Production of Idea

I decided as a whole, in order to connect Alzheimer's to something I'd like to produce Memory as an underlying theme in this piece. I would like to produce a Memory Book alike to ones I've researched, but it being a book that represents someone's whole life, photographs and images layering up to being a scrapbook that comes to life. The sound effects will be sounds that reference to certain memories, dogs barking, children laughing etc. As well as there being references to their favourite sorts of books, memories etc.
By going to local charity shops and collecting materials from home, I've been cutting out certain illustrations and photographs that I think may be effective in a composition of layered collage.
I attempted to replicate the style of Korzer-Robinson's work by using a craft knife and building up the layers of a landscape book, I only did a section of the book by sticking layers together and layering them up but liked the effect, and knew that I should start experimenting with cut outs on After Effects to see if I can get the effect that I would like.
At the moment the pieces of collage built up don't really have much of a meaning, but I think that ideally I would like future collage used in the actual piece to be in chronological order so that the audience knows that it is a journey through someone's life. In order for it to link to the aspect of Alzheimer's and representing the fading of memories, I am thinking of making the closer images the most recent ones and them being slightly transparent to show they're me
mories being lost. (Showing that short term memories are lost before the long term memories)
Scanning these pieces in and editing them on Photoshop into PNG files allowed me to be able to import them into After Effects and add a 3D element for me to be able to layer them all up. I inserted a camera and placed it in front of the layers of collage elements to view the dimensions from a particular viewpoint. In addition to this, I knew that I wanted the layers to be defined by depth, so shadows were an important part to the animation, therefore I managed to apply shadows in the Material options.

Experiment Result
I used the aspect of older illustrations and photos as an experimental element for the development of my idea. Through this, I have learnt that spacing out the collage elements is key for the speed aspects, I'd like the transition to be slower in order for the audience to take in certain materials I have used (The combination of old photographs as well as illustrations and photos that link to certain memories)  I found that it is important to experiment with these materials first, as I didn't have to particularly worry about what sort of photos I was using, this was more for the overall aesthetic more than the content.
For my actual animation, I'd like for the aesthetic to be similar, but the photos to be as if they are being brought to life, as this is what I am trying to achieve.

2D Collage Animation Research

After having taken interest in the aspect of making a more 3D layered collage, I have looked out for some different methods of a similar aesthetic, to see what sort of effect that it had on the audience overall. This is a very different message that is sent across with it being more surreal aspects of collage, but I think that the aesthetic still remains the same with the aspect of depth of different papers building up with the different elements. I intend to find some books myself and build up more depth of materials. The Collage Travel from Tigrelab on Vimeo.

Alexander Korzer-Robinson

When looking into the 2D collage aspect and wanting them to be related to my theme, I found this artist who works with old illustrated books to this layered style and I found it quite interesting, and one that I would like to favour in my own work. In a way it gives a 3D effect to the book overall and I'm intrigued by the attention to detail that they built up.

Alzheimer's Self-Portraits

I've been looking into different versions of the ways of visualising the disease, and felt that this was a very emotional collection of paintings as it is right from the horse's mouth as it were. As these portraits were painted by William Utermohlen, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and decided to document this by painting a self portrait for 8 years until he could no longer remember how to paint.
I think that this further develops how the disease strips away certain parts of who you were, including all your abilities. Utermohlen was an artist most of his life, and therefore an ability he had constantly practiced, but couldn't eventually do it.

Charles Young

 Through the aspect of memory books, I thought that these paper sculptures by Charles Young were a nice aesthetic for some of the pieces. Not things as complex as this but maybe something along these lines. I like the fact that some 2D aspects could easily be turned into very different 3D worlds, I find that this is an exciting thought and one which would be nice to explore further.

'Bonkers Clutterbucks'

As part of the New Mills Festival Art Trail, there was a display of work produced by 'Bonkers Clutterbucks' a couple that produce 3D collage via found papers and objects, highly influenced by steampunk.

Charles Young

 Through the aspect of memory books, I thought that these paper sculptures by Charles Young were a nice aesthetic for some of the pieces. Not things as complex as this but maybe something along these lines.

Dementia and Alzheimer's

I've chosen to look into as research and as an overall project, the aspect of Dementia and Alzheimer's after being inspired by personal events with my Grandma having had Alzheimer's Disease, and the fact that there are certain effects on the family etc.
I recently went to a Lucy Spraggan concert, and she produced a song which had lyrics that really enhanced the effects of Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Dissertation Research

As a subject to study for my Dissertation, I chose to look into the aspect of the Nature and Nurture of Creativity, and to research and question how your genes and your environment contribute to your creativity.



Why children's drawings matter from Delphine Burrus on Vimeo.

Dissertation Research

As a subject to study for my Dissertation, I chose to look into the aspect of the Nature and Nurture of Creativity, and to research and question how your genes and your environment contribute to your creativity.

Charity Awareness Videos

With the open nature of our Summer Project being an individual choice gathered by research, I've found that my experience with Charities has been able to inspire certain research into what helps them gain awareness.
A particularly relevant charity to my personal life has been the Alzheimer's Research UK, and I found when looking into their marketing for the donations, that they're very good with social media interactions such as trending metaphorical awareness videos such as this 'Share the Orange' campaign to show the effects of the disease in a different way.


The video with added film manipulation of the orange slowly falling apart, is a good metaphor for the loss of memory and brain capacity, and partnered with a soothing voice of a celebrity who says he's experienced the loss himself: Christopher Eccleston.
In addition to looking at this, I found some interesting other videos also supported by their research (unfortunately I couldn't find the makers of this animation) but I think it's an interesting concept in telling people the facts but with more of a visual aid and interesting colours rather than it being a dull and boring video to inform the audience.
In a way, if I were to do a  similar video to inform the audience of the effects of Alzheimer's disease, it also links to the aspects of genetics that I will be studying for my dissertation 'the nature and nurture of creativity'

'The Jungle Book'

Over the Summer I watched a Disney remake of the classic Rudyard Kipling story 'The Jungle Book' and it got me thinking about originality and influence of modern times.
Walt Disney pictures produced one of their classic hand drawn animated musicals of the story in 1967 which has now been adapted to a live screen special effects version with darker connotations. There were certain aspects