Confirmatory Stage - Final Project - Travel

TRAVEL

For my final major project, I have chosen the theme travel. I want to look into what people consider as 'travel'. Whether it be the types of travel, what people do whilst travelling, and an idea of a perfect

travel. Travelling is something I am interested in myself. I love going to new places, sight seeing 

etc, so I am looking forward to exploring this theme. 

Initial Artist Research:

Artists who have helped me make my decision about this project include:

Claire Caulfield has inspired me because of her beautifully crafted illustrations. Her use of colour is fantastic and I think it's interesting how she highlights the transport within the images. Her drawings are very carefully constructed and each line is significant. I can see she uses water color, markers, possibly ink and printing. I think she captures the busy atmospheres within her images and highlights the true aspects of travel. Busy, manic, beauty, people, tourism.

French artist Tom Haugomat, has also inspired me. 

I found Tom Haugomat when looking through 'Computer Arts magazine, January 2015 edition.' What striked me was the double page spread illustration of a young boy holding a teddy bear, flying to London by umbrella. Although this is impossible, the idea of travel is there. I really like this. It's imaginative and dream-like. So I think it would be interesting to find out people's ideal form of travel, whether it be realistic or not. What I like about Haugomat's work is his choice of colour palette. They're very precise. He uses a few colours and different tones of those colours. These are split into shapes to create different tones of colour to add a shaded effect. I think this is clever and works very well.

Yah-Leng - The Foreign Policy

The Foreign Policy Design company are in a book called 'Star Graphic Designers by Cristina Paredes, 2012'. This promotional collection caught my eye because of its Graphical nature, using selective shapes and block colour to create sets of professional imagery. This range of work was produced to welcome people travelling to Singapore from New York. It included a calendar, business card and label. What I really like about this collection is that they have a particular house style, and it is carried through all of the separate designs. Their choice of colour is very effective, using the bright yellow to contrast with the chocolate brown background. The bright duck egg blue with the lime green also works really well. I like their use of type too which really brings the design together. 

This is another piece I have found in 'Star Graphic Designers' by the Foreign Policy Design. I like this because it is more product focused. They are creating a brand through envelopes, tickets, all sorts of memorabilia. I like the idea of creating a set of useful designs for a specific purpose. 

Nous Vous

These are another group of designers who focus on illustration, animation, print-design and digital media. This project was all about presenting 'Light Night Leeds 2009/2010'. This appealed to me because I can see something like this being useful in print making. Certain tourist attractions perhaps. I like the simple block shapes, minimal colour, it's all very simple but works really effective.

Justin Van Genderen

This is an article found by my tutor, Kerry online. I think these retro styles are really interesting and the comic book characters add a fun and quirky feel to the posters. I also like the colour palette, minimal colour seems to be key to creating something successful. I like the use of shapes and silhouettes, they create an interesting background image.

Observational Drawings:

As a way of starting my primary research, I am beginning to do observational drawings of popular items that are used on the college bus. These include: iPods and phones. 

I think the light blue crayon working amongst the pencil and graphite works well. It adds a subtle effect.

I think the double page spreads work well compositionally. I like the different angles and scales. The only thing I need to improve is by adding colour I think. 

This is a more intricate drawing done with fine liner pen. I enjoy this style because I like using fine liners and the neatness they create. However, the looser drawings are much more practical and quick. 

This is a quick, simple line drawing of somebody sat on their phone on the bus. I like the careful lines and the way the fine liner pen creates a really intricate effect.

These are continuous line drawings of people on the bus using a soft pencil. I like continuous line drawings because you can get away with them looking a bit messy. I enjoyed doing these because I don't like drawing people and it gives me chance to improve. 

I want to find out more about what people think to travel. Their favourite places, types of travel etc. This will help me when it comes to making imagery.

Research:Survey:

As another way of researching my theme, I created a questionnaire to receive feedback about how people like to travel, what they do, what they take, where they'd like to go and their most exciting idea of travel. I found that the most popular way of travel is by car, most people would travel to a place abroad, the most popular items to take are phones and iPods and there are a range of different types of exciting travel such as: time machine, flying carpet, canon, jet pack, hot air balloon and much more. This has given me much more scope for my observational drawings. 

Observational drawings based on survey:

This is a spread of drawings of a toy plane. I used the continuous line method for these using different types of media such as fineliner and pencil. I like the composition, it's almost like they're flying around the page. In particular, I like the smaller plane in black fine liner pen.

