#digital experiments

I am going to teach myself a different keyboard layout. Neo, which is very different from QWERTZ (which I am used to).

Why would I put myself through this? I can type pretty fast with QWERTZ, thanks to years of doing it a lot (never learned it properly though).

There's a few reasons, the latest that is currently tipping me over the ledge being that typing anything in Turkish with a bog standard German QWERTZ layout requires me to copypaste all the special characters from a character table, which is seriously no fun. And switching keyboard layouts just for a word or three – meh, no, uncool. Functional but uncool.

But learning a whole different keyboard layout that will enable me to write things in sooooo many languages? And generally type even more efficiently once I've mastered it?? Sign me up baby 🤩

…honestly I cannot resist the siren call of Optimisation™. Things could be better! I only need to put in a large amount of effort! 😆

But seriously, I'm giving this a go. I already installed the layout and the training programme, AND did my first lesson (two letters, did not pass). No risk no FUN!

Over the 3 weeks I had some time to think about what I wanted to create for my final piece and styles I wanted to experiment with. To start off I researched further into my chosen topic or stereotypes and looked at how the media portray women and how social media can cause a lot of problems due to how it shows a fake reality where everyone is perfect and has perfect bodies are all smiling and happy which can affect someone wellbeing as looking at this can make them feel bad about themselves and cause a negative impact on how they view themselves and their self esteem and self confidence and self image and it can be very degrading.

I also started to further by research by looking at artists and photographers that I could potentially look into and be inspired by. I looked at arrange of techniques and artists which I found in books, the internet and on Pinterest. The artists include Dominic Beyeler, Sandra Chevrier, lino lago, Barbra Kruger, Van Ray, Shepard Fairey,Natalia Ivanovna, Sammy Slabbnick, Gillian wearing, Roy Lichtenstein, Loira K and some projects which included the @iamtiredproject which I saw on instagram and the UN women advert campaign. these artists use arrange of techniques that are all different and unique from each other which can help me to create exquisite and beautiful digital artwork and analog artwork that I could use in my magazine for my final major project

Using some of these artists styles I then proceeded to create some new experiments and ideas I could use I’m my magazine. To do this I use Procreate and Photoshop to create collages using secondary images and drawings on procreate which I created inspired by some of the artists techniques that I found out. In my opinion I am really proud of how they came out as it took time and dedication whilst patience as there was fine areas on the drawings and many layers as I had to remember which layer was which so I don’t accidentally draw on the wrong one.

I then thought about where I wanted to go next with my project and thought about advertising, magazines, merchandise and posters but then decided I could create posters in a publication to show the impact of stereotypes in the media and how it affect people wellbeing positively and negatively and how people are challenging it and promoting women empowerment and changing the representation of women. This led me to create a flat plan of what it can look like as the magazine will mainly be full of quotes and images both primary and secondary images which I will explore further. I then proceeded to create typography concepts of my name ideas on canva of the type of font I could have as my master head for my magazine

After that I then moved on to planning and creating 4 Photoshoot ideas that I can later on put into my magazine and use in procreate and photoshop to create more ideas to be in my magazine. These Photoshoot ideas were inspired by images I saw on Pinterest and artists that I researched further. I created pieces with writting on the face and hands, images using LED lights in various ways, people holding up signs about stereotypes, playing around with text using printed paper with words to make a dress and post it notes glued to the subject to show the negative impact of calling women these names

This week I furthered my ideas as I created experiment using the styles I researched from artists. I created these experiments using photoshop and pro create. My first idea that I created was creating digital collages on photoshop to make it seem like a painting. To do this I added a painting background and topped it with hands which I coloured in pink, purple and red using the paint brush tool and to make it seem like stereotypical feminine hands. These hands are the centre of the piece and it is topped with two images of the queen of hearts which can show that all women are queens in their own ways and that we shouldn't try and change ourselves to fit into society norms and feel like we have to look a certain way or act a certain way. I feel that creating this piece can have many different interpretations.

my next piece I created was also using photoshop and instead of experimenting using the different tool like I did in the past weeks, instead I decided to create another Digital collage that is simplistic but sends a message out. for this piece I used a model of Florence Pugh because she is an inspritaional celebrity who also helps to challenge stereotypes that we have in society and in the media. To create this piece I used a background that is filled with a repetition of questions marks that are a arrange of sizes and then wrapped it to added a variety of sizes and so the whole background could fit on the document I'm working with. after that I then though about the kind of message I want to be sending out with this piece and then thought that it would be a good idea to show a vintage mirror as our identity are wrapped by beauty expectations.

After these ideas I then moved on to using procreate and experiment with creating some digital drawing in the style of Roy Litchenstein with comic book art. To create this I use faces I found on the internet and traced around them to create an outline. For my first piece I did I used 3 crying faces in a diagonal line to emphasise that women aren’t all happy and that they are actually very good at hiding their emotions. To help with this I added a happy face to show the two sides of emotions that women can be seen as. This piece can show that even though women appear as strong, powerful and like they are able to conquer the world as nothing is wrong they are actually emotional and stereotyping and insulting them cause cause them to crying and feel bad about themselves which can affect them as a person. I showed this though the faces and with the quote that is written in black at the bottom right corner.