MY APPROACH TO ROUGH CUT

Leah Allard

SUBJECT, GRIEF➤ Choice of subject picked

upon previous, successful project, Narrative

➤ Personal connection with Grandmother, main idea behind subject

➤ Motivating & Passionate: personal connection

BA1b: Narrative Images

➤ Grandmother has been through a great deal of grief

➤ Expressing 5 stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression & acceptance

First Approach, Liquify

Second Approach, Cracking

Third Approach, Glitch

Fourth Approach, Burning

Fifth Approach, Polygons

OUTLINE OF THE 5 APPROACHES

RESEARCH: MEMORY, BY SAM HARVEY

➤ Influenced by his approach to the subject

➤ Concentrates on the slow decay and deterioration of memory

➤ Effective dissolving and distortion communicating subject clearly

APPROACH 1: LIQUIFYWhy? Use of movement

could explain denial of remembering a person

How? Digital manipulation in Photoshop using liquify

Successful: Distortion of face representing the plan of subject

INFLUENCE: PORTRAIT IN A

BROKEN MIRROR ➤ Influenced a very different approach to my work

➤ Mirror creating repetition and distortion

➤ Could reflect actions such as anger with my subject of grief

APPROACH 2: CRACKING Why? Idea discovered on

Pinterest

How? Cracked glass in front of lens

Successful: Distortion works effectively with subject, connoting depression

Unsuccessful: Didn’t receive expected results

APPROACH 3: GLITCHWhy? Experiment I’ve

wanted to try

How? Digitally manipulated in Photoshop tweaking layers and colour range

Successful: Created an effective glitch

Unsuccessful: Show of colour is distracting

RESEARCH: FAILED MEMORIES, BY DAVID SZAUDER

➤ Use of glitch displays mental deterioration

➤ Influenced development of second approach

➤ Interesting use of historical, past time photos

DEVELOPMENT: APPROACH 3: GLITCHWhy? Influenced by David’s series & wanted to develop glitch

How? Digitally manipulated in Photoshop, using a template and zig zag

Successful: Glitch without colour less distracting & more effective

NOSTALGIA, BY LUCAS SIMÕES ➤ Colour strip

➤ ‘Erase a memory by burning it, so with time, the image that is burnt will disappear from your memory.’

➤ Interesting approach to express nostalgia

http://lucassimoes.com.br/nostalgia

APPROACH 4: BURNINGWhy? Unpredictable outcome becomes more interesting

How? Physically destroyed catching the image on fire

Successful: Effective results created, connoting anger

RESEARCH: JULIE COCKBURN➤ Hand-alters found

portraits with embroidery, cut-outs or collage

➤ Manipulates only the human face

➤ Fascinating, delusional pieces of art

APPROACH 5: POLYGONSWhy? Influenced by Julie’s

surreal altered photographs

How? Digital manipulation in Photoshop, cutting and replacing

Successful: Distorted effect, portraying denial of memory

Unsuccessful: Process would have worked better completed by hand

➤ Most EngagingLearning and teaching myself how to complete digital processes in Photoshop➤ Most InterestingBurning creating unpredictable but fascinating results➤ Most SuccessfulFirst approach using liquify turned out as expected and fit the subject

DISCUSS THE MOST ENGAGING/INTERESTING/SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO THE WORK

➤ ChallengesEditing on Photoshop teaching myself different techniquesTrial and error with the unpredictable experiments➤ SuccessesPhotoshop edits turning out better than expectedReceiving successful pieces from unpredictable experiments

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES/ SUCCESSES?

➤ Considering physical manipulation for previous practice

➤ Also consider digital manipulation

➤ Go back and place a personal connection, see improvement

HOW HAS THE APPROACH YOU CHOSE EXTENDED OR CHALLENGED YOUR PREVIOUS PRACTICE

WHICH APPROACH DID YOU CHOOSE AND WHY? HOW DID IT WORK WITH YOUR SUBJECT?➤ Approach 1: Liquify

➤ Most successful photo manipulation

➤ Applies to the subject of grief

HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE IMPACTED YOUR CREATIVE PRACTISE FOR THE FUTURE?

➤ Manipulate imagery physically as well as digitally

➤ Range of materials to experiment with in future projects

➤ Encouraged to explore and experiment, don’t just stick to the basics!

➤ Realising I’m most motivated when working with a personal connection with the subject

➤ Improvement: time management

➤ Physical experimentations brought enjoyment to the project

➤ Digital experimentations provided me with better editing skills and knowledge

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE