STUDIO PRACTICE

TELL AN UNTOLD STORY PT 2 - Step back a little. Breathe!

We just had a crit today and I showed my work with confidence in where I was going with it (after all the moments of doubts and contemplation). Though I honestly felt more lost and confused than ever, after the session. 

Thoughts

• I generally received positive feedbacks about my ideas. I would continue developing with the panels/boxes as it seemed an effective way of demonstrating my idea with clarity.

• The gold motif was effective as it seem to connect the book as a whole (it flows), though a concern is whether it would appear as prominent when it gets printed out?

• I was also told to consider words or text (in which I haven't touched upon...)

Concerns

• I thought that I knew where I was going with it, though as I reflected back to my work, I may have a lot of ideas, exploration and development: but it was all over the place. I can't seem to find a focused concept.

• I also might have overcomplicated my idea. As the message I wanted to convey was rather complicated and not concise -one is about dying corals, then climate change, etc. (I was confused on where this is going...)

I thought that I would focus on the aquarium and similar
brief beautiful moments of nature (?)

• I had briefly spoke and talked about my concept to Jamie. I realised that my intended message wasn't effectively communicated through the work I had done so far. Also the conversation somehow shifted how I thought and how I could approach it. 

• Meaning: I scratched my initial ideas and decided to visually communicate a different concept. I honestly thought that my initial approach to the subject matter was rather literal and generic. It made me think: what can I do about this?

What I should do?

• From the conversation I had, I was able to sum up the gist of what I intended to convey through this picture book. Instead of going through a general approach of the destruction of corals/sea life. I would focus on the idea of 'fleeting beauty' or 'moments' 

• I was advised to focus and be more selective towards what I would like to convey (in which I personally think that I am not too good at. Being selective.) 

• I also thought that I could deconstruct my initial ideas, make it simpler as it would give more clarity in my work. Perhaps I could look back to my research of the trip I made to The Deep. I would need to find out what is it about marine life that is 'fleeting'. 

I finally got my head around my problem. Jamie helped sketch out his
approach in laying out the story.

My rather rough storyboard

Additional notes

• Look at Jon Mcnaught's works (Jamie recommended. Hence I trust his advice.) He also mentioned one of my favourite directors, Wes Anderson. I find his films aesthetically pleasing and somehow the stillness in every scene seem to capture everything, the mood, atmosphere and story. 

• To sum up, I personally think that I may be more perceptive towards where I am lacking and what I could improve on (in terms of work). It's somewhat satisfying to say, stop, this does not make sense. I need to fix it, but how? 

• I suppose, all I need to do is reflect and evaluate, backtrack for a while after the rush of development and exploration (in which I may have been lost in simply creating drawings and not think things through properly)