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This week, we got our initial FMP brief and brainstormed ideas about our project, which is entirely self-directed. I created an initial project vision board by pinning photos, words, fabric and string to a canvas. This vision board gives a broad idea of the direction my theme is going to go, I know that I am going to be looking at gender, femininity, trauma and the male gaze. After some consideration, I titled my project ’Memoirs of an Open Wound: an introspective rumination on the relationship between trauma and femininity.

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I followed up this initial brainstorming by doing some academic secondary research, I read in depth about Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory and created a page outlining my findings. I plan to use this research to inform my future work, it has given me more of a nuanced insight into the theories I plan to use. For example, the depiction of women as sexual objects in media is something I want to explore through my visual style, potentially using photography that emulates classic examples of the male gaze.

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I then did my first piece of artist research, which was on typographic artist Girl of Swords. I looked into her work, analysed her style and then took this information to produce a response. I developed this response twice, leaving me with three overall outcomes. I started off with a digital drawing that utilised typography, followed by a photographic version of this same piece. I loved this outcome, but decided to experiment by bringing the piece into the 3d world by turning it into a fabric piece with embroidered text. I am  proud of this response and feel it took the digital art to a much more sophisticated place, although I felt my piece was missing some visual punch, it could have used more graphic bold visuals. I definitely want to bring these typographic elements into future work and will research more typography-based artists to support this. I also want to utilise fabric in future pieces, perhaps without the addition of embroidery as I found it wasn't visually bold enough for this project.

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I also went on two trips this week, one to the Horror Show exhibition at Somerset House and Surrender, a Jenkin Van Zyl installation at Edel Assanti. I wrote up my thoughts about these trips and then responded to them with varied outcome. I began to plan an immersive installation inspired by Surrender, and did observational drawings as well as developed responses based on the work I saw at the Horror Show. I really enjoyed my trips and am hugely inspired by the varied art styles I saw. I am especially inspired by the installation style and definitely want to bring the medium into some of my own work, perhaps utilising it as a display for multiple pieces that have similar styles.

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This week I went into depth describing my theme in my sketchbook, and used these decisions to inform new media experimentation. I created observational drawings from my initial vision board, using multiple media experimentation. I also created two primary imagery pages using acrylic paint and collage. these pieces helped me to define a specific colour palette that incorporates pink, white, brown, cream and black. these colours will be the basis for most of my future pieces as they appear feminine and cutesy while hinting at a darker, more sombre theme.
I also began to write up my initial draft for my project proposal and developed it based on tutor feedback. I am happy with my progress this week, despite doing an unsuccessful artist response I think my overall w0rk was of a good quality. Next week, I plan to do more research and collect further primary imagery, as well as finishing my proposal.

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I then created a simplistic collage piece that explores beauty standards systematic sexism. The piece uses photos of Chloe Sevigny alongside a Jenny Holzer typography piece. I absolutely love this collage as I feel the minimal style allows the viewer to really take in the intensity of the imagery and wording. I plan to develop this piece further by altering it in photoshop. I plan to use layer effects to edit the colour composition -this will help to link the piece to my established colour scheme while allowing me room to explore new visual techniques.

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As well as this, I did another artist research research page on Louise Bourgeois. I explored her style and then created a digital typography piece in response. I found this outcome to be unsuccessful overall, despite liking the quote itself the overall visual effect was boring and ineffective in communicating the emotion of the quote. to combat this issue, I am going to look back at my other three thumbnail sketches to find inspiration.

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This week I did not complete as much work as I had hoped as I was ill and struggled to complete as much work as usual. That being said, I still did some developments and research where possible. I digitalised my Chloe Sevigny collage and used photoshop layer effects to create multiple new outcomes with different colours and effects. I really love these outcomes and plan to explore this digitalised collage style in future work. I feel that the simplistic composition really compliments the intensity of the colour edits, and will definitely use this technique to develop future pieces.
I also continually worked on my project proposal. Next week I need to catch up on the research work I missed this week, and create updated responses to my Louise Bourgeois research.

