FINAL MAJOR PROJECT EVALUATION

The initial aim of this project was to create an artistic book that explored the issues of social media obsession within society. Representations of these issues were to be showcased within a publication through creative practices such as photography, illustration, graphic design, etc. to act as a warning to viewers of the consequences they may encounter if they are to carry on abusing the use of social media at the current rate. 

At the beginning of production, I encountered a major threat to the completion of the project. Due to circumstances outside of my studies that I had no control of,  I lost a large amount of focus within my work, leading to a lack of ideas, motivation and general well-being which made even the smallest task feel impossible, filling me with an overwhelming amount of self-doubt. Being an individual that struggles with confidence and self-assurance anyway, this caused huge consequences as time passed on as the proposed project schedule wasn’t followed, tasks were being forgotten about or incomplete and I suddenly came to an abrupt stand still and creative block, preventing any progression. I found my way back on track after realising that I wasn't going to achieve anything from burying my head in the ground and hiding away from my priorities. This isn’t the way industry works, so I had to use my initiative to come up with an appropriate solution to my problems. 

I stress excessively within the production processes of my work as I tend to jump from idea to idea without settling down and digging deeper into an initial one. I overcomplicate things by giving myself too many tasks to complete half-heartedly rather than choosing a small number of focus points to truly understand and complete in detail. By using the mentor sessions with Jennifer, I learnt that by understanding and appreciating extensive research and production processes, this enables success to be reached in all areas as a truly investigative outcome can be accomplished because of this broad spectrum of knowledge. From this learning curve I was able to come up with three questions to fully focus on within my project, which would aid the progression process and transform the project from a simple research based outcome into an investigative one:

• Why is society so obsessed with social media?
• Why do people feel the need to share so much information online?
• Is it making an impact on their lives? their jobs? their relationships?

Having these as a basis for future concepts and ideas improved my focus and creative flow, as when I encountered conceptual problems or felt as though I was veering off track slightly, I could relate back to these initial questions and ask myself whether my outcomes answered them successfully and if not, what could be done to ensure that they could be? 

I had initially proposed that I would be working with a large team of creatives to produce a mass number of final outcomes, however this proved to be unachievable as time passed and problems regarding the reliability of others were encountered. I understand that when working within industry, a large team of creatives is beneficial to have to ensure that production time is reduced and goals are achieved at a quicker speed, however I found that in this academic environment, individuals didn't have the same attitude regarding work as me, which resulted in many let downs and cancellations. Photoshoots were abandoned or postponed, deadlines were missed and I could see the overall quality of work that I was producing dropping because of this. I took it upon myself to use this opportunity to refine my skills within post-production, graphic design and makeup and hair to enhance the project, making the outcome a complete personal journey. 

Initially I was worried that this decision would mean that I would not be able to produce content of a professional standard, as I believed my skills outside of my chosen subject field to be limited and of a substandard level. By using initiative to self-educate myself within areas of Photoshop, Indesign, and makeup application, using online tutorials on Youtube and various other search engines; along with help and advice from IT technicians and other creatives, I was able to develop a broad range of expertise that I now have advanced knowledge and technical skill within. Being able to complete this project and continue into the workplace with these new skills, is the most valuable factor that I have attained from this process, as it has proved that when I push my creative boundaries and place myself outside of my comfort zone within new subject fields, I am able to achieve greatness and success because of my willingness and determination to learn and better myself. Despite this triumph, I need to ensure that I do not become totally reliant on myself in future, as it is an effective working process to have a committed and motivated team surrounding you when the opportunity is available.

The direction of the project changed a number of times during the development stages as the ideas that I was creating were simply not objective enough. When shared within tutorial sessions, my mentors explained how I was producing a project that was far too moralising, with no factual evidence to support any of the ideas that were evolving from it. It was in the best interests of the advancement of the project to alter the perspective to a subjective viewpoint, so that I could continue using the ideas from my creative and abstract outcomes, however using myself as a foundation instead. After using myself within test shoots and attaining new skills, I knew that I had the potential to refine and enhance the project in a positive way, however it was my confidence issues that seemed to be holding me back yet again. I am extremely proud that I took on this personal challenge - despite feeling extremely uncomfortable throughout the duration - and was able to push my creative boundaries through the use of myself as a model and an inspiration of this project. I have gained boundless amounts of confidence which I feel is evident within my final outcomes, as I have been able to communicate through written, verbal and visual means to achieve desired outcomes using skills that I didn't believe I possessed prior to this.

