This series was shot on my iPhone just after nine in the morning and was then put through one of the TTV filters in the Lo-Mob application – the result really makes West Bromwich look incredible.

All photographs were taken on a iPhone 3GS (3 megapixel) camera, enhancements made with the Lo-Mob application.

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The look of the character was inspired by anime cartoons and began as an initial pencil and pen sketch, which was when redone in Berol. It was then scanned and imported in Illustrator, given the Live Trace once over, coloured, shadows created and then placed on a photographic background shot of a location in West Bromwich.

Of course I’d forgotten to include my glasses which were added later. The whole project took an afternoon and will finally appear elsewhere as a 100×100 pixel avatar. So here is a chance to see the full sized piece.

The gallery below shows the basic elements that were used to create the final illustration.

West Bromwich background photograph courtesy of Richard Franks.

Performance in the car came about when one of the participants told Ania how much she loved driving. Ania then devised a performance piece with four different routes around West Bromwich that would emulate a shape relating to flowers or the green environment. 

The routes were not marked out in any way on the pavements or roads. They existed in the tight net of the other roads, flower shapes hidden among crossroads and junctions. They became visible only during the performance.

Passers-by and other drivers seemed aware that something weird was going on. Seeing a car with a photographer and cameraman stuck in the back trying to take a picture was not something the general public are used to seeing.

This series of four short films document the performance from inside the vehicles.

Performance In A Car – Journey One 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Performance In A Car – Journey Two

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Performance In A Car – Journey Three 

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Performance In A Car – Journey Four

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Find out more about the adopt a plant project at www.adoptaplant.co.uk and artist Ania Bas at www.aniabas.blogspot.com

Thanks to Ania Bas for permission to present these films here at Hardluck Hotel.

These films were originally shot  in the summer of 2006 on a Canon MV890 and edited in iMovie for use on the adopt a plant website and a DVD which accompanied the adopt a plant project book.

These films and more can be found on the Hardluck Hotel YouTube Channel.

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The main illustration was hand drawn, and then enhanced using Photoshop and Illustrator to add colour and text.

The ‘Home Sweet Home’ exhibition at the Public Building, West Bromwich included visual and written messages, narratives and illustrations presented on items of clothing, which were pegged on a washing line against a fictitious garden backdrop. The artwork was accompanied by audio of males that live and work in the borough taking a stand against domestic abuse.

‘Home Sweet Home’ was an exhibition that aimed to give a public voice to local people who have lived through domestic abuse.