Visual Journal - Study Task 7, Rationale

The theme I am currently exploring is advertising, considering it's purpose, values, ethics and functions within out society. I started with wanting to explore the issue of public space in relation to advertising, but as of yet haven't come across a suitable and effective way to push my work in such a direction. As a result I have been more focussing on deconstructing advertising into it's separate visual elements, playing around with taking them out of context in which they were created for. In this I am hoping to highlight what the images we see on a day to day basis actually represent beyond the product and company they are intended to advertise.

I am currently just using simple drawing techniques to visually represent my ideas, namely posca markers on paper. This is proving effective in the creation of initial images taken from advertising, even if it is very basic and predictable as a medium. I do wish to further explore texture as I was doing at the start, and combine mixed media within the drawings of deconstructed perfume adverts. I think by layering up and working into these images it could create an interesting contrast to their polished, airbrushed beginnings. Collage is also something which could find its way into my exploration, but in what way I am yet to decide.

I am inspired by the loose textural and mark-marking works of graffiti artists Revok, Zes, Seikon and Blqk. All use line, shape, tone and texture in interesting ways, creating engaging and tactile yet loose textural images. This is a way that public space comes into the work, playing on the idea or authorship over public space and the concept of paying to present visual work within it. Although their work does not tackle the same issues as mine does, I think trying to learn from their approaches and adopting some of their techniques could provide some great outcomes when paired with my theme and idea.