IntroducTion
We are having to working differently in class because of COVID-19. We have access to less materials and equipment and have to work around keeping each other and ourselves safe. In the classroom, we can no longer use the cameras, use the darkroom or go outside to take pictures as this is a safety hazard for COVID-19. My life has been different since March since I couldn’t go out or go to see my family. This also affects my photography work because I have less variety in my photographs and less choices when making my photos.
The phrase ‘Make Do & Mend’ suggests to me that we have to use what we have to make things, such as collages and photographs. We have to use materials we already have at home such as magazines and newspapers from around the house and use our phones when taking images for our work. To me, it means we have to be more creative and think outside the box when making our work.
The phrase 'Make do & mend' started in WWII when there was little supplies to go around. So the government encouraged women to make their own clothes and recycle them as that's all they have available.
The phrase ‘Make Do & Mend’ suggests to me that we have to use what we have to make things, such as collages and photographs. We have to use materials we already have at home such as magazines and newspapers from around the house and use our phones when taking images for our work. To me, it means we have to be more creative and think outside the box when making our work.
The phrase 'Make do & mend' started in WWII when there was little supplies to go around. So the government encouraged women to make their own clothes and recycle them as that's all they have available.
Marcel duchamp and the 'readymade'
- Marcel Duchamp's picture 'L.H.O.O.Q.' (1919) uses a postcard reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' (1503-17). Describe Leonardo's painting and explain why it is so famous.
2. Now describe Duchamp's 'L.H.O.O.Q.' What has he done to the reproduction of Leonardo's painting? What does the title mean? Why might he have added male facial hair to the female portait?
3. What do you understand by the term 'readymade'? In what ways is 'L.H.O.O.Q.' a readymade?
Readymade means already made. Duchamp took the Mona Lisa painting and added and changed things to make it his own.
4. Why was Marcel Duchamp's idea of the 'readymade' such a revolutionary idea in art?
Marcel Duchamp's idea of the 'readymade' is revolutionary because it hadn't been done before and it is a pretentious painting to the French people.
experimenting
Evaluation
I was successfully able to create multiple different collages with the limited resources I had. I was able to photograph them well and create unique and different images. I only had one colour to use when making my collages since most of my resources are monochrome. I should've found more ways to arrange the resources I had as they ended up looking similar, but the way I photographed them made them unique and interesting. I also made moving images which showed me moving the resources. The collage in the video is constantly changing and slightly repetitive.
evaluation
I was able to make improvements and refine my work when I went back to it. The collages show more variety and look less repetitive than the first time, making them more interesting. I should've tried to make the collages more 3D to make more interesting and abstract photographs.
Making collages
EVALUATION
I was able to create two successful collages. They both work well and I was able to contribute the elements into my work. Such as, colour and shape. I could’ve been more creative and outgoing when creating these collages and made them more fun and interesting.
Hannah höch
Hannah Höch was a German artist. She was known during the Dada movement. She presents her works with photomontages. Her work often depicts women and their bodies. She also used to speak up about her racial discrimination.
In this photograph, there is a figure of a person. Half of the face is human and half is a monkey. The rest of the body is small but human. Behind the figure is a bird, with the face of a man staring at the figure. The background in plain and two toned of grey and brown. The figure looks like it’s walking off the edge of something or walking down.
I think Höch made this image by taking multiple images and paper and making a collage out of it. She might’ve gotten the pictures from newspapers and magazines. If I recreated this image, or made a similar one I would take photographs from magazines and put it together. This image makes me feel weird and uneasy. The way the disposition is arranges makes the photograph have a strange energy. If I had to ask the photographer questions about this photograph I would ask what does it represent? Why she used the photographs she did and why she used the colours she used. |
My response
EVALUATIONI made a successful collage in response to Hannah Höch’s work. I think her work is reflected in it. I used images from an old magazine I had in my drawer and reused it to make something new. I could’ve been more creative and experimented with editing after I took the photograph. I also should've used scissors to cut out the pieces to make it more clean and to reflect Höch's work more.
