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LESS&More: Week 13

LESS Festival: Presentation and final mockup of the zine.

After many changes and refinements, I managed to get the zine printed. It took a while to get here and I'm satisfied with the end product. Looking back on my progress, I'm learning to appreciate the challenges and to accept that things can't be 'perfect' most of the time. I tend to be very critical of my skills and the pressure to do well is always on my mind; however, during these three years of university, I loosened up and it is continual journey to be content with the progress I have made as a designer. I am thankful for this journey :"))

Thank you for reading!

Week 11-12

Sergei Sviatchenko Q&A:

Image credit: Sergei Sviatchenko

During week 11, we were able to meet Sergei online. Sergei is a collage artist and art director of the LESS Festival. He answered our questions about his creative process, exhibitions and future work (working with 3D software). Sergei is inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky's films, and recommends us to watch his films. Additionally, Sergei works mostly with analogue collage; collecting bits and pieces of collage elements and organises them into folders. He cuts everything by hand and channels his emotions (and imagination) into his work. It was a informative session with him and I really liked that he collaborates with students; a conducive space to learn all things collage.

LESS Festival contribution: I made a mockup for the zine.

This was a flip through of the zine, and it was printed smaller due to printer limitations. It was a good point of reference for refining details or errors in the zine. I continued to refine the pages of the zine and decided to change the type (as shown in the video) to the one that was included in the brand guide; to keep the collaterals consistent. In week 12, I sent the soft-copy version of the zine to a local print shop. This process was challenging because I'm not great at printing things out, and there was a bit of a miscommunication with the printers. However, it was solved and they were able to proceed with printing.

Week 10

Coding: Remixing a classmate's work.

LESS Festival contribution: Based on the feedback and suggestions, I decided to go with the idea of making a zine with collage prompts and examples. The purpose of this zine is to engage the audience during the festival, and it makes creating art more accessible. These were some of the collages that went into the zine, exploring different techniques, and coming up with some of my own compositions. The prompts serve as a guide and resource; it consist of collage techniques from workshops by artists (Martin Venezky, Hannah Höch and William S. Burroughs).

Week 9

LESS Festival contribution

LESS Festival planning, conceptualising and getting work done: exploring zines and collage. My initial idea was to have a zine with information: what LESS Festival is about, the venue, a curated list of artists and their work. The sketch was an idea of how the zine would look like; which includes the information of the event, collage activities and a map of the festival. It is split into 2 parts, Zine A is the curated artist showcase, Zine B is interactive where readers can create their own collages. It is an experimental zine and a compilation of collage techniques (digital and analogue) learnt throughout the semester.

It was quite a challenge to come up with ideas and I was overwhelmed by the open brief; I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do with the zine and was worried about the direction where this was going. However, I was more assured after the feedback session we had and gave more thought about the zine being a collage resource for the audience.

Sources of inspiration: Martin Venezky, Creative Block (book), Burroughs; borrowing their techniques of collage and encouraging the audience to create their own collages.

Week 8

LESS Festival:

Another round of brainstorming and firming up the details of my project. I was able to experiment with typography and these were some of my initial ideas for the zine.

Band practice:

We created tour merchandise, our tour bus, posters, other promotional materials and uploaded them to the Instagram account. I enjoyed working with analogue collage and I liked the experimental nature of the punk rock band aesthetic.

Coding workshop: similar to week 7's work, this was a tutorial that rotates and move an image around with any key pressed.

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Additional research and references:

Huang Tingjian (黃庭堅, 1045–1105), Song Dynasty (960–1279)

Chinese writing systems: Calligraphy is the art of writing; it originated and developed from China, specifically from the writing of Chinese characters using brush and ink. Naturally finding applications in daily life, calligraphy still serves as a continuous link between the past and the present. Chinese calligraphy is considered supreme among the visual arts in China, and it also sets the standard by which Chinese painting is judged (Yu, 2016).

