Jordan is Lame- BIRD MEETING!

Minutes-16^th March

Emmy-Has made first zine. InDesign with text and images. Planned next one. On track, planned time out for finals.

 Aims-Be on third book by next week. Do more VRJ

Amy- Cut up colour swatches to make bird. Figuring out colour schemes for backgrounds of the birds. Keeping it simple as birds are quite patterned.

Aims-Finish two double page spreads. Figure out text and type faces, whether handwritten or not.

Meg- Working out how to varnish jewellery so its waterproof. Made packaging. Starting to do black and white birds as bored of colour! Making lots and lots and lots.

Aims-Finish all jewellery and packaging, teatowel design and bags!

Josie-  done photographs and went to the library to get books and some ideas and planned out book. Drew out birds again on tracing paper and went to the dark room to make photographs. TOM APPROVES! Hand  colouring on photoshop now.

Might make tiny zines and put in matchboxes.

Made a colograph final aswelly, letterpress front of book.

Aims-do letterpress and finish editing photos!

JORDAN IS LAME.

Amy- have a look at this Meg :)

You probably have looked at designer/makers that make badges/jewellry etc but I really like this illustrator and he likes to paint and illustrate birds.
Hes also made badges etc...heres a link...
http://mattsewell.co.uk/?p=1147

Jo LB - Ghost Birds Meeting Friday 2nd March

Ghost Bird Meeting 02/03/12

EMMY LOU

Been to Plymouth Museum to look at how they display them to look as if they are flying.

Done text and put it in a dummy book, going to use a type font to simulate a filed diary similar to the one in the Scott exhibition (Edward Wilsons Diary)

Also been to Exeter Museum to draw other birds and has started work on flat plans.

Has got a white board set up especially for this project to timetable what needs to be done and when.  Is finding that really useful.

Target for next week – Going to finish flat plan for 2nd book and going to put 1^st booklet together for next week.

AMY

Typed up Dummy book and settled on lay out.  Using this method she has been able to come up with more ideas for pop ups and is trying out some new forms.

Has made several versions of bird wings to try and get the winds to move in the right way.  Has also made a nest in a termite mound which grows upwards as you pull it.

 Has been in the print room creating further monotype textures which she has been adapting in photoshop.

Made a photoshop collaged bird using her feather monotypes.

Target for next week – is starting in pop up finals which will then be inserted into final spreads.

BRANDON

Been drawing birds at the museum.  This has helped him understand how birds are put together. 

Target for next week – Has noticed that his portrayals of the birds are taking on a more realistic form and wants to finish the pages in his sketchbook over the next week and then use these sketches to get good poses from the birds for his final images.

MEG

Has made transfer prints onto a bag and onto some shrinkies paper from which she has made pendant necklaces to sell at the RSPB fundraiser.

The shapes were discussed as to how they should be presented, cut close to bird shapes, white round the edge or into an oval or circle etc.  Everyone had a different opinion – Meg is going to discuss this with Tom B.

Target for next week – going to burn birds onto wood scraps to make more jewellery pendants and develop images and methods for screen prints onto totebags and T shirts.

JORDAN

Trying to resolve the Norfolk Pigeon images.

He is continuing with the Maori theme.  He is looking to develop the theme without loosing the identity of the bird so does not want to stylise too far.

Has done (an epic) pencil design using trompel’oile effects to echo carved wood.

Target for next week – He is going to develop this image and decide on a palette for this by next week.

JO

Has made progress on layouts for lithograph prints in pencil.

Vivvienne Scwartz has suggested using ring binding to allow the pages to lie flat.  The group agree that this would be a good idea

Target for next week – to start printing and to finish pugs, fish and frogs to go with prints,

JOSIE

Has been experimenting in the dark room using images drawn onto acetate and then developing these onto photographs both in negative and positive looking at the effects of the various combinations. This has helped her see how she could develop this technique further.

Has done flat plan but may revisit this and develop the order of the imagery further.  Jo suggested that Laura Rosser had a very good book about folded paper books and that she might get some different shape ideas from that. 