These are a spread of lip glosses. I think these are okay, but I'm not overly pleased. Experimenting with different scales would have been more interesting. Media used includes pencil crayon, graphite, pencil and felt pen. 

This spread is way too overcrowded. I should have thought more about competition here. I went overboard with scale. However, I like the chocolate bar drawing in purple fine liner. I think this looks neat and delicate.

This is a spread of cars. I found this rather difficult to draw. I used continuous line and line drawing for these using fineliner pens and graphite. The competition is interesting, but I think I need more practice drawing cars.

For additional practice, I made another double page spread on cars using fineliner and pencil. I don't particularly like the composition of this page, as there is quite a lot of negative space. The colours work well and I think I'd consider using one of these drawings I develop later on.

Using Grounds:

I didn't find these train drawings successful. I enjoyed experimenting drawing on grounds as it adds more colour to the double page spread. But the drawings themselves I didn't think  were as good as I'd have liked. The pink fineliner drawing gets lost on the page with the pink patterned paper. I should have taken this into consideration before.

These three people drawings didn't go too well either. I think I was rushing them too much. To improve I should have done different drawing techniques and used different scales to use the whole of the page. 

I liked drawing the camper van even though I don't think it looks as effective as it could do. I enjoyed working on grounds in my sketchbook and experimented using ink as another form of media. I think compositionally this works well and I like how the ink drawing reaches over to the second page.

These Campervan drawings are more successful. I did line and continuous line techniques for these. I like the overlap and how he grounds interlock with the drawins and different types of media. However, I think the second page could do with another drawing as it looks quite empty.

I want to challenge these drawings to see what kind of imagery they can make.

By-Pass Printing

To experiment and develop my drawings, I by-passed them using the photocopier. I really enjoy doing this because you get some really interesting imagery and I think that some of the outcomes are quite successful.

This is an overlap of the plane and car drawings as these were the two most popular types of transport mentioned in my survey. I like the splash of blue colour and how the images cross over. 

I am also combining my drawings with some collage. I think this creates a really interesting effect. 

I have chosen to combine the drawings of the phones, iPods and ear phones. I don't think this is too successful because there is a lot going on, however the change in colour manages to break it up. I'm not too pleased with how the red has come out of the photo copier so it may be useful to use a different colour next time.

This is a mixture of the iPhone drawings with collage. I think the grounds work lovely for the background as they provide the colour base and the drawings work nicely over it.

I also find this image interesting. Here I have combined the popular items people take to travel alongside drawings of people travelling. I like this mix up and think the grounds work well behind them to add a bit of context. 

This is the least successful in my opinion. I think there is too much happening, although you can see it is an overlap of cars. I think the bottom drawing looks interesting how it's driving across the page. It draws the attention away from the other drawings.

This is a simple technique used by photocopying a collaged page and then by-pass printing the drawing on top. This is very simple but I think it works well and can imagine it looking good with added type to complete it.

This also has the same effect which I think works well.

I like the different tones of blue created with grounds on this double page spread piece. I think it's effective.

This style of drawing (continuous line and line) is an influence from artist, Clare Caulfield, who I initially looked at to kick start this project.

I need to try out different methods of research other than drawing. 

Photos:

While travelling on the bus to college and in the car out of college, I have taken photographs of different types of transport and what people do whilst travelling. 

DIY Book Binding with Edie:

Here I am making my own books using paper, embroidery thread and a needle. I found this workshop interesting as I have never done this before. It's really useful being able to make your own books for activities like observational drawings.

Once I had practiced the method, I bypassed printed some of my drawings and bound these together to make something a little more interesting. I thought this worked effectively. I also faded edges over on one side and cut edges on the other for different effects. Visually it also made it more interesting.

Researching Graphs

To continue with my survey results, I have chosen to look into graph styles to see if I could be inspired enough to create one of my own. Info graphics book 'Information is beautiful' is perfect for this.

What I like about this graph is the different sized circles. The larger the circle, the more popular the result was. I think this is a really interesting thing to do. I also really like how the graph colours go down as a gradient. I think this looks interesting. I would like to use size as a representation of popularity in my graph.

I also like these graphs. I like how silhouettes of shapes have been used as the actual symbol, and then the number of results are in the centre. This is also an interesting way of displaying results. I think using the actual shape of your result is a good way of visually representing what it is you're trying to show. I will also consider using this as an influence for my work.

