Visual Journal - Research, Flying Leaps

An interesting essay on fly posting:

http://www.flyingleaps.co.uk/notes-on-flyposting-and-porous-urban-space/

"Propaganda must be made directly by words and images, not by writing,” states Goebbels […]. Reading implies time for reflection, a slowing-down that destroys the mass’s dynamic efficiency".

- Paul Virilio (1977 [1986:5]) Speed and Politics Semiotext(e), NY, USA


There appears an interesting similarity between what Adrian Burnham called 'incongruous eruptions' and what I am making with my textures. Both show simply the hand of the maker and not much else, they serve no commercial or capitalist purpose, the sell nothing and say little, but that is their point. Whether they are simply 'eruptions', visually appealing or refreshing oasis's among the jungle that is public advertising space, or whether they have a deeper meaning, provoking thought and making a statement against the system, they have a certain charm and boldness about them. They exist to exist, and are there whether they are meant to be or not, unapologetically. 

Visual Journal - Textures

I wanted to use this opportunity to just experiment with, and get lost in, making different textures and just seeing where it took me. Whilst drawing the first few I was thinking about advertising and the influx of sale posters and billboards up around this time of year, post-christmas. I considered it an interesting concept to make fake posters, essentially selling textures, for example a texture background with a common sales phrase on top, such as '50% off'. These posters would exist merely to entice a consumer into thinking, into wondering what is for sale but not actually acting upon their retail urges. The more I thought about it the more I found an interesting relationship between what I was doing and what big companies were doing; I on one hand was spending hours slaving over intricately detailed textures, with no profit in mind, only the curiosity to explore texture and the desire to make something visually appealing and engaging, whereas on the other hand companies are pursuing the fastest, cheapest methods of getting their offers across as efficiently as possible. Often the results of the latter are ugly and boring and disinteresting, but are made to grab the consumer and entice them into buying whatever products are up for grabs for whatever discount is offered. Mine however are all hand drawn and aim to also catch the viewers attention, but make them think and question what is 'half price', what the poster is for and what it is offering them.

Hand drawing all the type also got me researching again about sign painting, something I have a big previous interest in. The ethos around the trade is one of appreciating hand crafted and traditional signs over cheap vinyl ones, for their charm and character and value as pieces of art as well as identities for the businesses and companies using them. In this way, perhaps using one's talents for commercial means is a worthwhile investment after all, if done right and with quality and tradition in mind.

Here are some of my outcomes:

Visual Journal - Research, Steven ESPO Powers

Steve Powers started his artistic endeavours on the streets of Philadelphia, writing his name 'ESPO' on walls and gates around the city. But among the traditional lettering styles common within the writing culture, there is something unique about the extensive work Steve made illegally on the streets, which led to a prolific mural project, A Love Letter for You, among other sign painting and mural projects around the world. A lot of his work was made to not look like graffiti, whether that was in the act or the resulting finished artworks. He devised a way of painting storefront gates so that it looked like he was just re-painting them, and then with a few swift movements to finish, he would create the letterforms leaving his name ESPO in big clear block letters. Other pieces are painted to look like advertising, selling imaginary products, similar to a lot of his more fine art work, in which he is inspired by sayings and phrases, creating signs selling feelings or emotions. 

I like the way in which he disguises what he is doing as something else, in a way making it more accessible to the general public who are so used to advertising and commercial imagery in their day to day lives, but also how he manages to hide in broad day light. He uses the commonplace of advertising to his advantage, giving him the opportunities to get away with making his often illegal works of art without being suspected. He adopts the techniques and aesthetics of old advertisements to create new pieces of appealing work that engages with communities, but also subtly commenting on the situation and power that advertising has. 

Visual Journal - Initial Responses, LINE

Inspired by the research I had done about the line work by the artist Word To Mother, I started responding to my idea of advertising using just ball point lines. Picking certain images from the newspaper, I wanted to try and portray a busy, confusing, dystopia representation of advertising that you may not notice at first.

By using lots of elements, I wanted to recreate the bombardment with which advertising is forced upon us even in our newspapers, including the vocabulary commonly used, especially around christmas time; words such as SALE, NEED, DON'T MISS, all used to dictate what we should spend our money on.

I found it quite interesting how lots of the adverts out at the moment are for furniture and sofas, all very similar and portraying an idealistic ideal of a home and material goods that should be in it. It links to that idea of illusion of choice, when actually there isn't much difference between one sofa or another. I like the way in this drawing the words used to persuade the viewer into buying the product are overlapping the actual product; usually people end up buying things just because they are on sale or they feel they need them, not because they genuinely want or need the actual product, in a way making the deal more important than what is being sold. 