Week 7

LESS Festival ideation and brainstorm of my contribution

I decided to do a zine that contains the information of the event (venue, when it was happening, curated list of artists, etc). I was still unsure of what I wanted to do, but I thought of exploring type and different visuals as a medium. I also thought of collating different pieces of collage work into a zine.

Coding workshop: It was a continuation of scaling and layering images on a webpage. I had Processing's reference page open as a guide; Karen's github and other videos helped me to understand the technicalities of each line of code. It was quite a complex process but I kept experimenting with it, and I was able to create an abstract self-portrait.

Band practice: I collaborated with my classmates, and we worked on tour posters, and other merchandise. We created an Instagram account, announcing our tour dates and collated our work on the account. The homework pushed us to explore collage as a collective, and I liked how it looks cohesive even though we worked on the collages individually. We did discuss what merchandise we wanted to be released and shared how the tour posters would look like to avoid inconsistencies.

instagram.com/dentistkiller

Week 6

LESS Festival brainstorm: Ideation and a work in progress; I decided to create a publication for the event. The moodboard contains some of my initial ideas for the publication (or zine); such as collaging type and exploring the type of different languages. Zines are flexible mediums, and it could be easily printed; hence, it could be an exploration of different print cultures in other cities (Melbourne, Viborg, Singapore, etc).

Coding workshop: An introduction to coding in Processing; I always thought it was a complicated process and the only experience I had with coding was changing my Blogspot/Blogger appearance in the past. It was really interesting, and the explanation for each line of code made more sense to me. It was an aspect of design I wanted to learn, but I was overwhelmed by information and didn't know where to start.

Making a self-portrait with different shapes; it took a while for me to understand each line of code, but I enjoyed the process of figuring it out. I explored with different shapes, colours and interaction with the mouse.

Week 5

A mini-project: band practice

We used analogue collage to create punk band album covers, posters, and other promotional materials. I was able to explore different layouts and tried to match the band's name; Dentist Killer, with broken teeth, mouths and animals.

Collaging in music and video: I tried to remix music in GarageBand and it was quite a challenge for me because I was unsure of what the music controls and buttons do to the track; I could only cut and layer the tracks together. I took it out at the end, because of copyright issues. The music video was animated with analogue elements that were photographed and edited; it was an experimental project. Moving these elements around and making it match the music was an enjoyable experience. During the group discussion, we decided to stitch our videos together and I thought the combination of 2D print elements and 3D models brought out the band's main aesthetic. (Video credit: Yang)

I also brainstormed some ideas for my contribution to LESS Festival. One of the ideas was to code a website for the event, the other was to create print collaterals (a publication). I was not sure of what I wanted to do at this point, hence, I did more research and looked for inspiration for both ideas. More will be elaborated on in the next few posts.

Week 4

Book spine poems: Nina Katchadourian's sorted books project.

Shadow wave, lost ocean and other rivers.

You never walk alone, ghosts! Stay the path 👻

The perks of being a mockingbird. Find a new way to be human.

CCCC presentations: collage and identity The group presentation went well, and the pecha kucha format kept it relatively short, hence, we were not able to fit all our research into the presentation. I think the class' presentations were informative and really interesting; it helped me to broaden my perspectives about having collage as a medium, and how it fits into different contexts. The other groups' presentation were well researched and they discussed about culture appropriation, ethics and ethos of collage.

Week 3

Homework/activity: An homage to Hannah Höch [Flucht (Flight), 1931]

We refined our slides and continued our discussions for the presentation. We started off the assignment by defining identity, then branching out to artworks or movements that were about identity politics, and how artists use collaging as a medium to exemplify their voices, or to raise awareness on a certain situation (or circumstance). Additionally, we had a few meetings online to clarify the information that was presented, and refined our analysis for the collages that was created by different artists. We had to overcome the timezones (which posed a bit of an issue), but we were able to communicate and I enjoyed the discussions that we had about collaging.

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Additional research and references:

Image credit: Robert Mapplethorpe, Objects, 1960s.

