BEST OF NATURE

Focusing on the idea of improving on nature and selecting the best of nature before you nurture, I wanted to collect some imagery representing the idea of nature that would apply to each and every one of us. I began by thinking of aspects of nature that are all around us, which gave my the thought of the sky. The sky can be seen by every single human being on this planet, which makes this universal ‘object’ applicable to not only me target market, but to everyone.

Waiting till we had a bright, sunny day these are the photo’s I took. I would like to use them in my illustrations to reflect the idea of nature, before it is improved and altered. 

BASIC EXPERIMENTS

I have been experimenting with old photographs and the line drawings I have done of embryo's, cells, and DNA structures, to see how I can best achieve creating images reflecting the idea of being able to select features, traits, characteristics of how you want your child to look. 

Focusing on happiness and healthiness, I have then began using the shapes and patterns of embryo's and DNA to build up a collage of imagery. 

THEORY PROGRESSION - LINKING PRACTICE AND THEORY

After feeling that I have being going round in circles the last couple of weeks with my essay, I have finally made some progress this week. 

I have decided that I am going to write a critical evaluation about how the fashion is portrayed through both Photography and Illustration, and how it has recently being progressed by being shown through a mix of these two modes of communication - which has lead to a new future for the fashion image. 

I have chosen to research this new era of fashion being portrayed through both a combination of photography and illustration due to my own style of working. I have defined myself as an illustrator who's works uses a combinations of both hand rendered and photographic imagery, so I feel this links in directly with my practice, allowing me to explore the work of other designers who have introduced and elaborated this way of working into the fashion and illustrative world. 

I will looking at the work of Nick Knight one of the most famous fashion photographers, who's work over the last ten years has changed noticeably as he moves into this new dimension of the fashion image. I will also be analysising the work of Julie Verhoeven as she is one of fashions most recognized hand rendered artists who's work has been used on Louis Vitton and Mulberry products. I will be able to show through her work how the fashion image is has been traditionally portrayed through either photography or in her case illustration. 

FRAGMENTS

These are a few basic experimentations from my sketch book, illustrating the idea of fragments, fragments of our body. Reflecting the idea of being able to select many different fragments of ourselves to make a desired person.

I have been using the same photographs one of a child and one of an adult showing the growth of the baby into the full functional desired human being. I have being using shape to determine the idea of pieces. 

PATTERNS OF WHAT WE ARE MADE OF

I have been looking at images of genes, chromosomes, DNA and other building blocks of the basic structures that make us who we are, and therefore are the things which are able to be modified and changed under the process named genetic engineering, to use as imagery in my illustrations. 

By focusing on producing work that is illustrating the beginning of a genetic revolution where parents will have the choice to select the features, appearance, mentality of their child this scientific imagery of the beginning of life is key in being illustrated. 

Below are a few basic ink drawings of embryo's, DNA structures and chromosomes:

                    

                    

                  

D&AD MY IDEA OF RESISTANCE

Looking at resistance there is many ways it which it can be put in context or portrayed. In the brief they are asking that the idea of ' going against the grain, turning left when everyone is turning right, the idea of resistance being radical in the short term and revolutionary in the long term' is made apparent in our working. 

This will tie in directly with my negotiated practice brief as the idea of promoting a world which to the present human life is will be seen as unchartered waters and inevitably there will be resistance to deflect it. The idea of using resistance against a genetic revolution, is going to be the basis of this brief. 

The idea that population today will resist greatly against a new era being enforced, an era of better health and life style leading ultimately to perfection. This will meet the demands of the brief as it will cover politics, global countries, sexes and religions.

FINAL SYNOPSIS OF STUDY

This is my final synopsis of study for the brief detailing my initial ideas, planned progression throughout  the brief and the outcomes I will achieve and produce:

I will produce a campaign promoting that parents now have the right to design their own baby using Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, more commonly know as the ‘Designer Baby’. Science already allows us to screen embryos for disease and remove those ‘infected genes’ produing a baby without an incurable disease. We can even deteremine the sex, although in most countris this is not legally allowed. This is just the beginning to what science will allow us to do in the forseeble future. I will be illustrating the possibilities of being able to design your own baby from hair and eye colour, right down to personality and traits. This will also be portraying future life where genetic enhancement is the normality, where a race of super humans will be built, a race of beauty and brains, in a Genetic Revolution. I will produce a ‘Its coming’ campaign consistiing of 6 illustrative posters which would be dispatched and displayed in towns and cities all over the world.