These graphs represent the chances of dying in a plane crash. I was attracted to this as its to do with travel. In particular, I like the colour palette. It's very minimal and they let the images, shapes and type do all the work. As a piece of graphic design I think it has been composed really well. Composition is something I will be careful with when making my own graph.

Editing Drawings in Photoshop:

To develop my drawings, I want to edit some of them in Photoshop for later use. To edit them, I edit the brightness and contrast, make the drawings black and white, crop out the background spaces with the magic wand tool, and colour the images in using the fill and brush tool.

This is how the images look when I edit the line drawings.

This is what happens when I fill them in with colour. This drawing looks much more realistic and graphic like. I'm going to use these methods for more drawings.

Here I am using a scanned in by pass image of the plane. This is by-pass printed with collage and then drawings on top. I like the effect the newspaper collage has made as it was an article on holiday destinations, so I have kept it in with the drawing. I think this works quite well.

This process is taking quite a while, but I really enjoy doing it and I think the effect is worthwhile in the end. I am pleased with how the drawings have managed to turn into successful graphics. I would like to use these for making postcard samples with later on. 

From doing this I have decided to go back to the map of Heanor I drew in my sketchbook earlier on. I am colouring it in using the same tools as described before.

I think it works well, better digitally than it does in my sketchbook. I'm happy with the colour pallet and the lemony coloured background. I think this contrasts well with the dark grey used throughout the illustrations. I'm glad I have developed this slightly.

I think I need to go out and visit interesting places to widen my research and to get a better understanding of travel. 

More Photography: Newstead Abbey:

Key things that people go to visit whilst travelling are tourist attractions. Because of this, it is important for me to go out and visit tourist attractions myself as a way of extending my research. Here are some of the photographs I have taken on Newstead Abbey.

I am pleased with the photos I have taken I think some look really effective. I will consider using some of these for postcard images when I make outcomes for this project. 

I am also beginning to collect leaflets to get more information on other places and to show that I am continuing to do research as I go places in my own time.

Observational Drawings:

I feel that these drawings have been quite successfull. In particular, I really like the swan drawings. The spread with three swans on works well compositionally and with the colour palette. I am quite pleased with this. I also enjoyed drawing the peacocks because they're different to ordinary birds and have interesting features. 

LOnDon:

This was a successful day. I have been able to look at more artists work to inspire my own creative development as well as getting a range of photographs and drawings to develop. 

Saatchi:

By Diego Mendoza Imbachi, graphite and binder on canvas 2014. I love the perspective and how you get the feeling of standing under the tree. It's very sensual and overwhelming.

By Jorge Mayet, sculpture made from electrical wire, paper, acrylics and fabric. Such a beautiful sculpture. It has magnificent detail and delicacy. I was intrigued about this.

By Ephrem Solomon, using woodcut and mixed media. The details on these are fantastic. The backgrounds on some were collaged from type prints that worked really effectively. I like this technique. I would like to use this idea within my work as it progresses. I also like the neutral colours he uses. It works well with his style. 

By Boris Nzebo, acrylic on canvas. The way this piece uses up the space on the wall is fantastic. The colours and strokes really catches your attention and tells a story. The colours work well and has an overwhelming presence. I really like this piece. 

By Dawit Abebe, a mixed media painting. I really like the style of his painting, he has a great use of colour and they work really well together. 

This is the work I came to see.

Something really appeals to me when Joe Webb uses the sky backgrounds. They give a sense of atmosphere and background, then the images he places on top give a real impact. I am really impressed by his work.

I think these mix up of ladies are interesting too. I think they work well as a set. The colours contrast nicely.

These silhouette cut paper drawings are really effective too. The different patterns on the papers give them a sense of texture as well. I also like how the three colours contrast with one another.

After looking at Joe Webb's collection in Saatchi gallery, I have been influenced to do some cut paper drawings myself related to my theme to see how I interpret this style and see whether or not I can make some effective imagery too. 

Science Museum:

To extend my research, I wanted to look at London's Science Museum to gain more historical references for my project.

What a success this was! 

In reception they have a circle of modern to old bikes held up on the roof. 

Space capsule, (could be linked in with results from my survey about wanting to travel in a time machine). 

A very retro, Vespa motorbike! I love the colour of this and it's lovely vintage ora.

A traditional steam train. I was very pleased to see this. I think they have much more character than modern trains and are interesting to draw.

