Virtual Presence

Recently graduates have visited University to show their portfolios to help us decide how we want to approach our own. I found the portfolio day with Hannah kirkbride (Patternmash) and a talk by recent graduate Elnaz Yazdani the most helpful and informative. Both graduates portfolios were simple in approach which is how i will approach my own so the focus is on my work rather than layout.

I have also started to develop a website to work alongside my Online presence on Instagram. I wanted the website to be a place where people can view my work finished as opposed to just developing on my instagram. The design is deliberately simple because i want the focus to be on the work not on the functions of the site. I looked around at other artists webpages to get a sense of placement and style and i found Susie Macmurray's site approach most effective. I am happy with the site so far but i will continue to refine it.

Website Homepage

Instagram Homepage

As part of the Unit i also decided to design a business card which i will be able to give out at the Degree show and New Designers. It was challenging trying to show yourself in a very small space and give the right first impression. The end design i feel shows me and my work effectively in a simple refined way. 

Final Business Card

Installation Testing

Because i want one element of my practice to be focused at galleries and installation art i wanted to make a physical installation. I have proposed this for the degree show because it is a great platform to show this. With that in mind i wanted to experiment with the pyramids and the idea of my Imagination taking over an area. To use the pyramids as my medium to paint a picture from my imagination or represent me and my everyday imagination.

Firstly i tried a small attempt of the different pyramids progressing up an object. I used a chair and i feel it was successful. I enjoyed viewing it from many different angles because it revealed different designs on different sides of the work.

After this i wanted to attempt suspending and having the pyramids progress over something because although i felt the effect on the chair was a success i wanted to do more with the pyramids. I made a mini installation of a vision i had for the degree show, which would be the pyramids suspended and on the floor but collectively looking like a waterfall, almost like my imagination crashing though the art school.

The larger scale installation would not have as much space between the pyramids and from doing the test i found i need to find some way to weigh the suspended pyramids down because they are not heavy enough to keep the fishing wire straight without. for the little model i used coins but i may use something else such as crystal shards for the installation because they will be visible.

experiment mixing a0 illustration and pyramids

I also tested another possible idea of printing one of my illustrations large scale and using pyramids in corresponding colour to give the effect of part of the illustration spiking (pictures above), I felt it looked like a pulse of energy hitting the drawing. I plan to develop this idea in more detail as another installation possibility.

Vertical Gallery Pitch

As part of my Unit X development i decided to pitch an idea for commission for the Universities Vertical gallery space. This was an important step in the right direction for me because it was the first time i had ever pitched and considered making a installation piece for the gallery.

 Recently i have been experimenting with making my imagination and vision more three dimensional and the pitch forced me to think about what i could do with a gallery space. I really enjoyed to process of looking at a blank space and filling it with me.

My pitch was to make a paper installation of paper pyramids. The reason i chose pyramids was because i wanted the focus to be more on how i decorated and illustrated a shape rather than the shape itself and pyramids are easy to construct quickly.

The idea was to create a collection of pyramids which could be on the floor or taking over something. they could all be decorated the same or each one could be different. I made some visuals and sketches of the idea. (see below)

I unfortunately did not get chosen for the gallery but it was a valuable experience for me to learn more about working to commission and also having the confidence to pitch was a personal triumph. It has definitely made me enthusiastic to work larger scale and create installation art for galleries as one of approaches to work after graduation.

Outward Facing

Throughout this year i have been striving to improve my external presence and to start developing contacts with people in the industry i would like to work with and who generally inspire me. My Instgram has been the main platform for my networking but i have started to develop twitter and a portfolio website as two other points of contact.

During this process i have spoken to many fellow graduates and practitioners creating opportunities for myself after graduation.

The first is upcoming work experience with a Paper Artist called Andy Singleton who's work was featured in the First Cut Exhibition. He emailed me to offer me some work experience starting assisting which will be extremely beneficial to me and my ambition to make installation art myself. His work has always inspired me and i want to learn as much as i can from him. It is a exciting opportunity!

Nebula 2014 and Ice Form 2014 - Andy Singleton

I have also been investigating and talking to galleries and companies in Liverpool to see how i can get my work seen because i am planning to be based there. I have already spoken to a shop called Nook and cranny who sell many independent Illustrators work about stocking my prints after University as well as others.

Nook and Cranny - Liverpool

i like the ambiance of their store and will be going for a interview in the near future to discuss the ideas.

I have definitely learned the importance of networking for creating opportunities for yourself this year.

Model Making and Visualising

Developing the pyramid concept and thinking about where this work could be placed i started by taking my designs and making them into little three dimensional models to test the designs and whether they were achievable. I enjoyed this because similar to the quick sketches it allowed me to make ideas become physical quickly like a 3d sketchbook.

Different scales, Patterns and Techniques

Initial experiments placement and scale

I also experimented with scale and size to achieve a textural feel to the pyramids (below). The different lengths and widths collectively created a sort of textural pulse which intrigued me as a idea.

experimentation with different shapes and texture

I also started to visit galleries mainly in Liverpool and Manchester because i am planning to be based in liverpool after graduation. I wanted to look at the spaces which would be available to me in the future and also think about how i would apply my work to that space. To do this i took photographs and then illustrated over the top of them options of how i could use the pyramid concept and other areas of my work in  a gallery setting. I really enjoyed the process because it made me have to consider scale and placement and also what materials i could use in certain space. All good practice for gallery pitching.

Gallery Visuals : Whitworth Art Gallery and The Bluecoat Liverpool