The Beginning.

So this 2nd year started off with some positive ideas in my own head. My sketchbook is like my bible for my ideas and thoughts to emerge and progress. Most of the work that I had been producing in the beginning of this module, were incorporated into the sketchbook, the subject I chose to use for my work was loosely based on the effects of alcohol.

Rough, quick thoughts were scribbled into my book to start off the work. Ranging from my own experiences to communicating with other people and asking them what they instantly thought about when they heard the word alcohol or what did you see or remember when you heard the word? Some of the answers included;

• Fragile, Control, Debate, Silly, Pain, Laughs, Compliment, Confidence.
• ‘ Nice glass of red and relax ‘
• Drunk, Fizzy, Fun, Kareoke, Sober, Musician, Money, Party.
• ‘ Enjoyment, Relaxation, Fun, Immediately look forward to weekend to drink with friends ‘
• Drinking too much and looking foolish. Having a good time and only remembering when seeing pictures. Fun.

I was also researching online the current medical news on alcohol and also reading alcohol related columns.

• http://news.patient.co.uk/newspaper.asp?ss=10&pc=612

More notes scribbled, and drugs were another subject of thought that I could incorporate into the work. Thinking through the effects and thoughts, the changing of personalities through these substances, masquerade masks popped into mind.. how a person can change their identity through taking the substances and the feelings of being invincible and invisible and being on a different plane, hiding behind the mask. Masquerade mask in my mind connect to parties of the olden days where synthetic substances would be taken.

Idea on Identity.

A person’s identity can change throughout drinking alcohol. Masquerade masks being associated with parties, fun and games at masquerade balls, trying to identify fellow friends. (Reminds me of things that I have read and seen on older time’s e.g movies like Dorian Gray & Sweeney Todd. Masquerade balls = seducing, laughing, intoxication.)

‘Masquerade balls were sometimes set as a game among the guests. The marked guests were supposedly dressed so as to be unidentifiable. This would create a type of game to see if a guest could determine each other’s identities. This added a humorous effect to many masques and enabled a more enjoyable version of typical balls.’

(Another thought)
People who don’t drink in a crowded room full of people who are drinking alcohol. How that person’s identity can change, persuasion, pressure, bullying, how they could be manipulated to do things as the drunk people seem empowering, possibly intimidating. How some people can be sheep.

• Documentation of followers
• The more drunk the more willing/likely to do things
• Experiment with myself –
Drink loads of booze, Document it, How am I reacting, What am I thinking, What am I seeing, What I am saying.


I started looking through my own photographs in which I had taken myself on nights out, taking inspiration from the artist Corinne Day who I have been looking at throughout this project, thinking how if I was to carry on with photographing people under the influence, to photograph on the spur of the moment.

Link to Corinne Day
• http://www.corinneday.co.uk/

Some of my own images :