Union: Blended British

‘Blended British’ is what my union theme will be called. This is because,

Image 1 – Reflecting Heritage

I started using this photograph I took whilst walking along St Ouen’s 5 mile road. I chose this image because I liked all of the different reflections on the ground in the puddles and I can add my ideas on top of this. Also, it is very moody, damp, misty and cloudy which matches the image perfectly to the puddles and especially due to British weather is commonly not so great, it matches my theme perfectly.

I started editing it by cutting out this photograph of a Union Jack flag I took which already had this grainy, tea-stain look to it. I then made positioned this layer on top of the first puddle and chose the ‘Darken’ Layer filter.

This allowed my image of the flag to be transparent whilst still letting in the darker sides of the flag through and still in colour which was perfect for my puddle reflection and resulted in this.

I next used the rubber tool with 20% opacity and rubbed out all of the edges around the flag that was on top of the rock/ground because I only wanted the flag to be in the puddle, resulting in this.

I then decided to do this for most of the other puddles in the background following back, which is what I did next, repeating the same steps.

Then removing all of the parts of the flag which were on top of the rocks and not in the puddle using 20% opacity on the rubber tool.

Finally, I did it once more by using one flag image but spreading it over 3/4 smaller puddles to really spread the flag. Repeating the same steps.

Removing the outside parts of the flag once again until only the flag inside of the puddle is showing, resulting in this.

This is the final result of the edited flags inside of the puddles, but I will add a Vignette around the image using Lightroom.

I also cropped the top of this image because I wanted the focus more on the puddles and rails not the sky, and also edited the image to make all of the colours that aren’t red or blue, in black & white to create isolation and more focus points for the viewer on to the puddles.

These are the effects I used to create the Vignette around my final image resulting in this.

This is my final image which I really like and I love how it’s in black and white with only the flag colours showing through, the rail on the right also adds sadness and because it looks like it goes on forever it draws the attention back to the puddles.

Image 2 – Past

For my second photograph I will be editing, I am going for a similar theme to the first image but instead of multiple puddles, its just one singular one with a flag inside of it.

I chose this puddle image to edit with because I love the rocky ground around it and how the puddle creeps up to the gravel ground. Also, it already has a reflection of a rail inside of it, but I will be keeping this in and overlaying my flag edit on top of it.

I started by cutting out this image of a flag I took in the studio. I didn’t iron the flag on purpose so that the crinkles on the flag acts as ripples in the water from the puddle.

I positioned the flag where I wanted it over the puddle and using photoshop, I selected the ‘overlay’ layer filter which made it look like this.

I chose this layer filter because it helped it give the transparent and puddle/reflection look once again. But then, I cut out all of the edges again from the flag using the rubber tool with 50% opacity, for the big parts of the flag that are only on the rocks, and 20% opacity for the smaller parts that are just touching the edges of the rocks/ground to create the look that the flag is inside of the puddle reflecting the Union Jack flag.

This is how the image resulted after I cut out the edges of the flag and also I lowered the opacity of the flag to 40% from 100% to make the transparent look feel and look more real.

I then did the same editing with the erase of colours apart from blue/red using these effects.

Plus, I added the vignette around this image again so that all of my final images will be correlating the same idea and will look more presentable, with my final photograph turning out like this.

I like this image because it has the same black and white theme as the first image, but it only involves one puddle in it with the singular Union Jack flag. This helps the viewer reflect on how wherever they go in England/Scotland/Wales, they will always see a Union Jack flag as even by looking in a Puddle, they will remember where they are from.

Image 3 – The Inn

For my third image, I decided to edit this photograph I took outside of a Jersey generic looking Pub which the British is widely known for.

I liked the photograph as it was, which I did by using these camera settings which made the pub sign, in-focus, whilst keeping the lightbulbs around it in blur.

But, I wanted to keep the theme of mainly using mainly red and blue, but also white as well, (the Union Jack colours). So, for this image, I decided to only make it in Blue so that I have some images in both red and blue colours and some only in one colour.

