Choices: UPDATE

Glasgow Online Portfolio

When uploading my portfolio for Glasgow, I learnt that I had in fact applied for a painting course rather than illustration. This means that my 300 words and online submission of work is going to be meaningless to them. Although this is not good, I am not majorly concerned. I think even if I was to be offered an interview and a place, I would not like to go there. I still have not heard anything back from them regarding an interview.

Edinburgh Online Portfolio

The Edinburgh online portfolio was a great deal more simple than Glasgow's. This I was grateful for as I managed it independently with no problems. 

Liverpool John Moores

I was not required to submit an online portfolio for this university however I was immediately offered an invitation. Again, because I was not set on Liverpool, I didn't concentrate on their e-mails and I forgot to accept the invitation. This was extremely unorganised on my part however I would not have of liked to attend the course there anyway. This doesn't excuse the fact that I ignored their invitation as this may have of caused an inconvenience, I will take more care next time.

Camberwell Online Portfolio

In the same week as the Liverpool interview, I began to realise I made a mistake with my choices. I know that I do not want to go to Camberwell, I am annoyed with myself that I didn't put Manchester Metropolitan as an option as if I was to be unsuccessful with Edinburgh that it the only other place I would like to go. With this in mind, I didn't proceed with the online portfolio as I didn't want to get an invitation. I would prefer to prepare for when Edinburgh invite me to interview. 

I have not yet heard anything from Brighton

Life Drawing: 2B pencil

Lamp Shade

I am not the greatest at 3D art however for my installation I wanted to create a lampshade made from tape with nostalgic pictures on them. Although the pictures aren't of Africa, they're of me when I was younger when I was unaware of where I'd be today.
I spot welded wire together to make the frame.

Life Drawing: Conte and Oil Pastels

Choices

The problem I have with choices is I really only have one preferred university I want to go to. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and I have attended both open days this year and last year and my mind hasn't changed however I had to apply to other places as a 'just in case'. Edinburgh is a difficult university to get into and I shouldn't be putting all of my eggs in one basket so to speak. I also applied to Liverpool John Moores, Camberwell, Brighton and Glasgow.

The Story

I am writing a story about my trip on Africa and the things I did day to day. Although it is real life, I have altered the story in my mind to make it more of a fictional adventure. The facts and the places are all true and realistic however it is as if it's set in another time with different people. This makes it more fun to illustrated and also perhaps less of a bore to read. Fiction is also my preferred subject of book as it expands your imagination to knew lengths all the time. I am excited to illustrate my own words, the freedom I have had on this course at first daunted me as it is a great deal more independent than A-Level and I lost track. However I have now learnt how to progress on my own and I can finally do what I want, what I enjoy the most and experimenting along the way. I am confident and optimistic about the outcome of this idea.


Liro had never liked flying. The thought of being trapped, confined and surrounded by strangers thousands of miles up in the air made her mouth as dry as Saharan sand. "Stay calm," she murmured, "I'm going on an adventure."

And an adventure it was.

DAY ONE
Seat 54 Row K
As the nuts and bolts rumbled and the engine hummed, Liro stepped onto the skycar reluctantly. Walking to her seat, she found herself sat beside an elderly gentleman with a shiny waxed head who had already ordered a whisky and coke. He was a friendly man nonetheless, she was just glad she got the window seat.
After a few naps and a few strolls up and down the stuffy corridors, the skycar touched down. Not only had exhaustion hit Liro hard, the heat as she caught her first stifling breath of air all consumed her; the heat was overwhelming. No time to rest. "We're heading straight to Soweto!" Ordered Chief Voyager, Jhol. His striking red hair and glistening glare of determination made him a bold character, trusting and caring. His expression told many untold stories.
Alongside him was his trusting accomplice, Jocon. Her warm atmosphere and maternal orbit allowed an instant feeling of security wash over anyone who caught her gaze. Liro knew - with these voyagers - she was to see the many sights of Africa, both beautiful and not so.
Soweto is a place in Johannesburg that is swamped in poverty and crime. Inhabitants are divided between rich and poor. The communities are tight; everyone knows everyone and a disagreement can lead to serious if not fatal consequences. Liro's thoughts were weighing heavily at the top of her mind.
An hour after leaving the skyport in their awaiting roadcar, the anticipation was over and they had approached Soweto. As the roadcar treaded through, Liro gasped as she looked down to see a man sprinting by the side of them. Anger and frustration overcame every feature on his face. "He's trying to get to our supplies!" She cried.
"Don't worry." Replied an unrecognisable voice, "he won't be getting through those locks any time soon."
Stunned, Liro squinted into the dark space that engulfed the back of the roadcar. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."
"No one ever does, my name is Drayen but but people call me Dren. It's easier I suppose." She huffed, "I came here with Jhool and Jocon but you probably didn't see me then either, did you?"
Liro shuffled awkwardly in her seat, was that a rhetorical question or not?

Personal Statement

As this is the second time now that I have been through this process, I was a lot more prepared. I also feel a great deal more independent when writing about myself. The difference between Sixth Form and the Foundation Degree is major. I understand know, when comparing the courses, why a lot of universities prefer students who have been through the Foundation. In sixth form my personal statement was moulded to suit a certain style. Typical phrases were made to be written like "All my life I have been interested in drawing" and "I am a committed student" which are - now I look back - wasted valuable words. This time round I had so much to talk about, I took control over what I wanted to write and what I want people to know about me. I didn't focus on 'hobbies' and my 'personality', I focussed on the subject I love most and the things I've been up to to broaden my ideas.