Target for next week – Josie was going to go and see Laura Book and go back to the dark room to perfect her images she had started this week.

END OF MEETING

black or white line? opinions!! - Josie

So I inverted the sharper images in photoshop as that seems to be an easy way to make the line black and handle the exposure yourself! Think they look pretty ghosty scanned in which is appropriate :D    Can i have your opinions pleeease on which works better! cheeers

Jo Larsen Burnett: Bittern Mock up page

Jo Larsen Burnett: Bittern Mock up page: I have been wondering how to apply colour and this is another route. I like this idea, its colourful and at the same time quite reedlike....

Notes from 24th feb

Heres the notes from todays meeting! :)

hope you guys can read it...let me know if you can't !!

Group meeting 17th Feb

Josie

. Trying to avoid the birds becoming too 'gimmicky'
. Need to make sure that the character of the birds do not become lost in the drawings
. Would be good to look at and draw the birds in a wider variety of poses
. Done some good primary research by going to Exeter museum and drawing the birds there
. Need to come to a conclusion of why you are drawing these birds. How will they be used in the final outcome?

Aims:

. To produce more drawings and to have final characters of the birds resolved


Amy

. The collaged birds are working very well
. Great use and experimentation with producing textures for the collages
. For more developed pieces need to plan out the collages before making them


Emmy- Lou

. Experimenting with colouring bird designs in Photoshop
. Resolved a good direction in the development of the project by producing a mini-zine
. Experimenting with combining traditional technique with digital


Jo

. Beginning to layer up the book pages. Cutting out the tops of each page to form reeds
. Was finding that the appearance of the birds came across as too 'serious' and so needed to find an alternative style. Resolved this by switching to drawing baby birds
. Developing colour illustrations to be taken into the print room


Andjela

. Really nice wood cut prints
. Will be taken designs and putting onto badges and envelopes to be produced as a editions

Aims

. Produce more wood cut designs
. Decided on what other birds to illustrate


Jordan

. Carrying on with finding superstitions linked to the birds
. Need to resolve a final style for artwork
. look into laser cutting designs to reflect the carving art of the maori
. collect textures
. Need to draw out designs to scale of final size.

Artist research

Found some lovely work from different artists I thought you all might like :)

http://www.rachelcaldwellart.com/ Jordan, these reminded me of your work your doing at the moment.

http://www.teaganwhite.com/illustration.html 

http://society6.com/artist/Owlcore I absoultely lovelovelovelove these!!

http://www.valentinadesign.com/

http://iotaillustration.co.uk/Birds

:) 

josie-birds made of cd's!!

Just because they are exciting and might inspire someone! from HERE by Sean Avery. Check out his other animals they are amazing!!

Amy's Notes from the meeting

Josie - sewing onto paper - working really well.
*if people are interested, check out the birds/ animals at the Exeter museum? really good for this project*
Need to: work more on experimentation and drawing birds from different angles. Also need to look at the stories behind them.

Katie - picked 4 birds.
looking at the crests - how the birds became extinct is going to be placed within the crest's design.
been developing the crests and looking at the shapes made.
Josie said about maybe looking at the animation she posted on Plymouth Illustration (the owl in the hedgehog animation) might help?
Need to: carry on working in the print room as much as possible. start the etching.

Jo - looking at the colours she could include in her book about the bitterns.
going through different colour charts that are colourful but not too over the top.
character designing.
Need to: decide on colours and also start designing an adult bittern character.

Andjela - shows a book she has about Extinct birds which helps a lot. has a lot more back info about the different birds.
looked at artists who use collage in their work and so started experimenting with collage and different textures. (corrogarted cardboard - preperation for woodcut)
Need to: post a blog and carry on with the experimentation (woodcut, lino etc workshop sessions coming up)

Ody - been thumbnailing for comic which may be applied to an app.
been looking at colourful birds 
going to produce a continuous strip .
when the music plays the pics change.
Need to: carry on with thumbnails and maybe even start draft final ideas.

