Thursday, 10 March 2011
Different Enlargers
The difference from using two enlargers is incredible! I kept the colour filtration, aperture and exposure time the same however the outcome was very different. Some of the enlargers in the darkroom do not work aswell as others. I need to make sure I always use the same enlarger otherwise I will be back to the beginning and working out the exposure time etc from scratch.
I have found one enlarger that I like to use and I think it gives a good result.
I set the colour filtration to:
Yellow 73
Magenta 70
Cyan 0
The exposure time is:
48 seconds
Aperutre:
F8.0
Here is the difference between the two enlargers I used:
I have found one enlarger that I like to use and I think it gives a good result.
I set the colour filtration to:
Yellow 73
Magenta 70
Cyan 0
The exposure time is:
48 seconds
Aperutre:
F8.0
Here is the difference between the two enlargers I used:
Link Gallery
Time Line
What would happen if the subject of a time line was left open to any kind of contribution on any subject-personal, social or political?
What would happen if the time line was constituted by images and not words?
An open invitation was held to all staff and students to contribute to a collective time line in the Link Gallery, bearing in mind the above questions.
The intention of the time line is to see how images that reflect personal and particular perspectives might combine to establish an inclusive, contradictory and fragmented historical whole.
There was lots of interesting images on the time line, some comical and others were more personal and meaningful. I particularly liked the image of a girl and what she looked like from 1995 up to the present day. Many people had included images of bands that had been popular in that time period, for example, there was images of the Spice Girls in 1996. There was also images of inventions over the past decades for example, the game boy advance in 1997 and the Ipod in 2000. A Live Eight image can be seen in 2005, which was an important music event to help raise money for poverty.
What would happen if the subject of a time line was left open to any kind of contribution on any subject-personal, social or political?
What would happen if the time line was constituted by images and not words?
An open invitation was held to all staff and students to contribute to a collective time line in the Link Gallery, bearing in mind the above questions.
The intention of the time line is to see how images that reflect personal and particular perspectives might combine to establish an inclusive, contradictory and fragmented historical whole.
There was lots of interesting images on the time line, some comical and others were more personal and meaningful. I particularly liked the image of a girl and what she looked like from 1995 up to the present day. Many people had included images of bands that had been popular in that time period, for example, there was images of the Spice Girls in 1996. There was also images of inventions over the past decades for example, the game boy advance in 1997 and the Ipod in 2000. A Live Eight image can be seen in 2005, which was an important music event to help raise money for poverty.
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
These images were created when I was playing around in the dark room by moving the photographic paper while the image is being exposed onto the paper. I moved it into different positions and held it in place for a few seconds. I like the results, especially the women that look like they are in motion. The images have been repeated and depending on how long they were exposed to the light, are either darker or lighter.
Monday, 7 March 2011
Large Scale Photographs
I have bought some 20x24 inch paper to create large scale photographs. I began practicing using smaller test strips to work out the correct colour filtration, exposure time and aperture. However, the images were coming out grainy. This can be resolved by using a slower ISO film speed.
ISO (International Standards Organization) numbers are used to classify 35mm film. The number refers to the film's "speed," or how much light is needed to produce a usable image. Higher ISO film numbers require less light; lower numbers require more light to capture the image on the film.To get the best quality photograph that can be enlarged successfully use the lowest film speed possible for the lighting conditions.
Film speeds of 100 and 200 ISO generally produce photographs with great resolution, incredible sharpness and less "noise" than higher film speeds. Noise refers to the way the grains clump together to form spots that are visible to the naked eye when a photo is enlarged.
Use ISO 50 or 100 film outdoors on sunny days, especially at the beach or in snow.
Use ISO 100 or 200 film indoors with window light, a flash unit and a nearby subject. Also use for oversize prints to get the best quality enlargement.
Use ISO 200 film outdoors on dark or overcast days.
Use ISO 400 film indoors with window light, a flash unit and a more distant subject; and indoors at night with incandescent light and distant subject. Use to prevent motion blur when subjects are moving, such as animals, children and most sporting events. Also use for night shots with no flash, a tripod and extended exposure times.
