Development - Sketchbook with media and props

Sketchbook Progress

Been making more progress with sketchbooks still started doing traditional media tests on the storyboard images. Printed out copies of the storyboard images onto cartridge paper so I can use different medias and experiment with them for the development sketchbook. I also have been continuing to draw images that explain the symbolism in each photograph.

 

Storyboard Images

I started also adding some color to the storyboard images I plan to do this will all the drawings in the book. Unless it suites being black and white otherwise as well as annotation and organization of both my sketchbooks better. This was colored with watercolors and I'll be going to add more to each to define them better.

 Props Progress

As for props the last of them are coming together to do the final three photo shoots for the deer antlers I tried to get in touch with The Scottish Deer Centre. But for some reasons they would not reply or answer to my attempts and I was even going to offer money for antlers if I could afford it. Good fortune came along and my class mate Lorraine let me know she had a pair of antlers at home she had found hiking. She was kind enough to bring them in and their so beautiful am very pleased and can't wait to use them in a shoot.

These were done a while ago but I painted a pair of the fake teeth but had to keep letting them dry and using different colors to get the right effect. I also used varnish on them to add the little touch of making them look real I used them in the photo shoot that's posted before this post. It is Here.

I've also been testing out the self made plastic tank since the glue has settled and dried around the edges. Been testing to see if water can be contained and it has been having some leaks but I have added more glue and hopefully it will work for the next shoot now.

These are also the flowers kept since Valentines day they have been drying in my room and I sprayed them with hairspray from an online tutorial about drying flowers. I also used some of these in the previous photo shoot such as the teeth. I hope to be able to use and display these props in a small exhibition for assessment in the University. I'm hoping the project will be successful enough for me to be able to achieve this since space and studios are getting tighter.

Prints

Also got prints ordered of my first two photo shoots and hanged them up in my studio space I ordered them from a place called Snapfish . Their very inexpensive and their prints have pretty descent quality and I will probably be ordering the rest of my prints for the photo shoots. I still have to decide on what pictures will be the final ones and also their sizes for the display. I will keep going and hopefully get the rest of the shoots finished as well as the sketchbooks. Got less than 6 weeks to get everything finished.

Development - Progress of sketchbooks and props

In the meantime I've also been working further on sketchbooks and props for some new Photo shoots. Theirs been a bit of trouble with materials and budget but getting there slowly but surely. Been jumping between doing digital work in photo shop as well as getting back into drawing for the development sketchbook.

Sketchbook Work

This is me been working on pages that are studies of the props and their symbolism meanings that are included in my pictures. I plan to decorate and paint the pages and make a self reference symbolism book/guide and include it in the sketchbook because of time and other work that's needed to be done. But it's helped me get back into drawing and it's made a better work flow so I can work on things away from a computer.

Prop Making

I've been making a lot of the props myself and finding different ways to make them in the ways I want them for the shoots. I've been creating a mixed media sink for one of the next photo shoot ideas. The idea is to represent the environment of a bathroom area and the sketch below is what I plan the storyboard to be of. The masks have been painted and ready for a while and the tiles and mirror has been collected as well. Have been preparing a place/studio to be able to set it up as well as finding out how to create the pieces on the wall.

Started to create the sink by painting a piece of card board with poster/acrylic paint and then measured out a hole in the middle with a sliver bowl. The bowl will be used in place to create the dip in the sink. I tried to create the dip with tracing paper since it can be shaped but it was to delicate and ripped a lot which made me turn to something stronger.

I created the taps by using newspaper and tin foil and shaped them with tape and the paper. I did this to keep the feel of the media apparent hopefully in the finished pictures. To keep a sort of surreal feel instead of using the actual parts the crafts are representing. All the photographs are going to become pretty surreal in nature as it is and feel the props that are self made are adding a extra touch. Also that getting an actual sink will be very heavy and more expensive to achieve and buy.

For another picture I've been wanting to create a type of window that was see through but that could add other medias to it and control them. I have had a lot of trouble with trying to do this since I didn't know how to start creating it or even what materials to use. At the start I looked into things such as fish tanks and even tanks they use for keeping pet ants. But they caused issues such as size, weight and price that caused more problems as well as time. So decided to try and create it myself and asked around the workshop and the University's art store. It was a bit expensive as well but I ended up finding a type of plastic that was thick enough and clear enough.

Measured and used a metal ruler and a normal scalpel and used a bit of force and managed to cut the plastic into strips. I put them together and used some pressure to push the pieces together and used a all purpose glue which worked amazingly for the purpose.

It ended up being the right size and I'm very happy with the results and it even stands up on its own which is what I wanted as well. Just have to do some tests with medias inside it such as paint/ink and maybe other props that might be successful. Also have a model ready for this shoot just need to arrange a photo shoot and studio soon.

Felt made some good progress with these props despite the difficulties at the start but just need to get into a studio and set them up now. Will continue with sketchbooks and I got some prints for my first photo shoots done as well. I'll try to arrange some new shoots this week if not will try for next week.