I have chosen this project because it will enable me to develop my style using a combination of photography and hand generated imagery. This approach to illustration is one that has seems to becoming an ever more larger trend, and one I want to determine myself a part of in my own unique way. By completing the D&AD brief based on ‘Resistance’ and the Lloyds TSB brief ‘The Art Of Nurture’ alongside the authorial brief I will linking my practice through a range oppourtunities. My direct target audience will be couple’s that are planning to concieve, however this is expanded to the rest of the public and the future generatons that the genetic revoluion: the creation of the perfect human will effect.

A NATURAL BEAUTY

Looking through an old box of photographs about a year ago I came across this old photograph of my mother by chance. I was instantly transfixed by the naturalness, and effortless beauty of the image, and its being pinned to my cork board ever since. Looking at it now this is the kind of imagery that portrays the idea of perfection and beauty that I want to show in my work. The image of beauty can be seen as many different things as we all have different ideas of what beauty is. However this image I think reflects the traits of what society sees beauty as today.

                               

GATTACA

I watched this film after the recommendation to do so in my last tutorial. As well as having this as a key reference point for my research I thought it was a brilliant film. Watching it was like experiencing the reality of my project as Gattaca is about a world of a Genetically modified human race, where they are wiping out natural conception 'god child's' as they carry to many imperfections. Gattaca is focusing on genetic engineering gone very wrong by portraying it through the life of a genetically imperfect 'god child' who born into a world where his life would be immediately limited before he tries because he is not a genetically engineered baby.

However my project is going to be focusing on the positive side of being able to genetically engineer your children, by focusing on the new race of the genetically engineered rather than what would be the remainder of a race of naturaly conceived children.

RETRO BOUTIQUE EXISTING POSTER

This is the poster design for this month's Retro Boutique. As Alex said in her email it is extremely open and open to interpretation, so I can advance on it in pretty much anyway I feel appropriate.

RETRO BOUTIQUE

After receiving the email about this brief I emailed Alex as I thought it would be a good project that I could apply my style to and create a nice portfolio piece.

Hi Lauren,

Thank you for replying so quickly to the email. i have spoken to Laura Starkey and Kathleen Moore about the poster design as well, so it might be quite interesting if you all worked together to produce something extra special. But that is up to you guys. If not we can use all three alternatively. The Retro Boutique is a monthly event where the Red Cross provides vintage clothes to be sold at the university to raise money for the charity.
The brief for the design is extremely open, all that is required is a vintage/retro theme with the words 'Retro Boutique' and 'The Red Cross' being the main focus of the poster, keeping in mind that that it will be printed to a a4 and a a3 scale. It would also be useful to have a blank space within the design where the dates can be changed easily on photoshop so we can use the same design every month.

Thanks again

Alex Spooner

-----Original Message-----
From: 3121971 LAUREN COX
Sent: Mon 10/19/2009 12:17 PM
To: 3164133 ALEXANDRA SPOONER
Subject: FW: Poster Designs for Retro Boutique

Hi Alex,
I am interested in doing some designs for the Retro Boutique poster?
Could you give me some information about the event and what you have in mind for the poster?
Thanks
Lauren

-----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Richardson
Sent: Thu 10/15/2009 4:23 PM
To: BA Illustration Yr1; BA Illustration Yr2; BA Illustration Yr3
Subject: Poster Designs for Retro Boutique

Hello All

IF anyone is interested in designing a poster to advertise the ORetro
Boutique¹ monthly event working with the Red Cross contact Alex Spooner
via her email account 3164133@aucb.ac.uk

Cheers
Lisa

LEARNING AGREEMENT TUTORIAL

With the learning agreement draft deadline today we had a group tutorial with Joel. I got some good feedback as well as some constructive suggestions where I need to do a bit re-wording or defining in my idea. 

Joel gave me some key examples of research to look at:

The 1997 film Gattaca by Andrew Niccol.

Publication: A brave new world By Aldous Huxley 

Look into ideas surrounding Utopia/Distopia. 

I mentioned that I am going to do the D&AD Don't Panic competition, which is to design a poster based on 'Resistance'. I need to develop a link that I can relate and integrate this into my main body of work on promoting the genetic revolution.