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Process of making
Evaluation
I was able to create many types of collage with one image. I thought about the context behind the image and tried to keep the same meaning while also being able to change it slightly. I think they display my ideas of this photograph well. I should've been more thoughtful before I started to cut out parts of the image as I ended up confused and not sure of what to do, but I ended up making good collages.
Shemelis desta
Shemelis Desta was an Ethiopian photographer. He ran a studio which was visited by lots of people of many different cultural backgrounds. Lots of them were migrants and wanted pictures to send home to their families. They were taken against a cloth background with props such as flowers.
I chose this photograph because it was simple. The composition is very basic and uninteresting but that some how made it interesting. I was curious on why he took this photograph. I found the composition interesting because I was curious on why he made the composition the way he did.
I changed the position of the different body parts of both people by cutting them out and moving them round. I swapped body parts and created lots of interesting photos. I made sure the simpleness stayed but I made it more interesting and intriguing.
I chose this photograph because it was simple. The composition is very basic and uninteresting but that some how made it interesting. I was curious on why he took this photograph. I found the composition interesting because I was curious on why he made the composition the way he did.
I changed the position of the different body parts of both people by cutting them out and moving them round. I swapped body parts and created lots of interesting photos. I made sure the simpleness stayed but I made it more interesting and intriguing.
Photographs warp our sense of time. All photographs present us with the past and present at the same time. Photographs remind us of people and things that have gone. Photographs record what has been lost, what no longer exists, or what still exists but will be lost at some point in the future.
How do photographs affect our relationship to the passing of time? Photographs affect our relationship to the passing of time by affecting the way we look at time. When we see an old image it can makes us realise how long ago that time was and warp our sense of time. Also, some image taken in modern day can look old due to editing and the way they're taken. |
experimenting
evaluation
I was able to create a new image from the image I was given. I also showed different skills and techniques from the different artists I've looked at, such as Koike and Höch. I should've used another artist's techniques when creating my collages such as Walters.
Sharon walters
Sharon Walters is a London based artist who creates collages celebrating black women in her series called 'entitled'. Her hand-crafted collages explore identity, race and beauty standards. I would say that her work is abstract because of the use of formal elements. She uses paper when creating her images. I like Sharon Walter's work, I like the way she presents her ideas and the way she explore identity. Walter's has inspired my work by making me think differently when I'm creating collages.
This is my favourite collage of Sharon Walters. It is a collage of a woman which has her face and most of her body cut out. There is lots of natural, flower images. Leaves are in replacement of her face and she is 'holding' flowers. The background of the photograph looks like stone, including her dress.
I think Walter’s created this photo by getting loads of photos of scenery and a picture of a women and cutting out large parts of the photo with a scalpel and put the photographs together. If I had to recreate this photo, I would do the same thing but with my own photos and try to make it my own while using Walter’s techniques. This image makes me feel happy and fresh. The green and outside scenery make the photo feel nice and welcoming. If I had to ask the photographer questions about this photo I would ask, why did you choose scenery to use for the image? What inspired you to do this project originally? |
kensuke koike
Kensuke Koike is a Japanese artist who is know for his collage making. I would say the genre is contemporary, it is simple. I think he uses old photographs and cuts them out to create his collages. I love Koike's work because I love how he can make such a simple collage but make it look so interesting. Koike has inspired my work by making me look at people facial features when creating a collage.
This is a collage of two people, a man and a women. The way Koike has arranged this photograph makes it look like the two are kissing. The man is holding the women and Koike has rearranged their facial features and turned some them upside down in a rectangular shape.
I think Koike used printed photographs, possibly old, to make this collage. I think he cut out the features that he wanted and arranged them all in a rectangle before putting it back onto the image. If I had to recreate this image I would get my own images and cut of different facial features and put them in a rectangle, or another shape and put it back onto the image. This image makes me feel confused and uneasy. The way the noses and mouth are arranged is confusing and weird, and it looks like there are more than two of each nose and mouth which makes the photo trippy and confusing. If I had to ask the photographer questions about this photo I would ask what did he use? What do the pictures represent? |
My response
evaluation
I showed a good use of techniques when making my response to these artists. You can see their influence in my collages and you can see the way I used their techniques and styles when I was creating my own images. I should've thought about the way I wanted to represent their ideas and styles before I started to create my collages.
appropriating
1. Why did you choose that particular image?
I choose this image because it is a famous picture which I've seen before and seen people appropriate before. I wanted to see what I could do to this image to make it my own.
