FINAL PHOTOS!

CATWALK MODHELLL! Mad Hatter/The Feast Insipiration Designer - DAY 7! 11/09/2014

DAY 5 - The Feast Inspiration & the Conch. 09/09/2014

My favorite art piece, well one of my favorites of all time has to be 'the feast' by Eddie Martinez. 

I saw this painting at the Saatchi Gallery during a visit and was mesmerized. Firstly, it's massive so already it's attention grabbing and secondly,  the wackiness of the enitre painting and the style in whcih Martinez draws in just drew me into this picture. 

Using this art peice as my inspiration to create a 3d objecy out of paper, I was immediately drawn to the conch looking item which is near the centre of the page, taking up nearly the whole entire table of randomness. I used a mizture of various materials, from newspaper, tissue paper, yarn to card. 

These are the outcome of my final 3d object. Overall, it seems very bulky, yet to me, the most important aspect of this task was to translate an item or an aspect from your favorite art piece and bring it to life. I would say that this does remind me of the conch item from the painting. I am happy with the overall outcome. It's unique, creative and wacky which totally reflects the painting itself. Moreover, i tried to incorporate some colour with the tissue paper in which the conch in the picture also has various bold colours inside it. However, if I were to improve on this, i would simplify this so then during the next stage of the task, I would be able to easily make a dress using my 3D item, as it was difficult to place such a bulky object to a mannequin.

Here is a composition picture of the items that were created on our table together. 

For the dress making part of the day, we had to produce 10+ of the items we created to create a dress or item of clothing pinned onto a mannequin. I simplified my idea and created these circle rings out of magazine. The multicoloured paper from the magazine to me, reflects the bold and bright colours from the painting. i chose the two words, mixed media and wacky. 

My partner was Susan whose items were the total opposite of mine and exuded femininity and floral, which I felt would give a nice contrast to my bold and stark rings. Here are the creations that were created with mine and Susans items from out fellow peers. 

Here are the outcomes Susan & I created to our fellow peers creations.

Day 4 - CAMERAS! LIGHTS! ACTION! - Photography 08/09/2014

We experimented and played around with a Nikon camera, taking shots from various settings.

White Background without Edit: 

We were first began with the white background setting thus the pictures we took here were more test shots for our group. Thus the poses and overall outcome of these photos are more on the simplistic side. The group included, Susan, Chi, Victoria, Jack & I.

This photo is a mid shot of one of our group members a wannabe model, Jack! We were testing the white background with the flashes integrated within the camera. The flash and the white background together creates a more brighter finish to the photo. Plus, because of the contrast of the white walls and the darkness of Jack's outfit and complexion, it makes Jack stand out more which is nice. 

With Edit: 

I love the edit of this photo. The photo is much more brighter and more crisp and sharp.  It has a sepia like effect which is the reason why the edges are dark and gradually get lighter towards the centre. The main focus is the model, thus I like how the edit accentuates the definition and detail of his features. Overall, I'm happy with this photo. It's simple and clean.

Natural Lighting Photo without Edit:

This photo of Jack who is the model in this photo is one I personally took. Honestly, it's probably one of my favorites out of the pictures we took today. I like the composition of Jack in the wide circle window, it provided great natural lighting to the picture, plus it gives an angelic aura which makes the picture more interesting especially with the contrast of Jacks dark clothing giving juxtaposition effect almost. 

The whole idea of this photo plays on the whole 'model' look with Jack looking away from the camera in a simple yet striking back setting. It looks effortless yet so much effort has been put into it. It's made me realize that simple looking editorial photos may seem easy, however it takes so much work to create a simple look. From the lighting, clothes to the positioning of every item in the photo. 

With Edit:

I wanted to brighten up the whole picture yet keep the focus on Jack. You can see the detail of Jacks figure, and his clothing looks much more sharper and more in focus than the window. You can see the gradual darkness from the edges of the edit as it gets to the window, which exudes the most lighting. I like this effect because the colours within the photo look more sharper and crisp. It's more editorial and professional looking compared to the original photo. 

Here are a few more examples of my favorite photos we took with natural lighting. 

