FINAL ASSESSMENT notes

It's been far too long. I need to take Annelle's example, and get down to writing in this blog, at least every few days - it is supposed to be my VISUAL DIARY after all!

Anyway, here, somewhat belated are the notes I prepared for the tutors for my final assessment.
I'm not sure whether they read through them - there seems to be such a lot to cover.
But it was good for me to review my year, and especially to think ahead to the summer and to next year.

ASSESSMENT – End of Year 2007/8 – the final six weeks

GOALS

The goal I set myself for this six weeks was to further develop my familiarity with new (for me) software:

After Effects	Unrealistic expectations. Mark showed me what to do, step by step. Want to learn more, but maybe not just yet.
Final cut Pro	Reasonable progress. Studying a book belonging to Tech Staff. Plan to buy a copy of my own
Flash	Borrowed book (long-term) from a friend. Making good progress. Plan to study more during summer
Isadora.	Disappointed that I didn’t make any further progress this term. Again, hope to experiment during the summer.
Arduino workshop	Very helpful

WORK· GG –

This appropriation of a painting by a friend of mine is an experiment in using both After Effects and Flash. It is a way of showing some of the video and photos I took over the past year.

Self-evaluation: I like it for what it is – I like the effect of the movement behind the subtle colours of the painting.

I realize that the idea was over-ambitious in the light of my skill-base, but I’m glad I availed of the technical help available to me.

Possible developments

· I want to explore further what can be done with the Flash element. I would like the audience to be able to see as much of each piece as they wanted, rather than just a glimpse.

· I would also like if the audience could make other changes, perhaps the degree of opacity, and maybe even the choice of colours.

· I would also like to explore using other paintings and other video content, rather than simply using what was to hand.

· Eventually I would like to see what interactivity might be achieved using Wii remote (infra-red) technology

· Double Phone-call

The idea behind this piece leads on somewhat from the Student Dilemma piece I did before Easter. In that piece I was portraying myself in opposition/conflict with the outside world (the EU, the government, the college etc) In this piece, I portray myself in opposition with myself the sensible part of me, versus the over-excited part.

Self Evaluation

I like that this is a very short piece, yet plenty long enough to get the idea across.

I particularly like the way the sound expresses the anger of that part of me that seldom gets a chance to express itself. I also like the contrast between the tranquillity and light colours of the inset picture with the frenzy of the darker figure pot-bashing.

Only the small area of flickering computer-screen gives away the fact that the work-room can be the site of frenzy also.

The chap who helped me with the camera is willing to do so again. This is very helpful, as he is not a student, so I don’t feel bad about asking him for help.

I was able to plan what I wanted him to capture, and he did very well.

Potential Developments

I certainly want to do more of the inset picture idea (?wire-framing)

Other than that, I don’t have other development plans for this. I think it puts its idea over quite simply and yet forcefully.

· 80^th Decade Archive

This piece is also a kind of self-portrait, through objects which have touched my life over the past seven, and now into my eighth decade.

I used two cameras, one more closely focused and differently angled than the other. In the editing, having overlaid them, I reduced opacity so that both versions can be seen. I edited them slightly out of synch. This has the effect on the one hand of deeming to delay the action, and on the other hand to give an impression of delaying the action, giving an opportunity to look at each part twice from a slightly different angle.

Self Evaluation

I like how this process (which occurred serendipendipidously while I was waiting for technical help) – I like how it works. I think the images are very interesting, particularly the angles of the edges of the table which keep changing.

I think the whole piece might be a bit long, and there are a few sections that could be shortened without loss of significant content.

The idea for doing something like this came from a piece by Patricia Esquivias Folklore videos at Berlin.

Potential Developments

I think the idea of the table with the hands but no face works well for this kind of piece, and could see myself using it again.

· Photography

I include three prints.

However, I regard photography as a way of collecting images for use in slide show as a way of contemplating something after the event. (maybe a bit like Wordsworth’s idea of ‘emotion recollected in tranquillity’.

Self Evaluation

I don’t regard myself as a technically strong photographer, but my images do bring back objects and events in a way that pleases me.

The big print of the glass jug was made with a lot of help from Michael.

Potential Developments

I want to keep my image-making as spontaneous as possible, even at the expense of technical excellence. However, as time passes, I become more and more familiar with both the camera controls and what can be achieved by using manual settings.

NEXT YEAR

I also wanted to give thought to next year’s possibilities and to end with some idea of where I might be heading.

· Erasmus – definitely no, as have excellent resources here in Dublin

· Community art – Would like to get support to explore facilitating Graffiti Art in local parish in Tallaght

· Personal work: Do a piece around the See-saw performance

· Written work: Get support to carry out my plan to do my essays in the first two weeks of autumn term

NEXT YEAR DREAMS/WISHES

· Learn about OPEN SOURCE software and hardware. Dream that department would have two or so machines dedicated to Open Source, and promote the idea among some students

· Join with other students in setting up a Tech-Art Society among students (and interested staff) to provide opportunities to experiment with electronic circuitry, sensors, wiring, sound etc.

· Learn more Isadora/Arduino

· Continue with Final Cut Pro and Flash and maybe some After Effects

Elizabeth Cleary

May 16 2008