MMU FMP: The Modern Gamer

Damn you, aspect ratio. But I hope you enjoyed the video regardless : )

MMU FMP: a bit of a catch up

Well, dear readers, I should recount some things. I'll start off in this post with my final major project exhibition. It was hard work, and one of the first times I had ever attempted to make a video of this kind... and it is still wrought with technical hitches and some inconsistencies which I'm sure more sharp observers will distinguish, however, I hope the overall message comes through.

ta-dah, my space before the shows opened

I suppose what I can report is that I enjoyed the project overall. Finding the people to interview was probably the most interesting part; I've never really put myself out like that before, and the range of responses I received was pretty good (even if they weren't used in the final product). For one, I got responses from people as old as 46 and as young as 13 which really shows the breadth of the age range.

Someday, I do hope to produce a much more fleshed out version of what I did here. In particular, the proper research and surveys... I will admit that some of those statistics have been drawn from unfounded facts >.> but I'm hoping you didn't know that until I told you just now eh heh heh.

A lot of work was spent in the gathering of interviews... so tons of time required when trying to get a hold of people, arranging slots of time to do the filming and recording... then the amount of problems and timing issues, I can remember 2 particular cases that ended up wasting an entire day for me ¬¬ *grumble grumble* But I am very thankful of those who did take out time to be involved, and I certainly hope it was as enjoyable for them as it was for me to talk about video games.

****

I'll apologise in advance, but I feel the need to rant about something. It's slightly related to this project, I'll add, so don't turn off in disgust/annoyance just yet ^_^;

It's to do with the opening night of the degree shows during the private view evening. I have a bone to pick with the people who thought it was alright to supply that amount of alcohol. Then again, I suppose, as a student, it was pretty awesome to have the Font Bar sponsor the event by providing the alcoholic drinks, however, the amount at which they were serving them up (by the cratefuls I'll say) is fine I guess, but what really got to me was the kind of people this was attracting.

I swear, about 1/3 of the people who turned up, came purely for the alcohol and probably had little to no interest in the degere shows. Although, I suppose you can look at it another way and say that it was great for attracting people to see the shows that would have never have come otherwise.

Oh rather, I'm just FUCKING PISSED OFF that someone stole one of my stamps. The survey sheet that I produced to be stamped on had two ink pads and two stamps to stop people mixing the inks. Some DOUCHEBAG decided to nick off with one - and I can even second guess the thought process going through his/her head: "Wow, neat stamp, I don't care how much effort or money this perhaps cost the exhibitor, I'm going to knick it and use it to stamp across my pathetic looking notebooks and random bar walls so I can be kinda cool and hipster like, y'know, like like herp a derp derp asdhlifdajkldgafdjghjkllagag- FUCK YOU.

I know, I know. The tutors warned me before hand... and in fact even had a precursor to this happening when I lost a 4-way power extension lead when I went to collect my things from PAT testing. I was told that my stuff would be safe, and I had CLEARLY LABELLED it with my name. I kind of shrugged it off, as it was a power lead... and I only needed two plug sockets luckily with no one else around me requiring electricity. It really annoys me that I won't be able to get to the bottom of this, so really my punchbag took another beating...

Right, I'll stop there. Bottom line, I only have myself to blame. I'm learning the lesson that there aren't that many people in this world that are worth your trust, except a handful. Also, looking at the kind of abuse my survey sheet took, it's a stark reminder that I'm still a Nobody, so people will tend to look down on you even on the same level, if not lower. I'll just be sure to climb that ladder with more determination.

I do have to ask: Was it too much to expect the stamping to be more... aligned? I'm just asking...

 Perhaps I should quote this:

"Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them.."
- Lou Holtz

I'm inclined to agree. For one... I still can't get rid of the tumble weeds and crickets here... gosh... need to do something drastic about that.

*sigh*

MMU: An Intrusion pt. 2

Well well, John Smith has struck again.

MMU: An Intrusion

MR. JOHN SMITH!

 So, I've been outta action for Monday and Tuesday (one due to illness, the other due to an interview), when I came back on the Wednesday, I have an odd surprise of an oil painting and a note.

A transcript:

START TRANSCRIPT

Dear Liyi,
   
   As you may have seen from my poster on the notice board, my fmp is about intrusion. As you haven't crossed your name off the list I put up, I have chosen you as a subject. I have left you the painting I have been working on and I would really appreciate some feedback about the painting from you. Obviously I am not expecting a great amount of feedback, a few words about what you think about being chosen to be part of the project. Once you have done this, leave the painting and feedback at [crossed off]Reception[crossed off/] with Margaret addressed to John Smith, where I will collect it.

Thank you very much for your participation,

John Smith

(hit me up on facey b BROTHA)

END TRANSCRIPT

That painting is based off a photo. I know this because I remember a flash going off whilst I was sleeping in that position. I was half awake, so I remember hearing the clicking of a d-slr shutter. From what I'll comment about the painting... It's an oil painting, but it looks rushed... and parts are out of proportion, but that's just an objective observation.