Being able to photograph types of transport this is great and will really benefit my project as a way of bringing in a historical reference and being able to have fun with more vintage styles of travel. I think these are really interesting and I look forward to making imagery from them. 

Around London:

The most common types of travel around London was Taxi Cabs, Buses, Bicycles and by foot.

Things to buy:

I really like this wooden postcards on sale in Saatchi shop. In particular, the bicycle looks really effective with the bold orange background. I think all of these look really lovely with the bold type and selected colours.

Science Museum Store:Alice Tait

This lovely collection of illustrated memorabilia by Alice Tait also caught my eye. Her drawings are really delicate and precise and put together work really nicely. I am really attracted to her style so would like to incorporate using water colour with marker pens and fine liners in my drawings. 

I also found this printed memorabilia effective. I love the style of graphic and how only minimal colour is used. It's also influential to my project which is great! Spending the day in London has brought new ideas and techniques to mind for this project, I just hope I have enough time to explore them all! Cut paper drawings, water colour with pens, collage!

Before I get too distracted in potential imagery I can make from research, I need to get back to making a graph to represent my survey feedback! 

Making a Graph:

There has been lots going on with going to London so making a graph from my survey has been put on hold slightly, but finally I've managed to make one!

For a different type of imagery, I have chosen to make some cut paper drawings from my by-pass prints made quite a while back. I am considering shape and the drawings I use for each aspect as looked at in Information is Beautiful research on graph styles. 

For my graph, I have only chosen four of the most popular answers because I don't want a graph that is too crowded. I have used other answers from my surveys to influence me in other ways such as drawings and going out more on location to find things. 

I like these cut paper collages because they're quite unusual.

Here I am editing the brightness and contrast levels of my cut paper collages to make them look effective on the White space. I also did the same with my number drawings. (see sketchbook). 

After playing around with different compositions, adding my type drawings and typing a summary of my results, this is my completed graph. Surprisingly I am happy with this. It looks better than I expected it to on screen. I like how the images all have the same colour palette and they work well against the white background. 

Editing my Photographs:

C O L O U R S P L A S H

This is a method I have seen in ikea before used on their canvas'. I wasn't quite sure of what this method was called but eventually I have found it. It's known as Colour Splash. 

I like how you can take certain parts of photographs and illuminate them on a black and white background. I really want to try this out.

How to Colour Splash:

Following a tutorial on YouTube, I have learnt how to do this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A44ybqF8Jzc

I crop my images first. Then double click on the background layer and duplicate the layer.

I then change the image to black and white. 

Then using the eraser tool, on the copied layer, I colour around the aspect of the image I want to be in colour. In this case, it's the telephone box.

Once I have done this, I edit the brightness and contrast so that the image looks more effective. 

This is a very simple but effective way of editing photographs using photoshop. I really like the impact they make and I will continue to use this process in any other photographs I take which I think would work well.

Other photos I have edited this way:

I really like this method of editing photos. I will select some of these photos to be a part of my exhibition to show I am incorporating photography. 

P H O T O S H O P

As I've been working on my computer, I found some by pass prints that I had scanned in but haven't done anything with. This one in particular I really like because of the blue collage behind the two drawings. 

Looking at this I suddenly thought, what if I layered this up with the drawings I coloured in? 

By putting both the drawings onto the by pass print, I am able to compose them so the two people look like they are sitting together on a bus.

I really like what I have done here. The by pass prints work really well as a background for these edited drawings to work on top of. The colours all match together and the splash of yellow and pink just gives you that different effect. This has taught me that putting random things I have learnt together with digital processes can lead you to interesting outcomes that you wouldn't expect. 

As another potential postcard design, I am going to use the scanned in image of the three swans from Newstead Abbey as I really liked their composition. 

I am filling in the lines of the drawings to thicken the outlines of the swans, adding a background colour and using hand-rendered and a digital typeface (Lithos Pro) to create a simple but effective postcard design. I am really beginning to enjoy incorporating my drawings and other traditional methods with Photoshop. I really like the way the grey and orange contrast with each other here. 

Newspaper Collages 

After spending the day in London the other week, I am influenced by Ephrem Solomon to make some newspaper collages. 

I like how the main image of the piece is able to stand out on the type based backgrounds. 

The images I am using to create these examples are the drawings I edited with Photoshop. 