Emmy - going to produce 3 mini-zines.
going to link them together somehow - maybe reason for extinction or species or colour?
maybe look at secret garden technique if struggling to work out how to create the zines.
Need to: plan at least one mini-zine.

Nadine - been working in the printroom - some really nice monoprints.
experimenting a lot,
looked at Audubon? book of birds - really like it.
drawn some quick sketches from the Exeter Museum.
looking into conservation posters and may have live birds as well as extinct birds.
maybe use colour as a metaphor...no colour means extinct.
going to produce screen prints,
Need to: carry on researching and drawing.

Amy - fun, interaction.
need to have suitable text for the audience and because its an educational book.
look at how your style can come across in the pop up.
figure out what angle the book is from so either the birds view or have a narrative?
Need to: start making the pop ups, talk to tom about whether or not you can drop the Macmillan idea and experiment more.

Jo - LB Children's readers font size

In Children's early reading books (i.e.) key stage 1 the text should be sassoon primary 14 points (this is the preferred text as the letters are formed ina similar way to those used to teach children to write or other clear sans serif text like comic sans, ariel or miriad pro.

Mr Tibbles-funny story!

This website is pretty interesting, I cant search for birds specifically but if you click "extinct" at the top there are a few posts on birds if you are up for some browsing! This one is especially funny, never knew these birds had evolved without flight because of a lack of predators, give it a read!


The Stephens Island Wren

A.J Fosik-Josie (for Andjela)

This is the guy I was talking about earlier! The shape of the wood pieces and overlaying could work really well for feathers I think.

Meeting Minutes 6th Feb - Josie

    Apologies this took a couple of days I was in Exeter alll day yesterday! Just a note, I was at the Royal Albert memorial Museum in Exeter and they have some amazing paintings and natural history exhibitions going on. There is also a section of stuffed animals including about 6 different species of EXTINCT BIRDS! So if you fancy doing some drawing from life it is quite an inspiring place!




Notes from Monday 6th February:


Meg


Still working on drawings, no focus as yet. Jo LB suggested drawing birds from other angles thinking about their characters.
Research-researching decorative jewellery.
Target-Start drawing 3 different birds from different angles and in different positions. Post to blog-done!


JO LB


Written words completed, we all listened to them read out loud and concluded the second version is easier to read and has better rhythm. Starting to develop the characters and plan the design of the book.
Target-Background visuals by friday, research and look at reeds, Meg suggested Beatrix Potters pond drawings.


Jordan


Lots of drawing (yay) Currently choosing 3 birds to develop into poster designs and focusing more on development. Meg suggested researching Frans Masereel. 
Target-Clear concept of a theme and more research of bird superstitions.


EVERYONE-Jord had the good idea to research the habitat, eating habits etc. more about the birds so you have a clearer idea of their character. 


Andjela


Has changed brief to move more into merchandise. Lots of experimentation, going into woodcut and lino cut.
Target-More experiments, narrow down focus to one type of merchandise ie. tshirts, badges etc. Post to blog!!


Josie


Experimenting lots with scribbler drawings etc. Meg suggested using textures in work. Had brainwave in meeting about using sewing to replicate the scribbler drawings so it is more tactile.
Target-Experiment with sewing and thermographic ink. 
Research-Rework research question to make it more relevant to project. Possibly looking at tactile work using 3d media in print and whether this makes work more appealing. 


Meeting at... i think we said around 3.30 friday! will check and put on facebook!

Cranio design

Hihi
Found this on tumblr and thought they might be relevant to Jordan's research....

http://craniodsgn.es/

I looooove the strong, bold use of the black.

Plus they've drawn a racoon Jordan, YAY!

Andrew Zuckerman photographer

Beautiful selection of photographs, created by Andrew Zuckerman, he has taken the birds out of their habitats, and brought in a bright white surrounding to truly focus on the birds. I didn't believe it to begin with, but there are many other animals in his portfolio of projects, and they have all been in his studio for a photo-shoot. You can see his range of birds birdbook.org also follow this to the main site to see all the other animals.

