FINAL PIECE

FINAL PIECE

I have finally finished my final piece.

My intention from the beginning of the Final Specialist project was to demonstrate how serious I am about my work, to show the neatness and sophistication in everything I do – from the experimenting to the development. Through these two years I have discovered my weaknesses and strengths and it is only now that I have realized what I want to specialize in.  Looking through my sketchbooks from the start to the end, I have noticed that I take pride in the presentation and layout of my work; I focus on the theme and stick with it till the end.  But I seem to slip the visual side of my work when I am doing something that I am not familiar with or something that I am not enjoying as much - this is what I wanted to improve on my Final Project.

I am only satisfied with what I have created when I know it is almost ‘perfect’ or visually acceptable from my insight. Of course nothing is ever perfect and I know that this is what I wanted to achieve throughout my work but once finalizing my sketchbook and final piece I realized that there are imperfections but I know that I have worked the best I could in order to get to the highest level from my point of view. When I know that I am absolutely happy with what I have done, I know it is enough and this what I hopefully have done.

The Textiles, Graphics and Human Form Assignments were the only Projects I enjoyed every minute of, even parts that went wrong – they were all mistakes that I learnt from and will always remember. Each of these Assignments was designed in a way that would stand out and were thoroughly thought for each theme.

The Human Form assignment helped me discover my interest in body form and the appreciation of all kinds of human beauty. It was the first project I constantly stuck with a visual theme and I think this is what made the whole project satisfactory.

I have always loved fashion and I knew that Textiles would be the best Assignment. I knew that I needed this whole project to be modern because of the textures, colours and materials I used. I found my weaknesses, such as sewing and time planning when it came to making the piece. This textiles assignment helped me understand which part of the fashion industry I want to be in and it helped me know what I will enjoy to do in the future.

From the start of the Graphics Assignment I knew this was my opportunity to show my interest of modernism, simplicity and sophistication. This work was very defined throughout which helped me with the theme I chose. I learnt how to use computer software that will be very helpful in the future and it became another interest once I finished my Final piece. After analyzing my Graphics Final piece, I noticed how much I enjoyed editing the book and designing the layout - I knew it was something I needed to explore in my Final Specialist Project.

My hobby is to read Fashion/lifestyle magazines; they are inspiring, helpful and sometimes exhilarating. They make me feel good about things and realize the things that aren’t so good. Reading about people who work in the Fashion industry is what excites me and what makes me feel more engaged to the magazine. The questions that are given are diverse and very easy for one to answer. I like to read about their mistakes, their achievements and how they have become who they are. But these women/men have more experience than us, they have a different mind-set to my generation and I have never read a questionnaire about someone my age or is still in their youth.

I like to study the layout of the magazine, how they put different colours against each other and how they make fonts more attractive, I think this was of greater interest after the Graphics Assignment.

Because of this interest, I wanted to explore it more and express it in a modern and sophisticated way. Creating my own magazine about college students and using a layout that signifies my style would demonstrate what I would like to focus on in the future.

I chose very subtle colours because it was a trend appearing to be very popular when I started my Final Specialist Project and I knew it would create a contemporary outlook for the magazine. The font has a hint of youth and is very simple which compliments the soft and subtle colours as well as the photographs. I have only taken a few photographs that would subtly display messages for each subject in the magazine. I tried to get the exposure levels and lighting similar to one another and each of them have an artistic or abstract sight which I thought would make the whole magazine more engaging.

I struggled to ask my peers questions, however I asked a few that I knew would answer them appropriately and genuinely. There are only a few quotes for each subject in the magazine because I only wanted those few to be read by the readers.   My paragraphs are from my point of view and I think my peers would agree with them. They are from my own experiences- in a way this shows a personal side to the magazine.

Because my final piece is a magazine I knew I needed Art Director references and inspiration from them. I found many that would relate to my style and would help me develop the layout of my magazine but three from my Artist research stood out and clearly reflect in my magazine. Jenny Eneqvest – her style is simple, modern and beautiful, she uses one colour throughout the magazine, creating that contemporary feel. Graham Rounthwait- he is known to create the most interesting layouts for the famous magazine I-D, they are simple as well but have more colour and more composition going on, the text he uses is simple with a hint youth which communicates with the target audience (teens, young adults). Jeremy Leslie, his designs are more artistic and “home-made” they are very simple as well but he uses only two to three colours throughout the magazine but they are all suggested somewhere on the page e.g. photographs, background, text. These are the art directors that I hope are reflected in my work and my Final piece.

