Spitting Image - Thatcher

In satirical comedy series Spitting image Margret Thatcher is portrayed in her usual stereotypical ways of witch like features and crooked nose, but one significant visual change is that she is dressed in a suite.  This could be seen as Thatcher, a powerful female leader conforming to the masculinity or ‘ The default man’ (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016 ) . Given that politics is a male dominated profession as a woman coming into it you need to fight to be heard, so conforming to their way of acting and dressing could be the only way to be taken seriously. It took politicians a while to take Margret Thatcher seriously. So as a result it was suggested that she had voice coaching in order to make her voice deeper lower and more authoritative for public speaking, more male and dominant. She has to meet parliaments embedded ideals of how a politician should behave and act. Spitting image really highlights this fact up in it sketches but also dose still show her as a powerful figure and above the men in her cabinet for example ‘ Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet of vegetables ‘ (Spitting image,(1984-96), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzzgE34YQY, date viewed (17/12/16). the waitress ask what Thatcher ( who she refers to as sir) wants a raw stake. Then say ‘what about the vegetables’ Spitting image,(1984-96), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPzzgE34YQY, date viewed (17/12/16). , Thatcher thinks she is referring to her all male cabinet and says they will have the same as me. This belittles and makes the male politicians appear stupid, therefore making Thatcher appear more intelligent than her peers. It also is still portraying the ruthlessness of Thatcher too as she orders a raw stake, like a vicious predator would eat.  Spitting images aim was to reflect popular public opinion back onto the public in order to get them more engaged with politics. And During the 80’s it was a time of upheaval but now politicians are more protected from satirical comedy and don’t tend to offer as much to bounce off. However the internet and social media allows anyone to do satire for example the sorry song which was a collection of Nick Clegg saying sorry to a tune.  But it would be so good for another show like spitting image on TV mainly to make people more in tune with politics and this may lead people to see the floors like a lack of diversity within our own parliament which leads to certain sectors of people like women and black people being poorly represented.

 

 

Grayson Perry - Images responding to male societal sectors.

These two pieces have been created by Grayson Perry in response to how male centred politics and the financial system are.

The sculpture named ‘ Object in Foreground’  is coved in bank notes , leading bankers and politicians. George Osborne for example who features multiple times . His aim behind it ‘ I was thinking of an object that could hold its own among all the marble but drew attention to the unquestioned maleness of its world’(Perry,(date viewed 16/12/16 ),http://www.cityam.com/)    There is an aspect of school boy humour in this piece , and this works ironically along with the male dominant culture that Perry states occurs in these sectors. It also suggests that it is quite an alpha male environment but it is taking this in a humours tone with this too. The images are spread hectically throughout the image and these reflect the busy environment Perry has based the work on but they are also quite dulled down colours on the imagery used. This could again be another reflection dull way business and men of power in a very generic way. However there could be said that there is juxtaposition to the piece as it is made out of clay and this is a fragile material. So it could be saying about the under fragility of an alpha male.

 

The Wood cut entitled ‘ Animal Sprit’ consists of a half bear man , half bull which also has a massive phallus. This is a power image, the half bull aspect represents a powerful and male animal, also represents Hegemonic masculinity. The bear too is a powerful animal and the creature is standing powerfully over the city and a baby, this also shows that it has a status of power and control.  The big phallus in both images also give the suggestion that the bigger it is the more of a man you are. ‘ There’s no disputing what it is… it’s a big cock’ (Perry,(date viewed 16/12/16 ),http://www.cityam.com/) This piece is also meant to be displayed within the same environment as the sculpture. And also the material of wood is a strong material and the fact that that each line had to be etched into it could reflect the strength of labour.    

Men, Suicide and Society- a report by the samaritans.

