SUMMATIVE PROJECT REPORT

SUMMATIVE PROJECT REPORT

Having reached the end of the module, I feel that my practice has developed through focussing on one extended research project. I had identified from my COP project that my concerns for practice are aligned with sustained research and not quick, applied briefs; a discovery that felt both confusing and assuring. At the beginning of 603 I thoroughly explored the live briefs that were open to me and created a plan of how I could tailor them to my practice. Working to live briefs would have offered momentum and structure but I decided that working on one sustained project was more appropriate to me as I was unlikely to be working to commercial briefs upon graduation.

The most transformative learning took place in my typographic work as I started to move away from the varied and naive approach I had previously applied to text, and instead apply a more consistent and refined approach. This movement from varied, playful type, to consistent, sophisticated letter forms was really informed just by changing my paint brush. For a while now I have really enjoyed the use of brush and ink in my practice for achieving painterly qualities and rich   tone, qualities which have been refined further within 603. Working with a broader brush allowed me to create clear and consistent letter forms that resonated with my contextual references of heritage sign painting and mining banners. A challenge my work now faced however, was that this brush and ink took away the play and texture synonymous with my practice; driving another transformative moment. Uniting the play and texture of my wider work, with the new refined type, achieved a much bolder and visible aesthetic, supporting accessibility and the relevance of my work to the context of a banner for marching.

Screen-printing has proven to be a highly effective medium to extend my practice. My work often sits within quite a tangible and tactile quality, mainly through my use of layering, but translating these compositions into screen-print allowed me to get a real hold on the interplay of colour and texture within my banner designs. Screen-printing is a process I have practices across my degree and I feel comfortable in saying that I think I have certainly solidified the skill now. Half-tones are really important to me when screen-printing as they attain a lot of the texture in my prints and I have consolidated quite a complex knowledge of how this are created and applied through quite a rigorous approach to positive making. This has really benefitted the project as preparing the compositions for screen-print meant that I had a better grasp on the interplay of colour and texture that could apply to my digital outcomes. This was particularly important with my proposal to produce 14 screen-printed banners for the EOYS as my digital banner designs were construct in line with them being translated into positives. 

Difficulties or fears impacting this module were mainly connected with my long term intent for practice which is focussed on research and post-graduate study. There were times in this module where I felt that perhaps I wasn’t producing enough refined outcomes and maybe I had disadvantaged myself in not carrying out live briefs but I have reached the end of the module feeling much more sure in my own work. The way I have learnt to see it is that I set myself off on an extended research project for COP, this project needed further visual investigation, I identified another, more specific route of research within that initial frame work, and I intend to pursue these concerns both theoretically and practically in post-graduate study.

The very personalised nature of the module has been really rewarding as I have been able to realise a brief, and concerns, important to me and my goals as a research based practitioner. I want my practice to continue to operate within a research context and I have solidified an ethos and approach to practice that will support my development within post-graduate study and on into the heritage industry. I am yet to feel as though I have fully completed my work on the brass band banners, but this is something that I’m sure with come to fruition with the production and execution of an installation in the EOYS.

LAUIL603 - PRESENTATION BOARDS

BANNERS IN CONTEXT - Brass Band March

APPLYING MY WORK - A REFLECTION
With the very source of my proposal stemming from the community and national traditions of marches, it seemed to support the synthesis of the module to see my work in context. For this purpose, I mocked up 3 of the 14 banner designs in paper form, complete with paper tassels, and constructed these at A2 size. 

This decision to contextualise my outcomes was really rewarding as I not only requited the needs identified in my proposal, to modernise the march banner and the tradition of the march, but I too was able to see the success of my illustrations in large format objects and from the viewers perspective. 

My only concern is whether the textiles versions would benefit from being bigger as these are more likely to move with the wind so a larger format could aid their visibility.


BRASS BAND MARCH LANDSCAPE from Abbie Mooney on Vimeo.
BRASS BAND MARCH PORTRAIT from Abbie Mooney on Vimeo.