Once you start paying attention to the photos used by advertisers to portray an ideal to a possible consumer, they start to appear quite disturbing and just odd. These images are of people pretending to be happy to give the impression that whatever is being sold will have the same effect on it's consumer, but they're actors and their expressions are fake, its all an act. They are always very over the top and 'perfect', whilst very false and sinister. 

Trying to push this idea of dystopia and sinister, and the bombardment of desires and persuasions.

Visual Journal - Research, WORD TO MOTHER

Word To Mother's work is very distinctive in style and aesthetic, often consisting of many layered elements; mixed areas of colour, drips of paint, textures, hand drawn typography, illustrated characters, symbols and lines, all building up often highly detailed pieces that appear to suggest a certain narrative in each. What is the most recognisable thing though, is the way in which he draws, the way he uses line to make images.

• His lines are often loose and scribbly, but very organic and full of energy. There are imperfections everywhere but that is where the character and charm of his work lies. The messy nature of them is very appealing and tangible.
• The forms his lines make up are also loose and almost free form, it seems as though they were drawn quickly and almost spur of the moment. Lines create forms layered and merging with other forms, emphasising the almost otherworldly, slight dystopia quality to his drawings. Skulls and twisted faces are common-place also. 
• Similar to his painted pieces, the pencil only illustrations use may different elements, and the idea of layering. Faces sit with pattern and next to trees, under letter forms and more faces. This layering creates an interesting relationship between all the separate parts, one that could be in unison, or of conflict. 

I want to try and re-create adverts in a style that is quick, using line only, but also merging several different parts together, to create layers of messy and loose lines to show the dystopia of the commercial culture and the violence and damage inherent in it. 

Visual Journal - Research, BRANDALISM

'Brandalism is a revolt against corporate control of the visual realm'

The brandalism group/movement exists as an opposition to traditional advertising in our public spaces, commercial advertising that has not been chosen by the public but instead is controlled by financial power and aims for profit. By using the techniques and methods derived from street art, the movement takes over massive billboards, bus stops and other advertising spaces within our urban environments, replacing corporate advertising with artwork from hundreds of artists from around the world, often with a political subject and activist intent. The work they do is displayed illegally, but directly combats the visual bombardment that is commercial culture, using the big business's own tactics to reach mass audiences, provoking thought and exposing the absurdity that is consumerist advertising to the general public. 

'We start from the democratic conviction that the street is a site of communication, which belongs to the citizens and communities who live there'

The project also has another side to it, that is the ownership, uses and authority over public spaces. They aim to take back what they believes is rightfully theirs, that is the public space as a space to express and communicate how the occupiers of that space choose, not how an outside entity like a wealthy business or governmental body dictates. It becomes an issue not just of the corporate culture itself, it's negative effects and the misuse of design for it's damaging motives, but also the way in which it uses, and misuses, the environments in which the majority of us live in and use daily. 

One thing I think that is really effective with the campaign is the breadth and variety of work that is produced in response to the societal issues the artists choose to communicate. From simple type posters, with strong slogans and powerful messages, to more illustrative, ambiguous posters which are more subtle in their messages and intent. The former creating a bold statement, immediately urging the viewer to think about the meaning of what they are reading, and the latter perhaps more focussed on beautifying a frame that was formerly filled with meaningless consumerist imagery, but still with a deeper, more thought-provoking message ever-present. 

Visual Journal - Initial Ideas, Choosing Direction

KEY IDEAS FROM QUOTE & ESSAY

• Illustration is changing - boundaries are blurring, distinctions and definitions widening, responsibilities of creators are shifting.
• Illustration has potential for positive change and influence - should have meaning and purpose, many create work that doesn't fulfil this need, discipline needs to realise it's potential.
• Certain motives and purposes are better than others - advertising is a lesser function of the discipline, political means and those for the betterment of society are more important, should comment on 'big debates of society'.

MY IDEA

I have decided that I am going to pick a current affair, a political issue that is relevant and important to today's society, research about and around it, and explore it using the formal elements, in the hope of creating work that informs, questions, impacts and communicates the issue to an audience. 

'[Illustration is]...a visual reflection on current affairs' - Andrew Zbihlyj 

This immediately links to my essay and original quote, as I am using illustration and visual communication to present and comment on an important political issue. I am giving the work I create through the formal elements a purpose and message behind it, something that Zeegan believes the industry needs more of. By picking an issue that is political, it also inherently links to my overarching theme.

THE ISSUE 

Although not an issue with much presence in the news as of recent, I am going to explore the concept of corporate power, more specifically advertising and how it is used, and abused, in our public spaces. It is a political issue, debating power and ownership of space, linking closely with the subjects of consumerism and commercial culture. It links to my essay, debating the uses and functions of illustration and design, and the First Things First manifesto I researched. 

