26 DAYS OF TYPE - GIF

7x7 Image #1

REFLECTION #1 - Extended Practice Group Crit

FEEDBACK

Is the proposal viable?

-Think of an exhibition as end goal to drive a varied and extensive practice

-To push possibilities focus on scale > THINK BIG

-Gap in the industry for heritage and history focussed work

-Proposal is narrative focussed so practical possibilities are wide and varied

What next?

-Explore heritage

-Continue to be research driven

-Wooden characters and shapes to drive scale and tactility

-Work towards exhibition

-Explore working with different materials to push practice forward; wood etc

-Start with zines and mini/quick projects to drive momentum

Recommendations for research tasks:

-Harewood House brief > broaden heritage context and research; LIVE BRIEF

-Consider places to hold workshops & exhibitions e.g. Armley/ Community venue

-Remain appealing to children > making history inclusive and accessible

Other feedback:

-Think of 7x7 image as a symbol of current narrative concerns > message/ type?

-consider small quick/ day briefs to push momentum; a series of mini zines on aspects of heritage

REFLECTION #1

At this stage in my extended practice I feel its difficult to really identify any clear development points, I'm still certainly finding my feet with COP and haven't quite figured out the duality of my practice. I see extended practice as an opportunity to run with ideas explored in my COP research that I am passionate about developing. That being said, I feel a bit stunted by the parallel running of the modules as I'm conscious of leaving myself with enough relevant projects and briefs to submit substantial responses to the modules, without spreading myself too thinly trying to carry a dialogue across the two modules. 

Speaking with my peers, I feel I have solidified a bit more of an idea of the distinction between 601 & 603 in terms of my personal thematic and practical development. Moving forward, I do wish to investigate the relationship that heritage and social history has to my project, but rather that focussing on specific topics and briefs, I will run extended practice as an extended research project under which I will be able to focus on meaning making and acquirement of knowledge across several subject areas and processes. 

With the end goal to carry out post-graduate study, it is most relevant for me to apply my academic concerns to this module, with a view to building a research led portfolio, in place of a commercial one. Book-binding and printmaking will still be pivotal to this but perhaps serving more as presentation formats than commercial outcomes.

I think I have some more clarifying to do before I can commit to a practical direction as I feel too focussed on the thematic concerns of my COP work and do not wish to sacrifice the quality of this by over-stretching it into 603. I can, however, see a maintenance of typographic explorations underpinning this development.

STATEMENT OF INTENT - Extended Practice Project Proposal

PROPOSAL

INTENT/ TONE OF VOICE

My intent for my wider practice, developing across my final year and after graduation, will be a development of areas of interest and successes identified across the last 2 years of development.

Heritage and socio-historical knowledge has become key but this will continue to be applied through the following intentions:

- To channel a playful and mischievous tone of voice through comical character and type

- To apply a playful aesthetic to educational purposes and narratives

- To shed light light on social traditions and promote pride in heritage

THEMES/ SUBJECT MATTER

The general thematic purpose of my work will be to celebrate pride in fading industries and communities.
- Cultural and social topics
- Heritage and British visual culture
- Craft and folk-art traditions
- Community processes
- Language and storytelling

AUDIENCE & CONTEXT

I will operate a generally inclusive audience direction but may find that my work organically appeals to people with family history or knowledge in these areas. 
- Illustration and publications that function as educational tools
- Social history for children/ inclusive audience
- Inclusivity – accessible to community groups/ social class
- Tools to promote holistic identity and pride

GOALS & AMBITIONS
- Intent to use illustration to bridge the gap between fun, aesthetics and learning
- Champion a positive promotion of holistic/ community identity
- I intend to apply myself to the module for the benefit of my post-graduate development so will focus primarily on topics of heritage and social history to contribute towards post-grad research
- To continue to lead a research focussed practice

PRACTICAL SKILLS/ MEDIA/ FORMAT
- Heavily driven by crafted/ staged processes
- Traditional print and letterpress
- Heritage/ Industrial/ Mechanical processes
- Use of text and typography to enhance narrative and persuasive message
- Book binding as a craft and presentation approach

Additional Information

My extended practice will be driven by a responsive approach to cultural sources and experiences.

Research will be pivotal throughout my practice and practical responses will be a by-product of sustained sociohistorical and theoretical investigation.

PRACTICAL CONTENT/ OUTCOMES

Content:
- Identify a fading tradition or social group and apply crafted processes to socio-historical research to establish a resurgence of identification and pride within local/ social or geographical tradition.
- Develop on practical projects from levels 4 and 5, considering a more research-led and contextually informed approach to British social tradition, such as morris dancing and brass bands, in line with my current and developing visual language.

Outcomes:
- Propose a community focussed exhibition for ‘The Mill Space’ exhibition space at Armley Industrial Museum
- Consider proposal and development of outcome for Sunny Bank Mills ‘Ones to Watch’ prize, applying relevant contextual concerns such as textiles heritage and weaving to relevant practical processes
- Funding complications may require a community engagement to receive approval so I could establish a workshop plan for a local school group to explore the notion of ‘pride’ > public engagement