"It's only forever, it's not long at all" -Jareth the Goblin King
STATEMENT OF INTENT:
I aim to produce a website page which shows step by step my methods and developments. This will all be based around the theme of weird and wonderful I chose which is : nightmares with magic. Possibly at the end of my project I could compose a gallery of my best and worst photos, this could help show where I improved and what I think went really well in my project.
To see how other photographers bring across images throughout this project I will be looking at different photographers such as Erik Johansson. The reason I chose Johansson as one of my researched artists is because he uses day to day used objects and inserts it in a perspective of the unconscious's thoughts. One of the photos I will use to analyse is chosen by me because its radiating a eerie mood which brings mystery to the photo. This inspires me to use day to day things but add a twist on it so it maintains its surrealisms theme. Also maybe using day to day problems and the twist being someone imagining there not there because they want to live in an ideal world that has no problems.
When I chose this theme my initial thoughts were to take this type of images in dark areas such as forest and Photoshop in light things to make everything seem so much more nightmare like. But I have realised that I can achieve a nightmare look by switching it the other way around, if it was in a really light area there cold be dark lighting effects added using Photoshop. I can also achieve my theme by using different viewpoints, for example a viewpoint that looks up to something you'd find in a nightmare. This would reflect on how some people let their nightmares control them.
To first start of my project I will have to start by taking my images around the school, but to make these images come to life more I can use props such as a black back drop or a white back drop and then Photoshop different things on. By using Photoshop I amrefining my images which means I should show my steps to show clearly which filters I use and where I use them. To get the best results possible I am willing to use different locations that are outside of school.
I am also will to use different lighting effects on Photoshop also using different camera setting which can change how dark or light my images come out as on the camera. This can be done by changing around the aperture as aperture is the camera setting that controls how much light the camera is exposed to/letting in. The less light that the lens is exposed to will make the image look darker and that would go really well with the nightmare theme, whereas the more light the lens is exposed to the lighter the image will be which could make the image look more magical which is my second theme.
So that my project goes as well as I want it to I will make more detailed plans which will help to know what I need and when I need it alsowhich image to refine using photoshop. I will also use more titles to separate my work so its more readable and set out. Also to frequently look back at my work and get my teacher or peers to give me advice on how to strengthen weaker spots. Also by using best and worst photos so I know which camera setting or which setup worked and which one didn't. After the whole project is completed I will make a final evaluation that will show what worked throughout the whole project and what didn't. This will help for my next project as it would show me what to steer away from and what really worked well.
Surrealism
Surrealism aimed to revolutionise human experience, rejecting a rational vision of life in favour of one that asserted the value of the unconscious and dreams. The movements poets and artists found magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional. From this quote I can understand that poets, artists.photographers etc used surrealism to bring across a concept of real life things in a form of a dream, or at least in the perspective of a dream. They also used surrealism to show people what their dreams looked like and possibly what they meant.
Artist Research: Salvador Dali
In this painting I can see pieces of the clock flaking away, the clock is also bent out of shape almost as it lies on a curve. In the background of the painting you can see something that looks like the sky this links with the pieces on the clock as they are also similar shades of blue as the sky. As much as the colours of the sky link with pieces of the clock, they contrast as the sky isn't painted in detail where as the clock is. Which is why the clock is more the main focus than the sky. The brown surface that the clock lies on displays the shadow that the clock casts. This image could be interpreted as a metaphor as time always flies by but also as chances only come by once.Because the clock has colours that aren't necessarily the dullest that could be used as an explanation as to why there is a moth.Alternatively the moth could be there to symbolize death as the whole point of painting surrealistically is to put things in perspective of the unconscious.Personally I like this painting as it show Dali is a person who has fun with his work, he is a person who can express his personality through a painting which just goes to show how talented he is.
Rene Magritte
FORM- The medium of the image is oils or acrylic paints.The artist has has used natural colours to help how the image fits in overall,but the main colours used are blue which is 2/3 of the image the artist also uses green for about 1/3 of the image.Towards the rear of the image there is a black thick line which symbolizes the horizon and makes the image look like it's going of in the distance rather than it being flat .The image isn't too big, it looks normal canvas size. There are trees in the background. Because the image is printed I can only imagine what the painting looks like up close. CONTEXT~ This piece of art relates to other pieces of art from this time because its surreal and surrealism was quite popular in this time. This painting was painted during the second world war which means painting was possibly popular during that time as maybe an escape from the suffering that was taken all around the world. CONTENT- This image is taken portrait and it represents a man holding a 'newspaper' which has then been covered to match its surroundings : the trees. The part of this image that makes it surreal is the trees that cover the 'newspaper'.It can be interpreted that it was from someones dream as there were a lot of philosophers and psychologists and psychiatrists which interpreted dreams as many of the bottled up problems we face each day. PROCESS-Because the image is a painting nits created using paint or if it is a photograph it would've been taken by a camera and then manipulated using Photoshop. This would mean that photos of landscape was taken ( that had trees) and a photo of a man that was holding a newspaper was taken and the photos were merged on Photoshop to look surreal. Sketchbooks might not show how work is developed as well as using a website because in a website you note down your steps and next stages. This doesn't necessarily happen in sketchbooks as they end up being one piece and don't show any of the steps it took to get to the final stages of a piece of work. MOOD- This piece of art is quite satisfying as the trees that are Photo shopped onto the newspaper are impressively done because the combination seems to fit very well. The colours seem to be very natural which looks more appealing to the eye. The theme of the image is also very eye catching as its surreal which comes under the thew overall theme: weird & wonderful. Overall, I admire this work but I don't love it although it is a inspirational piece of work which might inspire my work.
