Self Indulgence

Nexus [nex·us] n.pl.  A means of connection; a link or tie: The nexus between the mob and gambling.  2. A connected series or group.  3. The core or center.

The brain is the nexus of our body and thus ourselves.

Yesterday I spoke with visiting lecturer: Mireille Fauchon who I had previously met in my second year. I Remember it being an important experience during my second year as I had found a Lecturer who shared similar fascinations that I held in terms of storytelling through image making, a fascination of hiding the truth or choosing to restrict what we tell our reader/viewer about our work; whether that be through challenging the way in which we create our images by making them abstract, or by using symbology or clues that asks the viewer to engage with the imagery in a much more active way then merely viewing it and saying ‘that’s nice’.

In regards to this project she was excited about what I seemed to be interested in, in terms of the images I have surrounded my self with. Such as:

But she worried where my work might be going, she suggested I may be beginning to slip into a state of creating work that was far too personal. This is something that I am all to aware of and has been probably my biggest obstacle to escape during my artistic education. However during the conversation I commented on how I feel I have managed to address this issue and subsequently create work with a more universal appeal far beyond the limits of self-indulgence, we discussed my previous project (which she had not seen) and was very positive about the results and we discussed how I needed to create a similar response into my current project of the body.

-I have felt in recent weeks that I have needed to expand further towards the final ‘products’ of my project but have seemingly been stuck on creating images. This not a total disaster as more work is being created, but I really need to start pin pointing it into a final direction. -

For now i shall progress with my heart book.

Veins and Arteries

Plagiarize [pla·gia·rize] v.  1. To use and pass off (the ideas or writings of another) as one's own.  2.To appropriate for use as one's own passages or ideas from another.

Im going to Plagiarize the life out of everyone

Recently at Uni Self Promotion has been the main focus: We are sending out work to Art Directors/Potential Employers to make them aware of our work and presence, I think its a great Idea and have really enjoyed doing it.

Final Major Project wise I have been really exploring the idea of the blood vessels in our body; the arteries and the veins. Im interested in how they are represented as red and blue (respectively) and this is a nice colour scheme to work with. Im thinking that as part of the ‘pack’ of images I suggested in my previous entry I would have perhaps a small book that kept to this colour scheme of red and blue and was a little book of the heart? Of course not in a lame namby pamby, sickly sweet way, but in an interesting and Nate Kitch way.

Just some rough ideas from my sketchbook working with the veins and arteries idea.

Talking to Jonny and further Pixelation

Prolific [pro·lif·ic] adj.  Producing abundant works or results: "A prolific writer."

I’m bloody Prolific.

Today I spoke to Jonny further about my ideas with the project and how it had evolved into this exploration of the body, he noticed that I carry a lot of my drawings around in a small plastic wallet and suggested this could be a way of displaying my images. I really like this idea and commented on how it would be like a ‘fun pack’ that one receives when they join a club or some sort of association. Of course this isn't what I want my project to be like because im not a complete Berk, but I would like to have a collection of images about the body. It would give me variations in size, shape and medium, I could have posters that fold out of the nervous system and small little books of cells and atoms. Scale will be interesting to play with, as well as the previous idea of layering: from skin to vein, artery to nervous system. 

“dem bones dem bones, dem dry bones” CLICK ME

I also looked back at some photos I had taken and wanted to explore further this idea of pixelating the images with colour halftones. 

I took this photo whist waiting for a train and I’ve always been fascinated by this building, I guess I like its cold and harsh modernist feel. But I decided to enlarge certain points and then bring in the use of the half-tone. It linked back to what I had done with my brain image. It identified areas and eludes to ideas like diagnosis and discovering areas of weakness, it targets sections and draws the you in.

I brought this process to an image of my hand, again its very basic but I wanted to see the effect it would bring when brought to an image of the human body. I had noticed a cut on my hand and I guess this made me think of photographing it, and so I did so, and placed a halftone square patch onto it. It created a similar affect as before, perhaps its could highlight an infected area. I then decided to create another, slightly smaller, patch on top of that one and repeated this process to create progressively smaller squares. What i noticed was that each time the coloration of the pixels went a step forward in the color chart: from red to orange to yellow. 

Interesting.

Hunterian

Embellish [em·bel·lish] tr.v.  1. To make beautiful, as by ornamentation; decorate.  2. To add fictitious details to exaggerate the truth: "A fanciful account that embellished the true story."

Can you embellish death?

On Wednesday I went on a trip with the course to London, on that trip I visited two places:

The John Sloane Museum

The Royal College of Surgeons- Hunterian Museum.

I really enjoyed both visits but what I saw at the Hunterian Museum truly fascinated me, as I am investigating into the human body as part of my project, I had always hoped it would deliver me with some inspiration. The Hunterian Museum is a collection of anatomical, pathological and zoological specimens collected by the surgeon, John Hunter.  The majority of these specimen are displayed in jars of formaldehyde to preserve their states, and this manner of displaying the items created an eerie effect, especially when it came to subjects such as human limbs, the partial face of a child and fully developed babies.

