Tell an Untold Story - Field Trip

FIELD TRIP:

I went to Conghua Shimen National Forest Park and Langshan mountain in China. I had a great time in these places and took many photos. I used watercolour to drew down some trees that I found very interesting.

Photo and drawing of a maple tree.

I remember a women walked her dog around this lake, everything was so relaxing

I like the texture of tree bark

Wonderful feeling when walking on the bridge

                   

A cricket( I guess)

Bought a flower ring from a small shop

Tell an untold Story- Tree

New brief:
Produce and display a body of organised research, information and source material about a given subject.


Topic:
TREE


Why?:
I chose this topic because I feel like I have a strange relationship with tree.

-When I was a kid I always wanted to be a tree. They are so quiet and don't have anything to worry about.
-I feel like trees are some wise elder who can listen to us no matter what we say to him,  and guide us how to coming out of this sadness and anger.
-I think there is a tree in my brain. It grows with my age, its leaves are my memories, each leaf fell off means a loss of memory.

So I want to focus on Human Relationships with Trees.


Interview:

what do you think of tree?

Dad:
-Tree is a thought. (such as tree of knowledge)
-Personality: modest, feels secure, have a heart of love, contribution silently.
up right regardless f wind or rain.
-Oneself: family tree, shelter for family( provide social security for family)
-When I was little, I like to pick up all the leaves and pile them up, then jump up on it.
-Remember the article from language book called 'white polar', still remember some quote from it.

Rei:
-Used to plant tree (failed many times)
-Mango trees, japan sakura tree, bonsai tree...


Study of Tree:

Thoughts:

In this module, I will try draw things with less detail, make sure I don't overcomplicate things. I would like to explore mixed media, some material I haven't tried before. I think it will be interesting to get out of my comfort zone and see what I can create.

Collage

Surprisingly I quite enjoy this brief. I thought it would be uneasy to do because I am new to collage, then, in the end, I only need to cut out many different things that I found interesting or relatable to my theme and then just kind of play with these pieces. The whole process was very relaxing and fun. I think this is a good start I try with collage.

Many elements from Alexander McQueen, I love his work, that feeling of death

One Week Map- Screen Print

We decided to draw down a footprint, leaves, some ripple to represent our trip ( Raining, cold, walking, leaves falling). Because it is for the screen print, so we didn't make it very complicate, just some basic lines and shapes. I think it is very smart to do the footprint, it is my favourite element in this print.

We basically just used blue and pink these two colour, and we also tried mixed them to a beautiful purple colour. This is not the first time I do screen print, I have used this technique many time before in my textile study. But it still have some differences in screen print between textile and illustration. it is why I felt like this is something I have never try before and makes me excited about. I have learned so many from the introduction of screen print, I have also known something I missed or I did it incorrectly before with screen print. It has so much fun to play with and I wish I could try do some screen printing in my other work.

One Week Map

Studio Brief:

In groups, produce a 2-colour, screenprinted map in response to given research activities.

In a group, we went several different places in Leeds. From college to Vernon Street, had a discussion of what we going to focus on. It is near to charismas, so my focus point was everything which is  red or green. After the discussion we went to The Light, then went to Corn Exchange. Because it was raining, and the whether was freezing. We spend most of the time in Corn exchange sketching things, and doesn't want to go out.

Corn Exchange

The Light

Sketches:

I record some people who wore red or green, and some red umbrella.

Shape and Texture

 Plums and grapes

END OF MODULE EVALUATION

End of Module Student Evaluation

BA(hons) Illustration

Module Code: Visual Skills OUIL403

Name: Chuyi Tang

Student ID: 261696

Please identify where the evidence for each of the learning outcomes is within your submission and how well you feel you have met the learning outcomes. Please also grade yourself in relation to the learning outcomes using terms:

> poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent (Note- This is so that the team have an understanding of how well you feel you have done. It is not an indication of the actual grade you may receive)

Learning Outcome	Evidenced where? Blog, Sketchbook, Roughs Final Illustrations, development sheets etc.  (No more than 75 words)	Your grade Using words: > poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent
4A4  Demonstrate an awareness of practical and conceptual concerns within the context of visual investigation and visual thinking. (Knowledge & Understanding - Research and Critical Awareness)	Blog, roughs	Satisfactory
4B3 Explore a range of approaches to the generation and investigation of ideas in the development of solutions to set problems. (Cognitive Skills - Problem Analysis, Problem Solving)	Blog, roughs	Satisfactory
4C3 Visually explore ideas through the selection of appropriate methods, processes and media in response to set briefs. (Practical Skills - Technical Competence and Practical Development)	Blog, roughs	Satisfactory
4C4 Demonstrate a practical investigation of visual thinking, visual research and visual development. (Practical Skills - Visual Quality and Conceptual Development)	Blog, roughs	Satisfactory
4D3 Document and record critical awareness, evaluation and self-reflection in response to their own work and the work of others. (Key Transferable Skills - Organisation, Communication and Evaluation)	Blog, roughs	Satisfactory

Evaluation (See guidance below for more information)

You are required to write a 500 word evaluation of this module.

