Week Summary : week 6. 28th Feb - 6th March

• Sketch book
• Lecture: Colin McHenry- (cancelled tutorial with Louise due to lecture)
• Self promo crit
• Lecture Stuart Kolakovic- (cancelled tutorial with Derek due to lecture)
• Etching workshop with Charles

Identity

Had a quick meeting about our degree show today. Seems we have ditched the previous idea? Think were basing the new idea on influences and a kind of mood board of our work (i think) and on the studio environment we work in. it sounds interesting. although not so easy to visualise at the moment as we only briefly talked about it. It should be easier to construct also, I think, which is a bonus! The last idea was turning into a bit of a project and we were perhaps being too ambitious considering the amount of work we have building up. This theme appears to be easier yet just as effective...we shall see..

Ready to send!

Really pleased with these...kinda dont want to give them away!
Spoke to Louise about them yesterday, to get her opinion on which envelope to use. She suggested making both but she favoured the screen printed version. So went home and made the above envelopes ready to show Derek in my work in progress meeting. He thought they were a great idea and favoured the stitched version. Perhaps I could send the stitched envelopes to special clients as they take longer to make and each one would be one of a kind. I can send the easy, print out frame envelope more regularly as this takes less time to reproduce.
Derek also suggested playing around with the shape or size of the clear plastic windows. I agree this could be an improvement, however I don't think its a problem at the moment, the pieces still work well, so I will consider this when next making them to send.

My Cards :)

My sample cards arrived today! Very cute and looking good! I went ahead and ordered the proper pack of 50 cards last Friday as I didn't want too risk a late arrival, so they should be here tomorrow too! As well as touching up the images and preparing my cards, last week I made testers of the packaging of the cards. I think I'm guna have to decide between the stitched envelopes and the silk screen, frame package.

Stitched envelope

Screen printed frame package

For the envelopes I think colour could be needed. I'm thinking of using pink, probably blue, envelopes and using coloured thread to stitch with. The envelope that I have is a white envelope that I already had from a card making kit. I think coloured envelopes will be more eye-catching and individual. I was tempted to stitch the other four envelopes, but I think I will wait to hear Derek's opinion first. I have a self promo work in progress with him this Friday. 

If however I decide to use the silk screen frame, I will print this onto better quality card. Oh and buying new a new ink cartridge will be useful too!

I also had another meeting with Jonny on Friday about my portfolio and tricks on photoshop. It was really helpful and the mock up book cover looked good too. I made sure I made plenty of notes while he was talking, but when I tried to edit pictures on my own, I had a bit of trouble. The problems were with 'layers' and when I copied an image onto a blank page, well it was huge and I couldn't get it to change. So think I will have to have another go at it this week.

Finally, I finished some simple ink drawings of buttons which I  was thinking of using within my website and this blog. I also made a stitched title of my name which will hopefully be appearing at the top of this blog shortly.


...Now, back to work! I keep getting a little worried that I haven't actually started drawing for my FMP yet....but I know what I want to draw, how I want to draw it, I've got good background research, and I think I know what direction I want my project to go in. I should be ready to start sketching later today or tomorrow. I just have to get all these smaller things out of the way first. This is the way I like to work, I'm quite organised and I don't like leaving something unfinished before I move on too much. So I just have to keep telling myself, its OK :).

Week Summary : week 5. 21st - 26th Feb

• Self promo cards- arrival of sample cards
• Self promo talk with Louise
• Identity meeting- change of theme
• Self promo cards- arrival of final cards
• Self promo cards- construction of envelopes (stitched and screen printed) for my business cards
• Self promo work in progress with Derek
• Sketchbook

Mark Wigan lecture cancelled

Was looking forward to seeing some of Marks stuff,from the little I've seen, it looks fun and colourful. Michael Kirkham came instead though, he does a lot of print making which were also very good.