Study Task 5 - Issuu Presentation

Visual Journal, Research - BLAQK (Texture)

The work of Blaqk, the collaboration between graphics designers Greg Papagrigoriou and Chris Tzaferos (Simek), focusses on experimentation and energy, often consisting of heavy weight freeform lines full of texture and a dry brush effect, contrasting with more geometric, regimented lines of similar weight but no texture, instead a solid black. Despite being freeform and arguably loose, they are by no means random; the lines seem very thought out, in their placement on the walls and in relation to each other, as well as the shapes and forms they create, often reflecting similar forms to certain letters, taking on a typographic, calligraphic quality. They remain abstract and ambiguous whilst nodding strongly to typography and symbols, hinting at a deeper meaning or motive behind the work. The juxtaposition between the strong boldness of the cleaner lines and the textured, looser lines creates an interesting conflict within the work, there is a conversation and a relationship between the two, of which could be interpreted very uniquely by every viewer. Despite the conflict between them, there is also a kind of unison, with the textured lines overlapping and holding the regimented lines; they flow around, behind, in front of, and over them, which could be read as a taking over, or a overcoming, or a surrounding, or a more positive, constructive interaction. 

I also find it very interesting the way that the textures get more dense on the line as it overlaps with itself. The darker areas of the stroke are very powerful within the overall form and composition of the lines and could be something to play around with when I start creating my own work in response. 

The placements of the work is also a crucial part. They often paint in and on abandoned buildings and the textures of the walls morph into the textures created by their brush strokes creating even more layers of tone and tangibility. The forms created by their lines also play with the forms featured within the buildings, creating another aspect of a relationship between shapes and objects. Also the act of painting illegally on walls is inherently political, an act of rebellion, or an expression of creative destruction, or a giving of life and energy to something neglected by society. Just as work within graphic arts is apparently unavoidably political, graffiti is even more so. 

Linking to the theme of politics, this cross could be symbolic of those found on ballot papers, the two contrasting lines building it up reflecting the two opposing sides or parties. Despite perhaps an obvious, boring interpretation, it's starts to link to my theme. 

This circle form this piece creates is one of my favourite works they have made. There is something very appealing about a circle built up of different lines and other forms; they are free in form yet very contained and restricted at the same time. It is a softer piece compared to the others, which demonstrates the other formal element of shape and it's uses within visual communication. 

Visual Journal, Study Task 4 - Elements Definitions, Studio Task

To start exploring the 5 elements, it is important to figure out what they actually are, what they mean and stand for, and then how they can be used for specific purposes.

The initial definitions remain quite broad and vague almost, with lots of cross over between them all, which I believe there always will be and it can always be argued this way. They are all related and contribute to each other; a line can make a shape, or a texture, and vice versa, just as colour can do the same also. It is down to the creator and the viewer to decide their own personal interpretations of what these elements are or can be.

To begin with, I am interested in texture, which is closely linked to line, and I am interested in how line can build up texture. There is something very tangible and appealing about texture, and I think it can be very evocative of mood and feeling and concepts.

I am going to start to research into all the different elements first and try and narrow them down, trying to not just pick texture straight away and leave it open to new discoveries about the others.


I will research:

• artists who use the elements as an important part of their work.
• political uses of each element, how and why they have been used and to what effect.
• hierarchy of what elements are more effective to my overarching theme than others.  

Study Task 3, Image Analysis - Rob Hodgson

This wooden figure by Rob Hodgson is a good example of work that Lawrence Zeegan is perhaps pushing against. It has no function beyond being an aesthetic piece of illustration, to be bought and owned. It has no message or statement, it doesn't comment on or say anything. It's execution is very simple, the image making very basic, but it is not this that causes it's lack of substance, instead it's the reasons for it's production and the purpose it serves as a piece. The motives are personal to the creator however and little is given to hint at this in the finished object, but it is clear that it is not a reaction to anything particularly profound or deeper than probably the manifestation of the desire to make imagery and a finished product. It doesn't provoke any questions or even a specific reaction, and certainly doesn't comment on or nod to the big debates of society Zeegan believes illustration should. 

What it does spark is the age old debate about the definition and requirements of illustration. Zeegan would perhaps not argue whether this is illustration in nature but more that it isn't pushing the industry forward, or reaching a wide audience or making a change. It is applied art so would fall fairly comfortably within the discipline, and if commissioned by a company it would then also have a more defined purpose, but as a personal product made to be sold as the object itself, it could be thrown into a grey area, only to be transferred to one discipline or another through personal opinion. It is more a commodity than a questioning, purpose-driven, change provoking piece of illustration.