Atelier Bingo

Atelier Bingo is Maxime Prou and Adèle Favreau, who are French illustrators and graphic designers. Their prints display 'many layers and can be seen as a dialogue between the artists. Constantly experimenting with shapes, textures, and colors they create screenprints as well as digital prints.' "We use screenprinting the way a painter uses a paint brush. We build an image color by color, and never know what the image will look like before the last color is set." 
Source of information: http://trendland.com/bingo-atelier-prints/

Source of photographs:http://atelier-bingo.fr/

Screen Printing

 

In order to experiment with screen printing I will need to gather the equipment needed. However, can I find a way to use household materials such as an old wooden photo frame and material? is there an alternative process I can take with my limited supplies?

But is it Installation Art?

"What does the term ‘installation art’ mean? Does it apply to big dark rooms that you stumble into to watch videos? Or empty rooms in which the lights go on and off? Or chaotic spaces brimming with photocopied newspapers, books, pictures and slogans? The Serpentine Gallery announced its summer exhibition of work by Gabriel Orozco with the claim that he is ‘the leading conceptual and installation artist of his generation’ – yet the show comprised paintings, sculptures and photography. Almost any arrangement of objects in a given space can now be referred to as installation art, from a conventional display of paintings to a few well-placed sculptures in a garden. It has become the catch-all description that draws attention to its staging, and as a result it’s almost totally meaningless."

To read the whole article go to: http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/it-installation-art

Installation Art

Installation art is a catch-all term that describes pretty much any arrangement of objects in an exhibition space. This could vary from a room full of sculptures to a space filled with video monitors. What marks an installation apart from sculpture or other traditional art forms is its emphasis on a total, unified experience, rather than a display of separate, individual artworks. Artists who make installations also tend to veer towards the experimental, aiming to shock or unsettle the viewer.

  
Information/Photograph Source: http://generationartscotland.org/features/what-is-an-installation/ 

The term first came into use in the 1960s to describe the way in which an exhibition was laid out. It was particularly popular with Minimalist artists who were acutely aware of space and the ways in which their work related to it. Their work was often sensitively arranged, or installed, to create a dialogue with its surroundings, so viewers could take in both their work and its environment as one overall, immersive display. Documentation of this work was often referred to as an ‘installation shot.’

From looking back at my previous projects I believe that my plant project final piece was the best for presentation. By re-creating a greenhouse, I managed to create the setting to my story, whilst adding another element to my illustrations - it was an enjoyable and new experience for me as an illustrator. This idea of bringing the setting or theme of my illustrations to life is something I would like to explore further. could I re-create the seasons? or could I do something with lighting and colours?

Colour Scheme

In order to create this 
colour scheme I used
the Colour Picker Tool (I)
on Photoshop to pick
out different shades of
colours from photographs
of natural forms and 
landscapes.

Primary Research: Photographs

 

  

Inspired by Alicia Galer
I decided to visit the large
greenhouse in Peoples
Park to gather some
primary research.

I believe that plants relate
to this subject because just
like people suffering with
SAD, plants need the
sunlight. But not only this
I feel that they can physically
demonstrate our emotions.
Such as when they are
drooping down they look
quite sad so you just want to
pick them up again.


To see better photographs taken with my Nikon D3300 you will
have to take a look in my sketchbook. But these photos were a
few that I took on my phone which wasn't apart of the shoot but
I still wanted to share them.

Alicia Galer

Alicia Galer is a freelance textile designer based in London. Her practice involves drawing in an expressionist manner from inspiring spaces and travels. With her drawings she extracts the marks and textures she has created to formulate more refined drawings and patterns.
 

 

Alicia Galers blog: http://blog.aliciagaler.com/

Alicia Galers technique of using ‘expressive lines’ is quite an appropriate metaphor for my project, as the theme is based on the ‘winter depression’ known as SAD. Perhaps I could use this idea of expressive lines by doing a quite sketch every day, to document my emotion at that time of day and weather – with the use of materials such as felt tips and oil pastels

The thing I find most interesting about Galers work is her technique of combining a mixture of materials within her work. As this process of drawing allows her to create a wider variety of tones and texture. This technique work particularly well with her use of natural forms, as it enables her to physically portray the contrast is colour and textures. For example, the felt tips allow her to create a smooth texture to the leaf, where the oil pastel create more of a rough texture with two tones displayed. Therefore, showing the theme of contrast within her work – such as bright vs neutral or smooth vs rough etc. I also find it interesting how Galer uses large areas of colour to break up the white negative space, to allow the plants to feel more crowded together, thus making it less two dimensional. This is further emphasised by her technique of overlapping her drawings, to demonstrate how the plants are growing over each other. 

