WEEK 5 IMAGES (21-25) Image as Commentary
IMAGE 1: New poster thumbnails (at least 10)
Tools: 2HB pencil and A3 printer paper
Reflection:
So, I'll admit, lino art was a bit of a new adventure for me. Knowing that this week's task required me to convey a message using the AIDA framework (that's Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), I figured I should keep things straightforward, especially since I'm still getting the hang of this medium.
The idea of a spiral really appealed to me, and I just couldn't resist playing around with it. It made perfect sense for my environmental message about circular fashion. Spirals are not only circular, which fits the theme, but they also have this cool way of grabbing people's attention and drawing them into the image. So, I went with it!
IMAGE 2: Pencil/ pen skectch of one of the chosen thumbnails.
Tools: 2HB Pencil, 0.5 Fine Line Pen and Printer Paper
Reflection:
Creating a visually straightforward image to commentate on my chosen environmental issue of Circular Fashion proved to be quite the challenge. I was already treading in unfamiliar territory, having never worked with lino before, and simplifying images isn't exactly my strong suit. I recognise the importance of conveying a message with minimal detail, but I found this particularly challenging within the context of my chosen topic.
In the end, I settled on a depiction of a t-shirt with a thread spiraling outwards to convey the message—a choice that, while achieving simplicity and effectively communicating the message, left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed by the overall design. I struggled to come up with an alternative concept that I believed I could successfully carve into the lino pad.
Reflecting on it, I can't help but feel that my pursuit of simplicity may have led me to overthink the process. In doing so, I may have inadvertently left out the kind of wit and depth I admire in commentary art, like the powerful yet straightforward images often associated with artists like Banksy. Nonetheless, this represents anther chapter in my creative journey, imperfect as it may be.
IMAGE 3 Lino Prints of the Image (one colour)
Tools: Lino pad (square), Lino tools, black block paint.
Reflection:
In hindsight, I'm seriously second-guessing my choice of a spiral design! Creating a smooth spiral with a lino tool turned out to be way trickier than I initially imagined. But, I managed to pull it off, albeit with a hefty dose of carpal tunnel syndrome as an unexpected souvenir. This whole experience turned out to be quite frustrating, primarily because it marked my first attempt into the world of lino, and it was definitely more challenging than I had anticipated.
To add to the unkonwn territory, I had opted for relatively small 15x15 cm lino squares, which limited the available space for my design. I also made the rookie mistake of forgetting that the words needed to be carved as mirror images, doubling the workload and aggravation. Carving the letters proved to be another headache, given the limited space left after wrangling with that spiral.
All things considered, it was a valuable learning experience, though not one that left me particularly thrilled with the end result. Unfortunately, I didn't have easy access to new lino pads, so I found myself stuck with an outcome that didn't quite meet my expectations. I'm starting to think that lino might not be my artistic forte. Anyway, I'll leave it at that for now and go have a little cry—farewell!
IMAGE 4. Digital explorations of the Lino printing (adding colour, transparency)
Tools: Lino Print uploaded into Photoshop to see if I can retrieve my failed attempt...
Reflection: As a photographer who frequently works in the realm of Photoshop, and despite the absence of a human subject in this particular task, I was motivated by the challenge of salvaging what had, up to this point, proven to be a rather unsuccessful undertaking. My strategy involved layering the two lino prints together to bring clarity to the lettering lost in the printing process. Through subtle tonal adjustments applied to each lino print, I was able to reclaim a significant portion of the lettering, ultimately achieving a result that left me considerably more happy. However, it is still not a task I have enjoyed, as it doesn't quite measure up to the level of work I would have hoped for. However, I am happy that the message conveyed in this image is now notably clearer and more accessible.
IMAGE 5 Final version of the poster using the line print.
Tools: Photoshop, a photo from my mobile phone of a pile of my clean laundrey.
Reflection: To give this poster a little more texture and interest, I threw in a photo overlay of a pile of my clean laundry, my attempt of a of fashion landfill image. I made this a vivid color overlay at around 15% opacity to make it noticeable but not too obvious, so as to not take away from the lino print and its message.
