Personal Study 1st Draft

The Personal Study itself is a 3000 word piece consisting of chapters exploring key artwork relating to my own theme. Below are my first draft of these chapters.


1st Drafts

Introduction

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events or relationships.

Based on this concept I began to explore Editorial Photography and found artist Annie Lebovitz very inspirational, her work on a Disney campaign inspired me to investigate Fairy Tales further. From this I found the Brothers Grimm fairytales.

The Brothers Grimm were two brothers born in the late 1700's who wrote German folk tales which have since been adapted to well known Fairy Tales. The books were written for children and the first book was published in 1812. The stories have been re-adapted many times by various filmmakers most popularly by Walt Disney.

From this introductory research I developed my idea of fairy tales. I picked this theme as personally, I have loved fairy tales for many years and find the concept of them being twisted in different ways and made for children yet based on gruesome tales intriguing. Artists I have found which represent fairy tales in interesting ways are: Lotte Reiniger, Annie Leibovitz, Kirsty Mitchell, Jan Svankmajer, Helen Oxenbury, Polxeni Papaetrou, Cryil Helnwein and Louis Lander. I will focus on these artists throughout my personal study however there are many more artist which produce fairy tale themed work which I will incorporate within my piece.

At the end of my personal study I aim to have successfully explained the development of fairy tales throughout the years and how different artists expose fairy tales. Some to be gruesome and truthful, others to be simple and happy.

Bibliography
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/symbolism
http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm_biography.html

Planning Chapter 1

As part of my A2 course I am going to create a personal study which answers the question 'How are fairy tales represented in art?'. As part of this I need to write several chapters throughout trying to find evidence to answer this question.

My first chapter is on Lotte Reiniger and below is my draft of how I will write this chapter.
Chapter 1 Write Up

I have chosen this artist to begin with as her work dates back to early 1900s when she began creating fairy tale shadow films. This concept of presenting fairy tales through shadow puppetry links to my personal study question  This interesting interpretation of fairy tales reminds the viewer of the innocent nature of the fairy tales. This could be due to the date in which her work was created as it was thought that fairy tales were innocent and sweet.

In this chapter I am going to explore the work of Lotte Reiniger and how she presented the weird and wonderful world of fairy tales. She is the oldest artist I will study and I chosen to start with her so I can show how the presentation has altered throughout the years. From this chapter I hope to present to readers how Lotte Reiginer showed her work to be classic and innocent.

Her love for the artistic world began at a young age according to a website dedicated to her: "My father often took me with his friends in their studios in the Art Academy and then awoke my interest in the visual arts very early... My enthusiasm for Shakespeare led me to construct a simple shadow theatre to play scene from the pieces of it'' [1]. This enthusiasm for the arts and literature led her to create the first full-length animated film in 1923-1926 which led to her famous lifestyle. Also the concept of her love for Shakespeare reflects the idea of fairy tales as in these times fairy tales were just presented as books and to understand them you needed a good grasp of the english language.

In between creating this animation she also re-told a very famous fairy tale, the story of 'Cinderella'. Reiniger presented a classic fairy tale based on the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. Which depicts a much darker tale then Disney, contrasting to my original belief of her work being sweet and innocent. The photograph below is from a scene within 'Cinderella':
Cinderella (1922) - [4]
Spectacular Attractions is a blog, they reviewed Reiniger's work: 'animation allows the construction of a completely fabricated fantasy space that is bracketed off from the real world, evoking the enclosures of memory and imagination'.[2] Further from this, I consider her work to create monochromatic stories and although it may be a small stage she allows space for characters to carry out actions which convey the narrative. Also having a small stage adds to the chaos to depict the craziness of this story. Reiniger's use of shadow animated figures rather than defined renderings provide archetypal accounts of the tale, it also makes the character appear more ghostly which adds to the darkness and drama of the performance. Which links to Brothers Grimm's fairy tale concepts as they were dark version of the classics. This could link to her love of Shakespeare as his work is incredibly dramatic and some of his stories appear to be dark. Electric Sheep Magazine defined Reiniger's work as poetic: '"what Cinderella suffered from, the two sisters and her step mother, how she grew into a fairy princess, here is seen, told by a pair of scissors on a screen." Those poetic words provide the introduction to Lotte Reiniger's 1922 animated short Cinderella, 'a fairy film in shadow show''.

Tale of Three Brothers (2010) [5]
Reiniger's work has inspired many artists, famously 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1' (2010) however, there is far more digital animation in this piece compared to Reiniger's original work. This could be due to the influx in technology as there is more digital editing available now. Personally, I prefer Reiniger's classic animation as it depicts shadow puppetry in a obvious way whereas the shadow puppetry element is lost in this animation behind the modern digital editing skills used. In an interview with Animation School Daily, supervisor of the animated sequence Dale Newton said: "The producers came along with the suggestion of creating something in the vein of Lotte Reiniger, an Austrian-born animator working in the 1930s and 50s doing silhouette stye animations. What we got out of that was a certain simplicity and naivety". [3]

I have chosen to study Lotte Reiniger because of everything she has achieved in her life. Not only her links to fairy tales and her depiction of them in shadow puppetry but her success as  the first film maker to create a full-length animation. Animation School Daily described her as "the virtuous paper cutting artist developed the medium to a hitherto unknown peak, it was inventive and imaginative shade player and film pioneer". Taking her inspiration from Chinese silhouette puppetry, she would cut out sheets of lead and cardboard and animated them frame by frame under a camera; a technique we consider now to be stop motion.

