Photography 02/11/2010

We had our first photography lesson. I was so

excited to start this subject as I really love

photography. Our lecturer for the subject is

Catharine. It seems like she’s American. She

seems very cool and friendly.

So our lesson started at 6pm. Me and Ravika

bought ourselves a latte to keep us awake as

we were very tired. Actually after we started

the lesson, I didn’t feel tired anymore.

In the lesson we learnt the basics of photography.

Well, we looked at how the camera works, etc.

Catharine showed us some old film SLR cameras.

They were so cool. I love old cameras. They

were very heavy. With these cameras we can

actually see how the aperture and shutter speed

works to take a perfect photo.

Aperture: known as f-stop. The amount of light

coming through the lens to make your exposure.

Light changes based on the aperture selected.

Shutter speed: How fast the camera takes the

picture. How long the lens/camera is exposed to

light.

 

After looking at how the camera works, Catharine

gave us D-SLR cameras to work with. We learnt

the basics of using this type of camera. Obviously

we had selected manual, so we have full control

of the camera and what we take.

 

Me and Ravika shared a camera, as Ravika’s

was given to someone else’s who’s didn’t work

properly. We took many photos. We were looking

at time and motion, etc. Here are some of

mine:

 

Here we were helping each other take the photos.

We tried lettering and creating other shapes with

light. I used my iPod and Zulfikar used his iPhone...

Me and Zulfikar saying 'Hi'. Zulfikar was still in

the prosses of writing Hi and I was waving. Taken

by Ravika.

Z for Zulfikar. Taken by Ravika.

My first attempt at writing a K. Taken by

Ravika.

My first attempt at a heart shape. Taken by

Ravika

We realised after a while that the background was

to bright because of the lights on the building, so

we changed locations.


K for Kazuho (2nd attepmt). Taken by Ravika

Heart shape (2nd attepmt). Taken by Ravika

By the way, the other line in both photos was

created by Zulfikar running across with his

iPhone. lol.

Ravika's S. Taken by me.

Just a random photograph taken by me.

Another S by Ravika. Taken by me.

Ravika's R. Taken by me.

What a great lesson. I actually don't mind this

lesson being at 6-9pm, because it’s fun and

interesting.

Visual Studies 02/11/2010

In todays lesson we started to work at a

bigger scale than before. To create our

darwings we used brown chalk (French),

white & black chalk, and we worked on

the reverse side of parcel paper.

The object we drew was made buy ourselves.

Using white card, we folded it in different

places so that we can make a complex design.

It's still incomplete, so we're going to work

on our drawings in the next lesson.

I need to finish of the bottom part and also

work on the tonal range. I need to expand it.

Contextual Studies 02/11/2010

In Graham's lecture, today we looked at

The Classical Heritage.

We looked at:

-Greek Period Style

-The Archaic Period (776-480 BC)

(including the geometric style)

-The Classical Period (480-323 BC)

(incuding the Golden Age)

-The Hellenistic Period (323-146 BC)

(including the High Classical Style)

-The Golden Ration

-The Harmonics of Phi

-The Fibonacci Sequence

CAD/ICT 02/11/2010

Today, Jackie wasn't in as she was ill so we

didn't really have a lesson. We were told to

either carry on with the project we are doing

or sort out our UCAS applications.

Me, Ravika and Zulfikar decided to add more

to our UCAS apllications. UCAS is Universities

and Colleges Addmissions Service. So we use

this to apply for university. Me and Zulfikar did

this last year, but because that was a 2010

application, we have to re-apply for 2011.

All three of us want to go to the same university,

but we have to apply to five in total, so we looked

for other universities to apply for.

Our choices:

1) Nottingham Trent University

2) De Monfort University

3) Leeds Metropolitan University

4) University of Greenwich

5) Birmingham City University (back up choice,

if all else fails.)

We all want to go to Nottingham Trent, as they have

the best course for us, BArch Hons (Bachelor of

Architecture). The others are just BA Hons.

Zulfikar also showed us the house which his dad

is palnning on buying for our accomondation.

Obviously, me and Ravika will pay rent, etc, and

Zulfikar will be free, lol.

The house looks really kind of fancy from the

outside. It's late-Victorian. I quite like it. 

Fashion & Textiles 1/11/2010

Today, we started our Fashion & Textiles subject
with Louise (lecturer).  I actually couldn't wait to
do textiles as I really wanted to make an 18th
century costume.  Well, not a full costume as we
only have this lesson for six weeks, but a single
garment.

Louise gave us our brief.  The theme was still
contrast, like before, but we had to look at
contrasts in ENERGY.
I got a little stuck on what to do when I heard
this.  You see, I had already decided to look at
Gothic architecture, 18th century costumes and
21st century costumes.  I chose these because,
1) architecture is what I would like to do in the
future, I like really like Gothic architecture and
I can use the patternes in my own designs. 2) I
really like 18th century fashion. Also, Gothic
architecture was revived ealier but definitely inthe 18th century. 3) 18th Century costumes are

a bit too flamboyant and elebrote for today's
everyday clothes.
So, I told Louise about my ideas and how I could
link it with energy.  She told me I could look at
Gothic times and the use of energy, and look at
the 1920s movie 'Metropolis'.  I thought this might
be a good idea, but when I thought about it deeper
it just confused me.  I tried researching using both
the internet and books.  After, a lot of thought and
researching, I decided to not link the Gothic/18th C
with the energy part.  For energy, I am looking at
synthetic material (fabrics) that produce static
energy and material (metals) which conduct electricity. 
The contrast here is obviously fabric/metal.

Books I looked at:


Designer/artist: Issey Miyake.
He uses synthetic fabirc to create garments.


Designer: Versace.
Late 20th/early 21st cothing.


Fabric
For different types of synthetic materials


High Gothic
For gothic architecture, etc.

I also looked at some of some of the resaerch I've
done before on 18th century costumes.

And, I also researched materials which can conduct
electricity.
I asked Jamie (technician) if he had any of these
materials, and if I could have some samples. He gave
me copper, aluminium, brass and steel.
I also got together samples of synthetic materials.
These were plastic, nylon, organza and netting.


I made two small test pieces, one using just different
coloured 'fine dyed wool tops', and the other also had
plastic mesh.  To get the synthetic wool to stick to
together I had to iron it.  I had to place the synthetic
wool in between a piece of cloth so that is doesn't stick
either to the ironing board or the iron itself.




Actually, Zulfikar had done this before me, and
when I saw his, I really wanted to try it out for
myself.
I really like how they turned out, and I also like
the material as it is shiny and reflective.

By the way, when me and Ravika were looking
through the fashion books.  I picked out a different
book from before on Versace and another designer.
There were a few very weird and disturbing pictures
of men. There were normal ones. I liked the
photograph's of Prince.  Well at least his were not
disturbing but actually cool, lol.