iTAP 08/11/10

Production and Outcomes

Artwork is often a product of its time. The process, medium, and social commentary is a reflection of an era, as creatives, it is essential to tap into the spirit of the time and draw upon what's current and relevant. Hence it is only natural for this to become apparent in our work.

To demonstrate this, I've chosen to use George A Romero's hit zombie movie Dawn of the Dead. 

Produced in 1978, Dawn of the Dead bears many of the hallmarks of the 1980's movie scene. Over the top gore, biker gangs, action and the style in which it was shot. Dawn of the Dead thrust the zombie scene into the mainstream, and became an iconic film reflecting its time.

Fast forward to 2004, Zack Snyder remakes Dawn of the Dead.

Gone are the slow moving Zombies, instead, they are replaced with faster, much more deadly counterparts. The characters are changed to more accurately represent a cross section of society that the audience can relate to. The environment stays the same, only the mall is updated to the modern day. The whole pace of the film is much faster - a representation of our short attention span, 'now now now' generation. I'm sure looking back on this film in 10-20 years time will invoke the same feelings of datedness when one examines the original Dawn of the Dead now.

Delivery


There are more platforms for people to share there work now days than ever before. The digital age now allows anyone to share their work with the world for free. Using the internet as a proving ground for artwork is now common place. Websites like Deviant Art provide a thriving community in which to share your work, (that is, amidst all the animé fan art.

Web comics, blogs, forums. The digital realm is rich in opportunity for an aspiring creative.

iTAP 23/11/10

Overcoming Mindsets


Let's face it, we all get stuck in rut with our work at some point. We lose inspiration, lose momentum, lose sight of our goal and become overwhelmed. The irony for me in this situation, is that I'm most commonly stuck in a rut when writing these iTAP entries. So how can I overcome this? My habitual process for writing these entries is usually pretty formal, and constrained -  a habit from essay writing in Secondary School. So in order to break this, I should focus on being more relaxed and informal

This is something that I can (obviously) relate to my own work. I should always restate the problem set before me, not always follow my first plan of action (my habitual thinking) and go a more unconventional route, which will often leads to a more interesting and creative result than otherwise.


Managing a Creative Environment


Having a positive working environment has a large impact on the work one produces. Thus it is essential to be comfortable in your surroundings and help streamline your work.

My humble abode:

I try to keep organised even when working, as I find I can't work in clutter. All the essentials are here, a sketchbook, drawing materials, laptop, scanner - oh, and most importantly, coffee. The lamp and window allow me plenty of light, which is essential for an artist (although in my case daylight isn't really essential as I do most of my work at night).

I don't have a lot of space around me, so my main source of inspiration is the internet and my collection of graphic novels and drawing books. Not exactly the biggest collection in the world, in fact, it's pretty modest compared to a lot of Illustration enthusiasts. The joys of having a lack of money and being incredibly selective.



Just as important is my 'mental' space - if that's the right word for it. Having a relaxed atmosphere is essential for me to be productive.

This past year I've fallen in love with the web page Rainy Mood , which is simply a 30 minute loop of rainfall, which I play softly in the background whilst listening to music. If I'm not in the mood for music I feed my mind with TED talks or artist interviews on Chiu Stream. It feels as if I'm killing two birds with one stone, by immersing myself visually in my work, and learning through audio. I also have a tendency to become to wrapped up in my work, stressing about deadlines and whether or not the work is coming out the way I want it to - learning about important 3rd world projects, technology and stories of perseverance helps my situation in perspective and not worry so much.

What I would give to have this studio...

For one, it's incredibly spacious (a far cry from my cramped student room) - with multiple workstations for each different process (e.g. graphics tablet and computer area for digital work, drawing board with a good source of light for traditional drawing). This goes a long way to reducing the amount of clutter that is bound to accumulate in a less organised space.

There are constant sources of inspiration through out the room, helping motivate and stimulating creative thought.

iTAP 30/11/2010

Influence of Text

Text can change the outcome of an image, creating an entirely different meaning than if the image was on it's own. Jim Golderg's Rich and Poor series is a good example of this. He took pictures of subjects and then allowed them to write their own commentary.

I can't help but laugh at this; the wife in this elderly couple writes out a detailed and heartfelt dialogue about her husband, talking about his 'strength of character' and how they are 'totally devoted to each other'. And the husband's contribution is: 'My wife is acceptabe. Our relationship is satisfactory'. It's clear the different viewpoint's these two have, and their characteristics are also reflected in their handwriting. The wife's, an eloquent and neat style, and the husbands, a wobbly scrawl.

'What I really want is a real home with nice furniture, also a van to drive. I would also like to give my son what I didn't get in life. Which includes love.'

This photo and the accompanying text touches on family values and future aspirations. There is a definite human element added through the handwritten text - which would not be there otherwise.