Here I have made newspaper collage backgrounds in my sketchbook and put the edited drawings on top to create a layered effect. Whilst doing this, I am considering the colours on the newspaper to match the drawing which is placed on top. I really like how these have turned out. 

To develop these collages, I want to add hand drawn type to them. Here I am writing quotes related to travel that I could use. 

I have scanned my newspaper collages onto my computer as well as the type drawings to combine the two together in a digital format. This quote looked way too mixed in with the background on this sample so I have had to edit the background so the newspaper is much lighter. 

I am quite happy with how this has turned out. I will use this process for other potential developments.

For some pieces of type, I am adding a drop shadow onto them to make it stand out more on the newspaper so it doesn't look lost. I think this looks really effective. 

 I think the type drawings work well combined with the collage. I also like this one as I placed it differently on the actual main image rather than the background. 

These are my completed newspaper collages with drawings. I really like how they have turned out and think they are successful as a set.

Photo Collages 

As I have previously experimented making collages with drawings, I now want to create more collages using photographs that I have taken myself and snippets of magazines.

After an anonymous peer review, I have decided that this was the right thing to move my project forward. So using photographs, magazines and papers for grounds, I have began to collage some potential images. 

I am ensuring that my collages include aspects to do with travel. For example, transport and attractions.

I enjoy experimenting with different types of papers to add different textures and colours to my collages. 

After doing these collages I think they look too plain and boring. I think that adding type would improve them. 

Sarah Hanson

Here I have found an artist who uses collage within her work. I like the vintage feel of her pieces and I like how she combines different types of papers with text. I have also created a mind map to brain storm potential quotes that can be added to my collage images. 

I have really enjoyed creating these type drawings. I've used media such as: graphite, pencil, crayon and fine liner. I think the majority of these look quite effective.

Here I am scanning in my images alongside the type drawings to combine them to make a mixed media collection of collages. I have found it a common issue that some of the collages look quite plain still, so to improve this I am scanning in different types of papers that have texture and interesting patterns on them.

This is an example of one of my collages with added features. I really like the effect of this. I will continue to use these techniques with my other collages. I also changed the colour of paper on this from light blue to red, to match the colours of the ladies' skirt and make it more eye catching. I like this effect. 

Successful Collages 

I think this collage works really well. I like the different textures created from different papers I have scanned in. I think the hand drawn type also works really well. I have selected certain colours with the pipette tool to take colours from the bus and using them to fill in certain parts of the image. I think this works well. 

This is my favourite collage so far. I like the composition and style. The collage itself works well to represent travel and I think the added type fits in nicely to complete the image. I also like the scanned in slice of yellow that gives an extra interesting effect. 

Not so successful Collages 

I really like this as an actual image. The problem I have found is that the quote doesn't seem appropriate. This needs to be changed. It needs to be more travel focused. 

These two collages seem to have the same problem. The type just doesn't fit the image and doesn't seem appropriate in the travel side of things. I need to come up with new quotes I could use to improve the messages within the collages. 

This collage I just don't like in general. I don't think the images make sense as a whole and the type doesn't give the right impression. As long as I have some successful developments I am considering leaving this one as it is as a reminder of why it's important to consider, layout, image, colour and type on an image. 

These are the new quotes I have drawn for some of the more successful collages;

These are much more travel focused. I also really enjoy practicing my type drawings as they are rewarding afterwards. I think some of these will look good scanned in and used digitally on my collages.

My edited collages with new type:

These new quotes are much more travel focused so they complete the collages well. I am happy with these images now.

Repeat Pattern Research:

To develop my drawings, I want to create some repeat pattern pieces as I think they look really effective.

Phillipa Rice

I like this illustrators style. The minimal colour works effectively and the way the images are composed works really well. I like her style of work.

Vanessa Randall

This artist predominantly works within the textiles specialism, however I really like the repeated effect of her work. The closeness of the repetition works well and she also uses a limited colour palette. 

Andy Warhol

I also really like Andy Warhol's repeated ideas. The range of colours used also appeal to me. I like the randomness and the bold sense of style. Colours and compositions are something I am going to consider to create repeated patterned images with my edited drawings.

Making my own:

By colouring in my drawings on Photoshop and selecting three drawings at a time to work together, I have created my own repeated imagery pieces. 

This outcome appeals to me very feminine; the colours work nicely together. There isn't too much.

This image is much more masculine, so I am glad I have got this contrast to the first one. I like the composition and how the drawings work together. 