Black Background without Edit: 

This photo was taken by myself. We were inspired by an editorial picture from a fashion magazine which showcased a female with a hand across her eye. This is a replica of that photo. Plus, I think it's more interesting to play with different angles and shots when we were taking our photos. I really like this photo. Jacks features are a great composition in itself, in a sense that his features are striking and bold which is awesome. ( I won't mention this to his face though, I don't want to add to his ego haha)

With Edit: 

I was playing around with this photo and came up with these two edits. I wanted to experiment with tone and colour. For the first edit, I wanted to even out the tone of the skin since there were so many different shades to his skin, thus this first edit mainly focuses on evening out the skin tone and brightening certain areas, for example, the forehead, cheeks and chin. Moreover, since this is a replica of a makeup editorial, it's important to show a flawless finish to the skin especially if the editorial is revolving around skincare or makeup.

On the other hand, although the skin looks flawless in this photo, I don't like the overall outcome. It looks too washed out and the photo loses it's appeal in a sense that the contrast between the darkness and the brightness is too stark for my liking.

Here is the second edit of my photo which is in black and white. I wanted to experiment and see how the effect of black and white can have on a photo. I prefer the first edit to this edit. There are some photos that look good when you put on a grey scale, however there are photos that look better at it's original form & I believe this is one of them. Although the detail of Jacks features are strong here, I don't like how the backgrounds blends his hair and jumper making them literally non-existent.

Here are a few more examples of our photos in a dark setting:

What did I learn about Photography? 

I never knew that during photo shoots and editorial shoots, so much goes into the planning of it. This includes, the settings, lighting, props, model and etc. It's not as simple as whipping out a camera and asking the model to pose for you, it takes a lot of planning and  I learnt that photographer/art directors like to use mood boards to communicate their idea to the whole team.

DAY 3 - Our Passports, recording our journeys & a timeline of the Foundation so far. 04/09/2914

This is a piece that showcases a recording of my journey from home to Uni. I took the task literally and created this map looking piece which showcases images of my home to the bus I take to words that reflect my journey to Uni. 

PIC

This is a timeline that was drawn up reflecting what we did in the last 2 days of the foundation course. Looking back at what we have done, although it's only been a short period time, I feel like I have achieved and learnt so much. From the observational drawings to the field trip to the V&A museum, I have gained and improved upon many skills, for example, I haven't drawn for so long thus these on the spot drawings of other peoples faces, random items to sketches has ignited the interest of drawing that I have. 

My Passport

We were given the task to fill in a passport book which showcases our identity. 

How did I get on with the task?

Given a blank book to fill about myself, I felt a bit overwhelmed considering there were a lot of pages to fill. I'm not one to brag about myself  so I was not able to finish the entire book. However, I did enjoy trying to use various styles and mediums to create different pieces to reflect myself. For example, I photocopied 3d items that I brought that were significant to me which is shown in a previous post to this. 

What I was not happy with?

Although I tried to include a range, I'm not happy with my passport 100%. It's too flat and 2d like I believe. Moreover, considering the lack of materials available that day, I was limited to what I was able to use which to me, made a big impact on the outcome of my passport. 

How can I improve for the future?

For any future tasks similar to this, I want to be prepared material wise so I have a variety things available for me to use. Moreover, I want to be able to take a task and be able to interpret it in a way that is not the most common form. This way, my work will be more unique and have a more creative and imaginative feel to it. 

'Being John Malcovitch' - My thoughts.

The film 'Being John Malcovitch' reflects identity which is the project we're currently doing. At first, I didn't understand why we were watching this film and how it connected to our course, however, as the film progressed I understood how it linked to our project, Identity. The film reflects those who are insecure and unhappy with themselves, preferring much more to be in the skin of someone else, in this case, the successful actor, John Malcovitch. It portrays the idea that if we had the choice to live in the mind of someone else we admire, majority of us would pick to be another person rather than ourselves. The characters in the film who lived through the mind of Malcovitch felt more complete, in a sense that they felt more achievement and fulfillment with themselves in the body of someone else which is not their own. 

I enjoyed this film very much because it made me think, it made me think about myself and how I constantly criticize myself for example, my skin, hair, weight and etc. It's not healthy to degrade ourselves, we should be more optimistic and do things to help better ourselves. It's saddening to think that in real life there are actually people who live through the success and happiness of others. This film inspires me to do better and to achieve great things with my own body and soul. 