‘…the fact remains that it is men who die far more by suicide than women’(Samaritans,(2012),p1)   .A report issued by The Samaritans investigates the causes into a rise in the amount of middle aged male’s committing suicide. One of the causes the report covers is Masculinities. It states that the way men are brought up , told how to behave and roles that are expected from them in society.  Men end up comparing themselves against ‘ a masculine ‘gold standard’ which prizes power, control and invincibility.’ (Samaritans,(2012),p1)  When men have the belief that they are not meeting this societal standard then there self esteem drops and they feel defeat. Having the job of being the house provider and head of the family is essentical to ‘being a man’ (Samaritans,(2012),p1)  , and this is a trait noticed particularly with working class men.  So when a man looses this control this brings him to suicidal behaviour , through drugs and alcohol as a way of gaining back control. The report explains that’ Masculinity and femininity are sociological concepts which can be defined through a collection of roles, behaviours , activities, expressions and practises…constructed ideas about ‘being a man’ or ‘being a women’  (Samaritans,(2012),p1)   Hegemonic masculinity  is a theory set out by Raewyn Connell .’ …it is an ideal to which most men aspire and / or against which they measure themselves.’ (Samaritans,(2012),p10)  It is characterised through several attributes for example power hungry, aggressiveness, independency, success, activity and control. And as a result men are discouraged to show any forms of anxiety, burdens and difficulties. He or She which is a feminist campain also campain for men rights too, they want to give men more support in to open up about their emotions and not to feel weak by doing so, instead of bottling up. However from this report it looks like society could easily be said to be a fault.  It needs to update it values but this is a hard thing to as it seems that the ideal of masculinity is too deeply embedded. So by adding more women into powerful places like parliament would mean that some male MPs would lose their jobs and could be said to be at risk of feeling defeated and without purpose. However could this be an impactful way of changing society values, but sacking male MPs and adding in female ones?

definition - Old boy network

' An exclusive network that links members of profession, social class, or organization or the alumni of a particular school through which the individuals assist one another in business, politics e.c.t' 'http://www.dictionary.com/browse/old--boy--network

Clark Doll test.

The Clark doll test demonstrated the negative effects of stereotyping and segregation in America. It shows the damage caused by racial segregation and racism on young children's perceptions of themselves. The test was conducted by Dr Kenneth Clark and his wife Mamie Clark. The test consisted of a child being shown a white and black doll, then there where asked a series of question which are shown in the clip. The research concluded that the black children often chose to play with the white dolls more than the black dolls. And the children also gave the white doll positive connotations whilst the black doll was given negative. 44% said the white doll looked like them , but many children refused to pick either doll and others reacted emotionally to the test and ran away.  The conclusion, the test proved that black children had internalized racism cause by being discriminated against.

However there where criticism over the study, that it was too experimental and that there was a lack of theory behind it. It was also said that because the test was conducted by a African American couple, that the outcome could have been rigged and intentional to show that African Americans are negatively stereotypes and that the test was biases.     
But then this could be counter argued with the fact that they didn't want to accept the major problem of racism and that society is too deeply embedded in the structure of segregation and divide.

Summary of White Privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack.

In this short manifesto by Peggy McIntosh she identifies what she states as the daily effects of being white and the privileges that brings in America. She lists at 50 identified effects that occur in everyday life, such as ‘ I can go shopping alone most of the time , pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed’ (McIntosh,WhitePrivilage:Unpackingtheinvisableknapsack,(1988) As you read through this manifesto you get the impression that the effects are more like observations of how people from different ethnic backgrounds are treated and stereotyped in a prominently white society. And this is shown through these observations ‘Whether I use checks , credit cards, cash, I can count on my skin colour not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.’ McIntosh,WhitePrivilage:Unpackingtheinvisableknapsack,(1988)  McIntosh also refers to the political race divide ’ I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial’ and ‘I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behaviour without being seen as a cultural outsider.’ McIntosh,WhitePrivilage:Unpackingtheinvisableknapsack,(1988)  This demonstrates that it is not just in the UK where there is a lack of diversity within the publicly elected political parties.

But also she addresses the divide in popular culture ‘ I can easily buy posters , postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys and children’s magazines featuring people of my race’. McIntosh,WhitePrivilage:Unpackingtheinvisableknapsack,(1988) .

Chances of the UK having a Black PM summary.

