Post half term hand in

Please be aware that you will hand in your sketchbook on the first Monday back after half term. This will be a chance to get a good mark at the start of your GCSE. Make sure that all tasks have been presented as well as you can and that all tasks have some form of annotation. You can use the Critical Reflection sheet HERE. I will be assessing the following:

• First double page with similar artwork (doing games? fill with game covers)
• Brainstorm (full and brimming with potential ideas)
• Your brief (presented in a creative way)
• Moodboard
• Thumbnails of other designs
• Drawing, drawing and drawing (at least 4 pages)
• Investigating using photography (your own pics, annotated properly)
• Investigating formal conventions

Conventions of the form

Objective 
To increase your understanding of the elements needed to create a successful artefact. The 'form' relates to the artefact that you are making for component 1. Graphics products come in various 'forms': game covers, packaging, magazines boo covers etc.

Task 
Annotate a few examples of artefacts to indicate the elements that are typically included.
If you find that there is not much on a single digipak or book cover, use a few different examples - especially if you are aiming for a 7 or 8.

Tip
Those looking at children's' picture books, you will find that once you have noted down things such as title, author, image etc, you will wish to examine some ina little more detail. Notice general things about the use of type, is it straight? what sort of typefaces? Maybe look at the size and shape of characters, how big are their heads? what expression do they have? You are after generalisations, not specifics fo this tasks.

Those looking at album cover design, once you have completed stating that most albums have a title, image and barcode, you will want to look a little deeper. Try gathering some example from different genres (metal, country, indie, Blues, EDM etc) and noting the similarities or differences that they have. As an example, you may wish to spot at how Blues albums mainly feature musicians holding or playing their main instrument - probably guitar. This is due to the audience's fondness for seeing blues artists and being able to actually play rather than mime. There is authenticity.

Time needed 
2 hrs over at least a double page spread. 

Deadline 
April 1st

Investigating using Photography - Homework

Objective
To gather further primary research for your Component 1 project. 
To enable those who feel drawing is weak to collect useful primary research.   
Within the mark scheme, AO3 states: 'Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to their intentions in visual and/or other forms.'

Task
1. Consider the subject matter for your project. Take a collection of 30+ photos that you could either edit and use in the final artefact or just use as drawing/illustration reference.
To get the best results from this task, be as creative as you can with your subject and composition. 
As an example, if you have a wise old wizard in your book—and don't have a wise old wizard to hand—dress up your friend/dad/self in a bed sheet, cardboard hat and long stick. Pose them in different, relevant positions. 
Or, look on YouTube for tutorials about how to create wise old wizard make-up. There are loads of tutorials (plenty of zombies) on make-up. Make sure you then photograph the 'making of' period.
You will get plenty of good results from using your initiative. 
Do not make excuses as to why you couldn't get interesting images, there is no excuse.

2. Screenshot the collection of thumbnail photographs. (see presentation above)
Print off and annotate -

• Note images that are good. This might be due to them being in focus, correct composition etc. 
• Cross out images that are not to be used. Out of focus, badly cropped, wrong position etc. 
• Write simple notes against the photos, 'out of focus', 'too far away' or 'too dark', 
• Make your annotations obvious - write in pink? 

Within the contact sheet presentation, comment on the following:

• What were your intentions for the shoot? Why take these images? 
• What are the successful elements, What worked well? 
• What were the unsuccessful elements? What didn't work well? 
• If you were to take these images again, what would you do to make them more suitable? 
• Do you believe that you have all the shots you need for the project? If not, what others do you need to take? 

Checklist for assessment
Lots of interesting photographs with concise and insightful evaluative annotations. 

Deadline
Start of the lesson, May 18th.

Drawing

Objective

For AO3, you need to evidence that you can record observations, insights and ideas relevant to your work as it progresses.

You will need to evidence that you have looked at the world around you and recorded your findings. You can do this in many ways, drawing, painting photography and written notes. 

You can show your recording skills in many ways depending on where you are in the project. Feel free to use any medium you wish (even driwing digitally using the tablet and pen) and a combination. 
Look in the presentation above for ideas.
The basic gist is that your outcome should be 2+ double page spreads in your book full of drawn observations and ideas. Show your exploration and playfulness. Just draw, draw, draw!

Magazine design
Draw a cover designs with as much detail as you can, draw out some ideas for type, photograph and experiment with Photoshop.
CD, Album cover design
Draw elements of iconography from the lyrics, draw band members, draw a few cover designs, draw out some ideas for type,
Childrens' picture book cover / Game cover design
Design a character, create a landscape that the game might take place in, draw out some ideas for type,

Checklist for assessment

Full, bustling pages / detail / obvious investment of time / different approaches to drawing

Time needed

7 hrs+

Deadline

Start of lesson, Tuesday 4th of June.

Here's a little tip. Don't let your brain trick you into giving up as soon as your reach your first drawing hurdle. Keep on going and make a busy, messy drawing if you wish. Just don't throw away until all avenues have been exhausted. If you are drawing a load of smallish drawings, cram your page with examples. You will be amazed at how effective they look all huddled together.