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Davey and Kristen McGuire's beautiful animation using paper cut-outs and film projection. I love the use of shadows and the seamless way all the visual elements tie in together. 

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Canadian Artists in Bloomfield Ontario

August 2012

On a recent visit to Canada I went to the quaint town of Bloomfield, the centre of which is a single street filled with artsy gift shops, boutiques and small art studies. Two galleries in particular that stood out where the Chase Gallery and Elements Studio and Gallery. 

The Chase Gallery was located near the end of the street and from the outside didn't look like a gallery, it looked like a shop. Inside it was very crowded with wall sized canvas' tables full of trinkets for sale and an area at the back with unfinished canvas' where the artist Sherrill Chase was working on a new piece. The gallery space itself was very dark and it was difficult to walk around with all the clutter. 

Chase's work is very large, bright and depicts images of home life in the areas she inhabits. What I liked about her work is her use of colour. She uses lots of bright bold shades of primary colours and accents them with browns and greens that make the images very striking. 

However, I found Chase's work very difficult to look at. I found the scale of the images rather too large despite the fact I believe the intention of Chase using this scale was to make the image life size. However, with the perspectives used, generally at a left or right tilt rather than head on images, combined with this dramatic scale size and amount of strong bold colours, the overall effect made me feel dizzy and uncomfortable. If the images had been smaller or the perspective changed slightly I may have found them more palatable. 

As well as this I found Chase's subject matter rather predictable, it was very much as though I had seen it all before. There were images of rooms, standard fruit bowl still lives and paintings of sun flowers and other vases of flowers that made me make the connection with the work of Van Gogh who produced works of art of similar themes.

  After seeing this image, La chambre de Van Gogh à Arles (Van Gogh's Room at Arles) produced in 1889, it really reminded me of Chase's work and although the paint techniques used appear very different the colour scheme and subject matter are very similar. 

After this, I carried on down to the end of the street and came to the door of Elements Glass Studio. The approach to this studio was far more inviting than the Chase Gallery. The sign for the studio lead you down a garden path surrounded by flowers to a cabin at the side of someones house. On the ground floor was a small display of glasswork with an arrow indicating that the rest of the work was upstairs. The rest of this downstairs area was a studio space complete with current pieces of work and the artist Caroline Shuttle hard at work. Upstairs was a long light room with pieces of glasswork clearly presented on plinths and on the walls with clearly labeled work with descriptions and prices.

The overall presentation within this gallery space was very clean and professional. 

The work itself was very well crafted and I loved the use of colour and the intricate and creative shapes of plates and bowls. However, as with Chase's work I feel as though I have seen this type of work before I have been to many galleries by seaside towns and it feels as though all glasswork in small galleries looks the same, which is a shame because I would really like to appreciate this work more. 

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Joe Mohr- Lorax Cartoon

Just came across this cartoon by Joe Mohr and didn't quite believe that a car company would use the Lorax the character that "speaks for the trees", and the fundamental message of his tale is to look after the environment. However, I looked online and found the Mazda advert and was shocked that the Lorax had been used completely out of context. 

If any company should use the message of the Lorax it should be Greenpeace or an environment agency, not an SUV car manufacturer. There is no mention in the advert that this car is more environmentally friendly, a hybrid, electric etc so it baffles me that the Lorax has been used in this way.

The image above displays the contrast between the book Lorax and the film Lorax. The book Lorax despite being in a tangible print format expresses the morals of looking after the planet in an innocent child hood context. The film Lorax, though bringing this tale to a new and vaster audience, is being used to fuel a non-enviromental, consumerist, commodity completely destroying the stories ideologies.  

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Anthony Browne Exhibition Cardiff Museum

Tuesday 7th August 2012 

It was just by chance I stubbled upon the Anthony Browne exhibition in the National Museum Cardiff. I have never really looked at his work before and was pleasantly surprised at how it was exhibited. It was displayed unlike any other exhibition I have ever seen before. 

Outside the gallery space had been transformed into an extension of the exhibition itself like the front garden of someones house complete with picket fences a Wendy House style building and a few cardboard cut-out gorillas dressed in sweater-vests and bow ties and some of his illustrations are framed behind glass windows. This area sets the tone for the exhibition that is nostalgic of childhood memories and fun.