In the UK parliament today there are only 13 black MPs compared to 650 white MPs. If this statistic was a true reflection of the UK population these would be double this number. A black child in born in the UK today is 12 times less likely to become Priminister compared to a white child born in the UK.  This comes after a BBC report realised in Novemeber 2016 ‘ Why a black child is 12 times less likely to become PM.’ David Harwood (actor) presented the study in a follow up documentary into investigating why there is this divide with in politics preventing children from different ethnic backgrounds getting the top job.  The investigation highlights are several reasons as to why .It states that 45% of black children are growing up in poverty , this means that they can fall behind in education.  This then results in only 4% of black students getting  4 A’s at A-level compared to 10% of white students. So the chances of a black child being born today and becoming primister are 1 in 17 million , however a white child chances are 1 in 1.4 million, but then if this child has gone through private education and got into a top university then there chance increase dramatically to 1 in 200,00. MPs who are currently in government tend to come from highly privileged backgrounds and have been through top end universities like Oxbridge and Cambridge. As a result they know each other and this is where rumours like the ‘old boys network’ come from. For example when David Carmon came into power he encouraged Michael Gove who he knew from university to become and MP, he also gave him a job in his cabinet. Gove later turned out to be a hated MP especially in education when he became secutary.  

There still seems to be a strong social divide in race , the brexit vote could be seen as an example of this. So it could be said that society need to re address its views or that the government should actually lead by example and start including people of a different gender and ethnicity in higher government.   

A summary of Grayson Perry's The desent of man.

Perry’s main aim through this book was to state his opinion on masculinity and weather masculinity is working for us. But as he keep stating in the book he is not writing men off. He comes from a very unique perspective as he is male and takes part in what society states are male activities but he is also a transvestite, so also takes part in more stereotypical female activities like make –up and wearing dresses. So he comes into this debate on gender from an almost balanced insight. A chapter in the book entitied  Asking fish about water , Perry consisders a male figure in society called the ‘Defalt Man’. ‘The White Blob was a strong contender, but in the end I opted to call him Default Man….’ (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016 ).  In it he describes this figure of the default man being middle class boys who could take possible positions of power for example politicians. The default man is meant to embody neutrality, in there smart plain suites and lack of emotion. But because of this approach we have a sense of mistrust with these men, as there is no personality being shown ‘ If George Osborne had dressed up as a cross between Flashman and the Grim reaper instead of a business suite when he delivered his budgets, perhaps we would have had a more appropriate vision of who was controlling the nation’s finances.’ (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016.)  We don’t really know anything about the people who run key parts of our economy and other major parts of government  ,’ …. I like the word ‘default’, for not only dose it mean a result of not making an active choice’, but two of it’s synonyms are ‘failure to pay’ and ‘evasion’, which seems incleadebly appropriate…’ (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016.)  Male politicians like Donald Trump are committing and being tried for tax evasion and rape. Why do we in western society put these men in charge, when we have talented people of different gender, class and ethnicity ready and waiting?  However Perry dose acknowledge that there is a change happening with in parliaments with employing women but it is a very slow transition ‘At present rate of change , it will take over a hundred years before the UK parliament is 50 per cent female…’  (Perry,TheDesentOfMan,p14,2016.)   But there are still a lack of seats for people from different classes and ethnicity. This needs to change. By employing people from these different sectors of society we have the potential to push out the 'Default man' and employ new insights into politics and make it a more inclusive society.  

Grayson Perry- The Desent of Man 2016

    

  This Book I have found to be incredibly helpful. In it he makes reference to theorist including Laura Mulvery and ' the male gaze'. He also talks about masculinity in a way that identifies societies male figures for example ' the default man' referring to upper / middle class men who work as politicians for example. There is also reference to movements like feminism and black civil rights and how white men tend to be the overall rulers in social sectors and Perry states that this needs to change. And his point of view is very valid I think as he is coming from the unique perspective of being male but a transvestite. And it is really good that someone with this perspective is speaking and giving there opinion on the unrest of gender equality. From reading this book I want to re address my essay question. It has made me question a lot more as to why we have in western culture this white male rule and how stereotypes of these male rulers have not changed from the corporate man in the suite decades even though we have female rulers like Anglia Merkal and Tarsier May. And what kind of effect this is having on society?         

Development PDF study task 6

Post Modernist design theroy.

Form (female) follows function (male).
1960's - beginnings
1970's- Established as term.
1980's- recognisable style.
1980s-90s- dominate theoretical

-Grace Jones(1985) slave to the rhythem- cover designed by Jean-Paul Goude.
- Book- the postmodern condition: a report on knowledge.

-Modernism - anti women and anti Black.

