Visual Research

The class is starting to prepare for their final project and these are the steps/requirements that John has outlined for the project.

1. What is your image?

          Find an image that you would like to work from and determine the size of your surface. Each student must have 3 to 4 manipulated versions of their photograph. John suggests altering your photo in photoshop with filters such as the 'artistic cutout' filter or the 'pixilated mosaic' filter to eliminate and simplify information. This will help you deconstruct the images and things you see in a deeper way.

2. Define your palette.

         What is your goal for the final image? What kind of aesthetic do you want to explore? The type of palette you choose can help you reach the aesthetic goal you desire and will help communicate a mood and unify the image. We've discussed the Zorn palette quite a bit, but there are so many out there to choose from or that you can create on your own.

3. The final image must have evidence of your altered photos. 

          The image above shows John's process for creating visual research. He has taken a photo of a baby and then manipulated it in several ways - photoshoping, sketching and printing, drawing over his printouts with charcoal, collaging on the printouts, painting and collaging together. He has placed all the paintings he is working on and all the images he is working from together in a group so that he can analyze the types of visual trends that are occurring. By working on several paintings at once and then bringing them together like this, he is able to recognize a visual language, let each piece inform the other as they are created, and let the altered images inform the final work.

Can't wait to see what everyone develops!