This idea of layering is something that could benefit me within my work as in previous projects I have been known to create small line drawings which value space. So by adopting some of Alicia Galers techniques it could push me to try new or different mediums to my fine liner and pencil – such as pastels, paints or thick pens – thus combining techniques and layering imagery. Due to Alicias specialism in textiles she tends to use material as the canvas for her drawings – alongside collaging – has led me to think about the materials I may use within this project. Such as using coloured paper rather than traditional white, or using fabric rather than paper, or using natural material to emphasis the natural aspects of SAD.

Colour Psychology

(Click on the image to make it bigger)

More information on: http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm

Hard-edge Painting

Hard-edge painting is a tendency in late 1950s and 1960s art that is closely related to Post-painterly abstraction and Color Field Painting. It describes an abstract style that combines the clear composition of geometric abstraction with the intense color and bold, unitary forms of color field painting. Although it was first identified with Californian artists, today the phrase is used to describe one of the most distinctive tendencies in abstract painting throughout the United States in the 1960s.

 

   Key Ideas:

• Hard-edge abstraction was part of a general tendency to move away from the expressive qualities of gestural abstraction. Many painters also sought to avoid the shallow, post-Cubist space of Willem de Kooning's work, and instead adopted the open fields of color seen in the work of Barnett Newman.
• Hard-edge painting is known for its economy of form, fullness of color, impersonal execution, and smooth surface planes.
• The term "hard-edge abstraction" was devised by Californian art critic Jules Langsner, and was initially intended to title a 1959 exhibition that included four West Coast artists - Karl Benjamin, John McLaughlin, Frederick Hammersley and Lorser Feitelson. Although, later, the style was often referred to as "California hard-edge," and these four artists became synonymous with the movement, Langsner eventually decided to title the show Four Abstract Classicists (1959), as he felt that the style marked a classical turn away from the romanticism of Abstract Expressionism.

Information Source: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-hard-edge-painting.htm

Color Field Painting

Color field painting is a tendency within Abstract Expressionism, distinct from gestural abstraction, or action painting. It was pioneered in the late 1940s by Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and Clyfford Still, who were all independently searching for a style of abstraction that might provide a modern, mythic art and express a yearning for transcendence and the infinite. To achieve this they abandoned all suggestions of figuration and instead exploited the expressive power of color by deploying it in large fields that might envelope the viewer when seen at close quarters. Their work inspired much Post-painterly abstraction, particularly that of Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, and Jules Olitski, though for later color field painters, matters of form tended to be more important that mythic content.

Key Ideas:

• Color field painting emerged out of the attempts of several artists in the late 1940s to devise a modern, mythic art. Seeking to connect with the primordial emotions locked in ancient myths, rather than the symbols themselves, they sought a new style that would do away with any suggestion of illustration.
• The style was championed most enthusiastically by critic Clement Greenberg, who acclaimed the advances it achieved in the realm of form and composition. Bemoaning what he saw as the increasingly imitative, academic qualities of some action painters, he argued that color field painting represented the way forward. His advocacy of the style proved highly influential.
• Color field painting marks a major development in abstract painting, since it was the first style to resolutely avoid the suggestion of a form or mass standing out against a background. Instead, figure and ground are one, and the space of the picture, conceived as a field, seems to spread out beyond the edges of the canvas.

Information Source: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-color-field-painting.htm

Article: 'How a Light Bulb Can Help You Sleep Better'

More recently, studies have increasingly pointed to the effect of exposure to different types of light on melatonin production, which is a key factor in determining not only how soundly we are able to sleep, but how “awake” we are at peak times of the day and in the long run, whether our health improves or deteriorates.

Melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland, located near the center of the brain, is a highly light-sensitive hormone, which is to say that it can be “turned on or off” to a large degree by the presence or absence of light. In general terms, darkness or dim light stimulates melatonin production and its resultant drowsiness, which enables us to sleep, whereas bright light - whether it is sunlight or artificial light - stems the flow of this sleep-inducing substance, making us more alert. While our natural circadian rhythms are set to trigger our melatonin mechanism at certain preset times, you might say that light can be used to override it.

When it comes to influencing melatonin production and our resultant alertness or sleepiness, what researchers have been finding is that not all light is created equal. Like a rainbow, light comes in different colors, which are transmitted via the retina of the eye to a mechanism called the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus area of the brain that’s responsible for regulating our circadian rhythm.

And though it might seem counter-intuitive, the color that keeps us awake is blue, while the ones more conducive to sleep are at the red end of the spectrum. And these days, the light to which we’re exposed at the time our biological clocks should be getting ready to crank out melatonin tends to be bluer than ever, due primarily to the many computer-related activities that we tend to engage in just before bedtime, whether they involve work, fun and games, or communication and social media, as well as the phasing out of old-fashioned incandescent bulbs that had more of a reddish glow to them.

