‘Hands On’ Evaluation.

A wide range of visual language has been used throughout my work of glossary pages and workshop outcomes. I have interpreted different visual languages throughout the course to ensure that I have attempted to experiment with different Medias of art. This can be expressed in such pages like, pattern for the Print Making workshop. Even though I did not use my print making outcome as a glossary page, I incorporated pattern within the piece to tie the theme together and make the background more intricate. Along with applying visual language to the workshops and glossary pages, I also applied different media to explore the characteristics of a range of visual language. This use of different terms learnt within the workshops to add to the glossary pages can support this, along with techniques studied to portray visual language, for example, I used Puff Binder to show Texture.

The whole experience of making my own glossary I have found very challenging in a number of different ways. The main challenge I have been subjected to is time management. Throughout school or my previous year at college, I have never been assigned to a large project were you are set free to study and complete work until a deadline. Doing this, I have had to set personal targets of how much work is needed to be completed for everything to be finished on time. Another large challenge for me is regaining artistic techniques I have long forgotten about. As I have not been an art student for a total of four years, I have found it different to remember different styles of painting and shading in order for my work to be at an acceptable standard. Along with learning how to use different medias again, I have also had to learn how to use different tools and techniques within the workshop such as a tjanting and lino cutter.

To an extent learning about the different terminology within art has broadened my English skills. This is because I am now aware of the different meanings of one word for example within the English dictionary ‘Value’ can mean the importance or worth of something, however in art, it means how light or dark tones or colours are. However, focusing on spelling or grammar, this project has not improved my English skills as the definitions have only been copied and therefore not learnt or memorised.

Within this project a different range of research has been conducted. For Primary research I mainly used photos taken by myself within the photography workshop alongside photos taken by myself in my personal time. These photos include family and friends as well as myself. In my sketchbook I have also taken observational drawings and paintings of different artists work such as Egon Schiele and Kathe Kollowitz. For secondary research I produced a Pinterest board containing 43 pins of hands portrayed using different media, for example, photography, drawings and paintings. I also conducted information on different artists to study how they draw or paint and which art movements they belong to if they belong to any. I printed off additional photos of hands which I could use to influence my glossary pages. In supporting my practical studies I would say my research has been very effective. My secondary research has been very helpful in influencing my work when I have been stuck on ideas of what to do for certain glossary pages. I have also been able to use my primary research for glossary pages such as movement. To improve my research I could have done more primary research in my own time instead of using a majority of photos from the photography workshop. I could have also printed more research out to use instead of just a small image on my phone.

Throughout this project I have acquired a large range of skills in different processes and techniques within art. For example, I am now able to use tools such as scalpels in the correct manor to achieve clean cuts with materials I am working with. In workshops such as print making, I can now use tools like lino cutters to achieve intricate designs and machinery such as a printing press to print my designs onto paper. In ceramics, I have learnt the processes of not just how to create a sculpture using clay but how to prepare the clay using cheese cutters to slice through and make sure there are no air bubbles so the sculpture will not explode once heated in the kiln.

I feel that my workshop outcomes have been some of my best work throughout this project. I am most proud of my Print Making/Lino Cutting outcomes as I feel the amount of time spent on cutting the lino to achieve an accurate, clean design paid off. I believe I had a high technical skill throughout this workshop, using different size lino cutters to allow me to easily access and cut away smaller details within the design. This also applies for the 3D workshop, using the scalpel to achieve clean lines for my design.  I found it difficult to cut away small parts using a scalpel and sharp turns within the design but I felt I would create a more accurate design using a scalpel instead of scissors. However, I do not think I used a high level of technical skill within the textiles workshop, leading to poorly designed work. I feel this is because it was the beginning of the course and everything was new and I was unsure of what to do and how to do it. I also feel that at the beginning of the course I had little confidence in myself which also lead to a poor quality of work.

I think my overall ‘Hands On’ portfolio is quite effective. I feel that the majority of the work produced is at a high standard, using a large range of different medias within art. However, I do believe there could be pieces that could be heavily improved as some pieces of work were rushed to meet the deadline. If I could redo them, I would simply take more time and effort to produce the specific pages.

Being creative is about taking risks and challenges and doing something just for the sake of doing something. I believe it’s about being more confident in yourself and your designs and ignoring any doubts you have.  It can be about changing your perspective and allowing yourself to thinking differently and work with different mediums of art. It’s about finding many different ways to reach the same conclusion and finding inspiration in even mundane places.

I have learnt that being creative is not just about using bright colours and intricate ideas for designs, even the most simplest of creations can be flooded with creativity.

To work independently I found it easy. This is because I feel I work best when I am alone, to think about what I am going to do and how I am going to achieve it. Working independently there is no one else to influence your ideas or argue against you if they do not like it. There is also no one else to distract you. To work collaboratively with peers I found difficult. This is because I am a rather shy person who finds it hard to talk amongst a group of people I am unfamiliar with. Therefore I prefer to work independently.

There could have been a lot of improvement on time management. I feel on certain days I managed my time effectively, getting up to four pieces of work started or completed. However, at the start of the project I did not realise how fast the project would come to an end, leaving me to have to rush some pieces of work. But towards the end of the project, I believe I managed the majority of my time effectively, coming into college on days off or staying late after the class had ended so I could use the equipment and large space provided.

Within the time frame that we had I feel like I have produced the best possible work to my standard in most cases. However, if I had managed my time more effectively at the beginning of the project I feel all pieces of work could be at the same level instead of a few that were rushed due to poor judgment of time.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this project. I liked how the project brief was set and then we were allowed to go away and work independently creating the glossary pages as we pleased instead of being tutored through every section. Doing this has allowed me to think more creatively.