balsamslifeblogs

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This Place is Mine!

Being an introvert, self-care and relaxing at night, especially before bed, is one of my top priorities that I cherish and genuinely appreciate. By engaging in calming activities like taking a shower, moisturising my skin, brushing my teeth, etc. 

Provides my body with the relaxation it requires to maintain good sleeping habits, healthy lifestyle to promote longevity. Using contemporary media, I was able to produce an audio piece that incorporated a variety of audio tracks, that include the atmosphere of the location, a close recording of actions and a suitable music combined. 

I was able to produce this piece using my phone and different IOS apps such as voice memo and audio editor.It was challenging at first to pause the recording before each motion, but I was able to blend a variety of music over my audio recording. Using an audio editor has sped up and simplified the process because it allows for simple uploading, the removal of unnecessary sounds, and the addition of music. I was able to add a sense of ease and relaxation to my track by using various noises.

When I first read the brief criteria and list of what must be included, this piece appeared rather complex. However, as I built the piece and advanced in my learning, I became more competent at multitasking, which improved my capacity to rely on myself. 

As much as I loved the process of self-care, one benefit of this piece was how quickly it was finished. Rather than feeling like a task that needed to be finished, it was more like a soothing spa treatment.

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Gallery Visit: Tate Modern

Following the Tate modern visit on Tuesday the 29th of November I was able to discover more about the history of art and its origins. Reflecting on creative pieces such as Beyond Pop, Where the Water Goes, Space Dust, Babel, The Atlantic Civilisation Etc.

A few paintings sparked my attention, the first of which being The Atlantic Civilization, 1953, by Andre Fougeron, as It addresses the widespread concerns about family instability and abandonment. The second piece was Babel, a 2001 painting by Cildo Mireles. It is an artistic creation made by stacking a substantial percentage of compromised radios on top of one another.

This trip to Tate Modern was one of the most adventurous experiences as I was able to look at the art visually in its natural form rather than online. The art in general has created a sense of attachment, however it was exciting moving to different rooms to explore the history and story of every piece.

Browsing the Tate modern website and pdf produced by my lecturers prior to the visit has enabled me to plan my journey and to be timely sufficient as I was able to discover facts and details about the gallery and the art it exhibits.

One of the challenges I encountered during this was maintaining my attention because I had a limited attention span and initially thought the experience to be somewhat boring. However, as we moved forward and made progress through the gallery, my concentration increased. Furthermore, I've learnt to be patient and to take my time with each work, trying my best to comprehend the artist's intended message.

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Photo Essay 

Working individually through these tasks I was required to produce a photo essay discussing 5 original photos that portray a single theme as working for production across many media platforms. My chosen theme is books. 

Through the production of this piece, I was overwhelmed with emotions as my photos were quite basic and dull due to the chosen location and comparing them with other peoples. However, after using Photoshop I was able to transform and improve these photos which has boosted my self-confidence.

 Some of the key elements that went well was the process of taking the photos as Kingston library was spacious and condensed with books and objects that gave me the freedom to take a lot of content then choose the best 5.

 On the other hand, I’ve struggled with editing the images using Photoshop as I felt it was a complex app to use. It was quite difficult to find the perfect tone and shade to match the” dark” mood that I was aiming to portray. However, using shadows and different warm tones I was able to achieve the final product. 

In conclusion I’ve learnt to always familiarise myself with a tool/ app as it’s time consuming making repetitive mistakes and starting all over again. As well as to develop my knowledge and skills on Photoshop I’ll watch guidance videos on how to use the app. Final thoughts on the photos, in the future I'll use less intense undertone filters and shadows since they all appear identical now.

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Client Brief: Audio Tour

In order to promote a part of Kingston’s well-being library's collection in an advertisement, I worked on a second promotional piece for this assignment called the "Audio Tour." 

With the help of simple recording tools like Voice Memos and YouTube for background noise, I was able to create an Ad that mostly attracts and targets students.  

Adding layers of voice and music throughout the recording was challenging because I had to multitask and be punctual with every action to stay within the 30-second time frame. if not, I'd have to start from scratch. 

I needed to use a variety of gadgets, including my phone and laptop for background music and others to achieve an engaging Ad. 

Completing couple drafts prior to the final product has enabled me to get comfortable with my own voice and balance my pitch according to the background music. 

I was able to get a background of people conversing in Kingston library, thanks to the small number of cafés there. 

