Synopsis of Study

A metamorphosis is the concept of one form, being drastically changed in appearance, character, condition or function. I have identified a transformation of a common species, i.e. humans; diverge into a variation of animal species, in both literature and theatre interpretations of this concept. In particular, the National Gallery’s Metamorphosis: Titan (2012) short film presented not only the stages of the transformation, but expressed its symbolism and the effect it had on the protagonist and other characters. I am very interested to explore how the same concept can be successfully presented when illustration and performance are combined with the use of digital media and technology. This unit follows a recent inclusion of my passion for theatre and performance arts into my illustration practice, as I start to envisage future career aspirations.

In this unit, I propose to make an installation film based on ‘The Metamorphoses of Ovid’, a symbolic and mythical interpretation of the concept. The text will be useful when creating my own narrative for the film outcome, as its very descriptive, visualizing each stage of the metamorphosis to the reader. As a final outcome, I intend on projecting the film into a space, that ideally becomes part of the moving image. The audience will be able to view and interact with the film, by either standing or sitting in the area of projection. I intend for the film to be thought provoking and encourage people to support the performing arts. However, the function of the film is to inspire rather than to advertise.

My practice has vastly developed during the prior units. It has become evident that I suit working on a larger scale and tend to encompass technology into my drawing technique. I am also very aware of the popularity of visual communication through video mapping and projection art. I believe my work needs to take these approaches on board and apply them to my areas of interest. Keeping this in mind, I intend to adopt 3D skills earlier in this unit, working with model making and photography techniques as a basis for idea development. As a result, I will feel more comfortable with these areas of expertise as I work towards a final outcome. To encourage the inclusion of colour in this unit, I intend to draw with coloured mediums such as colouring pencils and pastels. This can be adopted when observing the human form and other mammal forms in my research at the early stages of the project. Colour can also be experimented with when editing the film footage using programs such as Adobe After Effects and with lighting whilst filming/animating.

Research throughout the project will include looking at different practitioners that use digital media and space to create performance pieces. Initial research introduced me to Norman Mclaren’s piece “Pas de Deux” (1968), who used stop motion film to create a distorted view of a ballet performance. It was good indication of how technology can be used to transform a performance to create atmosphere. Additionally, drawing and photography will act as research tools to document movement and characteristics of both people and animals I wish to include in my body of work. I intend on visiting both the National History Museum and Marwell Zoo to gather these observations. Primary and secondary research will be continuous in this unit as I learn new skills. I will document these findings, as well as my progress, in a blog. This will also provide me with possible feedback from my peers and target audience.