camouflage_and_misdirection

In all honesty, I struggled when trying to come up with ideas for this part of the project. I found the prompt 'camouflage and misdirection' very out of my comfort zone, and all the initial ideas I had didn't excite me enough to pursue them.

Finally I reached the conclusion that inspired me the most; being 'camouflaged' in a uniform, 'fitting in' somewhere, which then lead to a discussion with Alis about losing yourself (or your individuality) to your job, and becoming blended in with the brand's identity. The final piece is a commentary on this.

I used green, as supermarket's branding is so strong a colour can confirm which supermarket it is.

This piece also reflects the disappearance of childhood dreams as you grow up. The presents on the conveyor belt represent the childhood dreams of the character; they are literally passing under his nose. He is in the clouds to represent a dream-like state.

I used clay to make the little details (strawberries, the character) and it reminded me of play-doh, something children use to make sculptures and figures. This could reflect the childhood imagination. I then used things like wire, paper, cardboard and cotton wool to finish it. The array of materials all have different qualities, but add texture to the piece, therefore making it more in depth and interesting to look at, rather than just using clay to add all the details.

I was influenced by my research about Rachel Maclean, as her work is something that inspires me a lot. I think she influenced this particular piece of work in the sense of the childlike appearance on the exterior, but the meaning under the surface being more sinister.

Okawa's work influenced the character and how emotions are reflected through a doll-like, almost human subject.

I took these pictures to showcase the piece using a big roll of paper to create a seamless background, and various household lights to create 'good' lighting.

I think the photography of a piece is important, especially because this project is handed in digitally, but I find that photographs are something that are difficult to have complete control over, because there are so many factors to get right (background, angle, lighting, editing etc.).

That being said, the final piece is the model, not the photographs, they are there just to document and showcase the piece.