Over my time at University, my approach and technique has varied as I’ve experimented with different vehicles and styles for my work. In contrast, the subject of my practice has remained constant; themes of portraiture, the body, identity, voyeurism and personal spaces have continued to dominant the work I make. Having studied fine art for three years and Illustration for the last two, I see myself as having a different, more open-minded view and approach than that of some of my fellow students; this has resulted in a body of work very un-like that of an illustrator’s, but one which shows my love for the body, for the uniqueness of every person I meet and for their worlds, as well as my own. It has always been important for my work to be about people, how we differ, how we are alike, how we act and think. In essence, my work is a continual exploration of portraiture, a portrayal of people in unconvential ways. My Pre-Major Project became more specifically, an exploration and investigation into faceless portraiture; portraying people through spaces they inhabit, objects they treasured and the body they find themselves within.
Emy, 2014
Back of Head II, 2014
Bed Series, 2013
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Found imagery - various artists (refer to bibliography)
When I was very little, I used to sneak out of my room at night to watch my older sister paint. She was studying for her degree back then and would work late into the night - I would watch her work for hours. This stuck with me and from then on all I wanted to do was be like my big sister - an artist. My inspiration comes from not only other artists, but everyday life. Daily trips to my Twitter and Tumblr accounts provide me with countless images and updates which feed my creative flow and keep me going; architecture, design, textiles, photography, painting, conversation, film, fashion, museums and even things like cooking, they all influence and inspire me to make the work I do. It’s hard to visually display my inspirations as they are constantly changing and come in so many forms, but if I had to pick one thing that inspires me the most, it would be people. People I meet, people I don’t, observing and interacting, learning and listening.
Continuing with the idea of personal spaces and the portrayal of an identity, my current project has required people to anonymously submit a description of their ‘safe place’, a space in which they feel comfortable, happy or secure. It could be a real place they visit regularly, somewhere they’ve been just once, a memory, or somewhere in their head – an escape. From these submissions, I have been designing, making and building my interpretation of the environments they describe, using paper and other craft materials as well as some found objects. In order to highlight the nature of each individual place or memory, I have been arranging and documenting the crafted sets in contrasting locations out in the public. The resulting images are bright and playful but when shown with the submission text, present the audience with something more thought-provoking and conversational. This project has allowed me to communicate more with the people who are interested in what I do and in return, for those people to be involved with my work and track my progress. It has also given me the chance to show how I can interpret text and arrange a scene for camera.
‘A vegetable allotment. I grew all kinds of fruit and veg as a kid, it was close to my parents house so I could walk there on my own. We also had chickens on it!’ - Anonymous
‘A vegetable allotment. I grew all kinds of fruit and veg as a kid, it was close to my parents house so I could walk there on my own. We also had chickens on it!’ - Anonymous
‘My safe place is Egypt. When i feel stressed or overwhelmed I pretend I am under the sea scuba diving there. I have always loved the water so it meant so much to me to get to be underneath it everyday with the local divers and fisherman who love and respect the sea as much as I do. The water was so clear you could see the divers in the water but I couldn’t have anticipated the true beauty that laid beneath. As I was lucky enough to see Egypt away from all tourists I went to the reefs only the locals and fishermen dive at. It also helped as I wasn’t surrounded by rude obnoxious sun burnt whales in speedos and string bikinis which can often be found on holiday. Completely untouched they showed a hole new world I’ve never seen before (not to sound like I’m writing a song for Disney). The rich purples, blues and oranges brought the reefs to life as well as the constant haze of fish going about their business. I have never felt safer than when scuba diving with those amazing men and never so respected by a culture as a whole.’ - Anonymous
