Planning

So looking at my production schedule by now, I’ should of already been planning my shoots, styling and makeup charts and also sourcing models.

In  all honestly, I started to have lack of motivation as I wasn’t 100% with what I was creating and planning for my outcome.

Of course I believe it is very important for me to follow my schedule and plan my time wisely, ensuring I leave enough time to fix any problems.

Beatrice Boyle

Beatrice Boyle’s work is an important influence within this project due to the message she conveys within the concept and visual of her work.

The reason I chose to look at her work as the concept is very similar to what I wanted to portray within my work. Beatrice Boyle works on top of images to distort the original message that fashion and beauty advertisements convey. Altering the initial beauty perception. This is an aspect that I want to strong cover within my work. 

I will be hoping to experiment a similar technique, by creating my own fashion and beauty inspired images, this will able me to work on top of them images using various techniques, such as collaging, painting and drawing. 

Experimenting is key within this project, as I will need to work out which technique works best. 

Boyle said, “My work is about subverting the original meaning and context of an image. By defacing the image and to some extent destroying it, I create a new one. It is about the tension between the initial image and the final work.” (Patrick, 2010)

This project is to produce a series of artwork, which conveys the concept on the portrayal of image manipulation and retouching within beauty and fashion advertisements. Creating a fashion/beauty shoot influenced by editorial magazines and distorting the initial message to everyday consumers by collaging and destroying an image that society may see as the ideal and creating a new form of ‘perfect’.  Also by using the media, colour and texture to create the emotion that affects society due to image manipulation within the media. The idea is to expose emotion, create raw, textured and imperfect work that provokes a reaction. As everyone’s idea of perfect is different. A combination of skills will take place to produce the final outcomes, such as collaging with various images, layering materials and also layering digitally with Photoshop.

Experiments

As I had already started to experiment with collaging the first week and physically manipulating the images, I decided to play around with Photoshop and manipulate the photos that way.

Manipulating in the beauty and fashion industry is sometimes seen as deceitful and creates an unattainable perception of body image. This is due to the over use of retouching, such as altering body shapes, teeth whitening, eye brightening, etc.

Manipulation of photography can alter the image’s content in a devious approach. It is argued that this causes difficulty for the consumer to differentiate between the manipulated image and reality.

Filippa Hamilton, who modelled for Ralph Lauren in 2009, underwent such a drastic digital transformation to her size 8 frame, that her head appeared wider than her waist.

A spokesperson of Ralph Lauren explained that the brand took responsibility for poor image retouching, which completely distorted the ideal of a women’s body. Daily Mail online also cautioned readers of the toxic impact these images may have on young girls, the ‘size zero’ models have been accused of subsiding to the involvement of eating disorders as society find influence within the media

Where as with my images I was physically manipulating them with my hands or manipulating them on photoshop but in a more artistic manner, some even abstract.

The concept of this project is to create beauty and fashion inspired images, to then by manipulated. For example many beauty and fashion advertisements are edited and photoshopped which can distort the perception of how society see beauty and perfection. Causing lack of self-esteem and obsession with body image. 

I will instead distort the beauty images, by creating a new perception of what the image originally portrayed.

I experimented using photoshop and moved certain elements of the images to distort the face and bodies, taking away from the original meaning. 

The beginning...

To begin this project, I will be using this blog as a way to reflect upon the journey of my final major project.  I have proposed to create a website as a way of showcasing my work and to present a professional platform for me to progress when leaving university as well.

For my dissertation and practice, I have thoroughly researched upon the concept on the role of image manipulation in the portrayal of beauty within contemporary fashion advertisements. 

I felt this was a relevant subject as this is an ongoing issue within todays society and it seems many are affected in the way they perceive themselves.

As I had already investigated into this topic already, I felt it was only necessary to follow upon this idea into more of an creative practice. Although I created a practice along side my dissertation, I felt I didn't quite portray the right message that I initially thought and felt I could of experimented more. My practice was to show the emotional affects that photo manipulation has upon society. However I feel I could of played upon the idea of manipulation in a more interesting way. But maybe physically manipulating images and mimicking the way advertisements photoshop bodies. For example cutting out and collaging upon the faces and bodies of models etc and defacing the original meaning. Or creating a distorted, eery aspect to the word 'manipulation'.

Therefore, I propose to create a variety of images that reflect photo manipulation in a different way. I will firstly start to experiment with various images by physically manipulating them, by collaging etc as well as experimenting upon photoshop.

For example many beauty and fashion advertisements are edited and photoshopped which can distort the perception of how society see beauty and perfection. Causing lack of self-esteem and obsession with body image. 

I will instead distort the beauty images, by creating a new perception of what the image originally portrayed.

So we had our first meeting as a group today with our tutor Jennifer, it was helpful to go round the group to ask each other what our next step was. I got some helpful ideas from my peers and Jennifer suggested I start to experiment with collaging straight away.

I had already been playing around with some collages beforehand as well.

I liked how distort the faces looked, giving a eery vibe to my concept. As much as I liked the collage, I am still very unsure on my idea and what outcome to produce. But I suppose that is what experiments and practices are for!!