Lotte Reiniger helps to answer the question "how are fairy tales represented in art" as her work has influenced many an animator and represents many fairy tales. I have learnt that her work was one of the first to display fairy tales in a full-length animation and she presented them before Disney.

In conclusion Lotte Reiniger does help answer my question due to her work being stimulated by the Brothers Grimm fairytales and her work depicting classic fairy tale stories in a dark way. Her legacy has lived on with her work influencing many other artists and her fame for creating the first full-length animation before Disney.

Chapter 2: Annie Leibovitz

Chapter plan: Annie Leibovitz

Introduction:

  • This was one of the first artists I found and she was the reason why I pursued the theme of fairy tales. Annie Leibovitz is an editorial photographer who creates absurd photographs which are unique and have been displayed in many magazines including popular mags Vogue and Rolling Stone. 

Information I already have:

  • Annie Leibovitz is an American photographer who has worked for magazines such as Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair as well as having her work exhibiting across the world.
  • Once I started to look further into her work I discovered a series of photos she produces for a Disney campaign, I found these incredibly interesting as she made traditional fairy tales into unique and interesting photographs. 
  • I felt I could use it within my theme of my personal study due to combining a darker side to fairy tales linking to the ideas of the Grimm Brothers and how they felt the fairytales were warnings.
  • Many pieces of her work are obscure but she has also done a few campaigns of magazine spreads with a sole focus on fairytales and presents them in a darker light.

Useful website:

  • http://www.biography.com/people/annie-leibovitz-9542372
Analysed photograph of her piece - Cinderella



















Structure: 

  • Introduction
  • Artist bibliography - quote from someone else about her/quote from her about her work
  • Analysis of a key piece
  • Compare key piece to another work - look on previous blog posts
  • Conclusion
Chapter:

This was one of the first artists I found and she was the reason why I pursued the theme of fairy tales. Annie Leibovitz is an editorial photographer who creates absurd photographs which are unique and have been displayed in many magazines including popular mags Vogue and Rolling Stone. 

Annie Leibovitz is an American photographer educated at San Francisco Art Institute, she is best known for her use of bold colours and portrait photography. She produced a series of works for a Disney campaign, starting in '2007 with her first image based on Alice in Wonderland staring Beyonce to her most recent works in 2013 based on The Princess and the Frog staring Jennifer Hudson [1]'.  These images are made for children and based on traditional fairy tales made to look unique and interesting. However, she brings into her work an element of darkness linking to the stories written by the Brothers Grimm. Many pieces of her work are obscure and are made to feature in magazine spreads and campaigns with some having sole focuses on fairytales.

One fairytale she focused on within her Disney campaign was Cinderella. Much like Lotte Reiniger's shadow puppetry depicting the story of Cinderella, Annie Leibovitiz has focused on an iconic scene from the story and told it by using the actress Scarlett Johansson [2] Below is an photo of this image:

Photograph of 'Cinderella' [4]
This image depicts a key scene in Cinderella when she loses her slipper. I like how it's clear it's telling a story and has an obvious narrative. The dark colouring used reflects the dark side of fairytales. In an interview Annie Leibovitiz explained how she produced this photo: "On the disney project, on Cinderella, I didn't just look at animated Cinderella or the Disney stories; i went back and looked at Grimm and all the versions of the story." [3].  The quotation on the image which reads "where every Cinderella story comes true" provides a clear message of what the photograph is about. Additionally the 'W' used links to Disney's logo as it's instantly recognisable so the photograph has kept a true theme throughout. Also the childlike words show it's based to be shown to children, which challenges the darkness of the photograph. The part of the photograph which is brightest and most colourful is the woman and her dress. Our attention is drawn to her and we look at her more than other objects in the image. Additionally her dress is larger than her and goes more into the mid ground showing a sense of importance as she is larger than the castle due to the composition of the image and the perspective it's been captured from. The fact her face is looking off to the distance gives the impression there is more to the photograph and we are only seeing a portion of the scene. Also she has a brightness surrounding her which contrasts largely to the environment in which she is placed in. This communicates the idea she's in the wrong place which explains why she's moving quickly as he dress os slightly blurred showing speed. There is a spotlight around the bottom of the castle which leads onto the glass slipper which is a key part of the image, but it's small so the light leads the viewer to look at the glass slipper which they may not have noticed before. The photograph uses the rule of thirds as the castle is faintly in the top corner but the most clear part of the image is the girl in the foreground, bottom right corner. Once again this draws the viewers eye towards her and makes the image more interesting as there is more going on in the background of the image. The background of the image is taken up mostly by the castle and the smoke/spotlight at the bottom of it. The smoke at the base draws the viewers eye to the top and having it at this slight ante adds to the largeness of it. Lebovitiz shows three levels to the photo, background, mid-ground and foreground which adds depth to the photo making it more intriguing. 