MOODBOARD: Nightmares
Moodboard: Magic
I like these two themes and instead of doing them separately I have come to the decision of doing them together also by using mirrors.
Artist Research: Erik Johanson
Erik Johansson is a surrealism artist who uses images and adds a unrealistic twist on them.He is a Swedish born artist who is based in Prague, he uses photographs and other realistic materials combined to make his pieces. .Below is an example:
CONTENT: This image was taken from Erik Johansson's website.
COMPOSITION: The image lies fairly center, it shows about a third of land yet two thirds sky. The image looks like it is taken from a birds eye view but not fully as it looks head on to, even though it is head on you can also see the landscape. The depth of field of this image is about a medium as things are clearly visible but others are slightly blurred. The pathway that goes under the 'bridge' is fairly central, it is filled with fog that gives the image a eerie outcome. In the picture in general there is a little bit of fog which gives the image a nightmare vibe which is predominantly the reason I chose to use this photography to analyse and influence my own photography. The silhouettes of the hills in the background have an effect that i'd like to have in my photography which is: being able to make out the figure of something but it not being completely visible to the naked eye.
COMMENT: Personally I like this image as as it looks like a setting from a fiction storybook yet it has hints of reality to it as the hills in the background look realistic. What I don't really like about this image is that the houses do not look real enough but that could be there to emphasis the surrealistic idea behind the picture. This picture inspires me to be able to get the mixture of surrealism and realism in an image by using Photoshop. The fact that he used realistic materials combined with photographs implies how easy surrealism is too accomplish.
CONNECTION: This image connects with weird and wonderful well as it as the image is wonderful but with a mixture of surrealism. It also connects with the development behind surrealism well as that was to portray dreams and the thoughts of the unconscious within real life thing/objects. The image also could be concluded to connect with the outside world as it was a interpretation of the unconscious's thoughts.
CONTENT: The colours on this image are nor the dullest looking or the brightest looking, they are blended just right. The houses that make the bridge are quite Victorian looking which suggests that this picture was inspired by something from the past possibly. The fact that the houses where inspired from the past could also be interpreted as their way of showing they understand when surrealism came by or they wanted to display something that was possibly a thought from when surrealism was new.
Leonora Carrington
Leonora Carrington was a English born Mexican artist ,surrealist painter. She was one of the last surviving participants of the 1930s surrealism movement. She was born on the 6th April 1917, and passed away 25th May 2011 aged 94. Shes inspiring as she lived through a revolution of time and caught different glimpses of different times and used it as opportunities for her work pieces.
CONTEXT- "Green Tea (La Dame Ovale), 1942 by Leonora Carrington" - Research from the internet CONTENT- The image is taken landscape, it has a variety of colours but not ones that stand out more like ones that are used to give a dull tone. The artist has named image Green Tea, I can spot why the title has green in it as the most popular colour in the photo is green. But I cant seem to spot as to why she named it Green Tea. I can see two animals that can be described as canines but have features that say different in some angles the red animal could be described as a dragon to ton its features it has on its stomach. There is a black and white statue Cathay the red animal seems threatened by, it looks ready to attack and possibly frustrated as its restricted by a leash. COMPOSITION- The viewpoint this image is taken from is slightly from above but not at all from a birds eye view. In the background you can see something that seems similar to a forest this wood slightly blurred from the rest of the image if it was taken on a camera. There is also a podium slightly to the right of the image where all pathways and stairs in the piece lead to. This suggests that that podium is important and was the main piece of the image. CONNECTION- This photo inspires me mostly due to the fact that almost every realistic object/material twist of surrealism to it. Even that through something that is clearly a painting depth of field can be spotted which brings across how talented she is. I also really like that her piece name links exactly too the colours she has used in her painting. Also the colours used in her image is quite the same and bland but the red animal is something that stands out due to the fact that its the only thing that holds the colour red. COMMENT- What I specially like about the painting above is how even though the sky and the back landscape aren't part of the main shot of the image they are in the background about 2/3rds sky and about a 1/3 background which includes: the forest, the grass(ground) and distributed trees around the landscape.
