This week we have been in a motif workshop. Developing our drawings and paintings into motifs to be used in design work. It is actually quite difficult to get your head around making successful motifs but it is also fun to experiment. I have put a few of my motifs together on photoshop to give you an idea of what I have been up to.
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe. – Simon Sinek
During my time at DJCAD the importance of passion as a driving force for design work has come up rather a lot. People are more likely to buy into a brand that they can see this passion in. For this reason it is important to have a really strong concept for my honours project. Something that resonates with me as as well as providing inspiration.
Following on from how much I enjoyed drawing little sea creatures that live on the ocean floor I decided to do more research into this kind of marine life. I found out that there are actually vast coral reefs deep in Scottish oceans. They are called ‘Lophelia Pertusa’ and can grow with very little sunlight in the deep deep sea. These reefs are the only ones in their family and are far paler in colour than those found in warmer oceans. ‘Lophelia’ corals provide a unique habitat for hundreds of different species of invertebrates, fish, algae, seaweed, and so, some of which are endangered. They are only found in Scottish and Norwegian waters and many of these species would not be able to live anywhere else.
I felt it would be fitting to include a message about preservation in my project, having always been both interested and active in ecological conservation. How exactly I will achieve this is what I will have to work on over the next year.
In order to start producing a body of drawing I visited the aquarium in Loch Lomond. I spent about 5 hours there and it was reall quite tranquil and very enjoyable. I had a fantastic time and managed to fill half a sketch book.
A few weeks later I visited another aquarium, this time in Bristol and had a similarly pleasant day.
On both days I had been more drawn to ocean floor creatures. Things such as urchins, anemones, corals, and so on. I liked the way that the anemones moved with the flow of the water and all the small details I could pick out. Going forward I will do some research into what other species live in the same habitats as the ones I was drawing and take my project on from there.
I have always been interested in the ocean and all the creatures that live in it. I find it fascinating that the majority of the earths ecology is beneath the surface of the sea. It offers such a rich source of imagery as well as intrigue. For these reasons I felt it would be a perfect visual source for my honours project.
I did a two week project about the sea during the general foundation course in my first year at DJCAD. This will act as a sort of starting point for me to begin research.
Marigold 