Dreams you shouldn't have.

Another week of video skills and this week we were asked to create a video based on the subject of dreams. I decided to take a very strange approach, choosing to use a variety of characters to tell the story of an erratic nightmare/dream – starring me. The result is something that would strike fear into the hearts of grown men and should probably be destroyed for the safety of future generations.

Happy

Briefing time! We have been given a brief for our video skills class and I think I may have gotten a "little" overexcited. The brief is to create a movie charting the things that make you happy throughout the week. I have on average taken about fifteen selfies, filmed 5 minute long videos of me singing in the car, and also taken several photos of my meals. It is actually really difficult trying to decide what to film because you need to analyse the aspects of your life that have a positive affect on you.

To begin with I was very excited about it, but then I found that its the simple day to day things that make me happy. Sometimes its a memory or just chatting with friends and I feel its a bit invasive sitting filming my friends - and sort of creepy.

Lights, Camera...Action?

Part of this years course is a video skills class which shows us how to work with movies and photography as a possible medium for our artwork. I am really enjoying it because there was a time when I had a rather far fetched idea of me becoming a director - despite the fact I had never done any films or serious photography before - so it has very much pegged my interest. Whether my mini movies peg anyone else's interest is a topic yet to be debated. I think it is very much a case of trial and error. If you don't like something film it again. If you film in black and white, revert to colour. So on and so forth.

Personally I am partial to filming in black and white, in colour I feel as though it strips away the atmosphere that you are shooting in front of you. In black and white there is a glamorous look, which to me shows off the subject better.

"A swally down tae Auld Reekie"



Following on from our introduction to the Multiples brief we were let loose in Edinburgh for the day. Considering I have lived in Scotland my entire life and have been only about 45 minutes away from the capital, I haven't really had the opportunity to look at the heart of the city in much detail. Usually I've spend whole days in the galleries or end up getting dragged around Princes Street to go shopping. But, I was incredibly excited to just walk around the city and see what it has to offer. As part of my brief I had decided that I was going to concentrate on Scottish writers who hold a unique link to the capital whether it is through themselves or through their characters. I wanted to look at a range of textures from both old and new buildings, from cobbled streets to soot stained buildings. By doing this I am hoping to gain an understanding as to what captured the imagination of authors such as Ian Rankin or Robert Burns.

Personally, I can easily understand why the city has remained a prominent location in Scotland's literature history. Within one stretch of road you can encounter great beauty, dirt and squalor, and majestic landscapes, with a mix of old and new.

One down, Two to Go

So, just another year. Having come out relatively unscathed from my first year, I am quietly optimistic about my second year at college I have to admit. Our first week back saw the introduction of a new topic 'Multiples' which has slightly baffled me, mainly as to what to consider for it. The possibilities seem to be extensive. Look for a S.O.S. very soon.

Pathways Project

So, that’s the end of Conceptual studies and Drawing classes as they are now merging together, under the umbrella of the Pathways Project. This Project is an attempt to help us hone in on what we plan on doing for the next two years. A part of this exploration is to do a presentation showing artists that personally inspire you from each of the three Pathways: Visual Communication, Contemporary Art Practice, Applied Design Craft.

For Contemporary Art Practice I chose Edward Hopper as my first artist. His paintings charting the life of small town America are so visually striking with his contrast between dark and light which never fail to draw you in. Yet, I think the reason I like them so much is the fact that they have a true sense of voyeurism, you feel as if you are looking into the someone else’s life, and as a person I am quite nosy.

The second artist is an installation designer called Onishi Yasuaki. His work concentrates on the 3D structure of volume or sound, which he creates using hot black glue and drips onto lightweight tissue paper. The finished structures look striking and immense despite being such a simple method.

Guy Larabee is the third and final artist in my category. Larabee is a sculptor with a trademark medium of book carving; he cuts a variety of mountainous scenes that have a sense of the sacred to them. His stimuli for these sculptures are based on the erosion of cultures and our dependence on technology, often overlooking the traditional sources of knowledge – all very deep.

So on to the next category, Visual Communication. I personally don’t see myself in this category; I am seriously lacking the technological touch. But, I really loved some of the work from artists who work in this pathway - the first being the renowned graphic designer, Saul Bass. Having created some of the twentieth centuries most memorable movie posters from ‘Vertigo’ to ‘The Man with the Golden Arm’ he truly set his name in stone as being an incredible designer. The secret to his work was his talent for distinguishing the most important symbol of a story, turning that into the face of the movie rather than the stars who were in it.

The second artist was a photographer by the name of Emir Ozsahin. Being relatively unknown in the world of photography I found his work to be immensely undervalued as their atmospheric resolution and unique approach to storytelling makes them stand apart from any photographer I have seen. Each photograph acts like a memory, like a slither of Ozsahin’s life, and I think that by using a lens/camera that is susceptible to light leaks was ingenious. I strongly recommend looking at his work.

Daniel Mackie was the third artist for this Pathway, an award winning illustrator he created a collection of drawing in 2011 that brought about international recognition. The works were inspired by prints from the Japanese Uki-o period, naval tattoos, and childhood tales. He took a variety of animals ranging from a chicken to a tiger and brought them to life with vibrant colours and designs, something that I can only aspire to.

Considering that Applied Design Craft is my personal preference for Pathways I find that there are not many artists that I particularly like in this group. But, I have some old favourites, which include Edith Head. A costume designer that truly defined the golden age of cinema she worked on over 1,000 movies, won eight Oscars and managed to produce some of the most elegant dresses that cinema has ever seen. Words cannot say how influential Head has been in shaping fashion of the 1950s and 60s, but it becomes clear when you watch some of her work , which includes all of Hitchcock as he used her exclusively as his designer.

Derek McLane is the second designer I chose, his work mainly concentrates on set/spatial design. Having designed the set for the 80^th Academy Award Ceremony, he has been declared as the must have designer of modern theatre productions. I personally enjoy the use of lighting within his scenes, as there is an element of pop art in all of his work.

Last, but not least, we have Petra Storrs, a London based fashion designer who has worked with Paloma Faith, Lady Gaga and various other artists. She produces incredibly modern designs that have a look of the extra-terrestrial to them by using almost impossible materials such as mirrored perplex or latex. I find her work fascinating and I would definitely mark her as being one to watch.

Looking at all these artists has been really fun actually, but, my resolve has not been shaken. I am a costume/fashion/set designer. I know what I want to do.

The Crown Jewels

During our drawing class we were given a small brief to bring in and draw something of sentimental value to us. When I heard these words, my mind went instantly to my Gran's Crown Jewels. At the risk of sounding like an X-factor contestant, I'll try to keep this short and sweet. My gran had a great love for jewellery which was unbeknown to me as a little girl, it wasn't until after she died and I had inherited these jewels that I discovered this. Her favourite colour was red and this particular set of jewels became her pride and glory. Despite the fact that they are only dimante, they gave my Gran a little bit more glamour to an already glamourous lady.