Peter Banks
PhotoSculptures:
1.
This piece is about trying to steer away from typical builded structures that artists make. It approaches sculpturing in a more diverse way. I feel the structure is trying to appear singular and unique, however it is merely reflecting the format of the full colour magazine, which she is staring at.
The figure was created by picture interlocks that are free-standing. These pictures are positioned and locked to create more fluidity. There are fine wire rods that help these pictures link together to create this figure. The furniture is connected with the wire rods too. The furniture is also cut back to reduce its scale, so it matches the size of the sculpture.
I really like this work, I think it is very creative and different. It looks as if a woman is actually sitting there, but each angle you turn you see the structure is its own form. I particularly like how they incorporate the table, something that is actually real, playing around with fake and real. I feel I would apply this to my work by looking at the bigger picture, by trying to transform my photography into something more interesting, 3D and sculptural.
PhotoPuzzles:
This work is a game, a little bit like the original flip books when you were a child where you can flip the head, body and feet. This is a chronologies series that uses different combinations of the images to create alternative historical possibilities. The first sequence describes the relationship as it actually occurred chronologically. In the second the relationship is reversed to swap the father/son roles. The third sequence shows the two men as brothers, apparently aging in the same time scale.
It starts with complete images, but, by folding each section in turn, it is possible to create composite portraits. The composites superimpose features from each of the two heads, as well as the same head at different ages. Photofit is a sequence showing a range of possible permutations obtained by folding the structure in different ways.
I love this work, it is sentimental, personal and creative. There is scale and a lot of thought put into this for the pictures to all link and match. It is clever with how it has been planned out for it to be calculated to all work and flip together. This has inspired me to look at my photography more calculated and personal. I may want to create books and have a more creative streak through my photos.
Chemigrams task:
Cara Thuringer
During this task we had pieces of paper and objects such as feathers, lemons, salad leaves, tea bags, coffee, honey, suncream, oil, stop fix solution and developer to create that resist on the paper. A lot of effects were made, with different shapes and movement, it was a very expressive and experimental task. By spraying and placing these things onto the photographic paper it began to change colour. I enjoyed mixing the coffee, suncream, developer and fix together. This combination created a very watery mixed result, a bit like the ocean with the swirls and blending. I sprinkled soda crystals over the surface too which made the paper have lots of bubbly textures to it, I particularly liked how a hint of light pink would blend across the light grey and black from the fix and developer.
Types of resists:
- Nail Polish
- Wax oil
- Cellulose varnish
- Acrylic varnish
- Acrylic medium
- Syrups such as honey
- Egg
- Glue or adhesive
- Lacquer or resin
- Felt tip pens
- Removable adhesive, plastic, sticky labels
- Tape
- Liquid mask or rubber cement
Andy Gould
My work:
The next process was to ruin these chemigrams, I did this because I wanted to take a different approach to what the original result was. The concept in general was to create this disrupted and messy piece, so by adding more disruption creates more texture and interest towards printing. In the first chemigram I stuck strands of film that had been developed of buildings, this was to show the contrast in developed film and chemigrams on photographic paper. By adding acrylic paint brings the pieces out instead of having a solid grey tone. So when coming to experimenting on Photoshop with altering these scans, the colouring will bring them to life.
Scans:
These shots are strong with the difference in colour, I wanted to make sure when editing in Photoshop the edits became more vibrant and the contrast was increased. The second shot across I moved the green gel/ light a bit further away from Shakerah to experiment with the intensity of the green coming in, this created a subtleness with the harsh red that is behind her. I really like the green that has been edited to look more brighter, it’s now turned into a neon green, popping/ standing out on the model. When using the lighter red gel I didn’t completely like how weak it came out onto the model, even though it was a nice transition to a gentle and subtle tinge on the model it does work well with her baby pink jumper. It then made the opposing colour (blue) more gentle too which was a nice effect.