Admittedly my time management at the start of project production was poor and definitely not of the industry standard that was expected of me. After realising that this was only damaging my own success rate I was able to refocus the project accordingly, demonstrating exceptional planning skills. By rescheduling internal deadlines to the current time period I had left to complete the project, I was able to achieve a large number of goals within a short space of time, enabling me to get back on track and gain the self-assurance needed to excel as a creative. Being able to set internal time limits and challenges was a beneficial skill to possess as it allowed me to keep on top of workload, with further time being available to use afterward if needed, achieving a calm and collected mainframe. I feel that this skill coincided with communication skills, as information was easier to relay back to others when thoughts were clear and organised in my own mind. Communication with tutors was a difficult aspect of the project for me, as I often take constructive criticism to heart and let it damage my confidence. 

My proneness to being a perfectionist also proved to be a paramount issue throughout, as I tend to over analyse outcomes so thoroughly, that I no longer find aspects of them successful. This had a domino effect on my motivational attitude, as I would constantly feel as though my ideas were not worthy, didn't fit the brief I had created for myself or just simply weren't good enough. When in stressful situations it was a lot easier to jump straight into a negative mindset, and allow myself to feel defeated than it was reflect on ideas and understand what was needed to improve. I have been able better my acceptance of all feedback - positive and negative - from this process, as I now understand that tutors and other peer mentors are there to aid the progression of ideas to achieve the best possible outcomes. This is a transferrable skill that I will be able to use further on within my studies and within my industry career if I wish to achieve work of the high quality. Being open to new ideas and enhancements enables endless opportunities for growth and development.

Although I was initially a little let down with the final outcome, as it was different to what I had planned and expected within my proposal, I am extremely pleased with the journey I have taken during this final major project. Not only has is allowed me to grow as a creative, it has enabled me to understand the ways in which I work most effectively to produce amazing outcomes. Being able to veer away from proposed ideas when new ideas grow from ‘happy accidents’ and learning that there is perfection in imperfection is a new skill that I have begun to apply to my working practices and I wish to improve on further so that I can excel within the future.

I feel as though the overall concept that I have followed along this journey has only been touched upon slightly, as I think that the concepts that could be investigated are endless. If I continue onto a Masters level of education, which I am hoping too, I think that the aims and objectives that were met within Delusive could be explored on a deeper level, reflecting on the social media interactions of others as well as the personal posts and online presence of one individual  to understand the effects this has on self-esteem, opinions and general outlook on life.

FMP BOOK ANALYSIS

My books arrived earlier today a lot quicker than expected as they had only been sent off for printing two days prior to this. I was initially a little disheartened by the aesthetics of the book as the cover was a lot thinner than I had hoped for, meaning that the book was flimsy rather than of a sturdy feel that a usual coffee table book possesses. After speaking with mentors and asking for the opinions of many individuals in and out of creative backgrounds, I received positive feedback on the finished product despite my disappointment. After leaving the books for a while and then returning later on the review them again, I have been able to understand that the design and aesthetic still works as it is the content within the project which is the most important aspect.

By immediately drawing the readers attention using a design similar to the Facebook logo, it gives context as to what the project will be about once the viewer continues to read on. The choice of 130GSM silk paper worked well as light does not reflect from the pages and cause a glare - this would have caused the reader to be unable view the images to their full potential. The text that I have used throughout the publication is clear, precise and to the point, sharing personal opinions and anecdotes about my social media obsession and dependency, while also asking questions as to why this is happening, how it is making me feel and what I could  be done to prevent this, which keeps the reader intrigued and wanting to read on.

The layout and design throughout has allowed a professional image to be achieved that is of an industry standard. Placing minimal images on each page allows the intricate details to be easily absorbed by the viewer. Being able to focus on a single image, surrounded by white space, rather than be distracted by a plethora of colour.    