As a Harvard Medical School newsletter noted last year:

"Blue wavelengths - which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood - seem to be the most disruptive at night. And the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown."

Click on this link to read the whole article:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/light-sleep_b_4239765.html

To read the Harvard Medical School newsletter click on this link: http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side 

Day&Night Light

"The seasonal affective disorder is a cyclic form of depression caused by changes in the circadian rhythm. When the level of light changes in fall and winter, for some people this cycle can be disrupted.

The “Day&Night” Light is a lamp that oscillates within a period of 24 hours and is coordinated with the day-night rhythm. Set according to the circadian cycle, it is diffusing colored light through time to rebalance our body clock. While daylight as a whole is beneficial, different colors of light seem to affect the body in different ways. 

The essence of the lamp is its material, the dichroic glass that produces the range of colors needed by rotating above the light. The lamps are set to generate a blue light in the mornings, to lessen melatonin production and stimulate wakefulness. In the evenings another light kicks in, casting a warm amber glow that sets off melatonin production and makes you drowsy. The “Day&Night” Light is a device to understand time differently and regulate our circadian cycle." 

Information/Photo Source: http://www.eleonoredelisse.com/#/project-3/

Studio C&C

Source: http://cargocollective.com/oliviapring/S-A-D

"Take shelter in the S.A.D Rescue Pack from Studio C&C, designed to replenish low reserves of creativity and colour for the ‘difficult’ months. S.A.D is the product of an assimilation of contemporary illustration, written articles, design and narrative art - curated by the studio into a manageable format. S.A.D is the conception of Studio C&C augmented by the work of 30 external practitioners, it’s content reflecting these artists’ interpretations of the subject matter, presenting original and untested coping mechanisms for the viewer. Don’t be S.A.D, S.A.D is here."

 Source: http://studiocalmandcollected.com/projects/buy-s-a-d#

Interview with Alex from Studio C&C: http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/calm-and-collected

Yuma Harada

Prototypebook / Ai Sasaki: VOYAGE
2009, book identity project

      

   

       

Prototypebook / Yasuhiro Suzuki: TELEPIGION

2009, book identity project 

  

SAD - 'What Is SAD?'

"Historically we only ever worked outdoors; two hundred years ago 75% of the population worked outdoors now less than 10% of the population work in natural outdoor light. Whilst this is fine in the Summer months when there are longer daylight hours, in the Winter months, people tend to go to work in the dark and go home in the dark and don’t get to enough natural daylight.

This modern way of living has dramatically altered nature’s cues. A modern day no longer starts at the break of dawn and ends at sunset. Workdays are getting longer and many people face shift work schedules. Additionally, the advent of electric lighting allows social gatherings and personal activities to extend well into the night. These factors have diminished the body’s natural ability to regulate the body clock and this work/life change has resulted in a dramatic increase in light deficiency symptoms."

 Read More At: http://www.sad.org.uk/

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.

SAD is sometimes known as "winter depression" because the symptoms are more apparent and tend to be more severe during the winter.

The symptoms often begin in the autumn as the days start getting shorter. They're typically most severe during December, January and February.

SAD often improves and disappears in the spring and summer, although it may return each autumn and winter in a repetitive pattern.

 

Symptoms of SAD can include:

• a persistent low mood
• a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities
• irritability
• feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness
• feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day
• sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning
• craving carbohydrates and gaining weight 

 

What causes SAD?

The exact cause of SAD isn't fully understood, but it's often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days.
The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the:

• production of melatonin – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels
• production of serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression
• body's internal clock (circadian rhythm) –your body uses sunlight to time various important functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD

It's also possible that some people are more vulnerable to SAD as a result of their genes, as some cases appear to run in families.

Treatments for SAD:

A range of treatments are available for SAD. Your GP will recommend the most suitable treatment programme for you.
The main treatments are:

• lifestyle measures, including getting as much natural sunlight as possible, exercising regularly and managing your stress levels
• light therapy – where a special lamp called a light box is used to simulate exposure to sunlight
• talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling 
•  antidepressant medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) 

 Information Source: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Seasonal-affective-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Manjt Thapp Inspired Experiments

Manjit Thapp

Manjit Thapp is a 21 year old illustration student, who is in her third year of university. Her most recent process of drawing is to draw everything and pencil, scan, and add colour on Photoshop. She particularly likes to combine digital and traditional media together.              

