Research project proposal

My research project will be focused on how artists use and break conventions of artwork to create and subvert visual language within a work of art. By Investigating and exploring their techniques by creating a number of experiments, I wish to inform myself and others and make use of this information when creating my FMP. 

For my first experiment I will be looking at Charles Burns first book of the “x’ed out” trilogy, “X’ed out” that follows a dream like narrative of a man called Doug and his exploration of his memories and relationship with his girlfriend.

 I would like to analyse how he used iconography and Pop culture references in the book and how that reflected character psyche.  Charles burns used visual language from Tintin as an avatar for the main character in his dream state, using that existing visual language and using it to subvert the themes it’s usually presented with, I want to see if I can take that same kind of language and experiment with the subversion and implication on character psyche.

For my second experiment I would like to give analysis on Pink Floyds 1982 film “The Wall” that follows the life and emotional struggles of the fictional character “Pink Floyd” I will be focusing on the animated pieces within the film overseen by Gerald Scarfe.
 

 I will be looking at the use of symbols used within the film and how it is used to not only reflect the main characters emotional states but states of society. As the film has very little spoken word, it’s mainly conveyed through song and strong visuals. I would like to better understand the techniques used in this film and employ them into my own work though this to give practice into more subtly to the world of the book in creation. 

For my third experiment I would like to look at Scot Mcclouds “understanding comics: the invisible art”

 I feel going over and relearning general visual language on comic book art would be good for the creation of my graphic novel but I would like to focus on Mcclouds theory of how comic books are understood and interpreted to an audience and how this the language of the events can be played with and disrupted. 

My fourth and fifth experiment will be looking at Shaun Tan and his children’s picture book the “The red tree”, which follows a day of a nameless girl having a bad day.

I will be studying tans subtle use of colour and composition within the book and the emotional effect it has on the viewer to better empathise with the main character. With this strong use of colour in this book I would also like to study the motif of red within the book as my fifth experiment, to further this I experiment I would like to study how as an anthropomorphization of hope and how the colour red is used in relation to the worlds composition and relationship with the main character. 

My sixth experiment will be looking at “Fish + chocolate” a book by Kate Brown that is an anthology series on the subject of the relationship of relationships between mother and child.

I would like to analyse how Brown use of panelling and how it shows time moving in the story. For this I would like to focus on the last story of the anthology “Matryoshka” with this analysis I hope I can take the same techniques she has used to inform how to display the concept of time and how to manipulate it.

Bibliography:
Brown. K. 2011. Fish + chocolate. UK: SelfMadeHero
Burns.C. 2010. X'ed out. UK: Jonathan Cape
Tan. S. 2010. The red tree. Australia: Lothian Books
The Wall. 1982. [Film]. Alan Parker: Dir. UK: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Mccloud.S. 2001. Understanding comics: the invisible art. USA: William Morrow Paperbacks