Robert Mapplethorpe is a photographer known for his sexually explicit images, which depicted the underground gay S&M scene of the mid-1970s. In these controversial works, sexuality takes precedence over social class or distinction of the sitter. He was a graphic arts major before dropping out of college, but he has assemblage works, in which he develops motifs and themes that continue throughout his career (Urban Mishmash, 2017).

He made numerous collages and assemblages by recycling – while interpreting and transgressing – religious imagery. He explores darker subjects such as black magic or Tantra Art, and redesigned Tarot cards, replacing the imagery with male and female figures taken from magazines (Ropac, 2017).

Week 2

The homework was based on Martin Venezky's workshop, 'Boredom and Nuance'. I cut a single alphabet (E) from a magazine as shown in the images and pasted them down on a paper bag. I added a second letter (M). It took a while for me to complete the activity and it helped me to work slowly, as I have tendency to rush through things.

I made an abstract self-portrait as well with the letter E.

A timelapse; it took about 40 minutes to complete.

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Additional research and references:

My group came back with a number of artists and movements that were useful, however, we had to restructure our presentation and refine the design for each slide. There were a few articles of research that caught my eye, as we continued with our research.

Image credit: Poem 135

This was one of my research on remembering one's identity. Chinese poetry of Angel Island: Carvings of poetry by immigrants; expressing their feelings about their time being detained in America (from 1910 to 1940) and how they felt discriminated against because of their ethnicity (Google, 2020).

Extending my research beyond collage was intriguing, especially when I found the Chinese poetry of Angel Island. There were other ethnicities that was detained at Angel Island, however, most of the immigrants were Chinese, due to the Chinese Exclusion Act that was implemented in 1910-1940. The poems were a reflection of their lives and it was a form of self-expression and identity.

LESS&More: Week 1

A self-portrait.

Introduction: finding four objects and background texture to make a 'portrait', or things that represent who I am as a person.

Image credit: Hannah Höch, Made for a party, 1936.

The history of collage, its implications and appropriation; the Dadaist movement was a push back against sombre environments (WW1) and it questions the status quo. I thought it was an interesting point of reference, to start researching on different collage artists and explore a variety of collage techniques in the following weeks.

Group work: We explored and discussed the possible fields of research in collage, and this was for the first assignment. We split into groups based on the topics that were discussed. I chose to do my research on the topic of collage and identity; it was something I have been passionate about (especially feminism and intersectionality). We researched and tried to define what identity was, before doing our work individually. We also discussed about the sub-topics that could be included in the presentation, and decided to keep in contact to discuss more about our topic.

LESS & More: Post-digital collage (SKO)

In this Studio Knowledge Object, it will include a record of my work in progress, research and reflection that occurred during the semester.

Contextualising:

In this studio, I explored contemporary collage, montage and assemblage as a design practice. Collage describes both the technique and the resulting work of art in which pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other ephemera are arranged and stuck down onto a supporting surface (Tate, 2017). The term collage was coined around 1910 by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, who are pioneers of the Cubist movement. They experimented with assorted materials, such as printed oilcloth, newspaper cut-outs and patterned paper (Rise Art, 2020). By pasting these elements onto flat surfaces, they were able to evoke dimensionality and explore the deconstruction of these materials. The Dada movement emerged during World War I, and many artists such as Hannah Höch, Tristan Tzara and Marcel Duchamp, who created pieces of art that critiqued social structures, the corrupt and nationalistic politics of that time. Dada artists embraced chance, accident, and improvisation (MoMALearning, 2020). Inspired by their work, I was able to create some of my own pieces based on the workshops given in class; as well as experimenting with analogue and digital collage. This helped a lot in shaping my work for this semester.

Reflecting:

LESS & More is my final design studio in RMIT, so I wanted to explore something new. In the first few weeks, there was a bit of time allocated to group work and we researched on the field of contemporary collage. Our group researched on collage and identity; and explored topics such as identity politics, feminism and racism. It was interesting to read about the different techniques collage artists use to critique the current climate, and learn about the historical context of feminism and racism. The presentations were all informative and useful for further research. Additionally, the homework that was set for each week contributed to some of the assignments. Hence, I was experimenting a lot with collage techniques and some of the collage pieces I made became part of the assignment (Curatorial Project Contribution & Collateral for LESS Festival). It was an enjoyable studio experience, and we learnt about coding on Processing. It was a challenge to understand the technicalities, but I was able to understand each line of code. Even though I had a design-block during the semester, I was able to get through it with feedback and advice from my classmates.