Lucy Ridges:
Lucy is a visual artist that works with analogue photography, alternative photographic processes and traditional mark making techniques. She communicated the representation of the female form with various process-led experimentations with the photographic medium. Her processes include cyanotype printing, multiple exposures and hand colouring (photographic prints) with oil and acrylic paints. She creates work through the medium of photography and mixed media. She creates experimental work by the manipulation of a medium to represent reality. She incorporates art and design into photography. Shoots in film and works in the studio. she paints on images and also uses double exposure. The techniques she uses that I would try myself is the minimalism she chooses to capture with her camera with the crossing images. The style and colouring in her photos are similar, she sticks with a running theme and colour scheme, which I really like, this is something I would do in my own work because I think it gives a sensitive and effective emotion.
Stefan Sagmeister:
I found Stefan’s work to be an interesting take on altering an image, I liked how he edited these portraits and created a unique look on the face. It inspired me to experiment with a small sample. I used second hand images to create this piece and used a Stanley knife to cut out these intricate holes.
Maurizio Anzeri:
Maurizio Anzeri makes his portraits by sewing onto vintage photographs. The concept is shown through the age of the photographs at their vintage state, this then being combined with the sharp lines and silky shimmer of the threads. It shows the effect of this world where history and future merge. He works with sewing, embroidery and drawing to explore the essence of signs in their physical form. Maurizio takes inspiration from her own personal experiences and observations of how, in other cultures, bodies themselves are treated as living graphic symbols. His work also shows thoughts or feelings, which is something she also communicates. I would like to experiment with sewing directly onto my photographs, this technique is interesting and effective. I really like the video that I posted due to the clever animation, beautiful scenic shots and music. The video compliments his work well. Altering image through physical media such as thread, material etc. transforms these originals to something interesting. The act of manipulation in destroying something that was originally beautiful and turning it into a different project entirely is such an effective concept.
Experimentations:
I printed my original photograph I took in colour of Sophie. I then painted green paint across the photo, teared brown paper and stuck it down, painted areas, used pen, stuck tape down and threaded thread through the paper. I wanted to make the piece random and expressive including texture. This was my way of demonstrating this concept of altered image by changing the original piece. I tried to work in the style of Maurizio Anzeri by experimenting with the sewing. I also scanned the two pieces.
Julie Shackson inspired artwork:
Julie Shackson lives in Wales and draws inspiration from her work in different mediums from the natural elements found in the countryside. Her art is ‘primarily a visceral and an emotional reaction to colour and form in the natural world, and the subject matter arises from the microcosm to the macrocosm; patterns and flowing landscapes in biological geological realms” – julieshackson.com
This beautiful work by Julie really appeals to me due to its sensitivity and unique look about it. This interests me to take a different approach to altering an image. In my work before this I have experimenting by working in the style of Maurizio Anzeri and chemigrams etc, which are different ways to manipulate photographs. I have also learnt how to play around with techniques in photoshop by overlapping layers and create edits that have been altered to capture this ‘destroyed’ theme. Julie Shackson inspires me to work in this style by creating texural physical handmade pieces of art that I can then edit in photoshop on my photographs.
Artwork I have made:
These are two small drawings that I have made to keep as archives for potential work I can scan in the scanner to go towards edits for my final images. Julie’s work inspired me to create these penciled continuous line drawings to fabricate that look. Wherever the darker areas are in her work, I constructed that onto mine and replaced it with tone from my pencil. Julie uses a lot of different materials throughout her work. Contrasting materials that are unique but all have a link and a link/ theme. I am attracted to her artwork from simply her colour choices and layout. Her style is so idiosyncratic and distinctive. Soon as I saw her work I automatically was intrigued. I constructed the drawings with pencil and my purpose was to get me thinking about texture and tone with textiles for something to use as a layer in my Photoshop editing. I will use the techniques overlapping layers, RBG channels etc. in photoshop with these handmade pieces.