Photograph of a Woman Playing a Violin [5]
The photograph displayed on the left, much like Annie Leibovitiz uses depth of field. The girl at the front is clear yet the man behind her is blurred giving a sense of fear as she seems ignorant to the situation. In the same way Cinderella has a woman at the front and the background is dark giving hints of omnisitiy. The girls hair is flowing which converses the concept of the deceive moment as Cinderella has a blurred dress giving her speed showing it was caught in the moment. The girl contrasts greatly with the background due to her being pale and dressed in white she appears pure similar to Cinderella who is pale and her blue dress makes her illuminated. The man in the background is similar to the background in Cinderella as he's dressed in dark clothing and appears to be staring at her and luring over her which makes us fear for her. Also the other colours in the photo counteract the paleness of the girl which makes her stand out more conveying the idea she isn't meant to be there. In the same way Cinderella does this by having the girl looking as though she is rushing and being the lightest value as it makes her look like she is fleeing - which from the story we know to be true. 

In conclusion, Annie Leibovitiz is a perfect example of editorial photography. She make her photos interesting yet keeps them bright and powerful hence why she has become such a well known artist.

Bibliography:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Dream_Portrait_Series
[2] http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20609141_20667948_21271310,00.html#21271312
[3] http://www.fastcocreate.com/1683295/annie-leibovitz-on-getting-the-shot-and-the-future-of-photography
[4] http://3oneseven.com/17/annie-leibovitz/annie_leibovitz_10/
[5] http://wonderfull-mind.blogspot.com

Chapter 3: Kirsty Mitchell

Chapter plan: Kirsty Mitchell

Introduction:
  • This photographer, much like myself, draws on her childhood to influence her adult photography. Kirsty Mitchell creates colourful yet dark imagery which shows a harshness to the typical presentation of fairy tales. Placing eccentric models in unique outfits which are over the top yet show a strong story.
What I already know:
  • Kirsty Mitchell, a English photographer who has made many different collections of photographs one entitled "Wonderland".
  • English photographer who creates photographs based on the classic stories of fairy tales, with collections labelled: Wonderland, My Angel and Nocturne.
Key piece of work:

The ghost swift, venn diagram with info on it:
Notes on it: This image doesn't have a clear fairy tale narrative but it is a dark image and has many links to fairytale photography which other photographs have done. I chose this photo from Kirsty Mitchell's collection as the contrast between the red lips and pale face made the girl stand out which was emphasised by the dark background she has her head laid on. The use of cards and random objects shows a link to Alice in Wonderland and the flamboyant costume the model is dressed in reflects the extravagant nature of fairytales.
Key website:
  • http://www.kirstymitchellphotography.com/galleries.php
Chapter plan:

  • Introduction
  • About the artist - on her website is a bibliography can take quotes from it
  • Analysis of The Ghost Swift
  • Compare/Contrast
  • Conclusion
Chapter:

This photographer, much like myself, draws on her childhood to influence her adult photography. Kirsty Mitchell creates colourful yet dark imagery which shows a harshness to the typical presentation of fairy tales. Placing eccentric models in unique outfits which are over the top yet show a strong story.

Born 1976 Kirsty Mitchell was raised in Kent by her mother who read her fairy tale stories which became the root for the inspiration of her work. She worked in the fashion industry for a long time. Following the death of her mother Mitchell began producing photographs which reflected her childhood memories. This drive to echo stories in photography led her to leave her fashion career and focus purely on photography. "So life has become a different place, 'a second chance' is maybe the only way to describe it, and for that I am so grateful" [1].

A piece of hers which is my favourite is The Ghost Swift from her collection Wonderland (2009-2013).  This image doesn't have a clear fairy tale narrative but it is a dark image and has many links to fairytale photography which other photographs have done. I chose this photo from Kirsty Mitchell's collection as the contrast between the red lips and pale face made the girl stand out which was emphasised by the dark background she has her head laid on. The use of cards and random objects shows a link to Alice in Wonderland and the flamboyant costume the model is dressed in reflects the extravagant nature of fairytales. Below is the image:
The Ghost Swift [2]
The image has many contrasting colours. The lightness of the girl makes her stand out more against the darkness of the background. At a first glance I believed she was lying on a bed of junk. Whereas the more you look at it you see she's lying on a bed of butterflies. This is ironic as traditionally butterflies are associated with happiness and bright objects. The artist however has made them appear dark and ominous  What the girl is wearing doesn't give any indication to her character of role within the photograph. The red lips and red nails stand out most in the photo and these colours are traditionally associated with passion and danger. Showing she could be a sexual character yet dangerous in her ways. She has a pale completion giving the idea she's a virginal character juxtaposing the red lips. Her facial expression is plain giving no signs as to her feelings and is she is sad, nervous or scared. Her hand is only slightly in the picture but is curled as if she is trying to reach for something, Suggesting she's nervous and is trying to reach for help. The butterflies on her are brighter than the butterflies on the ground proposing the idea she's the source of life and has a great power.


