CONCEPT: Blog entry 45

DONE! This one has turned out much better than the others, and I proved that I can do this in a day. If I can do this in a day, I know that I will have the time to make one for each of the species on the R.L next semester for my outcome. Although this isn't as detailed as I'd like it to be. Theres only 5 images that make up the pattern. The background pattern works really well, I think because theres so many different images that make it up. what I have been are just little experiments to see what works, but next time I want to try making the stamps bigger with more detail. 

Experimentation with pattern - White-tailed eagle

Experimentation with pattern - White-tailed eagle

White-tailed eagle pattern stamp

I spent more time playing with the composition on this one, to try and get it right. After looking at lots of other patterns the other day, with this one I tried to make sure that everything was equally spaced, I also tried to make sure that everything was spread further apart, with the hopes that it might make the pattern flow better.

I think this attempt has been the most successful so far. Each one I do they get a little bit better. I cant wait to really get stuck into this next semester.

CONCEPT: Blog entry 44

This is the background pattern that I made for the white tailed-eagle pattern, made up of all the prey that it might eat. All the images of the eagle that I've been working on today will go over the top of this to make up the main pattern. 

CONCEPT: Blog entry 43

I wanted to have one final bash at a pattern before hand in, and theres a couple of ideas for back grounds that I think will make this work better...

so, starting from scratch, with the white-tailed eagle. I wanted to do this one because it's slightly different from the few that Ive done so far, and I wanted to show more how I could incorporate the food aspect of this idea.

Here are some of my initial drawings that will go make up the final pattern;

White-tailed eagle

White-tailed eagle

From all my past experimentations, I discovered that when the bird is all one colour, it is best to use a couple of shades of that colour, instead of just the one colour, like I am able to do with the other more colourful species...these I just use the different colours to give the impression of the shape of the bird. when they are just one colour, if I only use one colour, they lose their shape and definition and look rubbish, so a couple of shades of the same colour help give it back some of that definition, but I still want to keep it to as few colours as possible.

White-tailed eagle

White-tailed eagle

White-tailed eagle

CONCEPT: Blog entry 42

Once again, I've taken to Pinterest for ideas;

Pattern Board - Pinterest

I've been trying to work out how to get around the problem of my pattern having gaps in it (it's really annoying me). So I thought that looking at lots of other different patterns might help. It has kind of...But I think the only way to stop this from happening, its to make a section, see how it works, and then go back to it, and keep working it like that. It's going to require some patience, something which I have none of. I also think I need to make more little bits to fill up spaces...I can use this to my advantage by adding little things like flowers and food (rabbits, insects, berries) to give more information, but to also make my pattern flow better.

CONCEPT: Blog entry 41

AS part of my research, I decided to look in to what else there is around the red list...books, articles etc. In my previous research I had found a couple of books, one of them being While Flocks Last by Charlie Elder (Elder 2009) which focuses on one mans journey to track down all of the birds on the Red List. Although this book works as a story of Elder's life for the year that he spent finding all of the birds, it does offer a lot of information on each bird, and why they are on the Red List. Also there was the RSPB bird guide itself which highlights which species belong to the red, amber and green categories - I also found this feature in another bird guide; The Kids' Book of Garden Birds (Sahai, 2013). There is also a small book of poetry about the Red List, The Red List: A Poem (Cushman, n.d.), but, apart from these few examples, I haven't found any other books that reference the Red List - never mind a guide book that focuses entirely on the Red list.

Like wise, I wasn't able to find many articles on the subject, just a couple from around the time the RSPB announced the Red List. There is this one (Adam, 2009) on the guardian...but there is very little on the Red list.

This project will serve to fill that gap. It will offer more information on the Red List itself, and also the birds, but not just the information on the species, like most other guides, but why they are featured on the Red List, and why it matters. I want it to spread the word, and make more people bothered about this. I need to find away to give the subject a wide appeal; I'm hoping that I can do this through my style of illustration.

Adam, D. (2009). Cuckoo joins official list of UK's most endangered birds. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/may/28/cuckoo-endangered-bird-species [Accessed 27 Aug. 2014].

Cushman, S. (n.d.). The red list. 1st ed.