I started by using the colour mix tools on Lightroom only keeping blue in colour, whilst the rest in black and white.

Then, I edited the temperature and tint on the image allowing the whole image to be in blue, and also changed the exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, texture, clarity and also a vignette again around the final image, to give it a grainy, dark, gloomy feel and look to the image which is exactly what you think of when you think of pubs, resulting in this.

I started by going into the studio with a bag full of Union Jack flags, England flags, Wales flags and other objects that involve the Union Jack flag on, such as a mug/cup, door stand bag, red guard outfit with a black top-hat and more bunting of flags.

I wanted to do an idea where I create a silhouette of someone in front of each flag. So, I got my friend to stand in front of the flags with another person stood on a box behind holding the flags out, then went into photoshop and edited him to be a silhouette in front of each flag ending with the Union Jack flag.

I then wanted to edit this photo of my friend dressed up as a royal guard with the flag overlaying on top of him, which I created by taking a photograph of just the flag and just him and then merging them with the ‘Luminosity’ effect on Photoshop.

I then didn’t want the shadows from the first image, so I used the brush tool and set it to a similar colour as the grey on the left side with no shade, used low opacity so I can blend it in, looking realistic, then covering the shade until it was looking like what I had envisioned, resulting in this.

My second photoshoot, I drove to Gorey Castle, had a bag of different mugs, cups and plates that looked very British. I sat down on this bench in front of the castle and did different angles aiming up towards the castle but focusing on the cups and plates with the castle behind in blur. I selected the white balance to be cloudy and I also experimented in shade mode, this is because half of the castle was in shade but half of it was in the cloudy-sunny day.

These are the camera specs I chose to use to take the photographs.

I did a Low ISO of 100 which allowed my camera to not take in much light whilst also making the photograph less grainy. I made the F-stop, f/13, which allowed the background to be blurry but I didn’t have to do a very high f-stop because the background was so far away it already blurred it.

These effects on the camera, allowed my images to come out like these, which is what I was aiming for.

Project Plan:

For my project plan and statement of intent, I will be presenting the idea of ‘Union’ through the ‘Union Jack (flag)’. Firstly, this is because the Union Jack flag is made up from the kingdoms of England and Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland. I can implant this idea of the Union Jack into so many different ideas such as, involving a cup of tea, the land/sea, or finally through older people v younger people and how they have grown up and been from the UK their whole life. A few artists I spoke about which relate to my theme of Union, were Banksy and Andrew Scott. Banksy uses the Union Jack Flag widely commonly in his art work with making pieces all around England and even for some popular music artists like Stormzy where he designed a bullet proof vest with the Union Jack flag on the front of it which Stormzy wore to a concert and is now selling for one million pounds.

I will get a lot of different Union Jack flags, England flags, Scotland & Wales flags, all different sizes, textures, shapes, designs, some tinted/faded, some not actual flags but the flag still on objects such as a cup of tea with the Union Jack flag on it, which I can implant into creating photoshoots with. Also, I could create some bunting and place it round in the studio or in an environment I like which matches my theme.

I created these drawings of a few ideas I will be trying to recreate using photoshoots and photoshop with each flag overlapping one another till the top flag being the Union Jack Flag. I also will try the 3 flags in a row next to one another but with the Union Jack flag in the middle and the England flag and Scotland flag each side of it, merging into the Union Jack flag to create it and show how they both make up the main Union Jack flag.

I will be creating the ‘overlapping’ images by putting a tripod low to the ground angled nearly straight ahead, then take a photograph of the England flag on the ground floor, then I would keep the tripod in the same position but instead I would put the Scotland flag on a small white box or platform, then take another photograph and then finally the same idea with another small box/platform on top of the first box/platform, to create more lift on the flag and then place the Union Jack flag on top of both platforms to create the lifted look and how the other two flags are below it but merge together to showcase the full Union Jack flag. I would then use photoshop to edit out the platforms underneath the flags and edit all of the flags to have the same background giving them a ‘floated’ look/idea, which will direct the viewer more towards how the England and Scotland flag are beneath and within the Union Jack flag and come together to create the final Union Jack flag everyone sees.

