Trace Elements

Project 5: Trace Elements

Working from one of my observational drawings i worked in illustrator to add more similar shapes over the top in layers. I allowed some lines to carry on to the edge of the canvas, it made it look as if the image was sort of 3D.

My sihlouette prints i had created in print-making were useful to scan in and use as background imagery. I worked on photoshop to change the contrast of them and try different colour palettes.

final outcomes soon.

Trace Elements

Project 5: Trace Elements

I began to think more where my ideas could go for my project by this week.

I decided that making grounds could be useful to scan on to a computer to use within Photoshop or Illustrator. My collages consisted of used items such as envelopes, which still had a link to 'Trace Elements'.

Adding materials such as ink and shoe polish brought in my idea of looking at graffiti and layering.



Trace Elements

Project 5: Trace Elements

The friday afternoon lesson was working with free-hand text/type. I worked with the word-association i had already been working with to do with graffiti such as scratch, scribble, chaos. I also included the phrase trace elements so i cold just come up with some random lettering. I had previously used the method of applying masking-tape to my page, scribbling over it and then removing it to reveal a sort of silhouette as the scribbles obviously didnt touch the paper where the masking-tape was. For the word scratch i used the obvious technique of scratching materials such as ink and graphite and even a dried fine liner as that created a nice effect.

ABC Project - Print Making

 (ABC project) - Print Making

I decided to create another collagraph for this week in print making, similar to my other one by using the same materials and techniques but the layout of my collograph plate was completely different.

I really liked the idea of printing on to collaged backgrounds, therefore i continued using this method as i thought these prints with my others would work nicely as a set together.

I wanted to experiment more with colours therefore used this bright blue which printed each part of the collograph lovely and noticable.

Printing on to a light brown suger paper made the blue much brigher which contrasted with the dull background.

I always find that the black prints work very strongly on a very white background. These could fit in nicely with my collaged background prints as a set as the black still fits in.

I also wanted to print with some cut outs. I folded sheets of paper into abstract shapes to reflect my work from my Trace Elements project. The next step was to roll ink on to a plate and place my paper cut outs over it (which made them red as the ink pressed on to them when it was being rolled).

I really like how this print has a lot of negative space, something i like to consider within my work.The sharp lines of the shapes contrast with the edges of the ink as they fade out.

I then printed from my cut outs as the ink presed on to them. They printed very well as each crease in the paper shown making some areas lighter and some darker. I realy like this effect.

I experimented with lots of different compositions with my cut outs.

Rolling more ink on to my cut outs meant i had a much stronger image once printed.

As this project links to my current graphic design project i could scan in some of my prints to work on top of on illustrator or photoshop ready for my possible final pieces.

I decided to mix both of my methods together by printing my collograph plate over the top of my cut out print. I find it really interested to look at as some bits stand out more than others, for example, the bits of collograph over the white areas stand out much more compared to where it is over the red areas.

Trace Elements

 Project 5: Trace Elements

Trace Elements

Project 5: Trace Elements

By the second week of this project i had began to think more about what theme i was going to specifically look in to. I really liked the idea of graffiti as i found other themes such as erosion was something i have previously looked at for other projects therefore found i should challenge myself. I created a spider-diagram to get down all of my ideas and initial thoughts of graffiti:

Graffiti:

• Cultural refereces
• Political reference
• Leaving a message
• Shape/colour
• Different people adding to graffiti and leaving their mark
• Erosion: the paint peeling away on graffiti
• Text/type
• Can be found on building, train stations, which links to more trace elements 

I also researched some books in the library to gain more ideas of graffiti. I came across 'Bay Area Graffiti' written by Steve Rotman and Chris Brennan. The variety of different graffiti designs in this book was interesting to look at and to get an idea of simple shapes which could then be used further in my project.

Some of the shapes within the lettering is something i worked from to create continuous line drawings.

The negative space around the lettering/graffiti is something i also considered when experimenting with my drawings.

Even simpler graffiti is more easier to find shapes as there is minimul  colour so the lines are what i focus on.

Overlapping my drawings means that i had more of a variety of shapes which i could use further in the project.