Mapping 5-mins, 10-mins and 20-mins of mouse movements and clicks.
I screen recorded my work and then sat and watched it back. As I watched I followed the mouse movement with a white pen and then stopped to glue a star for every click I made.
Watching it back made me reflect on what do we have to show for a day of working online? We work hard but physically move little and then at the end of the day have nothing to show but a tiny bit more data generated.
I developed this idea from one of my initial ideas in the previous exercise:
This was one of the “line drawings” I completed for that exercise but using drawing software. This only covered a short period of time but I wanted to extend the idea.
I prefer the idea of creating something very analogue and material from a digital piece. So much of what I do all day for work is online, I wanted a physical something to hold to represent the time I spend working.
The final piece after 20-minutes is the look I was aiming for and I still may develop it to an even longer piece. I like that it reminds me of neural networks or data networks, or even a constellation and galaxy explosion.
I also like how the stars from early on get hidden by the white pen to create a mesh of activity and some depth to the piece. There is a sense of movement in the piece.
- How might your chosen method, process, or media ‘reveal’ time?
I feel like my piece reveals a snapshot in time but shows that time has fluidity and movement to it. It captures “work” done in a period of time but in an unconventional way.
- Which element of time do you feel your work is exploring or communicating?
Time and work are linked. This explores the nature of very modern work and how we often end a day with nothing physical to show for it.
- What is the role of pace in the processes of making and looking?
Although this was a 20-minute recording, the process of making a physical replica took much longer. I had to slow down the video to get the mouse movements and pause each time there was a click to get the star glued down. It highlights how time can change depending on how you are interacting with it.
- Is stillness possible in and through mark-making?
There is both stillness and movement in the piece. It is like a camera shot of the action. A still in time. There is also a movement that comes across from the lines.
- How might duration be explored in drawing, photography, text, sound?
The duration here is interesting. Although it is 20-minutes of recording. It took much longer to make.
- Which of the creative disciplines are you combining and how do they work together?
It is almost a reverse animation. Going from video recording to physical drawing. Where most people may draw ideas to then animate or record.
Cairdeall 