I started this module with basic knowledge and skills. On the first day, I was curious about what ‘visual language’ mean and what we are going to do in this module. Now I have finished it, I actually felt like I wanted to do more. I always so excited about getting a new task from this module. From making a poster of ‘How to use a pieces of rope’ to make three illustrations for the article ‘the iron mask’, and then to design a book cover. All of these three task are very interesting, I enjoyed it so much. The thing that I found very useful is blogging. At the beginning, I didn’t put anything on the blog. Apart from the fear of writing, I always feel like I have nothing to talk about my work. I make this in my work is simplify because I think it would looks good. But when I actually write about it, I have more thoughts that I thought would have. I starting to see some problems in work when I am looking through and write about them, and then I can write some critical and analytical thoughts in the end. I am not very organized, but blogging definitely helped me to being organized a little bit. I can review my work by gone through my blog. The other thing that I also enjoy is the feedback sessions. It is interesting to see others work and also hearing others opinion about my work and showing me what can I improved, giving me some advice that I have never think of. It is very useful, especially when I am struggled. Sometimes I get stressed. I struggled quite often during this module, not just because coming up with some ideas. While I am doing this module, I starting to realized some of my problem. Now I am still trying to deal with it. For example, I noticed that in my final outcomes (particularly the last two) I shown too many details in the drawings, I should simplify the image and reduce some details to more basic and simple shapes. I am still trying and leaning, I think I just need to keep on going through changes to become better and better. I still think I need to develop my own style, and also try use new media because I always stay in my comfort zone and don't want to take risk. I also wish I can think outside the box, try exaggerate the idea. Just do it, keep trying and changing. In addition, to be more critical about my work, finding the problem and fix it.

Judge a book by it’s cover (Final outcome)

Thought about my final outcome:

Positive:
-I like the idea, its petty straight forward and clear.
-Its looks clean and the colour choice makes me kind of comfortable.
-quite like the layout

Negative:
-I don't very like about the title and the frame (a bit too simple?)
-Is it the right colour for this theme? Because taxidermy art can be quite dark and creepy.
-Spend too much time on some details of the bird maybe?  not sure it is worth or not.

Overall, I quite like the result. It definitely have a lot of things that can be improved, but as my first book cover design, I am quiet pleased with it. Although I struggled a bit during the process, but I enjoy it. I have also learned some Photoshop skills while I was working on it ( I don't use Photoshop very much, I normally use SAI).
But still, there is a same old question that I had since last brief and I am still always asked myself. the thing that I drew, is it an illustration? Because I always feel like I am still doing fine art, I am still thinking and drawing like a fine art student for some reason. Comparing to idea, I feel like I always more worry about the drawing. Evertime I draw something, I automatically starting to adding details like some tiny shading etc. But I think this time is better. Because this time if I draw it complicatedly, people can spend a bit of more time looking at the cover. Because of that I have to make sure that the rest of the thing isn't complicated as well, otherwise people might get tired of dealing with so many information. Another reason I drew a lot details on this bird is I need to make people think that these two birds are actually just one bird. I hope that people can get it.

Judge a book by it’s cover (process) 2

Judge a book by it’s cover (Roughs feadback)

Judge a book by it’s cover (Process)

New brief:

Design, illustrate and produce a new cover jacket for a book loaned out from the library which visually communicates the content of the book.

'Taxidermy Art'

This is the book that I chose

Why?

-The colour of its cover is very eye-catching.

-I like the idea of taxidermy art, it's like giving a second life to a dead creature. I like this kind of darkly  beauty of it. Sometimes funny, sometimes horrifying. (Some of the works freaked me out a little bit...)

Ideas:

In my opinion, taxidermy art is like to give a second life to dead creature and keep their natural beautiful bodies.

This is the first idea that I had.

Here I drew Lycorisradiata (Equinox flower) around this bird, Lycorisradiata is also called 'flower on the other shore', represent death.

A very clear and direct idea of taxidermy. Dead bird and stuffed bird.

More ideas about dead bird (left) and giving dead bird a second life(right).

Don't like this one, too boring.

Mark making & pattern and tone

- The quality and feeling of a surface

- The contours and surface of a three dimensional form.

- The behaviour of light and dark across a three dimensional form

Different texture, different mark and line

 

Roughs

Our Society

I like found this task very interesting because I generally use cross hatching in my drawing to create value, the illusion of form and light and texture, and never really try with other way with mark making. Now in this task i can explore other different ways to create tone and texture on the surface. 

Mark making in my chosen theme Fantasy Beast

Illumination (Final outcome)

Positive feedback:

Style

Use of tone

Composition

Colour (especially the red on the long strip)

Clear idea

Critical feedback:

Could have considered using physical media in outcomes more.

Simplifying the images reducing them to more basic and simple shapes.

The square doesn't link with other two, because its so light (use more colour)

Very muted and gloomy- would this stand out or be striking in an editorial context?

Could add some darker tones on the sides to create atmosphere and direct attention towards the centre.

Thoughts:

I have a mixed feeling about my final outcome this time.

Of course the process was very interesting I enjoyed it very much, but then I starting to see the problem. I finally notice my 'bad habits' which I drew too much details. I think all three drawings have this problem and the portrait one is the most serious. That idea is pretty clear and basic, but I added too much unnecessary detail onto it and it doesn't help showing the concept at all. When I realised this problem I was a bit late, so in the long strip one I tried to using less detail, but seems like I can't control myself I did it again...

I makes me frustrated, because detailing spent me quite a lot of time. I starting to ask myself what is illustration? To what extent is concise? Should I change my style to a more basic and simple look?

Illumination (process)

New brief:

Produce three illustrations that visually communicate your response to the given text.

Your illustrations should be produced using 2 colours plus stock to the following 3 formats:

1 response at 200mm x 200mm

1 response at 105mm x 200mm (portrait) 

1 response at 290mm x 105mm (landscape)

The iron mask:

Social silence

3 ideas of square illustration, they are all about social silence.

In the end I chose this one. Five hands came out from behind this girl and covered her eyes, mouth and ears.

In my final out come I didn't show the girl's hand.

3 draft of the portrait illustration.

I chose this because I like the idea of 'we are all beast', even though we dressed well and act like a gentlemen( or a decent lady).

Another 3 drafts, I was worried that the beast concept doesn't  link to the article very much, so I gave up some ideas and chose the last one.