I really like the colours in this piece. They work really nicely together. The pastel blue and green contrasts well with the deep orange. I like this effect. 

These are edited drawings from London. I like this as an image too. The colours work well together and I like howthe space capsule adds a historical value to it to contrast with the modern every day taxis. 

These are edited drawings that I did when visiting Newstead Abbey. I like the arrangement of these images and how there isn't too much colour. I quite like how the swan works subtly in the background. This piece also looks quite historical so I am happy that I can produce images that appeal to different audiences. 

Going back:

From a group critique, it has been suggested that I re visit the collage which I didn't like, and use a drawing to improve it. 

This collage makes much more sense now. I sort of like the contrast in collage with the digital drawing. With this added on the message of the image makes sense. It has a humorous effect. I am happy with this collage now. The advice given has helped me improve this so I am grateful for that. 

YORK :

I have spent this weekend in York for personal reasons, so I have been taking some really interesting photographs which I think work well for my project and are good references for research. 

York Minster - a beautiful medieval building. The reason why York is classed as a city and not a village. 

I even managed to climb to the top! 

At night they have flood lights to light up the monster. It looks really beautiful, but quote spooky as York is supposedly the hauntest city in the country!

A little cart used to advertise 'York's Sweet Story'. I think this is quite interesting.

A beautiful old fashioned bicycle outside of Pandora shop! Using the basket as a holder for their advertising booklets. It's so beautiful and different!

A beautiful, vintage looking bicycle outside of another shop. This seems a really common thing in York.

A fantastic wedding car parked outside the Church next to York Minster for the bride and groom. How lovely. 

New Beginnings

After a talk with my tutor it was said that I need to be more creative and experimental and not working to specific plans. I need to be more freer with my work and to not aim towards a specific outcome. Just see where my work takes me. From this advice I have began to play around with different materials and media to create some out of sketchbook pieces. 

This is a painted drawing of a drawing I have previously worked on in this project. It's also been combined with train tickets to give a different texture and style to the background. 

I like to find quotes and messages that correspond with my image making as I think type helps to communicate stronger messages. I'm still not quite happy with this piece. I don't think the colour scheme is working. 

I'm working back into this piece and it's made a complete transformation to before. I prefer the imagery and definitely the colour palette. However I still think there is work to be done here. In particular the type. I think bits need to be covered over and developed more. 

This is another out of sketchbook piece I intend on developing. I like how the painted silhouettes mask out parts of the original piece which consisted of collage and drawings. I like this confused impression and think this could be developed. 

This seems to be improving. I am making one of the silhouettes more realistic and I am incorporating that repeated pattern effect like I have done with more digital pieces. I am also beginning to add some type onto this too. 

This is my new and improved studio space. It's looking much more experimental and colourful at the moment. There are examples of different ideas I have been exploring throughout the project in front of me to give me new ideas each day. 

I have added cut out digital drawings onto a by-passed image with hand painted type. I also really like this piece. I would quite like to scan it in and see what it looks like digitally. 

After speaking with Shirley today, she said I could use some silhouette shapes for some printing to do in the next couple of weeks, so I look forward to that. 

Developing my repeated imagery :

After tutorial last week it was discussed with Kerry that I should develop my repeated imagery more by experimenting with different backgrounds and colours. 

Here I am changing the colour balance of a collaged by pass print on Photoshop. I have chosen pink colours to match one of the repeated images. 

By editing parts of the collage using the pipette and fill tool, I was able to colour match with the repeated drawings on top. I have also edited the brightness and contrast so the background isn't too bold. I like the effect of this now. It feels much more experimental.

I have also done the same to this repeated image using the same by pass background. I filled in parts of the background red so that it isn't too simple with just a drawing. I quite like it. I think having a background working alongside the repeated drawings makes the image much more complete. 

For the London piece, I have used a lightish grey background and dropped in an outline drawing of the yellow taxi. I like how this matches the repeated drawings on top. I think this represents the business of London well and helps to emphasise the amount of traffic about.

After experimenting with different colour backgrounds, I have decided to go with a lightish cream colour to make it look sort of vintage and old fashioned like the place itself. I have also dropped in a line drawing of swans on the background using the pipette tool to make them the same colour as the building. I quite like this effect. 

For this repeated image I have chosen the background colour taken from the plane drawing. I also added the line drawing of a couple of planes to work in the background to give it texture. I also quite like this effect.