I will also be going out in my car driving around the island taking photographs of anything that relates/gives off the impression of ‘Iconic British things’. These will be things such as an ice-cream truck open on a cloudy day near a beach. This is very British because cloudy and foggy days are seen as ‘British’, and especially because the ice-cream truck is open and selling ice-creams, shows that this weather is a norm to everyone. Another example would be Gorey Castle with the Union Jack flag waving on top of it and the Jersey flag. I can also implant this idea by having Gorey Castle as the background and having tea-pots or cups in front of it, which are very British. I can also take photographs of ‘British Sports’, such as rugby, (photographs of a rugby ball), cricket, (photographs of a cricket bat), and other sports. Finally, I will be taking photographs of Pubs, the inside and outside of a generic British looking pub with the bar in the background and a close-up of the draft machines.

Art movements and isms.
Avant-garde art movements in the early 20th century,

• CUBISM,
• FAUVISM,
• DADAISM,
• DE STIJL,
• RUSSIAN CONSTRUCTIVISM,
• SUPREMATISM,
• FUTURISM,
• SURREALISM,
• EXPRESSIONISM,
• SYMBOLISM,
• IMPRESSIONISM.

Mood Board:

Mind Map/Mood Board:

When I was creating this mind map/mood board, I came up with ideas such as Nature/Environment which involve ideas such as, ecosystems, the ocean, forests and food chains. It also gave me ideas about, Animals/Birds which I could include ideas such as beehives, a flock of birds and a pack mentality. Also, it gave me ideas such as Trees, roots, trunks, growing, interconnected whilst also the sky, stars, planets and how they could all be in sync.

‘Union’, also gave me ideas such as Design, which include, reflections, symmetry, puddles, mirrors, glass, optical illusions, architecture, nature/flowers/petals, patterns/fabrics, faded-new, newspaper, royalty – cup of tea. Cities, rat race, motorways-connections.

It also gave me ideas such as Traditions/Religion which involve ideas such as, churches, temples, celebrations, weddings, birthdays, funerals, bar mitzvah – symbols, family getting together, (food, fun).

Next, I came up with ideas such as Human Relationships Connections – Friendships – Shared memories, long-life bond, old v new, then v now, shared cup of tea. Family – Mother & child, holding hands, embracing, hugging. Love – Marriage – Rings, symbols. Work – Life balance, colleagues, working together, (building a house).

Finally, it gave me ideas of Cultural ideas such as, Festivals – Christmas, Easter, Diwali. Protests – Climate action, farmers/tractors in London. National Identify – History of British Union – British Values, 3 countries -> 4. Union Flag – Union Jack – England/Wales+ Scotland + Ireland.

I will be taking multiple photographs of all the ideas I have mentioned above by going into the different environments, such as a forest/zoo for all the different groups of animals/flock of birds, flowers, trees, roots, petals and leaves. I will also be going around town/city life for the architecture, buildings, mirrors, glass, optical illusions and patterns on all of the walls/windows etc. I will be doing research on traditions trying to photograph some weddings or symbols that represent weddings, but also taking photographs of human relationships such as friendships/marriage, hugging, kissing, holding hands. Finally, I would be taking photographs of objects that involve the Union Jack, such as photographing any flag I see around in town, country-side, in shops, on items such as a cup of tea with the Union Jack flag which heavy represents Union Jack a lot as a cup of tea is a main focus point from the UK.

Andrew Scott

For my first artist reference, I went for Andrew Scott. He was firstly born in 1991 and was best known for as an artist that makes his art look realistic, because he uses effects such as breaking the glass on the frame to match the drawing/adds actual objects like a popped balloon for an art piece he did which was a little girl looking sad holding the string to the balloon.

