https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp en-us 2021-10-17 11:38:34 UTC 2026-02-17 18:26:04 UTC hello@padlet.com ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833122849 This is a mind map I did when figuring out my ideas for this project. I settled on 3 possible directions to go in: ]]> 2021-10-21 10:59:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833122849 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833136184 As the brief of the project is to base the letterform on a place I thought it would be interesting to investigate how its used as a saying for a place of madness.

'The term bedlam comes from the name of a hospital in London, “Saint Mary of Bethlehem,” which was devoted to treating the mentally ill in the 1400s. Over time, the pronunciation of “Bethlehem” morphed into bedlam and the term came to be applied to any situation where pandemonium prevails.']]> 2021-10-21 11:08:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833136184 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833177873 You go to prison when you are bad. It would be interesting to investigate how the perception of good and bad is different in prison compared to regular society. ]]> 2021-10-21 11:35:09 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833177873 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833182324 When children are bad or naughty they are given coal by Santa Claus. I could use coal in the making of my letterform. Building off this I could research how punishment- aka being given coal instead of presents- motivates people to be good and whether people are truly good.]]> 2021-10-21 11:37:41 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833182324 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833200388 Bedlam was mentioned as a hospital in 1329, and some permanent patients were accommodated there by 1403. In 1547 it was granted by Henry VIII to the City of London as a hospital for the mentally ill. It subsequently became infamous for the brutal ill treatment meted out to its patients.]]> 2021-10-21 11:47:46 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833200388 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833209465 'Before his death in 1933, Dr Hans Prinzhorn assembled a collection of art by mentally ill patients that was the beginning of what is now known as “outsider art”. From something to be depicted by artists, “madness” has become a source of artistic originality in itself.'

I'd like to explore how mental illness can be represented visually in this 'outsider art' style. I think it would be good to analyse this style so I can represent Bedlam in my letterform.]]> 2021-10-21 11:52:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833209465 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833218151 'Munch defined how we see our own age - wracked with anxiety and uncertainty. His painting of a sexless, twisted, fetal-faced creature, with mouth and eyes open wide in a shriek of horror, re-created a vision that had seized him as he walked one evening in his youth with two friends at sunset. As he later described it, the "air turned to blood" and the "faces of my comrades became a garish yellow-white." Vibrating in his ears he heard "a huge endless scream course through nature."']]> 2021-10-21 11:57:26 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833218151 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833228284 'By the 18th century, Bedlam had become less a hospital and more a circus sideshow, and for a pretty straightforward reason: “freaks” made money. People came from all over to see the patients at Bethlem Royal Hospital, some even arranging holidays around it.']]> 2021-10-21 12:02:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833228284 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833244056 These are freak show posters from 1876 from the British Library. There is a clear typographical style as well as drawing style.]]> 2021-10-21 12:10:25 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833244056 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833281699 'Released prisoners may be less capable of living a lawful life than they were prior to their imprisonment'
This could be because the norms and values of prison are different to those of the outside world. This is to be expected when you have a building filled with deviants that can't leave. ]]> 2021-10-21 12:26:58 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833281699 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833318974 St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas, and Italy’s La Befana are all different variations of the idea of Santa. In all of their stories they leave something out as a warning to bad children. While Santa leaves out coal, the others have also been said to leave bundles of twigs, bags of salt, garlic, and onions.]]> 2021-10-21 12:41:34 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833318974 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833330439 The idea of punishment is engrained into children's heads from a young age to discourage them from acting immorally. We can see the effects of lax punishment in children who's parents let them get away with bad behavior. Often these children are not taught skills like sharing or being kind. It is also unpleasant for the child as they do not know why it's harder to make friends.]]> 2021-10-21 12:45:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833330439 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833348176 This set of type made with someone's body would be good for exploring the idea of a freak show as commonly they had contortionists who would bend themselves into shapes like this.]]> 2021-10-21 12:51:44 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833348176 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833617661 I like Annie's work as its so unique and playful. This branding for a cosmetics brand is based off circus aesthetic. The curved type with the fancy detailing is my favourite detail. It reminds me of the typography from the old freak show posters I researched.]]> 2021-10-21 14:06:55 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833617661 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833638712 This is her design for a book cover. Her illustration style gives it a whimsical touch. She doesn't use straight lines so it looks very hand drawn. The colour scheme makes the type pop which is good for the purpose of the design.]]> 2021-10-21 14:12:07 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833638712 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833646399 Another of her works for The Grand Budapest Hotel is this prop box that was used in the film. This has the same lavish detailing around the type as the cosmetics design. This is the sort of style I'd like to try when designing based on Bedlam.]]> 2021-10-21 14:14:00 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833646399 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833705857 I was inspired by this cutout design by Louis Reith. I thought I could do a similar thing but using pictures of patients from Bedlam with the cut out area forming a B.]]> 2021-10-21 14:27:20 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833705857 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833906291 Inspired by Louis Reith I made a B out of pictures of patients from Bethlem. This was a quick first try so I just did it on photoshop instead of actually printing them out and collaging them. I think the photos are a good visual tool to represent the whole hospital because by seeing what they look like you can begin to try and understand what they went through. While I am pleased with the outcome of this piece I would like to make something with more emphasis on Bedlam and the chaos that ensued there. For an outsider looking in at this piece it would not be obvious what my theme is. ]]> 2021-10-21 15:22:11 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1833906291 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836092222 These ideas all follow the theme of deviancy:
In Bedlam, the mentally ill people were seen as deviants because they didn't behave in a socially acceptable way.
In prison, the inmates have committed deviant acts to end up there.
The children who get coal for Christmas have behaved badly, meaning they are deviant. ]]> 2021-10-22 12:03:40 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836092222 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836200285 https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-29/march-2016/understanding-experience-imprisonment]]> 2021-10-22 12:56:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836200285 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836215930 This artist was treated at Bethlem]]> 2021-10-22 13:03:33 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836215930 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836217286 So was this one]]> 2021-10-22 13:04:04 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1836217286 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1837876326 Louis Wain was a patient at Bethlam being treated for  schizophrenia. This collection of artworks by Louis Wain shows his mental deterioration over time and how that affected his artwork. I think this visual timeline of his mental decay is perfect inspiration for my project. I could do 6 letter Bs and they slowly become less recognisable as a B and more surreal. ]]> 2021-10-23 11:41:55 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1837876326 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1837894741 A similar thing is seen in Picasso's self portraits, as he battled with depression and allegedly schizophrenia his sense of self is seen deteriorating, by the last painting his face is unrecognisable as being human.]]> 2021-10-23 12:04:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1837894741 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839829214 I want to create a 6 versions of the letter B inspired by Louis Wain and Picasso. I want to show the decaying of the mind through my piece to highlight what it was like for the patients at Bethlem. ]]> 2021-10-24 20:13:28 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839829214 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839846740 This artist created art based on his time in prison. He wanted to highlight how isolating it was for him.