Here are samples of the colours I have been experimenting with. 

I think experimenting with different backgrounds has helped to develop these repeated imagery ideas and they look much more experimental and aesthetic now. 

I have edited this piece slightly. I just tidied up the drawings working in the background so they didn't look too untidy. I think that having just the one image behind makes it less confusing too. I am unsure as to which colour looks best for this. I like the deep blue as it corresponds with the blue on the plane, however the mustard yellow contrasts well with the pastel colours of the drawings. I quite like them both. 

As discussed with Kerry, the previous colours of this piece were too pink on pink, so I have edited the background slightly by changing it to a lighter shade. I think this works much better.

Artist influence for this type of imagery goes to Timorous Beasties fabric designers, who have a lovely pink toned repeated pattern piece, which relates to my imagery rather well. 

I think the two tones of pink work really nicely on this design. I also like how there's limited minimal space but just enough to make a difference. I think this relates well with the piece I've been manipulating. The pinkyness has inspired me. 

I've had this image put up in my studio space and it's been really growing on me. I've always liked it as an image but have never been sure on how I could develop it. 

Today I had an idea. I need to be more experimental with traditional methods, so I gathered together by pass images I had saved from the beginning of this project that I'd used to practice drawing type onto. 

I'm looking at how my digitally edited drawings could work with this by pass prints larger scale. I think this could work. 

Using electrical tape, I have fixed two of the same by pass print together so that I remain within the repeated imagery theme which has been apparent throughout my project.

I have also been working on top of my drawings with media such as paint and crayon to create different textures and boldness in colour. I really like how this works.

I'm not sticking the drawings down yet, just looking at how they could work in terms of composition. I want to layer up the background paper so there are more textures on here. I also think the type could be improved too. I have worked over the by pass print drawings with crayon and chalk to help them to stand out more. This is adding to the repeated effect which I like.

Using interesting packaging paper, I have masked over the type so that I can re draw this later. I have also added a thinner paper covered with streaks of emulsion on the left to balance out the white and off white combination. I have also re-positioned the drawings (still not permanent), to see how they look. I quite like them here because the image doesn't look so central. I think now I am ready to re draw the type to balance out the blankness of the right side. I really like this larger piece I feel that it's coming together nicely. 

I'm also going back to another one of my out of sketchbook developments.

By working over my drawings like the previous piece, I have added this image. I feel that it works well because the colours correspond with one another and it looks as though the person is looking out of the window at the plane. I like the textured paper I have used for the background, it gives a more interesting layered effect. To develop this further I want to add type onto the right side of the image so it isn't so negative and also tidy up the train tickets on the left which have made an interesting pattern.

 I have began experimenting with different type styles to see what is going to beat suit this image. I like this magazine lettering technique because it's really quick and simple. I have also layered up the panel of train tickets with more so it looks much cleaner and neater, deliberately leaving part of the printed type on show. 

Although this looks quite good, this type of lettering is often associated with ransom, therefore it's not putting the right message across for my artwork. I need to practice some different styles. 

After experimenting with different media in my sketchbook I want to draw type with black ink onto this. I've also been reworking this imagery after a tutorial with Kerry as she's gave me some good advice. 

This book is called Typographics Three Globalisation. This double spread in particular is really interesting in terms of composition, because your eyes follow it like a curve (how humans actually read things). My image is also working this way, having the boy in the major focal point. I want to work into my image so it also follows this curved style of layout.

As inspiration from the piece above, I have painted a dark grey curve onto the white space as it helps to break it up. I like how this swoops through the image. I have also worked into the black plane silhouette with pencil and chalk with a simple line drawing so this doesn't look as flat. I think this looks much more successful now in terms of composition.

To make the train tickets more connected to the actual image, I've blocked parts off using textured paper and electrical tape so the orange bands aren't too over powering. It also helps to balance out the darkness in colour on the left hand side.

This piece of work found in the same book by designer/illustrator Lopetz also fits well within my theme. Again you can clearly see that curved style of composition which I think works really well. I seem to have a similar style of drawing to this artist which I find interesting and I also really like the minimal colour palette. This is something I am beginning to limit myself with in this project.

After experimenting with different media in my sketchbook I have decided to use black ink drawn on with a paintbrush for the type. I think this works quite subtly in the top corner and compositionally works well to create that curved layout. 