Elder, C. (2009). While flocks last. 1st ed. Oxford: ISIS.

Sahai, S. (2013). The Kids' Book of Garden Birds. 1st ed. Square and Circus.

CONCEPT: Blog entry 40

Today I have spent most of my day working on this pattern, with golden orioles all over it. I wanted to use this example of more how I can mix in more information about the bird (although this particular species may have been a poor choice in hindsight) but you get the gist...I have used both the male and female variations of the bird, and the branches it sits upon are those of the tree where it's favourite berries grow. The also eat insects, but I was unsure how/whether to include this (??).

Experimentation in Photoshop, Golden Oriole Pattern

[As you can see here, it doesn't quite seamlessly repeat yet, but it's getting there! - I'll talk about this a little more in a moment]

Experimentation in Photoshop, Golden Oriole Pattern, Detail

Experimentation with pattern - Holes!

As this image shows, although this attempt at a repeating pattern was more successful, I still have noticeable holes! It is only my second attempt using this method, but I wanted to have at least one nicely done example before I hand my work in. sadly though, this has taken me the best part of a day, and it is no where near as nicely polished as I would like it to be...

I may just have a to accept that I haven't got time to be able to nail this technique before assessment..which is pretty pants.

HOWEVER! It does work, I just need to work on it and get better at it; my second attempt is already lots better than my first, I don't think it will take that long for me to get the hang of it. 

It does work, it just needs lots more experimentation and polishing, which I will have time for in the next module, I just haven't had time for it in this module because I've been too busy pulling my hair out figuring out what I'm actually going to do.

CONCEPT: Blog entry 39

For this one, I actually found out how to make a proper repeating pattern - as a result, it works much better. It's not as nicely finished as I'd like (I've been at this all day, I'm packing up after this post) the leaves look horrid, I'll have to find a better way to do these next time, but for today I just wanted to see if I could do this.

[This is the tutorial I followed to make my pattern]

Experimentation with pattern in Photoshop - Marsh Tit

Experimentation with pattern in Photoshop - Marsh Tit detail

Another part of the plan, was to make  the pattern relate to the birds habitat, which I haven't done here (time, and I'm just fannying around), I did try to do this more with my previous pattern with the lapwings (showed it's nest, tried to convey the idea of water etc.) with the smaller birds I'm thinking of using the trees that they like to hang out in... and it will generally flow better when I have them all together (it will be more obvious what I'm doing, I hope, anyway) for instance, the wader birds will be around water, on sand, marshes. Game birds (capercallie, grey partridge etc.) will be on the ground, autumnal colours and leaves, and the smaller birds will have their favourite trees (foods, berries etc.) I just think its a more interesting way to show the birds habitat that the traditional images found in these kinds of books.

I really like this idea...but, how is it relevant to the RSPB Red List? Why should it be a pattern?

Well; (a couple of ideas..)

- Patterns are fashionable, a way to appeal to a wider audience 

- Book could link to a website, where can buy things with that print on, with a portion of the proceeds going to the RSPB (I have other ideas for a website too, later though).

(Although these two ideas are making it very female orientated - can you make a butch pattern??)

I'm just thinking of trying to do something different with the illustrations! As my research yesterday proved, there are so many arty bird books, full of very similar looking pretty water colours of birds and animals - I need to find something different to make mine stand out.

___________________________

I've been thinking about what I might put in my PPF...and what I will actually be making. Right now, I'm thinking it will be a book (on the Red List, obvs). I want the book be a combination of the two main types of bird books; the species guide and the arty coffee table book, with a wide audience appeal. I want it to provide information on the Red List and the individual species, like the species guide, but I also want it to have the appeal of the coffee table books. 

I've also been thinking that this book can then link to website; the website will have a couple of features,

- More info on each species (sound clips, photos)

- Sighting maps that can be added too - can see where the birds of the Red List have been spotted

- Shop! for the patterns, proceeds going to the RSPB

There is much more work to be done on this...but my idea is coming together! (Its about bloody time too!)

CONCEPT : Blog entry 38

This is my first attempt at making a pattern, using my previously developed style. I quite like the result, but I think it needs more work, it doesn't repeat very well, but this is something that I can work on if I go with this idea.

