My Autoworld Illustration

This image (object) has had a significant impact on my life. I created it to try and convince the company that I work at to let me change my hours so that I could pursue my education without having to give up work. I decided to create a illustrative map for the company. I was stepping into the unknown here because I was a determined to produce it using digital software, a side of illustration that was totally new to me. After working on to over the course of a month, it was ready for print and presentation, I managed to secure a time to show it to the Director of the company. He loved it and accepted my request and one month down the line they offered me a job within the design department.

This image was a first for many things, it was my first digital piece, it was the first professionally published piece as well, it featured in the derbyshire times, chesterfield FC football program, and has been used for many other things as well, a proud achievement.

So how does this define me as a person? I think it reinforces the determination that I have, It shows that I am willing to work hard to get somewhere and I also think that it shows I am willing to take a chance by thinking outside of the box.

So what does it say about the culture that we live in? That is a tricky question with this because its so unique, I have yet to find a illustrative map based on a used car company, what I can say though if I did this for another company they would probably have laughed. Autoworld is a family based company and strive to be a family friendly car company, they always refer the company as a family and family look after there own. So that is one angle of the culture, family.
I believe this image reinforced that message of family to the general public, I just wish if I could somehow prove if it was a success. Another angle would be that we live in a world where we all need a car to get by, and how the car industry is changing to more eco friendly motoring.

The Three Peaks Challenge

The Three peaks challenge was one of the most spontaneous challenges that I decided to go for. The story began at work, when I was talking to a work colleague, he was telling me about this challenge he was going to attempt the following week, to climb the highest three mountains in England, Whales and Scotland, It sounded so exciting and I passed the comment that I would love to do that, "Come along" he replied and I for some reason accepted his invitation.

I was so nervous because I had no experience, no equipment or I didn't know if I was fit enough for the challenge but yet I had sealed the deal, I had a week to prepare, my equipment, and try to cram the right type of exercise to try to prepare myself for the day, I borrowed a bag, I used my work waterproofs and used my steel toe cap boots from work for walking shoes. I had no idea what I was letting my self in for  the total distance is estimated at 42 kilometres (26 miles) with a total ascent of 9,800 feet within a 24 hours.

We started with Ben nevis the Largest, I was routing myself as i began to struggle  

But my strength and determination helped me battle on

Scarfel the smallest became the hardest, It was very steep and we were climbing it a night. The wind was howling and other climbers were turning back, but we battled on. 

And Snoden the easiest of the three but I was very fatigued so I was still a struggle. 

This is the object that I associate with that experience. It is the boot that got me to the top. I kept it as a memento.
The whole experience defines me as a determined individual, that will battle on and do my absolute best, This applies to my working life and art life.

Thinking about the culture of  this challenge shows that there are a lot of adrenaline junkies out there taking part in challenges around the world. It also shows the nature at its best. But yet again it shows that we can commercialise anything, These experiences are been sold as packages to people, you only have to look at Mount Everest, people are a waiting in line to go to the top. I could see this at Snowden, people were gathered at the top waiting to touch the stone that represents the top, there was a cafe, even a bloody gift shop. Its a shame in one way.

Tough Ted

Tough Ted

I have had this bear for a very long time,  Old objects and toys have been thrown away but this bear has stayed with me all of this time, I can't really explain why but I have always been fond it and I will never part with it. I obtained it from a charity stall from a craft fair when I was in the beaver cub scouts, I remember exactly where and I can even remember the old lady that sold it me. The teddy is somewhat different to your normal cuddly teddy, he sports a tattoo on his arm a bitten ear and awesome tank top.

I suppose it defines me as a person because I believe to be a tough individual, not so much in physical strength but in my will and determination in life to try and progress myself for a better future.

Looking at the culture, I think all humans have a object that we will hold onto that may describe our personality some way. I also think about what difference that money made when I bought it, the charity was Bernardo's so it could have helped a young child through tough times. To my surprise I also discovered how a teddy bear can be bought now, there are shops were you actually make your own personalised bear. Another example of how the world has become commercialised. 

My Art Studio

My Art Studio

This is my final object (place) my art studio, its where I spend a lot of my time at the moment and has become a big part of my art life. Its a place where I can think in peace and quite and I feel very fortunate that I have this space. All its contents are things that I have worked hard for and have been very important part of my creative process.

The room defines me as the artist that I have become, the digital techniques, the technical drawing board even the artwork on the wall shows my interests and influences. Its a place I cherish and place that will follow me to where ever I will end up one day, It has become part of me.

Looking at the culture of the room, I can see how the art studio has changed in certain circumstances not so much in techniques but in the tools that are used . If you would look back to the renaissance, you would have have easels with paintings in progress and the paint pallet and brushes, instead we now have graphics tablet and digital canvas in Photoshop. The key board replaces the typewriter the list could go.

