End of project Evaluation-"hands on"

Throughout the “photography hands on project” I have used photographic experimental application to explore characteristics of a wide range of visual language by showing hands in different ways for each individual characteristic. To use visual language we explored the “principles” and “elements” of design and key terminology from the workshop. The key words in the principles include pattern, contrast, emphasis, balance, proportion/scale, harmony and rhythm/movement. The key words in the elements include colour, line, shape, texture, form, space and value. We used visual language by describing all three elements above through our glossary pages and presenting them through images of hands that relate to the definitions of each key word. By creating my own definitions as a visual image made me understand the key term better than the actual definition. I used visual language also by producing 19 glossary pages that have images taken by myself in the photography studio and edited myself on Photoshop at first I found it quite difficult to use this type of media because it was my first time using it but as I made progress and the five weeks went along I was capable to teach myself as well as Victoria my instructor teaching me skills that would be more effective for the project. I have also been able to visually use visual language in the workshop tasks to complete each workshop outcome to relate to key terminology.    

I feel learning about terminology and producing a glossary has improved my English skills in different ways, as producing a glossary I have learnt different meanings for each individual words for both principles and elements. Also throughout each day of going through the project I have wrote on my blog: lala-2010.blogspot.com about the workshops I took part in and the keys words that we were given to also produce a glossary sheet out of. From writing about my workshops has allowed me to use me literacy skills because without having to summarise my workshops and glossary pages I would forget key skills in English that are needed every day. For research I produced both primary and secondary, primary being my own images where I took them in the photography studio where I work every Wednesday with my instructor Victoria. Where we look at different lighting and look at different angles, also including different backgrounds seeing what lightings work best. Ever Wednesday we focus on a different lighting technique used for portraiture and I myself get to be the photographer as well as modelling. Secondary research is photos from a different research source for instance I created a Pinterest board called ‘hands’ and got all my secondary images from there but when it came to drawing secondary images I simply search hands on google and found drawings more my style. My research was very effective during this project as it gave me inspiration for my glossary sheets and sketch book work also.   

In each individual workshop I have learnt many new skills and techniques, some I have never heard of and some I had never tried. Firstly, photography my main forte and what I am studying. In the workshop photography I learnt about the main aspects of manual settings being: Shutter speed(self-explanatory): Which is in simple terms the shutter at the front of the camera what focuses on the object or area you are taking a picture of, for instance on the camera the shutter is open when your finger puts pressure on the button. Aperture (opening): The aperture is basically an opening, hole, or gap. So for example the larger of the opening the more light is passed through but the depth of field will be smaller, where as if the opening is small there is less chance that the light will pass through. ISO (quality of light): The camera's ISO setting is its sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive it is. Exposure:  A photograph's exposure determines how light or dark an image will appear when it's been captured by your camera. As well as learning all the manual settings we were taught lighting techniques such as high key lighting and low key. Every week I have a one to one photography session with my instructor Victoria as because there are only two students doing photography including myself we don’t get that much time to focus on our actual course. We focus on our portraiture and the lighting that can be used when taking a portrait photograph of someone and the lighting that we have learnt so far that can be used for it is: Rembrandt lighting and butterfly lighting. The “Rembrandt lighting” is a type of lighting that is popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. You will be aware when Rembrandt lighting is at work as you will see a triangle shape underneath the subject’s eye, also for the triangle to appear the light should be placed above the subjects head almost at the side of the subject also. This lighting is mainly used with a dark background and depending on the lighting it may turn out either lighter or very dark. Whereas when using “butterfly lighting” there is always a light background Butterfly lighting is one of the oldest techniques and types of lighting used in photography for lighting a subject. It is named butterfly lighting because when taking a photograph a butterfly-shape shadow should form underneath the subject's nose; this setup is a proven method to ensure your subject is well-lit in a pleasing manner.