Use ISO 800 film to prevent motion blur and capture fast-moving subjects like race cars, motorcycles, skiers and snowboarders. Also use for night shots with no flash, a tripod and extended exposure times when enlargements aren't necessary.
For my photographs I shall be using a ISO 50 or 100 therefore the grain effect will be reduced on the images.
ISO (International Standards Organization) numbers are used to classify 35mm film. The number refers to the film's "speed," or how much light is needed to produce a usable image. Higher ISO film numbers require less light; lower numbers require more light to capture the image on the film.To get the best quality photograph that can be enlarged successfully use the lowest film speed possible for the lighting conditions.
Film speeds of 100 and 200 ISO generally produce photographs with great resolution, incredible sharpness and less "noise" than higher film speeds. Noise refers to the way the grains clump together to form spots that are visible to the naked eye when a photo is enlarged.
Use ISO 50 or 100 film outdoors on sunny days, especially at the beach or in snow.
Use ISO 100 or 200 film indoors with window light, a flash unit and a nearby subject. Also use for oversize prints to get the best quality enlargement.
Use ISO 200 film outdoors on dark or overcast days.
Use ISO 400 film indoors with window light, a flash unit and a more distant subject; and indoors at night with incandescent light and distant subject. Use to prevent motion blur when subjects are moving, such as animals, children and most sporting events. Also use for night shots with no flash, a tripod and extended exposure times.
Use ISO 800 film to prevent motion blur and capture fast-moving subjects like race cars, motorcycles, skiers and snowboarders. Also use for night shots with no flash, a tripod and extended exposure times when enlargements aren't necessary.
For my photographs I shall be using a ISO 50 or 100 therefore the grain effect will be reduced on the images.
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Macro Lens Photographs
I used a Macro Lens on my camera to retake the images of the magazine. Putting the magazine on top of a light box I zoomed into areas of the magazine. This worked easier than holding it up to a window because I was able to get more precise with what I was photographing and putting the camera on a stand avoided the images being shaky. However, when I was ready to develop the photographs from the negatives the colour filtration was difficult to correct and the photos were blue. This is because I was competing against fluorescent bulbs from the light box and not natural light. The perfect colour of the image will never be available if the photographs have been shot over a light box. This can be resolved by using a daylight filter over the macro camera lens.
Thursday, 3 March 2011
John Paul Thurlow
On the 16th February blog post I have introduced the artist, John Paul Thurlow in my blog and talked about his work. Since then I have emailed him some questions on his work, inspirations and influences. Here is the interview:
1. Which artist's inspire you?
I've learned a lot from studying the drawings of Singer Sargent, Ingres and Holbein... I suppose I believe inspiration can and should come from anywhere.
2. Where did the idea for the cover illustration project come from and what was it that interested you?
I first had the idea of remaking record covers in college. The idea came back to me in 2008 when I went on a Buddhist retreat in Japan. Basically I was sitting in a temple cell meditating loads. I started to draw the contents of my room. I had a couple of mags with me that I'd been reading on the flight. One was Elle. I drew it, drew it again, couldn't get past it.
The idea started as an hommage to the people who make magazines but who's work is often just thrown away every month. I realised it was about subverting perfect mass consumerism and making it fucked up and handmade. I liked that twist. The more Covers I made the more I realised it was really a kind of autobiography as the selection of the mags and how I was interpreting them said more about me than the originals.
What techniques do you use in your drawings and how long does it usually take to draw one magazine cover?
I follow a drawing technique anyone trained in the basics would recognise: composition - outlines - tone blocks - detail. I use computers at the beginning and the end of the process too.
I use a 0.7 HB propelling pencil and a propelling eraser for tone. I draw on layout paper, the best quality I can afford. The transparency is useful for tracing typography.
