yes, yes. it is a flip book.
Wednesday 28 January 2009
Monday 26 January 2009
Photoshop tutorial...
...here is the image I produced during this lesson. I really don't enjoy doing work like this.
Had a go though...?
Had a go though...?
Christmas card...
...finally managed to take some photo's of the card I made for visual language.
The card was for Olli, and I decided it would be an appropriate choice to make it hand crafted as he loves it so much...ha.
Anyway...here are the photos.
Bit late, but Merry Christmas.
Anyway...here are the photos.
Bit late, but Merry Christmas.
32 page book...
...so this project stressed me out. a lot.
I decided to categorize the cars depending on what their purpose/use was and present them in appropriate ways according to this. Some of these worked well and am developing them for the final book...others made me feel physically sick to put my name to them.
The most successful pages were those that showed the toys actually being played with. I think my main problem was not deciding who I was aiming the book at. I didn't want it to be about collecting cars and I didn't want it to be aimed at children either. Lorenzo suggested that I aimed it at people who used to play with toy cars, which is the ideal audience.
So now the plan is to show through imagery how the toys would have been played with, and create a more personal feel to the book. More of a *nostalgic* approach. Hopefully I can do it justice...
I decided to categorize the cars depending on what their purpose/use was and present them in appropriate ways according to this. Some of these worked well and am developing them for the final book...others made me feel physically sick to put my name to them.
The most successful pages were those that showed the toys actually being played with. I think my main problem was not deciding who I was aiming the book at. I didn't want it to be about collecting cars and I didn't want it to be aimed at children either. Lorenzo suggested that I aimed it at people who used to play with toy cars, which is the ideal audience.
So now the plan is to show through imagery how the toys would have been played with, and create a more personal feel to the book. More of a *nostalgic* approach. Hopefully I can do it justice...
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Statement of intent...
...the focus of the book we are to produce will be toy cars. I am yet to decide on the actual title of the book, I think that it will probably be chosen during the development of my work over the next couple of weeks.
There are two obvious ways that this subject matter could deal with; the idea of collecting the *models* and the systematic way that they can be categorized or perhaps the theme of *toys* which opens the possibilities of creating stories/scenario's as someone would if playing with them...
At the moment I find the *toys* approach more interesting. I've already collected information about what the toys are based on, but I think I need to research the kind of environments the real life cars would be expected to be found in/their use.
I am also intending on having a look at other books which deal with the same subject, and find out how they have approached it.
To help develop my ideas I am likely to use a mixture of methods, including drawings, photography, and possibly crafting. The use of software to combine these elements will help produce final images.
Using craft to make sets for the cars may be appropriate as it is something that is done often when playing with the toy cars.
Throughout the process I will be using photography to document my progress and worksheets/sketchbooks to record different ideas. I will be referring to the given brief to ensure I am meeting the requirements and hopefully feedback from the group will help test the solution throughout different stages.
There are two obvious ways that this subject matter could deal with; the idea of collecting the *models* and the systematic way that they can be categorized or perhaps the theme of *toys* which opens the possibilities of creating stories/scenario's as someone would if playing with them...
At the moment I find the *toys* approach more interesting. I've already collected information about what the toys are based on, but I think I need to research the kind of environments the real life cars would be expected to be found in/their use.
I am also intending on having a look at other books which deal with the same subject, and find out how they have approached it.
To help develop my ideas I am likely to use a mixture of methods, including drawings, photography, and possibly crafting. The use of software to combine these elements will help produce final images.
Using craft to make sets for the cars may be appropriate as it is something that is done often when playing with the toy cars.
Throughout the process I will be using photography to document my progress and worksheets/sketchbooks to record different ideas. I will be referring to the given brief to ensure I am meeting the requirements and hopefully feedback from the group will help test the solution throughout different stages.
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Open day poster...
...while I was back in Rugby I visited my old college and saw a really good poster advertising an open day. The type was made by using the kind of tubes used in hamster cages. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the image online anywhere but while I was looking for it I came across this image which is quite interesting.
The type here has been made by opening boxes (I think) to reveal shadow and the contrast between this and the other boxes.