Upon entering the gallery space that is normally a single coloured four wall room that is normally used for fine art exhibitions the change was quite dramatic. The room was separated by partitions that divided the space to coincide with different areas of Browne's work. This was successful because it gave the spaces purpose and allowed for continuity between images displayed next to each other. It also allowed the spaces to become installations in themselves. The area where forest themed works where displayed together became a forest complete with hanging drapes with drawn on trees. The park area came complete with the view of a back garden and clothes hanging on the washing line that was taken from the illustration on the wall. It was really interesting to see the illustrations taken out of the context of a flat 2D illustration to a 3D installation. All the walls of the gallery where painted bright colours that gave an atmosphere of fun and gives one cohesive theme that flowed through the space as though telling a story. This is how I believe all Illustration exhibitions should be presented as though telling a story. 

Although Browne's work itself is dated, the skill and technique of Browne's painting is lovely to see as it is so fine and intricate. Some of the original paintings show how Browne dealt with his mistakes before the digital age, there are white paint stokes over certain areas of the page where paint splashes must have been. 

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Brave Film Review

Does Contain SPOILERS 

Brave, has been one film that I have been waiting for since the teaser trailer came out, that feels like years ago. Despite primarily being aimed at children more than 10 years younger than myself, it is so nostalgic to go and see a Disney animation. 

As a moral tale Brave has very strong morals that are obvious without feeling like they are being forced at you. The idea of Merida changing her fate through a spell so she is able to 'carve her own destiny", though cliched, is a tried and tested method in fairytales and in this context is to gain personal freedom and not to gain the attention of a Prince. However, in my opinion the moral that rang through is 'realising what you've got when it's gone' as Merida doesn't realise what kind of relationship she could have with her mother until she is a bear and could be a bear for the rest of her life. 

The colour palette of this film is a delight. It has all the atmosphere of a Brothers Grimm tale. A dark, intriguing and mysterious forest is one of the main settings of the film that is ripe with rich deep shades of green and blue that is fused with a grey mist that gives that air of intent as though something is about to happen.

The animation style is something that screams "Pixar!". It's a style that has been developed  since 1995 with Toy Story and is now universally recognised. The characters range from all shapes and sizes that give the impression of diversity within a large crowd. The emphasis on the heroine Merida is evident especially in terms of the texture of her hair as you can almost imagine this mass of red curls in front of you. In fact this film is so well animated it doesn't warrant any further comment it just speaks for itself. 

But the issue I have with this film is not with the story or the colour or the morals, it is with the fact that it is a 3D animation. After seeing this image by Michael De Pippo it made me question the merits of 3D animation against 2D. Even of the disney website the prolog is in 2D and feels like a story rather than trying to be real. By adding another dimension it feels as though the handcrafted part to the tale is being lost. 

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V&A Illustration Awards 2012

Another exhibition we saw was the V&A Illustration awards. Now before I start this is all my thoughts and my opinions on the work I saw. The categories where the best illustrated book, book cover, editorial illustration and student illustrator of the year. 

I best illustrated book was won by Laetitia Devernay for her book The Conductor. I really liked this book and how the illustrations told the story rather than there being a need for text. The premise of the story is very simple too, how the conductor begins to pay music in the forest and the turn into birds that seem to follow the pattern of the music. Its simplicity is this books greatest strength as the simplicity of the story is also conveyed by the way the it is drawn. The conductor himself very small with simplified features and basic standing positions and the trees are just large circles on sticks with flower patterns and leaf shapes to add detail. The colour scheme is again simple of black white and cream. The black and cream acts as the fill of the drawn images leaving lots of white negative space which in some images tries to create a feeling of vast open spaces. I feel that the colour scheme let it down though, I feel it should have either been black and white with a colour rather than cream (but I have an issue with cream as a fill colour in all illustrations it should be used as a background colour or not at all in my opinion). 

The Student Award was won by Holly Mills a student at Camberwell Collage of Arts in London. I her use of colour it's bold and striking and she doesn't seem to be afraid of placing shocking and vivid shades of yellows, pinks, greens and purples together without making it look garish and really difficult to look at (because I think the whole point is to make you feel uncomfortable which it does successfully).

