Final Response to Studio Brief 2: COP Final Resolution

My task for this brief was to produce a set of illustrations that explored a subject or theme identified as part of my responses to Studio brief 1 Critical Analysis - Context and Chronologies; for me this was the issue of binge drinking. The development of my practical response to this brief has been underpinned and informed by my research into the theoretical and contextual aspect of binge drinking. I have critically evaluated my source material in order to produce a body of work that explores an integration of theory and practice through the selection of appropriate content, media, format, scale and production methods. 

I have resolved a set of drawings within my Union Jack flag, that demonstrate an awareness of the relationship between the content of the binge drinkers and the British flag they form, the colour scheme used to represent contrasts (in effects of binge drinking - good and bad) and Britain, and the context. 

Development Considerations

I want my piece to say and reflect the truth of our society, I don't want it to condemn nor celebrate but instead to hold a mirror up and reflect the ways in which the majority of us act when intoxicated. I want my work to contain satire as one of the main reasons we drink in Britain is to forget our worries and have fun. I also want to present the darker side though, with figures in dangerous and vulnerable situations dotted throughout the set of drawings. The binge drinkers are representing the public by reclaiming the flag; the majority of us do it and have found ourselves in this situation, we make up the kingdom but is this something to be proud of? The audience can step back and think about a Britain full of binge drinkers and make their own opinions. The research I've carried out on the topic has helped to inform my sketchbook work and my preliminary sketches by giving me ideas and guidelines about what issues specifically I should address. My final resolution will be a build up of many of these factors presented in figures and situations within the flag. In my last blog post I talked about my chosen media of ballpoint/biro pen and why it is appropriate for this piece; producing a sensitive yet powerful delivery. 

Resolution Considerations

The final resolution will support my concept by portraying Britain as a whole, through the Union Jack, to be made up of a culture of binge drinkers, portrayed through a set of illustrations of the intoxicated British public. It is made by drawing intricately with biro/ballpoint pen and in an A3 format landscape as this is the format of the Union Jack (not scale wise). The scale of A3 has been chosen due to time restraints and because I want it to be visible as a Union Jack from a distance but as a set of illustrations up close. This is to be presented as a poster however if I were to create it on a much larger scale it could work as a mural on the side of a wall where perhaps binge drinking is disrupting the community on a grand scale such as by a local park which is one of the only places underage drinkers can drink alcohol socially with less chance of being caught my the police or told off by relatives. 

Below are some of my images from my final resolution:

Above shows one of the humorous elements in the piece; a man dressed as a woman with a fluffy cowboy hat on, being surprisingly flexible attempting to get over a gate; his hairy chest adding to the grace of his movements. This is a situation most people would never find themselves in sober, however many brits could easily end up in this situation if alcohol was involved. 

This is my final piece with an edit on it which I liked as it added some contrast and a warmer tone and highlighted the centre of the image. From this less detailed picture you can see it more as its flag form.

To see how it would look in a bigger scale for example as a mural I have used photoshop to superimpose it onto a wall:

I think this would definitely have a bigger impact and be more effective however due to time restraints it would not have been appropriate. However it is definitely an interesting platform to display work and something to consider when making other pieces in future. 

Peer Feedback and Evaluation: