FINAL DESIGNS
F A U X B O O K S
I decided to go further with the book concept and create full illustrated designs complete with blurbs from the archives, and edited to look scanned, as if they were physical books in the archives collection. Each 'book' features original illustrated covers with art styles to match the genre, complete with wear and tear of varying degree to add to the accuracy of each genre it correlates.
"The Secrets of Sidlaw" - Inspired by the Adventures of Tintin and the Famous Five
The idea of children exploring the world around them as an adventure
"Sunnyside" - Inspired by controversial topics in pulp fiction novels
The concept of forbidden love, particularly when certain love was treated as a mental illness
"College" - Inspired not by a book, but by the College magazine, a student led publication from the early years of the Dundee University
IDEAS
L I G H T B U L B M O M E N T
- Sidlaw Industries is to become a childrens adventure, similar to Tintin and the Famous Five (meaning it was essential to add a dog companion)
- Sunnyside Asylum will be a romance drama, focusing on the controversial topics that were featured in pulp fiction novels
- The College magazine, will remain as a magazine, with a pastiche of the modern photos taken of students to promote universities, cheesy smiles and typical campus photos
DEVELOPMENT
T H E W R O N G D I R E C T I O N
Given the amount of old mills located in Dundee I thought an interesting concept would be to create a poster for Sidlaw Industries that was inspired by children's adventure/thriller, similar to Goosebumps and Goonies, with some children exploring the abandoned factories.
The illustration turned out much too scary for the archives, with the colour scheme being closer to thriller than childrens adventure. A reset of the colours led to a style that had a larger similarity to childrens mystery books, such as the Adventures of Tintin and the Famous Five. With this initial focus on book genres leading to a lightbulb moment of a new direction for the project.
AN EXCITING COLLABORATION
D U N D E E U N I V E R S T I Y A R C H I V E S
I've got the exciting opportunity to work with the Dundee University Archives on a series of posters to advertise their various collections to the public. We've decided on three main collections:
- The University Records
- The Local Collection
- Tayside Health Board Records
Within these collections we chose specific areas of interest that could draw the public in,
The University Records - Focusing on the College magazine, a student led publication
The Local Collection - Focusing on Sidlaw Industries, also known as Camperdown Works, a jute factory owned by the Cox brothers. At one point being the worlds largest jute works, it covered 30 acres with over 14,000 workers, a majority female
Tayside Health Board Records - Focusing on Sunnyside Royal Hospital, founded in 1781 as the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, a psychiatric hospital located in Hillside, Angus
ORDER PLACED
O F F T O P R I N T
The publication is off to print! I've ordered a total of four copies, just to be safe. It would have been a better learning experience to print and bind the publication myself, but given the small window available to print, I don't want to risk not having the final product for hand-in. After much research and deliberation, I decided the company 'Mixam' would be best suited, the production turn around is quick enough, and the pricing is the best for the quality I want.
SPECIFICATIONS
Booklet: A5, 80 pages, perfect bound, 160gsm, colour throughout
Cover: 350gsm, uncoated
PUBLICATION
BIG BOY BOOK
Below is the proof preview from the production company. Overall I am pleased with the composition, though the fold line obscures some detail in the double page spreads, its not too destructive to be a major concern. I had the mock-up checked and rechecked numerous times to ensure quality and accurate spelling, making this particular and final copy, the fifth edition.
I learnt an incredible amount about Indesign while making this publication, teaching myself certain aspects of the programme that I wasn't familiar with, it was a challenge, but I am satisfied with the result, even if there is little in the way of actual illustration.
SUITCASE
S T I C K E R S I N C O N T E X T
It might be a while until I can get my hands on a suitcase suitable for displaying the travel stickers, in the meantime I wanted to create a digital mock-up showcasing the stickers in context. I roughed up a few to make them less 'shiny', and seem more authentic, in that they would have traveled with the suitcase, so they wouldn't exactly be so clean. Seeing them in this format made me reflect on the physical work I have produced so far, and my intentions going forward. Creating the stickers was a challenge, I've never done anything like this before, and deciding to choose a different style for each one was quite difficult, but I'm glad I chose to, it pushed the boundaries of what I see myself capable of in illustration.
THOUGHTS
A D U M B R E A L I S A T I O N
I've been so focused on style and the concept of vintage movie/theatre posters, that I was becoming increasingly stressed that I couldn't nail down 'the look'. Everything felt too modern, or the colours weren't right, or the composition overall didn't fit with the research I had done. And then I had a dumb realisation, if I carried on, I would end up with an exact copy of the ones I had been researching, but that I would lose the influence of my individual practice. Theres no point creating the exact same poster, pixel for pixel, copying someone else's work isn't illustration, its theft.
NOT A POSTER
C R I M E N O V E L ?
