Wednesday 28 November 2012

Progress Review Of How Ideas Have Changed

The materials I have used in this project consist of inks, thread, acrylic paint, photographic paper and the darkroom chemicals along with image editing software. The chemicals in the darkroom I used to create a number of experiments such as selective development, vignetting, dodging and burning some image to lighten or darken an area of a photograph, solarizing and reversals. Some images in this project I have sown into and I have also sown four images onto a t-shirt.

My first film was showcasing the suit made by society to be seen as smart and intelligent v.s. casual wear such as hoodies and caps. Link to images of first film. I edited the photographs and experimented, then went onto looking at photographers as I felt the film I had taken was not enough. My final film was of a model painted, both on his face and one of his arms.

I have researched four photographers / artists and have completed an in-depth analysis on each of them - Jasper Johal - Leonard Nimoy - Jane Deschner - Lauren Baker. Jasper Johal is well known for taking photographs of yoga and dance and has completed many more photographs for various clients. Each of his photographs are focused on the light which surrounds the object of the image. Leonard Nimoy, apart from being a very famous actor in Star Trek, took various beautiful photographs within the groups of 'Classic Nudes & Dance Series', 'Eye Contact' and 'Self Portraits & Hand Series'. Jane Deschner did many pieces of embroidery onto photomonatages of old found photographs of families and friends. Lauren Baker us an artist as well as a well know body painter. She does make up art along with full body painting of various different themes.

Through the many experiments I have done, they have helped me with my ideas. The darkroom experiments helped me to decide that my final film had to be different and not involve suits and hoodies as I didn't feel the images were strong enough with the experiments over them. The sowing experiments made me want to be more hands on with my model and not just on the photographs, which along with researching body painting helped me in the direction of where I wanted to go with the project.

Through experimenting, I have refined my techniques through the learning process. When an experiment did not work as I intended it to the first time, I changed my approach in-order for the experiment to work. For example, when I was first trying to solarize some of my images I put it under the enlarger, exposed it to the correct time that I had decided for the photograph, put it in the developer and as soon as the image began to appear I quickly removed it and put it under the light of an enlarger for a few seconds then placed it back in the developer. This didn't work so, I did all of the same steps except that when the image began to appear, instead of putting it back under an enlarger, I quickly ran out of the darkroom and exposed it to the normal room light outside and then ran quickly back into the darkroom to put the photographic paper back into the developer; and this time it worked. Through trial and error and trying again I developed and improved my experiments.

My most successful experiments have been the photographs where I have played around with in the darkroom. These being the selective developing prints and reversals. I believe my selective development photographs are successful as you can see various layers of the developer due to how I have applied it to the photographic paper along with some photographs having a 'splatter' effect on them. My reversals are successful as they not only bring a negative version of some of my images but change the whole feeling of the image; instead of just a face with paint on, the reversals make the images look evil, even demonic in a way... completely changing the effect of the photograph itself.

I think the experiment that I have been least successful with is that of my sowing ones involving sowing into the photograph. I feel that this experiment has been the least successful as I think that the stitching is not extremely skilful nor even adding a handmade feel to it.

I will definitely be taking my darkroom experimentations further for my outcome as these experiments are the ones I enjoy most and I find them incredibly creative and exciting. I think that this will add to the whole effect of that of my final outcome.

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