A Box at the Theatre [3]
The painting Une Loge aux Italiens (translated: a box at the theatre) by Eva Gonzales uses many of the same principles as Kirsty Mitchell's The Ghost Swift. In the way it makes the women the lightest object in the photo bringing her to the forefront of our attention. As well as the use of natural objects, in A Box at the Theatre the colours of the flowers are similar to those of the women linking the two together making her seem natural. Much like The Ghost Swift where butterflies are used to make her look natural and pristine. This is juxtaposed by the use of red lip stick which is a seductive colour, in the same way as the woman in A Box at the Theatre has a choker on which is a sign of prostitution showing both these women could be seductive in some way.

Kirsty Mitchell's photography I feel is very powerful, the way she uses bright colours to convey a strong message and the narrative within her photos are extraordinary. I feel these link very well with my theme as the way she uses the colours and the models to symbolise the darkness behind fairytales and play the key roles of fairytale characters.


Bibliography
[1] http://www.kirstymitchellphotography.com/biography.php
[2] http://www.kirstymitchellphotography.com/diary/?p=1850
[3] taken of the original in the Musee d'Orsay

Chapter 4: Paris

Chapter Plan: - Paris
Introduction:
  • In October I undertook the fabulous experience of going to Paris, a place I had admired for years. With artwork dating back centuries holding exquisite elements of history behind each piece. Some pieces I saw included; Mona Lisa, Les Maionnettes, Mourning, Olympia and The Thinker. As well as experiencing Parisian lifestyle which honestly, felt like London just in another language with prettier buildings.  
Structure:
  • what will this chapter be about?
  • What I hope to achieve from this chapter?
  • Key piece of artwork from Paris - Mourning
  • Quotes/Bio about artist
  • Why I chose to study this?
  • Analysis of the video - in detail
  • Compare to Jan Svankmajer film - 'Alice'
  • How have you answered your question?
  • What have I learnt?
Comparisons:




















Chapter:

In October I undertook the fabulous experience of going to Paris, a place I had admired for years. With artwork dating back centuries holding exquisite elements of history behind each piece. Some pieces I saw included; Mona Lisa, Les Maionnettes, Mourning, Olympia and The Thinker. As well as experiencing Parisian lifestyle which honestly, felt like London just in another language with prettier buildings. My favourite part of the trip was experiencing the city and what it had to offer. If I went again I would like to of seen some particular art pieces, specifically Liberty Leading the People and would of like to of spent more time visiting Lichenstien’s work. However, it was a stunning trip and one artwork I saw by Gotscho called Mourning was incredibly influential.

Mourning by Gotscho had a piece of paper next to it which described the artwork in detail: “In the corner of the exhibition room, two short films by Gotcho show a complementary process of destruction and reconstruction. In each of them Anouk Feral embodies the same figure, like a Rorsbach test. One night, at The Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, between hundred of empty jewellery display stands, the squatting woman scoops up the precious stones and blood-spattered sheet bones. At the evening performance of the Romanes Gypsy Circus in Paris, sitting up in the grandstand wearing a black Perfecto, a cigarette between her lips, she puts make-up on her beauty, which is going up in the smoke. Touched nonchalantly, her face keeps disappearing from the mirror she holds, a face whose features are redrawn by the other hand. Nothing clarifies the title, crossed out with a horizontal line, except perhaps one question in extremes: which of the films in the corner is in mourning for the other?" [1] Below is a photograph I captured of the two films within the gallery.
Photo of two scenes in Gotscho Mourning
Upon seeing this I was amazed by the colours used, they contrast greatly with one another when the red part of one film played at the same time the white part of another scene was played on the other film. The films show the same woman but present two alter ego’s. One film has a focus on the woman’s reflection in the mirror as she applies her make-up and shows clear depth of field. On the other film when she plays with jewels it symbolises dice and that she’s controlling what’s happening, possibly playing the part of the evil witch in a fairy tale who controls the tale. The films build to a clear climax, one film gradually gets faster and shows short clips quickly before slowing drastically. In the other film it builds by changing the jewels to pieces of meat which symbolise the idea of her being an evil witch of a fairy tale as it focuses on the meat then her rubbing dirty gloves on her face showing how she feels empowered. The white gloves frame a lot of the action as it’s filmed in a dirty alley they create clear contrast as they frame the jewels, meat and the face

Painting Olympia by Manet [2]
Poster for Mouling Rouge Film [3]
Moulin Rouge, a 2001 film directed by Baz Luhrmann is set in Paris and based around the idea of prostitution and falling in love. The use of red lighting throughout this film links to Mourning as well as the dark lighting throughout which is used mostly around close up with the main female protagonist. As well as the female protagonist being pale which makes her more of a focus within the film similarly the white gloves inMourning provide the same technique. Another painting I saw in Paris also does this, Olympia by Manet makes the prostitute the main focus of the painting as she is the lightest value. Also Olympia is a portrait of a prostitute which links to Mouline Rouge idea of selling your body for money. This links to Mourning as the female within the film could be a prositutue hence why she is getting ‘dressed up’, additionally the use of red lighting and movement suggests she is in the ‘red light district’ which is an area of Paris associated with prostitution due to the Moulin Rouge establishment being there. All the women in theses works look nice which enforces the concept of them being prostitutes.

