Work to sell at exhibition

At the exhibition, we are able to sell the work we have made. I have chosen to put a range of works up for sale, including:

'Sketch-book' prints:
I will print some of my 'sketch-book' works in A4, framed and un-framed-depending on funds, which will then create a body of 'edition' prints.

Post-cards
I will visit a printers and work out costings for post-cards- selling them framed and un-framed.

Life Drawings
I will sell the rest of the life-drawings I have, buying frames on demand of the buyer.

I was struggling to work out how big A-paper sizes were, so I 'googled' a size chart to help me.  It also shows mounted sizes which was really helpful.

My tutor recommended that I should buy frames from IKEA, instead of buying them from a professional framer. This would work out a lot cheaper, in hindsight generating more profit. I wanted frames that would match the professional ones and came across these frames which were hard to tell apart from the frames from 'Tilt'. 

A4

A3

A2

Tutorial

This morning I had a tutorial with Jamie because I was worried about how my installation was going to look. We talked about different ideas and I mentioned the installation I saw at Howarth Art Gallery. He liked the idea and asked me to draw out a plan of the idea I had inspired by the installation. (insert picture of plan)
An idea immediately came to mind when he looked at the plan I drew and he showed me some boards he had that we could make a square 'box' structure out of- still keeping the idea of using cellophane. Unfortunately, the boards in that position blocked the walk-way next to where we were building the structure, so we had to decide on a different shape. Slanting the boards to make a triangle shape made more room to walk around the installation and made the shape more interesting. (Unfortunately, I didn't take any photo's whilst putting together the boards as it was all very hectic!)

Photograph of half-painted structure

I was quite skeptical about the structure when it was built because it was so far from what I had planned on making. I was also worried about how I could project my film inside the structure, but after a brief discussion with Jamie, we indefinitely decided on putting the projector somewhere inside and then projecting it onto cellophane somehow. I also wanted to keep my idea of using light, and was thinking of either hanging light-bulbs from the roof of the structure or just attach the bulb to the roof.  

Building/painting the exhibition space

Half-term break/Installation ideas

Just before half-term, I have been ill and not been well enough to do any work. I have however been thinking about my installation and the idea I had to make a 'cage'. With the time-scale I have and limited resources, I feel I need to simplify my idea and make something more realistic. 
I have found it difficult to think of an idea, bearing in mind the initial idea I had and meaning behind it, (the feeling of being 'trapped in love' and the cage becomes one place I could put a memory in to) I didn't want to stray from this.

I have been inspired by the exhibition at Howarth Art Gallery and by one piece in particular. I like the idea of using cellophane and light together. Maybe I could make a structure like this one and project my film onto the cellophane, incorporating light (coloured bulbs) and my sound piece?

Eija-Liisa Ahtila

Since the mid-1990's, Eija-Liisa Ahtila has been as much in evidence at international film festivals as on the art scene. She has always deliberately shown her films and videos in various different contexts. The same work, for example, may be shown in a 35 mm version in the cinema or video-projected to create large spatial installations in the gallery. 

In terms of context, Ahtila always comes back to the theme of relationships-between generations, between the sexes, and with herself. Her stories, which often run in parallel using several split-screen images, appear to be authentic reportage, but in fact the dialogues derive from Ahtila's own experience and research, played out as fictitious narrative sequences by actors. The soundtrack is Finnish with English subtitles. In her to date best-known work "If 6 was 9", 1995, a group of young girls talk about their experiences. Accompanying the question "What should you do when every cool guy offers you his body?",are three images.  

Ahtila lets her subjects relate both their positive and negative experiences in a natural way that is neither sensationalist nor coy. 

Images of Ahtila's work:

SOURCES: 

'Art at the turn of the Millennium' (Book) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSUQcjNvYh8

Experimenting with short-film and 'scratch noise' audio

I asked Jamie to help me experiment with the audio because I thought he would have more experience with the software. Within about 15 minutes, we had cut down the audio and made several different samples. Jamie said I should try and experiment with less complicated sound and should simplify it.
We tried this and I liked the outcome. I was left with 2 samples and maybe with some further editing, I could use either in my final piece.

Meeting with our framer

This morning, we met with a professional framer who owns a framing shop in Blackburn called 'Tilt'. The group discussed size of frames, colour, style and finish. 

We opted for the most simplistic frame. This means the colour, the finish, the thickness and the mount. 