The UAL level three Foundation course at Blackburn College has provided me with opportunities
that I never experienced at A Level. I have had workshops and produced work across different
pathways; exploring and expressing my ideas in alternative forms including print making, spot
welding and film making. All of these activities are presented as "drawing" and this has
helped me focus on the potential of my work across a diverse range of media and outcomes. It
has also encouraged me to experiment and reflect on strengths and weaknesses in my work as
they emerge. Within two weeks of starting the course I found myself on a drawing residential,
on a farm in Lancashire. Over the course of three day and two nights we worked out of the
studio and in the landscape, or in farm buildings, responding to briefs and the location
itself. I worked with a sound artist, Justin Wiggan; who opened my mind to a different
perspective on what art could be. His work relied on collaboration with other artists and
forms and while I am not producing sound, it has forced me to realise that illustration will
often be a collaboration, either with a writer, director, client and most importantly, always
with an audience.
These opportunities to work on live briefs have been challenging, but ultimately rewarding. I
am currently working on a community project called "Blackburn is open." We are running a
gallery in an empty shop in the town centre, and as with the residential, the opportunity I to
work in ways that the classroom or studio does not allow. Occupying space in a gallery has
changed the dynamics of my work; it has given me the ability to think about scale. My work
revolves a lot around text and image; I like to create art with meaning. I am working directly
onto the walls and onto the glass windows. I am experimenting and learning as I go, but the
nature of the location means I always have to consider an audience. This has been a strict
discipline to work to, but is one that I am enjoying. The work I am producing in the gallery
is rooted in research I collected on an educational trip to South Africa in October. The
opportunity to be a student ambassador for the college on this trip was an influential and
inspiring experience. My current work reflects on my time spent there. The final piece will be
like a visual diary that has literally been mapped against the geography and cartography of
the cities we visited. By attaching a visual code to the work, a narrative emerges, one that
is reflective of the actual time spent, but one that also contains a story.
In addition to these opportunities, I am also benefiting from a visiting lecturer programme
that invites a diverse range of practitioners into college to address us formally in the
lecture theatre in the morning, and then conduct tutorials and portfolio reviews with us in
the afternoon. The guests have included, Patti Ellis from The Saatchi Gallery Magazine Art and
Music, the artist Sean Dower, The photographer Paul Kenny and the painter Kirsten Glass. The
combination of these lectures and the crits, screenings and discussions embedded into the
course are extending my theoretical knowledge and help me to place my work in a broad cultural
context.
Prior to starting this course I achieved A for A Level Photography and an A for A Level Fine
Art, I also previously had my work exhibited in Manchester University for the "Storytelling"
exhibition in 2012. The work I produced was a sequence of illustrations about a misunderstood
monster that wasn't as scary as he appeared. Exhibited alongside it was a short poem that I
had written to narrate the images.
I want to be successful of course, I am ambitious. Illustration is something that never leaves
my mind. I aspire to reflect the careers of my favourite illustrators, Chris Riddell, Brett
Helquist and Quentin Blake.
"With my pictures, what I hope is that it encourages the reader to imagine more pictures of
their own."

The Map

I've started drawing a map of the places in Africa that I travelled to. The scale of the map is currently 4 A1 mount boards that I have mounted together. I am planning on hanging these up from the ceiling for the installation idea I have. The map will be the backdrop in which I will hang my framed illustrations on accordingly. 

Life Drawing: Oil Pastels

On The Side: Pet Portrait

Life Drawing: Acrylic

On The Side: Poetry Illustration

I have been requested to illustrate for a collection of poetry which has hopes to become a published children's book.

Paul Kenny Lecture

"Looking at something small thinking big"
Paul Kenny is photographer who's career began from just a hobby. He captured pictures of the same rock from the same wall from the same location annually. Although each image was edited in the same way using double negative and monochrome techniques, it wasn't tiresome to look through each slide. Each photo was different in its own way.

During the presentation I noticed the progression of skill and ideology Paul had gained over the years.

Experimenting with ice.

He experimented with different ideas, textures and objects such as the assembling of leaves, close ups of plastic bottles and tin cans and dried sea water on assetate.

Map Idea

I have begun my idea of mapping out my time in South Africa I got from looking at the London tube map It is going to be similar to the work I did on the gallery wall.

Life Drawing: In a gallery

We had various materials to choose from. Our model was clothed infront of the gallery window. The difference in environment creates a new challenge and new opportunies.

On The Side: Giraffe and Fish paintings.

As well as foundation work, I also do work for people who request it. For a birthday I created two paintings, one which consisted of giraffes and the other of fresh water fish. I simply used watercolour and fine liner as that is my style of work that people like. I also window-mounted them myself, I have window-mounted a lot of my past work so I have built up the skill however there is still room to improve.

Life Drawing: Ink and Water/ Fine liner

The Gallery: Continued

The background drawing is going to link to where the framed drawings are placed, like a map of where I've been and what has been there. I am using fine liner to draw on the wall.