OUGD406 - Secret 7 - Concept Four

Concept Manifesto

Blue marbling signifies the development of clouds before a storm via idyllic visual representation - referencing the song's 'you were the perfect storm' lyric.

Before being in a position to meet the Secret 7 resolution requirements, I first needed to produce the blue marbled prints. This process, alongside the images used documenting it, can be found here:
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/500814421043893614/

To produce the prints I needed to equip myself with the following:

• Shaving Foam
• Food Colouring
• Heavy White Card
• Masking Tape
• Paper Towl
• Ruler
• Large Spoon

The Process

Step 1: Firstly the heavy white card needed to be prepared for the process. This meant backing the edges of the back of the sheet with masking tape as to protect the immediate sides from potential exposure to the shaving foam during the printing process.

Step 2: With the paper prepared, the marbled shaving foam medium was ready to be mixed. A relatively thick layer of shaving foam needs to be supplied within a container large enough to fit

in the entire sheet of paper. Alternatively, the foam can be put out on to a wipeable surface.

Step 3: Blue food colouring should then be quickly and sparingly dropped into the shaving foam, which should then be folded/swirled delicately into the foam - being careful to not over-mix to maintain the marbling and not simply turn the shaving foam into a solid blue medium. 

Step 4: The earlier-prepared card should now be placed tape-side-up onto the foam, pressing down gently to ensure even contact is made between the foam and paper. The paper shouldn't be left in the medium for too long as this will result in the paper becoming too wet.

Step 5: Paper towels should be layed out before gently lifting the paper from the foam from one corner. This can now be placed tape side down on to the paper towels.

Step 6: Using a ruler, the excess foam can now be removed. To achieve the best results, this should be done through one large sweeping motion across the sheet from one of the corners. Any foam that may be left on/near the edges can be swept off with paper towel.

Step 7: With the print now produced, the paper needs to be set-aside, flat, to dry.

Step 8: To produce further prints, the marbled foam medium can be folded a few more times before repeating the process from step 4-7, or alternatively the excess foam from the first sheet can be delicately collected along the ruler before sweeping it across further prepared sheets of paper.

By following these steps, I was able to achieve the following blue-marble print successfully:

Marble Print Scan

This print can now be manipulated to form potential resolutions for the Secret 7 submission. The softness and swirling pattern produced through the print process provides representation of the formation of clouds before a storm through an idyllic aesthetic that bears relevance to the track's

lyric 'you were the perfect storm.' The light blue colour result further enhances the prints likeness

to clouds as of the sky being blue. As a result of the nature of the process, the prints produced are

also instilled with evident fluidity and spontaneity as the results can not be predetermined, compositionally, which effectively reflects the nature of storms/the weather. The marbling is

naturally occurring. 

The first potential resolution is a simple square crop of the original scan, meeting the 7x7" size specification for Secret 7 designs. 

Alternatively, another potential resolution sees the marble print in circular form, suggested via the white space that surrounds it. This design variation not only encapsulates all the connotation of the marble print alone, but also identifies itself with the track's lyrics 'shaped by the clearest blue' via 

the circle manipulation. 

Critique

What are your immediate thoughts when looking at the potential resolutions?

• Really like the marble circle one. Its intriguing.
• Its quite abstract so would be good for Secret 7 submission.
• Like the hand made print. Its visually pleasing, light and original.
• Really like the texture in the circle - suggests calm and harmony.
• Love the simplicity of the resolutions.

Do you prefer the full square or circular form? Why?

• The circular form - it looks more considered.
• Circle is more aesthetically pleasing.
• The circular one is beautiful and looks refined in comparison to the full square.
• I like the full square as it seems more ambiguous and you can see more of the print.
• I can't put my finger on why but the circular form design stands out more to me.
• Full square, seems a shame to lose the print.

Do you understand / are you able to identify the concept?

• I think the print looks like cloud so I assume its to do with the weather references in the track.
• My interpretation is that its about the calm quality of the colour blue.
• Formation of cloud/sky.
•  The circular resolution is about shape and the marbling is about the clear quality.
• Its not an obvious response but its good to be ambiguous.
• I think this represents the song best as a whole.

Feedback findings:

Through this feedback I have been able to identify that the preferred resolution is that that bears the circular form of marble print. It evokes speculation around context and concept, whilst the marble print is praised for its aesthetic quality.