Marina Warner

Just finished Warners 'From the Beast to the Blonde' book, got lots of info on

•  women's connection with birds ie. stalk, mother hen and links to female sexual knowledge and power.
• Bird's/webbed feet and connections with the devil.
• Example of Chinese version of Cinderella and its symbolism/ events (reminds me of my favourite book when I was younger, 'Chinese Cinderella', a true story by Adelin yen Mah- perhaps look back at this.)
• Symbolism behind small feet, the shoes, glass slipper ect.
• Rivalry between women.
• Symbolism behind women's golden hair- sweetness, youth, beauty ect.
• The link between the name 'Ashputtle' and the girls mourning for her dead mother.
• The idea that a heroin escapes one sexual ordeal for another- marriage
• women's (typically) 'suffering' before 'triumph'........

Portfolio talk with Johnny

Quite pleased with this tutorial. A tutorial is where you have a set time to meet with a tutor, or when you choose a tutor you would specifically like to meet with. You then present your work to the tutor to discus the work and talk about what to do next. (Tutorial are usually based on the progress of your FMP work, but this was a 'portfolio' tutorial and so was to discus the progress of my portfolio images specifically). The summary was basically that I have lots of work available to use in my portfolio. I can simply copy whole pages from my recent sketch book in most cases. I may like to consider placement of images ie. a double page spread, (Jonny suggested I use an existing image of shoes for this page) one image on a page or three or four images on one page. Jonny suggested I bring in some images on a memory stick on Friday so that he can kindly show me a few tricks on photoshop to tidy up existing images from my sketchbooks. He also said that he would show me how to make basic Penguin book cover samples to include within my portfolio. He said that he can visualise some of my images as book covers and that it would be nice to show a process through my images and show how my images can be used. It would also be a good idea to do this so that my portfolio has consciously finished pieces as well as sketchbook pieces that, in the end seemed to work well.
Hopefully I can have this portfolio ready to use for my teaching interview also.

Jonny brought in examples of good portfolios for us to look at...

He also suggested good places to buy portfolios.

Self Promo Progress

Our completed self promo pieces have to be posted to Pete by the 28th of Feb. The self promo should be designed so that its easily reproduced and therefore relatively cheap to reproduce. Most importantly, it should be a piece to impress the receivers to encourage their interest in the sender.


At the last years illustration degree show, I collected a few of the students self promo pieces which were mainly customised postcards and business cards. I like the idea of these as they can;

•  look professional / neat 
• can contain all important details efficiently,
•  they are small thus easy to keep in a wallet or do not take up too much room so that the owner feels its time to chuck it away. 
• They keep to the brief of being easy to reproduce as companies can send a chosen amount of card in the post for a price that you deem suitable. 
• They are easy to update as more recent images, produced specifically for the cards, or a different, already existing image can be uploaded ready to print.
• I believe that they will be a nice product to collect or keep as I did exactly this, collected and kept last years 3rd years cards.

In terms of sending my cards and making them individual I have considered;

• turning my card/image into the shape of a clothes tag. This is to relate to the fashion element that my images have. These can be ready to hang. They could possibly include a small clothes hanger that the tags could hang on. The sending of the included hanger may become a problem however.
• I could make my image into a bookmark, as some lecturers have said that they can imagine some of my images as book covers. The bookmark would relate to this. It would also act as a reminder of my work if placed within the recipients own books.
• Sending my cards as a small pack consisting of different images, so more of my work is available to them from the very beginning. This will be useful because if I only send one image, a recipient may not like this image. If I send more of a selection, they might change their opinion based on other images. This will also create a nice collectable pack/ series. These cards can be kept together using a belly band that I will customise, or placed into I clear plastic bag with a customised card label. Or, the idea I favour the most, placed into an envelope. The envelope will be machine stitched around the edge of the envelope to resemble a decorative photo frame. It will also have a large, clear, plastic window. This is so that you can see the cards inside the frame-styled envelope. This then turns the envelope into a keep-able piece to so that the whole product, including the sending method, becomes my self promo. This may be more difficult to produce than I expect if I can not find envelopes at the right size or with a large enough envelope to frame my picture cards efficiently.

