Landscape and see - Week 2

'Direct'. Photographed and edited by Tramaine Berry,

Weston University Campus.

This week I have been going to workshops as an introduction, which has allowed me to reintroduce myself with different mediums and explore how I can use them for my project.

I have been using a professional camera in order to capture my interpretation of words. The two images on the left are two of my best images. The top is called 'direct', which I have decided to capture a loudspeaker because it is a method used to communicate with students. The second image is called 'contrast', which focuses on the difference and conflict between nature and buildings. I have edited these two images using Photoshop CC and adjusted the contrast, tone and colour of the image in order to gain quality.

This activity has made me more open minded and has made me realise what you are capable of producing through using as little as one word.

'Contrast'. Photographed and edited by Tramaine Berry,
Weston University Campus.

So far I have been making progress with my research and have been using their themes and ideas in my work, however, I need to start speeding up because I haven't yet managed to annotate my work. Additionally, I have also researched articles from the Weston Mercury in order to get some ideas for my work and give it more context. Within these articles, I have found out that the image of the graffiti in my previous post is from a 'paint jam' festival that was set up in order to raise money for regenerating the Birnbeck Pier. I could use this as a reference for my work and build up more ideas.

Landscape and see - Week 1

Uphill Boatyard, Weston Super Mare. Photographed 

and edited by Tramaine Berry

This week I have made a start on my three week project with the theme 'landscape and see'. At first I thought this was a spelling mistake, even though we are suppose to focus on the relationship between land and water. We are also meant to draw what we 'see', therefore, allows us to make our work more abstract and can add or manipulate images. We went to  Uphill, which I was supposed to create twelve five minute drawings, one thirty minute drawing, and a one hour drawing; however, I only managed to produce eleven five minute drawings. We also went to the Weston seafront, I was supposed to draw three twenty minute drawings and a one hour drawing; a thunderstorm occurred as I was finishing my second drawing near Weston Cove, so me and other students on the UAL course went into the Cove Café and ordered a hot drink while sketching our surroundings. I felt like I was in my element, surrounded by like-minded people in a relaxed environment, sketching what we wanted.

I knew I wouldn't have been able to complete the drawing tasks given to me because you need time to think about your composition and then take some decent photographs in order to gain different perspectives and see how you can manipulate the image.

Additionally, Kari Nygard (photo media tutor) advised us to use different medium other than pencil, so I attempted to apply charcoal to my drawing, however, I found it difficult because you cant add any detail to your work and it is awkward to use; however, I will try to use it more next week in order to improve my skills and reduce my weaknesses. I also used graphic pens for the first time, which was the highlight if the week because they are so flexible and smooth, and easy to apply extra detail to your work. My tutor also suggested that we shouldn't be too precious with our drawings and make it more abstract, so I have manipulated my finished drawings as much as possible through cutting up the drawing and sticking it back together  again, and using the photocopier to either mirror or over-layer my images. It has been a fun experience, this course has started to open my mind and I am becoming more and more absorbed into my work. It is different from A levels, one lesson you have to take your time to get yourself into the subject, then you have to go into a completely different subject an hour after your art lesson and then once you come back to art the next day, you have to get back into that mindset again and recap what you have been doing. I think this year will enable me to stretch my limits and push myself into things that I wouldn't have found possible to do last year.

Hopefully, during the weekend I will be researching six artists, so I can explore their techniques and use them on my own work.  However, first I would need to set up my Flickr account, which I will do today and then spend Sunday doing as much research as I can ( I have work on a Saturday), just so I have enough context to explore ideas for my next lesson. I also need to edit more photos, so I can explore more ways to manipulate the landscape I am studying and use it for my project. I also think it would be a good idea to look at different art theories in order to use them in my artwork and make my work more meaningful, however, I will first check if my chosen artists have used any theories because then it will be more relevant to my artwork.

So far this week, I have used three types of medium in my observational drawing, which I think shows that I am willing to be more experimental, however, I think I should have used an additional medium such as ink or watercolour; it challenges the idea of drawing even further and allows the viewer to look at the same landscape from a different perspective.

Weston Sea front, graffiti wall. Photographed by Tramaine

Berry

I have also seen some graffiti on the sea front walls, which could be seen as a primary source of research and it has given me inspiration on what other medium I can use; it relates t
o the theme and it relates to the idea of drawing. I will research who has gratified them, but I might revert to researching Banksy because he is known for drawing on our local landscape. I'm not too sure whether I can fit everything in or not, but once I have finished this first project, then I will be able to figure out the layout and what I need to do within a certain time, however, for now I am just going to try my best to complete the targets I set myself within the week.