My favourite aspect of the book is the conceptual idea of  ‘everything you post online, is with you forever’. The lighting and mood within the images work so well together to encapsulate the seriousness of this issue. I wanted the images to have a darker aura to them than the others within the publication as they could have the most detrimental  implications and consequences.

I’m extremely pleased with the final outcome of my project ‘Delusive’, as I feel it is a true representation of the issues that I am currently facing as a result of my excessive abuse of  social media platforms. Through the use of myself within the project, the creative boundaries were able to be pushed to the limit to make the project as subjective and relatable as possible.By visually portraying the negative impacts of my social media dependency through this creative publication I have been able to  subtly express my feelings and experiences as well as translating a personal messages across to the viewer. If not only being able to reflect on the impact these issues are having on my life as the ultimate aim, but also subconsciously making others review the effects social media could be having on their lives too.

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

To ensure that things would run smoothly went the printing stage was here, I took the decision to plan ahead all of the possible mishaps that could happen that may slow down the production of my publication and try and find appropriate solutions beforehand. I contacted my chosen printers - solopress.com - to find out all of the specifications that I would need when creating my file in Indesign. I also asked for information on delivery methods, times, production costs, etc. all so that I could feel prepared mentally. 

As the printing is out of my control, I felt at ease asking a great number of questions, as it allowed me to feel included within the process. At this stage I was still unsure on the sizing I wanted to book to take. Having stated within my proposal that I wanted a small A5 sized book, I had begin to doubt this after looking around at other books that were available on the market.

I found it useful asking other creatives on their personal preference of book sizes, as it enabled me to gain some market research which is useful to have when creating something that could potential go on to be sold within the future. One of the mentors Sharon, gave the most helpful feedback, opening my thoughts into producing a final outcome that was in-between standard book sizes. I had totally overlooked this idea and am grateful for her bringing it my attention.

I searched the university library, looking for art and photography books that I could draw some inspiration from. I found the book 'TAL UF TAL AB' by Robert Frank, a photography publication. I really loved the layout of the images and the way in which an equal amount of white space could be found around each image, no matter photo size. I have shown a few of my favourite page designs below to explain the ways in which I will showcase my ideas within Delusive.

I have decided to use the same proportions as the book I found in the library within my own work, as I felt the outcome looks professional and is different from others on the market so it gives an extra flare and edge that may not have been achieved with a standard book size.

Height : 250mm

Width : 205mm

After speaking with solo press again over the phone they agreed to send me a sample pack of the various papers they have available to print on. At First I preferred the finish on the 130GSM Gloss paper, as it was light and shiny, however after referring back to the art book inspiration I was able to make a perfect match to the paper used as it was 130GSM silk. 

The silk finish on the paper works best with photography as there is no light glare that reflects from the page to the viewer.

The final paper specifications that I will use will be:

Cover : 250gsm silk

Pages : 130gsm silk

NAME & LOGO

I wanted a name for this project that was small, to the point and catchy. I already had the idea to produce a logo for the book inspired by the Facebook logo as it is a universally known image and it relatable to everyone. This will ensure that the reader will gain some background knowledge on what the project is abased around from the title alone.

I was undecided on three name options:

Misleading

Delusive

Behind Online

After careful considerationg and feedback from individuals around me, I chose Delusive.

‘delusive

dɪˈluːsɪv,-ˈljuː-/

adjective

adjective: delusive

1 giving a false or misleading impression."a delusive perception of opportunity for all"

2 synonyms:

3 misleading, deceptive; More’

I received feedback on the name, from my mentor Jennifer, who also agreed that it was catchy and most importantly made sense.To create a professional logo I researched into the specific fonts and pantone colours that Facebook uses within their social media platform and  successfully found the exact matches.

To create a professional logo I researched into the specific fonts and pantone colours that Facebook uses within their social media platform and  successfully found the exact matches.

The next challenge, was deciding the layout and design on the font that was the most pleasing on the eye. I had four options to choose from, three consisting of text alone and two incorporating further face boon logo inspirations. I found it difficult to choose between the current and previous design of the social network, however after deliberating with Jennifer again on what would work best for the project, we both agreed that I should keep the project, including the logo totally current.