However there is something that I really did disagree with about this selection of work. On the wall was a write up of why the judges of this catagory Laura Carlin and Luke Best chose this student illustrator. They said that "Holly's work didn't immediately remind us of someone else's" but when I first saw this set of work without reading any of the information provided I thought it was Laura Carlin's work. The colour scheme was the only thing that sets Holly Mills' work from Laura Carlin's. How they draw figures is very similar both loose and having small hands, feet and heads with larger bodies. Though there are some differences this work didn't stand out to me as it did to the judges. 

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V&A History of British Fashion

On Tuesday 31st July I went to London to help my boyfriend drop off some work at an exhibition. As a part of a whistle stop tour (mainly filled with sight seeing and dodging lots of busy tourists there for the Olympics) we managed to go to the V&A. 

I had no idea what would be on and we very happy to see the History of British Fashion, not for the Fashion itself but for the beautiful fashion illustrations. Looking a fashion illustration from the past always makes me want to produce fashion illustrations, but I know that current trends will never allow me to produce work that is a delicate and detailed as the image below. It could almost be intended as a portrait such is the detail. I know that the body and facial features are slightly out of proportion, but the delicacy of the line and smoothness of texture made the whole display worthwhile for me. 

As well as the illustration I also saw this 1920's Art Nouveau illustration in the 1920's section on a table in front of flapper dress and large fur coats. I really like the extravagance portrayed by this image through the background imagery with its mix of geometric shapes and lines for the wall surrounding the figure in the centre to the soft sweeping shapes of the bird and palm trees behind the bold figure in the centre. The woman depicted is portrayed as strong and assertive and the split in her dress shows a flash of ankle as though she has the final decision of how she looks indicating the dramatic change in fashion during the 1920's. I love the use of colour. The contrast of the yellow and orange with the harsh black areas. 

Though only a very small part of the collection in this exhibition these two illustrations were by far my favourite pieces. 

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Edible Zoetropes- I so want to try this 

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Coke Fuze - 1st Ave Machine

So Inspiring 

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Bicycle Animation I found on youtube, such a simple and affective idea.  

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I am Completely Inspired to Make Zoetrope's Again!

I am researching into zoetropes for my SNP. I made one in first year and it went horribly wrong. But after looking a some absolutely amazing ideas, I am so inspired to give it another go. 

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Bert and Ernie and the Cookie 

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Bert and Ernie Share a Cookie

Ernie And Bert Share A Cookie

starring Ernie (Jim Henson) and Bert (Frank Oz)

Bert is examining a cookie in his hand

Bert: "Mmmmmmm, mmmm."

Ernie: (barging in) "A cookie?! Oh boy a cookie! I love cookies and oh boy am I hungry!"

(He grabs Bert's hand and starts bringing the cookie to his mouth. Bert angrily stops him.)

Bert: "Ernie, ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-HOLD IT!"

Ernie: (tries again) "But it's a cookie and I'm hungry and--"

Bert: (jerks away) "Ernie, this is MY cookie. I've been saving it all day just for ME."

Ernie: "Oh but, Bert, you wouldn't share the cookie with your best friend?"

Bert: "Ernie, I've been saving it; this cookie is for ME."

Ernie: "Oh but Bert, if this were my cookie, I would share it with you."

Bert: (skeptical) "No you wouldn't."

(Bert starts to eat the cookie, Ernie stops him)

Ernie: "Oh but Bert, if this were my cookie, Bert if this were my cookie, I'd be glad to share it with you." (abruptly he snatches it away from Bert)

Bert: "Ernie!"

Ernie: "Just a minute, Bert, just a minute."

Bert: "Ernie, that's my cookie!"

Ernie: "Oh but Bert, if this were my cookie, I'd gladly share it with you. Just ask me."

Bert: "Ernie, that's--"

Ernie: "No, just ask me."

Bert: "This is silly. (forced) Ernie, would you share that cookie with me? Augh!"

Ernie: "Why I'd be glad to! (He breaks it in half, gives one piece to Bert and gobbles down the other half. [Did he get lessons from Cookie Monster?) See, Bert? I told you I'd share the cookie with you. Isn't that better?" (leaves)

Bert: (standing bewildered with the half-cookie) "I don't understand ..."

(Ernie pops back, asking): "Say Bert, would you share that half-cookie with me--"

Bert: "AAAAUUUUUGGGGHH! Leave me alone!"

A segment showing the conventional moral of sharing, that is often taught to young to young children to develop social interaction. Though in this scenario the messaged is confused by Ernie tricking Bert into giving him half of his cookie.  