I've finally added hand drawn type onto my other larger piece today. I like how the grey contrasts on the off white textured paper. I also like the looseness style of the type. It looks handwritten but sophisticated at the same time. I'm pleased with this.

I've also finally stuck down these images with sticky squares so they don't look flat. I've done this so that the image shows it has layers. I would like to put some sort of white board behind or around this image just to finish it off. I really like it as a piece. 

As I am producing work digitally as well as traditionally, I think it's time to start looking at changing the scales of my repeated images. Here are some samples I have made looking at composition and manipulation of scale.

Here I am using the plane drawing in different sizes to change the overall look of the image. I have also erased some parts of the repeated imagery in the background so that it isn't too overpowering. I like how the scale of the plane changes the image, it doesn't look too crowded. It seems to make a focal point of the whole piece by enlarging something on there. 

I really like how this piece has developed. I gradually altered the background so the by-pass print of the girl is repeated twice so the colour palette of the background was simplified. Having the main image (girl) positioned slightly to the left makes this more interesting as it isn't directly central. I also really like how on the bottom right piece, the iPod screens are no longer black, so it works more subtly with the background. I am enjoying experimenting with composition and scale for these ideas. 

This image has completely developed and I really like where it's going. I've taken away the building so that it is focusing on birds. I really like how the larger scales are working together and by changing the colour palettes I am beginning to find that using a smaller range of colour but in different tones works really well. I'm not quite sure which of these I prefer yet. 

This is an out of sketchbook piece I've been working on but really haven't got into. I kept going back to digital pieces and then other loose sheets so I've never got round to developing it. It just wasn't working for me and at such last minute I don't have the time to change it and start manipulating it. However, I have decided to create another strip piece, using this for grounds. 

My aim is to create another piece like the top one to create a set of two images. I have used pieces of the plane painting as collage alongside by pass prints, grey electrical tape and other found papers. You can already see a connection between the two. 

I've added textured paper around the top of the image to make it larger to match up to a similar size to the other piece. I like the unevenness of it. I've also added more of the plane onto this which I think looks interesting. It's like the planes are being repeated in different scales, zooming in on different areas.

I've found that adding the campervan is a bit too much. I think sticking to the same colour palette is more effective. 

The campervan doesn't look as bad now, but I still don't feel that it works with the rest of the image. I'll stick to planes. 

Here I have changed the scale of the plane. It's quite large and I'm wondering if it makes it too central being so big. I like the repetition of the planes though. It might need to be smaller. 

The plane works much better being smaller. However I'm not sure about the composition. 

 I think I prefer it here. Slightly off centre but working well alongside the other planes. The whole repeated effect is working nicely I think. Now I want to draw some type the same style and colour as the other piece to show a connection between them. 

I've painted this quote with grey acrylic paint in the same style as the previous image. I really like how this works. I like the layered effect and I really like how the painting of the plane which I didn't like has been used within this so it hasn't gone to waste. I like the limited colour palette too, it seems that less is more. 

As I was on holiday last week (May half term), I made a journal to take with me to do drawings in, put photographs in and write my thoughts and feelings on some of the days. I really enjoyed doing this because it ties in well with my project and shows me travelling myself.

I've had some spare time this afternoon to do some print making using silhouettes of planes I have saved from earlier print outs. I really like my choice of colour palette, using blues and grey which are just like the colours I've used throughout all of my plane ideas. I really enjoy print making and I'm glad I've had the time to incorporate it within my project as another form of media and technique. 

Influence for my silhouette prints have come from this piece by Justin Van which I looked at right at the start of the project, using selective silhouettes and colour to make interesting compositions. 

Pressures on, it's the final week! 

I've been allocated my space... I'm happy I've got a corner to display my work. 

(I've managed to remove those left over black sticky squares with nail polish remover)

I'm arranging my work as planned in my journal. I like how the blues and reds work diagonally to one another. I'm happy with this composition. 

After a couple of hours my first wall is complete! This has taken so much measuring and checking then re-checking - it's given me a headache! I'm glad I've got one wall ready though. I like how it looks on the wall. It's tidy, straight and the colours match nicely. 

My exhibition is finished and work is stacked ready for marking. I'm really happy with how it looks. It's very neat and precise so I'm really pleased about that. I think the colours work really well together and my repeated imagery on the left looks really effective as it gradually gets busier down the wall. Now it's just waiting for the preview night and results day - Hopefully all the hard work pays off!