LOGO EXPERIMENTATION:

As a result of all this, I not have a complete final logo. After showing various creatives the final outcome, I have received feedback that it has a corporate 1990’s vibe to it, similar to the times when the internet was just being introduced to the world. This was a completely coincidental accident which I guess has worked in my favour! 

CHOSEN LOGO:

FINAL SHOOT NO.6

SOCIAL MEDIA DEPENDENCY

I was able to show the extent my social media dependency has reached through these Petra Collins inspired concepts using photography on location within my own home. Successful and natural looking images were produced as I was able to place myself within actual situations that I would normally be in while the photographer captured the moment. It was a little awkward to begin with, as it felt odd to pretend that the someone wasn't there taking pictures of me, however once I felt comfortable it became an easy process.

I dont feel as though there is any need for post production on these images, as I cant seem to find any flaws that I wish to change. The natural lighting that was achieved in my bedroom works well to replicate the fly on the wall style of photography that Petra Collins uses, allowing highlights and shadows to fall in the right places and create the desired moody/dramatic finish to the pictures.

Without being too obvious, the images show how I am constantly scrolling through my social media apps on my mobile phone from the moment I wake up and even while using the same social website on my laptop. The idea is to make the reader wonder whether I should go outside and contact people in person rather than through a computer screen and I feel that this has been achieved because of this.

FINAL SHOOT NO.5

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SELFIE

These images are a huge improvement from the test shoot I conducted a few days ago. I managed to book a longer slot within the studios, acquired help from a friend with adequate photography experience and felt totally comfortable being experimental with poses and ideas in front of the camera as a result of this. 

After speaking with John Whalvin, he cleared up all of the issues I had deciding on the best post-production techniques to use that would help create the best outcome for the concept. He explained that I  was following the correct technique within the test shots practice, however he advised me to erase the rear image from behind the front one to that it gives an opaque finish. This was a tedious process that took a great deal of time, however I feel that is has paid off by using this technique as the layers that are showing the unhappy emotion are slightly more prominent.

I prefer the first image shown compared to the second, as the poses work well together. The positioning of my lip in the second looks a little awkward, which draws me attention away from other aspects of the image. This isn't the intended focus of the image, so I don't think I will be using it within the final production because of this reason.

SOCIAL MEDIA GLITCH CONCEPT

Continuing on from the glitch idea and outcomes that were produced from within the studio, I chose to experiment further using actual real life social media posts that I have shared online. Firstly I wanted to use selfies that I have posted to work onto with pixelated layers as a representation of how the posts I share are doctored to fit the specifications and preferences that I wish people to see, therefore my real identity is masked behind this false perception of myself.

I think that the idea works well, however I don't think that these images are as strong as some of the other conceptual ideas that I have produced. If these were to be included within the publication they might detract from the high quality and professional standard that I have been able to maintain so far. To gain a second opinion on this, I met with Jennifer who also agreed with these thoughts, expressing that they had no substance in relation to everything else I had already portrayed within the advancement of the project so far. 

The same concept was used on further photos that I had shared online such as location snaps and food orders. I think that these work a lot better than the previous selfie images as they are random snapshots from my day-to-day life that followers are more than likely just going to scroll past and not pay any attention too. 

Admittedly this concept isn't as strong as some of the previous ideas such as the tattoo concept and influenced identity idea, however I do feel as though these images enhance the overall topic I have chosen and gives the reader further context into how online and by abuse of social media use is slowly taking over my reality. A question that I have already asked within this project is whether  I have been posting context for the benefit of my followers or whether I am just searching self validation. I feel that these images give this point a lot more context, as they give an insight into the things I personally want to share with my followers aside from selfies that allows the reader to see parts of my personality.

FINAL SHOOT NO.4

 INTERFERENCE OF REALITY

The concept of the glitch art is to represent how I am spending so much time online that I am forgetting about reality and could be missing out on real life experiences as a result of this. The idea is to show that online and actuality is blurring into one and I am losing the boundaries that were once so clear. These three images below were a huge inspiration for the post-production elements as I felt that they fit my personal thoughts of what a glitch looks like.

