Ongoing reflective practice; whatever the situation

So, researching the procedure for an Art based PhD....this cycle springs to mind...

Post Graduate Conference - DJCAD June 6 -7 2016

Well what an inspirational week....
I was invited to submit an abstract for THAW and present the initial research and ideas for my final Masters project: as part of the Post Graduate  'Transformative Practice' Conference at DJCAD 6-7 June 2016. http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/events/
The Keynote speakers Dr Sunil Manghani (University of Southampton) and Dr Joanna Choukeir (University of the Arts London, Kingston and Ravensbourne University) were very inspirational; not only the content of the presentations, but the ethical ideas behind their research and ongoing practice.
I gained some unexpected information regarding the depth and breadth of PHD study and the opportunities for ongoing reflective practice and research by way of a part-time practice based or lead PHD...

Food for thought....

Dr Sunil Manghani
"Drawing on Theory"

Dr Joanna Choukeir 

PHD presentation:

Youth in Lebanon: Using collaborative and interdisciplinary communication

 design methods to improve social integration in post-conflict societies

The content and the presentation itself were flawless....

Critical Review - RoboCop 2014

Whoa!
I could see that the overall emotional theme of the film was a desire for Justice, however, it seemed that the cop who became Robocop (against his will. In fact he had no say at all and his wife agreed to the decision) wanted only justice to be delivered towards the 'bad guys'. All the while, Robocop had been reduced to a brain, face, lungs and hand, and doctors could play god and turn him on and off at will.
Where was the justice for him, or his wife or son?
The opening sequence, set in war torn Tehran, suggested a political motive for the script, which evaporated and rapidly developed into the portrayal of a company wanting prestige, power and greed.
Robocop, having been blown to pieces by a car bomb, after a four month rehabilitation (Frankenstein experiment) is once again conscious and able to walk, meets his wife and son at home. They hug a metal carcass.
The closing sequence, by way of Robocop once again being with his wife and son and walking proudly through an airport, implies that justice had been accomplished and a nuclear family can be happy again.
Seriously?
The image below sums up the film for me. Verging on horror, and devoid of human empathy or in fact any true justice at all.
What happens next for that family?

Storyboarding for Stathis' film

Storyboarding for Stathis' final film.
Stathis made a good start on figuring out the opening sequence of him film; using a 3D Maya  model and putting the shots into Premiere to create a Previs. I helped him rationalise the first few shots and gave him some ideas to reduce the complexity of the script, by reducing the characters from 14 to 2, and halving the length of the film, whilst telling the same story.
Below is an idea for a running sequence...it starts with two young boys running towards the camera through a sunlit field. The camera tracks backwards at a fast pace....as the colours darken, the mood becomes dramatic and a dividing fence appears....the boys eventually are separated and run either side of a chain link fence....an ominous sign of oncoming war and conflict.
The image below shows the storyboard sketches and then a 3D working model (tin cans, sheet of paper and trusty trolls!) to show Stathis what I meant and how the characters would be staged.

 Opening sequence

 Stathis' Previs Shots

Digital Painting Test

Digital Painting tests today!
Here's my first attempt at a still life, using my Intuos Pro graphics tablet,  oil pastel Loish Brushes http://blog.loish.net/image/95581043273, and 3 values...

Critical Review - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...

2 hours 45 minutes. A case of an edit that could easily have been half the time and told the same story.
Interestingly, I had no compassion whatsoever for the main characters and thought their relationship was particularly empty.
Personally I thought the idea behind the story was weak and felt that the emphasis on Benjamin Buttion naturally becoming more self centred, as he progressed through teenage years could have had some mileage and created some good heated moments, between him and his teenage daughter and wife.
However, the main emphasis of the film seemed to centre around CG imagery and the unique idea of someone becoming physically and mentally younger as the film progressed....

No matter how impressive the visual effects are, I believe if the foundation idea and story is shaky, then that will prevail and can never be disguised....

Dundee Design Festival - Reflective Practice - 'Hands of X'

Hands of X "If amputees could each specify their own prosthetic hand as bespoke digital fabrications..." A participatory workshop with Andrew Cook and Graham Pullin http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/staff/grahampullin/

I attended the Pecha Kucha Volume 15 http://creativedundee.com/2016/04/pecha-kucha-volume-15/, at the West Ward Works in Dundee last night. noticed this exhibit, as part of the Dundee Design Festival exhibition.

It was during the break and there was some very uplifting piano music playing above the sound of chatter..

This piece was full of hope and compassion. Members of the public had completed the sheets 'Hands of X' either on behalf of someone else of their own personal preferences.

This one was completed by a man for his wife. I remember seeing Graham Pullin present a lecture about computer generated voices (Stephen Hawking) and how the choice of voice is currently very limited....and would people desire a choice in the voice they had?

These bespoke prosthetic hands reminded me of this idea....and that despite experiencing amputation, or loss, people could have the opportunity of creating something unique and special as a result....

This is the essence of the theme of my current project THAW.....

A need for transformation and hope....