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Screen Shot from Cookie is a Sometimes Food 

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Cookies are a Sometimes Food

A Cookie Is A Sometime Food

sung by Hoots the Owl (Kevin Clash) with Cookie Monster (Frank Oz)

A parody of the song "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing" from Porgy & Bess

(Cookie Monster walks on the set humming and sees a table loaded with fruit)

CM: Dum dum de dum, dum de dum ...

(stops short in front of table)

Hey, what that? That look like bunch of fruit, yeah.

(he walks to the end of the table and finds a massive cookie, he picks it up)

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Oh yeah, cookie! Me so hungry! Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! What should me eat? Fruit or cookie? Fruit or cookie? Fruit ... cookie ... fruit ... cookie ... Oh, this tough decision. Wait, what me saying? Me Cookie Monster. This no-brainer, me eat cookie!

(Just before he can shove it into his mouth, Hoots arrives on the scene.)

Hoots: Hey, Cookie Monster! My main monster, what's up?

CM: Me about to eat delicious cookie!

Hoots: Whoa, what about all that, all those other good stuff over there? Yeah, ya see there's grapes, and there's apples, and bananas. Huh, huh?

CM: Me know, so?

(sung with spoken comments by CM)

Hoots: Well, won't you listen to what Hootsie tells you

CM: Okay.

Hoots: And don't you cop an attitude

CM: Me try not to.

Hoots: A cookie can be scrumptious

CM: Oh yeah!

Hoots: Crunchy, sweet or yumptious

CM: Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Hoots: Buuuuut, a cookie is a sometime food

(pulls CM's hand away as he tries to eat the cookie)

Yes, a cookie is a sometime food

(an apple pops up in front of them to sing her line and then disappears)

Apple: Ooooh, a cookie is a sometime food

Hoots: There are plenty other fruits and vegetables

That are healthy for you all the time

They're delicious, they are yummy

Try an apple, peach, or plummy

'Caaaaaause, a cookie is a sometime food

Yes, a cookie is a sometime food

(a banana now pops up)

Banana: Oh, a cookie is a sometime food

Hoots: If you're looking for something to snack on

For something sweet you're in the mood

Try an orange or some cherries

Try a melon or some berries

'Caaaaause ...

CM: You okay?

Hoots: ... a cookie is a sometime food

Yes, a cookie is a sometime food

(Hoots takes the cookie from CM as he tries to eat his empty hand and then realizes what he's done. CM now drums his fingers against his head in impatience. The apple and banana return to the scene.)

Hoots and Apple: But an apple is an anytime food

CM: Apple! (grabs an apple from the table and eats it)

Hoots and Banana: Yes a banana is an anytime food

CM: Banana! (swipes a banana from the table and eats it)

Hoots: Yes a fruit is an anytime food

(CM is now devouring all the fruit at an alarming rate)

Yum!

(Hoots is now joined by the apple, the banana, a pineapple, and a purplish fruit which I can't identify. It looks like a beet to me, but that's a veggie, right?)

Yes a ...

Fruits: Fruit

Hoots: Fruit

Fruits: Is a

Hoots: Is a

Fruits: Any

Hoots: Any

Fruits: Time

Hoots: Time

All: Food, yuuuuuum!

(spoken)

CM: Me get it! Fruit anytime food.

Hoots: That's right.

CM: Cookie sometime food

Hoots: That's right.

CM: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you know what? Right now is sometime (grabs the cookie from Hoots), cooookie! (proceeds to shovel it in as Hoots laughs)

I am going to analyse this segment of Sesame Street in relation to the moral implications of Sesame Street and its 'apparent' influence on the actions and choices of children. Looking at the response of Sesame Street to the criticism that the Cookie Monster influenced childhood obesity so they introduced the cookie monster to eating fruit and veg.   

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After Some Consideration...

After some consideration I have decided to write a new blog, for the research I look at for my Dissertation and Student Negotiated Project. 

2nd Year of this course has been the worst academic year I have ever encountered, filled with miss-communication and lots of silly stuff. 

This is in the past now and hopefully this new blog will act as some kind of therapy to get over the last year and look positively towards the year ahead. 

Now its the summer, and time to start some hard core research and look at Illustration thats out there and that I like and dislike. 

So here I go ...