From left to right:

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/450852612676892567/

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/450852612676902825/

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/450852612676902830/

Following the previous experimentation of creating glitch-like images, I was able to produce successful outcomes to include within my final project. As explained before, finding photographers has been a recurring issue, however a friend of mine  who has acquired photography skills through practicing the art as a hobby agreed to help me within the production of this concept if I agreed to set up the studio space accordingly. This worked well, as I had the studio knowledge from previous experience within university and the images that I was looking to produce within the studio time were very simple as I was planning to experiment and distort them further within photoshop.

I have learnt to adapt very well to last minute solution making as it has happened so often within the production time. At first I thought that it was my fault and it was happening because of poor planning techniques, but since reviewing this I have come to the conclusion that there is simply nothing I can do as these matters are simply out of my hands. Learning to rely on myself and my decision making when put on the spot has been successful each time, so I believe that it has worked as a positive for my project as it has allowed me to blossom as a creative director, giving me the opportunity to work under pressure effectively and in a professional manner.

The use of colour as the backdrop and within the styling worked well when altering the colour balance and the hues of the second and third images to create a fluorescent and gaudy effect. By adding layers of the image and then using noise and pixelated filters, the glitch effect was created. I then used the liquify tool to smudge the edges to finalise the images. I prefer the overall look of the last two images as they have a more prominent finish to them which fits the concept appropriately as the images need to be as bold as possible so that the concept of glitch art is representable and can be interpreted easily by the viewer. Although the first image is aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't capture enough attention as I wish the images too. Personally glitches and online interference make me feel uncomfortable when looking at them on a screen. They are a nuisance and they are awkward, so when judging the successfulness of the outcomes, if I didn't feel those feelings when viewing the images - which I didn't with outcome number 1 - I deemed them unsuccessful.

TEST SHOOT NO.3

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SELFIE

When posting a selfie, sometimes I am misleading. I can be in the worst place mentally, yet still post a picture on social media where I am smiling from ear to ear. I feel as though I need to keep up a charade and a false persona that I am always ok so that my viewers do not think I am weak minded. I wanted to show this through the layering of images, in a ‘stages of a selfie’ way. At first I am all smiles but after the picture the smiles then fades away. This idea is quite literal and self explanatory unlike some of the other ideas I have produced within this project, however I think that it works well to have a variety of outcomes.

Unfortunately the outcomes that came from this test shot, weren't very successful. Due to the studios being fully booked and only one hour periods being available to use at such short notice, the photoshoot felt very rushed, meaning the lighting couldn't be experimented with enough and not enough images were produced for me to feel accomplished. The photographer used was a new contact that I had made within university, so I also felt extremely uncomfortable posing for pictures. I tried very hard to shake this feeling off, as I knew that this whole project only benefits myself and my own achievements, however I just didn't feel at ease at all and couldn't wait for the time to be over, which can be seen within a lot of the images as my posture and facial expressions look tense. I know that I should continue to push my boundaries so that I can overcome issues and continue to grow within the product, but for the foreseeable future I will return to using photographers that I feel comfortable around, so that the outcomes can continue to be of an outstanding quality as not to jeopardise the finalisation of the product.

I still used the few images produced to test out the post-production technique of layering two images and then altering the opacity. I think the concept works, however there needs to be improvements made so that it looks professional. I’m unsure how to move forward with this, so will need to seek out advice - either from other students, IT technicians or through online tutorials. 

RELIABILITY

Reliability and sourcing external help is a major issue that I seem to come across on an almost daily basis. Despite posting on the university Facebook pages asking for assistance with photography, makeup and hair a week in advance, I can’t seem to find individuals that wish to help.  Within this last semester of the academic year, everyone that I approach seems to be extremely busy or unavailable to shoot whenever I have studio time booked. The importance of having a small reliable team to work alongside has been made apparent to me throughout this project. Luckily I have a few friends who specialise in makeup, photography, or are willing to engage and learn new skills to help me throughout the production of my conceptual ideas. This has been a vital part of keeping my morale high throughout the disappointment of cancellations and let down of others as I have always had these few individuals to fall back on and ask for help when I was in desperate need.