D&AD: DON'T PANIC

CREATE AN IMAGE FOR DON’T PANIC THAT CAPTURES THE THEME OF RESISTANCE

Creative Challenge:

Resistance is about going against the grain. Going left when everyone is going right. Resistance is radical for the short term, and revolutionary in the long.

We’d like you to capture on paper resistance to the politics (with a small ‘p’) of existence. From a personal level (interacting with you peers, neighbours and work colleagues) – to globally, countries, sexes & religions.

Consider sub-aspects of resistance – protection and armour (both physical and mental) aspects of survival, hardiness & determination. Try and think the opposite of your standard practice, work with new methods - push out of your comfort zone.

Target audience:

Socially active, creative young people

Mandatory Requirements:

Produce one or more images suitable for A2 reproduction

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

I have been thinking of what outcomes I could produce for promoting a new world, a revolution of genetic enhancement, where a race of super human beings is created.

In a era where you are able to select traits, features, looks, personality's these would need to be readily available for those creating their own desired child. The next step of my research will involve looking into human traits, looks and features and determine which ones would be most desired and ones which would be less desired. By means of presenting this I could design a publication which would be more like a catalogue of body parts, personality's, appearances, where you would be able to select which ones you wanted. By adding prices to these it would create a real situation where the more desired traits would be more expensive than say less desired ones. As well as prices with every product there are promotions and I could create vouchers that you would receive if you spend over a certain amount of money. These could be endless for example, buy one trait get another one half price.

The following are all examples of where we already get to 'select' such desires which will be key reference points in my research. It is the same idea of having the choice to determine your appearance, personality and features.

Build 'A' Bear workshops - in my case it would be Build 'A' Baby.

Computer/Playstation games - In so many you get to select what features you want your car or character to have. Whereas it is this same idea that you can now pick what you want your baby to have. Instead of creating a game character your creating your child. 

Sims

Buying a car

Building a house

Normal choices now extended to human creation.....

A poster campaign advertising and promoting the genetic revolution, of conditioning your loved ones, producing perfection as we know it. 

"Its coming...."

"A genetic revolution of beauty and brains" 

"A revolution of super humans" 

MY SISTERS KEEPER

Having seen this film and reading the book recently I will be including this in my research as a key point of reference to my project, as Jodi Picoult has created a real life eye sight into the life of a saviour baby. Crossing all ethical and moral issues on the subject questioning what is right or wrong, it shows both the positive and negative sides to this treatment. 

The story line: 

A very determined mother is impregnated with a daughter who is specifically designed by medical science to be compatible "spare parts" for her sick older daughter (leukemia). At eleven years old, the younger daughter sues for control over her own body. As these technologies become commonplace, emotional, home-y narratives will accompany these decisions/choices/actions, and thus, these stories will become just "normal." As is well known, the Catholic Church sees the above-mentioned "solutions" as disrespectful of human dignity. Anything that treats human beings as objects, things, products, tools, "rights," possessions, etc., is not in keeping with that dignity. (Certain technologies to aid fertility ARE approved, as long as it's within the context of the nuptial act, aiding the natural process. Contrary to popular belief, the Church wants you to have sex, and is very back-to-nature, crunchy granola.) "My Sister's Keeper" is really a bio-ethical drama, but I've never heard anyone put it in that context which is kind of scary in itself. It's also a legal drama—what are the little girl's rights, if any? While watching the film, one is acutely aware that this is simply the state of the question/problem FOR NOW. 

The conclusion-twist, although altogether a probability, clever, generous and heroic, felt like a bit of a cop-out (like the miscarriage in "Citizen Ruth"). Why NOT follow the real question through to the end? Actually, we know such cases have already happened (families having a child for the therapeutic purpose of healing another child). What ARE the rights of these too-young-to-speak-for-themselves-de-facto donors? Should this ever be done? (Starting from babyhood, Anna has been through many painful procedures with side effects that compromise and jeopardize her health.)

In the courtroom, Anna's lawyer comes close to asking: "Where does our 'culture of absolute choice' end?" We pretend it ends when my rights crash into yours, but that happens early on in many cases, and I'm afraid we've learned to deny, justify or just force our way.

iBABY

After talking about my idea to one of friends he mentioned this poster he had passed every day on his walk to work in London. 