On Monday, I found a company on line, http://uk.moo.com/products/business-cards.html . The company allows you to upload up images and create a sample pack of 10 card for free. This will allow me to test the quality of the cards and to make sure that the images work well. However I have just noticed that the estimated arrival is thurs 24th! This doesnt allow me much time to decide if the cards are effective, to order/ pay for a complete pact and to have the cards delivered in time. So I may have to order my cards before I view them :( oh well. in the mean time I will have to make test samples for the envelopes.

(Last years degree show self prom cards).

Week Summary : week 4. 14th-20th Feb

• Portfolio Tutorial with Jonny
• 'Self Promo' progress
• Reading of Marina Warner's 'From the Beast to the Blonde'
• Lecture Mark wigan
• Trials for self promo card envelopes- stitching onto existing envelope and using a screen printed 'frame' image, to make my own envelopes.

Mark Pawson Lecture

Mark brought in some examples of self promotional pieces, like small books, badges and postcards. I wasn't really inspired by this lecture though, I guess I was hoping to see something that was a bit different,something that hasn't already been suggested.

Head Full Of Thoughts..

Last night, while trying to sleep a had a series of thoughts about what I could do for this next project;

• turn my sketches into stitched images- in relation to the time period of fairytales and to stereotypical jobs/ hobbies these women would under go, ie. making the families clothes, stitching up holes in these clothes, house work...
• stitch these individual fabric images together, creating what resembles a patch work quilt.
• A quilt symbolises series of events/ a journey/ visits/ experiences. This could be the journey through my project, and of the journey that the women within my project have taken.

This was only a brief thought but was made more valued after today's talk with Alexandra about our pres docs ....

(My notes from the pres doc meeting)

Alexandra was talking more about the personal style of our pres docs. I began to wonder if my current pres doc, (this blog) is the best way to represent my project. While Alex was talking, I felt it needed to be more creative.

ideas for my pres doc (based on last nights thoughts about the quilt) :

• make a fabric / stitched book format
• stitch writing onto fabric to make diary pages.
• Make a stitched patchwork quilt of individual, fabric, diary entries.
• stick printed entries, scans ect into an already made text book, to resemble my own fairytale story pres doc book.

However I think some of these may be too ambitious (especially stitching the words of my entries- that's almost impossible). I don't wont to take too much time away from my actual project. I also quite like the organisation of this blog, the easy access I have to it, and the fact that I can edit and add to it easily and neatly....So I began to re think....

I'm now considering, keeping this blog but customising it to relate to my practical work, such as customising the background, the buttons on this blog, ect (if I can work it out!). I thought that I could then print these pages out and stitch them onto fabric and bind the book together using a sewing machine. Or stitching them onto a patchwork quilt. (If I still wish to do this)

This could also compare modern technology to connotations of stitch work. Thus linking modern women to dated representations of fairytale women.

Another link can be made from the quote, 'you made your bed, now you have to lie in it.'...I cant remember where I read this addition to the quote... ' you made your bed, now you have to lie in it...but I can choose to change the sheets!'. I may have read it within a Carter book. But this makes further links to my project and themes of the quilt, Adam and Eve and a woman's destiny.

Pres Doc Timetable

Wk 1.	24th Jan	Mon: Launch of pres doc. Set up blog. Begin entries
Wk 2.	31st Jan	Continue entries
Wk 3.	07th Feb	Tues 8th: Presentation draft
Wk 4.	14th Feb	Tues 15th: Portfolio tutorial 12:15 Fri 18th: lecture 11-1:00
Wk 5.	21st Feb	Have self promo finished by end of week
Wk 6.	28th Feb	Send off self promo no later than Mon 28th
Wk 7.	07th March	Fri 11th C.V workshop 10.00-1.00
Wk. 8	14th March	(Have blog customised with my own style by end of week) (Begin experimenting with binding blog pages together/ stitching pages onto fabric ect. Ready to discuss with tutors)

