Unusual Sub-Post

Manchester Smells Like:
Every day i get off at the same bus stop in Manchester to come to uni and there's always an unusual smell. Its quite bizarre so I decided to blog it, and I'm unsure why but I thought I would.

15/02/10 (MON) Raining today, MC'R smells like fish, not a beach kind of smell, just fish.

Mock Presentation Assessment and Moving Forward

Foolishly, my mock presentation didn't go as well as originally planed, first mixing up the time I was supposed to be there and then forgetting my book with all my concept work was not the smartest of things to do, consequently I got a bad mark for my mock review. Quite ashamed at myself for this, I am going to make sure in my final assessment this doesn't happen again. The path I was following with my project was making me unhappy, i was finding it difficult to come up with ideas that I could see my self pursuing and/ or being of some merit in the skills of creating these ideas in finished form and developing these ideas further. I am not working on a project that has developed through the original one that i started with but i am utilizing my drawing skills into creating fantasy concept art, something that i have enjoyed doing for a long time but have found useful to projects i have had to do in other educational institutes and classes. After talking to my peers who told me to stop holding back from what it is i really enjoy doing most, I have decided to follow this path, I am happier with the collection of images I have made and am looking to developing these images into more striking ones that just hand drawn, possibly by developing them in computer programs i am soon to by my self a "tablet" that i was recommended by other fantasy/ anime/ manga/ concept designers and artist. Where this path will take me I am unsure but I feel more comfortable with this route and have a lot more ideas and imagination when it comes to developing this work. I have been making many sketches in pencil and pens and have designed one "character" and have been experimenting with colour styles and patterns before i come up with a finished hand drawn prototype, which i then intend to develop on the "tablet" as i mentioned before. Other ideas for other "characters" in this concept work range are flowing through in rough images but I intend to develop these further and possibly put them all together in a larger composition. This may develop into something else as time goes on but I will have to wait and see what other ideas come from these initial images.

Christmas to New Year

In the last weeks up to Christmas I have been getting on with developing ideas for my project. I am working with the theme of food and have gone down a fashion and information sub themed route. I am currently developing ideas to do with the information theme of my work rather than the fashion aspect after talks with my tutors. Over the Christmas and New Year holidays I have been thinking about my presentation project that I have to give to a group of my peers as well as updating the on going project, the journal. Events that have taken place over these holidays have inspired me on my side project of cartoon and anime/ manga style artworks. When i return I intend to continue on and work harder on the main project as well as starting and of course, finishing the second of my essays for this first year.

Last Week Before Review

This is, or rather has been, the last week before the Table Exhibition review. I have been buying materials and trying to finalize the design for the dress I'm making which was originally going to be my final piece and then move on to something else. However, I have decided that I am going to carry on with this project by developing the designs and making a series of dresses. This being the prototype and the main base, for future productions. I may tweak and change the meanings and themes but this is undecided at this time. For now its all about finishing this dress and the essay.

Reading Week and coming up to Table Exhibition

Reading week was productive with essay writing, still unfinished but there's still time. It was a little more difficult that i expected but i have enough research to write more, I just find myself repeating a lot. Wood induction was good and i hope to find myself down there working on something as soon as this project is over. Ive been trying to think of new ideas for another project whilst completing this one (which i still have much work to do) so far I'm thinking of ideas based around that old cliche of everyday life and exposing the dark side or more arrogant side of mortal life. We shall see, I might work with some photo shop editing and going back to the good old pencil/pen and paper style of working. For now I really should be concentrating on the final two projects I have on going, the food project and essay. Cube Gallery has some interesting works up by previous interactive art students and others and was useful in helping me with the critical analysis of the essay that I'm working on. Another bonus is I've just worked out how to use the confusing spell checker on this blogger program. Go me!

Monday to Monday and Friday to Friday

Today is Tuesday and my attempt at regularity in writing these blogs on Fridays has failed. Oh well. At the moment I am still currently working on my Food themed project up until Christmas when the table exhibition has to be in, however I feel I may change after that, what to, I’m not sure yet but ill jump the hurdles in front of me first before attempting the ones I cant yet see. Some say I am philosophical, personally I think that was a pretty bad way of putting tit. Today I've just had my SLR camera induction and later this lunch time, it’s off to the dark room to develop them and be inducted in that skill sector as well. Thankfully, much to everyone’s delight the workshops have finally started so perhaps we will see some work out of books? Maybe not, we’ll just have to wait and see. Fashion is not something I have worked with before so I decided for this food project to work with that and test myself a little bit, is that where I’m going? I’m not sure I’d love to do video work but I guess I’m working my way up there whilst being able to do all the little things that you com across while making videos. Such as finding actors/actress’s making costumes and getting good setting, lighting and so forth but who knows, perhaps ill work with my “fantasy” images or the in-your-face sculptures that beckon meaning both overtly and subtly about the kind of things know-one really wants to talk about. Shock value is only great when it’s not that obvious, I believe. Anyway, the Food subject has been a moderately good starting theme and I really need to be carrying on with it.

Beggining of the First Major Project

Well we have been given our theme. Food. Of course, I am sure that many were thrilled, but personally, I think a lot of good can come from it. I've only just started to think about a few basic ideas this stage is early development, but I will most likely work with contrasts, meanings and I’m sure base it around something dark themed or shocked. We will have to wait and see. We also had Richard Healy as a guest speaker talking about his artwork at the Corner House Art Gallery in Manchester, which we later went to visit. We were asked to visit the gallery and look at both Healy's and other contemporary artist’s works, write ten questions about the work, think about the answer and write a review of the work. I have chosen Rachel Maclean's "Tae Think Again", which a review will be posted of shortly within the coming week. So that’s all for this Thursday blog, I'll be researching for the first project a lot and trying to sort out my laptop so I don’t have to keep doing it in the drop in room or at home, I can do it on the go and lectures all day tomorrow, which is always interesting and in a couple of weeks we start the inductions -good, because I really want to get working in the workshops!!!