Conceptual research & Ideation

I decided to re-evaluate and redesign my model, with a view to focusing down my idea of layering and reapplying it to a singular theme within the book.

My jumping off point was one main concept which underpinned themes within the book: Deception and Concealment.

Why i chose this concept:

• From my research into the structure of literature i knew that storyteling in itself is essentially concealment i.e. the process of the unwravelling of ideas and events. This concept is crucial to my original model, although i took it very literally and tried to represent the concept of the layering of ideas.
  
• Heavy ties to the storyline:

1. Uncle decieving polly into wearing a ring which transports her
2. Witch hiding her true intentions and nature
3. Uncle concealing his true nature
4. Attempts to conceal the Witch from the british public
5. Temptation of Digory; concealing that there is a test, and if he succeeds he will be rewarded
   

I took this concept and reapplied it to two different elements of the book: the Lamp-post and the Tree. Both of these are critical to not only my chosen book, but to other books in the series. I came up with a few different initial sketches for ideas to represent the idea of concealment, all of which physically have the tree or the lamp-post in them somewhere.




Ideas such as using the lamp-post within abstracted formats to represent 'illumination' or concealment, and using layers of leaves in the tree to also represent this.

I then decided to do some quick research into the concepts to get some ideas and inspiration.

For 'deception': Masks, Faces (implied secrecy or infidelity), illusionary tricks of the eye, eyes, spider webs and foliage came up.

For concealment: army camoflague, hidden weaponry, and the concept of concealing objects within a book. 'Book safes', smuggling, steganography and hidden messages, 'bible code' and the symbolism of the book came up.

It was very interesting to me that it is not only various interpretations from textual analysis that can be hidden in a book: secret messages and physical objects can also be hidden too.

Art & Exhibitions:

'Concealment and Constraint' by Heather Cowie

Heather Cowie's sculptures are made up of hidden layers or 'skins' creating secret narratives which are only revealed through the sequence of images that accompanies each piece. As the photographs document the creation of the object, the object itself attempts to conceal that process from you.

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/news/events/114/

I love the idea of layering within a piece to give it meaning beyond what you immediately see.

I came across a material called 'balsa foam' at this stage of my research: used for sculpting and it is easily painted on. It also holds impressions and texture can be impressed upon it easily. It's something i'd like to look into using in subsequent projects.

http://layersofmeaning.org/wp/?tag=sculpture


The concealed 'hidden' work in picassos square painting which supposedly contains drawings, information and even fingerprints.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art--the-whole-thing-is-about-concealment-the-tates-picasso-exhibition-closes-tomorrow-but-for-one-man-and-his-picture-below-the-show-goes-on-iain-gale-goes-to-brighton-to-investigate-the-mysterious-case-of-the-fish-the-horse-and-the-fingerprint-1434249.html
I love this idea of hiding meaning to be uncovered.