The type here has been made by opening boxes (I think) to reveal shadow and the contrast between this and the other boxes.
Book binding...
actually loved this. probably because I got to be crafty for the day.
sort of guide as how we made it;
- took 9 pieces of paper and grouped them into 3 sections
- folded the paper in half
- stacked the sections and sewed them around strips of material ensuring it was tightly pulled
- put pva glue down the spine, in layers, filling in the gaps
- pva a strip of material along the spine
- measure and cut card for the front and back cover and spine
- wrap the card in the textured material
- use the front and back paper to attach the cover to the book with pva glue
I realise they aren't the most comprehensive of instructions but it's enough to remind me of the process...
A morning in the studio...
...some shots we took during our studio session in photography. Interesting how just changing the lighting can effect the whole atmosphere of the image.
...thanks to the amazing modelling skills of my group, we got a few good pictures. AND I actually enjoyed the session, which is a turn up for the books as previously I had a bit of a grudge against photography. The more I'm learning about it, the more I'm wanting to experiment with it. I think my main problem before was having a lack of patience and not understanding why I couldn't get pictures to look the way I wanted straight away. Because I have found it challenging though, when things do work out alright it's more rewarding.
Sunday 11 January 2009
What is a book?
In my opinion the most important thing about a book is engaging the reader/audience. So to answer *what is a book* I've decided to include examples of books that have interested me in particular...
...the first of which is a book I used to read as a child called *The Jolly Christmas Postman*
This book is actually amazing. It tells the story of a postman and his journey at christmas time...what made this book so good though was the amount of interactivity available. The highlight of which was a letter box at the end, you could pull this out (a bit like an accordian) and see all the characters in 3D.
...the second book in this entry is one that Amber showed us. Everybody has probably seen this one already now and I think it was a pretty popular one.
the fact that it got everyone talking is a sign of it's success. The main reason people seemed to like it was because it was so different...taking *pop up* to the next level, and fully making use of the *series* opportunity that a book gives you.
As you can probably guess from the cover, this book deals with pictures! Mainly illustrators work, with small bits of information about the artist/designer/picture maker. This kind of book is particularly useful as a resource for particular audiences.
Books need a target audience, a running theme, content, a cover, and to be a physical object. Of course you can get web books etc etc but one of the best things about a book is being able to touch it and flick through the pages.
The idea of a series/sequence is obviously an important aspect...and the relationship between the pages or how you get from one page to another. I used to have one book which the character travelled through the book in a hot air balloon through slots in the pages. Again, it's that interactivity with the reader which made me remember this book.
...the first of which is a book I used to read as a child called *The Jolly Christmas Postman*
This book is actually amazing. It tells the story of a postman and his journey at christmas time...what made this book so good though was the amount of interactivity available. The highlight of which was a letter box at the end, you could pull this out (a bit like an accordian) and see all the characters in 3D.
...the second book in this entry is one that Amber showed us. Everybody has probably seen this one already now and I think it was a pretty popular one.
the fact that it got everyone talking is a sign of it's success. The main reason people seemed to like it was because it was so different...taking *pop up* to the next level, and fully making use of the *series* opportunity that a book gives you.
As you can probably guess from the cover, this book deals with pictures! Mainly illustrators work, with small bits of information about the artist/designer/picture maker. This kind of book is particularly useful as a resource for particular audiences.
Books need a target audience, a running theme, content, a cover, and to be a physical object. Of course you can get web books etc etc but one of the best things about a book is being able to touch it and flick through the pages.
The idea of a series/sequence is obviously an important aspect...and the relationship between the pages or how you get from one page to another. I used to have one book which the character travelled through the book in a hot air balloon through slots in the pages. Again, it's that interactivity with the reader which made me remember this book.
Friday 9 January 2009
Lines.
So basically I've measured the length of every toy car and represented that length by drawing a line. The colour of which has been chosen by the colour of the toy car...
...so just 100 lines then.
Tuesday 6 January 2009
100 toy cars...
These are the toy cars I have collected for the brief 100. Some of them are actually amazing but unfortunately I'm having trouble with my camera and have left the receipt in Leeds so can't get it sorted out yet. Which means the quality of these photo's isn't brilliant.
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