Origins Unit 1:
SLEUTHS, SPIES AND LIES:
Digital Image Making:
Workshop series 2:
After my 3D Construction workshop, I was looking forward to beginning Digital Image Making. Our first task was to do 12 drawings ready for scanning on to photoshop, so I produced some quite simple drawings to start off with, however was looking forward to using my original drawings and photographs digitally.
In the first two Digital Image Making workshops we were taught how to do the basics of photoshop, such as creating brushes, colour swatches and modifying photographs.

This was the design I came up with throughout the two sessions:

It shows a variation of techniques, I just experimented with everything including brushes, painting, filling, photograph modification and I played around with composition of motifs. I was quite happy with it as my first piece, even with all of the techniques in one design.

It was then up to us to use our time on photoshop and employ the techniques to create designs relating to our project. I wanted to create some repeat patterns, because I have a little experience of doing so in my Art and Design Foundation Diploma last year at Newcastle College, where I also enjoyed experimenting with bright colours.

After a few attempts, I used chair leg motifs to create this repeat pattern. I thought it would have been too much to fill in all of the background orange, however it has ended up looking quite 70’s!
The use of block colours and motifs reminds me of Moschino’s S/S 2011 work:

The retro style, block colours and bold motifs in this design by Moschino has always stood out for me when creating patterns in photoshop, as I like the bold style and use of repeat, as well and the daring use of clashing colours and patterns which work so well with the style of their Cheap N Chic label.

Following my work with repeat patterns, I decided to look more at composition, using motifs and colours carefully:

I used my colour swatch derived from a photograph of Canal Street, I like how the faded yellow compliments the different shades of blue in the picture. I think it was one of my more successful designs which focus on composition mainly because of the colours and use of motifs, especially as one of my first attempts.

Although this effort may not be particularly effective, due to really simple layout, I thought I would show it because of the vase-like motif I created from an original drawing of rectangular stacked chairs. I used the (transform > distort) effect on photoshop to create the new motifs.

I then went on to experiment with photographs I took for my initial research.

I selected a portion of the photograph using the magic wand tool, and used different shades of blue and grey with the blind drawing motif. I really like the effect I got from the photo so decided to go back to repetition:

I think the colours in this design are quite successful, yet simple, and the overall pattern would look good on a scarf, or even wall paper.

This last design I think was one of my most successful throughout my time working with Digital Image Making:

I selected a portion of a photograph randomly with the magic wand tool, capturing silhouettes of people on Canal Street, and part of buildings. I then filled in the background with quite a neutral colour of dark grey, and used one of my motifs which is similar to a paint brush effect with light blue. I think it could be an effective t-shirt design.

Overall I enjoyed the Digital Image Making workshop and my independent study using photoshop. However I think my designs weren’t particularly great, I enjoyed experimenting and would like to one day take my ideas further by using them with 3D construction techniques.