Mitchell Edwards-Art Work Placement module

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Evaluation of My Work Placement Project

My main focus for my work experience project was to interact with the public as I feel that this was one of my weaknesses yet it is a skill that I must develop for most art practices due to the fact that art is becoming more public focused.

Over the course of this placement project I have worked more than 50 hours. 29 of those hours were spent at eastside where I was able to interact with the public in a variety of ways whilst also managing the gallery.

Ways that I interacted with the public included :

*Front Desk- when working on the front desk I had to make sure that the gallery was operating as it should and that the public was happy. It allowed me to interact with the public whilst giving them information about the pieces in the gallery and asking them what their experience was like when visiting.

* Events - Whilst working at events that eastside were running such as First Friday I was able to network with the public and relevant artists meaning I could build contacts for my future art practices.

* Archives - Another way that I was able to interact with the public was when I was taking pictures for events which will be used on the eastside archives and Instagram accounts which can be accessed by the public.

Overall I think that eastside was a great experience and it definately helped me when interacting with the public after being at eastside for a while I felt more confident when interacting with the public. I would say that the best thing about working at eastside would the contacts and networking that I was able to do whilst at the gallery especially at events.

Anther project that I undertook during my work experience module was a prop making for a rap video.

The making of props allowed me to use some of the creative skills that I already had such as photoshop as we made the masks from scratch I thought that this a great experience which was rewarding and fun to do.

The prop masks that me and my collegue Izabel produced were then used in a prop video which will reach out to the public/ government and will likely have an impact on society it was a privilege be a part of that.

The final project that I undertook during this project was a website called DashNDem which is an artist webpage that showcases the work of two artists one of them being Demitrios Kargotis who is a tutor at the school of art.

The making of the website allowed me to once again get creative and use skills that I already had when making websites.

I also had the privilege of putting together a team to help me one member of the team would primarily work on the logo due to the fact his practice is in the design of logos.

Overall I really enjoyed creating the website and conducting the research that comes with that and I feel that we created a good set of prototypes that will be developed into a great website that will benefit the documentation of the collaborative artist practice.

In conclusion I fell that the module has benefited me greatly and will help me in finding creative jobs after university the best thing about this module has been interacting with the public in everything from making a website that the public can use to working with the public in a gallery. 

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Website samples ( 3 hours )

Our module deadline is approaching however our website is no yet ready so we decided that we would produce some more sample websites that can accompany our main prototype, these will have a different design to the prototype that we have already created.

We will then show the samples and prototype to our employer so that he can tell us what elements he likes from each of the samples and the prototype.

Once we know what thing work and what things don’t we will then create the final website during the summer.

During our specification one thing that we asked was is there a deadline and we were told there wasn’t therefore creating the website over the summer even though our deadline will have passed shouldn't be a problem.

The reason for doing this is because we want to take our time so that we can create a website that both we and our employer is happy with because this is something that will be seen by the public.

The samples that we created to accompany our main website :

*website with a different layout, landscape.

* A website will more colours than the main prototype.

These samples will bring variety so that Demitrios can pick and choose what elements he likes which we can then expand upon when making the final website.

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Screen Shots Of Website Prototype

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Website Commission making prototype day 2 (hours 5 - 9)

During the second day of website making we continued to develop the prototype by adding in further pages and we also found a way to make the text come down the page when scrolling which is something that our client requested.

We now have all of the projects that DashNDem have taken part in on our home page which link to their own page with additional information.

The prototype is easy to navigate on each page their is a DashNDem logo wich takes you back to the home page.

Another great thing about the prototype that we have created is the fact that it will be easy to maintain which was a must as the client said they would like to manage the page themselves so it must therefore be simplistic.

We kept the master page simple with just the logo and an about page at the top of the website this was due to the fact we wanted the website to be simple often websites are quite complex meaning that people get frustrated as they can’t find the information they need.

On the prototype we also added a gallery where the set of images from each page can be viewed in a higher quality we will look further into weaver this is needed in our final website.