The image of the doll is disturbing and the slogan "because its never to early to start conditioning your loved ones" clearly is relating to genetic enhancement, and the idea of 'conditioning' to provide a better life for the future generations.

THEORY TUTORIAL NO2

This tutorial with David has set me off in a new direction, after discussing my interests in contemporary fashion and editorial illustration we decided that I embark on a new direction for my essay instead of developing last years title " A critical analysis of contemporary fashion illustration within Postmodernism". 

He suggested that I look at analysing new directions on fashion illustration, looking at the top ten most recent publications. He drew a triangle diagram where I would write 1200 words focusing on recent surveys in fashion illustration, 1200 words on Case study 1 and 1200 on case study 2 (these I have yet to determine). 

By doing key word searches on the ABM database, I know need to select these publications.

WAGAMAMMAS T-SHIRT COMPETITION

As a regular customer this competition advertisement caught my eye, when popping in for a meal at the weekend. 

requirements

• we want a cool t-shirt – simple as that!

about us

• we think of ourselves as fun, creative and just a bit quirky

• the word wagamama means naughty/wilful child in japanese

• we can be a little tongue-in-cheek – as long as it’s funny and not offensive

• we are known for innovation and value originality

• we don’t like a cliché. our restaurants are inspired by the hustle and bustle of japanese noodle

bars, but our menu is an unmistakable blend of pan-asian fl avours. we think using asian

imagery might be a bit too obvious

what kind of design are we looking for?

• something that goes beyond a trend and is timeless – our staff might be wearing

this for years to come

• something you’d actually wear, a t-shirt you wouldn’t hide under your hoodie when you’re out

and about

• a t-shirt that allows for individuality – our staff are very diverse

• something that’s wearable and looks good on a bunch of different people and, of course,

looks good with black clothing!

• a design that has scope and can potentially evolve into a range of designs

• while it is a uniform, we don’t want people to feel as though they are wearing one – we always

say that we don’t want our staff to put a “wagamama face” on when they come to work. we

want our staff to feel as though they can be themselves!

branding

• if you use our star, make sure it’s the right way up, i.e. upside down

about our t-shirt

• cotton

• short sleeved

• relaxed fi t

mandatory requirements

• the only mandatory requirement is that the wagamama logo must be included

– but where (and how big it is) is up to you!

BUILDING A RACE OF SUPER HUMANS

Researching this topic further I have began looking into the type of imagery that I would use in my illustrations.

I began by producing a list of key words surrounding the issue such as Genes, DNA, Chromosomes, enhancement, body parts, perfection, evolution, characteristics....

Topics that will also link into this are Human Cloning, IVF treatment (Test tube babies), Gene therapy. As an outcome of being able to 'Build' your own desired child it would be expected that only desired traits such as beauty and brains with popular characteristics would be most commonly selected - leading to a race of supermodels, athletes and Einstein's.

I would be promoting a society that only the wealthy could afford creating a divide between those who have the 'designer' traits and those who don't.

As much as there is controversy that this is un ethical, I do believe that at some point in the future this will be an option that is available, and it will be taken as parents will want the perfect children. Why wouldn't you?  

WHAT IS ETHICS?

Looking at what ethic's is seen or looked upon as has made a good understanding for the basis of my project.

" Ethics is a branch of philosophy that covers a whole family of things that have a real importance in everyday life".

• Ethics is about RIGHT and WRONG.
• Ethics is about RIGHTS and DUTIES.
• Ethics is about GOOD and BAD.
• Ethics is about what GOODNESS is itself.
• Ethics is about making MORAL CHOICES.
• Ethics is about the way to live a good life.
• Ethics is about how people use the language of right and wrong.

I need to relate to these statements ad focus on how I can relate my work to everyday life. I will need to relate to normal situations that occur in our everyday lifestyle's.

I could do this by placing my work in places that wouldn't normally be the first choice for illustration's to be placed, but would be where you would come across them in your everyday routine. 

This would need to be done focusing on my direct target market which is people who are planning to have a baby -  would need to apply my illustrations making them visible in their daily routines.  

INITIAL IDEAS

After deciding that I am going to base negotiated practice on the authorial brief, which will be producing a body of work focusing on a social, political or ethical issue I have been looking at the top ethical issues in the lime light at present. 