I started the concept of creating 30s 40s movie/theatre inspired posters, the ones that focus heavily on illustrated aspects to create a visually interesting image. Though I found that without having done much research, or investing time into the idea, that I created an image that doesn't work in the way that I wanted. In response to the information I had just gained from Beresfield Cemetery, I created the illustration shown below, a mixture of my own research and the confusion I was feeling, it's an interesting image, but not what I had intended. I think the illustration itself works well, and I can visualise it as a promotional flyer for the exhibition, or a cover for a leaflet, but its style matches that of a crime novel, not quite what I was going for.
BRAINSTORM
MORE N MORE IDEAS
An idea I have had since the beginning, was to display the research I have collated into a museum style exhibition space, though this isn't something that can be physically submitted, so a digital mock-up, with physical elements would be the way to go. However I was suggested making a publication, as either an accompaniment to the exhibition, or to replace it, I'm currently weighing the options and time I have, though its looking to be that I make the publication, and use any time afterwards, to create the mock-up exhibition.
- Digital mock-up exhibition space
- Life and death timeline
- Large scale posters to signify important events - 30s 40s era style movie/theatre posters
- Video featuring digitalised Emitapes
- Artefacts/objects display - suitcase w/ stickers, reel to reel tape recorder, letters, handcuffs
- A publication/leaflet/zine
- Smaller than an exhibition
- Portable
- Provide context through narrative
- Illustrations throughout
TRAVEL STICKERS
SO MANY STICKERS
I felt with this research based project that I was heavily focusing on the academic side, and a lot less on the illustration. By taking the information I did have, I decided to set myself two weeks to create a series of travel sticker, basically as many as I could, based on the locations that Edgar Law visited in his lifetime. I focused on creating a variety of styles, and not to get lost in consistency, since the stickers themselves would be coming from different countries and different eras, so their style would not be consistent.
I felt with this research based project that I was heavily focusing on the academic side, and a lot less on the illustration. By taking the information I did have, I decided to set myself two weeks to create a series of travel sticker, basically as many as I could, based on the locations that Edgar Law visited in his lifetime. I focused on creating a variety of styles, and not to get lost in consistency, since the stickers themselves would be coming from different countries and different eras, so their style would not be consistent.
FREEMASONS
M A S O N I C L O D G E M E M B E R
I had a small amount of information hinting that Edgar was part of a Masonic Lodge, which was quite a 'trendy' thing to be a part of at the time. Using information I had on Edgars location in Australia I was able to reach out to a few Freemason groups to see if they had any records of him. Surprisingly I got a reply, the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales had the records;
Just to let you know, we have located some information on your ancestor Edgar ‘Ted’ Law, at this stage, and due to the fact that we are renovating and some of our written records are in storage, the information is rather meagre. We may be able to give you further information after the renovations are complete, which will be before mid-May. But for now:
Edgar ‘Ted’ Law, certificate number – 36950, was initiated on 16/07/1913 at Lodge Sir Colin Campbell No. 92 on the Rolls of the United Grand Lodge of NSW and ACT. The Lodge was formerly known as Lodge Sir Colin Campbell No. 665 on the Rolls of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and hence it was originally a Scottish constitution Lodge. It originally met in Balmain on the Third Wednesday of each month. The Lodge no longer exists as it was amalgamated with Lodge Balmain 23 Under that Name and number.
There is some further information on your ancestor, it appears that he resigned Lodge Sir Colin Campbell in August of 1914. But picked up membership again early the following year, there is the rest of his history;
18/03/1915 – joined Lodge Sedgwick No. 125 in Newcastle (Resigned on 30/10/1917)
10/11/1917 – Joined Lodge Lithgow Kilwinning No. 314 in Lithgow (Resigned on 9/1/1943)
16/02/1943 – Joined Lodge Canoblas No. 498 in Orange (Resigned on 15/10/1946)
12/10/1946 – Re-joined Lodge Lithgow Kilwinning No. 314 only out on death.
19/01/1959 – Joined Lodge Tomaree No. 878 in Nelson Bay (Resigned 21/12/1970)
This information is helpful in identifying the timeline of his movements in Australia, specifically his move from Newcastle, to Lithgow, to Orange, back to Lithgow, and finally Salamander Bay.
THE TAPES
T H I N K I N G
I've digitalised all the tapes. I fixed and edited the audio on most of them. And now I'm unsure how to proceed. I didn't realise how personal they would be, and how much of my direct family would be on the recordings. I had an idea to use one of the tapes, the one in which Edgar is talking through some of his many slides, and make a video presentation, using the slides as a visual, with the tape playing in the background. While it's a good idea, it's more suited for an exhibition, and it somehow doesn't feel right to play this audio to strangers, before the people who actually have a connection to it. So while I won't be submitting the audio of the tapes, I will still be using them in the proposal for exhibition space.
