Look Up / Look Down Photos

These are just a few photos i've uploaded for using with the ipad. I've focused on the literal perspective of looking up / down.

iPad Life Drawing

Here's a couple of drawings that I did on the ipad as part of the life drawing ABC, I thought that it would be near impossible to create relatively accurate drawings with these tablets but I was pleasently surpised at how accurate they are! It was was really fun to draw with and the various media settings made it easier to create images with broader depth than traditional charcoal. I used a program called 'Sketchbook Pro' and would advise anyone with an ipad, to download this as it's really convenient for rapid or detailed observational drawings!

Observe & Experiment Project (Week 2 Summary)

The second week of the project was focused solely on developing ideas from the observational studies we'd collected the week before. At the end of the week we were expected to have produced 10 images using collage e.g magazines, photocopier, 4 digitally manipulated images through photoshop and 5 double page spreads with a combination of image and type.

Initially I struggled with developing a focus from my images that could immediately transform into a full blown, finished idea, too bothered about whether or not the idea would turn out ok rather than just trying and finding out after. So I decided to just shrug of my inhibitions and start experimenting with collage, even if I chose not to develop that idea or media it was still a starting point. I photocopied sections of images/found materials, readjusting the size and colour to create sheet images that I could use to cut out my shapes from. I played around with the composition of these until I'd made completely new ideas. For example, out of the sheet image of a costa cup, I made a steaming cup using collage.

Although I liked the end results of using collage, I preferred experimenting with stencils, I found it a much more enjoyable process as complex type with crisp fonts could be created using any sheet material suitable as a base media. I took phrases found in my drawings such as "Fresh" & the "i" on information boards and stencilled them into found bits of paper with interesting patterns or colours on. I also experimented with monoprinting over a stencil, although the end result didn't turn out quite as planned, and the ink that rubbed onto the stencil gave it a very distressed look and so I decided to use this as an idea. Again using a stencil, i tried out a variety of differenr media, from oil stick rubbings to ink and colour washes.

I've really enjoyed the second week of the project most because I've been able to experiment with a vast variety of styles and media and compare as to which i prefer, and by doing this I've found styles that i have an affinity for and will use in later projects.

Observe & Experiment Project (Week 1 Summary)

'Observe and Experiment', my first project as part of the graphics specialization, the project itself was a way of introducing ourselves into the new style of working (for those of us with little previous experience). The first task for the project was to create a 140 observational drawings/images e.g photographs from primary study, the images had to incorperate people, along side our chosen theme; mine being "Signs" I decided to go into the city centre and draw people stood outside shopfronts, sat inside cafe's/pubs, within shot of adverts/billboards.

Initially I found observational drawing quite difficult, the buildings and signs were easy but they were static, trying to draw people stood outside a shopfront whilst they kept changing position constantly was something I struggled with, not being able to focus on detail. However over the course of the week I learnt to develop my style into a more rapid sketching approach, focusing on the overall shape and distinctive details first; this I was able to gain a greater volume of drawings as I wasn't too busy drawing/readjusting a single image.

I experimented with different media as part of my observations, initially I drew with basic B, 2B, 4B pencils, then I moved onto graphite pencils, charcoals, 0.4 fine liners, chunky markers and coloured felt tip pens. I quite enjoyed working with fine liners and charcoals as they gave texture and depth to the image, rather than a flat pencil drawing but the media I enjoyed working with most was the felt tips, the bright colours maje the image jump off the page compared the monochrome pens and pencils.

I also worked in a variety of styles, initially i worked drew detailed pencil drawings, then developed further drawings in continuous line style; This approach to drawing moving figues gave the best effect as you could re-draw over the last piece and capture the movement of the subject. Sillhouettes, left handed drawings, timed drawings all provided interesting observational perspectives however my favourite was layering. I layered outlines of figures stood outside greggs, in felt tip, each layer with a different colour, the finished image, even though a rapid sketch, had a very quirky style to it, that I chose to look further into in my developments.