Initial Concept Sketches This week began with initial sketches where for each song I produced 5 sketches. The first two sketches were straight collage, the third showed sequence using lines and numbering, and the fourth was set up like a math equation where the protagonist was added to the problem. The final sketches were complete geometric abstraction of subjects. Moving on from the small group critique I will be using the first, third, and final sketch concepts to explore telling narrative. Also from the critique came the idea of creating collage that were more than just flat overlayed transparencies but were actually made in space and then photographed. I will be exploring both methods.
sans color background
Collage Elements
While snowed in my house I prepped my collage elements, the images and lines, for the first album to be ready to print as soon as I get back to studio to hit the ground running!
This week I transcribed the lyrics of the five chosen songs. Not surprisingly not a single lyric website had a perfectly transcribed song and thus required multiple listening and rewrites. Recordings of old slightly mumbling men from over fifty to sixty years ago aren't exactly crystal clear.
After this I went through the songs and picked out nouns and ideas that I could visualize to tell the narrative and created a folder for each one. The next step was to start amassing my kit of imagery for each song.
Starting to sketch in photoshop proved frivolous and my next step is to start analog sketching for each song.
Lyrics Link Posted Separately to Save A Little Space
This week our focus has been on refining our system elements, laying out the book, and presentation. Since we're working with an A to B scenario, we've decided to lay out our proposal book in a similar fashion. As you're going through the book we've placed our map on specific pages to help readers visualize and understand the experience. Below are some images of the remainder of the system we needed to build. Also, because we're working with real space, here's an image of our math for accuracy. Math:
Revamp the aesthetic landscape of the blues to make it more appealing to younger people though 5 modern album covers and a promotional reel that lives on the internet that showcases how modern music is directly linked in its origins to the blues.
Artifacts 5 album covers 1 promotional motion reel Formal Concept Showcase a narrative from one song on each album cover. The song's conflict or moral dilemma created by the juxtaposition of overlaid transparencies containing single images, graphic elements such as lines and shapes, and color fields. Added Feb 20th Perhaps explore the use of cut out imagery. construction paper planes. These bring in depth. Perhaps use a background collage of cut out things with transparencies on top of them Audience 18 - 30 year olds Artists/Albums/Songs/Themes Artist Album - Song (theme) Howlin' Wolf (1910 - 1976) Howlin' Wolf - Down in the Bottom (running from being killed)
Robert Johnson (1911 - 1938) The Complete Recordings - Preaching Blues (Up Jumped The Devil) (feeling blue)
Leadbelly (1888 - 1949) Last Sessions - I'm Alone Because I Love You (cheating/past lover)
Son House (1902 - 1988) Father of the Delta Blues - Death Letter Blues (death)
T-Bone Walker (1910 - 1975) The Complete Imperial Recordings 1950-1954 - The Sun Went Down (unrequited love)
Timeline
wk 3
m: formal presentation of wk 1-2
w: refine concept, audience, artifacts, etc. based on feedback. Pick albums/ artists to use.
wk 4
m: Figure out what each cover should "say" or what the story should be. start amassing imagery to tell these stories
w: start designing first cover to test transparency process
wk 5
m: presentation wip (show first cover)
w: edit first cover. start on covers (2-5)
wk 6
m: presentation wip (show all covers)
w: edit covers based on feedback.
wk 7
m: mid-term presentation (show series of covers)
w: start storyboarding motion reel/Find Footage of blues artists
wk 8
spring break
wk 9
m: start motion reel in aftereffects
w: continue working on motion reel in aftereffects