HIT A WALL
S L I D E S A N D T A P E S
The next stage in the main project, is to match the slides I have, to the recording in which Edgar is presenting them to family in England. The slides are to show the journey Edgar took from Sydney to Southhampton, on the Castel Felice Sitmar Line. The problem I have come across, is that the year of the recording of the tapes, is likely to be around 1965, and given that these tapes were in inherited after Edgars passing in 1973, I can't guarantee that all the images are in the same order that he presented them in, let alone if they are all here. Through checking the dates, I've found a large number of images taken in the year 1965, but also undated, and later dated photographs, so separating them into what I believe to be the correct order is going to take some time.
FORGOTTEN MUSEUMS
F I N A L I M A G E S
"After a short trip to London, in which I visited many museums and galleries, I became inspired to create a visual response to these locations. Alongside the big name museums there are smaller, less advertised facilities, that could easily shut down with no one noticing, so while they are still frequently visited, the lack of tourist attraction makes them open to risk of closure."
I decided to focus on three museums for this brief, choosing 'Grants Museum of Zoology', 'The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology', and 'Sir John Soane's Museum'. I proposed the poster designs to represent what 'could be', if the museums shut down. Grants museum becoming abandoned, with the displays and taxidermy animals remaining, as something an interested child would have to explore on their own, leading me to add a short slogan of sorts;
"Don't wait until its abandoned to explore"
For the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology I decided returning to its origins could be an ironic view of the museum closing, becoming buried, with the poster depicting its excavation, I also chose to make the archaeologist uncovering it people of colour, a specific decision made to highlight the reclaiming of artefacts that were taken by the British in early exploration of occupied countries, though I do appreciate that the objects housed in this museum are in current use for research purposes, and less of a display for tourists, which led to the caption;
"Don't wait until its buried to uncover its knowledge"
Sir John Soane's Museum contains so much in ways of art and artefacts that it was incredibly difficult to choose a point of focus for the poster. I eventually decided that the room of paintings would make a visually engaging poster, setting a scene of the paintings themselves being auctioned off due to the museums closure;
"Don't wait until its auctioned off to visit"
I believe the Grants Museum poster to be the strongest and most visually interesting of the three I produced, though I am satisfied with them overall. It was a challenge to set myself a live brief, to choose the criteria and 'force' myself to stick to it, I definitely learnt a lot in the short month I set myself for this.
EMITAPES
R E P A I R I N G A N D D I G I T A L I S I N G
It has taken a few months, but with the help of the IT department I have been able to work out a solution. The machine itself is too old to allow modern AUX or RCA cables, an adapter was included with the purchase of the reel to reel recorder that I found to work. This meant soldering a RCA cable to the adapter, with the AUX side to be plugged into a portable microphone, this allowed me to play and monitor the tapes, while they were recorded onto a SD card. However I will need to edit the recordings to convert the audio from mono to stereo, and reduce the noise, from aged damage.
MAP IT OUT
M U R D E R W A L L
As a way to keep track of all the research I am gathering in relation to Edgar's travels, I have decided to use a wall within my flat to visually display the facts. Its constantly changing with each new piece of information I have, and anyone who visits likely thinks I'm a psychopath, but it works.
PROJECT PROPOSAL
F O R G O T T E N M U S E U M S
CONTEXT
After a short trip to London, in which I visited many museums and galleries, I became inspired to create a visual response to these locations. Alongside the big name museums there are smaller, less advertised facilities, that could easily shut down with no one noticing, so while they are still frequently visited, the lack of tourist attraction makes them open to risk of closure.
MUSEUMS
- Grants Museum of Zoology
- House MinaLima
- Wellcome Collection
- Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
- Sir John Soane's Museum
- London Mithraeum
OUTCOMES
I intend to create a series of A3 advertisement posters that illustrate a few select London museums.
FACIAL ANALYSIS
C O M P A R I N G F E A T U R E S
While the human face changes with age, there are certain aspects that remain the same, the ears, nose, and skin around the neck, can droop. In the image above, I am comparing the 1913 photograph, in which I suspect the figure to be Edgar Law, to his 1970 passport photo. Surprisingly the hairline mainly remains the same, the height of the tip of the ears remains the same, as with the tip of the nose. The development of wrinkles and drooping of the skin around the neck are common with age, and so the differences in the above image have not much influence. Though the ears do droop, it's mainly within the lobe area, the distinct shape in the cartilage and helix remain the same, and can be incredibly unique to individuals as much as a fingerprint would be.
I further analysed the ears specifically as they are well enough lit, and distinct enough in shape, to be compared. Though the ears on the left could be passed as different shapes, the angle in which the later photo was taken distorts the full view of the cartilage, so it can be hard to confirm or deny that they are the same. The right however, has a very distinct 'Y' shaped antihelix, present in both photos, the angle and spacing of the outer ear and the expected droop with age, leads me to conclude that Edgar Law is infact the figure in the 1913 postcard.
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