Paris was an incredible experience for me, it’s a place I have wanted to visit for years and finally I got to go there and experience Parisian lifestyle. The amount of influential artwork and architecture I saw was breathtaking, much of which helped deepen my interest in fairy tales. Specifically the Parisian buildings. The turrets and round shapes mirror the idea of fairy tale castles which is ironic as they were found amount city streets. Notre Dame had a fairy tale based upon it so in visiting this iconic building it sparked my interest more in fairy tale as well as the gothic architecture. As well as in the museums seeing statues and paintings which reflect the theme of fairytales. 

Biography
[1]
[2] http://blog.arthistoryabroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/olympia.jpg
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_Rouge!

Chapter 5: Helen Oxenbury

Chapter plan: Helen Oxenbury

Introduction:

Continuing with the idea of Alice in Wonderland, another very inspiration artist for me was Helen Oxenbury. As a child I was given her illustrated book of Alice in Wonderland and loved the way she presented this classic tale. Presenting her version of the story to be classic and elegant aimed primarily towards children.

What I already have:

  • Previously I have explored the illustrator Helen Oxenbury, however I wanted to look at her work in more detail rather than just focusing on her Alice in Wonderland work but looking at all her work. The reason I have chosen to study her more is because I find her work to be very different to other representations of fairy tales. I want to experiment further with Adobe Illustrator and try to produce work similar to her illustrations. I love how she captures a young audience with illustrations which they can relate to and understand due to them being so simplistic.
  • I find her inspirational as she presents a basic childlike illustrations which I find to be beautiful and also I have had her book Alice in Wonderland since a young age and have admired her work for years. I feel if I can create work much like hers then I could produce a interesting representation of fairy tales. 
  • The quotations below are taken from the Alice in Wonderland book which she illustrated in 1999: Here, at last, is Helen Oxenbury's interpretations, which bears all of the special qualities that make her picture books so well-loved. Indeed, though unabridged, more of a picture book, than previous editions  of the story. The topsy-turvy world of Wonderland and it's memorable characters - the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Chesire Cat, the Queen of Hearts - are depicted with distinctive warmth and humor. The whole approach is contemporary and accessible: Alice herself is a child today - casually dressed, personable, spirited, a true Oxenbury child. This, then, is Helen Oxenbury's vision of Wonderland - and what a wondrous vision it is!" - This quotation is at the beginning of the book
  • Illustrated edition of Alice in Wonderland, English author and illustrator of picture books.
  • In 1999 Lewis Carroll's book "Alice in Wonderland" was re-published with illustrations completed by Helen Oxenbury. I found her work to be very different and more traditional than the other artists I had researched, her illustrations present the original story of Alice in Wonderland as opposed to more recent artists who present it in a darker way. Her illustrations are created for children and very basic yet beautiful. Below are a few examples of her work from this popular book:
Comparison artist:
  • I found on YouTube a inspirational animation based on the story of Alice in Wonderland. Using a minimalistic approach to animation the artist has told the story of Alice in Wonderland through digital means. It was very interesting and I felt it linked well to my theme. It's short and very simple, it's fast pace and doesn't make much sense as many of the phases written appear on the screen quickly and you don't have time to read them. Yet it does have a clear narrative. Below is a link to the video, as the creator is Japanese I can't find much information on them but I will look at them further as I explore of mediums of presenting fairytales.
  • This artist can be linked to a animation I found on YouTube: 'Bestmadsofalltime - Alice (motion graphic)' as they both use simple illustrations yet gain different results with one showing a happy childlike view and a opposing one showing a dark and truthful aspect.
Useful website/book:
  • 1999 illustrated edition of Alice in Wonderland
  • http://www.walker.co.uk/contributors/Helen-Oxenbury-3152.aspx
Structure:
  • Introduction
  • Very short bio about her then longer bit about the book - quote
  • Analysis of the book overall then pick a certain aspect and analysis in detail - e.g. a page or a picture of a page
  • Introduction to the animation
  • Analysis of the animation - include compare/contrast to Helen Oxenbury
  • Conclusion - what have these two artists taught me? How is it good it's different media to other artists I look at?
Chapter:

A fairytale very close to my own heart is Alice in Wonderland written by Lewis Carroll. There have been many different versions of this book, one version I like best is Helene Oxenbury's. As a child I was given her illustrated book of Alice in Wonderland and loved the way she presented this classic tale. Presenting her version of the story to be classic and elegant aimed primarily towards children.

Growing up in Ipswich, England, Helen Oxenbury began her life as an artist by entering art school as a teenager. Her career began by working with sets and scenery within the world of theatre, film and TV. "Today, Helen is among the most popular and critically acclaimed illustrators of her time. Her numerous books for children include the Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll." [1]. 