- The Memphis Group- 1981 formed, Diverse group of artisits.
- Culture- masculinity- MODERNISM.
- Nature- Feminie.(not modernism

Patriarchy- a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line.
- a system of society or government in which men hold power and women are largely excluderd from it.

Conitiations of :
White-
-pure
-clean
Black-
-dirt
-dark.

Logocentrism- 'writing is noting but the representation of speech, it is bizzare that one gives more care to the determing of the image than to the object.'(Jean- Jacques Rousseau)

Helen Cixous ( 1967) the laugh of the medusa. she looks at the terms for blacks vs whites , Male vs Female.

Phallogocentrism- Male - Male society.

West-         
-familiar
-moral                      
-Rational
-culture
-head
-science
vs
East-
-exotic
-Amorl
-irrational
-nature
-heart
-myth

Hegemony- not the way the world is not reality.

Black is the new black- BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04hr09s

'Exceptional figures from politics, business, sport, science and more share their insights into being black and British today, how they got where they are, and thoughts on what the future holds.'






http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04hr09s

reactions to the election of Obama.

Tutorial

• Diversity and democracy- gender and ethnicity.
• Eton - privately educated.- ' old boys network'
• Social culture - ethnicity and rules.
• Clarke Doll experiments- research.
• social ladder- appropriation.
•  General election- representation and portrayal.
• Migration- diversity, multiculturalism , colonialism.
• Brexit vote, - every vote counted.
• links between social class, and ethnicity.
• education- politics- relationship used in politics , used as a political tool.

potential essay questions.

• Most of western leaders are white and or male. By being ruled by one social class of person and one gender, what kind of effect dose this have on western society?

• Within Western politics, leaders are mostly white, wealthy and male . By being ruled and represented by one social class of person and one gender , what kind impact dose this have on western society?

• Lack of women is power, what dose this mean for society?

• By having one race and one gender in power what impact dose this have on current and further society? 

• Is there a lack of diversity in parliaments? what impact so societal and cultural views have on this?

BBC NEWS- Why a black child is 12 times less likley to become PM.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37949332

This artical questions why there are only 13 black MPs in parliament compared to 650 white Mps. If this statistic was a reflection of the UK population there would be double that number.  And what the chances are now if a black child becoming priminister in the furtre. Are we still going to be stuck with the upper white class , privetly school MPs we seem to have. This articals come shortly after the conclution of the U.S elections where Obama (america's first black president)  is soon to give his role to Donald Trump( white american , 70's , and has charges for rape and tax fraud against him.) Why has America suddenly gone in the complete opposite direction.

Now in the UK this article states that 45% of black children are growing up in poverty, and this can mean that they lag behind in education.
Only 4% of black students get 4 As at a level compared to 10% of white pupils.
So the chances of a black child being born today in becoming priminister, are 1 in 17 million , but for a white child it is 1 in 1.4 million, However if that child has gone through private education and got into a top uni then it becomes 1 in 200,00.

initial ideas.-Study task 5

Definitions: all from - https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/colour


Colour - 'the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light.'

Collage - 'a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric on to a backing.'

Texture -'the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or a substance.'

Shape -the external form, contours, or outline of someone or something.

Line -a long, narrow mark or band.

• Line could symbolise political divide? or social divide?
• Shape , gender or object- social or cultural.
• Textre , could link to culture e.g. tribes , religions.
• She could also be technology, software and hard dirves, what shapes are they makeup of?
• Political satirical collage?
• Asethtetics all above. when applied to different materials how dose this effect the aesthetic? 
• History - line, shape , colour. to particular time periods or ruins. 

Modernist design theory - key notes.

 Modernism in design:
-anti- historicism.
-truth to materials
- Form follows function.
- Tehcnology.
- internationalism.

Utopia- aimed to be for everyone.
Representivte communication
- Marinetti, F.T (1909)- manifesto of futurism- fighting feminism.
-Walter Benjamin (1936) The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.

Image through theory.- study task 4.

Scopophilia -

• 'look.... to examine'.
• The Male Gaze.
• Theorists who look into this , Laura Mulvery and John Berger.
• John Berger - “You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting “Vanity,” thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure.”  https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2507145-ways-of-seeing - Berger, ways of seeing. 

• Tom Ford advert- 
• Context- would be seen in magazines and internet , possibly mass printed.
• Subject- half naked women with perfume bottle on her chest.
• Audience- Men, maybe young 20-40's?
• purpose- to sell the perfume to a male audience. 
• Method of production- Could be used for mass print and would and did cause controversy. 

