Context:
As you know I want my final pieces to be presented in the form of prints. This is a style I have never attempted before and I am looking for ways to make my work as interesting as possible. Hence why I am planning to stick my eventual prints up on the wall, like they would be in an exhibition so I can bring that into my context. The reason why I picked this format is because I want my images to speak for themselves and having them on a flat page with no distractions will allow a viewer to truly appreciate the detail and message within them. Furthermore, having them up on a wall will allow for me to play around with their visual composition and look directly at how my different pieces interact with each other. With my themes considered, I also feel that it is important for me to directly show the contrast between what I'm creating. A utopia and dystopia are as much like parallels as black and white so to be able to show that in it's most true form will really aid in telling my images story.
After a lot of contemplation I have also began to think about the wider context that my images could sit in. As a general rule, at first I was simply looking towards the future in my images and trying to get across the fact that surrealist futures we create in games, films and books could very easily be right around the corner. I wanted to showcase the very fine line between reality and our imaginations in the modern world and especially how COVID-19 has created a sort of mass hysteria about what our futures hold. I think me being able to have free reign on how I make very real environments around me look so different is the key to expressing this and I can maybe showcase this in a way where I am commentating on how spaces we know and love can and will eventually evolve. Surrealism also let's me get into the mind of someone who has been cooped up during lockdown and how everything around them may begin to feel alien, even though it is what they've always known.
My projects connection to current events is definitely a point of interest for me and it really gives me the freedom I need to create an interesting outcome.
Test prints:
Standard A4 paper:
- paper is to thin and flimsy for display purposes
- ink tends to ignore mid tones, preferring to over pronounce lights and darks, making the images seem either to dark or not vivid enough
- exaggerates the low quality parts of the image more so than the other types
- matte finish
125gsm matte paper:
- paper is very sturdy, isn't effected by ink or heat damage
- matte finish, creates a nice textured look
- even tones of colour, a little on the dull side
- no sheen on the page, ink is fully absorbed by the paper
- grainy ink coverage in places
125gsm glossy paper:
- paper is still sturdy but is subject to heat damage with the paper curling after being printed on
- colour is very vibrant, good presentation of tones, both bright and dark
- even coverage, have to be careful as the ink requires more drying time than other types
- glossy sheen is lost, may be down to the printing settings (was set to standard, not glossy)
- ink lays on top of the paper rather than being socked in, naturally framing the image well
- still represents the lower quality parts of the image well, may serve as a get out card if I accidently edit with low resolution aspects
Experimentation:
After thinking about my experimental paper options I decided to do some experimentation with how I could eventually present my final prints.
As I've already stated I want the images to be in stark contrast to each other so making the prints look as unique as possible is key. It even made me consider what my images would look like in an exhibition context and whether I can add anything in that context as well.
The image above showcases my experimentation with different forms of physical change to my print. I used the print on the A4 paper as it felt the easiest to manipulate and I tried out 3 different types of physical editing.
After separating my image into 4 equal sections I tested the 3 following things against 1 normal section:
- tea stain
- ripping the edges
- burning the edges
to see what it would add or take away from the print.
It has been raised to me that this process may hinder my images ability to truly showcase what it needs to, sort of like overcomplicating it. However I felt it necessary to still see what it would look like as I know my style is quite expressive and this may add a completely new flare to my exiting work.
My most successful outcome is the tea stained section for a multitude of reasons. The best part about this technique was that the staining itself doesn't effect the printed image and actually dries on top of it to create a really nice dripping effect. It also makes the image feel as though it is old and in the past, almost like that future would feel like a backwards place for us to be. The best part about it is the fact that the tea stain over extenuates the sandy yellow atmosphere the image already has and brings that version of reality into our present incredibly well. It takes the surrealism even further which is great for solidifying my context.
The technique that adds the least is the ripping of the edges because it is so difficult to control. I ended up eating into parts of the photos I didn't want to and overall it makes the photo look a lot messier. Obviously I meed to take into account the fact that the bleed area around the edge of the photo won't be as large in my final pieces but it still won't allow for this technique to work properly.
The same can be said partially for the burning of the edges. It was very difficult to control where the fire went and you can see the part of the photo it pushed into further than I wanted it to. However it adds a lot more to the image than the ripping does as there is fire present in the photo I used so burning the edges of the photographs almost brought it to life. You can also see where the flame touched the photo and evaporated the ink as there are little spots missing near the edges. I think this technique would only work in contexts with fire present in the photographs but other than that I will probably stay away from it due to the lack of control over where the fire goes.