Our prototype is pretty much finished so we can now begin to make our final website for DashNDem which will be a lot more refined and will have more features than the prototype.

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Website Commission Making Prototype (Hours 2-4)

After doing some research by looking at other websites so that we can find the look that we wanted to portray we then took to Muse and started to create a Prototype.

We wanted to create a prototype because it will allow us to be a little more playful than when making the final copy of the website.

For our prototype we looked at Jasleen kaur’s website for inspiration because we liked her take on a creative artist website.

Here is a link to Jasleen’s Website : http://jasleenkaur.co.uk

What we liked most about Jasleen’s webpage was the colour scheme and layout which made the website look interesting and easy to navigate.

On the prototype that we created we used a muted grey colour for the background as it represents the city which is where most of DashNDems work exists.

The colour grey is often seen as a practical colour which is formal yet sophisticated which is the look that we are aiming for however we used a subtle grey which is easy on the eye so that the website would be easy to look at.

The colours we used were sourced by creating a colour chart on Photoshop so that we could find suitable colours more effectively. Each colour on Photoshop has a code which can be used to find the same colour in other programs.

We used the original logo from the DashNDem logo for our prototype as nav was still refining the logo for our final website.

I really enjoyed the first stages of creating this prototype as it gave me the change to jump back into Muse again as I hadn’t used the software in a few months.

What I liked most about creating the prototype as it allowed us to play around with different concepts loosely whereas the final website will be very well planed which will be more strict in terms of the things we can do.

We will now continue to create our prototype until we have one that we are happy with at which point we will begin making our final website which may use some elements of the prototype that worked particularly well.

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Research : Analyzing other websites ( 3 hours )

Before creating our website we first each took to the internet so that we could do some research. We conducted this research by looking at other creative websites and taking notes/sketches based on the things that worked when looking at these websites.

Then we can gather all of the market research that we have produced as a design team and begin to make the prototype which will inspire our final website for DashNDem.

Website number 1 :

The first website that I looked at was called contemporary art Daily which has a very strict and basic look to it and doesn’t really communicate the theme of contemporary artworks.

http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/

Although I think that there are some things that work well in my opinion such as the image placement I like the way that the images are all of different sizes it makes the website look more interesting. I feel that most websites are quite safe with their image placement but modern websites are breaking that boundary and I think modern websites benefit from this.

Another great thing about this webpage would be the small bites of information rather than long paragraphs of unnecessary information. I often get bored when looking at websites that have too many long paragraphs and creative websites should be more about visuals.

Website number 2 : https://www.moma.org/

Here is the second website that I studied as part of my research it is similar to the previous one although I think that this website has a more contemporary look.

This website is a gallery webpage what I like most about this website is again the image placement but rather than having offset images this page has used large images that fully showcase the works perfectly.

Again the text has been kept to a minimum but it still gives you all of the information that you need.

Overall I think that this website is successful because it does its job it makes me want to visit the gallery. This website also uses a white background however it is appropriate in this context as galleries are known for having white walls.

Website Number 3 :

Here is the third and most interesting website that I looked at which was suggested at the specification meeting.

http://jasleenkaur.co.uk/

The great thing about Jasleen’s website is the use of subtle pastel colours which really fits with the Indian theme that runs throughout. I think that we should use subtle colours in our website that suit our theme also.

Jasleen’s website is so inviting it makes you want to stay and see more it’s not overbearing and it uses limited text and offset images of different sizes.

The most recent piece of work is situated at the top of the page I feel that this is clever as its a good way to showcase recent works because the image really stands out being as its the only picture in the right hand corner.

Another thing that I like is the font that has been used both on the logo and on the text because it also fits well with the theme just like the colour scheme and images.

I would say that Jasleens website is the most successful because it has the whole package its got good colour, its inviting and has great image placement.

These are just a few of the websites that I looked at for inspiration I now have several ideas of things that we could implement into our DashNDem website. 

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Website Making update : Correspondence 

Here are the corresponding emails which were sent to gather necessary information such as when we could have our first specification meeting to discuss how Demitrios wants the website to look.