Experimentation in photoshop - Lapwing Pattern

Experimentation in photoshop - Lapwing Pattern Detail

I'm not sure about it yet, but this is stuff that I can focus on next semester, when it comes to making the thing. Really right now I just want some examples of what I could do, to show my ideas at this point.

Going to have a bash at another one of these with another bird...

CONCEPT : Blog entry 37

As well as looking at various books that are knocking around, I've been looking at the Red List  on the RSPB's website (The RSPB, 2014). And I've been thinning about what my book could look like..what to include, how it would work.

I want it to function as a guide, and with the information on the Red List but also to appeal to a wide audience, I think I've given up on appealing to children really, but younger adults, just more people outside of the hardcore twitchers, and I'm thinking of all the ways in which I could do this.

I have been thinking about doing a print/pattern for each bird...this could be something a little different. This idea comes from a love of Cath Kidston, but also thinks like William Morris prints, John Ruskin, and Timerous Besties. This kind of vintage pattern is making a come back and can be utilised to appeal to the wider audience that I am wanting it too...If I really wanted to go made I could have some of my patterns printed to fabric and make some bits an bobs too (just something to think about - materials to go along side a book).

The patterns would include bits of information about each species, like links to their habitat and location in the county.

Cath Kidston - Garden Birds Pattern

Timorous Beasties Pattern 

William Morris pattern

John Ruskin Study of Kingfisher 1871

With my dissertation pretty much finished, I can focus on this idea, and get back to making things, and see what I can make work! I'm excited to get making things again.

The RSPB, (2014). Red, amber and green explained. [online] Available at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/status_explained.aspx [Accessed 18 Aug. 2014].

CONCEPT : Blog entry 36

To get some ideas, and just to see what was already out there, today I went to Waterstones to have a look at all of the bird guides on sale.

There seems to be two types; the standard identification guide, and the arty picture book;

 (Dale, 2014)

 (Floyd, 2010)

(Sewell, 2012)

 These three books are very similar in format, the only difference appears to be the topic (animals, location, etc.) and the style of illustration (all nice watercolours). The format of the pages is even the same! For each bird/animal, there is a one page image, and one page of text. This was going to be what I was going to do, although now I think I will have to rethink that, and do something different.

 (Sibley, 2013)

 (Palin, 2013)

I have another book like this, A Dissimulation of Birds (Palin, 1998) same author, although this focuses on just birds, where as A Murmuration of starlings covers animals and birds. This is why I'm not going to do a book based around the idea of collective nouns, although I have thought about including it.

(Berrie, 2013)

 (Svensson et al., 2009)

 (Vinicombe et al., n.d.)

These are just some examples of the standard bird guides that are on offer. All very similar - this is the thing that I wanted to do something about when I was thinking about re-doing the nature reserve signs.

What I would like to do is combine the arty nice book, with the traditional guide, while also drawing attention to the Red List.

These books may be very similar, but non of them focus on the Red List; this is what I am aiming to do.

(Lindo, 2013) 

This book doesn't so much focus on the birds, I mainly just liked the little detail on the page number, I think its really sweet and a good way to bring back the theme of birds.

  Another book, similar to this, but which does focus on the Red List and bird watching is While Flocks Last, by Charlier Elder (Elder, 2009) this book highlights the difficulties of tracking down all of the birds on the Red List; it shouldn't be that hard!

(Basford, 2013)

This idea I thought was really sweet! Its a colouring book. I also found a couple of scavenger hunt books. I really like this idea, although I think I could have only really used it when I was thinking about the nature reserve sign project...but it's a nice idea that I might come back to (it would be a really good way to appeal to kids).

Basford, J. (2013). Secret garden. 1st ed.

Berrie, C. (2013). Bird post cards. 1st ed. Lawrence King.

Dale, H. (2014). The country set. 1st ed. ANOVA National Trust.

Elder, C. (2009). While flocks last. 1st ed. Oxford: ISIS.

Floyd, M. (2010). Birdsong. 1st ed. London: National Trust.

Lindo, D. (2013). The urban birder. 1st ed. New Holland Publishers Ltd.

