CONCLUSION OF 6 WEEKS EXPLORATORY STAGE AND WHAT I HAVE GAINED
Throughout this process so far I have covered a wide range of topics within artistic design and media. Each week as a group we looked into something new.
Week 1: This week involved the introduction to topic of memory where we had to take pictures of items then draw them as if they were still life manipulating the composition and then finally burying these objects in a time capsule style and photographing the process. This seemed like quite a dull process however it gave the opportunity for creative juices to start flowing and for us to get into the habit of recording/ photographing all the actions we take and things we do. It was a steady preparation for the weeks to come and it also worked well as a bonding process where we got to see what objects represented peoples memories. The trip to the V&A museum was great for inspiration as well as bonding with people; seeing unique artwork in the form of graphics (a topic I am very interested in) helped me feel glad about my choice to study at Ravensbourne and also the 'memory palace' exhibition started to make me think in a new way where I am really beginning to look at the world through a creative lens questioning the normal and looking for original ways for looking at the world in my own work and ideas. When creating my timeline I went for an ambitious design which took many redrafts and in turn a lot of time (much more than it should've taken), however making this mistake of bad time management so early on in the course allowed me an insight to plan projects more carefully in the future considering time management significantly.
Week 2: This week was based upon a topic that I honestly was not looking forward to, however I was extremely surprised to find that I really enjoyed it and think that I did quite well when designing and creating my final garment. I am glad I went into the topic of fashion with an open mind and actually tried hard to do well instead of feeling nervous and not bothered about something that I originally thought that I would be awful at. My uncle Gary Harvey has worked in the fashion world at a high standard so referring to some of his advice during the week allowed me to look at fashion seriously. I still prefer other topics more than fashion but I am glad that I participated in this week, it has given me confidence and some very compelling information on jobs involved in that industry. To cover this alien (to me) topic so early on in the course was great because it puts you into a mind set where you are now able to deal with anything.
Week 3: This week consisted of many different topics; under the name of contextual studies I delved into what kind of learning style I have. I am a theorist, we were given a sheet to show how we work best and where we work not so well, this was a very simple process but I feel that it has given me a clear vision on how to go about my work in a methodical manor to achieve the best results. I also looked at the computer programmes including: 'photoshop' and 'illustrator', exploring the basics of each programme. This brief insight into something that I am likely to use much more in the rest of the year was essentially a great ice breaker to a new world which I had previously no knowledge of. Visiting the Tate modern again inspired me especially when looking at the Russian revolutionary posters, this trip also helped me to realise that I always need to be feeding myself artistic inspiration in order for me to keep relevant with art and keep producing fresh ideas without mental stagnation.
Week 4: This week involved a topic I knew a little about but I was very curious to find out much more as I have always admired architecture and the design of 3D products. I really enjoyed the first day when we lost all restrictions and started designing everyday objects which had to originate from an everyday object for example a rabbit hutch designed in the shape of your favourite fruit. This exercise was amazing for bringing out the creative thought, which is a fundamental aspect of all art and design in my opinion, so it was great to do a task like this so early on within the topic week. Since a young age I have always built models using 'lego', books and all sorts of random materials so I felt right at home when carrying out these tasks of bridge and tower building and I feel that overall I designed very well especially when creating my spaghetti tower making it the tallest in the class whilst supporting the necessary objects. The only area where I struggled slightly in the week was when I had to work in a group and stood back instead of taking control allowing others to take charge and essentially fail the task. But from this mistake of standing I have learnt something to take into the remaining weeks and the rest of my future.
Week 5: This was the week that I was most looking forward to, graphics as a topic mainly involves two areas which I am very attracted to: typography and illustration. So with the format of the week covering the two main aspects on separate days then combining them on the final day was great and made further impressive by the fact that the tasks set were actually very enjoyable and could easily be moulded into each individuals likes or even dislikes depending on what effect they were striving to achieve. Again for my final poster I planned well but I did not consider my resources running out and did not consider time management in the case of mistakes so again I have learnt from my mistakes but this slight dip in form was brightened out by my overall enjoyment throughout the week and this is why I chose graphics as my pathway to take.
Week 6: This week involved a topic which I have always respected and enjoyed but realistically I had never studied it at any higher level then simply experimenting on my own. However this week shocked me in that it was more about the process of film making and storyboarding rather then actual actions and making films which honestly I was slightly disappointed at. I did not let this get me down though and I kept on going taking the topic seriously without getting disappointed from my original assumption. I started to really appreciate the process of planning and how constant editing and following a flexible structure great stories can be created. I felt I recognised my strengths residing in the areas of character design and out of the box ideas for plot which others would not think of straight away. I learnt a lot from this topic but I would not follow it up as a pathway because it seems to be to much of a risk diving into the unknown; the week was good but not insightful enough about actual photo taking and the animation we did was great but we only did that for a single minute so I couldn't seriously decide to take the topic any further if it was going to be as simplistic as that. I feel that it was too easy and ideally it needed to be more challenging and not as disconnected as it felt.
Overall the 6 weeks have had their ups and downs but as a beginning it has been a vital learning process to the course and at the stage where I am currently at I have made much improvement since the beginning of the 6 weeks. At times it will appear boring but you have to make it appealing to yourself on your own sometimes and that it when you tend to achieve the best results. I am glad I have done this process and experienced a range of topics at a fast pace which have generally given me enough information to make a good estimate and decision as to what pathway is best for me to take through the rest of the foundation course. I have made enough mistakes to help me overcome the basic principles of projects to aid me plan and save time and resources successfully whilst achieving quality results. I feel so far that generally everything has gone rather well but I am keen to keep moving onto the next stage of the project and polishing off my work to achieve high quality results for the assessment which should allow me to proceed onto the next stage of the course.
CHC
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