The next workshop, ceramics, I learnt many different skills that I quite enjoyed doing. I learnt techniques such as how to avoid air bubbles in clay so that when you have made your model it will not explode in the kiln, how to mould for instance me final idea was to make a mould of my hand so that it had all the texture and detail an actual hand its self would have. During the process of moulding you have to cautious that it wont burn or damage your skin so you have to put either hand cream or Vaseline so that in protects your skin. After ceramics i was introduced to 3D which i didn't in particular enjoy it as other workshops as it was not my forte but considering it wasn't, i did learn new key words such as abstract. i had already done a little of 3D in GCSE for product design where we have to mess around with flat pack and when it came to creating our designs we have to slot card together to create our models and also the final piece. As I found it quite hard my final piece wasn't as creative at i wanted it to be. Next workshop was print making, which i quite enjoyed with my instructor jess. I learnt techniques that i'd never done before which was lino cutting where you create a design either just a design or on the shape of a hand on a lino using a lino blade. These workshops were incredibly effective for my photography work as with my ceramics model i was able to create shadows and also great quality as when it came to editing it on Photoshop, i used to sharpen tool which gave it emphasis. Moving on to 3D using my final model in the studio allowed me to create harmony and form by using white on white aswell as creating a motion that the model was a waving hand. Bare in mind with print making as it was only lino i was limited to things i could do photography-wise but i was able to create a emphasised image by allowing the lines to be brighten and the background to be darkened. My last workshop was textiles, which as it was on the deadline not many key terms were explained through the process but we did get taught methods throughout the workshop which were: screen printing, batik, puff binding and heat press. 

In the process of my workshops most of my out comes came out unexpectedly better than i imagined, but on workshops such as print making it was quite hard to make it look perfect considering the tools were not that accurate to use. Once ink was applied to the lino and printed onto cartridge paper the pattern was more effective rather than the actual cut out itself, but some of the pattern was not cut out to how i wanted it to be as it was my first time it was bound to happen no one is perfect the first time. Where as in my ceramics workshop, which was by far one of my favourite workshops that was set as i got to experiment with plaster for my final piece which was quite extraordinary. By moulding my hand it gave me final piece emphasis and effection as all the detail from my hand was moulded into the mould just how i wanted it. But i did discover difficulties during my time in ceramics as when i had to leave the clay to dry out i took it out of storage to take a photo and because it was so fragile without me knowing i laid it onto the table and the fingers collapsed but i was able to apply slit onto the fingers to re-join them and now it is secure ready to be fired into the kiln. One workshop outcome i wasn't expecting to go down well was 3D as i didn't enjoy it due to it not being my cup of tea, but the outcome was unexpectedly creative. It was made to look like a motion of a waving hand which it did but also looked like a chandelier. The textile outcomes were very effective but very easy to do as all three were simple. Batik was a wax method which was similar to drawing in a way but it standing out as the wax dried. Screen printing where depending on the ink colour and what fabric, the method was easy, also buff binding was the same method as screen printing except you use a heat gun at the end.

Overall i think all of my portfolio of photographic images and work along side it, is effective as i have used all my skills on Photoshop to create, creativity and imagination. I also think it has presented my skills, knowledge and the understand of the project itself, through all the work that has been produced on the outcomes of workshops as well as glossary sheets. i believe my glossary sheets are effective in my portfolio of work because it presents a true understand of the key terminology by using a camera to produce such meanings, also how it expresses my imagination and creativity. Throughout the project i have come to terms with is that i need to manage my time efficiently and effectively as towards the end i was rushing to get everything done. It has learnt me also that when you do a piece of work try and get it finished because every little thing counts towards it all by the end What i have noticed is that i had a few bits and pieces that weren't finished to great quality so this is a number one tip i will bare it mind. 

Throughout the project we explored the elements of creativity and how creativity is presented through both art work and photographic images. We also learnt about how creativity is measured, where about the it is presented in a specific environment. To identify and get a image in our heads of what "creativity" was we were set a task to work in a group and by putting all our ideas together get an image of what creativity is. Throughout the project we have explored creativity in many ways by taking part in workshops and creating a piece of work that defines a word and our glossary sheets which by creating these we showed creativity by making our glossary sheets into meanings so that they spoke for themselves. I feel like i have improved my creativity remarkably well as i have learnt new techniques and skills which allowed me to use my individual ideas and show more of my creative side.