Self-evaluation and rationale

What 5 things have I gained from this work and how will this impact on my practice?

1. Visual play has shown to be really important in pushing ideas further when given an initial starting point, similar to COP last year which helps kick start projects.
2. Use of texture is really helping to bring the work to life and set atmosphere and mood and is something I want to use more of in future.
3. Format of set tasks has allowed for quick generation of ideas - i.e., being told to do 12/16 ideas in one go: 
   
4. Using collage to push us out of our comfort zone and create more varied work is making the images I produce more interesting.
5. Being given a task which focused purely on line, and then another in which we do shape, before combining them into a sheet of 16 has helped to make me think harder about what methodology I use when making work.

What 5 things do I intend to explore further through my visual journal and why?

1. According to the peer feedback sheet, my use of collage was quite strong so I want to experiment with that further:
   
2. I want to explore how different line qualities can change up more finished pieces of work, since some of the lines have given images an interesting quality.
3. I've been using minimal amounts of colour to convey a certain mood, but might try and add a bit more to see how it affects the mood I currently have going.
4. See how I can incorporate traditionally created textures to suitably enhance the mood of the images.
5. Incorporate elements of foreground, mid ground and background into the image through layering:
   

What themes do I intend to explore further through my visual journal and how will I explore these visually?

I want to explore drug addiction on a wider scale, such as rehabilitation, long-term and short-term effects and how it affects people's lives.

Many photographers have explored the world of heroin addicts and their works will be interesting to look at.

I want to further play with texture to convey any more emotions I come across as I continue to look into the subject.

How do these themes relate to your research into your chosen author?

Drug addiction was a big part of Will Burroughs' life and his books are very much focused on this side of his life

What research activities will I undertake in order to explore these themes further and how will these inform your work?

• Continue reading Burroughs' "Naked Lunch" in order to discover more visually rich inspiration to draw from.
• Could re-watch "Trainspotting" in order to observe another interpretation of the struggles of a heroin addict and the environment in which it's found.
• Read firsthand experiences and stories from various sources about heroin users.