Wk. 9	21st March	Wed 23rd and Fri 25th: Individual tutorials.
Wk. 10	28th March
Wk. 11	Easter	Begin checking/ editing/ printing first 2-4 weeks of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk.12	Easter	Begin checking/ editing/ printing weeks 5-8 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk. 13	Easter	Begin checking/ editing/ printing weeks 9-12 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk. 14	25th April	Begin checking/ editing/ printing week 13 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in Tues 26th: Group assessments 11.30-2.30
Wk. 15	02 May	prepare week 14 of entries
Wk. 16	09th May	Mon: final tutorials Prepare week 15 + 16 of entries. Friday: Hand in pres doc.

Wk. 17	16th May	Last two weeks of major project
Wk. 18	23rd May	“                                                 “  (finish Mon 30th).

Website

Chris showed us how to make a digital 'flip book' styled website today. Although it looked effective, it was quite hard to follow and I don't think I'd find it easy to add more images at a later date. As a class we all experienced different difficulties throughout the day, which seemed to depend on whatever computer we were using, rather than actually following instructions incorrectly. I'm not very good with computers. Think I might have to leave this new website as it is.

FMP Timetable

Wk 1.	24th Jan	Mon: Launch of FMP Launch of pres doc. Set up blog. Begin entries Thurs: lecture 11-1:00 Fri: lecture 11-1:00 Read Carter books
Wk 2.	31st Jan	Read Carter books
Wk 3.	07th Feb	Mon 7th: 10.00- 5.00 ·         Draft proposal ·         Web presence Tues 8th: ·         Pres doc draft Fri 11th: Portfolio seminar.  lecture Read Carter books
Wk 4.	14th Feb	Tues: Portfolio tutorials. 12:15 Fri: Lecture 11.00-1.00 Self promo Research chosen story, symbolism ect Begin sketches. Continue reading
Wk 5.	21st Feb	Mon-Fri: (Self promo) Sketchbook work Have self promo finished by end of week!
Wk 6.	28th Feb	Mon 28th: Send self promo by today Thurs : ·         Lecture 11.00-1.00 ·         Self promo crit 2.30 Fri : ·         Lecture 11-1:00 Sketchbook work
Wk 7.	07th March	Mon-Fri: Portfolio tutorials Fri 11th C.V workshop 10.00-1.00              (Have timetable proposal and cv) Sketchbook work
Wk. 8	14th March	Fri: Lecture 11-1:00 Sketch book work (Have blog customised with my own style by end of week?) (Begin experimenting with binding blog pages together/ stitching pages onto fabric ect. Ready to discuss with tutors)

Wk. 9	21st March	Wed 23rd and Fri 25th: Individual tutorials. Sketchbook work.
Wk. 10	28th March	Mon-Fri: Degree show presentation work shops Sketchbook work.
Wk. 11	Easter	Sketchbook work. Consideration of final pieces Begin checking/ editing/ printing first 2-4 weeks of pres doc. entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk.12	Easter	Sketch book work Begin checking/ editing/ printing weeks 5-8 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk. 13	Easter	Begin checking/ editing/ printing weeks 9-12 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk. 14	25th April	Tues 26th: Pres doc group assessments 11.30- 2.30 Final pieces Begin checking/ editing/ printing week 13 of entries. Begin preparing these pages for final hand in
Wk. 15	02 May	Final pieces prepare week 14 of entries
Wk. 16	09th May	Mon 27th: Pres Doc final tutorials. Final pieces Prepare week 15 + 16 of entries. Friday: Hand in pres doc by 4.00pm

Wk. 17	16th May	Mon: degree show prep begins. Final pieces
Wk. 18	23rd May	“                                                                  (finish Mon 30th).

 Wa'sson this week...