'Nardone is uniquely gifted at conveying the warmth that surrounds memories when they are recalled from the grimness of prison, while also capturing the hallucinatory, time-stopping atmosphere of prison itself.' 
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2019/04/22/drawing-from-memory-a-former-prisoner-creates-art-from-pain-and-loss]]> 2021-10-24 20:29:28 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839846740 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839876713 "Having worked in newspapers for the past 10 years, I wanted to reflect how so much of my time is spent designing both on a screen and also with halftones in print. The base letter is from Austin News Headline, the font I commissioned for the Telegraph, designed by Paul Barnes at Commercial Type."
I really like this letterform. The halftone effect is interesting as it's an unconventional way to blur something. I think it works well because Q is a circular letter, so making it out of small circles is visually pleasing.]]> 2021-10-24 20:56:52 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1839876713 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1841271997 I like this style of stop motion animation. I think I could make a compilation of different Bs in this style. ]]> 2021-10-25 10:52:17 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1841271997 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844970124 2021-10-26 13:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844970124 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844997663 The first B is just the plain letterform as I wanted a clear starting point for the letter's journey. ]]> 2021-10-26 13:41:34 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844997663 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844998512 I wanted this to look like the memory of what a B looks like was fading away. I was inspired by Jon Hill's Q letterform. I used the liquify tool to distort the letter, then I added a gaussian blur. To get the dotted look I used the halftone effect on it. ]]> 2021-10-26 13:41:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844998512 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844999175 I wanted the next one to have more detail to show there had been more thought put into it. I was also inspired by Annie Atkins' work. The typography is meant to look a bit like the type used for freak shows because of Bethlem's links to them. ]]> 2021-10-26 13:42:00 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1844999175 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845006881 I wanted this B to show fear or panic. The cuts are meant to look like it has been dropped and smashed. I thought this could be a good representation of a breaking points for many patients at Bethlem.]]> 2021-10-26 13:44:10 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845006881 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845025503 This letterform is an adaption of my first attempt. I started by using black eyeshadow to mark the shape of a B. I used eyeshadow to look similar to coal because of its links to my project. Then I cut out various images to do with Bethlem such as:
- pictures of the patients
- leeches, because a common treatment there was bloodletting by leeches
- barred windows, to show they couldn't leave

]]> 2021-10-26 13:48:57 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845025503 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845026275 For the final letterform I decided to rip up the previous one and photocopy it. I wanted to show frustration that the patients may have had about the hospital and about themselves. I thought it would be a good end to the journey of the letter because it ends up being destroyed, just like the patients.]]> 2021-10-26 13:49:07 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1845026275 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1853581659 I'm pleased with my final outcome as it encapsulates Bethlem and its patients well. I think it also represents mental illness well. I enjoyed the journey I went on with this project as I got to learn about the interesting history of the word 'bedlam'. If I had more time for this project I would have done more exploration into prisons and coal as well as spent more time perfecting the Bs. However, for the time I had I think I completed the project accurately.]]> 2021-10-29 09:39:30 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1853581659 ameliarenny https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1853597333 When I presented my final piece, the critisism I got was that the timing was too methodical and that the patients would not have had this type of rhythm in their lives. So this is the final outcome where some of the letters stay on screen for a shorter or longer amount of time.]]> 2021-10-29 09:52:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ameliarenny/oqytx3fs715q8fsp/wish/1853597333