I find her inspirational as she presents a basic childlike illustrations which I find to be beautiful and also I have had her book Alice in Wonderland since a young age and have admired her work for years. Her illustrations are created for children and very basic yet beautiful. In the opening of the book she illustrated this quotation can be found which shows how highly anticipated this illustrated book was: Here, at last, is Helen Oxenbury's interpretations, which bears all of the special qualities that make her picture books so well-loved. Indeed, though unabridged, more of a picture book, than previous editions  of the story. The topsy-turvy world of Wonderland and it's memorable characters - the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Chesire Cat, the Queen of Hearts - are depicted with distinctive warmth and humor. The whole approach is contemporary and accessible: Alice herself is a child today - casually dressed, personable, spirited, a true Oxenbury child. This, then, is Helen Oxenbury's vision of Wonderland - and what a wondrous vision it is!" [2] One of my favourite illustrations from this book is in fact the front cover. It sets off the whole piece. Below is a picture of this illustration.
Front Cover of Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland [3]
The childlike way Helen Oxenbury has drawn this gives it a playful nature. The use of sketching rough lines rather than bold straight lines allows the reader to be reminded again of the playful nature of the story. The use of the blue dress is iconic and traditionally Alice is dressed in a blue dress so this reinstates how Helen Oxenbury wants to remain close to tradition. Unlike many artists now who present the story of Alice in Wonderland in a dark way. The fact she has drawn her as a child rather than a adult enforces the concept it is made for children as it has their age group within the book. This is the first image you see when you pick up the book so arguably it's the most important as it sets off the tone for the rest of the fairy tale. Love Reading 4 Kids said "Full of the most wondrous wit and humour, wonderful magic and believable nonsense, this particular edition has the most stunning illustrations that complement the imaginative story that's anything but dull". [4] The illustration itself uses minimal colour to create a simplistic view of the scene and depicts a very key scene in the story. The fact the girl is in blue which is the brightest colour in the piece draws our attention to her which makes her stand out more, also having a smile makes the book seem cheerful and happy communicating how it's made for children. Having the White Rabbit and Alice linking arms makes them one image rather than two separate people drawing our eyes to both characters equally. Having no background doesn't obscure our view of the characters meaning we can pay attention to them more. The White Rabbit's foot is sticking out white leads us to look up to the top of him then across to the girl, drawing our attention to her once again.

On the opposite side of this happy presentation of Alice in Wonderland is a YouTube animation called: 'Bestmadsofalltime - Alice (motion graphic)' they both use simple illustrations yet gain different results with Helen Oxenbury showing a happy childlike view and this animation opposing it by showing a dark and truthful aspect. Below is a screen shot from the animation:
Screen Shot from Animation [5]
Much like Helen Oxenbury this animation takes a minimalistic approach to tell the story of Alice in Wonderland through digital means. It's very short and very simple, similar to Helen Oxenbury as both communicate the story of Alice in Wonderland through simple drawings. Unlike Helen Oxenbury this animator creates a fast pace animation which lacks sense as many of the phases written appear on the screen quickly and you don't have enough time to read them. The animator has done this to show the confusing nature of Alice in Wonderland and how they feel you shouldn't need to read it to understand it. Yet, much like Helen Oxenbury it does communicate a clear narrative as the Japanese animator has made it flow from the begging of the story - eating/drinking from a table to the end - trying to run from wonderland. 

Both these artists show the story of Alice in Wonderland through illustration but in different ways. The Japanese animator shows the darkness of the fairy tale by using dark colours. Whereas Helen Oxenbury shows the traditional childhood tale through simple colours and happy expressions.


Biography:
[1] http://www.walker.co.uk/contributors/Helen-Oxenbury-3152.aspx
[2] Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - 1999 - Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.
[3] http://www.stellabooks.com/images/articles/alice/Oxenbury_lg.jpg
[4] http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/5040/Alice-s-Adventures-in-Wonderland-illustrated-by-Helen-Oxenbury--by-Lewis-Carroll.html

Chapter 7: Cyril Helnwein

Chapter Plan:

Introduction:
  • This artist, much the Brothers Grimm presents her idea of fairy tales in a dark and Gothic way. Compared to other artists she is far more dark with strange images which may not directly relate to fairy tales there is a clear link. She created a collection of images which relate to the concept of myths and fairy tales.
What I already have:
  • Cryil Helnwein who uses traditional photography tools such as lighting and movement to achieve high quality photographs, the photos displayed above are from a series of photos she produced based on the title 'myths and fairytales'.
  • International photographer who created a collection of photographs entitled "Myths and Fairytales" which show a true dark nature to this once thought to be a loving topic.
Photo of analysis - Fairy:
  • This is a more bright photograph but the model is dressed seductively and has a seductive expression which reflects the idea the female protagonist in the fairytales aren't as honest as they seem. The repetitive colour the photographer used makes it all very similar and highlights how fairytales are very similar.









Structure:
  • Introducion
  • Artist bibliography - try to include quotes of other peoples opinion of her
  • Analysis of 'Fairy'
  • Compare/Contrast
  • Conclusion
Compare/Contrast - Viona Ielegems:
  • Photograph: Fairy Bride
  • Photographer who puts reality into magical creatures which typically don't exist, her work combines fantasy and imagination.
  • contemporary photographer Viona Ielegems who brings fairytales to life in her photographers.