From further looking at her short comic on Seasonal Affective Disorder, I’ve come to realise that she has really thought about the relevant ways to portray the symptom of SAD. Below I break down each page into the symptoms she displays.

Page 1: In this page I believe Manjit is referring to the link between people and nature. She’s demonstrating how to the benefits people with SAD the same way it benefits plants; they both need the sun.

Page 2: She again is emphasising this idea that the sun is benefiting plants and people. She demonstrates that the plants are healthy and full of life; again the hand touching the leaves is showing the link between people and nature. She shows that the sun is causing the person to feel happier; she’s walking around in the streets, being social and active, whilst the use of a laptop suggests that she can concentrate on her work. However, Thapp does subtly display that darker days are coming through the use of black in the blue skies.

Page 3: In this page she is displaying how the there is less sunlight by adding a -1 next to the yellow circle we can presume is the sun. She emphases the loss of sun with these short sentences; “The skies are turning grey. Autumn arrives. The sun hides behind the clouds. Night comes too soon.” With thee sentences you get a real sense of what the SAD sufferers’ thoughts are. In these pages I believe that she is beginning to portray the symptoms of depression i.e. the persistent low feeling. But this page shows a complete contrast to the page before therefore physically portraying the sudden mood changes. And lastly I feel the leaf is used to physically emphasis the change in season – summer to autumn.

Page 4: This page continues to show a contrast to the 2nd page as before we saw that the character could concentrate on her work but now we she here struggling to do work – the laptop screen shows a word document that is empty with only the line. I have also noticed that not only is there more grey involved but there is more yellow, which is a colour known to display anxiety, thus displaying another symptom of the inability to cope with everyday stresses i.e. anxiety. And lastly we see an image of the character with a plate of what I believe to pasta. Pasta is a carbohydrate therefore I believe Thapp is portraying the symptom of overeating and the particular craving for carbohydrates.

Page 5: In this page we have now completely lost colour, thus suggesting that the days are getting longer and darker i.e. the night is coming sooner. Furthermore the loss of sunlight displays its effect on both the person and the plant. From the way the leaves are dropping we can presume that the plant is dying – whilst this posture gives the plant quite a sad look which reflects the feeling of the girl. As another symptom of depression which is being tearful and feeling said. Furthermore the plant displays no colour, which relates to photosynthesis, as they need light energy to complete the process of making their leaves green. As with page 3, Thapp emphases the emotions through the thoughts of the character. In this one she says “During winter I am at my worst” this further emphases the feeling of depression.

Page 6: In this page she portrays the gloomy atmosphere of winter and how the trees have lost their leaves. We also see a set of closed curtains, with only one pair being yellow, we can only presume that these curtains belong to her character who is anxious for the sun – this is emphasised by the sentence “I can only wait” - which further displays how the days are getting longer and darker. Perhaps the closed curtain suggests that she is sleeping longer or during the day. And lastly she displays her character laying her head on the table, which to me portrays a sense of despair, alongside the lethargic feeling (lacking in energy).

Page 7: In this page she is demonstrating how the days are becoming lighter again and the sun is coming out more – this is emphasised by the +1 she adds. She further portrays this with the thought that “Slowly the days grow lighter and longer”. Page 8: The eyes display how she slowly opens her eyes to feel and she the sun on her face. The plants begin to grow again and the character feels slightly happier once more. This again is emphasised by the thoughts “Spring arrives. The circle continues.” Manjit Thapp consistently uses the circular shape within this comic to portray the endless circle of SAD, and how the symptoms keep on repeating during every season.

I believe that Thapp is successful in sensitively communicating the feeling behind seasonal affective disorder. By not only exploring the emotions that someone with SAD would experience but by involving the surroundings and nature. This is quite useful in communicating how the environment can affect their mood and behaviour. In addition, her use of plants allow Manjit to project the emotions of the character, thus creating the close link between people and nature. I also feel that the way she uses colours physically display the change in lighting and emotions, which in a sense alters the way I’m feeling i.e. I felt happier looking at the first few pages but as it went further I felt like that feeling lessoned. This is the sort of impact I would like to create within my own word so I think a zine or book could work well for this project theme.

The Exhibition Location

Yesterday we discovered that the exhibitions location will be in a church, at first I wasn't to sure how I felt about it. But then I remebered that 20-21 Visual Arts Centre is a church turned gallery which works quite well for them.

 

  Photo Source: www.steveparrottphotography.com

Today we got to see the location that the exhibition will take place in, and I was quite pleased with the potential this space has. It was a large area, which should mean that we have more space than last years show and the large church windows create good natural lighting. But it was a shame that the walls weren't fully white however this shouldn't matter to much as the attention will be on the artwork.