2. What did you want to change within the image?
I wanted to change the colours in the picture and the composition of the photo. I wanted to make the photo monochrome with only one colour to make the photo stand out.
3. How did you make the changes?
To make the changes I used digital editing apps such as photoshop to edit my photo. I changed to photo to black and white and changed the main colour to blue and changed her jacket to be blue instead of yellow. I moved her face because her face is the main subject of the image in the original photo so I wanted to move it to change the composition of the image.
4. How does the image look now after you have adapted it?
The image looks darker and more sad. The overall image is darker and the only colour present is blue which is a cool colour and creates a sadder atmosphere.
5. Can you still some elements of the original image or it it completely obscured by your adaptions?
You can still see most of the elements of the original image, I've just edited it to make it different and my own. I have obstructed where the elements of the photo were before. Also you cannot see the original colours the the original image except for blue but it is now in different places from where it was originally.
6. If you could improve this adaption what would you do?
I would print out the image and make manual, physical adaptions to it, like move the main subject about and draw onto it to change the facial features. I would also remove the black background and make a more interesting background to take away from the main subject of the image.
I choose this image because it is a famous picture which I've seen before and seen people appropriate before. I wanted to see what I could do to this image to make it my own.
2. What did you want to change within the image?
I wanted to change the colours in the picture and the composition of the photo. I wanted to make the photo monochrome with only one colour to make the photo stand out.
3. How did you make the changes?
To make the changes I used digital editing apps such as photoshop to edit my photo. I changed to photo to black and white and changed the main colour to blue and changed her jacket to be blue instead of yellow. I moved her face because her face is the main subject of the image in the original photo so I wanted to move it to change the composition of the image.
4. How does the image look now after you have adapted it?
The image looks darker and more sad. The overall image is darker and the only colour present is blue which is a cool colour and creates a sadder atmosphere.
5. Can you still some elements of the original image or it it completely obscured by your adaptions?
You can still see most of the elements of the original image, I've just edited it to make it different and my own. I have obstructed where the elements of the photo were before. Also you cannot see the original colours the the original image except for blue but it is now in different places from where it was originally.
6. If you could improve this adaption what would you do?
I would print out the image and make manual, physical adaptions to it, like move the main subject about and draw onto it to change the facial features. I would also remove the black background and make a more interesting background to take away from the main subject of the image.
Julie cockburn
Cockburn is a British artist and photographer who works with appropriating and manipulate images and items. She uses embroidery to do this.
Ruth van beek
Van Beek is a Dutch artist who uses old photographs to make new images. She uses the photographs as her tools, source material and context.
In this photograph, there is a family of 4, two adults and two children. Their faces are covered by coloured dots which gradient from yellow-pink-purple-blue-green. The background shows the spotlight shining on them. This is a mix between realistic and abstract. The dots make the photo abstract but originally the photograph was a realistic image. I recognise that there are humans in the image but nothing else.
There is lots of colour and there are circles in the picture. The circles are used in a clever way to hide the faces of the people in the photograph. This picture is different from real life because it obstructs real things and important parts of humans. Space is used in a clever way. The dots over the faces use up loads of space and hide the fact there is lots of empty space in the photograph. The part that strikes me as most interesting is the dots over the faces. I want to know why the photographer did that, what was the reason? If I had to ask the photographer questions I would ask, why those colours? Why did you cover the faces? |
Assessment
evaluation
I think I did very well with this project and I made a successful final piece. My piece was inspired by Matt Lipps' work. He cuts up different photographs of people and uses them for his work. These images are usually of people. He takes images from magazines and books that inspire him and leave them on his shelf so he has a collection of images to use in the future. One of his famous pieces shows women in the same way I presented them. I was able to incorporate his work a lot when making my own piece, I cut up images from magazines and books when I was creating my piece. I chose images which were clear and showed most/all of the body. I picked images of different sizes so I could create a tier effect when I laid out my work. I picked many pictures of different women for my final piece and presented them in a way that made them all visible and powerful. I think my piece displays what I was trying to convey and it presents it in a nice way. I think I should've made a background for my piece because it looks plain and boring. I could've picked images that work better with each other as some of the photos look weird and out of place.