Chapter:

This artist, much the Brothers Grimm presents her idea of fairy tales in a dark and Gothic way. Compared to other artists she is far more dark with strange images which may not directly relate to fairy tales there is a clear link. She created a collection of images which relate to the concept of myths and fairy tales.

Cryil Helnwein, although he is a modern photographer he still uses traditional photography tools such as lighting and movement to achieve high quality photographs. The international photographer has created a collection photographs entitled ‘Myths and Fairytales’ which show a true dark nature to this once thought to be loving topic. On his biography he explains how he fell in love with photography “I’ve been taking photos since I was about 10 years old, with my first camera – a Yashica half-frame camera that allowed 2 photos per frame” [1].

The photo displayed below is called “Fairy” by Cryil Helnwein is found on his portfolio of work. This is a bright photograph but the model is dressed seductively and has a seductive expression which reflects the idea the female protagonist in the fairy tales aren't as honest as they seem. The repetitive colour the photographer used makes it all very similar and highlights how fairy tales are very similar.

Fairy [2]
This image has little contrasting colours, the artist has mostly used the colour green to show a natural edge to the photograph. She’s surrounded by leaves and has leaves on her, this re-occurring theme implores she is at one with nature and is natural herself. The girl is wearing a short dress which floats down her, instantly showing her to be a fairy and is emphasised by the wings on her back. The girl has a clear role in the photograph and as she is placed all around larger trees it shows the artist is presenting her in a traditional way making her look like a hidden natural fairy. She could however be seen as a sexual character, he eyes are looking straight down the camera and her body is slightly titled backwards implying a sense of longing. She’s holding onto the branch but looks at ease suggesting she is happy rather than nervous. The green colour emotes a happy feeling making it more enjoyable to look at. It’s takes a simplistic view with it’s lack of content keeping it basic, linking to the idea of fairy tales being made for children. This links with narrative are what a blogger explored online considering Cyril Helnwein’s work:“they can also represent a real life emotional or physical event, capturing the realism of something but portraying it as a fairytale in order to make it something more bareable” [3]

Viona Ielegems applies a similar principle in her own fairy tale photography to the work of Cyril Helnwein. She’s a contemporary photographer who puts reality into magical creates which typically don’t exist, her work combines fantasy and imagination. One person on her website called her “Experienced for many years as a fairy tale photographer and otherworldly costume designer, she tries to grasp the elegance and gracefulness of women, freezing time, opening doors to other dimensions."  [4] Her photograph Fairy Bride combines beauty and elegance in a dark way. Similar to Cryil Helnwein she places a beautiful girl in a field but subverts her role within the picture. The photo is displayed below.

Fairy Bride [5]
This photo, in the same way as Cyril Helnwein uses repetitive colours to create an interesting mood yet the girl is in white, unlike Cyril Hlenwein’s which makes her stand out more. The fact she is wearing white refers to the idea of purity so this character is a gentle character which is due to her playing a ‘bride’ unlike Cyril Helnwein who’s character displays more of a seductive role. The amount of movement within the photo brings it too life, the dress is blurred at the edges and the hands are blurred imploring she’s trying to fly away. The daydream facial expression is polor opposite to Cyril Helnwien’s becoming expression on her model which makes us wonder more what this girl is doing in a forest. Dana Sawyer, Professor and Maine College of Art, USA in a short essay describe Viona Ielegems work as “Viona’s photographs intrigue us because they suggest that we don’t have to remain a “muggle” or a non-vampire if we don’t wish to” [6] This is true as although the girl seems to be normal having her looking like she wants to fly off and in a forest with a beautiful dress shows she doesn’t want to remain normal.

These artists show how you don’t have to show fairy tales through typical means and even if your own work changes from dark to light it evokes different moods in each situation. It also shows the importance of the model within both the photos the models are in similar environment but whilst one model poses seductively the other poses sweetly. This changes the role of the character and the narrative of the photograph.

Bibliography
http://www.cyrilhelnwein.com/bio.php - Cyril Helnwein Bio [1]
http://cyril-helnwein.deviantart.com/art/Faerie-70881019 - Cryil Helnwein photo [2]
http://aliciajonesnarrative.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/cyril-helnwein-myths-and-fairytales.html [3]
http://www.viona-art.com/about [4]
http://www.viona-art.com/portfolio/sets/fairy-bride - Viona Ielegems photo [5]
http://www.viona-art.com/short-essay-by-dana-sawyer [6]

Chapter 2: Annie Leibovitz (Re-write)

Recently I saw an advertisement from Marks and Spencers for their 2013 Christmas range in which Rosie Huntington-Whiteley walks the audience through some magical fairy tales showcasing some beloved fairy tales. I feel this relates well to my chosen artist Annie Leibovitz as the use of celebrities is a key concept in her Disney campaign also the modern interpretation of the fairy tales is something Annie Leibovitz I feel does well. Therefore I am going to re-word my chapter to incorporate this advert within my chapter. Please see below for my new chapter, I have kept some bits the same but changed others.