In terms of how I feel: I like the idea they're going with, and I'm kinda touched by the idea of having an original painting being delivered to my studio space as an unexpected commission. I probably should ask the question "why me?" y'know, if it was random, or if this person wanted to see what sort of reaction I'd garner. Whatever it is, I intend to continute correspondence - it feels as though I've been inadvertantly entered into a tennis match of sorts, and so far I've just returned the ball in a straightforward manner, eagerly anticipating Mr. Smith's next move. Hmm... actually, I don't feel John Smith deserves the "Mr." part yet. I'll revert to calling him John for now I suppose...

My reply was late due to unforseen circumstances

A transcript of my response (on the right):

START TRANSCRIPT

Dear John Smith,

 It was a pleasant surprise to find an original painting of myself unconcious upon my studio desk.

So far, I like it.

However, for the theme of intrusion, it feels a bit mild. It comes across more as an unexpected commission, rather thaan something intrusive.

Step it up Mr. "Smith".

I look forward to your further exploits >: )

kind regards,

Liyi Zhang

END TRANSCRIPT

Tate Modern: Ai Weiwei Sunflower Seeds - Answering a question

Well, I visited the sunflower seed exhibit at the Tate Modern. I must say, it's amazing to see in person, I'm just disappointed I couldn't get to jump into it and play around like I saw people do on BBC news... so disappointed >:(

Anyways, I digress. Here's a video of me responding to the exhibit, which Ai Weiwei will probably never see - the whole thing does seem interesting to spark discussion amongst online forums.

[Link to video]

MMU One Day Project: Timeline

This ties in with what I'm thinking about for my Final Major Project ("woooOOOooOoooo..."... it was supposed to be an ominous noise, because it's a big deal).

I remember the day when I first got my Gameboy Colour (turquoise) and my very own copy of Pokemon Blue (EU). Many many hours have gone to my love and passion for video games, and that gameboy (which I still own :D) launched me into the world of video games and many spent AA batteries. Oh, and before you think that was a bad thing, Pokemon actually made me friends (as well as lose perhaps one or two XD).

The images were drawn by me, all except the screenshot which was doctored with modified text.

MMU One Day Project: All Squared Up

Head... not working... (-_ - ; )

Ugh...

MMU One Day Project: 18 Things to do in a day

Ok, so it took more than one day to do, but who cares. I've lost sleep over this to get it done, mind. Not to mention I've come to the realisation that my desktop is not as powerful as I first realised. Perhaps a spring cleaning of the HDD is in order sometime this spring - most likely I'll take time out during easter to format the whole thing.

Anyhoo, here's a lovely compressed version of my second edit - and perhaps I'll leave it at the second edit. I've certainly learnt a LOT whilst filming this, and although it's not to my personal satisfaction (what with technical and planning hiccups) I'll be well armed for my next bout of video making >:)

Music credits:

"Blue Sky" - David o Brien and Abdel-Rehim

"Crumpets and Croquet" - Paul Mottram

"Green Acre" - Terry Devine-King and Adam Drake

MMU One Day Project: Remix Love

I like making pictures from miscellaneous shapes ¦ 3

Love Bot

Love Violin

 Google likes Robert Indiana too.

MMU "There's an App for me"

There's an app for me. Well, most certainly, but I do not own an iPhone - and knowing myself in trends of electronics, I tend to acquire many softwares that I would use a few times before just leaving it on my device merely as party tricks or just for show. Although, I could imagine myself using a number of Apps over and over - I'd find a pocket electronic dictionary and thesaurus extremely useful if I had such a device.

The project here asked us to design a set of 16 iPhone App icons. Funny how it's asked exclusively for iPhones, where's the Android love?

The icons, each one designed or drawn in photoshop.

Showing the design on the device as concept.

Design printed out on paper with a papercraft version next to it.

MMU Contextual Project

We had a project that required us to research an artist and then write an essay on the artist. It was to be presented in a booklet with layout and design along with the 500 word written piece inside.

So, it's gotta look good and read well.

The essay:
---

Peter Callesen has worked almost exclusively with paper in recent years. The Danish born artist, who had studied at Goldsmiths College in London, is known mostly for precise and intricately crafted paper pieces done on ordinary A4 sheets of printer paper. He astounds viewers with the endless possibilities that such a common material is capable of, causing disbelief and wonderment in each of his pieces.

Paper is the base of Callesen's works. He creates meticulously crafted works, that show in their complexity of form, yet the simpleness of having it formed through a single sheet of paper, whereby the “figures (in his work) still stick to their origin, without the possibility of escaping” is astonishing. There is also a point to be made over the commonality of the A4 sheet of paper, and how Calleson tries to prove the plethora of possibilities of this very simple material. He points out how people “rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper” and that by “removing all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white 80gsm A4 paper... I feel that I have found a material which we are able to relate to... and therefore easier to fill with different meanings.”