Joachim schmid
Joachim Schmid is a German artist who works mostly with photography. In his works, he combines the faces of two or more people, usually an adult and child or a man and a women.
ellen gallagher
Ellen Gallagher is an American abstract artist. Her works focus on racial identity. She uses lots of different mediums in her artwork. Gallagher is known to portray bodies and use elements of pop culture and poetry in her works.
In this photograph, there is half of a women and half of a man. The women seems to be smiling and looking at the camera whereas her body is facing away from the camera. The man's facial features are unable to be seen as they are replaced by the women's face. You are able to see his body where he is wearing a suit and tie. This image is realistic in the way that the images are of real people but abstract in the sense that all the artist has done is split two images and combined them together.
I think the artist made this by collecting old photographs of different people and split them in different ways and saw which ones worked with each other. If I had to recreate this image I would look for images of people which looked similar to the ones in the photograph and try to line them up as so they were one person and not two. This image makes me feel slightly uncomfortable but also intrigued at the same time. The fact that the faces match up so well is unnerving but also makes you more interested in the photograph. If I had to ask the photographer questions about this piece I would ask: How do you find images that match so well? |
my response
I think I successfully incorporated Schmid's work into my own. When creating this piece I thought differently to how I think Schmid would when making his work. I thought more about replacing facial features to distort the original image I chose. I would have liked to try Schmid’s style more and incorporated it a bit more.
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Behind bars
Being in prison is like being in COVID-19 lockdown as you can't do anything and are mostly stuck in the same place. However, in COVID-19 lockdown you are in the comfort in your own home and you are able to leave your house to go on walks but in prison you are stuck in one room most of the time and especially during these times. Photography is used in prisons to help rehabilitate prisoners because it lets the prisoners have time to think creatively and give them time to express themselves. It may be difficult to practise photography in a prison setting because of the lack of environment and restrictions. The photographer leader may have to consider that the prisoners can't go far in the prison and also that they will need disposable cameras.
The video shows a photographer who went round and did photography workshops in prisons all around the world to see what type of photographs they would make.
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I think the photographer chose teenage prisoners because they have more of a use for these skills as they are young and have more time and potential once they get out of prison. Also, they don't have a chance to express themselves or have a creative outlet
The photographer exchanges his passion for photography with the prisoners. He allows them to express themselves while they were unable to.
The inmates used disposable one use cameras to take their photographs. This allows the photographs to look older and raw.
He thinks photographing nothing is interesting because it shows the way you see the world differently from others. If loads of people photographed the same thing, all the photographs would be different because everyone would take it in their own, unique way.
The students benefit because it gives them skills and career paths for the future and when they're able to get out of prison. The also have a way to express themselves and the way they feel and view the world around them.
The photographer exchanges his passion for photography with the prisoners. He allows them to express themselves while they were unable to.
The inmates used disposable one use cameras to take their photographs. This allows the photographs to look older and raw.
He thinks photographing nothing is interesting because it shows the way you see the world differently from others. If loads of people photographed the same thing, all the photographs would be different because everyone would take it in their own, unique way.
The students benefit because it gives them skills and career paths for the future and when they're able to get out of prison. The also have a way to express themselves and the way they feel and view the world around them.
Nicolo digiorgis
Nicolo Digioris created a photography book with prisoners photographs and titled it "Prison Photography". He created a photography workshop in a prison in Italy and allowed his students to use a range of genres while also embracing the limitations which the prison set. He allowed the prisoners to express themselves and the frustrations of prison life.
We had to take 20 photos with a list of what each photo should contain. I enjoyed trying to find the things I needed to photograph and trying to make the photographs different and unique in the process. It was also challenging to find interesting ways to photograph these objects as some are quiet boring so it was more difficult to find ways to make the photograph look visually interesting while keeping to the prompt.
1. What does the word 'genre' mean?
A style which you take photographs.
2. What are the main photographic genres?
The main photographic genres are: Portrait, Still Life, Landscape, Fashion, Nature.