Also in another email I have also sent the emails from each member of the website design team so that information can easily be sent to each member of the group.

When completing work like that of a website it is always important to keep a good level of communication between you and your employer.

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Web design position

After receiving news that I wouldn’t be getting the opportunity to redesign the art space I was given another opportunity to redesign the Dash N Dem website.

I was very happy with the fact that I could use my website making skills that I had developed from other projects and I look forward to seeing what the final website will look.

I have also been told that I can put together a team to help me create the website the next stage is to have a specification meeting so we can get a better idea of what the requirements of the website will be.

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Eastside projects Volunteering (hours 31-34)

My seventh time volunteering at eastside I got the chance to be part of Eastside’s First Friday Event. 

First Friday 7th April 2017 - 18.00 - 20:00

This was probably the most challenging volunteering experience at eastside because it is one of the most important events for eastside so you have to make sure you give the public a good experience/ impression so they want to attend the events again.

First Friday is one of eastsisdes biggest events up to 400 people can attend although it was challenging it was also the most rewarding experience at eastside for me because I was able to put all of my skills that I had learnt when working with the public to use on a large scale.

When Volunteering at eastside for first Friday I helped out with multiple tasks as part of a team of volunteers which ensured that the event ran smoothly and was documented well.

The first things that I was put in charge of at the start of the event were handing out 2 sets of forms to the public and clicking people in so that they had a record of how many people attended the event.

The first form was to was to ensure that the public were aware that they may be included in the live video that eastside was recording for their social media so that the Sonia Boyce skateboard performance was documented.

It also made sure that the public were aware of the safety precautions during the performance so that if they got injured the gallery wouldn’t be liable.

The second form was for the skateboarders as anyone who could skateboard were allowed to come and take part in the performance by just bringing their skateboard along.

The form for the skateboarders was also mainly for safety precautions as when skateboarding people can often get injured if the gallery didn’t give out these forms and someone got hurt it wouldn’t be good for the gallery. 

I found giving out the forms to be great as it meant that I could make conversation with the public and network with people in the art industry whilst asking them what they thought of the performance.

Midway through the event I decided to help out with photographing the performance so that it could be documented on the archive as this is also something that I have pursed whilst at eastside. 

 I had took photos for two other events whilst working at the gallery this is something that I enjoyed thoroughly because they would be used in the archives which showcase the history of eastside and I felt privileged to be a part of that.

Here are some examples of photos that I took for the event :

* Photograph 1, image of the public attending the event.

* Photograph 2 , Image during the performance of skateboarders playing their ukulele’s . 

Photograph 3 , Skateboarding motion during the performance.

Photograph 4, skateboarders getting prepared to skate.

Photograph 5 , skating once again during the performance.

These photos were just a few of the photos that I took which were taken both on a professional canon camera provided by eastside during the event and on my Samsung phone.

Above are two of the photos that I took at First Friday which have been used on the eastside Instagram for documentation.

It says 4w because I added these images later when adding my notes to the blog.

The final thing that I did at the First Friday event was I helped to sell skateboards which were merchandise for the event and they were the same as the skateboards that were used within the event.

Overall I found the first Friday event at eastside to be a very rewarding experience because it allowed me to use all of the things that I have learnt and help to run the gallery on one its most important occasions.

Although my seventh day at eastside was a very enriching experience I will probably start looking for something new for the remainder of the project because I fell that I have gained all of the skills that I can from eastside and I now fell like a new challenge.

I have already applied for a position at Margret street to help to design a social space and am awaiting a response.

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Eastside projects Volunteering (hours 27-30)

Today at eastside I did more desk work at this point I feel that have learnt all that I can when doing work on the front desk and managing the gallery so if I do anymore hours for eastside it will most likely be for an event such as first Friday as I feel that this will be more rewarding at this point in the project.

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Eastside projects volunteering hours (24-25) Nick Thurston artist talk

During my sixth day at eastside I helped to set up for the Nick Thurston event and take pictures during the event which will exist in the eastside archives.

