Reflections on lecture - Research Criteria

 This session was aimed at giving an insight to defining research criteria for our own research by considering the method adopted by the artists/designers that influence our work. Rachel outlined her perception of Research Methods and related this to the work of John Baldessari in her presentation. 

Reseach methods allow you to: 

• articulate process- why and how you are doing things

• document evolving practice 

- how you think through problems

-where you found inspiration

- define, discuss and evaluate current influences

- identify what you are drawn to - own responses

- check against primary and secondary sources

- respond and develop from a wide range of works

- draw out common themes

- develop a rationalle for process - a method because it can be defined, questioned and tested

• self reflect

• sustain debate

We should now consider a wide range of criteria and edit this down to five criteria that our own work/practice could not do without. Using these criteria research over twenty practitioners that we find an influence on our own practice.

It is recommended that research includes viewing live work; reflection can be based on seeing the work then backed up with primary and secondary sources. For my part I get to as many exhibitions and shows of artists work as possible to support my newly developing practice and interests since beginning the course.

This presentation was coupled with a further introduction to methods related terminology. This helped to draw together earlier sessions on Research Methods and link the terminology to the criteria. The group work that followed allowed for some debate on a particular criteria - group 2 'Abstract" followed by defining an opposite to that criteria. The group put forward 'representational' as the opposite. Groups presented findings to the whole group. A useful opportunity to see alternative thought processes and links.

I will post further information about this exhibition, which I visited recently,  as part of my formal review of an event for the module. However, in a nutshell, 'Van Doesburg and the International Avant Garde' at the Tate Modern is a must see for graphic designers/typographers and anyone interested in the links, crossovers and influences associated with the period exhibited including, Cubism,  de Stijl, Dadaism, Constructivism. The exhibition has been curated effectively in a chronological order so that it is easy to pick up on the development of influences that Van Doesburg relates to and involves himself with, from cubism, abstraction, through De Stijl into Dadaism and beyond.

Getting started - new semester

Well, it's taken some time to settle into this semester. My presentation of previous practice and developing current practice has been made. I believe that this went reasonably well. I outlined my career history to date; freelance graphic designer, then some part-time lecturing alongside, full-time lecturing, education management and returning to lecturing for HE. My current practice is related to the first module of this MA (work discussed in previous blogs) and my search for a direction within graphic arts. 

Through the presentation I was able to identify some of the research methods utillised by the influential artists and designers that I acknowledged and considered research methods to be adopted myself alongside my developing practice. I want to consider approaches to work and review trends and styles from the early part of the last century through to current work. I am particularly interested in current trends for work away from the computer; hand drawn typography, collage, printmaking etc. Particularly work that takes influence from the 50's and emphasises collage, 'paste up', juxtposition of type/lettering and other graphic elements. Reid Miles' Blue Note work is a real favourite. Whilst 'away from the computer' starting points are important, I will want to utilise the technology for output where appropriate.

I was disappointed that ony a few the other students in the Research Methods tutor group did not not attempt to consider research methods employed by their 'influential' artists as that would have been a further awareness raising opportunity for me, looking at approaches to other art & design disciplines away from graphics.

I am now beginning further research into a broader range of influences for assignment two.

Beatles to Bowie - National Portrait Gllery

My visit to this exhibition in Late December was initially one of interest from the point of view of. I had grown up with many aspects of the period covered by this exhibition and it was visually relevant to me as a review of the imagery and publications that I had seen or owned during that period. Magazines, record sleeves and sheet music provided and interesting record of the period. There was also a visual reminder, relevant to my current research, of the styles and production methods associated with graphics and print of the time. Evidence of the use of Letraset and relatively crude montage of visual items, especially from the very early party of the decade.  The photo qualities were mixed; Some clearly from music and fashion journalism sources where photos were iconic and gave a clear sense of musical developments of the time but were not necessarily technically sound, whereas some studio shots, for instance those by David Bailey, showed the standard of photography that had made their originators famous.

A well structured and resourced exhibition. Of particular interest to anyone, who like me, grew up through the 1960's.