Palin, S. 
(2013). A murmuration of starlings. 1st ed. Merlin Unwin Books.
(1998). A dissimulation of birds. 1st ed. London: Minerva Press.

Sewell, M. (2012). Our garden birds. 1st ed. London: Ebury.

Svensson, L., Mullarney, K., Zetterström, D. and Grant, P. (2009). Collins bird guide. 1st ed. London: HarperCollins.

Vinicombe, K., Harris, A., Tucker, L. and Harris, A. (n.d.). The Helm guide to bird identification. 1st ed.

CONCEPT : Blog entry 35

I've been thinking about my original idea, the one that I've had right from the start; the RSPB bird guide. The red list is something that I am really interested in an passionate about; we need to be doing more to try and stop our english birds becoming endangered, and dying out completely.

My original idea was to produce a nice book, highlighting these issues, with a more up to date aesthetic that would appeal to a wider audience.

I stopped with this idea because I thought that it would be too similar to Matt Sewell's work. This might be true in some ways, but Sewell's books do not address the issue of the Red List. 

Although, does this fall into the category of a guide? Am I too close to what I was doing before? 

What they're going to want to know is, how will what I create add to the field? Well, as far as I know, there an identification guide, or other book that focuses solely on the birds of the Red list; other guides may touch on it, highlighting which species are on the list, but there isn't a book of just the red listed birds. The RSPB makes a pdf document of the list every year, but doesn't offer up much information.

I think I've sold it to myself. It's the most promising idea that I have so far. It may be a little like a guide, or that would be one of it's purposes, but its main purpose would be to gain more interest, raise awareness etc. etc.

It's do-able too, theres around 40 birds on the red list...the out come would most likely be  book, I can utilise the style that I developed over this semester.

This is something that I am passionate about, I already know a fair bit on the topic, as it's something that I have been wanting to work around for the past...3 years!

Yes! Now all I have to do is come up with a decent 'working title'...

CONCEPT : Blog entry 34

I tried out the idea I had the other week, (can be found in this blog post) this just looks pants...I only did this quickly, just to try it out in photoshop..but still; totally awful.

Experimentation in Photoshop

And the more I think of this idea..the more I'm sure this one will be a flop too. The idea was to do a series of short stories on the urban fox, badger culling etc... these were to be aimed at children but also informative for adults. 

That, kind of could have possibly worked..but then I started thinking about how the hell to make the subject of badger culling suitable for children. I'm not sure it can, at all. This stye doesn't exactly fit or work either.

I did do this, which I liked;

Which is basically just an addition to an earlier piece. But that doesn't get me any closer to knowing what I'm going to do next semester.

I keep thinking about getting started on my PPF and PDP, in between working on my dissertation...but I honestly don't know what to put in it.

I keep coming back to birds..birds and foxes. What can I do with that?

CONCEPT : Blog entry 33

Today I've been scribbling in my sketchbook, trying to come up with a better direction for this project.

Symbology and story behind common birds:

-This would be an illustrated book

-Useing story telling to get children interested in wildlife; interesting and humourous enough to appeal to adults too

-would use folk tales, myths, nursery rhymes

-can possibly use typography and poetic nouns

-range of different styles, maybe? or just stick to that which I've already developed

But is there enough material to make this last a whole project? Not all birds are as kind as magpies for having a cute little rhyme attached to them. Some of the symbology is complex and not so child friendly...could I make this work? Does it have to be aimed at children?

Phenomena of the natural world:

this started from the starlings murmuration, again...then it got me to thinking about the small wonders of nature..spider webs, puffer fish love nests, fire flies, weaver bird nests..I need many many more to make it work..but where do I draw there line? not sure if there's enough animal/insect related ones, then I cross over into fungus, and landscapes, the northern lights.

On the upside it would stand for everything that I'm into; the preservation of nature.

Have also been wracking my brains trying to think of something that I could do to build on the murmuration idea...

There's so much there! flock patterns, science, plagues, nature, flock mentality, conservation, natural phenomena, coexistence, humans, natural beauty.

There's enough there, but I cannot think of a way to put that into a project.

Why are all my ideas pants dead ends??? That awful concept panel has knocked my confidence, and I feel like every idea I have is completely rubbish.

I don't have time to have this dilemma.