‘Under my duvet is my safest place, with my eyes and ears covered, these elements are important to making me feel secure. In fact I could probably feel safe anywhere as long as my eyes and ears were covered and I had something wrapped around me. I tuck my duvet all around my body like a cocoon and lay very still, curled up in a ball. It feels like a nest, a womb-like space that entirely blocks the outside world out. Under my duvet I can see the warm glow of my lamp from outside, so it’s not completely dark. My favourite element is the mass of sheets and blankets that cover my body like a shield, and the fact that I’m curled up so tightly that even the shape of my body is probably not visible from outside. It’s the confinement of this space, acting almost like a cage, that comforts me when I’m feeling sad, lonely, vulnerable or sleepy.’ - Anonymous
‘My safe place is in the shower. It’s warm and allows me time to think about what has gone on throughout my day. I also like the constant sound of water hitting against my body as well as the sides of my shower, it’s very calming to me. I almost look at it as a kind of baptism, although not religious I am spiritual and like most religious doctrines, I see water as a way of cleansing the soul. So when I step into my shower I am giving myself time to think and cleansing myself in a warm environment where I am completely nude like the day I was born. I feel like this is a place where we all can relate in being calm and relaxed. It interests me because if you think about the famous film Psycho, by Alfred Hitchcock, my safe place is my most vulnerable, naked, calm and unaware of the dangers outside the walls of my shower. But in the moment I feel more than safe, I feel divine.’ - Anonymous
‘A beach hut on a sandy beach by the sea. We spent all six weeks of the summer holidays there, it always seamed to be sunny and hot, lots of friends to play with and not a care in the world. Bliss.’ - Anonymous
‘My safe place is in my childhood... When I was small enough to fit into the bottom of my wardrobe and carry a torch with me, pretending to be in a cave or den. Either here or under my bed, I’d take my army men or some blankets and hide away from everything - Imagining I was all alone. Back then, I could pull up my carpet inside the wardrobe and hide bits of paper and things (they weren’t interesting or anything but they were my secret). That’s the worst thing about not being a child anymore - I don’t find fun in the little things and secrets are only ever negative.’ - Anonymous
‘My safe places is a fort I built as a kid out of duvets and pillows and chairs. Inside it I had my TV and Playstation and also my Goofy teddy. It always smelt clean, fresh and very warm! The duvet I used to build it had my favourite Mickey Mouse cover on it with matching pillows inside and I always have milk and cookies when I’m inside it ignoring the whole world outside!’ - Anonymous
As my practice has continued to spread across a variety of platforms, I felt it neccessary to design a logo and create some consistancey between them. A logo would also work well on promotional items, as a way of branding my work and identfying myself as a brand. I found a basic shape and composition I was happy with and then played around with using different images of my work as backgrounds. This lead me to a selection of logos I can use in a variety of ways with one being more prominent across my sites.
At the start of the project I set up a ‘Safe Places’ website using Weebly; this allows people to learn more about my project, leave an anonymous submission and browse photos of my progress as well as viewing final images as and when they start to appear. This has proved very successful, receiving a steady flow of submissions throughout the four months as well as frequent page views from people checking back, interested to see if I have made their place. It also acts as another platform to share the final outcomes of my project. During this project I decided to make my own professional website. When choosing a domain name, I decided to stick with the title I have been using across all of my sites, ‘Artwork by Charlie King’. The home page presents a selection of nine images which also act as links to nice projects, showcasing some of my recent work. The page also displays my logo, name and social icons linking people to my Facebook page, Twitter, professional email and Google+. Unlike my blog, the website contains a professional curriculum vitae with contact details for any perspective clients as well as an ‘about’ page for anyone who wishes to know a little but more about my work.
