Over the course of the final major project I have explored subjects such as signage, especially neon, as well as typography and insignia including postage stamps. My research has revolved around artists that work with neon such as signmaker Todd Sanders and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, as well as text artists like Ed Ruscha. Victorian literature such as The Picture of Dorian Gray has also been influential in grounding my exploration of these interests in Soho, an area famous for its neon signs. Earlier in the year I also made work around my interest in body photography and the cyberpunk aesthetic, especially inspired by science fiction comics such as Descender.
Photography has been a key part of my practice this year, and I have developed my skills in both film and digital formats shooting body photography and neon signs that feature in my final outcomes. I also gained new experience with printing, producing hard and soft ground etchings from my photographs, and developed my skills in lino printing in the final major project, carving ‘Soho stamps’ that I printed on marble-inked postcards. Creating my final piece brought further challenges in working with neon wiring as part of my sculpture, for which I had to build a maquette and incorporate the skills learned from photographing neon to present my outcome.
Overall, my most valuable learning from the course of the year has been in working with new media such as etching, film photography and neon sculpture, whilst also improving my skills in drawing and design. Neon sculpture in particular is one area I look forward to exploring further, hopefully within the context of design for film in the future.
Over the course of the final major project I have explored subjects such as signage, especially neon, as well as typography and insignia including postage stamps. My research has revolved around artists that work with neon such as signmaker Todd Sanders and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, as well as text artists like Ed Ruscha. Victorian literature such as The Picture of Dorian Gray has also been influential in grounding my exploration of these interests in Soho, an area famous for its neon signs. Earlier in the year I also made work around my interest in body photography and the cyberpunk aesthetic, especially inspired by science fiction comics such as Descender.
Photography has been a key part of my practice this year, and I have developed my skills in both film and digital formats shooting body photography and neon signs that feature in my final outcomes. I also gained new experience with printing, producing hard and soft ground etchings from my photographs, and developed my skills in lino printing in the final major project, carving ‘Soho stamps’ that I printed on marble-inked postcards. Creating my final piece brought further challenges in working with neon wiring as part of my sculpture, for which I had to build a maquette and incorporate the skills learned from photographing neon to present my outcome.
Overall, my most valuable learning from the course of the year has been in working with new media such as etching, film photography and neon sculpture, whilst also improving my skills in drawing and design. Neon sculpture in particular is one area I look forward to exploring further, hopefully within the context of design for film in the future.