There is an inherent playfulness in Callesen's works. Many involve “fantastic dreams of childhood” with a play of 3D and 2D, using both dimensions to tell two sides of a narrative, or sometimes as a visual pun. The negative space left behind on the cut out paper forms the 2D aspect of the work and the pieces are used to form a sculptural 3D piece that comes out of its flat plain, thereby forming the two visual forms – one of fantasy (2D) and the other breaching into reality (3D). These two images are usually juxtaposed to represent the lighthearted fairy-tale along with it's darker underlying tones.

Much can be said that his works are dream like and reflective. The way in which these sculptures break out of the 2D plain, exposing themselves to the third dimension, creates a fragility that we react to due to the delicate nature of the material. There is an astounding beauty in his carefully crafted piece such as “Half Way Through” depicting a skeleton sitting up, still attached to the paper, it is with the intricate details and the miniature scale that we find ourselves captivated by the piece as well as feeling precious towards it. More astonishing, is that the crafted sculptures are created with exactly the amount of paper cut out from the A4 sheet, as seen in “On The Other Side”.

The techniques employed in his A4 paper cuts are also used in his large scale work. These come in the form of huge installations which changes the reactions slightly when viewed. These works may seem like a scale up from his miniatures, but they contain twice as much detail as he has already included on a smaller scale. Notable works are life size and they evoke a sense of disbelief that they are made entirely out of paper, for example “White Window” which is as big as the windows found on the side of a cathedral, yet absolutely delicate when you realize the temporary nature of the material it has been built with.

 --- 

A taster of my current project

"Brushing my teeth has never made me feel so... shady."

ONE TO FOLLOW

Today, my tutor introduced me to a fantastic blog (well at least in my opinion)

SpiekerBlog

Erik Spiekermann is a revered typographer and designer, based in Germany.

MMU Text signs and symbols

"Personal diagnostic project 2"

Use a combanation of words, symbols, numbers... to describe yourself, a view, a journey, the contents of, a member of your family, an article of clothing, a collection of objects...

Well... let me tell you about the adventures of...

[best viewed full screen]

f.y.i. I was up until 5am editing that all, and yes those voice overs were all (painfully) done by me.

MMU Drawing moving image

The final tutorial of the week consisted of drawing moving images. A projector was put up to display looping clips of video, most of which seemed to be library footage of particular things, from CCTV footage to documentary like shots.

The room was mostly dark for the duration of the exercise, but luckily I chose a spot close to the windows, which gave me a gleam of light on my easel. We were given the video clips on screen and then some 10-20 minutes to draw it out with all manners of materials, such as wax, pastels, crayons, paints, inks, pencil and felt tips.

clips no. 1, 2 and 3

clips no. 4, 5 and 6

3 moving portraits

clips no. 7 and 8

Here are some highlights:

from clip no. 2 - was resist with indian ink

from clip no. 4 - permanent marker pen

from clip no. 4 - permanent marker pen

from clip no. 6 - acrylic paints

from one of the moving portraits - wax resist with indian ink

from one of the moving portraits - wax resist with indian ink

from clip no. 8 - indian ink with acrylic paints

Overall, it was a pleasant, if tiring, experience of trying to draw things in motion as well as experimenting with more varied materials. I'm fairly used to drawing things that move thanks to my small sketches of people who sit at the table in front of me (I shall be uploading samples of these from my past sketch books in future), but I have to say that the short clips were really challenging as some movements were very quick and hard to take down before it looped again. Practice makes perfect and interesting results appear when you try to represent a motion, but end up with something else!

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeess, something completely unrelated.

MMU Measured Drawing

The next tutorial consisted of measured drawing, techniques found used by artists such as Uglow.

We first started off with a line drawing that consisted of a single line. Ah, but not any old single line, it was a line that THE PEN SHALL NOT LIFT OFF UPON, MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH-HAAAAaaahh...

It proved a bit difficult on the start up. My drawing hand wasn't free to let me measure things up like I had learnt in my previous educational etablishment, but playing with guess work with my eyes still seemed to make up satisfactory results (personal satisfactory mind...). But the end result yielded interesting results, though not accurate whatsoever, it had a nice aesthetic to it; making the self-discipline of lifting the pen off the page worthwhile.

[picture coming soon...]

After a short break, we all came back to the tutorial to start up a proper session of pensively measured drawing. It was in pen as well, so mistakes are to be made (though a piece of masking tape would lessen fatal errors). However, the tutor did tell us that they would prefer to see mistakes, as it would show the struggle an individual went through to achieve their drawing (y'know, the old fashioned way of art being made through torture). After getting a numb ass and an aching arm (for holding up my drawing board - oh how I longed for an easel that day), I had an unfinished drawing:

[picture coming soon... ]

It was nice to get into measured drawing again. I hadn't done much of the thorough type of measured drawing since the life drawing sessions at my sixth form college - I certainly can't wait to get into the life drawing they have to offer at MMU!