As a response to this image , a similar image was taken with men as the subject, a protest image. As the original advert objectify's women and makes the point that sex sells. 

-Tom Ford Advert.

Cop Question ideas - study task 2

Suggested questions:

Political:

·       Illustrations that where not fit to print, editorial, would insulted leaders and different people.

• Protest posters - against oppressive political parties.
• Propaganda, influencing peoples opinions.
• Government campaigns.
• Brexit
•  

Social:

• Illustrations that have brought around social change- 70-80s. Accepting people and changing perception and strikes.
• Feminism in illustrations.
• Black civil rights movment.
•  

Culture:

• right wing- how illustrations and other art forms are affected by a government/ culture and its belifes.

·       The American Justice system in relation to the ‘race war’ (comes under political as well.

Which theorists Relate to this question?

·       Death of the author by, Roland Barthes.

·       13^th – Documentertay directed by Ava DuVernay

·       Varrooom

Which Academic sources are avalible on the topic?

·       Black panther movement posters.

·       Polish war posters.

·       MA168 – may 1968 school protest posters

·       13^th amendment

·       American Justice Laws.

·       Jim Crow segregation laws.

·       Black lives matter.

How could the research question be investigated through practise?

·       PRINT.

·       Any mass production method.

·       I would like to make posters as well but it would also be good to just mass print shapes and forms, play around with re arraging them see if I can create a  meaning and insights into the topic.

·       Repetition, really putting an emphasis on the message the image is trying to convey.

Triangluation- study task 3

In ‘The Male Gaze’ a paper written by Laura Mulvey , she suggests that the theory entertainment like cinema are designed to aim toward one specific audience , heterosexual men. ‘ Cinema offers a number of possible pleasures. One is scopophilia(pleasure of looking)’MULVEY, 16,1975.This paper was written in the 1950’s and at this time Feminism was a significant topic. And issues like the objectification of women was being brought to light, also a coscienous of the patriarchal society we live in was being questioned. Mulvey specialised in film theory and in her paper she suggested that audiences relate more to male characters, therefore the male has power. The male viewer would see themselves reflected in the hero, and as a result advancing there ego, a mirror stage in which the dominant male character would be idolised, spectatorship. These women in the films where however objectified, sexualised. They were made into property. As a result of the films trying to feed the male gaze , strong female heroines where overlooked. But it wasn’t just women who where the victims of this time , men where objectified too. They had to appear strong and in control of the family, as fellow film theorist Richard Dyer states in his paper ‘Stars and Audiences’. ‘ Sylverster Stallone to his role as a union representative at work, and how he sees himself ‘fighting’ for his family…’DYER,187,1979.But he dose agree and makes reference to Mulveys spectator theory,’ Moviegoer is positioned according to the pleasures of male heterosexual desire’ ’DYER,188,1979. John Storey is also a writer in the late 1900’s who make reference to Mulvey’s theory and paper and makes a very similar connection between cinema and the male gaze. ‘…Spectator fixes his gaze on his hero (the bearer of the look) to satisfy his ego formations , and through the hero to the heroine(‘the erotic look’)…’ STOREY, 83, SAVOJ ZIZEK AND LACANIAN FANTASY.  Now it is debatable whether there is total equality in film, I personally think that it has got better from the 1950’s-70’s but not that much. However in the last few decades film has had positive developments for example the film Alien , where a women takes the lead, and she is portrayed as intelligent and in control. Also another male character gives birth in a way. A role reversal took place and dose conitue to take place in films today.  However I think that more emphasis need to be put on this as I still think that certain films are still trying to meet the male gaze.           

The Death of the Author- Roland Barthes. - study task 1

‘The Death of the Author’ by Roland Barthes addresses the power of author in the reading and writing of texts. Barthes states the reader / listener do not have a full understanding of reason or the meaning behind the work ‘the author his person, his life, his tastes, his passions.’ (Barthes, 383, 1967) The author’s personal opinions and thoughts flatten the text and block the reader from gaining this understanding, but also they come to the text with fresh point of view.’ Writing is the destruction of every voice, of every point of origin’. ( Barthes, 142, 1967)  So Barthes has a point here about how everyone opinion would differ as they own personal views and opinions would contribute to this.  His work becomes a model for other to work from ‘ … he made of his very life a work for which his own book was the model …’(Barthes, 144, 1967)This leads to Brathes text central theory. That the reader/ listener by coming into the text from another point of view is actually has the most power instead of the author, a power switch.  This then brings into question over who has authorship over the work. Is it the author for writing it? Or is it the viewers for translating and making a opinion or statement about the work?

