Odilia Bird FDA

  Artists research: Sir John F W Hershal Sir John Herschel was born in 1792 and died in 1871 and made several contributions to the science of photography. Herschel made improvements to photography and invented the photographic process known as Cyanotypes, later known as Blueprints.  I have chosen two of his cyanotype images to talk about, the first image features a woman sitting down, resting her head on her hand. the looking at this piece I instantly noticed the contrast between the darer blue and white areas, and I think that this combined with the inverted colours allow the light within the image to be showcased in a completely new way and I believe that with this flipped perspective the viewer is able to have a fresh look at the image, noticing details that they might have overlooked before. I think that the subject seems contemplative and relaxed, and the subjects eyes seem to be gazing directly at the viewer, as if she knows the viewer and has connected with them. I think that th

Artists research: Anna Atkins  Anna Atkins was an English botanist and photographer born in 1799 and is widely considered to the the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images and some consider her to be the first woman to create a photograph. Atkins created cyanotypes by placing dried algae directly onto cyanotype paper.  The first image is called "Papaver Orientale' and features a ghostly flower as a focal point of the image, there is a strong contrast between the blue and white tones that allows the details of the flower and the leaves to be brought out and seen and I think that the transparency on the petals causes the flower to feel ghostly, invoking an eerie atmosphere, like a spirit taunting the viewer. o think that the transparency of the petals also allows the lines and creases within them to be seen clearly and the viewer is able to see the intricacy of   When looking at the image I believe that the composition and positioning of the flower i

 Glazing: I glazed my final ceramic pot using a matte black earthenware glaze and I decided to try out the silicon carbide on the top which should cause bubbling and blistering when fired, when deciding where to put the carbide I chose to go for a Christmas pudding theme as it's getting close to Christmas break. I thought that this would be a cute idea and when looking at the piece I think that this has been achieved, I believe that the small size of the pot and the one drip down the side create a piece that's friendly and cute, there is a sweetness and apraochability to it that invites the viewer in. I believe that the rounded edges and curves add to this approachable and inviting atmosphere as there is no element of danger or harshness to the piece . I think that as there is only being one drip is an interesting addition to the pot, like a tiny hand reaching out and connecting with the viewer, it was not intentional but I am happy with it never the less.  When going back and

  Cyanotypes: I attempted some more cyanotypes on materials such as water colour paper and calico, I used some images from my camera and inverted them using photoshop. My first attempt wasn't very successful, the image was far too dark and when looking at it I was struggling to see any detail, one of the main reasons why I used the images from my camera was that they were self portraits and I wanted my one form to be visible in the cyanotype but unfortunately when looking at the finished product my form was difficult to point out and seemed to blend into the background. I believe that this happened bc there was not enough contrast in the negative image that I printed out and when looking back I realised that I had printed it out in colour not black and white. For my next attempts I used the curves option of photoshop to adjust the contrast and shadows to allow for more detail to be visible in my image and I made sure to print my negative out in black and white, this resulted in thr

 Devol:  We went on a class field trip to Devol kitchen interiors to see and learn about how they produce their slip casts and ceramics. This trip was very informative and we learnt about the design and making process and how they continue to improve the efficiency of their production, such as 3D printing the tile design so that they have a more durable stamp for the tiles. I found this trip enjoyable and it was interesting for me to learn and see the manufacturing process and the warehouse space. 

 Amateur and Professionalism: For an example of a piece of professional art I chose 'The lovers' by Rene Magritte, who is a surrealist artist born in 1898 and is most well know for his depiction of familiar objects in places and situations, his work has gone on to influence pop art, minimalist art and conceptual art. When looking at this piece I can instantly see surrealist elements such as the cloths obscuring the subjects faces and I believe that this invokes an atmosphere of anonymity and secrecy, it slightly disconnects the viewer from the painting and the viewer may feel as isolated and detached, paired with the light and shadows this provides a sense of depth within the image especially in the cloths that are covering the subjects heads, I believe that these techniques provide a contrast to the isolated atmosphere and pulls the viewer in and allows the viewer to feel as if they are standing within the painting itself. I believe that the choice to obscure and hide the face