My blog on Tumblr has been running for around three years and displays work I have done since 2010, both personal and for projects at College and University. Each post has my name on it and will be seen by everyone who ‘follows’ me as well as being available to anyone with a Tumblr account to view. This allows me to get my work out to a large variety of people in a fun, informal way - keeping interested parties up to date with my work and allowing me to express my personality in a way a website does not. Each post can be ‘liked’ or ‘re-blogged’ by fellow Tumblr users which means posts are constantly shared, distributed and seen by an unlimited amount of people, promoting myself and my work. During the project I also set up a Twitter account for my work in order to keep up to date with other artists, companies and job opportunities as well as share my work and what I’m doing on another platform. Twitter offers a lot more publicity than Tumblr as many more people and businesses use the site and seem more inclined to ‘follow’ you to gain publicity for themselves which in return promotes my own work. It allows me to share links to my other sites, images of my work, keep people updated as well as connect with other users in an informal way which is what Tumblr lacks, it is quite isolated.
Facebook has become yet another platform for self-promotion; much like Twitter, my professional Facebook page allows me to share my work and what I’m doing in an informal way, connect with people easily and track who’s looking at my posts as well as ‘promote’ my page if I decide to pay. It’s a great way for people to see what I’m up to but much harder to promote to people outside of your friend group, unlike Twitter or Tumblr which tend to reach a much wider audience. As I face the end of my course and the prospect of looking for work, it has become important for me to network with other graduates, businesses and professionals; LinkedIn offers just that. My profile displays a photograph of myself, information of my past and current education and work as well as my interests and skills, which others can ‘endorse’ me with. My profile also shows a link to my website and showcases my major project. Through LinkedIn I can connect with thousands of prospective clients and employers, search and apply for jobs, ask for references and ‘get introduced’ to people I would like to contact.
Business cards are something essential to any professionall, especially one looking for work. I have designed a selection of six business cards which I have had printed on recycled paper by MOO, a company specialising in printing business cards. The side with my details on is the same for all of the cards, whereas I designed the front with a variety of things in mind. I wanted to showcase some of my work on the cards, some from my major project as well as some slightly different work from previous projects, something for everyone! I also wanted some more simple designs, one which would show off my logo and the final one which puts emphasis on my name and what I do. These can be handed out to friends, taken to interviews and networking events and kept with me at all times, because you never know who you’ll meet! The cards will also be available for people to take away from my graduate show, both in Bournemouth and London. To further the business cards I wanted to create something a bit more tangible - something people would want to pick up and touch. To stand out from the crowd, I have made some mini pom-poms, identicle to the ones used in my coral set and attached hand-made labels to them. One side of the label displays my details, printed using a personalised stamp and the other, a simplified version of my logo, printed using a lino cut. The pom-pom cards will be displayed in a variety of colours in a transparent jar for people to grab and keep! As well as business cards, I designed some postcards which can be sent to prospective clients and companies. To keep from them becoming just a larger version of my business card, I gave these designs a touch of humour and a sense of mystery, hoping the recipients will give in and take a look at my website.
‘Experience is, my experience’ was an exhibition at Drop Project gallery, showcasing work from a group of young artists all working around the subject of the absent body. I helped to curate the space as well as exhibiting two pieces of my own work; the first was a series of three canvases, each made using a different part of my own body as a tool to create marks and traces by mixing plaster with paint to create a fleshy look which captures every detail. The second was a performance in which I took over a small canvas-lined room and used my whole body to paint. The room was dimly lit and could be viewed only from 3 small peep holes cut into the door at different levels; once the performance had ended, the room was left as an installation. As my first formal exhibition, this experience was vital in teaching me how to be professional about my work and myself as an artist. ‘I Made it with my Hands’ was an exhibition organised by a group of illustrators from AUB. A celebration of the hand-made, the exhibition consisted of drawings, prints, stitch and 3D, with live music and drinks on the opening night, as well as a stall selling work throughout the three days. I exhibited a version of my Paper Shower for the show which worked really well in the contrasting white gallery space. I’ve learnt how important it is as an artist to exhibit your work; not only do you gain interest and promote yourself, but you learn how to conduct yourself as a professional, talk about your work, stick to deadlines and be responsible for your image.
