head dresses that hid the identity of those who wore them. I experimented with this concept by making head dresses that were often see through, sometimes obscuring the eyes with different techniques. I became interested in the form of these and getting them to stand up on their own. I created a series of different types of head dresses that vary in styles to show the disguising of identity.

My aim was to explore the idea of transparent in a conceptual way, lead by thoughts about identity. I was mostly successful in this, keeping concept the driving force that lead me to my outcome, though by the end I became more interested in experimenting with the form of what I was creating. This was not a problem though as my concept still applied. I did a lot less primary source drawing of things I had not created than I would normally do, spending a lot more time experimenting with textures. In future projects I may make more time for primary drawings, as I feel it may have helped me develop my concepts and what I was doing further. Like most projects I do, it was heavily research led. In the future I may consider spending less time looking at so many artists in such huge depth, and explore primary source and other methods of research more.

I developed my skills with hand embroidery and lace making. I have enjoyed the therapeutic aspects of them, as well as being able to carry around samples and do them just about anywhere. The qualities of what I was creating varied with the location I did them in and how I was feeling at the time. This was something I may to explore. I think my biggest weakness has been not having a plan of how much I was doing one thing or another; therefor I did things like have very strong artist research, but not enough primary sources. I think I need to make more detailed plans of how I am spending my time so I cover all the assessment points equally, which may make my outcome stronger. If I also keep a written journal, so I can save ideas rather than get distracted by them. I think this project has been successful as I made a series of outcomes which were very well linked to my project and the original brief. I think that there are only minor points, such as emphasis in certain areas, which I would change.

Although I have ideas of how I could push my project further, such as further photographic ideas, using live models and creating more complex head gear, I think that they would only serve to round off the project further rather than develop it further. Although those are a couple more things I would have liked to do, I think that they are all, so the project has reached a natural end. I would like to work more with stitch and embroidery, as I found that enjoyable. I also like creating objects that people interact with in one way or another rather than things you just look at, therefore I will probably continue making pieces that can be worn, or pushed, or whatever else interactive. 

Catalogue head dresses

Just to finish off my project I made a catalogue of my head dresses, by doing mixed media drawings. Here they are.

I like the mixed media drawings best. The pen is the least effective material,looking a bit brash for my liking, but looks OK when mixed with other materials. I like the graphite sticks effects.

This is the last thing I will do on this project.

So that rounds it all up.