Today Is Indeed a Happy Shed

or, alternatively:
How to Get Annie Chillingworth To Stop Talking

Today was definitely productive. I first did a drawing for my sketchbook this morning. Not very inspiring, but if, like me, you've barely drawn for 40 years, it's something you have to make yourself do.

Photography Project

Next I researched some images for my photography project. Using photoshop, I am planning to superimpose some strong black and white images of Imani and Jai over detailed backgrounds.

I was initially inspired to do this through looking at the work of Loretta Lux, who's exaggerated photographs of children are both serenely beautiful and slightly disturbing.

Although her backgrounds are very plain, and the overall palette is generally quite pastel, I began thinking about using her sort of imagery, but putting it on a much more detailed background, ala Frida Kahlo:

I then also looked at chinoiserie as a possible background as it's a style I particularly love:

Likewise, Van Gogh's Blossoms are quite similar and really beautiful

Finally, on this note, two of my favourite brands also borrow heavily from chinoiserie:

Arizona Iced teas and...

The artist Anahata Katkin, who's created the international brand Papaya around her designs:

http://www.anahataart.com/

So that was fun.

Pathway Project: Face Value

Then, after lunch, things just got even better.

For my interpretation of Face, I am looking at face value. Firstly I'm looking at it in literal form, rendering a cast face in five different finishes:

• papier mache
• diamante
• fabric
• porcelain
• gold leaf

The diamente face is partly inspired by Damien Hirst's Skull. I was lucky enough to view it this summer when it was just me and the guard in a darkened room. 

I found it really beautiful and much less tacky than it appears in photographs: 

The fabric covered face will be inspired by the work of Bryony Jennings, whose animals I really love.













Now, I obviously need a face to work on, so I chose Annie's. (And she was a great model. And, although hates being massaged, might consider mud wraps from now on):

It was a very soothing process, gently spreading mud rock over her face (although obviously not an exercise for the claustrophobic) and I hope that we'll end up with a great mould from which to work.

But most of all, Animated Annie was completely silent for a good ten minutes. Amazing!

And she survived the experience (of not talking).

My Film That Wasn't

I have decided to abandon my idea of filming lots of different people.

Too complicated. Too stressful. And wouldn't condense down to a minute.

Suddenly I feel so much better.

Phew.

ps: And I have now decided that I am going to make a short film about beekeeping instead.

Never Film With Animals, Children or Me

Ok, so have to do a small film project. Only a minute. Just one minute.  Can't be that bad.

Oh god. The palpitations, planning and stress.

Hints for a would be documentary maker:

1. Don't arrive half an hour late, hot and flustered, having just wasted an hour trying (and failing) to do some very simple maths.
2. Make sure that your camera battery is fully charged, and doesn't flash red throughout the process of filming.
3. Make sure that you're actually recording the truly beautiful piece to camera that your highly eloquent subject has just so kindly given.
4. Make sure that your mike doesn't pick up every sound from the street below: a shop alarm going off; a car rumbling past; a small child mumbling to themselves. (And that it is also turned on and recording).
5. Make sure that, should you decide to set your camera to MF (because you don't really understand the equipment and don't know what will happen if it's on auto focus), you've taken along your reading glasses so that you can see whether or not the picture is correct. There's always the option of asking your subject to check for you. But it's never terribly professional.
6. Make sure that your subject isn't dramatically lit from sunlight on the left, leaving the right side of their face in near total darkness.
7. Make sure that you remain relatively calm and composed throughout the painful process. Don't start gabbling like a complete idiot. Then leave. Only to realise you've left half your equipment behind and have to return for it twenty minutes later.

Thanks, James. It was definitely a learning experience. And I'll probably be back to film it all again...

(But I said I'd get a nice shot of you.)