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This week I continued primary research and responses, looking into musician Ethel Cain as well as beginning to look at more feminist academic research. I read some extracts from Simone De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, as well as Rayne Fisher-Quann’s essay ‘standing on the shoulders of complex female characters’. this continued research will help to ensure my concepts throughout this project are well-informed and intellectually stimulating, which is important when exploring social issues such as misogyny.
I also began working on a second Louise Bourgeois fabric piece inspired by her fabric sculptures. like this a lot more than my initial piece so far, but am sad to lose the typographic elements. Next week, I will finish this piece as well as respond to my Ethel Cain research.

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I finished my Louise Bourgeois response, creating a patchwork bunny out of fabric. I cut up pieces of brown, white and pink cloth and stitched them together before soaking the entire piece in tea to create a grungy, darker feel. I then added eyes and a nose with fabric and a bow on the ear. I really liked this outcome, but feel that it doesn’t stand alone well. I plan to add a typographic element, maybe re-using the quote I used for my initial Louise Bourgeois piece.

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I did a research page on Ethel Cain, looking into the visual aesthetics she applies to her music videos and online presence. I also looked into her lyrics as a form of typography, I love the way she writes her songs and hope to apply a similar style to my typographic work. Next week, I will create thumbnail sketches for an installation idea based on Ethel Cain, and begin working on the pieces for it.

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This week, I created and developed multiple outcomes in response to various artists. I experimented with media such stencil print and completed my final development of my Louise bourgeois response, in which I combined both original pieces – the bunny fabric piece alongside the initial quote. I also continued working on my project proposal, just fixing up the final details. I also completed my Ethel Cain responses, which I will assemble into an installation next week.

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following my Ethel Cain research, I created three responses for my installation. first, I made a typographic piece using her lyric 'touch me till I vomit', layering text over ribbon glued to white paper in a shape that resembles the back of a corset. then, I created a stencil print of her face. to do this, I digitally altered the contrast of a photo of her to create a blocky black and white effect, before printing this edit out and layering acetate over the print as a stencil.  I then printed on the cutout with black ink on paper. I also put this outcome into photoshop and experimented with some digital alterations. Finally, I created a crucifix out of cardboard and painted it the same colour as the ribbon before adding typography of more of her lyrics in the same font as the other typographic piece. next week, I will mockup an assembling of these pieces alongside printouts for the other elements of the installation.

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This week, I becan to focus on media experimentation as well as continuing artist research and responses. This was a very productive week and I managed to produce a lot of new outcomes which will work to inform my work moving forward.

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I assembled all the pieces of my Ethel Cain response piece to create a mockup installation wall inspired by her lyrics and visual style. I really love the result of curating multiple similar pieces and will definitely be taking this concept into future work.

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also researched Japanese illustrator Yoshimoto Nara and created a response based on his graphic, cartoonish style. While his aesthetic overall is too cutesy for this project, I am inspired to utilise this illustrative base to begin working on a bunny character.

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I went on to research Young British Artist Tracey Emin as I am inspired by her confrontational typography as well as her tapestry work. next week, I will create a piece in response to this research that combines her style with my colour palette and subject matter.

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week 6 - reviewing my work and next steps

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week 6 - reviewing my work and next steps

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I then created a review mind map in which I connected the dots on my previous research and looked at where I wanted to take the project next. I decided that I want to focus on an installation that tells the story of a bunny girl character who represents my gender in relation to the male gaze. I will continue to work on typographic elements while developing a visual bunny character.

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I experimented with a few different mediums in the early stages of developing a bunny character. I did a very successful photoshoot where I wore bunny ears to embody this character, and decided that this photography style would definitely play a part in my development going forward. I also did a pencil illustration of this bunny character based loosely on my photoshoot. next week, I want to continue this media experimentation using tools like oil pastels or digital as well as 3D media such as clay or cardboard.