Update work in progress

Following some downtime over Christmas I have now begun to consider approaches to my final piece of work to define my "Manifesto".  In trying to define my intentions I have been deliberating over the content of my visual statement to include constraints but also options for the breadth of my investigations. Whilst I am still intent on investigating hand drawn/rendered/constructed approaches - avoiding the need of the computer as an initial working tool - I am becoming aware that there will be times when I will want to fully utilise the computer as a production tool. Therefore I have included the rider in my manifesto that "Iwill acknowledge the computer s a production tool" I don't see this as a"cop out" but merely a recognition of the technology as a very powerful too for processing final visual outcomes prior to print, where this is intended.

I have found that my focus has developed from earlier work in the semester and that I am now taking on broader visual references from artists including Robert Rauschenberg and Joe Tilson. Iam aware that I am now stating an outline direction but equally want to keep options open to allow my work to develop in the light of ongoing visual research. My final piece is based on the idea of avoiding the use of the "mouse" as a first stage in ideas and visual developments and this piece of work started as a paste-up of type as titles relating to activities suggesting my approaches but developed in some part as the phonemes from the title - Masnifesto. I have also drawn imagery for the peice and included a scan of notes from my sketchbook defining my "manifesto" at this stage. After experimenting with hand drawn type for this element of the work I felt that the working quality of my sketchbook list with crossings out and amendments gave a more fluid impression of my intentions. I am now at the stage of making some further and final amendments to my "Manifesto" prior to the submission deadline and will post the final outcome(s) as they materialise.

50 Things - some refinement

In bringing my work work together for my tutorial and critical review of work to date I felt that I wanted to extend the work I started for "50 Things" I have edited down the list to 25 items which I felt could have imagery associated with them. The idea being that from title or notions applied to myself, I could generate what might appear to be a random series of images. I considered how I might extend this as a set and experimented with the idea of mini-images in the form of a series of postage stamps. Although this set represents links to points in my life it can be initially seen as a selection of seemingly random images. The images only demonstrate their links to me by the added visual signs of my silhouette and caption on the stamps.

To further this I considered how the stamps might be used in another visual  association, ie. on envelopes  linked visually by the appearance of an address/franking stmps etc. but, using the visual position of the address as an opportunity to link some meaning or comment to the image on the stamp. In this case, the intention being to see this piece of text as a short piece of "graphic poetry" maybe, directed at the person/character associated with the object. My intention with this excercise was to consider how to develop strands of creative thought moving away from the initial context of "50 Things" towards image and creative text.

Reflections on seminar - moving towards manifesto

The session yesterday evening not only gave me an opportunity to review my "Balance" poster but also helped me to further consider a statement leading to my manifesto. I clearly want to reflect on the organisation of space in print through "Balance and Juxtaposition" of elements. Additionally I want to investigate, explore and take influences from periods and trends. 

I have been interested and influenced for some time by graphic design emerging in the 1950's - in particular the "paste up" typography and photography work of Reid Miles for the Blue Note Jazz record label through the 50's and into the early 60's. 

I am equally intrigued by the trend of the last few years of the move to developing design work for print from hand rendered and hand assembled starting points for graphic outcomes. This has gradually moved into the mainstream and now regularly appears in design work for major corporate companies. I feel that development of this work is in some part due to a reflection and in some ways a rejection by artists/designers of the dominance of the computer over design outcomes and seeks to return to some sense of reflection and acknowledge that design and creativity exists/existed before the computer.

I would like to start from the work of the 50's, which will clearly shows the influences of modernism and swiss graphics as a starting point and investigate creating work which relates to periods/trends from the that period to the present day and to try to draw comparisons between the hand rendered/paste up work of  the 50's,60's 70's through the digital transition of the late 1980's to the current trend of hand rendered starting points for some of today's design. 

I am keen to take on the notion of "being in practice" as discussed in yesterday's session; the idea that you continue to "practice" outside of the client brief and the pressure of "linear" design constraints and deadlines.  I am also inspired by the idea of being my own "audience" in developing a body of work through my creative investigations. I hope to use the next module - "Design Methods" to dig deeper into research of my own subject and practice to further this.

In terms of a statement for manifesto, something around "Balance, Juxtaposition and space is influenced by period, trend and process" might be getting close to it and something that I would wish to discuss and get some further critical feedback on.