My Gaming Pad

PS3 Pad
I had to include this object because gaming has been apart of my whole life, I have always followed gaming from its early retro stages to the new modern technology of today. I have seen them grow more mature in the story telling, I have seen them turn in to online communities were you can talk to any one around the world while playing, they have come a long way from where they started and with that the culture has changed with it. They used to be associated as child's play but now there are many adults experiencing them to. This object is a symbol for all that history, I wish I  had the time to dig out the older pads that I have but I have included some images from the web.

You can see how they have changed with the times and technology you could also say that the style of the times can be seen in each of the pads designs. The Nes pad originated from the 80's where the technology was in its infancy. so the simple design was cutting edge at that time. and when you look through to the more modern PS3 Pad the design is more clearly modern, the pad has been designed to fit in your hand better the controls are touch sensitive and moving the actual pad like tilting acts as a control. Gaming has also influenced my art work as well, I admire the imaginative thinking that goes into creating a game, and would love to be part of that one day. 

The old Sega Megadrive Pad 

The Even Older Nes pad

Project Hidden Evaluation

To my surprise a interesting result, I was worried that this project would suffer because I was so focused on the digital media unit but in the end I think the end result was well executed. My starting point was to generate a theme through a mind map, this is how I always start a project, it has become apart of my creative process. Then I began to research into the area (The Cold War) to get a feel for the culture and the events that happened in that era, until ideas of my own began to emerge. From there I began to experiment with materials until a image developed within my minds eye.

I have gained quite a lot of experience from this project in skills and time management, I showed that I can deliver a fairly good quality piece of work in a short space of time, and not play it safe by doing the bare minimum. I have enjoyed going back to a more traditional approach to my art using traditional mediums and have discovered really effective ways of producing imagery, I now understand why you should never let go of the traditional skills. Using spray paint was the highlight for me, for once I had no control over the outcome which isn't usually the way I approach things, maybe the lack of time forced myself to produce something quickly which luckily was a success. I feel proud of my idea, the game shows some real thought has gone into it, I hope someone finds the time to play it and find me the missing hidden word. I keep on learning how important research is into other artists, If I hadn't I would probably not have taken a mixed media approach. Luke Lucas was my favourite artist that I found, he surprised me, there was one piece that he created for a pop corn recipe book that I was sure was digitally created, but I was wrong It was made totally out of physical mediums.

I need to realise from now on that one project isn't more important than the other, they are all equally as important to becoming a good designer and getting that all important end grade, so I will have to manage my time better in the future. I also feel that I should have done more experiments using more different mediums as possible because there could have been so many different ways of producing this games box art. I also feel that I needed to do further research into game ideas, there could have been better ways of making a game, but I found a idea that worked and went with it because of the issue of time.

There is one thing that I am happy with and its the fact that I created this idea independently, I wasn't steered in any way and took my own path and went with it, I took the gamble to produce something different and surely that has to count for something. I will certainly be taking a mixed media approach in the future because of how effective and quickly good imagery can be created. Now who ever is marking this project crack the hidden message write it down in your feed back.

My Story In New York

New York I will never forget atmosphere

Your Sounds

Your Art

Your Culture 

 The friendships

And your stunning views

Which brings me to my next object

New York

All the memories 

In a box

 Wrapped up in one place

It was a couple of months into my art and design foundation course when I got the opportunity to go to New York City with college. New York was amazing, the sounds, the smells, the views, It was just like out of the movies.One thing that will stay with me forever is the night time view from the top of the Rockefeller building, you could see the most of Manhattan lit up it was amazing.It was like I had discovered whole new world and when I think about it, that isn't far from the truth.

Later on in the course, We where working on a fine art module, the brief was to produce a story in a box, I new straight away that I wanted to tell my story of New York, and thought It was a perfect way of keeping that memory in a piece of art.

So how does it define me as a person, I think that it marked a change in the person that I was and what I am now, before I would have never taken that step, that step to venture that far away from my home and family, it was almost a symbol of me breaking out of my shell, It was the furthest I ever traveled in my life as well.It gave me the taste of adventure, to take chances, to do the out of the ordinary.It made believe that I could do anything or achieve anything, and this box includes all the memories of that great experience.

So what does it say about the culture that we live in? For me it showed me how different and diverse the world is. The New York culture was moving at a 100 miles per hour. People were like moving traffic, I remember how people would commute to work via the Staton island ferry, I remember how business men would sit in armchairs while they had there shoes polished while waiting for there train and way people would whistle for a taxi. Everything was so big as well, the buildings the, the food markets the art galleries and the hearts in the people that I met.There were people sat on there doorsteps listening to some rap music and dancing away, people drinking and singing in a Irish bars.I also noticed how multi cultured the city is as well.

Overall the experience had a very positive impact on my life and it will stay in my memory forever and if that memory ever fades, I will always have My story of New York in box