Sign 5

The brief was to create a poster for a text/copy chosen from a list.

'Guiness is good for you'

Sign 3

Sequence of images made to illustrate 'The Selfish Giant' by Oscar Wilde

I wanted to make something more 'hands on' as I have been relying a little too much on Photoshop recently.  I am very timid when making images and I found that using a coputer helps me overcome this problem.  I decided to make collages using my own drawings.  This was a good idea as I was able to rearrange and redraw as I pleased.  It was refreshing to be able to create depth (using foam board and acetate layers)

Sign 4

The brief for this project was to illustrate a headline which we had chosen in advance.

"You'll be happier without hope- the beneits of positive thinking have been overrated"

The article states that 'there are two basic attitudes to adversity' and that pessimism may not be as bad as we are brought up to believe.  She tries to back up her opinion by referring to a survey which suggest that people who were given bad news with the benefit of certainty were happier than people who were given hope of a possible good news/outcome.

I wanted to illustrate these 'two types of people' in a way that matched/suggested the writer's opinions.  I decided to play with the idea of 'glass half full' and 'glass half empty'. 

rough1 - 'HELP! My glass is overflowing!' (The Super-Optimist)

rough2 - 'My glass is only half full'

In the review, it was pointed out that rough1 conveys the headline in a more immediate way.  I think this is true, and something I had not thought of because I was trying to convey the whole article.  I felt that rough2 shows why the writer believes 'positive thinking have been overrated'.  The man in rough2 is shown as an optimist because he is seeing a glass half full, but he is not happy because he hopes and expects more.  We also agreed that rough2 looks better.

'My glass is only half full'

'No, it's half empty because the other half is in my stomach'

the pessimistic optimist and the opportunistic pessimist

In the final illustration, I am happy that I could illustrate both ways of thinking and the reasons why the writer believes they have been over- or under- rated.  (The pessimist is able to concentrate on the present situation)

However, I really shoul have stuck with rough1 as the brief does ask for an illustration of the headline, not the whole article.  The deadlines were tight and I wasn't thinking very clearly.

Sign 2

Sign 1

Source Project - PEOPLE/FACES

'Cabaret' group project.

I was dreading this project. 

I am aware that there are lots of amazing collaborative work done between people within and between many disciplines.  However, we were first year students meeting for the first time.  I find it hard enough to make friends without having to put my ideas forward (while trying not to disagree with everyone.)

Our group was given the text for 'The story of the Four Little Children Who Went Round the World' by Edward Lear.

Sumptuous, scroobious, sea, voyage, plumdomphious - group image board

I tried to illustrate the words 'Plumdomphious' 'Sumotuous' 'Scroobious' by comparing them in a similar setting.

As part of a task, we had to create a storyboard.  We each tried produce an image for all the scenes we selected.  This meant that the storyboard was incoherent as each scene contained images in different styles/medium/colous/sizes etc.  It did give us an idea as to how everyone in the group understood each scene.

I made puppets and photographed/collaged them to make these images.

I made this puppet onto a black polo neck so that it can be worn to create movements if used in filming/performance.

"Quangle-Wangle" and the cat on a suitcase ship.

I really struggled because the group wanted to do a live drawing performance set to music.  It was going to be just  the people in the group, in costumes, drawing out the scenes, set to music.  I was very reluctant - I am used to working small and prefer having some control over what is going to happen.  I felt that the story we were given would have suited a more narrative approach.

The day before the performance, we decided that it would work better if everyone joined in.  This was a good decision as it made the perormance fun.  There were a few technical details we could have done better, but overall, it was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be (but then, I thought it was going to be absolutely awful!).

I did not take part in the performance itself and was in charge of the 'backstage' tasks like leading people, starting music and taking photos.  I also made posters for the performance.  I was so unhappy with the way this group project was going, I was tempted to just make a poster in my own way without considering the direction this project was heading, and the nature of the performance which was going to take place.  However, I soon realised how inflexible and stubborn I was being (as usual) and produced these posters which I feel are better suited to the performance.

The drawings are printed on sheet stickers.  Most of them are characters from the original story.

I also made bigger label stickers with space for people to draw/write.

I am in no hurry to be in another group project but I did learn a few things from this project.  The people in my group had such a positive way of thinking and a bold way of working - opposite to the way I tend to work.  I am hoping some of their positive attitude has rubbed off on me...