I wanted this Magazine to be finished at the highest level possible and to achieve this I printed each page at a Photoshop that would not have their logo on the back of each page. I made sure that the front cover was larger than the pages and that the texts were big enough. Because I am using photo paper I knew that I would have to score the end of the pages in order for the reader to turn pages easily.

Unfortunately, I scored the covers spine too much and there is a slight incision but it was thoroughly glued against the pages and it is not too visible.

To bring the magazine together I used double sided tape because I knew from past experiences that this would work well with the photo paper however I did not have enough double sided tape and had to move on to using UHU glue which is used for many purposes but I had slight difficulty getting it to stick the pages together. Although, it did come together in the end.

After taking photographs and videos of my magazine, I am really happy with what I have created. I think visually it is very effective and there is a very strong intention behind the magazine.

Designing this magazine has helped me realize what I want to study or explore further. Art Directing is something I would like to look into further; I found it fascinating after reading about what Art Directors do and how they are a part of a magazine. My goal is to be involved in a magazine that is about fashion, lifestyle and art.

The Art Exhibition will be an opportunity to showcase my sincerity and the passion I have. I want this Final Piece to be displayed in a very modern and elegant way. I will display the magazines that have driven and inspired me to create this magazine and I will have a video of the magazine to make it much easier for the viewers to see what the magazine is about. 

Designing and planning the exhibition has been a new challenge for me, I have learnt to communicate more and to understand what it is like to work as group. Being Chairman, I did not realize how much communication was needed; telling people to do things instead of me doing everything was also a challenge because I had to trust them. I did realize that I’d much prefer doing everything and knowing that it has been done but I know that this is something that I will keep with me when I will be working with a group of people.  I don’t think that I have managed this role as well as I should of but I intend to produce the highest-level exhibition with the group.

I envision this Art exhibition to be very modern and sophisticated, it will be white walled and white floored. It should be neat and well constructed to make it as engaging as possible.

This Art exhibition and displaying my work has been the best opportunity I have been given and I am looking forward for to what comes next.

MAGAZINE EXPERIMENT - PRINT 1

I have printed out my first design for the magazine. I have used different colours for each subject and have placed the photographs in the appropriate section that would relate to the subjects.

After collecting the prints I realized that the font looked too small and the size of each page is small as well. The prints are not two sided this means that I can see the photoshops logo – this means it won’t look unique and not visually good as a magazine.

I am not sure about the different colours, I feel as though it doesn’t create that sophisticated and modern impression but I like the first few pages that are a light peachy/pink colour – I will use this colour for each page and see how it looks as a whole.

However, I really like the front cover, the position of the photo and the colour. I will leave it how it is but make the sizing an inch larger.

DEVELOPMENT - COLOUR OF PAGES

After looking at each page with the different colours, I realised it doesn't come together as one. Therefore I am going to use the colour I have always been attracted to which is a pale peachy/pink colour. I find this colour the most professional and more youthful than the pastel colours. I have however already taken this collection to the photo shop to be printed out -  this way I will get to see what it looks like and if the font sizes are correct and readable.

SELF-PORTRAIT

I feel as though the self-portrait won't relate to my project that well. I don't think I can display it in an appropriate way with the screen and my magazine but I could add this in my sketchbook as an experiment, an interest and a discovery of an artist that has inspired me to do painting like his in the future.

DEVELOPMENT

For the exhibition display I want it to be contemporary and fresh. I will make a video of showing each page and a bit of my blog to show my development. The screen will be behind the magazine on a taller plinth. The magazine will need to be displayed upwards so the viewers can see the magazine easily - I have asked the technician to create a perspex stand for the magazine, perspex will look modern and simple which will relate to my whole project.

To finish off the display, I am going to add my magazines from home such as Vogue, Elle etc. - this will hopefully create an understanding of where my influences and inspirations came from.

DEVELOPMENT SELF-PORTRAIT

For the self-portrait it will have to clearly relate to the artist Sungsoo Kim. His work expresses emotions through the soft pale colours, giving a beautiful but ambiguous ambience. I have not yet decided what style I am going to do this oil-painting but I am so far experimenting with colours.
What I have learnt so far is that you only need a minor amount of turpentine- too much will make the colours blend together. Oil painting takes time, i needed to take a few brakes in order to let the oil paint settle and then come back to blend in some more colour.
I first drew the self-portrait so I can get the proportions accurate. Once I got that right, i started painting in the dark shadows.

I have taken photos of the process of the painting. This way I can see where I have gone wrong with the texture and mixture of the paint. 

