TELL AN UNTOLD STORY PT 1 - Experimenting

That's a tree. 

A little sketching. Thought that the trees looked like those
sea fan corals (Alcyonacea) -
Fun fact! They are actually animals.

Tried using a dishwashing sponge (The only thing I found)

I honestly wasn't sure where I was going with this. I was actually
thinking about creating patterns out of the characteristics of a coral
(may have gotten bored of creating single corals)

Did more tests with sponges (I really like the texture it creates!) and
a few stamp/patterns (inspired by the previous experiment)

I decided to create something with a context (?) to it.
Perhaps it was because of what I friend had mentioned
to me about corals. (being used for human resources etc)

Thoughts

• I may have a clearer idea on where I am going with this brief. I initially wanted to work around the idea of simply admiring and welcoming the beauty of nature, in this case the coral reef. Perhaps it was because of a feedback given to me about exploring shape, texture (to which I actually didn't think about)

• Creating these little zines and tests, I found out that I quite liked creating simple shapes, mark making, textures and patterns (?). Perhaps I could incorporate it into this project? And I would try out collaging actually. 

• Another idea I have in mind was incorporating the idea of corals are exploited for human purposes and that now it is not simply a fleeting beauty, but a broken home (we are the main cause of its deteriorated state, actually)

TELL AN UNTOLD STORY PT 1 - More field trips and exploring

Manchester Museum (The University of Manchester)

Corals and shells exhibit - Manchester Museum

Thoughts

• A friend took me around the museum and we had a small discussion whilst we were walking around the animal exhibit. She mentioned a few things that I thought would be helpful for this project. I discussed how I would like to focus on corals and she suggested that I could look at corals used for human consumption (jewellery, minerals etc) as well as how climate change has impacted them and the animals living in it negatively 

• Perhaps the things I need to focus on now is to experiment and explore the visual aspect of it (how it would look like, material testing and so on). 

• During the mega crit, someone suggested that I could try to look at texture, pattern and colour in corals. I think that it was something I'd be sure to explore. Though still need to decide what I'd like to convey from this research. So far, I've been thinking about simply illustrating the beauty of corals. 

3D CRAFT & LENSE - FINAL OUTCOME 

Thoughts

• It may not be a literal photograph of myself, though I personally think that it reflects who I am (the glasses and all)

• I am really satisfied with the final photographs (still can't decide which one I would consider as the final outcome) I wish I could have done something about the lighting? It looks rather dark, now that I am viewing it on screen. Though overall, I think that I quite like how the photographs capture the idea of 'invisibility' or 'disguise'.

 3D CRAFT & LENSE - IDEA DEVELOPMENT 

A few ideas and sketches

I

II

III

Thoughts

• Did not work as well as I thought it would be. Though I quite like the simplicity of it and the colours. I think I need to do something about the shadow and the visible thread

The struggle of staying still and
trying to blend with the A2 paper

Trying out different angles

It was so hard to get the 'right' photo,
composition and lighting wise

Thoughts

• I actually find this brief really exciting. Personally I enjoy photography and create surreal, minimal and simplistic photographs

• I felt like trying out different objects, materials and colours just for the sake of experimenting around the effects and composition. Also it is a really fun process, but a lot of thinking and staying still for a whole minute. (so tempted to photoshop the final photographs)

TELL AN UNTOLD STORY PT 1 - MEGA CRIT

Saw some really good stuff today. It was interesting where people are taking the broad prompts. There a few that caught my attention, in terms of the research methods and simply because of the topic they explored. 

Whitewashing 

(Aderice)

Death (I think?)

(Katherine)

Rituals

(Rei)

Thoughts

• I'd like to blog about everyone's works, though I really enjoyed looking at these particular ones. Perhaps it was because of the topic they have chosen and where they have taken them during the past few individual field trips 

• Looking through these amount of research it made me think of my own current work. I honestly think that I'd like to experiment and explore materials and I still need to narrow down my concept. (I'm still unsure where I would go with the 'coral' concept)

3D CRAFT & LENSE 

Izumi Miyazaki 

Kastor & Pollux

• I wanted to highlight these two artists/designers due to their work. They have a distinctive approach in creating surreal and yet minimal final photographs, which I find really appealing. The bright colours and surreal aesthetics got to me.

Thoughts

• I'm pretty excited to start this short brief! I honestly think that exploring illustration through photography would be interesting and it is something new to me. It was quite an eye-opener to discover that there are various ways of creating illustrations (to which I have a misconception of it being limited to the 'traditional' and 'conventional' methods of 2D image making) 

TELL AN UNTOLD STORY PT 1 - SKETCHES & ZINES 

It's a shame it was being refurbished.
It would have been really helpful for my research
on corals and fishes that live amongst it 

Fun facts from The Deep's brochure

A few more research done about environmental science and issue regarding
marine life

Material Testing & Concept Exploration

Tried out a little comic strip (?). Tried to form
some kind of narrative

I was trying out a little more figurative and minimalistic concept

Thoughts

• I am honestly still not entirely sure which direction I am going with (though it has been narrowed down)

• I had initially thought of simply capturing the beauty and mysteries of the sea life. Though I thought that I wasn't too interested in exploring that idea. Perhaps it is because I can't truly capture the feeling without being at the location and moment (I've seen beneath the ocean and marine life ages ago, though it may be different now)

• Perhaps venturing into issues that I have never really thought about, such as the dying corals or unknowingly harming sea creatures (e.g. eating sushi, sea food is a mundane thing as a fellow Asian) would be interesting