An example of debateable authorship is Andy Warhol.  Specifically, the Camberwell soups print. Now this product was out on sale in supermarkets before Warhol made this work. The design of the can itself could be said to have been copied, however he then duplicated it many times and repeated this. Also the media used , print allows the artist to replicate work almost identically, but authorship can be added in colour and method of print. But is this him interpreting the product in a new way, and voicing his own opinion on issues like mass commercialism? Barthes theory, if correct ,is a continuous circle that repeats itself from viewer to viewer.  Therefore bringing back to Barthes argument of the reader taking control over the authors work , Warhol has made the cans his. He has taken an already re branded item and made it new and in his own view. However in a Varoom article named ‘The New Is The New Old’  by Paul Davis, Davis discussed what is new but makes the statement that’ It’s safe to say that the concept of the new is a fleeting moment…’ (Davis, 9,2016) So this means that Warhol’s idea was different but only new for a short time as the product did come first and that people are continuously forming new views on his work. As a result the work looses value and becomes the old new.  

Barthes makes some very valid points over authorship and his text central theory , but he contradicts him self , not sure weather incidental or not but if he believes in this theory then we as the readers are the new authors and we should just ignore most of what he states and change it to our own ways.  

End of module Evaluation.

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
I have developed my research skills a lot during this module. My skills in finding resources and critically analysing, taking quotes and drawing conclusions from them as a result I feel have improved massively over the course of writing my dissertation in particular. By these skills improving I was able to source more references and gain a wider understanding of my subject.   Also learning how to visual respond to a self set problem, the different ways and method to go about solving it for example using key quotes from the essay to build the foundations of the project.
2. What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your practical outcomes? The main method of research I have used have been looking at propaganda posters from the 1970s and later, also researching the techniques of propaganda. From this I was able to find methods of propaganda that wanted to base my work around and as a result I started to develop ideas easily from there and directly informed my practical outcomes.  I also watch films and read quotes about Margaret Thatcher, this gave me an understanding into her life ,and the film especially helped me understand the extent of how a powerful women became very vulnerable towards the end of her life. Also by looking at other artist work I gained a idea of the kind of stereotypes and political messages that are out there currently.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I think strength in my work is the experimental approach I had with this brief. In my sketchbook, I used a lot of collage, print and other mediums in making images. Through this I was able to identify the medium which were most effective. From this I went and used the print room to create a large amount of experimental prints which helped me to decide what kind of print techniques to use in the final print and get to the final idea. My collages also have an experimental approach for example adding in rolled on printing ink to give the image better values and textre.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?
I think that I had problems in the practical side of this brief focusing on what I was making and why. I struggled a bit with finding a successful way to communicate my ideas and what I was saying by doing it. For example in the Thatcher collages it took me a while to find what I wanted to say, but I was over ambisous and tried to mix the stereotypes of her with less well known facts. This made the image very confusing and had to read. So in the future I think that I need to be less ambition with the ideas and go with a clear and well structured design instead.
5. Identify five things that you feel will benefit you during next years Context of Practice module?
·      I think that time tabling my time and sticking to it would help as I don’t feel like I have done this effectively this time and if I had my time would have been used to greater effect. ·      From doing this first module I will have a better understanding of what to expect next year and how to approach tasks like the essay and the practical work. ·      Not leaving all of the practical work till that last few months. I have realised that getting ahead with your visual journal is worth it as when it come nearer the hand in you can look back at what you have produce already and develop it further without having a rush to find ideas. ·      Having a better understanding of how to go about finding resources and how to go about summarising and analysing them. ·      Again from doing this first module I will also have a much better idea of how to structure the essay and how to incorporate quotes and summarise of texts.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance					x
Punctuality				x
Motivation			x
Commitment			x
Quantity of work produced				x
Quality of work produced				x
Contribution to the group			x