Self Directed Brief

Finished the first draft of my brief....not too sure about it really, i 've had to come up with an reason why I do what I do other than I think it looks cool; because I’m in to dystopian science fiction, comic books and heavy underground music. Even that sounds wanky, not as wanky as my brief thou. I surpose my brief makes some kind of sense....just not happy with all the political bits....my prints do look political...but there are not. Or I am not. I think something Alan Moore said gets it right....all dystopian sc-fi is really an exaggeration of the bad stuff that is going on now ( not his exact words) ...so me doing sc-fi dystopian cities is going to reflect some political, social upheaval going on now.....but I know shit about it. It does concern me a bit but I’m too busy and lazy to go out of my way and ......so on. Another quote from Thom York, something along these lines ( again not exact words) we are all worried about the state we are in. but most of you are too busy living life, luckily I’m paranoid and obsessive enough to find the time to do something about it....it was something like that...but the point is the same. Any how here is my brief


Jonathan Callaghan’s Self Directed Project Statement of Intent

Introduction

Last term I started to develop my printmaking both in theme and technicality. My prints started to become more complex and political. I was somewhat unaware of this political direction my prints were going, and thought about moving away from it. However due to a shocking experience with the Bridgend Terrorist unit; where I was questioned in relation with terrorist activity for downloading images of Police riot equipment, I now feel obliged to continue in this political direction, concerning the government’s infringement on our privacy and urbanisation.

Aims

The aim of this project is too continue to push my work in two pacific areas, the theme and technicality of my printmaking.
The theme of my printmaking, as well as most of my work over the last three years has been along the lines of abstract, urban landscapes, which are heavily influenced by my interest in Science fiction. Thus my work sometimes suggests a sort off dystopian future. It is this suggestion; and also personal experience that I have begun to explore in my more recent work and as a result my work has become somewhat political. However, not being a very political minded person this makes me feel a bit uneasy, however I tread carefully in this direction as I could give my prints an edge; that will make them something more than ambiguous, slightly unnerving urban landscapes to what you could be describe as scenes of urban/ political tension, trouble etc. Thus my prints are a lot more appealing in a way or exciting. However, I don’t necessarily want my work to carry a political statement, I want my prints to remain slightly ambiguous, while also act as a document or a result of today’s urban environment. Hopefully as a result the viewer will be free to interpret or tag on some political statement or view of their own.

Over the last year or so I’ve continually worked with printmaking, I feel that I have reached the point where I feel quite capable of producing a series of accomplish prints. I believe I can achieve these goals by focusing on three aspects of my printmaking:
• Size - my prints often create the sense of infinite space or size despite often being printed on A4 or A3 sized paper, therefore the work would most likely improve if they were a lot bigger in size. I intend to develop a method of making my prints a lot larger within a short timeframe.
• Presentation – When printing I produce a large number of prints depicting different printing methods, and also the development of the print. I am often left with a number of prints some of which could be the finished print. For this project I would like to continue with this process of producing prints as it is very productive, however I would also like to work towards an single finished piece of work or to produce a finished piece of work using a large number of the prints I have produce, be it though collage or displaying the prints together, film, photography, etc.
• Technique - I need to develop my knowledge of printmaking and explore other methods of printmaking such as screen printing, thus allowing me to fully realize my in ideas in my prints.
• Quality, I will produce Clean high quality prints.
Objectives

At the end of this project I hope to produce a series of prints depicting a modern urban landscape that reflects my development in Printmaking, my interest in my Science Fiction and the Political, Social and environmental upheaval of today.

Primary Source

Photography is a key factor in my working process. It is the main source of ideas in the development of my prints. Thus over the last year I have acquired a decent a digital SLR camera and I am teaching myself how to use it correctly. And I will continue to do so in my research for ideas and images. Urban landscapes will be the main focus of my photography and I will be taking regular trips to different locations together research. However I will also use photography to create scenes or still life’s to work from using photomontage, model making and Film.

Another key factor in my working process are the off cuts or trail and error prints I produce whiles printmaking. Rather than working towards one final finished piece, I produce a larger number of prints from the same plate using different printing methods. This means my prints are often devolved in the printmaking studio rather than being sketched out before hand.
I wish to continue and further develop this method of work; as it produces unexpected, interesting and effect results, by using other printmaking techniques such as screen printing.

During my research and devolvement project I produced a short film , I enjoyed the experiences and I wish to continue with that medium incorporating my print making. I have a few ideas of how I plan to this and I am excited by the process, but I am not sure if I would be happy to include the film I produce in my Final year show. This decision would have to be made once the work is completed, however I am sure working with film would inform my printmaking.

Sketch books are a key factor in my working process, in which I map out and try out ideas for my prints. I will continue to use sketch books.






Secondary Sources

The artists who’s work I believe deal with similar themes to mine and who have influenced my work are as followed, Paul noble, Ken Currie, Anselm Kiefer, Jan Soucek, John Virture . Comic book artist/writers such as John Wagner, Alan Grant, Tim Sale, Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Geor Darrow, Henry Flint, Simon Bisley, Gareth Ennis and Dave Gibbons. The films By Richard kern, James Cameron, George Mileer. And the authors Phillip K Dick, George Orwell, William Burroughs and William Gibson. All of Who’s work I will use to support my own investigation and development.

Context

The context in which to put my prints would be the genre Science Fiction; more pacifically Science fiction concerned with the idea of Orwellian dystopian futures. The aesthetic context of my prints could both work in a gallery as Fine Art prints or perhaps as images in a graphic novel; due to my prints being produced to be shown in a gallery , whiles be massively influenced by the Science fiction comic book art.

Technical Strategies

• Printmaking; Woodcut, Relief and Intaglio, Screen Print. Using pile wood and mount board
• Digital Photography
• In my sketch books, Pencil, Ink, and Acrylic paint
• Collage and Photomontage.

Research Strategies

• I will use my sketch books to produce and develop ideas, and sketches for my prints.
• I will keep a Printmaking and Photography journal to keep a record my development.
• I will keep a secondary journal, in which information and images of other artists and Photographs would be kept for reference.