Outside in .......Inside out.

This is the starting point for  Brief 2 ...this idea developed from my first Brief this term but was unused...I hope to use the visual idea to create an Artwork which echoes and outlines the new Alloa Campus.

Artists Statement for 'The Emperor' Third year Degree Forth Valley College.

  An Artists Statement. Carol Meikleham BAD3 Wednesday, 26 October 2011                               

 Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale Brief     'The Emperors New Clothes'. 

I was influenced by Hans Christian Anderson’s, cut-outs, paper work and his use of the psychologically hidden message.  I was also influenced by Elena Diadenko-Hunter and her use of mixed media and faces/text "The outside looking in" series. Gerhard Richter’s photography portrait work of Ulrike Meinhof before this young woman became a German terrorist in the Red Army Fraction, had an influence.

 I thought up the idea of using paper stencil cut-outs to create a layered silkscreen print or series of prints using colour. Research included reading the Fairy Tale using Penguin Classics and Psychology book; I researched Hans Christian Anderson on the internet, discovering his lesser-known cut-outs. I was very influenced by his work and thinking.  I traced my sketch book work in newsprint creating many stencils for the print design.  I was aiming at a person’s layered personality and psychological motivations outlined in the Fairy Tale, using fresh simple cut-outs and colour printing in layers.  

My main aim in creating this, multiple colour layered, silkscreen print entitled ‘The Emperor’, was to convey a visual portrait which echoes the makeup of a person.  People are made up of many different layers of learning and experience.  I tried to convey this by using colour and simple paper-cut outlines.  We tend to know what a face should look like, so I showed the inner protected self in a ‘looking in looking out visual way’ using a warm happy yellow.  The other colour layers I used strident red signifying danger and attention and soft     violet and blues which become distorted and overlapping and debauched looking.  (like a spoiled emperor) This outlining represents the effects of my concept which was ‘how people see you...reflects how you see yourself.’   This Psychological term ‘The looking glass Self’ is a phrase used by sociologist Charles Cooley, which outlines how people take on board what others say about them, causing them to actually revaluate themselves into what others say they are.  I hope my print reflects this.  I contextualised the faces by adding a translucent crown, which is not visible from a distance, this hopefully means the viewer has to look hard to see what’s there, echoing the looking, and seeing, or not seeing, the invisible material, of the ‘Emperors New Clothes’ which is well known within society.

Self motivations like greed, power, fear, vanity, cause distortions between, The Perceived Self and the True Self.  I used this concept outlined within the Fairy Tale to create and explore Silkscreen techniques; I also explored Illustrator and CS4 Photoshop, text on a curved line for future use. I created a bog uploading my thoughts as a weekly diary.  I also explored Windows Movie maker, and learned how to upload to my blog-spot, (with my mentors help, Taylor Bennie).   I explored Inspirations Map Making.( also getting started off with Taylors help).   During this 7 week brief my Artwork has allowed me to explore and learn new skills for future use.             

Geese galore….!

Geese galore….!  I think Montrose looks like it's worth a visit if you like lots of Geese, even Snow Geese are mixed in with the visiting Pink Feet! click 'Geese galore' to be taken to the Scottish Wildlife Trust info.

Callander Crags walk - October holiday with Andrew- Looking to Ben Ledi

Looking to Ben Ledi
Photo by Carol Meikleham.
If interested in this walk over Callander Crags
find info at ...
http://www.incallander.co.uk/walks/cragswalk.htm

The Emperor,....... and his Crown-........'now you see it- now you don't'

The translucent crown becomes visible(echoing The Emperor's New Clothes Concept)
depending where the viewer stands.
If at a distance the crown isn't apparent,
If like this shot at an angle the crown can be seen.  

The translucent crown becomes visible (echoing The Emperor's New Clothes Concept)
depending where the viewer stands.
If at a distance the crown isn't apparent,
If like this shot at an angle the crown can't  be easily  seen.  

title:- How others see you....
reflects how you see yourself
Artwork idea developed during the making of 'The Emperor'

Mind Map

Finalising and compiling experiments and final artwork .

11th October
I mounted and placed The Emperor into a frame for display. I placed all my prints into display portfolio covers to be easily seen, and printed off last minute photos for sketch book. 
12th October
I finished off sketch book work.  I created a Mind Map using Inspirations and uploaded to my Blogg-spot.  My mentor Taylor Bennie got me started with this, and told me how to export and save file onto desktop  a JPG file for blogg upload.

I ran out of time to print map off for my sketch book, as I had my Statement for assessment to do for 4pm which I did and am now finished my first 7week Brief this year.    

Concept which evolved within print room from stencil cut outs.

5th October
I have a new concept possibly titled
 'Inside Out' Outside In'
this new idea came when I noticed some of my cut-outs offered up a new idea I haden't thought of along the same lines, as 'The Emperor' using simple outlines some which are visible and some which you 'fill in' because of 'known concepts' of how a face should look.
I created a silkscreen print run and investigated 'Illustrator' and CS4 Photoshop which could be useful for future projects.  I looked at 'text wraparound' which was great but needs practice I am a novice with this work.     

concept:-How others see you...reflects how you see you're self.

7th October
I decided to give 'The Emperor' a very translucent yellow crown.  I aimed to contextualise the colour layered faces representing(yellow) inner self (blue,lilac,red) distorted outer self.  My aim was to echo the concept of The Emperors New Clothes, of not at first seeing the crown then it becoming apparent on closer inspection. 
 In a large gallery space the 'colour layered person' (people are made of of many layers of learning and experiences)  would be seen first. People protect the inner self,(true self) the outer self can become distorted depending on perceptions. I aimed to echo this thinking within the Artwork.    

The Crown... for 'The Emperor'

5th October
I explored translucent colour created by mixing Acrylic paint, yellow with a little white (not too much white as very opaque), I added binding medium to create a thin film of paint when silk-screened onto a paper.  i investigated the effects of different coloured papers and its effects on the paint.  I discovered a feeling of hot or cold depending on the ground used .
6th October   

I worked on my sketch book, and uploaded photos taken to record my progress during the fulfilment of this Brief, and for my visual Diary. 








  

A Mind Map created with 'Inspiration 8.ob IE

The Emperor Final outcome in Silkscreen. Colour Layers of 'The Inner and outer Self'