Chronic Illness & Coursework | Art School Diary #4

This week I became what I would describe as a proper university student. That was because instead of doing coursework I choose to play the Playstation for two days. I did have what I would consider a good reason for doing this. But if I’m honest I would still rather be playing the Playstation than writing this.

CHRONIC ILLNESS PROBLEMS

On Monday my Chronic Fatigue got pretty bad, pretty quick. I was fine over lunch but by 3 o’clock I had no energy and decided to just go home. It’s annoying because there wasn’t really a reason for my CFS getting bad. The week before had been pretty stressful but it shouldn’t have taken so long to affect me. It’s difficult to tell what influences what because I get stressed when I’m tired and I get tired when I’m stressed.

Instead of forcing myself to work on my project anyway, I decided to just go with it. Recently I’ve been trying to accept the fact that I’m having a bad day rather than pushing through. I’ve found it helps me feel better faster. I went over some lecture notes because I like to feel I achieved something. But apart from that I had a few lazy days playing Dishonoured 2 and watching Bodyguard.

It was a little stressful choosing to not do any work. Especially since I have an interim deadline coming up. But by the time I was back in the studio I felt much better. And more importantly got all the work finished that I had been meaning to do that week.

COURSEWORK

The project I’m working on is about film posters. I’m designing a film poster for The Lives of Others. Which is a German film set in Berlin during the Cold War. We have an interesting requirement for this project. The artwork for the film poster has to be made in camera. Meaning whatever the artwork is you want on the poster, you have to be able to take a photo of it.

The film I was given is a spy movie. This was during a time when espionage was more personal. Rather than just collecting the data over the internet. So over the last week I have been working with the setting of the movie. Because that was an important element. From this I got a few sketches which I was able to take and have etched on acrylic sheets using a laser cutter.

One of the major advantages of the art school I’m attending is all the workshops available for you to use. There is a makelab and woodshops, dark rooms and a photostudio. You’re encouraged to use them as part of your development process. The main point of this first project is using those tools the art school has available.

So while I’m not entirely happy with my model as yet.(1) It’s fine because this is just part of the development process.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS

Honestly I have no idea what kicked my CFS into overdrive. It could have been stress or it could have been the weather. Or there might be no reason at all behind it. It does get frustrating sometimes having to deal with all this on top of being a university student.

1. Because I don’t think it shows what the film is about. This has nothing to do with how good or bad it looks.

MORE IN THIS SERIES

Course Induction & Matriculation | Art School Diary #1
Project Briefs & Lectures | Art School Diary #2
The Lives of Others | Art School Diary #3
Chronic Illness & Coursework | Art School Diary #4
Under Camera Artwork | Art School Diary #5
A New Design Brief | Art School Diary #6
Reading Week & GDFS | Art School Diary #7
First Project Hand In | Art School Diary #8
Risograph Printing & CFS Problems | Art School Diary #9
Photography & Essay Writing | Art School Diary #10
Darkroom & Artist Books | Art School Diary #11
Meeting With Disability Services | Art School Diary #12
Final Week Before Assessment | Art School Diary #13