I'm not sure if this is too long or not long enough...
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At this point, at the end of my second year of university I think I am
starting to understand where I am interested in working, and how so (finally). Since
last year I feel more confident, though not wholly, in my own design and
concept decisions and more inspired to create work that is free and energetic.
I have almost completely abandoned digital ways of working, except for
in post processing, animation and my established work style for Fuzzy Logic. It’s
largely a personal choice of just enjoying physical processes more, but also
being inspired by practitioners who may not identify as illustrators but rather
painters or artists, such as Miroco Machiko and Misaki Kawai.
I have continued to work in a shape driven way, as predicted from last
year, but after the long print making module 504 that was so simplistic and
restrictive in its processes I’ve sort of rebelled from that and started to
work in a more detailed and looser way. At this point I am trying to find a way
of working in the ways I enjoy, with paint, with pencil, with detail that can
also be applied to the often fast pace of commercial illustration.
From working this year I’m starting to identify an interest in editorial
and publishing, but more than anything I think it’s been about establishing a
tone of voice and taking that to any projects that come my way. I’m not sure
how I would describe it, I suppose I’m interested in subtlety, some humour. I’d
describe it as quiet, sometimes.
Responsive was the module that kicked a lot of things into gear, mostly
because I find myself suited to shorter projects (hence my interest in
editorial). My work on the Folio Society’s War Horse was a big turning point
for me. I think sometimes I can become quite preoccupied with trying to make a
fancy concept but with this project that wasn’t really suitable and I took some
time to just make images that are visually interesting and more atmospheric. It
was also my first time painting for a while, and sparked an interesting in
publishing for me.
Secret 7 and my work for Coffee Shop North followed that, and the two
projects worked in two quite different ways for me. Because Secret 7 was a
competition and had no definite chance of being published I made some quite
experimental but self indulgent images. Because Coffee Shop North was
definitely going to be published and I was working for someone else other than
my own gains I feel that I played it too safe and made a boring image. It’s now
about finding somewhere in the middle of that I think.
Collaborative was an experience. Learned a lot about group work but also
a lot of technical stuff about animation. Animation isn’t really for me past
small doses.
505 was a great opportunity to play around visually (which I spent a
LONG time doing) but also an opportunity to try something that I wasn’t sure I wanted
to be a part of my practice- children’s illustration. I’d been a little
cautious of children’s illustration because it felt like something that could
be quite flat and not right for me, but in hindsight it’s something that’s
really fun to do, and gives as lot of freedom to be expressive. Looking at
other illustrators such as Laura Carlin I feel reassured that children’s
illustration can be sophisticated and nuanced and also be part of a wider
practice- it doesn’t have to define everything you do.
I felt ok about this project but felt I rushed it. I am into the concept
and feel quite passionate about it and was disappointed at the results. I do
plan on reworking and refining it, and maybe using that as an opportunity to
send to publishers.
Life’s a Pitch didn’t require much input from me visually but was a
really cool project to work on creatively in a different way and also think
about that tone of voice I talked about earlier. For our project we proposed
Sad Mag, a publication celebrating the bland and the mundane. It was just a
really fun project and I think we stumbled upon something that is viable and
unique and that we could embark on even if it’s in a smaller scale format. And
we will!
Projects like Sad Mag and my zine for Thoughtbubble have encouraged my
interest in self-publishing, but largely my interests lie in editorial and
publishing, as mentioned before. Right now I think I’m losing out by not having
so much of that kind of thing in my portfolio- losing out in terms of gaining
clients but also in my own interests- how can I be sure that I’m interested in
it if I haven’t experienced it? When I next have time to embark on self
initiated projects, whether it is over summer on in extended practice or right
now I want to engage in those sorts of practices. For example, making a piece
of editorial each week in the same sort of time frame expected for it, or making
book jackets/ inside illustrations for every book I read.
Recently I’ve been spending a lot of time pondering on what illustration
is, and how it works for me. I find myself a little apprehensive towards
illustrative establishments such as ELCAF, Pick Me Up and the general online
community because sometimes it can feel very self involved, very much
illustrators working for illustrators. It doesn’t stop me wanting to work
commercially, nor does it mean that I’ve got something against that sort of
thing or what might be considered superficial- I’m sure I make that sort of
stuff all the time. But it means that I’m aware of trendiness and I’m worried
about slipping into that sort of hole, and more of what sort of audiences I
want to engage with my work. I’ve been feeling quite conscious and aware of
art/ visual culture in general, particularly following my COP project on
gallery spaces and my future plans to write about outsider art.
I think as I start to market myself I’m becoming more self-aware of
everything. As an illustrator, I’m just going to use my name because I’m too
indecisive with that kind of thing but have managed as this for 21 years. I
wanted to keep everything about my ‘branding’ simple. My plans for business
cards are just slices of my work because that’s what I want to get across to
people, and to do more of. Website wise and social media wise this is quite
simple too. I want to let the work breathe and also fear over complicating it/
making it too tacky if I did try that kind of thing. It’s not what I’m about.
Social media is a tricky one, but I think I’m starting to use it more to
my advantage. I have a fair following on Instagram and tumblr and whilst I find
that I’m not necessarily getting jobs through them they are at least a nice
archive/ good place to talk to other designers/ a place I can show people my
work in lieu of an actual portfolio website.
Looking towards the future! I’m starting to place where I want to be but
at the same time don’t want to limit myself and get too narrowly focused whilst
I still have the freedom of university- and even post university is that
freedom really gone? But I’m looking to engage my work in more practical
contexts. Over the past year I’ve been talking to a few illustrators, mostly
graduates, but what would really be valuable is making connections with art
directors and publishers.
DREAM BIG OR ELSE U WILL GET SAD
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