It’s been another quiet week. My CFS has still been giving me problems so I’ve spent most of my time resting and trying to catch up with sketchbook work. Fortunately, I’ve managed to get a letter from my doctor and an appointment with disability services. I don’t know if there is much my uni can do to help, but at least I won’t get in bother for missing class. This week I have been trying out photography and learning about the darkroom process. As well as doing more work for my current project and context module.

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

One of the most exciting things to happen this week was an introduction to film photography. My university has its own dark rooms and students are free to use them to develop photographs as they please. I’ve read before how easy it is to develop black and white photographs, but it hasn’t been till now that I realised just how easy it is.

I’ve actually thought about trying it at home for a while. But buying all the chemicals seemed like a hassle. Fortunately, they have all the chemicals set up in the dark room. And a handy sheet telling you the exact process of developing film. The whole thing is really easy, its a series of submerging the film in one chemical, then another. And just repeating that process a couple of times.

MORE LIKE THIS: Experimenting With Cyanotype At Art School

The photo lab also had lots of examples of old film cameras which students are allowed to use. This meant I got to try out a medium format camera, to be specific the Holga 120. This is a specific type of camera which is very cheap, and as such gives a very distinct look to the photographs. The proper term is Lomography, this is something I’ve been interested in for a long time. Lomo cameras are usually very cheap, under £50, but I’ve never got around to buying one. It’s really exciting that I get to try out this type of camera.

ESSAY WRITING

Because my CFS had been acting up the week before I missed a lecture that week. So I was pleased to find out when I came in this week that we had a seminar for this module. And we’re expected to bring along what we had written so far of our analysis essays. When I say pleased I mean more like horrified. I had been planning my time around the final hand in date for the essay which isn’t for another four weeks, and as a result, had nothing written. Fortunately I’m writing about an artist who I already have an interest in.

So I had to get something written for that. As well as doing more research for my current project. This is one where I have to create a publication about a specific theme from Modernism. The brief is really broad so you could pretty much do anything.

Fortunately learning about the darkroom process really helped me with this brief. I’ve started to look more in depth at how artists used photography techniques along with collage to create pieces of art. This is most evident in Constructivism and Dadaism. It means I get to spend even more time in the darkroom making photograms and trying out cyanotype printing.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS

Looking back at that it sounds like I’ve done way more work that I actually have this week. I’m still stressing a little that I’m behind with my project. I only have two weeks left before the hand in. I’m just hoping I can find enough energy to get it finished.

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