END OF YEAR SHOW PROPOSAL - Application & Context

PROPOSAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECT

WHAT
- 14 screen-printed banner designs (4 colour)
- a visual and INTERACTIVE deconstruction of the traditional band march, for a MODERN audience
- a tactile and interactive INSTALLATION

HOW
- 14 designs translated into 7 DOUBLE-SIDED A1 banners
- first 7 banners in series to face forward, second 7 banners in series to face backwards
- hung on corn from ceiling beams
- need to be hung at least 60cm apart from one another to allow visibility of each design
- audience will be invited to walk (march) around this installation to view the series chronologically and interactively

EXTRAS
- floor vinyls to direct audience around installation; 
   'start marching this way --->' 
   'and now march back --->'

[7 banners to be displayed as above]

REFLECTION ON PROPOSAL

HOW DOES THIS PROPOSAL ALLIGN WITH MY SUBMISSION AT 603?

- I have carried out the experimentation, development and digital translation of 14 banner designs in preparation for translation to screen-print
- I have successfully simulated the outcome of these banners, demonstrated through 3 x A2 placards
- I have placed my work in context to see how these banners work within the march setting (practicality and production)
- Having used the module to generate thoroughly explored and developed content, I am now able to develop my submission for the EOYS, to realise my concerns for accessible and engaging displays of heritage

WHY NO BANNERS AT THIS STAGE?
- I felt it more time effective to mock-up some digitally printed placards to enable me to realise my work in context. If I had screen printed my banners for submission, I would not have achieved the synthesis gained by applying my work to this context
- Experimentation with 2 designs in screen-print has meant that I can now embark on the delivery of all 14 designs with a solid understanding of the interplay of colour and texture

3 STAGE MARCH - GIF

7x7 Image #4

REFLECTION #4 - Extended Practice Peer Crit

RECENT FEEDBACK

Initial thoughts on recent progress:
- Type has effectively developed from brush work to more playful and visual compositions
- Visual language is fun and accessible, language is supported by gestural narrative
- Great to see work in context
- Excited to see how the illustrations will translate into textiles banners for the EOYS

How is the project realising the proposal to this point:
- The energy and joy of my wider practice has been reinstated through application of colour and texture to achieve the playful and more universally appealing qualities mentions in my proposal

- The tradition has been taken and deconstructed thoughtfully in a way that is visible to a wider audience, but honest too

- The project addresses the narrative concerns of the proposal; concrete poetry has really enhanced language

Refinements to make for submission:
- Be thorough with thumbnails and roughs in refinement of the remaining banner images
- Draft how it is that you intend to realise these in banner form; mock-up
- Remember that you can also submit proposed work so keep sketch booking as you may have new ideas to apply to EOYS work

- Make it clear in your submission that these designs are PROPOSED FOR SCREEN-PRINTED A1 BANNERS

Other feedback:
- Screenprints are lovely in textural qualities & the off set prints work really well

REFLECTION #4

Working towards the end of the module, I have now successfully consolidated the aesthetic and language that carries through the series of banners. Working on one sustained brief has allowed me to be exhaustive with my typographic work and as such, I feel the narrative has really benefitted as it is clear and direct, whilst offering a sense of gesture and play. The exploration of concrete poetry has really enhanced the synthesis between image and narrative and has worked to create more integrated imagery.

Mocking-up a small selection of the banner designs as paper placards, was a really effective way of understanding how the illustrations apply to the specified context. I identified earlier in the project that scale would be pivotal and seeing these printed out at A2 certainly enhanced the strength of the image and message. At this point in the module, it was more economical in both time and materials to only mock-up a small selection of the final designs, although the 3 placards were more than effective in demonstrating my work in context.

I carried out a small photoshoot with my brass band with the 3 mock-ups; really as an opportunity to see my proposal in practice. It was really rewarding to see the work applied to the context from which the proposal was derived and this achieved a real synthesis to the project. I'm excited to see how these perform when they are translated into textiles pieces. 

Having been working mainly with brush and ink, and then digitally, I didn't feel that I had been too considerate of the interplay of colour and texture in my work before this point and so I chose to carry out some screen-prints. At this stage in the project, I don't have the time to screen print all 14 banner designs, but the process has certainly informed my construction of digital imagery, applying blending modes to achieve overlays, and half tones to achieve texture; however, my screen print outcomes will be realised in full through the 14 textile banners in the EOYS.

