My Design Process Analysis

The theme for my design process was ancient mythology, varying in cultures from Greek to Scottish. The subject matter included and explored in the Unit 3&4 design process consisted of a selkie, phoenix, Cerberus, hippocampi and medusa.
The focus throughout the design process was to visibly relate the figure back to its origin myth/legend while also looking like an original and unique piece. I wanted to focus on the original portrayal of each creature so that it could be easily recognized as the creature it is, however I also wished to add a modern take on the creature using my own personal depiction. The background stories and physical form of mythological creatures were concepts that interested me greatly. I also incorporated a sense of individuality,

My final folio pieces included very little change from the original trial direction plan, however their material and technique application varied greatly from the materials and technique trials I created for said direction. The first folio piece depicts a sense of peaceful isolation that the selkie experienced alone on the shore of a beautiful twilight sky and patterned seas. It directly relates to the imagery of sun bathing selkies on a midsummers night as portrayed in so many of the Celic legends. To refine this work I simply had to decide on colour in relation to surrounding objects. For example I created the sky a blur of purples and some blues as a dark navy-black sky wouldn’t suit the mood set out and a clear blue sky would clash with the sea, making the sea and sky seem one. The use of watercolours allowed for an easy mixing of colours to produce a variety of mystical

This is because I included key visual aspects of the original legends (i.e. selkie sealskin, phoenix rebirth trough fire), while including my own interpretation of the creature’s physical details, such as hair/feather and eye colour, and their background imagery. The relationship between the two artworks was established through the use of the subject matter, that is, both images include only a single creature. This creates a sense of isolation and seclusion from the rest of the world, largely due to their differences that thus cause fear in many. Each of the final images is linked by my themes as each piece depicts well-known mythological creatures from different cultures. The use of bright colours and positive space this accentuates the feeling of peaceful isolation that these creatures are happy to live