Re-Worded Chapter:
This was one of the first artists I found and she was the reason why I pursued the theme of fairy tales. Annie Leibovitz is an editorial photographer who creates absurd photographs which are unique and have been displayed in many magazines including popular mags Vogue and Rolling Stone. 

Annie Leibovitz is an American photographer educated at San Francisco Art Institute, she is best known for her use of bold colours and portrait photography. She produced a series of works for a Disney campaign, starting in '2007 with her first image based on Alice in Wonderland staring Beyonce to her most recent works in 2013 based on The Princess and the Frog staring Jennifer Hudson [1]'.  These images are made for children and based on traditional fairy tales made to look unique and interesting. However, she brings into her work an element of darkness linking to the stories written by the Brothers Grimm. Many pieces of her work are obscure and are made to feature in magazine spreads and campaigns with some having sole focuses on fairytales.

One fairytale she focused on within her Disney campaign was Cinderella. Much like Lotte Reiniger's shadow puppetry depicting the story of Cinderella, Annie Leibovitiz has focused on an iconic scene from the story and told it by using the actress Scarlett Johansson [2]:

Photograph of 'Cinderella' [4]
This image depicts a key scene in Cinderella when she loses her slipper. I like how it's clear it's telling a story and has an obvious narrative. The dark colouring used reflects the dark side of fairytales. In an interview Annie Leibovitiz explained how she produced this photo: "On the disney project, on Cinderella, I didn't just look at animated Cinderella or the Disney stories; i went back and looked at Grimm and all the versions of the story." [3].  The quotation on the image which reads "where every Cinderella story comes true" provides a clear message of what the photograph is about. Additionally the 'W' used links to Disney's logo as it's instantly recognisable so the photograph has kept a true theme throughout. Also the childlike words show it's based to be shown to children, which challenges the darkness of the photograph. The part of the photograph which is brightest and most colourful is the woman and her dress. Our attention is drawn to her and we look at her more than other objects in the image. Additionally her dress is larger than her and goes more into the mid ground showing a sense of importance as she is larger than the castle due to the composition of the image and the perspective it's been captured from. The fact her face is looking off to the distance gives the impression there is more to the photograph and we are only seeing a portion of the scene. Also she has a brightness surrounding her which contrasts largely to the environment in which she is placed in. This communicates the idea she's in the wrong place which explains why she's moving quickly as he dress of slightly blurred showing speed. There is a spotlight around the bottom of the castle which leads onto the glass slipper which is a key part of the image, but it's small so the light leads the viewer to look at the glass slipper which they may not have noticed before. The photograph uses the rule of thirds as the castle is faintly in the top corner but the most clear part of the image is the girl in the foreground, bottom right corner. Once again this draws the viewers eye towards her and makes the image more interesting as there is more going on in the background of the image. The background of the image is taken up mostly by the castle and the smoke/spotlight at the bottom of it. The smoke at the base draws the viewers eye to the top and having it at this slight ante adds to the largeness of it. Lebovitiz shows three levels to the photo, background, mid-ground and foreground which adds depth to the photo making it more intriguing. 

Photograph of a Woman Playing a Violin [5]
Image from Marks and
Spencer's 2013 christmas advert [6]
The photograph 'Woman Playing a Violin', similar to Annie Leibovitz uses depth of field to give a sense of fear surrounding the man in the background. The contrasting colours help to add to this, in the same way 'Cinderella' by Annie Leibovitz shows this both artists make the girls the lightest subject in the piece. Marks and Spencer 2013 Christmas advert also applies this technique surrounding the main female to be the lightest subject making them seem innocent and sweet. Both photographs show the decisive moment through having the girls blurred in some way, with the 'Woman Playing a Violin' her hair is flowing and slightly blurred and'Cinderella' shows her dress blurred showing she is running. In the same way the advert does this by having the girl looking shocked in each situation she is put into conveying the concept she has been caught off guard. The opening of the advert shows a dark drain hole which the actress/model falls in giving a ominious sense much like the dark background used in both the photographs. As a audience we begin to fear for this character because of this darkness which may foreshadow a future event. Marks and Spencer's business development director Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne spoke to Metro newspaper about the advert: "Working with our all-British cast, director Johan Renck has created a modern epic where fashion meets fantasy - bringing to life much loved fairy tales with more than a sprinkle of high glamour." [7] All these artists I fell adopt this idea of bringing much loved fairy tales to life in the way they design and create their work.

In conclusion, Annie Leibovitiz is a perfect example of editorial photography. She make her photos interesting yet keeps them bright and powerful hence why she has become such a well known artist.

Bibliography:
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Dream_Portrait_Series
[2] http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20609141_20667948_21271310,00.html#21271312
[3] http://www.fastcocreate.com/1683295/annie-leibovitz-on-getting-the-shot-and-the-future-of-photography
[4] http://3oneseven.com/17/annie-leibovitz/annie_leibovitz_10/
[7] http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/07/watch-out-john-lewis-marks-spencers-first-christmas-advert-arrives-complete-with-a-magical-performance-by-rosie-huntington-whiteley-4177011/

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