Bit of Random

Because i am a bit of a dilbert and left my folder work for cd design at college today, im sitting on the laptop being rather bored.

a friend doing first year photography was struggling to edit out the background of a photo he had taken, and i said i would give it a go. unfortunately its near enough impossible, as it consists of a net dress, with tiny holes with the background in.

BUT i did have a bit of fun with the image, and having a little play about on photoshop, and importing a few images in from google, i came up with something i actually quite like (:

not bad for 10 mins messing about methinks.

Ive just realised, one thing, and its mega annoying me now. THE TYPE IS THE SAME AS ON THE VAN HELSING COVER! :@

Storm

Whilst out and about around London the last two days, and in various publications, my eye has been drawn to the Storm watch company adverts, which are simple yet very captivating at the same time.

im now ridiculously annoyed because i cant find any images to show you of them, i wish i had bloody taken a photo now!!!!

but any London based people, keep a good eye out for them!

CD Design Images

After feeling very lost and confused in regards with this project, and not having a  general direction, i sat down and listened to the music from my composer [Chopin]. I know i should have done this ages ago, but i just never got round to it, and admittedly did kinda put it off.

While listening to the music, i was hit by a sudden wave of nostalgia, the beautiful piano pieces reminded me very much of a Victorian playhouse, and silent movies. i also began to hear stories in the music, and it was these storys i could visualise in my head where i took my ideas for the imagery from. 

the tracks on the first disk made me think of people being merry, loud and lary in a bar, and two men getting into a fight over a girl

the second cd made me think of a man lusting after a woman, wanting her love, doing anything to get it

the third cd, in my mind, was very contemplating, thoughtful, somebody alone, lost in their thoughts, neither sad nor happy.

below is the imagery i took with a couple of friends down at the local park

 

i have edited these images in photoshop, adding a sepia effect and a textured vignette over the top, to produce what i think aint a half bad image (:

Karma Chameleon

Just a quick note, im currently trying to change my header and theme while at college but for some reason it doesnt seem to be working. apologies for the naff-ness of the blog right now.

I Just had to make a post now!!

Ok, its 12.15 am, i have to be up in the morning for work, but i just cant sleep, and im in the mood for working on coursework. so when in rome….

ive just had [and it really couldnt have come too soon] a massive brainwave for the CD Design project. we have to make a series of 3 cd designs for a classical composer, me choosing Chopin. im going to listen to some of his music and write down words that describe the feelings and emotions i get from the music. after posting earlier in the week about Dirk Rees and just generally being really into his images at the moment, i have decided to take the emotions and feelings of the pieces of music, and try and capture them photographically, and after some [probably heavy] editing, come up with images that are of a similar vein to Dirk Rees. i feel these images will create a great impact on the cover of the cd. Im also considering merging this idea with “Brainforest” [see older post] and creating my own mobile, but using imagery on it that reflects the mood, i.e. a dark and mystical sounding cd would have dark blues, purples and blacks on the mobile, where as something happy would have yellows, oranges, lighter greens.

ooooooooooooooooo. im just getting all of a dither and excited about all this now!!!

First Attempt at Etching!

I finally have a piece of work to show you all!
this is my first attempt at etching, from my printmaking session. i created an image of a typographic face, using the word “Hair” to create the hair, etcetc. this was etched into a zinc plate, and after being bitten in acid, inked up and printed, this is what the final outcome was (:

Ok, its no Norman Ackroyd or Rembrandt, but im pretty chuffed with it, not bad for a first go methinks!

Random post about some artists i have discovered i like (:

1) Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger – Brainforest.

i think these 3d mobile-like creations are absolutely stunning pieces of work. there is nothing i would like more than to lay down underneath these things! it creates a brilliant illusion of suspended animation, and each little meticulous detail just makes the whole thing much fuller and richer, and all the more delicate

2) Dirk Rees

i just totally love the way this guy captures movement in his images, and how the one image can be so powerful. i particularly like the image of the man in the glass box, and his scarf smashing through. i love the idea of something that is known to give comfort and warmth being turned into somethign razor sharp and powerful, almost snake-like, a deadly cobra lashing out at the constraints it has had placed against it.
i feel another photoshoot coming on here….

Long Time

sorry its been a long time since ive posted, ive been struck down by illness and have been busy with family and work stuff.

i am still currently in the process of planning and developing final ideas, so i currently have no images of work to show you. as soon as i get something worth seeing, i will put it up quick.

with only6 and a bit weeks to finish off ucas stuff and open days, i have been rushed off my feet trying to get to open days and writing personal statements and the likes needed to go onto the app form, i also need to head back to high school to talk to them about certificates i never got.

i have also had a job change at work, im now stocking up bread and cakes. so not as much chance now to look out for different packaging. there arent any bread packets that stand out as amazing to be honest, same with cakes.

Oh, i just remembered one. Cadburys have launched a packaging re-design for the halloween period, and have come up with some nice but simple ideas!

i particularly like the logo, how the swirl in the original flows into the orange “halloween” banner. very smooth and works well.

its been a good half term, but back to college on tuesday, starting with printmaking and digital image. must finish off my stuff for the sketchbook ready for the lessons tomorrow. still thinking of an idea of how to put the text into my sketchbook for printmaking. i did have my eye on some letterpress metal-cast letters, but after paying for car insurance i cant afford anything at the moment. i might make some card ones, buy cutting round a font to make a template and using glue to seal the card from water, stop the stamp from becoming mush. if anyone else has ideas, please comment!!

enough rambling for tonight, i will post later on sometime next week (:

Photoshoot

 

Today me and my friend Angie made a trip to a local… well, it used to be a quarry, but has been filled with water to make a rather beautiful woodland scenic place thing. google “Bawsey” for a general idea. after reading some prospectuses and seeing that most places that offer my course would like to see evidence of photography work, i thought it would be good to give it a go. Angie is an aspiring model, so we put two and two together and arranged to meet up. here are some of my results

Dawn of a New Era

I know i havent updated in a long time, mainly due to working almost full time and other ties, and to a distinct lack of anything graphical in my life.
but oh, we are back and ready to rock and roll.
Second year graphics resumed last monday, and i am fully back on track with all the new projects, although not amused with some of the drastic changes that have happened over the holidays, namely staff cuts and technology changes.
Lessons include – Typographical Studies, Personal and Professional Development, Printmaking and Multi-Disciplinary, Design Projects, and Book Making. it should be a pretty good year methinks (:
have started gathering images of  faces for one design project, and started looking at series of books and covers, and cd designs and packaging for the CD design project,

Ohhhhhh how exciting