Left: Experience is, my experience
Above: Canvas Series Right: Painting Room (Both at Experience is, my experience)
The Vicar of Nibbleswicke (written and directed by Claire Buswell) is an interpretation of the Roald Dahl novel, following the journey of a young vicar with ‘back-to-front-dyslexia’. As Set Designer I was granted a £100 budget in which to buy and make all of the props necessary. Set in the small village of Milton Abbas, filming lasted four days and in that time I dressed three full sets as well as making small changes to other ‘ready-made’ locations, helped by Set Assistant, Nell Rodgers. I was given a great deal of creative freedom but faced a big challenge working to such a small budget; working with Costume students, Rae Hinder and Chloe Holdforth, we gave the production a 1960’s inspired feel with key props bought from a vintage warehouse and other items sourced from charity shops or borrowed from friends. Locations within the village included a church, small hall and a resident’s living room which all posed challenges of their own. As well as working with crew and actors of all ages, the production gave me the chance to work with two animal actors - a dog and a tortoise. Working on this project has taught me so much about how a film is made; I was lucky enough to work with directors, camera crew, lighting technicians, costume designers as well as actors and be part of the process from post-production right the way through to screening. I learnt how a film is organised, shot, and how much work goes into each scene, as well as what is required from a set designer/dresser and how that role fits within the process as a whole.
Right and following page: On set for Vicar of Nibbleswicke
During the last couple of months I have begun to contact production companies, organisations and other businesses about getting some work when I finish university. I have applied for internships with the BBC, Working Title Films and other smaller companies as well as jobs in set design, film production and art curation. I will be staying in Bournemouth for the next two months where I will continue to work and save money so that I can move to London in the New Year. Whilst here I will also be looking to gain experience will local companies such as White Lantern Films, a production company who seem keen to have me help out in their art department! Experiences I will be looking to get will not only be film related - I want to apply the skill set to a variety of practices and therefore gain as much knowledge as possible. I intend to gain experience in set design for events, shows, commercial and fashion photography as well as low and high budget films. I have also been in contact with the art department at Giffords Circus where I will be pursuing some work experience when I move home in July. So far I have applied for work experience/internships and/or jobs with the following companies: Extreme Exhibitions - Junior 3D Exhibition Designer Big Features - Creative Assistant (Film) Giffords Circus - Work Experience in Art Department White Lantern - Work Experience in Art Department 59 Productions - Placement 3D Creations - Work Experience BBC Flog It - Event Runner Green Man - Volunteer Design Team National Portrait Gallery - Curatorial Assistant Saatchi Gallery - Art to show in gallery
I have been lucky enough to have my work selected to be shown in my favourite gallery, the Saatchi, which will give me great publicity and gives me confidence in my work is an artist. I have also been asked to work as Set Designer on a photo shoot later this month which is great as I’ve worked with camera men before but so far, not a photographer - it will be great to see how things differ from work on a film set! My experience as Set Designer on graduate films had given me so much more confidence in myself, my work and in my plans for the future; it has also set up positive connections and relationships with young directors and producers which will be invaluable in progressing within the industry. Before moving to London, I will continue to apply for jobs and internships which I can commute to and from before I make the move. CV 2014 HIGH NOON SHOW - Embassy Tea Gallery, London (Upcoming) ILLUSTRATION BA HONS - Arts University Bournemouth (Graduating June) ON THE DOLE (Film) - Production Designer I MADE IT WITH MY HANDS - Exhibition at The Factory, Boscombe ILLUSTRATION SILENT AUCTION - Exhibition and auction at AUB, Bournemouth THE VICAR OF NIBBLESWICKE (Film) - Set Design and Dressing 2013 EXPERIENCE IS, MY EXPERIENCE - Exhibition at Drop Project gallery, Bournemouth
CHARLIE KING ARTIST/SET DESIGN ARTWORKBYCHARLIEKING.COM CHARLIEKINGCREATIVE@OUTLOOK.COM @CHARLIEKINGART