Possible layouts.

I figured that as I haven't done any real work since Wednesday I should at least do one of the easiest parts of what actually have to do. So I've done some exhibition presentation mock-ups for my project report. I'm in two minds as to which ones I want to use but I'll probably go with the five, not just because it's cheaper but also because with the jeans the story isn't as relevant as the others so I'm not sure. I want to include the jeans because I like the image and I want to include Gabriella, but her text was more about practicality rather than absurdity so I'm sad that I'll probably have to miss her out, especially considering she as probably helped me out most out of everyone.


The interview for Gareth's documentary went well today, he says it's going to be a while until he edits it all together but I'm looking forward to getting a copy of the pilot in the post, and if he puts it on Youtube I'll get it up here too.
Here is a clip from his documentary 'A Pioneer Perspective', which was broadcast on the Community Channel in 2008.

500.

Here is what I wore today. I really want to know where I'm going with this, because I think it might make an alright book, but what about in a gallery context, and what about actually passing this unit?!

© Ruth Johnston 2011

Home Stretch: Part 2.

Once again feeling incredibly overwhelmed.
Here is the proposed final layout for the half-Chinese images, "Where are your parents from?". I didn't intentionally place myself in the middle but I didn't want to be first or too close to my sister, it looks a bit strange because I'm wearing one of the brightest colours, but I think as I'm the main starting point, it's a fine to say it's the layout in my Project Report, even if it isn't necessarily going to be the final, final exhibition layout. In any case, other people aren't necessarily going to know that it's me straight away anyway.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

I had to use one of the classrooms so forgive the fact that the lighting in these is a bit weird - I'm sure that by the time 'exhibition time' rolls around they'll be put in a clean, crisp spot.
Here is the text I have written to go at the beginning of the series:

This is not a study, it is an exploration to discover if there are others like me, and if there are others who feel the way I do. It’s strange to formally acknowledge my position as a British half-Chinese person. I am happy to be half-Chinese and have something different about me, but I also remember being very unhappy about it too. When I say that my mother is Chinese, which is all people really want to know, I am usually then asked whether I can speak it, when I say, “No, but i can understand quite a lot”, I am met with a disappointed “oh”, as though I’m the only person in the world who never learnt Chinese.



I have been picked on, and even singled out by people in the street because of the way I look. I’m proud of who I am, although I tend to resent the repetitive reaction to wanting to know ‘what I am’, some people are just curious. I am half-Chinese, I am British and I’m embracing exoticism.

Overall, I'm pretty much happy to say that I'm finished, and I feel like it's my best University project so far. At least at this stage in the game it had better be. I have been told to expect between a high 2:2 and low 2:1 for my dissertation, which I'm really not happy about, so I really want to do well with this project.
What annoyed me about my tutorial this morning was the fact that my tutor asked me about my practical project and how it was going and when I said it was nearly finished and how I wanted it done by the time I went home for Christmas, she then gave me more to look into and more to do. Eeep, I think I might take a chance and leave it out, she mentioned 'Identity', which does have a loose link to this, I suppose, but I think I've covered it in my interviews and research about mixed race people. I do still worry about whether I should do it but I'm really not sure that I have the time. Ahhh. I'd better slog my guts out until Friday, really.

'Your writing style is letting you down'

At least it's only a draft and not my actual dissertation, I'm still not taking it well though, I thought I was quite good at writing, even when I didn't study in the first year of my degree, I still would put the 2:2 I got down to how well I wrote rather than what I actually knew.
Oh well, that's why it's a draft and I guess I'll have to admit defeat and go and see the Academic Skills people after all. I'm not too bothered but it has aggravated me a bit.

So in other academic news, I've been playing around with presentation layouts for the Half-Chinese project. These are A4 Matt versions but I'm printing on A3 gloss on Tuesday. Not sure I'll be able to lay them out on my wall like this for practice though and will probably have to use the University. I think my printer is making everyone look a bit pinky-orange, but the printer I use on Tuesday will probably be a truer match. I'm not sure why I decided on gloss, I just think it looks better.


I was thinking a grid but then as I'm thinking of having text as well, it was pointed out to me in my tutorial that that could make it quite messy and less easy to read, so the line is probably the way I'm going to go. I'll probably get told something completely different in my tutorial next week though.
I've also gone about creating mock-up text panels for each of my subjects. The panels have quotes from either their written statements or what they told me whilst I was talking to them.



At least I can say that I'm almost wrapping this project up - I'm going to have to do so much dissertation over Christmas...

Morning well spent.

From half 10 until 1, I helped make these with Abbie and Gayatri, not too bad a job really.
It's the conclusive piece for Brief Three, for which we got given both a model, a designer and a rough idea for which the pieces were based on. This is a mock spread for I-D, it's made me look forward to my own spread a bit more now.
Group work isn't so bad when it all comes together, even if some members have proved themselves to be almost entirely useless by this point.