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MY DEVELOPMENT INSPIRATION

I have come across many independent magazine that are advertised on Instagram. This way they can visually communicate their concept and theme. The indie-magazines that I have come across are very graphical and in some ways very random which makes the photographs more artistic. I have been following them on Instagram to help me create my layout in a professional manner and how I can present this in my art exhibition.

https://www.antennebooks.com - this website has been very helpful, it consists of magazines that are artistic and graphical.

Instagram is a very influential social media app. You can upload any image, whether it is provocative or artistic. I think it is suppose to communicate to your friends though images but what I have noticed is that is more about how many followers you have and how many like you get on an image you upload. This app may just be a way for people to get attention easily without even trying to communicate face to face. 

I think it creates a great negative impact for both boys and girls who don't have a great self-esteem. Ive seen many accounts promoting what you are suppose to look like, what you are suppose to eat and what photos you need to take in order to get recognised ( getting as many likes) I think Instagram can be an artistic way of communicating but i think you can be pressured and almost hypnotised to be what you see online or what has been recognised the most. Once I started using this app i found it very provoking and more like a competition rather than just something you can enjoy scrolling through. Veganism has been a very identified subject on Instagram, people my age on this app photograph themselves displaying what they look like because of this diet. It may be a good way for people to understand what they eat but i think it has become more of a social media lifestyle rather than a real lifestyle diet.  I think most of these people go on this diet to show people that they are 'healthy' but they don't understand that it is more than only eating fruits and vegetables. You can be influenced to start this diet by the sharp and high quality photographs and the amount of compliments a photo gets of someone who has a very slim figure or unusually clear and flawless skin. 

Instagram can be really enjoyable but i think that people have taken it too seriously. If we didn't have this app, I am sure that most of us would be completely different and more different to one another. - we are all unique because we see things differently but who we are as a person could be a huge contrast if we did not have Instagram. 

I enjoy Instagram after realising that i need to block out all these negative aspects of this app. I can take photos that I feel people would enjoy to see, it is who i am and I only follow people that inspire me to be who I am because i know that being who I am is the best I will ever be and no one will change that not even on social media. 

MY DEVELOPMENT

FRONT COVER

I want my front cover to be very contemporary and creates the sense that it has more than one meaning - that there is more than what is front of you. I have always liked the very soft, pale colours not only is it in fashion but because I know for a magazine layout it will look more modern and graphical. The composition will be simple but the more simple it is the more effective it will be to the viewers. 

I have experimented with a few images ad colours for the cover layout. I showed my experiments to my tutor and she has preferred one layout that I thing would relate to the ambiguous meaning of the cover. This photo was taken in the girls bathroom, i decided to take this photo because of the grey and peach, pink colours and as well there is another meaning to the photo - It is behind the bathroom door  which interrogates the viewers to question what is behind the girls bathroom door. It is a personal meaning as well because it was a comfort zone for me at college and where you could escape from your peers for a few minutes. As well, it is a common scene in American college/ high school movies where a student is found behind the bathroom door hiding or just taking a minute as well. 

I have really liked what I have designed so far but after talking to my tutor, I think we both agree which one is more effective as a front cover.  I really like the layout of this cover, I like the peachy, pale pink and the interesting composition of the image. I think the font goes well with the design and the paragraph appears graphical when not centre on the page. The size would have to be more square than rectangular which i think would give the magazine a more unique appearance.

MY DEVELOPMENT

I have already taken photographs of the students. I have made them all the same lighting and composition - this means that it will all work together as 'one' in my magazine.
I have not yet written the content for the magazine but I know exactly what I want to write about. They will be brief but clear for the readers to understand.
For the exhibition I would like to present this magazine with a video and a self -portrait. The self-portrait will relate to the magazine by making the viewers understand that this is what I see and what influences me. It will respond to my research of the artist sungsoo Kim. What I like about his work is how he expresses emotions by using pastel colours - i think it expresses emotions in a very beautiful and enchanting way. This is what i would like to replicate in my self-portrait.
The magazine will be set on a plinth, with the video behind it on a separate plinth and the self-portrait will be hung on the wall. This presentation will be very neat but with a graphical and contemporary hint.


My Photographs - The photographs i have taken are very subtle and ambiguous, this will display slight views of what I see everyday and in the magazine it will be more interesting to look at with the content as well.
I need to take more photos of groups and more food photos for my health section of the magazine.
I am happy with what i have so far i think that the colours and sizes are similar to one another which I think will bring the magazine together.