I draw from photographs, or to be more accurate photomontages I assemble in photoshop. I sometimes layer drawings digitally in photoshop to create the final piece, and sometimes retouch the levels rather than errors in the drawings. There are no errors, in that I prefer things to look wonky and not too perfect.
Takes me between one and three days per drawing. Depending on complexity.
Where did you train as an artist and how did your training influence you?
I went to Goldsmiths college in the 1990s. Drawing was not encouraged. It was a nightmare for me. Previously to that I had done years of life drawing I grew up in a house with my grandfather who was a painter. The walls were covered in his work - I'd say that was more influence on my drawing than college. College taught me how to craft ideas, how to have a meaningful critical response and an artistic direction.
5. If any, what challenges have you come across in your work?
Finding a scanner big enough that I can afford? Learning to draw properly? Technique is a journey. Seriously though I've been ripped off a fair few times. That's annoying when people try to make money out of your work. Because Covers began as an hommage I took the decision not to monetise the project, out of respect really. I made the Covers book as a limited edition of 100 as many of the final pieces don't actually exist as one drawing because they're digital and I wanted to send some key people a copy as a thanks for helping me.
Staging an exhibition is much harder work than most people think. Framing 130 pictures, transporting them, hanging them is exhausting.
Appart from that Covers has brought me nothing but joy. I've met loads of cool people because of it, I've never had bad feedback from the original photographers etc because I've always been fastidious and always credited them.
1. Which artist's inspire you?
I've learned a lot from studying the drawings of Singer Sargent, Ingres and Holbein... I suppose I believe inspiration can and should come from anywhere.
2. Where did the idea for the cover illustration project come from and what was it that interested you?
I first had the idea of remaking record covers in college. The idea came back to me in 2008 when I went on a Buddhist retreat in Japan. Basically I was sitting in a temple cell meditating loads. I started to draw the contents of my room. I had a couple of mags with me that I'd been reading on the flight. One was Elle. I drew it, drew it again, couldn't get past it.
The idea started as an hommage to the people who make magazines but who's work is often just thrown away every month. I realised it was about subverting perfect mass consumerism and making it fucked up and handmade. I liked that twist. The more Covers I made the more I realised it was really a kind of autobiography as the selection of the mags and how I was interpreting them said more about me than the originals.
What techniques do you use in your drawings and how long does it usually take to draw one magazine cover?
I follow a drawing technique anyone trained in the basics would recognise: composition - outlines - tone blocks - detail. I use computers at the beginning and the end of the process too.
I use a 0.7 HB propelling pencil and a propelling eraser for tone. I draw on layout paper, the best quality I can afford. The transparency is useful for tracing typography.
I draw from photographs, or to be more accurate photomontages I assemble in photoshop. I sometimes layer drawings digitally in photoshop to create the final piece, and sometimes retouch the levels rather than errors in the drawings. There are no errors, in that I prefer things to look wonky and not too perfect.
Takes me between one and three days per drawing. Depending on complexity.
Where did you train as an artist and how did your training influence you?
I went to Goldsmiths college in the 1990s. Drawing was not encouraged. It was a nightmare for me. Previously to that I had done years of life drawing I grew up in a house with my grandfather who was a painter. The walls were covered in his work - I'd say that was more influence on my drawing than college. College taught me how to craft ideas, how to have a meaningful critical response and an artistic direction.
5. If any, what challenges have you come across in your work?
Finding a scanner big enough that I can afford? Learning to draw properly? Technique is a journey. Seriously though I've been ripped off a fair few times. That's annoying when people try to make money out of your work. Because Covers began as an hommage I took the decision not to monetise the project, out of respect really. I made the Covers book as a limited edition of 100 as many of the final pieces don't actually exist as one drawing because they're digital and I wanted to send some key people a copy as a thanks for helping me.
Staging an exhibition is much harder work than most people think. Framing 130 pictures, transporting them, hanging them is exhausting.
Appart from that Covers has brought me nothing but joy. I've met loads of cool people because of it, I've never had bad feedback from the original photographers etc because I've always been fastidious and always credited them.
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