Extended Practice - Portfolio Review

Review with Ben

SUCCESSES

-Strong variety of contexts and processes
-Demonstrates image and object
-Clear sense of craft which is important to my practice
-High quality reproduction of prints

IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE

-Continue to develop content in line with development of projects

pg.1 - add one more type image and format as portrait
pg. 4-5 - rephotograph for enhanced quality and perspective
pg. 6 - enhance brightness
pg. 7 - add one more spread and break down into 2 landscape pages of 2 smaller images & add another full page images
pg. 13 - change to same colour way as adjacent page and change orientation.
pg. 15-20 - developing content from 603 projects

7x7 Image #3

REFLECTION #3 - Extended Practice Peer Crit

RECENT FEEDBACK

Initial thoughts on recent progress:
- Type has really developed from initial sketchbook pages

- Sophistication in new letter forms really enhances composition and effect of concrete poetry

- Solid consideration and application of composition

- Colloquial language is accessible and playful but could benefit from some deeper brass sounds
Current tone of voice/ audience/ direction/ success of response to proposal?:
- Lost a sense of the colour and play usually present in my practice > reinstate this energy and joy

- Accessibility and engagement is well addressed; narrative is broken down into clear and visible messages/ instructions

- The project addresses the concerns of the proposal but maintains a sense of play and humour
Realisations to achieve for portfolio:
- Keep up the collage explored in L5 for a varied and solid portfolio

- Consider adding some collage into the typographic work > image + type together

- REMEMBER THAT THE EXHIBITION IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BIG THINGS

- Use this time to generate work and images, not final objects
- A large body of work which is ONE sustained investigation in the type and visual language of banners & heritage

Other feedback:
- Research concrete poetry > new category to explore

REFLECTION #3

At this point in my project I have now solidified the narrative structure of the work. Work on one extended project across the module, rather than several smaller briefs, has enabled me to fully deconstruct my brief and work through the topic of the march in a way that is built on stages and instructions relevant to the content. Deconstructing the traditional march into instructions and gestural messages has driven the visual language and tone of voice to this point. 

Introducing the concept of concrete poetry has driven to think more about words as images and as such, the more gestural language has formed more playful compositions, suggestive of the wider narrative. 

Up to this point in the module, I haven’t been applying my usual processes of print-making or collage as I’ve not had the level of texture and image I usually would apply. Moving forward, as I start to work back into these images and refine them towards final resolutions as banners, I will further explore process and texture as a means of developing the sense of absolute joy and play that is celebrated in the successes of my level 5 work. 

The imagery that has been injected so far has only been applied to those typographic works which were applied to my promo-pack for 602, I am now looking to further this use of motifs and visual clues to enhance the modernisation of my contextual focus; the brass band march banner.

PAINTED TYPE ORIGINALS - GIF

7x7 Image #2

REFLECTION #2 - Extended Practice Group Crit

FEEDBACK

Ideas for further projects:
- Women's empowerment gif > make it work for you
- Re-visit Morris dancers > large figures, MDF cut-outs
- Regular zines to maintain momentum
- Monotype brief > no pressure to submit; respond organically

Current tone of voice/ audience/ direction:
- Maintaining usual comical, naive and playful tone of voice but applying it to more meaningful narratives
- Continue to push the character design previously explored to sustain the accessibility of my work
- Inclusivity and accessibility is key, but my work potentially appeals more to those with an interest in the value of community and heritage; locals, workers etc

Realisations to achieve for portfolio:
- A large body of experimental type > language is pivotal now
- REMEMBER THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE LIKE EVERY OTHER ILLUSTRATOR
- A collection of heritage focussed zines demonstrating a wide body of research but cohesive visual language
- Banners/ textiles/ applied illustration

Other feedback:
- Check out folk songs for traditional messages and phrases e.g. Skye Walking Song

REFLECTION #2

My continuous sketchbook practice has been really transformative in my construction and development of type and language based images. Exploring the line qualities of different brushes has shaped a new visual identity for my type work which is clean, bold and refined, celebratory of heritage sign writing, whilst still embodying the playful embellishments of my wider practice.

I feel I have really pinned down the most successful and effective applications of line in my construction of type to achieve a visual language that is both playful and sophisticated. This has involved moving away from my usually quite varied lettering approaches and focussing more on one consistent approach to letter forms. For me, I think the transformative element was considering the visual language of the traditional counterparts of my modern banners, echoing traditional typographic forms with the format and composition of contemporary illustration work. 

At this stage in the project, I am still developing the narrative structure of the banners, but I feel I have consolidated an aesthetic which should carry through into new language as I explore colloquialisms.  The ‘left right left’ image feels like a real success as it maintains the play and joy of my image making, with the graphic application of type in a union that seems quite complimentary. The square format is a success in this piece but this may be challenged as I work with longer narratives; exploration of composition in my sketchbook will be pivotal to the development of this.