Final Piece

I started by cutting each image with a ruler and craft image so that they were all squares of equal size and length and then followed the instructions given on this website to create each unit for the modular 8-point star I was creating. This took time as the process requires accuracy in order to make sure each unit will fit together when assembling the module. 

After finishing each unit, I began to assemble the module using the instructions from this page and ensured that everything was tucked in so that the final result was much more refined than if they were to be left as they were.

I feel that this star was more successful than the previous one I'd made through experimentation as I gave this one more thought in terms of colour and arranging each unit so that it was more aesthetically pleasing as opposed to the other one. This one had images of better quality and had been edited whereas the previous one had been made from random images that hadn't been put into any particular order so it looked less ordered or organised. 

Working Progress Shots:

Final Piece After Assembly:

Front Of Star

Back Of Star

Photo Edits For Final Piece

I decided that, for my final piece, I would create another origami 8-point modular star like I did in my experiment but, this time, I wanted to edit the photos so that each one was a different colour from the colour spectrum. The reason I did this was to make the flames seem less real and more fantastical and aesthetically pleasing. Not only this, but they also create a more interesting final piece with colours that both contrast and complement each other to draw the eye of the viewer to them. 

I started off by first importing an image of the flames into photoshop and editing the levels on it. This was done both to make the colours stand out and give the flames more flow and shape.

Next, I proceeded to edit the brightness and contrast on the photo so that more of the darker tones were showing. This made the flames look more interesting and catches the eye easily.

My final step when editing the images was to change the hue, lightness, shadows and highlights and crop the image down so that it was a square. This made it simpler to know what image would be used on each part of the star when putting it together and centred the flame so that it was where the attention was going to be focussed within the composition. 

Edits:

Folding Photos

 When experimenting with folding, I decided to use eight different images of fire to create an eight point modular star using the origami folding technique. The reason I wanted to do this is because stars are very far away and sometimes seem unreal. They're like an ethereal entity as they can't be touched but we know that they're there. 

When I finished the star, I decided that I wanted my final piece to be done in this way but with minor changes. Each image will be a different colour to create more contrast and aesthetic value within the composition as well as catching the eye and drawing in the eye of the viewer. 

Joseph Parra - Folding Photos

Joseph Parra is an experimental photographer and artist who experiments with different techniques to create images that inspire and evoke intrigue within those who view his work. He has done a variety of pieces that all contrast with each other in terms of style and technique but the piece that I'm more interested in is his project entitled 'Oneself'. In this piece, he has taken a photograph of a person and printed it out onto paper three times before folding each piece in different ways in order to distort the image. This could be seen as representing how we can distort our persona in order to hide or conceal parts of ourselves that we may not want other people to see or know. The distortion of the images creates different shapes that catch the eye and interest the viewer.

Sewing Onto Cyanotypes

For my experiment, I decided to create a cyanotype of one of my Antonio Mora inspired edits. I printed the image onto acetate and then placed it on top of some paper that had been painted with a mixture of potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate. This was then placed under a light in a light box and exposed until the parts of the paper concealed by the darker parts of acetate turned white and the parts unconcealed turned blue. 

Then, because the topic is truth, fantasy and fiction, I chose to sew an eye onto the image. This is because eyes are considered to be symbolic and representative of the truth and how the eyes tell the truth whereas conscience and the mind can lie and manipulate. 

Looking at my experiment, I have chosen not to use this technique for my final piece as I feel that it lacks finesse and doesn't look as effective as a double exposure would.

Patrick Hickley - Cyanotypes

Patrick Hickley is a New Zealand based artist who does a lot of contemporary photography. One portfolio of his that interests me is his cyanotype portfolio 'complexstructures'. The reason that this portfolio is so intriguing to me is that it uses a mixture of photography and textiles, outlines and detail having been sewn on top of the image which is printed on watercolour paper. 

What I like about these images is that the monochromatic blues and whites of the cyanotypes contrast with the red of the thread detailing that has been sewn into the image. The images themselves are of people whereas the the patterns created with the thread are of what is inside the subject, in this case bones and muscle. High key lighting has been used within the photos which brings out the lighter tones within the composition and this is further emphasised by printing it in cyanotype which makes the photo monochromatic blues. This also contrasts with the warmer reds and draws the attention of the viewer due to the brighter red standing out boldly against the muted blues. 

For me, the way thread has been used within the photos represents the truth and reality that, no matter who we are, we are all human and we all are made up of the same components; bone and muscle and skin. The images highlight the fact that we are all the same no matter how different we are as individuals and that we are all just human when push comes to shove. I want to incorporate this technique with my work to create shapes and outlines within images of fire and smoke to represent the idea that nightmares, despite the fact that they aren't real, can be burnt into your mind and can affect the way you perceive the world around you.

Personal Response - Antonio Mora

In response to Antonio Mora's double exposure images, I imported images of smoke from my fire photoshoot into photoshop and edited the levels, brightness, contrast, and black and white settings. This created a more dramatic contrast as well as bringing out the shape and form of the images and creating a larger variety of tone. I then imported an image of fire and ash on top of each smoke photo and changed the blending options to colour burn. This created a much more interesting composition and added colour into the composition. This draws in the viewer and I feel that it symbolises the reality that everything burns and dies at some point, no matter what it is. 

Final Images:

Personal Response - Erwin Blumenfeld

For my response to Blumenfeld's photography work, I chose to use the idea of duplicating an image and making it into a block outline then incorporated it with the original photo. To start, I used a colouring pencil filter on one of my images and changed the settings before erasing parts of the image so it was just the outlines of the flames that were left. I then proceeded to experiment with different blending options to see which option would make the outlines look more prominent within the composition. 

The reason I decided on this process is because I wanted to play with the idea of incorporating something real with something that doesn't look real, putting a spin on the idea of reality and truth. The solid lines and colours that are incorporated with the flowing flames create a contrast and attract the eye of the reader with the unusual shapes and outlines within. 

Final Images: 

Personal Response - Jiang Zhi

When taking photos as a personal response, I decided to take photographs of burning old or personal items as a way of symbolising how we can burn and destroy the past but the reality is that the memories will still remain. I then chose to take photographs at a slower shutter speed of 1/125 to make the flames look like they were flowing more as opposed to a faster shutter speed which would make them look more solid and still.

After importing one of my images into photoshop, I chose to change the levels in order to make the darker elements even darker, bringing our the brighter elements of the flames and making them bolder so they catch the eye.

My next step was to adjust the brightness and the contrast. Once again, this allowed me to make the flames bolder and eye catching as well as making the contrast of colours more evident within the image. 

I then proceeded to change the hue, saturation and lightness. As you can see, this gave the flames a warmer tint and made them seem more red-pink and orange. This also highlighted some of the darker tones and emphasised the glow of the flames on the ash and rubble which makes the image more aesthetically pleasing. Changing the lightness also changed the black so that it was a little lighter, giving almost a vintage feel. 

The final step I took was to change the highlight and shadow within the composition. This gave the flames more form and contrast as well as highlighting more of the darker tones that are slightly lighter than the black. I feel that this has made the image seem much more aesthetically pleasing and interesting to look at.

Final Images:

Contact Sheets: