Doodle Project (Continued)

The following images show the next few steps of my doodle strip.

Ethical Fashion- Body Image

Body image has been seen to be something as very important in the fashion industry for many years.It has been noted, that models on catwalks and on advertising are unusually thin and therefore this has caused many issues over how someone should look. Unfortunately, as this idealized image has been made about women, it has caused many women to suffer from eating disorders in order to try to conform to society's view on how someone should look. There have been recent efforts to rid of the abnormally thin girls and replacing them with more realistic sized women which better suit today's times. However, i think that there will always be this perception that all women must be the same petite size where the reality is quite the opposite; in our minds that is how we view models and thus the products themselves. Advertisement takes a large part in the portrayal of the industry- again they show stick thin models wearing the clothing which not only makes you want to buy the products because they look good on the models, but it gives you something to aim to.

Of course, body image isn't the only issue concerning the fashion industry, there are other things such as; Animal welfare, excessive consumption, cultural appropriation and environmental impact. Collectively, these give a bad name to the fashion industry. Campaigns such as 'The source' aim to help businesses become more sustainable without compromising the people or the environment.

The Source

Doodle Project

After doodling onto A1 sheets of paper, the doodles were cut up into strips. We have used these as a base for a final layered image of doodles. Using tissue paper and PVA glue , i have begun to layer up my image as shown below, covering sections i didn't want to use.

From looking at the doodles i currently have, i would like to adapt them to create a sea theme, using the curves as waves alongside added doodles of my own. 

Printmaking- Lino printing

This week we have been looking into Lino printing. This is the process of using a sheet of linoleum and cutting away areas using a sharp tool to create a relief area on which to print. Our designs were simplified and made angular so that they would be much easier to cut out of the lino. We drew the design onto the lino and began to cut away at the lines; the lines must be cut fairly deep otherwise the image that you are trying to print will not come out as well. Another key thing to remember is that the image you cut out will appear in reverse when printed, therefore, if you were printing then you would need to flip it in order for it to appear in the right way. After removing areas of the lino, we used a roller and ink to charge the lino with ink to print. I took a piece of paper and placed it on top of the lino and proceeded to apply pressure from a large press over the lino. When the paper is removed, what is left should be a perfect print of your design in reverse.

Here is an image of my lino cut which has been adjusted since the first print i did- i removed more of the lino to create different looking images.

I incorporated the research i had done previously into Keith Haring and also the images i had created beforehand using monoprinting to make this image. It is a close up and angular spaceship using the symbol from Haring's greed sign. This was a good choice for a lino cut because the lines could be made straight and cut out easily. I found the process of lino printing quite enjoyable and i think that it is a really good way of getting multiple prints of one design- it is cheap and effective.

Photoshop and Photmontage- Kurt Schwitters

Kurt Schwitters, born 1887, was known as a master of collages. He used scraps of paper to create interesting pieces which included cuttings from newspapers, posters and advertisements.

I find most of Schwitters work fascinating and he managed to incorporate a message wich was particularly relevant at the time- he was involved with the Dada movement. In this sense, politics begins to play a part in art which heavily influenced the style and format. 

From a design point of view, I think that all the scraps have been carefully placed to create and effective final image and the colours give a certain dark mood.

I think his work is similar to collage rather than photomontage, although, I still think that there are certain aspects from photomontage.  

Photoshop and Photomontage- Raoul Hausmann

Hausmann , born 1886 , was a founding member in the Dada movement and this was very much a part of his artistic style. He used a combination of both paint and images to create his montages and they often reflected his wild personality.

I  think that his work shows a certain precision and skill of composition and juxtaposition which creates an interesting appeal towards his work.

In mixing the images with each other, Hausmann creates a relationship between the objects and in doing so, the image becomes more effective. His use of text and images creates a contrast which is both interesting and eye catching; the change between rough and smooth or the sharpness in each image. 

Photoshop and Photomontage- Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg was another photomontage artist who was inspired by popular culture and loved to experiment.

His materials were unusual , for example, in one piece he used: a tire , a police barrier, the heel of a shoe, a tennis ball and paint to create his artwork. I think this style was interesting because not many people had done the same; it was an experimental expression of a message.

He transferred prints of well known images and used paint to blend the images into one. The images were often linked, although at a first glance you may not notice the detail set on the canvas.

I like Rauschenberg’s style because I think that although it was experimental, a lot of thought has gone into creating and developing techniques to create these pieces. The colours and images work well together and often help to create a certain aspect of the work stand out more prominently than others.

Photoshop and Photomontage- Peter Blake

Peter Blake, best known for his individual pop art style and album covers, is a british artist taking a lot of influence from pop music and it's audience. He became quite central in the 60's in the pop art movement and has produced art in ranges of media such as collage, sculpture, engraving, printmaking and particularly album artwork. 

One of his most famous pieces of work is the Beatles cover 'St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' which incorporates a range of different images of people who had significance in the lives of the Beatles; people who they admired. 

I think that the design for this album cover is clever and reflects the nature of the music. The bright colours make it stand out and this is particularly effective at drawing people in. This was very influential in developing the pop art movement with the Beatles fast becoming one of the most popular bands of their time. 

The above image is another of piece of art by Blake, which shows iconic and recognisable images such as the Coca Cola logo or Elvis. The use of these images allows the audience to relate to them and once again the pop art style makes it slightly bizarre but the use of the images looks correct. The abnormality of the image is contained within the border and each block is the same size which allows a certain sense of regularity to it. 

Photomontage and Photoshop- Thomas Barbey

Thomas Barbey

 Thomas Barbey, born 1957, only started creating his unique photographs in 1994 after leaving a career in music. 

His work is very interesting because instead of taking numerous photos and merging them using editing software such as Photoshop, Barbey uses a method of putting together two or more negatives together. Exposure is key in his photographs, this is pre-programmed by Barbey so that his images can be layered and printed simultaneously. It is hard to understand the process of his work, however i do not think it is always necessary to fully understand the technique to be able to appreciate the image. 

I like his work a lot because it has a lot of thought behind it and the final effect is striking and really interesting to look at. Barbey takes his inspiration from artists such as Rene Magritte and M.C Escher and it is easy to see their surreal influences in his work.

Photomontage and Photoshop

Dave Mckean

Dave Mckean is a British artist who works within different types of media and has previously done work for book covers, CD covers, posters, children's books, postcards, films and magazines.

 

His work is a mixture of photographs, illustrations and found objects, this is a very attractive combination and you can see how he has used these features to create striking images.

I like Mckean’s work because of his interesting and unique approach to the style. I think his dark colour choices are effective and they often reflect the nature of the book, film, band or even children’s book; he seems to favour this dark style throughout his work.