In these images, you can see how the art piece he creates, interacts with the frames like the first one with the young boy climbing up the frame, (as stairs), which Scott has created by cutting and changing the physical shape of the frame.

In the middle image, you can see the young boy leaping over nothing, (before the frame is put on). But, after Scott has broken the frame in the middle underneath the boy jumping, it creates a realistic feel to the viewer as now the boy is jumping/leaping over the actual frame.

In the third image, he created this young boy shooting a slingshot just to his right, but in reality there isn’t any damage until Scott changes his frame/glass over the image to help add effect and emotion to the original image, such as using a nail and hammer and creating a smashed hole in the glass frame, to create a view of the young boy in the frame shot his slingshot at the frame and it smashed it. They are all very interictal with the viewers as they create a funny/realistic approach.

Through Andrew Scott’s art work, he experiments a lot whether it’s through breaking, shattering, burning, or reconfiguring frames, but Andrew brings the subjects in his artwork to life. By breaking the fourth wall and making the frame part of the artwork itself, Andrew continually bends artistic convention in new and surprising ways.

Banksy

For my second artist reference I chose Banksy, the reason I chose Banksy as my second artist reference is because as I spoke about Union Jack/Flag in my mood board/mind map above, Banksy uses a lot of the Union Jack/Flag in his art work to express different meanings whether it’s anger, sadness, sorry-for or strength, such as these art pieces he made:

In this art piece Banksy created, it shows the Union Jack as the background, but all torn up, with a man about to throw flowers across the image. The reason for the Union Jack all torn up, could relate to the man who seems upset and angry about to throw away brand new flowers he could’ve just gotten for a loved one or friend. This image is very powerful as it shows anger throughout the whole image from the mans facial expression and body position and also the torn up flag. This has inspired me to create photographs similar with multiple meanings behind it.

This image on the other hand, resembles sadness and loneliness, how the young small boy, is on his knees sowing the union flags, that we put up. He did the similar idea from Andrew Scott with the art piece intertwining with the audience as their is normal in-colour flags starting to get hung up next to the boy as if he was creating them for everyone to see around Britain. I really like this image as well because it creates an emotional connection to the viewer, allowing multiple thoughts throughout and with the black and white artwork with the physical flags in colour also creates a disperse for the audience.

Man Ray

He was born in 1890, his photography was based on Dada and Surrealism, he was influenced by Paul Cezanne, Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, Dada and Surrealism.

The Surrealist community was slowed in the wake of the political turmoil following the Second World War, however, the surrealist movement fully unraveled in 1966 when Breton died. The photography world had all but exploded when surrealism was fading, with the rise of commercial and fashion markets and an increased respect for fine art photography. Yet the avant-garde nature of surrealist photography remained timeless, allowing photographers like Man Ray to publish books, work as a fashion photographer for the likes of Vogue, and be continually exhibited beyond his death in 1976. 

Observatory Time: The Lovers.

Title: A l’Heure de l’observatoire: Les amoureux.
Date: 1936
Style: Dada, Surrealism.

Article: ‘One of Man Ray’s most memorable paintings, Observatory Time, is featured in this black-and-white photograph, along with a nude. It includes a depiction of the lips of his departed lover, Lee Miller, floating in the sky above the Paris Observatory. In the photograph, the nude is lying on her side on a sofa underneath the painting, with a chessboard at her feet. Observatory Time hints at what the woman might be dreaming: a nightmare or an erotic fantasy. The lips in the picture were an inspiration for the logo of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and many other pop culture iconic images. The chessboard appears in many of the artist’s works – Duchamp, Picabia and Man Ray all loved playing chess. And Man Ray considered a grid of squares, “the basis for all art… it helps you to understand the structure, to master a sense of order.” He also made chess set designs and photographs of chessboards, pieces and players.’