4.3 Conversations with pictures - Interpretation
I wondered through my sketchbooks and looked at the drawings I had. I started with the figurative sketches and added dialogue using post it notes.
This is a quick 2 minute sketch of a figure looking out of a window. There is something quite lovely about this isolated figure. Even though she is on her own and there may not be another figure around her to talk too, they thought of her inner dialogue is curious. What might she be saying to herself? I see a lonely figure here. She wants more, she's looking outwards into the world, but perhaps she doesn't know how to get there.
I added the words "Life is passing me by". Thoughtful and meaningful.
Continuing with the inner dialogue, I looked for other isolated figures. "I just need to rest a while".
"One day at a time". Motivational.
The blind contour drawings also appear as isolated figures.
"I dream of much more". A longing.
"Don't be silly. You're not worth it". Self loathing.
"I give up". Defeat.
This inner dialogue continues with the sketches taken on the street. Even though there are a number of figures in the same place and on the page. Everyone was alone.
"I wish the bus would hurry up". Practical.
"I wish I could walk faster like I used too". Nostalgia.
"What to cook for tea tonight?". Everyday.
"I feel invisible". Lonely.
The figure at the kitchen sink. "I wish we had a dishwasher".
"Why is it always left to me to do the washing up". Frustration.
Next I looked at some of the character sketches in my sketchbooks.
"I hate it when we fall out".
"Stop moaning and have fun!".
"I don't like this game. I'm always on the bottom!"
"They're coming. Don't move!".
"Act normal!"
"Why was I born a toilet roll?".
"Don't move....Don't move....Don't move...."
Redrafting of ideas:
The characters become more playful when dialogue is added. They become real characters on the page.
The isolated figures are interesting. I like the mystery of them and the idea of inner dialogue.
I revisit the figure at the sink and see if I can redraft him into a scene.
Here he is frustrated and bored of the practical job of the washing up. I wonder if I can push this a little further and create a more meaningful scene. Balancing the practicality with emotional inner dialogue,
Thumbnail 1:
This places my figure in a kitchen scene, washing up in front of the window.
This is a true and realistic scene, however it doesn't feel particularly imaginative at this some.
I revisit my sketchbook and look for something I can partner up with my figure, hopefully within the setting of the kitchen.
I decide to take the gold fish from exercise 4.4 Using basic narrative.
I place both characters within the kitchen scene.
Thumbnail 2:
I carry this idea forward and build on the idea.
Using a black line I place the figure, washing up and looking down at the goldfish who is peering up at him out of this bowl. They are both trapped inside the kitchen whilst the sun is shining outside.
I colour the scene using coloured pencils and felt tip pens.
The felt tips offer a bold and bright outdoor space. The pencils a more subtle indoors.
The figure is dressed in grey, carrying forward his emotional inner dialogue.
The goldfish is trapped in the bowl.
The tulips in the window are drooping, a reflection of the mood inside.
All are missing out on the sunshine outside.
Narrative development:
The letter. I want paper that reflects the mood of my figure. He is bored, trapped, uninspired.
I start to build the paper up using the colour grey, this idea has been taken from the colour of his T shirt and his mood.
I tear strips of grey tone from a magazine and glue the cuts to the opposite page of my sketchbook.
In contrast to the very sunshine within the scene I then decide to layer up the magazine pieces with cut our paper clouds, these clouds are raining. I continue to cut the raindrops out of the paper and stick them to the page.
I like the way the weather conditions contrast each other on the double page.
I then add the narrative to my scene, I choose orange paper to do this as it matches the orange of the sun.
"I feel trapped".
"So do I"
"There's a world outside".
In white speech bubbles, to compliment the grey of the letter paper and weather conditions on the page I add the notes from my male figure.
'Note to self,
It's been too grey for too long.
Start looking for the sunshine, it can't be far away.
From self''.
Of course the sunshine is right outside the window, he just can't see it. The goldfish knows it's there!
Reflection
I really interesting development.
Adding speech to my sketchbook instantly added a narrative to each page. The characters were fun and cheeky, they all came to life on the page when I started to imagine what they might say to each other.
Most curious though were the isolated figures on the page. I found imagine their inner dialogue the most interesting, especially in the current climate where life can feel quite isolating. I found their inner dialogue emotional and I could definitely see potential to develop their emotional responses.
Adding the goldfish to the idea of my male figure created a much more interesting idea and scene. Again, there is potential to develop this narrative further into a short story. A potential idea for my assignment.
The page of the letter was interesting and an emotional response to the scene. If I were to redo this letter I would perhaps photocopy the collage and write directly onto the page for a more authentic appearance. The words could also be added too for a more detailed explanation of my figures current state of affairs.
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