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this week, I focused heavily on media experimentation. I developed my bunny girl character through multiple different mediums in order to hone in on what will and will not work moving forward. i also created a digital response to my Emin research and developed my photographs from last week using photoshop.

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I wanted to focus on media experimentation as a way to develop the bunny character. I started with a collage in which I took features from other cartoons or illustrations and combined them to create a caricatured version of the bunny character. I enjoyed this medium but found the overall look to be too kitschy and campy for this project. I went on to recreate the face of my initial sketch using pencil, which I felt looked a little flat and boring.

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easter break week 1 - reflective journal

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easter break week 1 - reflective journal

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Over the first week of easter, I continued my media experimentation of the bunny character using 3D techniques. first,  I tried 3D, working with clay to create the bunny girl's head and then painting it in her signature colours. I felt this looked lifeless and a little creepy, so went on to try felt as my medium instead. I LOVED this and plan to use this medium moving forward!

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easter break week 2 - reflective journal

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easter break week 2 - reflective journal

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this week, I moved into looking at installation as I know that's how I want to display my final piece. I researched Tavi Gevinson's bedroom installation 'strange magic' and created a response based on the idea of a teenage girl's bedroom. I loved this choice as a way to convey the bunny girl - creating an installation based on her bedroom will help to effectively tell her story.

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this week, I began planning my final piece utilising my previous research. I did three rough thumbnail sketches that combine a bedroom-inspired installation with my felt bunny character. I then developed my favourite sketch with more detail as well as creating a digital mockup. The digital version really helped me explore texture, colour and material in more depth and I am now feeling confident to move forward with the production of this piece. Next week, I will buy materials that I need and begin the early stages of creating my installation.

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this week, I started the initial stages of my final piece. I made the fabric ear element of my final piece, cutting brown and pink fabric to create oversized bunny ears. I then filled it with cardboard to support the weight and pillow stuffing to create a plush 3d effect. I am really happy with the outcome, but feel it is slightly visually ineffective and so plan to embellish it with some extra little details, maybe bows or lace, to add visual intrigue.

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this week, I continued to work on my final piece. I finished the fabric ears, adding pink bows that match the pink fabric as well as a pearl lining to the edges of the ear. I really love the effect these little details give and now feel 100% satisfied with the ear outcome. I also created the cardboard headboard for the piece, which I did by printing out a headboard I found online over 4 a3 pieces of paper and sticking them to a big piece of cardboard. I would have liked to use a real headboard but due to time and money constraints this was the option I decided to go with. it's not perfect, the print is a little pixelated and the overall effect looks very hand made, but I am relatively happy with it as it only makes up a small portion of the final installation.
next week, I will finish up the practical elements of my final piece so that it can be ready to install in week 12.

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this week, I finished working on the practical elements of my final piece! I re-created my felt bunny piece from earlier character developments, keeping most of the design elements the same but doubling the size of the piece and adding a mask to the character. the mask is a piece of imagery that I have utilised in a few previous outcomes, and I decided to take it further here as it links to the wording I used in my typography pieces. speaking of typography, I created both fabric typographic outcomes for this piece using screen print and black ink. In terms of wording, I went with 'to be feminine is to lose everything' for the smaller wall hanging piece and 'my girlhood is a mask' for the pillowcase. these were the two choices I came to after brainstorming multiple options as I felt they most broadly represented the themes explored throughout the project. I felt it was important to use 'my' as it reiterates the personal and confessional nature of my work, as well as referencing the typographic style of artists I have researched, especially Girl of Swords.
finally, I went shopping this week to ensure I had all the final details ready to install my final piece - this included buying a bed canopy, some candles and a photo frame. Any other items used will be my own brought in from home - this will further cement the personal aspects of the piece as well as saving on money.
I am really proud of the work I have done this week, both the felt and the prints went smoothly and I don't feel the need to alter anything.
next week, I will be assembling my final piece as well as working on my digital portfolio and final evaluation!