DISOBEDIENT OBJECTS REVIEW - Victora & Albert Musuem 03/09/2013

Expose the raw, bitter and cruel world we live in. Expose the lies, truth and our corrupt society. This exhibition throws people to the deep end where nothing is sugarcoated, complimented or plainly nice. I didn't have any expectations for this exhibition, but I certainly did not expect to see what I saw today - it was very interesting yet traumatizing.

FIRST DAY! Who is Lily Duong? 02/09/2014

The project is... PASSPORT! Identifying and showing who I am.

Our task required us to bring a couple of items that had a significant meaning to us. Using those items, we had to create an A2 piece; it was entirely up to us regarding the composition, positioning or how we interpreted those items into our big piece. I wanted to show dynamic and different levels of height with the positioning when I took these photos. I like the height of the mirror and the double reflection with the objects stacked one after the other.

My 6 items:

My blue owl purse: This purse is part of a couple purse that me and my best friend both have. She has a purple one and I have a blue one. We both bought it at one of our favorite stores, Tiger, which is actually where I work now. Although it's tatty and the nose is missing, it's still precious to me since I have had it for quite a while, plus it carries important items inside. Also it's cute and the zip still works, so until it stops serving it's purpose of carrying my things in it, it will still be living in my bag. 

Hello Kitty keyring: From a young age, I have always been a big fan of Hello Kitty. She represents my childhood, something that I can no longer experience but will never forget. It's a nostalgic feeling that can only be felt when you have a deep connection to something. Plus, this specific key ring was given to me by my best friend on my 19th birthday. This item is just a little showcase of my hello kitty collection that I have at home. 

Jade necklace: I come from China/Vietnam. It's important for me to always remember that I have a culture and background that I may not follow as strict now living in a Western country, however it's important to me to understand and learn the lives that my parents lived during the time they lived back in our home country. I was born here in London, however during a 2 week trip to China with my friends at school, I purchased this necklace at a random stall which cost me around £25. I never knew how much I'd cherish this necklace but considering that I wear it nearly every single day, it must mean a lot to me.

Aztec silver bangle: This bangle is significant to me simply because I've been enjoying wearing it very much these days. The simplicity of the bangle against the slight detail of the Aztec to me is beautiful. It's classic and goes with anything. I love fashion. mixing and matching clothing is something I thoroughly enjoy. This bangle showcases my interest in fashion . 

Floral mirror: I may seem like a confident person on the outside, but I'm just as afraid, shy and insecure as the next person. This mirror is not to showcased vanity and beauty, but it's to represent the reflection of who I am on the inside. It's significance is to teach me to accept my flaws as a person and that I can't be like that person or that person, and that no one can be a better me than me. It's a constant reminder that I'm made to be how I am for a reason and that God has a purpose for me in this cruel world. 

PIC!!!!!

How did I get on with the task? 

Considering my items were all quite plain and lacked detail, I wanted to incorporate and highlight details from my items for example, rather than just drawing the mirror as a whole, I wanted to use the beautiful detail of the floral design to fill up the empty space of the large piece of paper. I wanted to ensure that the space was used smartly and that the whole page was filled well. 

What was successful?

I very much enjoyed this task since it gave us the freedom to use any objects we're familiar with. Plus, I would say that I have been successful in trying to implement various styles into this piece. I combined simplicity with detail and colour with black and white. I made sure to include every item I took into the picture and highlighted specific details of items and enlarged them, for example, the Aztec detail from my silver bangle runs through the entire piece which I love. 

What was I not happy with?

I feel that my main focus was to ensure that the entire page was filled up that I didn't really think about the placement of the images I drew. Also, I feel that the basic images that lack detail are too plain and not detailed enough, yet I can't complain since they're originally like that in real life so I feel a bit unsure with those. 

How can I improve for the future?

For a task like this, I'd want to have a variety of items that level in different heights and different shapes. I believe this way, it'd be more fun and interesting to translate to paper. Also, maybe next time it'd be nice to use other mediums such as paint. I enjoy using paint especially acrylic and oil so I'd make sure to use those. Also, have a rough sketch of what I want to draw so I can plan beforehand and change any ideas before I start my final piece. 

