Because York has so much to explore, i aimed to visit a variety of locations within. - creating a plan of potentially interesting places.
Before my visit, I documented facts about the areas i was interested in exploring. during and after my visit i used my sketchbook to write notes, record my thought processes. Whilst there i also was able to document some conversations. - this proved to be useful when needing to remember details about my trip, and reviewing/analysing my research. - also to look back and review my research. - it is clear and well organised.
- i feel that i definitely get carried away with my writing, but i had a lot of ideas, and places to explore - i need to record as much information as possible.
- Some examples of factual/secondary research (below) - look into sketchbook for full extensive research.
- At each location - I kept in mind the outcome of the project - felt this was important even at this early stage, as it helped me focus in on ideas. - what to look at. - how these locations could be made into a book? / did they have an interesting /potential basis for a story?
Observational drawings
When i found a bit of spare time i tried to document some observational sketches. - I really enjoyed this and would have like to do more, - I think its an effective form of research. However I found that my time limited.
Primary research - documentation through photographs:
Once touring around the city, i begun to use photography as my primary method of documentation,and found this to be a really useful method to capture the world around me. - recording these moments quickly and efficiently, i was able to spend more time visiting different locations and fact finding.
What Happened/Where did I go?
York market
- wanted to speak to the local market people.
- found about some of the history of the market.
- speaking to some of the oldest stalls. - how the recent times have affected the market - in decline
- observations of the market - interesting places. - interesting people - funny situations?
- The characters found there
- Could potentially be made into a book - document the visual findings - 'day at the market' - focus on the different stalls, - what happens there
Greys court:
- the history of...
- one of the oldest buildings in york - long standing history.
story - through time? events held?
- been home/accommodation for some very important people.
- hauntings?!
The museum gardens
-Ruins of monastery./church. - part of the bar walls
- sad history - how it became that way, the people it effected/
At this stage, I am reviewing my research so far. I think that theses ideas have the most potential to develop further.
Haunted York
(more extensive research - refer to sketch book) - The haunted side of york -
- Main locations; The shambles, The golden fleece pub.
after doing further research on both locations i found that
- both filled with a lot of history, but felt that the ghost stories to be the most interesting and intriguing.
- the shablmes.- margret cltharow shrine - dies in the 16th century - executed and said to haunt the streets.
The golden fleece pub - one of the most haunted pubs in Britain with so many stories to tell. - many sightings
Out of all my places visited so far, - I feel that 'haunted york' has the most potential to be developed into a book.
- I feel that the subject is something that i could make really interesting - appeal to everybody
- The subject is one that does already appeal to so many - with ghost tours ext
- there are also more 'haunted' locations for further research. - some lesser known, - more mystery/intuige.
How could this be developed into a book?
- could potentially go down the narrative route. - focusing on one ghost? or mini stories of many. i.e. margret clitherow - how she came to meet her gruesome end
- more of a factual profile? - of all the ghosts in york - where they haunt,...why? what do they do? visual - what they look like
- A guide to yorks ghosts - map locations.
Photographs taken in locations. I took these images at night, and really like the eerie atmosphere created - the contrast of strong lighting, and emptiness of the streets/rooms.
- I felt slightly uncomfortable wondering round the dark empty rooms in the golden fleece. - Perhaps think about how to create a powerful atmosphere in visuals??
The Minster:
From visiting and photographing the minster inside and out, I am reminded how beautiful and truly astonishing the building really is. Although I used to see it almost every day, it occurred to me that I hardly knew anything about it, and I was intrigued to lean more.-
- I gathered an extensive amount of facts about its history through time (see sketchbook SB1)and was really interested in what i found. - took hundreds of years to build, and its still being re built today.
- Could the story show the minster evolving through time? the many different ages - working on this magnificent building, - people working on the minster their entire lives, never seeing it finished. - show its progression?
- looking at it in the present day.
- Currently there is a stone masonry project - which i was keen to learn more about.
I found that they are still restoring and re building the minster today - this is something that will alway need to happen.
Fortunately, I was able to speak to one of the stone masons about his job and the process behind building the minster. He was extremely informative and i found the information very interesting. - i was amazed at the lengthy production and process of recreating a single stone. - I am very impressed by the quality hand carving.
why is this interesting?
i wanted to learn more - you don't instantly realise the work that goes into making the building withstand. - re building it brick, by brick!
- could show the process behind it being re built? - I came to the conclusion that this wouldn't perhaps make the most interesting book, perhaps not appeal to everyone, - bit boring. - but did get an interesting and very informative conversation out of the experience! and learnt some facts about stone masonry.
(full conversation and facts - sketchbook SB1)
The History of the railway:
- I visited The national Railway museum, where my grandfather, and great-grandfather both worked. It has been a subject that i have always been keen to learn more about.
- potentially looking at the history of the railway workers? - how they were treated, what their job entails, how the shut down effected families etc.
- After photogprahing a lot of trains, i discoloured a really interesting room, full of old equipment and memorabilia.
- Looking at these old objects - really festinates me. - the railway has changed a lot over the years.
- would it be interesting to show this change? how it has evolved? - bit boring.
- focus on my grandfather? - his everyday life as a station master - more of a narrative than informative..
Overall, I think my research into york has been a thorough and well planned investigation. I have explored a variety of different possible outcomes, and possible directions for my project to take. I have used mysktchbook to primarily document all myfindings- easy to review.
I think that perhaps i chose too many places to visit. - narrowing down my options slightly and spending more time in one location would allow me to invest my time more in one place. - it could have been useful to spend more time drawing from location.
- I still feel that it would be useful to draw from photographs - experimentation , might develop new inspirations - perhaps just focus on few ideas??
No comments :
Post a Comment