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.