No31 - A round up of work undertaken while away...

Reflective Journal Entry No31 31/08/11

Latest posting to update on creative development...

I have been away since the 19th, but while on a break it gave me the opportunity to have an overall look at the work and how things are progressing so far...

Well the dissertation is progressing reasonably well and the word count is nearly 12,000, however this will be edited down to around 10,000 for the final submission and I'm also still formatting the final template layout, thinking that if I can get this finished in time, I may send this to blurb for printing, all being well? Elsewhere, I have now completed the bulk of the materials for the 'resource kit'. In recent weeks the postcards, mini activity cards, stickers and sticker books have been printed by moo, and the '5 books, which are 3 parts investigate, one overview book, and the activity overview book, will be on their way to blurb for printing tomorrow. This will only leave the 'laminated activity cards' to conclude and the 'DVD of Film materials' to also put together. I have sourced a wooden briefcase for housing all and this will be purchased over the weekend.

Still to conclude, the last filming session at the Rylands on the 12th Sept with 2 staff interviews as well, and the Public Handwriting Installation exercise at the Royal Exchange on the 18th Sept. Filming from each to be included on the DVD as part of the final submission. The last component will be the final presentation of all items to peers on the 27th Sept.

Further details of updates to follow in the next few days...

Book reference - Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design's Golden Age, Steven Heller, Louise Fili...

The reference link for this provided very kindly by Natalie. Good Book will certainly go and check this out...

More handwriting and a current news issue...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14548710

Posted on the BBC news page focusing on the outpouring of support for Manchester after the riots...

No30 Meeting at the Royal Exchange today, positive developments...

Reflective Journal Entry No30 15/08/11

Latest posting to update on creative development... 15.06.96 - 15.06.11 15 years Legacy.

A very positive meeting this morning with Clare Simpson, the Marketing Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre. The purpose of the meet was to continue with the discussions originally undertaken last October, regarding the MB96 work and it's impact on the RET. At that time a small exhibition or installation was put on the table for discussion centred around the creative work I had in development which is my personal creative response to the events of that day.

Well today we have agreed on a direction and timing for a public installation to take place around the 18th Sept, more details to follow on this...

Following on now later the project has come full circle and will now connect both the latest work with the investigation into Handwriting (and it's possible demise?) coupled with handcrafted Typography. In the meeting today Clare from RET suggested that we could look at an activity which could engage the General Public. Set up in front of the video/flat screen viewer in the hall, where a 5 min presentation of visuals connected with 15.06.96 and supporting posters either side, there will be a table with a selection of brightly coloured post it pads. The Public will then be invited to write on these a memory of the day, whether they were in the city or another part of the world, they can write this down on the post it and this is then stuck on the poster.

This offers up also further Primary evidence of individual handwriting and neatly ties in with the latest creative development leading to the Rylands, so full circle. We also discussed that this can become an event taking place every year in June, and despite not happening this year on the date of the anniversary, there is no reason why next year 15.06.96 - 15.06.12 will be on the date, I have been asked to adapt the graphics for this, and this will be submitted this week, with the other materials so that the in-house team can get on with the costing and production of materials from my artwork.

This will be pilot tested on Sunday 18th Sept, when the RET will be opening on a Sunday for the 1st time, and will be included as part of their events programme. It is hoped that this will run for a few weeks? Before I forget I have also had agreement with Yvette Jeal from the Rylands to take further the Communication/Typographic/Handwriting direction with further filming at the Library on the 12th Sept and a similar public display/installation to follow within 2 weeks.

No29 Update on current work...

Reflective Journal Entry No29 14/08/11

Latest posting, to update on creative development...

In the last week there have few a few interesting developments away from the main body of work being undertaken. I will follow up on the Rylands in the next journal posting (Filming Part 2) A few weeks ago as part of the print development for the resource materials, I created a pack of postcard images. These have been printed through Moo and will be included as part of the user exercise I'm going to be running in the next few weeks related to the 'handwriting analysis' I wish to pursue which will reflect how modern handwriting is developing, or not as is becoming apparent in my research.

I have selected 20 people from very different backgrounds and locations (New Zealand, Australia, US, Ireland, and from the UK South Wales, London and Manchester) I will be sending out a postcard to them, and will ask them to write on the card a favourite quote or saying, or even something about the place they live, and then post this back to me. These cards will then serve as a snapshot of evidence for my resource kit and analysis of different handwriting styles. I have also had a positive response back from the Rylands and the Royal Exchange, so it maybe that there will be more than 20 volunteers in the end?

Speaking of the resource kit, I have now put together the books (4 in total of 20 pages each) which show the theme of investigation, I have undertaken so far. These are going to Blurb for printing in the next week, and will be expected back by the end of the month. I have also now found/sourced a suitable method for housing all items to be included.

More details to follow later...

No28 Rylands filming Part 1...

Reflective Journal Entry No28 08/08/11

Latest posting, to update on creative development...

Today went well and actually better than I had hoped, for the most part there were no technical issues. I have to though firstly mention the exceptional help I have been given by the Rylands, this is in total contrast to the frustration I had to go through a number of months ago with MOSI. The Facilities team headed by Yvette Jeal, and her colleague Ian Massey have been very helpful and I can't thank them enough. In fact today Ian how has helped with setting up, put together a platform for me to place the projector on, made from a few pieces, absolutely brilliant and was spot and did the job.

In the posting before this I have attached some screen grabs of some of the filming, and I will come back to this later with more details once I have gone through my notes and the materials filmed...

Screen grabs 08/08/11 Filming Part 2...

Screen grabs 08/08/11 Filming Part 1...

No27 - 2nd walk through the Rylands...

Reflective Journal Entry No27 04/08/11

Latest posting, to update on creative development and preparations for the filming in the Rylands on Monday 8th August. This morning I had walk through the Library with one of the 'Building Facilities staff', to check out the upper level reading room, which proved to be better than expected, and this will yield at least 3 areas to explore for the projections, and I believe will truly capture the visual element I'm looking for for the final creative multimedia piece. In addition to these 3 areas upstairs, I have indicated 2 further areas of projection, one down in the print press display area with the traditional presses including the Gutenberg Press, and then back towards the reception area where the clean white walls will offer up a different look to the Red Stone of the original library building. I have also been given permission to film most of the day now, instead of just 3 hours as originally indicated, so a visit of bonuses.

My next task will be to put together a basic storyboard and to expand the sketches in my latest sketchbook, just to firm up the thoughts from this morning and work out a timeline of where and when to shoot. Finally it has been indicated and offered that I could have use of one of the large flat screen display screens to show the final completed movie of all this, which would also give me a public installation to submit for final submission and also include in the kit of materials.

Today as well the, 2nd part of the 'resource kit of materials' printed by Moo 'the postcards', arrived in the post and I'm very pleased with the way they look. I have also been notified by Moo that the 3rd part 'the stickers, stickers sheets and the 2 sticker books', have been dispatched and these are expected tomorrow.