Sarah Ann Loreth
Sarah Ann Loreth is a a self taught fine art and travel photographer from New England, who specialists in conceptual portraits.
CONTEXT: Fine Art by Sarah Ann Loreth. CONTENT: The picture has a dark background, it is located in the woods you can identify this from the lack of light and the amount of trees the model is surrounded by. It looks like both images have been taken seperately and then have been added to each other with layers by the use of Photoshop. The image is not taken in black and white but its not popping with colour either. There are no people in the photograph but the model who is sat more towards the left Rather than the center or the right hand side. COMPOSITION: The viewpoint that the image is taken from is slightly higher than eye-level but not as high as high as a birds eye view. The lighting is generally dark but light specifically around the model. About 2 thirds of the image is floor, about a third and a half is background which includes the woods: trees. Our eye is mostly drawn to the large portrait the model is holding this has a effect on us as it is a real image used to show a surreal piece. Possibly a tripod was used, the depth of field of this image suggests that the model was mostly in focus and that the background had a small depth of field as it was slightly blurred. CONNECTION: The theme of this image is weird and wonderful which is my theme. The location of this image is in the woods which is one of the locations I want for one of my shoots. This photo inspires me mostly as it seems like something that is achievable, I have a similar location in mind that would help to achieve a image like this. COMMENT: I personally like this image as it captures 2/3 of the background. The girl is not wearing shoes and is alone in the woods which brings her across as very vulnerable. The image that is being held up fits the theme especially as the dress that she is wearing looks similar by colour which shows that she is holding up a image of herself.
1st Shooting Plan:
- Location at school - using body parts of a model such as arms, hands, face, - Then a picture of a normal scenery - Then using Photoshop to merge the two together e.g.to photo shop the scenery onto someone's hand. - A tripod is needed. - A second model might be needed. - Darker areas might be needed to match the nightmare theme. - But also lighter places to emphasis that nightmares can follow you everywhere.
1st Test Shoot:
Best Photo:
The reason this is my best photo is because the photo looks slightly blurred which has the effect I was hoping to see in my photographs.
Worst Photo:
The predominant reason that I don't like photo is because it's lighter than I would've like it to be.
MOOD-BOARD:
The reason I have chosen these images is because they link and are all around/about the same theme. These are all easy to recreate or absorb ideas from, they're also easy to choose a location from. These images also have influenced me to take some of my photos in black and white as that creates more of an eerie atmosphere and makes yet another link to the theme I have chosen.
2nd SHOOT-
Best Photo:
The reason this is my best photo is because you can see the silhouette of both hands and a face.
Worst Photo:
The reason this is my worst photo is because you can't fully see the hand and it's quite blurry.
Refining My Ideas Using Photoshop
I used the drawing tool of stamp which allowed me to replicate the pair of hands to add the weird effect to my image.
3rd SHOOT-
Best Photo:
The reason this is my best photo is because it's more of an illusion.
Worst Photo:
The reason this is my worst photo is because its blurry so you can't really make out any facial expressions.
Refining My Ideas On Photoshop
I used the drawing tool the healing brush to erase parts of the image.
Refining My Ideas On Photoshop 2
This image seemed to have a more powerful effect in black & white which is why I chose it to be in this colour.
Refining My Ideas Using Photoshop 3
Final Outcomes:
EVALUATION
The overall project theme is weird and wonderful which branches of and provides endless of mini themes. The mini theme that I chose to do within weird and wonderful is 'nightmares'. Personally, I chose this theme because I thought there were a variety of ways on how to show 'nightmares'. Some of these ways was by using dark shoot locations or taking the photographs in black and white, or even showing the difference between superior and inferior as nightmares seems to be superior to us as the victims:inferiors. In my opinion I think this was an amazing project which allowed me to be independent and in control of my photographs and how to develop them. Throughout the whole weird and wonderful project what I enjoyed most was refining my ideas on Photoshop. This was because Photoshop allowed me to pick apart my image and puzzle it back together in a way which would fit my theme. In my opinion this was my favorite part as it allowed me to experiment with new tools and understand Photoshop so i'd know which tool to use when i'd need it. Some of the new techniques I learnt were the cloning tool and the healing brush. These tools helped me to either clone a specific part of the image or erase part of the image. These techniques played a huge role in the my final outcomes as they helped me clone another pair of hands for the refinement of one of the images in shoot 4 and in the refinement for shoot 5 I used the healing brush to disfigure the images so that the the images fit my theme: 'nightmares'. At the beginning of my project I used a variety of photographers such as: Salvador Dali. Dali was a surreal artist who captured the thoughts of the unconscious into a painting, this is what influenced my nightmares theme as nightmares happen by the thoughts of the unconscious. Erik Johansson was another photographer who is another surreal artist and contributed to my nightmares theme.