Scratch-film (direct artist research)

I was struggling slightly with my 'scratch-noise' audio and wanted to further my artist research. I looked at some of the most famous artists that have made scratch-film's and tried to get inspiration from their work. Although I like their work, I can't say that they inspired me with the work I am producing at the moment, because I feel I need to work it out for myself.

Stan Brakhage: 

            

     Norman McLaren:

Len Lye:

         

SOURCES:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaGh0D2NXCA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmz4-ur5rEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGyVYDseGc4

Experimenting with 'scratch noise' audio for short film

This is the first experiment I did with the recordings I made. I thought the sounds were quite basic and obvious what they were, so I decided to include sounds from the previous sound piece I made to make it more interesting and add depth. Although this improved the sound, I still think I could make this piece better. I will look at other artists work that have made films and look what kinds of sound they have used.
 

Experimental Edits (Video AND Sound):

Developing the scratch-film

There was three separate pieces of film that needed to be attached together in order to go through the projector. Brian (media) did this by attaching the perforations on the film together and then securing it using tape.

The finished scratch-film tape is now ready to go through the projector. 

 The film was then imported onto Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5. I can now add sound and edit the film. 

Sound recordings for short film

I have recorded some sound ready for the shorter film I will process tomorrow with Brian. These recordings include sounds such as scratching on wood, metal being rattled, scraping noises, etc.  I wanted the sound that went with the shorter film to be simple because it reflects visual nature of the film.

Example of one of the noises I recorded:

Howarth Art Gallery- Transcending Perceptions

After speaking with a friend about my work, she recommended an exhibition that is currently being displayed at Howarth Art Gallery in Accrington. As this gallery is quite small and I have never heard of it showing contemporary pieces, I was slightly skeptical about going.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised about the work exhibited, as it was in similar media to the work I am currently producing myself (film, sound and installation). 

I was interested in the mix between old and new. A contemporary exhibition in old fashioned rooms, and thought this was really different from the norm at this particular gallery. 

The piece that most inspired me and caught my eye was this installation piece. The artist has used light and projected it onto cellophane that is wrapped around a metal frame. I liked the face that I could walk into the installation. I feel this relates to the idea I have for my 'cage' installation.

Making my Scratch-Film: "I'm Sorry I Strangled You That Day and Burnt Your Bed; I loved You More Then"

I have completed my scratch-film which took me about 4 hours to make in total. I am looking to have about a minute of footage overall, that will be looped when it's being played on the screen. To make the film, I used marker pens to create random lines and marks, along with the use of text. By doing this, I hope to create a variety of rhythm and broken sequence between the marks and words.

The text I have used has evolved from the 'sketch-book' work I have continuously been producing over the year, with subjects of love and relationships, and the emotion that comes with it- whilst using text in a blunt way- from a woman's point of view. The piece of text I have chosen to use in my film is: "I'm Sorry I Strangled You That Day and Burnt Your Bed; I Loved You More Then".

I also made a shorter, experimental film, that will last probably about 20 seconds long. I only used marks this time because I wanted to see if it would fit with the sound piece I made ('Untitled' (It's The Only Thing I Want) ), and text would distract too much from this and would clash. 

I was hoping to have my film ready by the end of this week, but unfortunately, Brian can't project it until Tuesday, next week. Over the weekend, I may collect more sound to make another piece using more simplified sounds that should compliment the shorter film.   

My Space

I have begun making my own space at college, and so far, taped up some of my work including my life drawing's. As the life drawing class is in the same room, it's really useful to be able to see what I have done and progress from my work by using different media and styles. I may also put up some contextual research to remind me of my ideas and what I am working on for FMP.  

Editing of- 'Untitled' (It's the only thing I want)

With help from Brian, I uploaded the sound files from the recorder onto Adobe Audition (an audio software) on the computer. As I have never used this software before, I took my time to learn how to use it. Using this software, I was able to experiment with the samples and arrange them into a sound piece.

The mood of this sound piece evokes disordered,  repetitive, disorientated and uneasy feelings. In this sense, I have been successful, as this was my initial aim. 

Creating the audio has informed me what kind of things to record when accumulating sound in the future, and I will hopefully be able to create something closer to a finished piece on my next attempt.

I kept listening to the audio and it provoked me to think about my scratch-film. Instead of having text on my scratch-film, I could use shapes and scratches instead that compliments the sound. I think this would be quite effective, and after watching a scratch-film by Amy Granat and listening to my audio simultaneously, I think it works well.