Angela Sharma Independant Practice Portfolio

The mind maps which I created for my independent practice have helped to collate my ideas together which have assisted in the forms of research which I have carried out.

The illustrations show the different cosmetic products which are widely available and advertised through various forms of media such as television and magazines.Each product has been hand drawn to represent the cosmetic range and a second version using watercolours has been created to repre-sent and show how strong a brand identity is when it can be recog-nised without the logo.

I have layered both the hand drawn images and the watercolour version together to represent the strength of the products and how

easily they can now be recognised.

I created a representation of a mascara advertisement whichexplores the way in which false advertising is portrayed through these particular advertisements.

I explored the process using gradients to create a more subdued ap-pearance to the advertisement by darkening the image and

highlighting the key features such as the eyes.

The advertisement explores the disclaimer particular mascara advertisements have which creates a false advertising. I have decided to use the Adobe logo to create a spoof version of mascara advertisements by drawing emphasis away from the product and towards the tagline which is normally concealed.

I explored the front covers of magazines such as Cosmopolitan which help create sales. I created this particular version using both

water colours and line drawings.

I created a spoof version of the front cover of a magazine by ex-ploring the hidden message behind each story and how they draw attention. I experimented by creating both covers in colour and in black and white to analyse which communicates its message more effectively.

I decided to carry out research after reading Fred Davis’s article ‘Do clothes speak and what makes them fashion.’ I carried this out by photographing people and the way they dress, I found that in doing so I was able to analyse their postures and the way in which their outfit communicates a message across to society.

I drew out the some of the outfits and carried out research by asking people on their perspectives of what message these

particular outfits conveyed.

Hellicar and Lewis workshop

This particular workshop focused on generating new ideas within a short time. The photographs show a response to creating an interactive design around paper.

The Girls Workshop

In this workshop I worked together with a small group to create photography which represented each member within the group. This task has been carried out using foil which when pressed against a face left a prominent imprint.

Rodrick Mills workshop

The illustration workshop with Rodrick Mills allowed me to explore illustration using wider research methods and creatingabstract work. The illustrations have beencreated whilst viewing horror films In the workshop. I worked the ideas which instinctively came in my mind whilst viewing the various films being played in the background, I found that in doing so I was able to generate a creative response.

Evaluation

Independent practice

The journey wish I have taken in my independent practice work has allowed me to explore beyond my initial ideas, and in some ways has directed my areas of interest. The research process which I have taken throughout my work has been influ-enced by the designers such as Andy Warhol and, I felt that through exploring his earlier work I was able to create a different outcome by exploring processes such as layering. This can be seen through the illustrative drawings of female cosmetics which have also be reproduced through using watercolours and through layering them together I was able to create a prominent representation of the brand which they were advertising. The opportunity to reflect back on my work and to gain feedback from my peers helped to criticise my work in a constructive way. I felt that through do-ing this I was able to gain a quick understanding as to whether my work was easily understood and whether it read visually clearly. I found through the journey of my independent practice I would have benefited more from jotting down my ideas on a more regular basis, as I later discovered that the method of using a mind map allowed me to easily collate my ideas together. In conclusion I found that I was easily able to develop upon my ideas when I reflected back on my research and the initial direction I had predicted I would take through the course of my independent practice.

Independent practice proposal

In my independent practice I have decided to explore the various aspects through which women are influenced by society and the media.

I wish explore the ways in which society has an influence on how women should be perceived. One of the research avenues which I will investigate

throughout my independent practice is the impact the cosmetic industry has on influencing how we present ourselves.

In particular I have decided to explore the female magazine industry and the messages which are delivered subliminally through advertising, which can be

seen to represent a false message across to its audience. An example of this is the false advertising around mascara advertisements which have been air-

brushed and enhanced in postproduction using lash insert. I decided to research in to the earlier work of Andy Warhol as he explores the depiction of the cosmetic industry through his various artworks featuring fe-

male cosmetics by using coloured pencil and layering his images together with the drawn illustrations.

The work of Gladys Perint Palmer has influenced my design style and the way in which I would like to depict my illustrations throughout my independent

practice. In the illustrated book fashion people the loose drawings of the way people

have presented themselves has been an influencing factor in taking my inde-pendent practice in the direction of a print based outcome.

The visual work of Nina Chakrabatti has been a direction which I would like to take my work towards as her work explores the nature of various aspects of the female industry through depicting a representation of this in an illustrated

creative way.The articles which have been of interest to me throughout my research around my topic area have been ‘What do our clothes say about us and who we think

we are’. I found these particular articles explored the communication aspect of clothing and how it creates a representation of who we are before we have been given the chance to communicate directly. The methods and processes which I wish to explore further in my independent practice are photography and illus-

tration and using different mediums to investigate a range of outcomes. In conclusion I hope to explore a range of processes throughout my independ-ent practice and investigate around my topic area through exploring the differ-

ent research methods which I could use to uncover the ways in which society is influencing women through the media.

Bibliography

Independent practice

Cosmopolitan Magazine

Andy Warhol fashion by Thames and Hudson

Illustration Now by E.D. Julius Wiedemann

Fashion People by Gladys Perint Palmer