These include topics such as Abortion, Animal Rights, Human Cloning, Poverty, Euthanasia, War and Genetics. All of which I know give me the opportunity to produce pieces that could be quite controversial because of the high profile these issues have in the media today. Looking on the BBC ethics website reading up on these issues as a starting point, got the ideas flowing which would lead to outcomes such as poster campaigns, books, or editorial pieces. 

Looking at genetics and the issues surrounding cloning I came across the term 'Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis' more widely known as 'Designer babies'. Instantly this intrigued me as read information about the topic, reading facts that amazed me, I knew this would develop into a great project. 

With huge amounts of controversy surrounding this issue, about what is right or wrong, and how far should it be allowed to be developed and used, plus the possibilities it holds for determining the state of the future of human race it is going to be the base of my project. 

"PGD was first developed to allow couples at risk of passing on genetic disease like Downs Syndrome and Cystic Fibrosis to have children not affected by it"- however this has continued to be developed to the stage where scientists can now determine the sex of the baby and even 'clone' to produce a saviour sibling. This has recently been portrayed by Jodi Picoults publication 'My Sisters Keeper' which is also been released to film. 

The question is where does this stop? 

I am going to produce a campaign where I will promoting being able to design your own baby. Where parents will be able to select the sex, hair colour, height, IQ etc. In a world that could be not far away where genetic enhancements is the normality, where a race of super humans is built. 

1ST TUTORIAL

In a small group of us, about 6, we took in turns to show a selection of the work we are most proud of or feel best represents us as illustrators. I decided to show my website and a few pieces from my final major project of Visual Communication. As everyone showed their work I was surprised at how it was all very hand rendered it was and linked in very closely with fine art. 

I got some positive feedback from my work, which has given me the confidence and extra urge to really put all my effort into developing my style further and producing some top quality, illustrations this year. I always loved drawing, but being on visual communication I feel due to the course I lent more towards the graphic style of illustration. I am now going to apply more hand rendered imagery to my collage like style of working, enabling me to produce a more personal touch. Alot of my illustrations so far have focused on a main image of a model, or human figure, I want to continue this but instead of using someone else's imagery, I am going to produce my own. Joel pointed out that I could always direct someone who's good at photography to do photo shoot's for me, rather than spend time learning how to use a camera professionally when I will need to be using that time on my illustrations. 

COMPETITION BRIEFS

As well as the authorial brief I will also complete one or more competition briefs. 

Three that have been released so far are: 

• Redesigning the front cover for "Alice in Wonderland"
• Redesigning the front cover for Penguin book "Perfume"
• Producing a front cover piece for Anorak magazine.

To be completely honest none of the above really appealed to me in the first instance especially redesigning the book cover for Alice in Wonderland and designing a front cover piece for Anorak, because after a bit of research everything that has previously been done is completely different to my style. I don't know how I would adapt and apply my style, especially as children's illustration is defiantly not my area of design.

A second thought though... would this be the perfect opportunity to develop my versatility as an illustrator? A challenge which would more than likely aid me in the future.

NEGOTIATED PRACTICE

After this brief was set the word that sprung to mind was....VAGUE. I feel that I am going to have to adapt to the way that this course is structured and delivered from Visual Communication. Previous briefs I have worked on have always had direction right from the very beginning, and have been quite specific in what was expected, in both content of work and the outcomes. Whereas I feel that illustration is much more relaxed in a sense that you are free to produce and  interpret the briefs to what you want, in order to show your best personality as an illustrator. As much as I know this is going to be in my favor as it will give me the ability to work freely, I feel at a slight loss at this point. 

Because of this I imagine it is why the authorial brief has appealed more to me as it asking you to work on an illustration project surrounding a social, political or ethical issue that interests you. With one of these topics there is the 'opportunity to produce a body of work that could alter attitudes and effect change'. 

This is a good base to get ideas generated surrounding one of the above issues.....

 

NEW BEGGININGS

After feeling apprehensive, and slightly 'out of touch' with the design industry the first day on third year illustration was less daunting than I originally imagined.

After a welcome talk with the course leaders I felt very positive and encouraged to commit myself to the course which will inevitably lead me to producing a fantastic portfolio of work, a unique style and foot in the door way of the design industry. 

By the end of this year I want to be able to express my self, in a personal form. The whole emphasis on this final year is too be able to define yourself, by developing your own unique and personal style.  Its all about you.  

This blog is going to be a log of my thoughts, processes, interests, decisions, and reflections throughout the year.