On my return home and on the next few days I was focussed on creating images of the brain, I continued my idea of layering as I carried out with the head layers,but I then took these images into photoshop to see what could be produced.  

I was thinking about the processes of the brain and what thinking an problem solving it carries out. The ABC.. represents this idea of thought, whilst the pixelated shape represent an outside/alien subject entering or attacking the brain, not only in a subjective sense, it also displays this visually.

I like the pixelation, it highlights an area; it seems like an alert.

Progression

Prognosticate [prog·nos·ti·cate] tr.v.  To predict according to present indications or signs; foretell.

So far I would prognosticate that I know where I am going.

A couple of days ago I had written of my excitement of the human body and how it made me feel about the project. I decided to expand on one of the images I had found and to work from this to create images/patterns.

This is the image I worked from; I was interested by the veins and how they networked around the skull. 

I decided to trace them as to see what they would be like without the outline of the skull. The result was just red line but it pleased me, but I felt this was only scratching the surface of this area of investigation. As I sat at my desk I decided that instead of removing the tracing paper I would layer another piece on top of it, and would then find another aspect to trace, or to perhaps work for the newly drawn veins underneath. I merely traced the outline of the head but it was really pleasing how the images below was trying to push through tracing paper and it made me want to continue this process. [Like earlier with what I was trying with the printing, I was exploring the ideas of layers and repetitions, it is becoming to be a theme but nonetheless it seems to be productive so I shall allow it to continue.] I proceeded to add layer after layer until I had made ten different sheets with each pages a slight response to it predecessor. I made a short video clip of the sheets:

HERE

Looking back at the images and their layering it makes me think of skin cells and how there is a constant shedding and regrowth, how skin is translucent and only creates a block of colour through its repetition, much like the tracing paper i was using. Its not a particularly astounding discovery but its is definitely something to think about, there is potential in that. I shall continue to draw and explore and thus shall find more. 

Some poetry there.

Veins and Vessels

Antithesis [an·tith·e·sis] n.pl.  1. Direct contrast; opposition.  2. The direct or exact opposite: "Hope is the antithesis of despair."

I am the antithesis of myself

Today I spoke to Alexandra about our presentation document and during this meeting we carried out an exercise which had us draw for thirty minutes and the goal was only to do what we enjoyed. I created a circle (see image) and this has become something of a signature of mine within my work. I discussed how I enjoyed the technicality of the drawing, of the time and planning, it was interesting to see what reflects from myself into my work and I have always been aware of this. My journey throughout my artistic education has constantly asked me to challenge what it is I am creating and in recent months I've really felt connected to what I produce in my work and have truly begun to see why it is I create it.

The Body-

I started to look for diagrams and images of the human body- blood vessels, cells and networks. Im going to begin to draw these, I like the way they are connected as networks to carry information around the body. The idea of the vastness inside such a small amount of area within us is an idea that simultaneously excites, scares and intrigues me.

I want to learn more about what the body can do and hope that by combining this with my research and drawings I shall find much more about the subject and also push my self to create images of relevance and interest.

http://www.arthursclipart.org/medical/circulatory/page_01.htm- I found this website whilst researching and am transfixed b the diagrammatical drawings of our human body. I love the shapes and patterns, all created through evolution and natures, what a powerful idea, shapes created from purity, these are not man-made, they make-man. Im also suddenly seduced by the notion that these diagrammatical drawings take away any sort of emotion to the human body and create an approach of complete fact, they are distant to thought, feeling or opinion they only reveal truths,information or facts, they are themselves maps. Is there a way I can add emotion or a level of humanity to such rigid, hollow drawings. The irony of emotionless representation of human is also very intriguing.

An example of the vessels that interested me.

Beneficially Detrimental

Oxymoron [ox·y·mo·ron] n.pl.  A phrase in which two words of contradictory meaning are used together for special effect, for example, “wise fool” or “to make haste slowly.”

Beneficially detrimental.

Yesterday was the Private View for the Bargate Exhibition, It went well even if it was a lot of work. Im glad it is over now as i feel full focus and finally return to the FMP. I have been thinking further of my idea for man and machine, I think I want to take up an idea I once pursued in the previous project and create drawings of body part/organs/cells to represent the body, I think as I progress with these illustrations I shall hopefully stumble across something else; lots of ideas are swimming around and I feel I am just waiting for them to collide. I also think I may do the same with mechanical parts constructions that perhaps mirror or have similarities to the human form and hopefully I will learn something in this process.

During the setting up for the exhibition I was asked to create a large circle piece by Jonny; it was larger than any piece I have created before with my illustrations and made me want to pursue my designs on a larger scale, I had always thought about this before but now I have actually carried out the process and to a degree of success and satisfaction has made me more motivated to achieve this once again. 

Some images of my piece.