Future application:

I would continue to explore the field of contemporary collage and to create my own collages with the knowledge I gained from this studio. The homework and assignments I have worked on was useful in diversifying my portfolio; creating a fictional punk band and making collaterals with collage, and coding images onto a webpage. Working on the theme of LESS Festival was really exciting and I thought it was a good opportunity to explore zine culture and how collage fits into that medium. Being able to work with different materials, textures and compositions has been enjoyable; in my future practice, I would like to explore more about analogue collage and coding.

thunderstruck9

Hannah Höch (German, 1889-1978), Poesie, 1922. Paper, string and wax collage and brush and pen and India ink on paper, 25.7 x 20 cm.

nobrashfestivity

Hannah Höch, For a Red Mouth, around 1967

staff

tumblr tuesday: music made art

Ask not what you can do for your fandom but what your fandom can do for you. So what’s good in the world of music-themed art this month? Well, you’ve got vintage vibes, Lorde lyrics, and some love for Louis Tomlinson.

@eisenbernard mashes high and low brow together, resulting in classic book covers of Madonna songs or this delightfully bourgeois ensemble. Think of it as Fearless (Vittorio’s version):

@albums-big-in-japan celebrates the aesthetics of yesteryear in Japanese releases of popular music from the West, resulting in an impressive archive of questionable hair and outfit choices. Not so Stevie Wonder, who apparently just came off the USS Enterprise looking like the king that he is:

@morepeachyogurt has a flair for curating ~v i b e s~ perfectly encapsulated in her “Solar Power” fanart:

And @projectotb has been celebrating LGBTQIA+ Louies with Pride-themed fan art around his song “Only The Brave”—enter this lovely little number by @thetriangletattoo:

final thoughts!

This was the “zine there, done that” pop-up exhibition that happened today (7/6/19).

Illustration credits: https://instagram.com/__9een?igshid=1xo7u5hafr0pr

My personal objectives for Communication Design Studies are learning and improving on skills such as translating my ideas into my designs. I was looking forward to the theoretical knowledge alongside a set of practical tools and skills for my own practice or future study.

I achieved most of my objectives in the course. It changed my thought process slightly and made me more open-minded about my designs. I became more accepting of feedback from my peers and although there’s no bad design, it helped broaden my perspectives.

I discovered several historical art and design movements including early-print, pop-art, Swiss-style, modernism and post-modernism, along with concepts like critical thinking, typographic principles and publication design. I also experimented with different materials during my first assignment and unlocked skills such as prototyping, curation and making zines.

I was inspired by Oliviero Toscani, Benetton’s art director, who created controversial campaigns and provided a topic of conversation. He wanted to initiate social debates and communicate the values of the company. The campaigns were very provocative, and I liked how he used this platform to get his message across.

Cuneiforms was a historical movement that moved me, because it was a significant movement and the beginning of writing. Shapes were printed and impressed into soft clay by using scientific instruments and were highly accurate in communication. Mark, J. J. (2018), in the 19th century, these cuneiforms were deciphered, transforming human understanding of history. Hence, ancient does not mean prehistoric, they served as a form of communication.

In week 7, there was an activity where we went around Building 9 to exhibit our works. We hung up our printed designs using strings, tape, clips and took advantage of our environment. I thought it was a creative way of showcasing our works and it was really fun experimenting with the curation.

I would like to explore more about the Bauhaus, and if it was a progressive environment for women in the 1920s. Lutyens, D. (2018), the manifesto of 1919 welcomed “everyone without regard to age or sex”, yet only 6 out of its 45 teaching staff were women. While the men in the Bauhaus are considered design titans today, women are relatively unknown.

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