I started by helping to put away the tables and laying out chairs where the visitors could sit.

I then worked on the front desk whilst visitors arrived so that I could greet them and also because today there was an extra special people project taking place I had to work the till and take payments from anyone that wasn’t a member of ESP.

I found working the till was great as it allowed me to develop a new skill as I have never used a till before but I took to it very quickly as once you are used to it, its a simple process and is easy to use.

Esp summary: “ ESP is Eastside Projects’ Associates scheme. ESP works with artists, curators and art-writers to support the development of work, ideas, connections and careers through a programme of events, opportunities and projects”

Once everyone had sat down and entered the gallery I then went into the public space to watch the talk whilst taking photographs of the event for the eastside projects archive using a professional camera.

I really enjoyed taking the photographs because I find it to be an interesting way to once again interact with the public as the photos I have took will exist in the east side projects archive for future reference where the public will be able to view and interact with even after the event has took place.

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Props used in final video screen shots.

Here are some screen shots of the masks that me and my Colleague Izabel made they were used as props in an online rap video.

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eastside projects Volunteering hours(18-23)

During my fifth day at eastside I worked on the front desk for a third time on this occasion I was joined with my colleague (Andrew Li ) who hadn't worked on the front desk in a gallery before hand so I was able to share my experience working in the gallery with another volunteer whilst also gaining further experience myself.

Whilst working on the front desk today I was doing the same things that I did previously and building upon what I have learnt however even though the duties remain the same I find that when working in a gallery no two days are the same.

For example because it was a Saturday therefore the people had more time to explore the gallery and ask questions which allowed me to interact with the visitors more and share the knowledge that I had gained on the pieces within the gallery. 

Also their were quite a few free lance artists that visited today making the gallery a good place for networking which is always a good thing to take advantage of especially in the art industry as most artists aren’t active in the public's eye.

So far I have done 15 hours of work on the desk and I am becoming ever more confident in public interaction because of the valuable people skills that I am starting to develop.

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eastside production meeting & Online surveys(hours 14-17)

During my fourth day at east side I attended a production meeting where the public and gallery staff could give their feedback to the gallery and give advice on how the gallery could improve, The future of the gallery was also discussed which included ideas for upcoming exhibitions.

The production meeting which I attended was based on the production exhibition which is currently taking place as part of a four year show I was privileged to be taking care of during my time at eastside when working on the front desk so its good to know what the public think of the exhibition and of eastside as a gallery.

Another good thing about the production meeting is the fact that the gallery directors talked heavily about eastsides history which I didn't have a vast knowledge of as I am new to working at eastside and its always good to have a good knowledge of the history of the workplace. 

I was able to give my opinion on what I thought of the gallery too and give ideas of how I think it could be improved so this allowed me to have an impact on how the gallery might be run in the future.

Before the production meeting I uploaded all of the public feedback surveys that had been filled in by visitors to the online portal where all of the data is recorded for future reference.

Here are some examples below of the online survey sheets which I had to fill in as a response to the public surveys.

The data that is recorded mainly gives the gallery an idea of how the pubic find out about the gallery because of its secluded location and also other information like age/ gender / postcode so that the gallery can get an idea of what the demographic is for most of the visitors that attend the gallery so that they can provide suitable exhibitions and events.

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Interview with Demitrios Kargotis for 3-D visualizer Job

After submitting an email showing my interest in the job of 3-D visualizer and sending some of my 3-D work to showcase my skills I was then given an interview.

The Job was being offered by the school of art as a project to design a maker space the Interview was conducted by Demitrios Kargotis who would lead the project.

During my interview I prepared a short presentation where I could talk through my work and some of my ideas of what I think a maker space should have in an art school.

I also included the relevant software's that I was capable in within my presentation as I thought that this would also be useful for the employer.

I think that overall the interview went well especially considering this was my first interview for a creative job.

The only thing that I could have done better is asked more questions at the end of the interview because this shows the employer that you are keen however I felt that I covered everything during my interview so I didn’t really have any questions that needed asking.

