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FAO CAA Yr 1: Invisible Cities 2017 / Influence Maps


As you explore Calvino's Invisible Cities for your first project, it's time to start gathering visual reference and inspiration to enrich and fine-tune your imaginings.

Influence maps are digitally produced 'mood boards' that we use as a means of collating and curating image research.   A single project idea might generate multiple influence maps - and should do - as early impressions give way to more definitive directions.




A properly useful influence map isn't decorative or image-rich for the sake of it, but rather an exercise in distillation, reflection and clarification.  They are also a very economic way of ensuring that your blogs do not clog up with the works of others, thus avoiding the scenario when 'your' blog devolves into a Pinterest page.  Image research on your blogs should feel purposeful and integrated.

As you explore Calvino's cities, you should be building visual libraries - not only drawing and painting what your imagination shows you, but bringing together influence maps of associated imagery.

Remember too your summer challenge: fantastical elements and extraordinary things derive, not from goggling, fan-boy-like, at the sci-fi cities of established concept artists, but rather by discovering and uncovering what is fantastical and extraordinary in the world around you.

Not everyone of your classmates will be tuned into the group blog at this early stage, so could those who are reading this already be sure to get the message out via your other social networks. Many thanks!

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