Throughout my three years at university I have networked with others, however I have found that the connections I have made could indeed have been strengthened to ensure that I have loyal and reliable links to others. This would have made collaborating a lot easier within the last few months and sped the production process up a lot quicker, but I am not going to dwell on this as it has proved to be another learning curve that can be applied within the future. By maintaining the strong links to contacts I have already made and improving the relationships with others I can continue to grow my network.

This issue has also allowed me to take the edification of my own skill sets into my own hands, learning to improve my confidence within a wide range of subject knowledges and practice fields to completely personalise the outcomes of my projects.

Since changing the focus to a subjective viewpoint I have become reliant on myself and my ideas which has been shown through the willingness to learn and improve:

Retouching

Editing

Distortion within photoshop

Location photography

Studio set up

Studio photography

Make-up techniques

I am beginning to feel efficient within a broad range of IT programs and creative situations that I will be able to use as transferable skills throughout the rest of this project duration in the production of my ideas and also carry them through my career where I can then build on them further.

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

To make the project as personal as it can be, I have decided to incorporate some of my actual social media posts into my work. I tend to share every move I make with my online following: where I’m eating, who I'm with, where I’m travelling too, how I'm feeling, etc. But since the progression of this project and since researching social media dependency and habits, I am beginning to wonder whether other people actually care what I am posting or whether I am simply just posting for the self validation and benefit of myself?

I have chosen a selection of check in posts on Facebook, location and food images from my Instagram and random/irrelevant tweets that I have shared on twitter and combined them within a layout that I wish to incorporate into the final design of my publication. I think this works well alongside the creative concepts that will be included as it brings the focus back to the real life perspective and what is personal to me. This begins the investigation into whether what I am posting on social media is just a form of boasting -where I want to share everything with my friends and followers - or whether it as just become a habit that I haven't realised the extent of.

I think I will place this towards the beginning of my publication as a way of introducing myself to the viewer, so that they can understand my personality through my online posts. This will then hopefully allow the concepts that follow on from this to be clearer and more understandable if the reader can relate to the considerable amount of social updates I am sharing.

FINAL SHOOT NO.3

SOCIAL MEDIA TATTOO

The social media tattoo concept was reshot because of the change of direction the project has taken as well as the last set of images not meeting the standard of work I wished to be producing. Ellie Simons - makeup student - assisted with the application of the tweets to the body as I myself was modelling so was unable to do so. Having an experienced makeup artist this time around was evident within the final images, as the right application technique was used so that the product would stay on the skin and prevent smudging which did happen previously. 

The photographer that had planned to shoot the images, cancelled last minute due to delayed transport. As all of the text had even applied to the skin at this point and we were pretty much ready to start shooting, Ellie and myself decided that we would work together as a team to shoot the look together. Within our years of study we had attended photography workshops so we both had knowledge on how to set up the studio and shoot using the correct camera. The photographer also sent over some advice on what the best camera settings would be to use and things to experiment with if we were struggling to get the desired look to the image, which was helpful.

As I had taken mental notes of the lighting set up on the previous shoot, I was able to produce the same lighting if not better than last time. Shadows fall in all of the right places on the body, creating beautiful images. I expressed previously that the concept would improve if the model was nude, however as I am now modelling myself within my work I do not have the confidence to bare all, however by using my skills I have acquired as a stylist I was able to use minimal garments in a way that would compliment the text.

I feel as though I have really excelled as a creative throughout the production of this concept, as I was able to pose and create beautiful postures that are strong yet have a vulnerable feel to them at the same time. When reviewing the images I noticed that some of the tweets have coincidently been written in quite fitting places, for example: ‘How do people just east salad? I’m starving’ has been placed on my stomach, just below my belly button. This could be interesting to look into further, maybe interpreting the meaning behind some things posted online and how much relevance they have to true feeling and happenings in real life. At the minute I have just been focussing on the posts I am making myself, overlooking the replies and comments I am receiving back from people. Could these also be incorporated into the work?