Character Building Project.

Following the brief from the character building project, I investigated the people within my group. We decided to carry out a video call in which we got to know one another better. I then went about asking Asher questions and writing down useful information that might help inspire me to when creating visual links between Asher and what captures them visually.

After the first video call, I started writing down ideas or ways that I can explore this information that I gathered. I started making connections from what I associated with the person or what they said that inspired me. I looked at the article associated with this project and the work of Camilla Catrambone, “Portraits of my Family” really influenced my thinking as we really can be the sum of the important things that we carry with us. I made sure to ask questions that reveal what they find an important possession, one answer included; a notebook, pencil case with pens and pencils. I wanted to include this somehow into my development however I wasn’t sure how so I started looking at marks because they seemed also just as important if the person I’m portraying carries around tools for drawing or doodling.

The work I was developing was very pattern and mark based, but I wasn’t really getting any where close to feeling like the work was capturing Asher in a visual way. We decided that another video call was needed to get more information. After that I realised that they work prominently with their hand in every aspect of life. It’s how they communicate with the world, through doing tactual things ranging from art, to work, to hobbies and interests. I steered my work into a different direction that focused on hands as objects. I looked into using hands to make prints, studying the leftover marks. As well as looking into how the hands behave when covered in splashed or stained as that is something that Asher mentioned.