3. When we look at a landscape photograph, for example, what do we expect to see?
We expect to see the outside landscape, natural or man-made.
4. Why might it be difficult for prison inmates to take landscape, portrait or fashion photographs?
It might be difficult because it is more constricted with what photos they can take. Prisoners wear the same clothes and might not be able to take photos of other inmates as they may not be allowed to or want to. Landscape photos are difficult as there isn't much landscape in prisons.
5. Look back at the 20 pictures you have made. Are they mainly landscape (wide) or portrait (tall) or square? Can you explain why this is?
They are mainly portrait because it is easier to capture what I am trying to show.
6. What is an infinity backdrop and why might you use one?
An infinity backdrop is a background of a solid colour and it is used to define and emphasis what you are taking a photograph of.
A style which you take photographs.
2. What are the main photographic genres?
The main photographic genres are: Portrait, Still Life, Landscape, Fashion, Nature.
3. When we look at a landscape photograph, for example, what do we expect to see?
We expect to see the outside landscape, natural or man-made.
4. Why might it be difficult for prison inmates to take landscape, portrait or fashion photographs?
It might be difficult because it is more constricted with what photos they can take. Prisoners wear the same clothes and might not be able to take photos of other inmates as they may not be allowed to or want to. Landscape photos are difficult as there isn't much landscape in prisons.
5. Look back at the 20 pictures you have made. Are they mainly landscape (wide) or portrait (tall) or square? Can you explain why this is?
They are mainly portrait because it is easier to capture what I am trying to show.
6. What is an infinity backdrop and why might you use one?
An infinity backdrop is a background of a solid colour and it is used to define and emphasis what you are taking a photograph of.
I think I successfully completed the task and displayed what I was asked to do for each image well. I would've liked to make the images more visually interesting and more coherent.
We were asked to fit as many genres of photography into one photograph as we could. I was able to fit lots of different genres of photography into one picture. I wish I was able to add a few more and find a better way to present these genres. Also, I wish I could've found a solid background to photograph against as the background slightly distracts from the foreground of the image.
I had to choose a location on google maps and move around and take photographs. I choose Tokyo, Japan and Busan, South Korea. I think these photographs turned out successfully, I like the way I edited the photos to make them more saturated and vibrant. The photographs match and look like they're a set of photographs. I wish I had only chosen one location because some of the photographs look out of place
Saul Leiter
Saul Leiter is from Pennsylvania in America but lived most of his life in New York. His subject matter is mostly of people on the streets. He uses both black & white and colour. I find the compositions of his photographs interesting as they usually depict different people but the environment around them frames the photograph. The angles are usually very weird and make you question where the photograph was taken from. When he uses colour, it is usually very vibrant or very de-saturated.
my response
I was able to take images that related to Saul Leiter's work while having the constraints of google street view. I think I successfully showed how my work was inspired by Leiter's work through these images. I should've edited the images more to make them more saturated or found more vibrant and bright areas to work with.
personal project
ideas mind map
For this work, I randomized words using a word generator and put them into google street view to see where it lead me, and took 4 images of each area. Then, I printed out these images and decided to rephotograph them on magazines and books to turn it into a book:
Main
Mainz, Germany
young
youngstown, OH, USA
standard
standard, AB, Canda
SuN
Sunderland, England
Robot
Robotnicza, Wrocław, Poland
photography book
When making this book, I used my photos which I took from google maps and rephotographed them on different backgrounds and I decorated the pages and put them together to make a book. I think it was successful and I was able to fit in all my photographs into the book and I was able to display them in different and unique ways. All the pages are cohesive and work together. I was able to reframe the images and show them in a different light to the ones from before. I could've bound the book together and taken more photos to add to it. I also could've used some photographs which I had taken physically and had a prompt of photographs to take.
portrait collages
While I was making my photography book I cut out one of these portraits and decided to turn it into its own piece. I took portraits from a photography book and cut them out from their backgrounds. Then I placed them slightly off from their original background and put that on top of a background from a fashion magazines. I think it made the portraits more interesting and add more depth to them. I could've found more ways to rephotograph them and found different backgrounds to experiment with. Some of the photographs look out of place, I wish I was able to make them blend into the background more and make them more coherent.