Project Update

This week I was able to finish off the inside of the factory, which is where I can animate tasks for Gus to do.  This was basically needed for fleshing out more things in the environment.  Next is the "agents" and dog characters, (partially done), spacecraft, second planet that the dog lives on (both pretty simple) and then continuing animation for each scene.

Would've got more done, but thesis took awhile.

Studio Hours:

12 hours modeling/catching up after time away since last semester.

Beginning the Second Semester

Updating on my current work:

The video for Walking on Eggshells (Teenage Octopus) is in a rough-cut stage, I have been smoothing out the editing and layering. Here are some examples of one of the sections that I was working on.

The final effect is created by manipulating images of water and maple leaves to create the colors and patterns seen here:

I filmed a few more textures I felt that I was lacking for the Walking on Eggshells layering

I am talking to the band Match by Match to confirm am few details about the storyline and casting that we would like to use in the video. And then we can proceed with early steps n production.

Studio hours this week:

6 hours editing "Walking on Eggshells"-Thursday

1.5 hours filming textures-Friday

1 hour contacting band/other resources for "Oh, Concertina"- Saturday

Update Jan 9th

Hi IP folk.

I haven't had much progress this 2012, but I've basically been trying to organize materials and review the notes I received at the IP Presentations in December.

(I'm doing a figurative print installation, as a reminder)

Here are important notes I'm going to focus on this week:

* making each individual segment of my installation compelling as it hangs alone.

* considering creating an image for the back side of the installation. Perhaps a textile/decorative design, or more abstraction. I like the idea of using some of my experimental monotype skills that I picked up at the end of the year.

* Going over to the 3-D lab at the Duderstadt and having someone help me make a 3-D model of my installation.

* researching Shaun Jackson's tips on suspension of the piece: printing directly ON acrylic, if possible, a gridded structure for the ceiling which the prints would hang from.

* Figuring out floor-to-ceiling distance will be very important for my installation "kinks". Luckily, my group has found an off-site gallery space, so I'm going to go to start working on the "technicalities" of my art piece.

Artists I've been looking at for my thesis;

* Kathe Kolwitz

* Chuck Close

* Sally Mann

* Gregory Crewdson

Update Dec 8th-Teresa Dennis

Been working on redoing Reaper for the final time. I am finished with it for now until I take all three characters into z-brush in the end. Major improvements:
-Head completely re-done
-Eyeballs!!
-Horn and fur details on body added
-Hair
-Better posed for animating
-Ears

Studio Time:

Thursday: 3 hours

Sunday: 8 hours

Total: 11 hours

So this update is going to cover some of the things I did before break/the review as well as what I've done this week.

I am nearly done with the images for the first publication, and now onto the title pages and text.

 This past week, I've been making some decisions about the text, deciding either to do something like my handwriting (below) or doing a hand-drawn version of slab/ letter or wood letter forms.

Here is an image of the cover text, still workin on it.

Also, a quick sketch of what I plan the next spread to look like, I really like the look of the bee attack!

In terms of how progress has been made since the review, I have considered the option of creating the exhibition to be a cabinet of curiosities. I don't want to abandon the idea of a pop-up shop, but I hope I can develop a reasonable way of combining the two. The idea is to juxtapose my zines and prints alongside typical curiosity specimens. I've already got my hands on a couple of skulls, a rare conch and some critters preserved in liquor. I've been reading a couple of books applicable to my project, including The Species Seekers about the age of exploration and natural history, as well as looking through Walton Ford's Tigers of Wrath, Horses of Instruction and its pretty amazing. The concept of his work is kin to my project, so its been helpful. He tackles everything from freakish narratives pulled from natural history to inter-species conflicts (often humans causing extinction), representing various characters as animals. He frequently uses the starling, an often destructive invasive species, to represent Western influence. 

Le Jardin by Walton Ford

Studio log hours:
Monday- 1 hour, sketching
Thursday- 4 hours, sketching, type
Sunday- 2 hours, type  3 hours on thesis
Total (not including thesis): 7 hours

Studio Progress 1/8

Although I was hoping to have an entire quilt done by the time IP consultations rolled around, time was not on my side and I was only able to piece together half of it. Here's what it looks like:

I was planning to finish it over break, but after some of the feedback from professors at the review I might be modifying it before finishing it. Right now I'm still thinking about exactly what changes I'm going to make.

In the meantime I've begun thinking about some designs ideas for the future quilts. I've been especially interested in moire patterns, and started experimenting in Illustrator with some simple patterns than produce a moire effect. One idea that I'm very interested in is screen printing various moire effects onto my own fabrics and then piecing the fabric together to make a quilt.

I also did some experimenting this week with applique. I bought fusible web (which essentially "tapes" two pieces of fabric together using an iron) and made a small fabric composition with it just to see how it worked. The final piece came out fairly well, but due to the difficulty I had getting the paper backing off of the web I accidentally frayed some of the edges of the fabric. Maybe that can be remedied by using tweezers in the future?

Next week:

-More future quilt design ideas

-Figure out how to modify first quilt

-Trip to Joann's for more supplies?

Hours:

Thursday 3:30 - 5:30

Sunday 3:00 - 6:00, 9:00 - 11:00

(Total = 7 hours)

Progress

After I was successfully able to inflate my pyramid shape I feel more optimistic and adventurous about other inflatables I could make.


This is a sketch of the shape I plan to make next. I revamped some of my ideas that I previously sketched out after inflating my pyramid. This inflatable is based on the dream I had, October 8th, where I went and visited a friend I grew up with who recently moved to Colorado. Aside from my dream journal, I have had several reoccurring dreams regarding this same subject. The star shapes on each end of the tube represent snowflakes and will be sewn together using clear plastic tarp that is commonly sold at a hardware store. The "confetti" inside the shape will be smaller pieces of fabric that will float around when the fan is turned on. The "confetti" inside will be smaller snowflakes. The tube structure will be sewn together with polyester rip stop. The larger flowing pieces will be surged together along the edges and represent a snowy mountain side. Colorado reminds me of snowboarding so I wanted the tube to resemble the "S" shape a snowboarder would make as he goes down the mountain.

In case the dimensions in the sketch are not legible, the tube dimensions are 6 ft long with a diameter of 2 ft. The snowflake dimensions on each end are 4 ft wide x 4 ft tall and 1 ft wide.


This is a further explanation of how the inflatable will be constructed and function

This is a general idea of how the inflatable will be sewn together. As I drew this chart, I began to realize that when I actually go to sew this together that it could not work in this exact order.


These are some snowflake designs I was considering for the clear plastic on each end. The snowflake would have a basic outline unlike these images, but the "confetti" snowflakes inside the plastic would be more detailed like these pictures.

THIS NEXT WEEK:
-finish eye on pyramid from last semester
-reserve photography studio upstairs in the art school
-photograph pyramid inflated
-create mini model of snowflake using plastic and polyester lining that I already have (this way I know my idea works properly)
-figure out how much fabric will be needed to complete the full scale inflatable
-order nylon rip stop
-discuss where installation will take place in april
-finalize all inflatables that will be created by the final show
-any other details regarding final show
-draw out the entire installation to know how large of a space I will need

HOURS LOGGED:
-Wednesday January 4th: 1:30 pm-3:30 pm (2 hours)
-Saturday January 7th: 2:30 pm-5:30 pm (3 hours)
-Sunday January 8th: 4 pm- 7:30 pm (3.5 hours)

TOTAL: 8.5 hours