In these two pieces I decided to create something that is different to Julie Shackson’s work but it still links to her ideas and themes. Julie is a textural artist and her ideas inspired me to get hands on with handmade pieces that includes materials. Here I used old pillow cases I had under my bed, then hand sewn with a needle and black thread into the second rag with a black button I had in my sewing box. I decided to add water colour to the material to experiment with more media. For the first piece I had a small raw potato and dipped it into blue acrylic paint and printed it onto the material to create these shapes. This printing technique reminded me of Helen Chadwick’s style that I have previously looked at. I liked how both of them came out with how my ideas have been communicated, they show a unique and textural side to art and design. These are also in the archives to being scanned in to be added to my final images.
For the first one I used a plastic tracing paper I had in my art box, stuck down cut out rags that I had painted water colour onto and then drew on blue biro pebble shapes that I then used my mum’s sewing machine onto with white thread. This was working in the style of Julie’s work mostly. On the second one I hand sewn thread again, and used black ink pen and water colour as well as attaching a safety pin.
For my ideas towards these pieces I have kept some physical ideas to inspire me.
Media such as fabrics and string are contributors that can be used in the making of a textural art piece. Here is some more art work I have created.
Another idea here was me trying to make different effects and style with acrylic paint and tools. I wanted to see what artwork I could create with paint instead of cloth and sew. These are mainly ideas for me to understand and experiment with to see what I would like to use as a contributor to my final images. I could create papers that have etchings and effects like these to scan in too.
- This acrylic paint experiment was more subtle blue and white lines with a scratching technique. I like this experiment as I see the light blue coming from the dark blue as a strange ombre effect.
2. This sample I used paper to press the colours all together. I really likes the way it came out. The dark colours with the blue are really deep and effective.
3. This acrylic paint experiment I applied thick layers in wave movements. I mostly like how it is going from thick to thin as it comes off the paper like a 3D effect, achieving this textural idea.
4. This experiment was to get a tone, from dark lue to light. I blended and use a fine paintbrush. I wanted to get this blended gradient.
5. I used blue ink on this sample because I wanted to do an experiment were I put paint on the ink to see the composition.
6. I used a scrubbing brush in an up and down motion to create a dotted blue colour experiment. I thought this was successful because the colours and technique worked in an effective way.
7. On this one I used a wooden massage roller I had that had textural pieces of wood that stuck out, this is the small squares that compliment the mixed white and blues.
8. I used yellow acrylic paint as a base and decided to press newspaper onto it to see effect. Then I peeled off the newspaper to create this interesting ripped effect.
9. I used a very sharp thin stick with a point on the end to make these lines. I wanted to see what it could result it, I think it is a good sample as I liked how their is contrast within the lines from the original colour acrylic background.
10. This acrylic paint sample was mainly created by pressing the colours on one side of the paper to produce a compressed spread piece of artwork. The colours blend in a unique style.
11. Here again, I wanted to achieve lines. I used a fork to create the dots crossing, I think it was quite successful with the green hint of blue mixing to make a sense of turquoise.
These two are my favourtie pieces, and will definitely be apart of the scanning and editing process in my final images in Photoshop. I bought some material from a hobby craft and stuck them down onto two pieces of card to achieve this textural piece. I wanted to capture the ideas of the ocean and nature, like Julie’s style and also Lucy Ridges. I included a bit of sewing from the machine too. Similarly, the water colour piece on the right is ocean inspired. I decided to just freehand paint something that reminds me of this style, something that had lines and shape to then scan in the scanner and be an interesting mix on top of a photograph.
For layers that will be going over the portraits in Photoshop, I want to be able to have a broad range of options. I went round my house and took pictures of patterns/ objects that I liked and that could be effective when editing. Most pictures in doors needed flash to bring out the lines and shapes, and when outdoors the grey sky and cold air brought the pictures a crisp and nice look to them. Now I have multiple options to chose from in what I can use in Photoshop.
Zena Hampson Photography 