Induction Day! DIGITAL ZOMBIES, Ice Breakers & Funny Collages! 28/08/2014

Today was the day I was introduced to my Tutor class and my Foundation Diploma course in Media/Design.

During one of our ice breakers, we all split up into groups of 4 which consisted of Jack, Mini, Chi & I. The task required us to fold an A2 piece of paper into 4 and with each section we would draw the head, torso, legs and the shoes of the model. Here are the results of the two drawings our group created.

We call this creation 'Chack.'  Jack+Chi=Chack

 This piece here was drawn by Mini & I. Using the various mediums such as pencil & felt tips, we wanted to create a composition which showcased a unique cartoon like feel. I drew the torso and shoes whilst Mini drew the face and legs. As you can see, although the sections of the body as a whole are not perfectly proportioned, I personally love the outcome of this picture as I recognize the similarities of certain features to both Jack and Chi who were our models. Plus, it's funny the way it looks like a male prisoner who belongs in the tv series 'Orange is the new black.' 

This drawing was drawn by Jack and Chi. The face and legs are from Mini and the torso and shoes are mine. Pencil was the main medium used in this piece, whilst the shoes which were drawn using a orange felt tip to replicate the tan colour of my shoes seems to be the main focus. This image in my opinion may not be the spitting image of Mini and myself, however I like the way the entire body looks like it belongs to a real person. 

What was successful? 

In my opinion, I would say that the drawing Mini & I created was fairly successful. Considering the fact that we adopted a similar yet different style in our drawings which may look like one person drew it all, on the other hand you can tell it was drawn by two different people; from the placement and shading of the drawing. I feel that my style here in this piece were block colours, blunt and simple whereas Mini's style considers the shading and detail of certain features for example, the face and the denim texture which as a result made a successful piece which considers both.  Moreover, I also feel that the technique and mediums that were used flowed throughout the entire piece which made it look more complete. 

What I was not happy with? 

I only drew the torso and shoes of the first image, but even with those two sections I am not happy with it. In a sense that to me, it looks like a drawing from a 5 year old. Actually, a 5 year old could do probably better than what I did. I wanted to add in detail and depth of the textures/materials of the shoes and the jumper but because of time management and not focusing 100% on drawing, since we were interviewing each other too and just talking in general, I couldn't focus properly on what I was drawing. 

What was challenging/difficult?

It has been such a long time since I have drawn, especially people or faces which I would say are my weakness when it comes to drawing. Plus, I am the type of person who is really detail orientated so I tend to waste time on a tiny area. Therefore, I knew that the aim of this task was not necessarily how good my drawing was, but to ensure that my point was made across which I felt I did. Regardless, I would say that it's still challenging to draw on the spot in a short amount of time. I hope to improve that over time during this course of this foundation. 

What I found easy about the task?

Since I had already met my team members earlier, it was easy for me to talk and ease myself into our task. Plus, I'm very social and I love to talk/joke around, so the interviewing part of the task was my favorite. Since it was still early ages of the course, we were still getting to know one another so it was nice to be able to interview and know more about each other. To be honest, I feel that the comfortable and jokey atmosphere of knowing each other was shown across in our images we drew of each other, to me, they look comical and cartoon like just like our personalities. 

What did I learn?

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the task. It's a great starter task to combine our subject which is art/drawing and getting to know your classmates. I learnt that it's important to be able to adapt to any setting and draw on the spot. It's not about how detailed, good or quick you are with art, but the most important is that your message is put across clearly. Also, not to compare yourself with other artists, there's a reason why we're all here and you can tell from the drawings, all four of our styles are completely different yet we are able to tell what's what, which to me, is the most important thing. 

How can I improve for the future? 

It's very crucial for me to manage my time well. I'm going to ensure that I have a rough plan of what I want to do and ensure that I allocate good time for every section I want to do, this way, it'll keep me on track and hopefully enable me to finish on time. From my current planning pattern, I have improved a lot so I want to continue to stop pondering and thinking about what I want to do and start on the things I can immediately.