Glazing: I decided to experiment with paint on glazes as well as dip glazes, I used a combination of red, blue, purple, wisteria, white and honey. I decided to paint designs such as flowers and strawberry's as I wanted to have a result that was cute and fresh, and I believe that I have achieved this. However, when looking at the final results I can see that I have made some mistakes such as finger prints in the glaze and smudges of glaze where it's not supposed to be which I think unfortunately brings down the quality of what I have made and causes it to feel childish and amateur. I believe that my most successful glazing attempts is the strawberry as they as clean and neat, I think that this design invokes a cute and bubbly atmosphere and allows the piece to feel friendly and inviting. the red and white glazes compliment each other and don't clash which I think adds sweet nature of the piece. My other attempts were less successful as I was struggling to paint finer details

Slip casting: I attempted the process of slip casting for the first time, we added a deflocculant into some liquid clay and poured it through a sieve to get rid of any grit that was left. To create our slip casts we had to select a mould and pour the slip up to the top and let it sit for about 5 minuets, once we could see it thickening around the edges we poured the excess out and let it sit upside down for 10 - 15 minuets and once the clay had turned matt we could clean the edges and remove the slip cast from its mould. So far I have made around 5 separate slip casts, all with white earthenware clay and I believe that the white earthenware clay has a ver ice and pure look after it has been fired, they look clean and pristine and when looking at the finished piece, the clay has managed to pick up imprints and indents from the mould such as instructions and warnings from the yogurt pots that the moulds were created out of and that these details are able to stand out well against the whi

Cyanotypes: I attempted cyanotypes for the first time as a development of my project, I chose two images and printed out a negative of version of my photos and placed them underneath water colour paper that had been coated light sensitive chemicals and then exposed underneath a UV light. I was very happy with the result that I got, when looking at my finished images the light and tones were shown in different shades of blue, I believe that the blue tones help to portray the light in more abstract way and allows the viewer to feel as if they are looking at an altered reality rather than something that is hyper realistic, however, because of the process that I'm using and the amount of time that it's been around I think that this invokes a feeling of authenticity and tradition within my pieces and the viewer is not only able to connect with my piece but is able to connect with the process as well. I believe that all three of my attempts have been successful, when looking at my fi

floating heavy: while doing research for my project I came across an instagram account for photography and editing called 'floatingheavy', two of my favourite images of hers were photographs of the night sky that have been edited using photoshop that I believe makes them seem like a digital painting rather than a photo. When looking at the first photo my initial thoughts were that it was whimsical and magical, the colours are bright and I believe that the flecks of light dotted around the image add a sense of depth within the image, and the burst of colours make make the image seem as if it is glitching and the viewer is looking at a virtual reality which I believe showcases the fact the photoshop has been used to alter this photo. I think that the deep purples and blues invoke a  royal and majestic atmosphere within the image as if the scene that the viewer is looking at has been pulled from a fantasy novel and has come alive. I think that the slightly blurred clouds and the f

Abstract and process art: For an example of abstract art I chose a piece called 'Convergence' by Jackson Pollock which was created in 1952 and is oil on canvas, When looking at this piece it seems to be a flurry of bold colours and shapes that flow and mould together which I believe causes a sense of connection and strength throughout the image that binds the individual aspects together. I believe that this painting is a work of passion and emotion, the chaotic and messy splatters of paint across the canvas spec of an artists who wishes to convey what they feel in that very moment, I believe that this painting feels angry, as if it is lashing out against its surroundings. I think that the technique of layering the paint that has been use causes a sense of depth within the painting, draws the viewer in and allows the viewer to be surrounded by this chaotic whirlwind of colours and forms. I really enjoy this piece because when looking at the overall composition it seems as if the

Artists research: Francesca Woodman While exploring the use of photography during this project I was inspired by a photographer named Francesca Woodman who was born in Colorado in 1958, her photographs were self portraits which ties into our overall project and they were often taken semi nude in abandoned buildings and captured movement. The first image I have chosen to talk about features a blurred Woodman in a derelict building, her body is blurred and she is facing away from the camera, and I believe that the unknown location and paired with a somewhat unidentifiable subject invokes an atmosphere of mystery throughout the image. the monochrome, black and white tones and colours allow there to be a stark and exaggerated contrast between the lighter and darker colours that can be seen. I think that the lone figure combines with the peeling paint and dirty floor add a feeling of chaos to the photo and the dark, unfocused figure adds an undertone of uneasiness. while looking at this ima