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Solid works- sample images

When applying for jobs within the creative world employers often want to see samples of work so they can get an idea of what you are capable of as an artist. samples are a lot more helpful to an employer than just a basic CV therefore I have created some solid works pieces for the 3-D visualiser job which can be seen above. 

Above are some more solid works drawings that I have produced in response to the 3-D visualiser job opportunity because even though the other images that I sent to the prospective employer show that I have skills in the software they aren’t really relevant to the architecture theme which is connected to the job.

For the images above I have created an office environment using the 3-D software which includes a floor, desk, computer and camera which have also been accompanied by relevant colours and textures.

I really enjoy using the solid works software as it makes a change from the traditional 2-D processes such as hand drawings and I feel that it comes more naturally to me than traditional methods as I'm trained in product design as well as art which is influenced heavily by the use of such software's.

I really like the pieces above because of the amount of detail that I have been able to capture especially as I hadn't used the software in a while and hadn't created any room designs using the software before.

The reason I choose the office environment was because it showcases my skills in the software and I didn't want to go over the top with the design as if I got the job I would be working as a team of three which would limit my creative response as my work would be influenced by the work of the researcher for example.

I will now email these images to the employer so that they have a better indication of my capabilities within the for-mentioned software packages.

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Prop Making Job- Masks For Grime Video (8 hours)

Today me and my colleague Izabel were given the job of making masks for a grime video which were being made as props for a project by Demitrios Kargotis a tutor at the school of art I was asked to take the job alongside Izabel because of my skills in Photoshop.

The masks will be used as part of a grime video which will be filmed in London and will have a controversial theme.

The reason we made the masks were due to the face that the faces used are quite controversial they aren’t party masks that you can just go and purchase from a shop.

Hours 1-4 -

Our first task was to go to the library at the school of art and see what printing facilities we had available to us, we knew that the printing facilities were limited and wondered if we could print onto card however after going to the library we soon found that the printers were not available.

when doing any job you have to use your initiative so we asked the technician Luke Pickering if we could print them on the large printer in the computer workshop he agreed to print them for us and this was more convenient also because it meant we could print onto high quality card.

Before printing we researched different party masks to find the average size of a party mask to make sure that they fit the head correctly after conducting this research we found that other masks were made to be 30cm x 21cm.

Once we had the sizes we than started to Photoshop the face for the masks this took around 1 hr 30 minutes as we wanted to make sure that we cut round the heads precisely using the anchor tool on Photoshop this was important as if the Photoshop was done badly it would show up on the final masks.

The faces on the masks were Oswald Mosley and Enoch Powell who were both British politicians and tie in with the theme of the grime video.

After the masks were photoshoped we then saved them as Jpegs and they were ready to print.

* we printed a total of eight masks four of each character.

After printing the faces they would then need to be cut with a craft knife so that the tabs could be added which were also photoshoped and printed alongside the masks, an example of the tabs can be seen below.

Hours 5-8 -

Once the masks were made we then spent the remaining hours making the other props which consisted of posters and banners which looked much like those seen at protests.

First thing that we did was neatly cut all of the posters with a ruler and craft knife which was quite time consuming as we wanted a neat cut,once the posters were cut we then used double sided tape to secure the posters to the boards.

Our final task once everything was cut and printed was to glue the tabs to the masks and also to get some battens cut and glued onto the bottom of the posters so that they can be used as protest banners in the grime video.

Above are two images that show the final props that we produced overall I am happy with the final props as I think that we did a good job as all of the props were made to a high standard they almost look like they were shop made.

I thought that making the props was fun and would be work that I would consider doing more of in future.

Although I think we could have produced the masks quicker I’m glad that we took the time to do them properly so that they were of the highest quality for the grime video.

What like most about making the props is the fact that they will be used as part of a video that will reach the public encouraging public interaction via the use of social media and the internet.

The public interaction aspect of the job also ties in with the other work that I have done within this project thus far.