The last above bird I have drawn. I think these photos are a beautiful source for use to work from, we can see how the birds move and their different colours. Go have a look.

Also make make sure you have a look at the behind the scenes video, its really interesting to see how he does it.

Mr Darwin.

Bit of an odd post, but I think its interesting, so going to share it:

(Look HERE to see the article of the odd foods, that Charles Darwin ate)...He ate a BITTEN and many other animals, it is said that his love for exotic meats, resulted in the extinction of a particular spices of giant tortoise. On HMS Beagle he had took too many onboard and they ate them, the intention was to take them home for study, I thought.

I added this to my research because it was a bit surprising of his contribution to extinction of some creatures. 

Charles Darwin also ate an owl, that "tasted fowl!" - note, don't eat owls. 

Was going to use the influence of Darwin's ways and create an interesting recipe book. Mainly focusing on the birds, for the ghosts of gone birds project. 

HOWEVER

I have chosen to create 'Crests' that show the reasons of the birds extinction. Maybe I could create one for Darwin. 

Jo LB - John Ruskin Prize - A New Look at Nature

Bittern in ink Jo LB

THE JOHN RUSKIN PRIZE

The Campaign for Drawing, in collaboration with the Guild of St George, announces a new art award: The John Ruskin Prize.

The prize will be awarded to the best wall mounted artwork on the theme A New Look at Nature, and is open to anyone over 18 working in painting, drawing, print-making or mixed media and resident or domiciled in the UK.

The Prize winner will receive £1000 and a specially commissioned pencil case. The winner’s artwork will be exhibited at Brantwood (John Ruskin’s Lake District home) and in the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield during the major autumn 2012 exhibition, Force of Nature: Picturing Ruskin’s Landscape.

Nine runners-up will be included in the exhibition of short-listed artists at Brantwood, and offered one night’s accommodation to attend the Private View, where the winner will be announced on 7 September.

Deadline for submissions: 1 June 2012         

 Use this lionk to take you to the competition page Campaign for Drawing

Josie-opinions on scribbler birds!

Hey everyone, heres some drawings i have been working on. I drew them on scribbler, painted over printouts and then layered them up on photoshop. Any comments on which work better than others, if colour line is better etc. Thanks!

Jo LB The Bittern Two sets of words - Which one?

 There are two versions of words for my key stage i book can you give me some feed back - thanks

Version 1

You may never see a bittern,

He is so secretive and shy.

You may never see a bittern

because he likes to hide

You may never see a bittern,

When he’s new and on his nest.

He has a wispy little crown

and soft and fluffy fuzzy down 

You may never see a bittern

When he is looking for his lunch.

He creeps among the stalky reeds

With eyes like yellow shiny beads

You may never see a bittern

When his eyes are on his prey

He likes a frog or vole or fish

and he darts to catch his dish

You may never see a bittern

He has many ways to hide.

He makes his body tall and thin

or straight and pointy like a pin.

You may never see a bittern

You could watch the reeds all day.

                      It could be there are so few

or he might be watching you

You may never see a bittern

But you might hear one ………. BURP

OR

Version 2

You may never see a bittern

He is so difficult to spot

He’s very shy and secretive

and he always hides a lot

You may never see a bittern,

When he’s new and on his nest.

With lovely soft and fluffy down

and a funny little crest

 

You may never see a bittern

When he’s looking all around.

He creeps among the stalky reeds

he never makes a sound

You may never see a bittern

When his eyes are on his prey

He likes a fish, a frog or vole

He wants one every day

You may never see a bittern

He has many ways to hide.

He makes his body tall and thin

or flattened down and wide.

You may never see a bittern

You could watch the reeds all day.

He might be standing watching you

It’s impossible to say

                     

You may never see a bittern

but if you ever heard

you would certainly remember

The day a Bittern Burped

Jo LB - Wordle idea generation

If you find that you can create ideas from word generation of that images come from words in your head then this piece of web software might be really useful.

Wordle

You can change orientation, font and colour so it will fit your theme.  very clever.  I have used it to help me focus down to short sentences and important words to put into my flip book.