Brief: Using the manipulation of line, frame, format, media and colour you are to produce a body of work that visually investigates one of the following definitions of the word 'line'.
1- A formation of people, objects or things on besides/behind the other
2- A connected series of events, actions or developments
3- The descendants of one individual
4- A mark indicating position, connection or boundaries
Starting point
To help find a starting point, we began by listing different examples of lines, and processes of recording lines, and then linked ten of these examples together. We chose our favourite three ideas, and decided which one of the above quotes they related to. We will be writing our own brief based on the idea we choose to go along with.
Examples of lines:
Hair, family trees, heartbeat, constellations, roads, queues, grids, birds eye views, skylines, blueprints, road markings, time lines, mazes, wrinkles, rulers, parallel lines, train lines, routes, maps, line drawings, continuous line, line dancing, paths, rows and columns, natural lines, graphs, bar codes, music, lines of palm of hand, telephone lines
Processes of recording lines:
Photography, moving image, illustration, screen print, book making, 3d, string, cut outs, spray paint, animation, writing, units of measurements, tape, info graphics, conversations, woodwork, textiles, light, sculpture
Linking 10 examples with a process:
Draw constellations, photograph wrinkles, write measurements, film queues, measure with string letter forms, moving image of a family tree, spray paint roads, tape parallel lines, map train lines, cut out bar codes
Favourite 3:
Draw constellations (1), measure letter forms (1), moving image of a family tree (3)
We then swapped our ideas with another person in the group, and they chose what they thought would be the best idea and wrote why.
- Drawing constellations - draw from life or books - I think this will look interesting and colour be experimented with methods of drawing, and is quite different.
I decided that none of these ideas particularly stood out for me, so I thought of some new ideas.
A moving image time line of my life (2), blueprints of objects that wouldn't normally have blue prints (4), drawings of lines on the palms of hands and readings from these (4)
Our own brief
This week we wrote our own briefs.
The Brief:
I am to produce a body of work that visually investigates the following definition of what a line is: "A mark indicating position, connection or boundaries."
Considerations:
I will photography and draw peoples palms and look into how reading the lines of a palm can supposedly tell some one's future.
Target Audience:
Adults, not just those who are interested in fortune telling.
Tone of Voice:
Light hearted, entertaining, informative.
Background:
I will need to research palm reading, as well as different drawing styles.
Mandatory Requirements:
I will need to draw regularly, and ensure good time management.
Deliverables:
A set of notebooks/sketchbooks and drawings/images in an organised, rational and considered format.
A final piece showing my collection of drawings/photographs.
We swapped our briefs with a partner, who re-wrote our briefs for us, and then we discussed our ideas. It was really useful to get someone else's feedback on our ideas, as well as to hear new ideas for my project. This is the brief Will wrote for me:
The Brief:
You are to produce a body of work that visually investigates the following definition of what a line is: "A mark indicating position, connection or boundaries."
Considerations:
You will use photography and draw peoples palms and look into how palm reading is based around lines that supposedly tell the future. This could be analog or digital photography. You could get interesting results with a fish eye camera.
Target Audience:
Adults, designers, artists, creative types.
Tone of Voice:
Light hearted, entertaining, informative (in relation to palm reading), visually interesting to look at.
Background:
Research into palm reading. Research into various different drawing styles: - continuous line drawing - still life - drawing with opposite hand - drawing blind folded. Research into photography and which camera to use.
Mandatory Requirements:
Set out a certain period of time each day to create a routine for drawing your hands, managing how much you want to get done each day/week.
Deliverables:
- Set of studies in sketchbooks/notebooks
- Final poster - outcome of body of research
I liked Will's idea about experimenting with different cameras as this is something I have always been interested in but haven't yet been able to fit into my work. We then helped each other to write out an action plan, detailing what we need to do each week to reach our final outcome.
Action Plan
Action - Research artists, illustrators and photographers (look at Jemmy Cowalt and Rob Gardiner). Get at least four books out of the library that will help. Research the hand in science books to get a better understanding of what you are working from. Experiment with photography (fish eye, Diana, Polaroid etc) and drawing (- continuous line drawing - still life - drawing with opposite hand - drawing blind folded) techniques and begin to consider which process you will use. Deadline - 22nd March
Action - Start to take photographs of hands, and begin to draw from these in your chosen styles. Research palm reading and what the lines on the hands mean. Ask Amber and other students about your work as this is the last chance to show other people before the Easter break. Deadline - 29th March
Action - Continue with photography, and start putting together studies of hands in relation to what you have found out about palm reading. Reflect on progress and consider if you are following action plan properly. Deadline - 5th April
Action - Continue to produce hand studies. Explore and try out different ways of presenting ready for starting the final piece. Reflect on progress and consider if you are following action plan properly. Deadline - 12th April
Action - Decide which stock you will use and what size the final piece will be. Begin to work on final piece. Deadline - 19th April
Action - Complete all work for 26th April
Week One - After researching a variety of illustrators and photographers I now have lots of ideas for how to take this project forward. I haven't done much experimentation with different drawing techniques, instead I have just drawn two simple line drawings of hands and the lines in hands, using a fine writer. I have thought about different phrases that I could use on my final piece, such as "let your hands tell your story", "in your own hands lies your future" and "the future lies in the palm of your hands." This idea of your hands telling a story relates to the mystic side of palm reading, as well as how your hands can give so much away about you, as seen in the Basil Pao book on hands I have researched. Your hands have a story behind them, they show whether you are married, whether you live a pampered, glamorous life or in contrast if you are a hard worker, and so much more.
I have found lots of interesting photographs and have decided that I will use a fisheye camera to take photographs of people's hands, a camera recommended to me by my partner who re-wrote my brief.
Week Two - This week I have been taking experimental photography of hands with the fish eye camera. As this is something quite new to me, I am not sure how the results will turn out when the film is developed, as I have been playing around with the different settings so photographs may have worked better than others. I have also been reading about palm reading and I am in the process of learning about what the lines in your hands mean. Because I didn't do much experimental drawing last week, I have drawn some quick studies of hands, using different techniques. The images are labelled with the technique I have used.