 I’ve struggled with fitting the audio into the required time frame as it has exceeded it multiple times, therefore had to cut audio parts and fit background music instead. 

In the coming future, I’d try to use lower-pitched background music.

To effectively combine the music and background noise, I’ll try speaking at a low pitch. 

Have a written script prepared prior to the recording to avoid wasting time. 

Attempt to feel at ease in my own voice and record several drafts prior.

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Animation 

Using the app Stop Motion I’ve created a promotional piece presenting Kingston library. Through this animation, I’ve promoted a well-being books collection embracing, women empowerment, mental health, body positivity, dietary, etc. My initial thoughts towards this animation were quite negative as I self-sabotage but it flew smoother than expected.

During the process of creating this animation I had difficulties fitting the animation into the required time frame as I’ve exceeded the limit {10s} by {9s}, as a solution I had to remove couple photos. 

Overall, using Stop Motion was straightforward, however, as I’ve produced the animation from my phone, I’ve faced some difficulties, firstly editing. This is due to the app missing tools, such as zoom in, lighting and adding photos which was only eligible for premium users costing {£4.99}.

However, asking for feedback from lecturers and classmates has enabled me to spot out mistakes from different perspectives. 

Overall, this promotional piece was a positive and fun experience as I’ve developed and implemented multiple skills that enabled me to grow confident. 

Adapting inspiration from Lotte Reiniger has enabled me to become a creative individual where creativity andart not my speciality. She says: “Your aim must be to find what kind of talent you really have then to develop “. 

To achieve maximum satisfaction in the future:

I’d use my laptop for editing the piece as more tools are available.

Spread the tasks into multiple sections that can be completed over time.

Allow extra time for the whole process. 

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This is some of the work completed prior to the submission date that has enabled us as a group to discuss all possible outcomes of the commercial AD and to lay out all possible expectations.

Having different TV inspirations such as Wallace and Gromit and Lotte Reiniger who’s a famous animation pioneer from Germany, has helped us as a group to be creative and try different animation tools and techniques.

Drawing 2D animation and colouring in the piece was a very fun experience which made the group to become more interactive and share ideas.

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Animation: Drink AD

In the 4th week of the digital media and foundations workshop, we got to learn about animation and its history. As part of the blog, we worked in groups of 3-4 to produce a short animated commercial, featuring our favourite drink.

Using Gibbs reflective style and Lotte Reiniger as an inspiration WE as a group were able to produce a great commercial piece using flat 2D animation methods. As the piece was group work it was easier to distribute and manage, as each of us got a targeted task to complete which felt well organised and time managed.

using stop Motion Studio and flat 2D animation methods such as drawing images, paper cuts and doodles made the process easier and interactive, giving the team a chance to work together and distribute everything evenly. E.g. helping with drawing some of the animations, writing a mind map of all the inspiration and the outcome of the commercial. Analysing some of the flaws from my previous work on the blog I’ve improved with time management as well as communicating.

Furthermore, working in a group has enabled me to manage my time effectively and quit procrastination. However, I’ve discovered new skills such as working under pressure and becoming a creative thinker. One of the major flaws was fearing rejection or being wrong therefore I kept most of the suggestions to myself which shows I didn’t test my limit to become entirely comfortable working in a group. In the coming future, I hope to be more vocal about my ideas and allow rejections to boost my self-confidence.

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Photoshop

In the first 3 weeks of the workshops, I’ve learnt about different forms of media and how the world of digital media works and operates. Using Gibbs's reflective style, I have produced 2 portraits as part of an assignment for the first teaching block.

As a novice photoshop user I’ve struggled with the use of new technology such as Photoshop and to set up my platform {Tumblr}. time management and self-motivation as well as the courage to ask for help from classmates and lecturers was a big part as to why the process became time consuming. in link to time management Stoic philosopher: Seneca – “On the Shortness of life” says, “It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it”. Here Seneca states how we have plenty of time however, it’s about the way it’s being manged.

I’ve learnt countless of new techniques, such as the use of different shades of warmth as shown, e.g., grey and orange, my piece of work has given and produced a sense of comfort, love and happiness. Using this has enlightened my skills on how to change viewers feeling and mood toward certain portraits.

In the coming future, I’d do better managing my time better by firstly familiarising myself with all needed platforms as well as editing and saving drafts to show to my lecturer for any adjustment. Overall during this process, I’ve learnt a lot but to always ask for help when needed to focus on the script and follow instructions strictly to avoid wasting time.