DIPLOMA IN FOUNDATION STUDIES (ART AND DESIGN) STATEMENT OF INTENT 1. NAME: Rachel Irving 2. CANDIDATE NUMBER: 982613601152015395 3. WORKING PROJECT TITLE: Do We Really See? 4. PROJECT AREA: Photography Section 1 PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH UNITS 1-7 On working through the Exploratory Stage, I was able to fully explore and experiment with various mediums which, in turn, gave me the ability to see both my strengths and weaknesses. Drawing and painting were my stronger points, when starting this Foundation Diploma, and my initial intentions were to pursue them, with fine art. The Exploratory Stage (Units 1-7), however, changed this mentality, as it gave me the ability to explore other options that I hadn’t thought of before. The study of mixed-media, textiles and print-making threw me out of my comfort zone and forced my to begin looking at art as a whole and from a unique perspective. It also gave me the ability to express myself in unconventional ways and gain a real appreciation of art, in its various forms. Living in South Africa, during the duration of this section of the course, complimented this exploration, as I found myself surrounded by a somewhat richer culture, from having gained an awareness and understanding about print-making, textiles and sculpture. Units 1-7 also forced me to go back to basics with the mediums that I was already familiar and more comfortable with. I learnt basic terminology and techniques in photography and core methods and processes in drawing and painting. I studied realism, expressionism and abstract art and learnt that I prefer to express myself in a more random way, when painting, but enjoyed realism when drawing. This stage was also a formal introduction to photography, as before this course, I had not considered photography as anything more than a means to record my own memories. Over-all, the Exploratory Stage widened my understanding and knowledge of the arts and permitted me the freedom to experiment with mediums and techniques that I would have attempted to avoid. It also aided in refining my specialist choices and ultimately sparked my interest in photography.
Section 2 PATHWAY CHOICES On the completion of the Exploratory Stage, I found myself faced with the challenging decision of what medium to specialise in. As previously mentioned, my initial choice of pathway was fine art. However, due to leaving South Africa in May 2014, to travel around Europe, I was unable to take the needed amount of art supplies (for fine art) with me while travelling. This factor, coupled with the unique opportunity to capture the world around me, encouraged me to explore an unknown, yet inspiring entity–photography. On starting Pathway, I really wanted to show diversity with my work and produce images that were daring, extravagant and unique. The theme for the Pathway Stage was ‘Location’, which I embraced enthusiastically, as I had, by then, left South Africa, to travel around Europe. Initially, I found it somewhat difficult to get myself up to speed with all the various camera and editing techniques, but I did so quickly, and was soon steadily making progress. In this stage, I developed and manipulated my own work, finally producing a range of unique location images, specifically focusing on four different aspects: product, portraiture, landscape and performance. With research, this development broadened my knowledge and experience in photography. Pathway took me from an amateur, who had never used Photoshop and left their camera on automatic, to an artist, who, by the end of the stage, was able to use a camera’s manual settings, adjusting aperture and shutter-speed, also knowing how to use composition, lighting and Photoshop. I now understand the techniques and work it takes to create an image and it has made taking pictures more enjoyable. It now seems that the more I learn, the more inspired I am to try new techniques and work with new concepts.
Section 3 FINAL MAJOR PROJECT AIMS AND REALISATION The theme I have chosen for the Confirmatory Stage is entitled “Do We Really See?”. Having reflected on the Pathway Stage, I decided to specialise in ‘Portraiture’. My aim is to produce a range of dynamic images which will capture the essence of a person and represent a side of them that is ‘hidden’ from the world. My hope is that the final portraits will reflect this and form an alternate perception about how we view people.
I intend to go about doing this though a process of research and development, which will lead me to producing a selection of final images. My initial research will consist of a wide range of portrait artists and photographers, who have made a significant contribution to the genre. I will assess their work and techniques, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge of what a portrait could mean. I will then undergo a process of development, in which I will create and alter my own images. I will experiment with various learned techniques, when taking and processing the portraits. When executing a photo-shoot, I will choose my subjects, location and equipment with care, ensuring that I have thought ahead of the shoot. After reflection of my initial shots, I will further spend time developing my ideas, considering lighting, location, composition, etc. attempting to improve and expand my abilities, skills, techniques and knowledge. Some of these images, I will use for the development process but may not find appropriate for the final piece. This process, however, will also lead me to my final pieces, which may or may not be digitally manipulated using Photoshop and Lightroom. My hope is that, through this research and my own development, I will be able to redefine the way in which portraiture is seen, produce daring, original images.
Section 4 EVALUATION My hope is that, while going through this final stage, I will invest as much time as I can into producing a piece of work, or a series of photographs, that not only shows what I a capable of, but will also reveal, to the viewer, a little of who I am. I would really love for my work to impact those who see it. My hope is that I will inspire others to see the world differently and to, furthermore, encourage others to do the same. My plan is to explore, develop and test, while implementing resulting concepts and ideas, in order to improve both my knowledge and skills, in photography. My hope is that this final stage will be a journey for me to begin seeing the world from a different and unique perspective. I plan to hypothesize, evaluate and explore, during my progression, which will hopefully lead me somewhere unexpected. I hope to learn more techniques and to successfully apply them in my own work. I would like, also, to include my own thoughts and philosophies, as I work, in order to learn from myself. Being a believer, my hope is to see the world the way God does and to support others to do the same.