Position Statement

As a practitioner I don't like to limit myself in regards to style or medium, and it has been said that this variety can come across as a lack of consistency. However, what what I am working to, is to create a practice with such a strong tone of voice that persists through any 'stylistic changes' and a portfolio that is a holistic body across editorial, publishing, children's illustration and research/ personal practices.

My process, and goal within that process, is to make expressive, sincere work that provokes an emotional response. My visual practice, currently, has been about pushing physical forms, and movement within an image, investigating its effects and how far something can be exerted before it loses power within its context (i.e., can an editorial image look "weird" and how so).

I primarily work with gouache, pencil and coloured pencil. I am looking to move forward with my painting, looking towards using gouache in a more expressive, less solid way and towards new mediums I haven't tried before, like oil paints and working at larger scales, in the hope this will bring a new voice or sophistication to my work.

My goal is, quite simply, to sustain myself (monetarily but also in a personal way) through my visual work. My goals are similar to most other illustrators. Have a solo show, a New Yorker cover, a well paying regular editorial spot, a children's book... but I'm excited for projects in the future that lie outside of traditional illustration too.

Over the coming months, or even long term, I will continue to reach out to art directors, agencies and potential clients through email and physical post. Attending events like New Blood and the Carmelite Prize will allow me to engage with these people on a personal level, and hopefully more successfully.

PPP: Summative Evaluation

This year I have continued to  be engaged in the comings and goings of the illustration industry, and I continue to be thoughtful about my own and others' practice. Using social media I have been able to discuss these dialogues with friends and other practitioners, and it has been commented that I have a "thoughtful" approach to my work because of it. Sometimes there is such a thing as too much thinking though. Really it is about being self-aware of yourself and industry and doing the work. Sometimes it has even helped to be ignorant of others' work, to not let it influence my own, or to not get caught up in the conversation of others instead of my own. I am considering using my blog to write more long form than a few sentences on Instagram every so often.

On the one hand I regret not trying to get my name out there sooner, but on the other, I feel much more comfortable to do it with a fuller portfolio. As of yet my main outreach has been to potential editorial clients as a lot of my publishing / children's illustration work cannot be published online at this moment. I haven't received much feedback or responses, but I can only persist and do it politely. My hope is that attending shows like New Blood and the Carmelite Prize will allow me to network in a more successful way (in the least creepy way, they can't get away).

Participating in other smaller events, like exhibitions, Thoughtbubble and ELCAF coming up (as well as selling work online, the feature in FORGE Art Mag and a social media presence) has also brought an engagement within the community itself which, whilst also providing job opportunities, has also brought forward a community of creative people who I hope to continue to be a part of. It's reassuring, with the safety net of a creative university community about to dissolve somewhat...

Whilst I have a sensible amount of confidence in my work over the last few weeks in the Easter break I have struggled to understand its place in the world/ industry and I wish I had come to that realisation sooner when I could have discussed this more with tutors... However, the news from Carmelite restored some confidence in that it can be recognised at an industry level.

As time goes on, my interest in having a super commercial practice and a branded identity lessens. My approach to branding (physically) is to keep it simple and not try anything complex with what is a clumsy design hand. My approach to the *personality* I convey is to just be myself, but polite, and to not be afraid to continue engaging in discussions about (my own and in general) illustration, art etc. I have a sense of dread that if I think about it too much it will become bland or manufactured. I have observed it occasionally on the net, and it's a light touch of paranoia that I will seem "fake" (though I question how much that even matters). This said, I'm more than happy to do commercial work, I genuinely enjoy it. Illustration is a job, and it's important to remember that and just do it the best you can.

PPP has instilled a sense of reflection in me, and whilst I do look forward to not documenting it in such an academic way it is something that will stay with me and the way I look at mine and others' work.

Final Presentation

As previously, I have left the presentation almost entirely text free. There are a lot of slides, but some move through very quickly to illustrate points within one paragraph.

Creative Presence Presentation Boards

Portfolio

This is my current portfolio of work. Physically, I have printed the pieces out, A3, on thick, slightly textured matt stock. I prefer to keep the pieces in an archival box, which gives the viewer a chance to spread things out, arrange, compare, keep things out at will etc. It also provides room for books. I have also divided, from (and in spite of some) feedback to keep pieces unlabelled, open to interpretation and unencumbered by logos and text. Notably, this works better in when printed, and I do label pieces when submitting mini specific portfolios digitally to clients. My website also provides descriptions for everything there too. But in print, this is what I do.

I placed in the Carmelite prize top 3! Next Thursday I will go to London to find out which prize I got, the event being a great time to also meet and discuss work with art directors and publishers within the children's book industry. Luckily professionalisation continues beyond the PPP module... I look forward to the event and engaging in some sweet sweet industry level illustration.

I believe there will also, as part of the top 5, the opportunity to receive a portfolio review from the publishers. This will also be a great way to  show my work (beyond chickens), though I will have to put some thought into what kind of portfolio I show them. As a whole body, my portfolio doesn't just sit in publishing. Perhaps, when visiting a publisher, I should showcase a more specific body of work.

The news came at a great time. I've spent my recent PPP time wondering where my work sits, if anyone likes it (the usual graduate incessant whining etc etc) but to get this recognition (particularly from a publisher like Hachette) is a confidence boost for sure. A year ago I wasn't sure if children's illustration suited me and now I have not only my own enjoyment in it, but some confidence in my ability from the *real world* too.

I don't see this degree as a resolution, or having a resolution, but it would have been nicer if I had more plans.

who what where why ? - my yet to exist career

presentation ideas .. ?

• how much do I need to reflect on the past two years?
• I'm not sure how much I can remember...
• first year? began to engage in the idea of visual language but didn't really get it till now (and I imagine I'll continue to get it more so, as I go on)
• second year? no print making ever again! working in more sophisticated ways, considerate of atmosphere, feeling within work. PAINTING = YEAH
• THIRD YEAR
• necessary/ unnecessary division of practice- personal/ research projects being integral to what I do but I see as a holistic body of work. (I don't see this as a new idea for anyone, but one that is important to me)
• portfolio -> consistency????? Cox review -> at first inconsistent, but he got the 'feeling' of it and understood. do I want to strip my work down to one thing? (no)
• engaging in more research driven projects- There Are At Least 1000 Ways To Draw A Tiger and (the currently preliminarily titled) Trees And The Men Who Love Them
• practical portfolio work
• books- Penguin, Stratford
• children's- War Horse, Too Much, Carmelite
• editorials- (self initiated)
• small press + self publishing- Thoughtbubble, ELCAF, Kick Don't Twist (Shortbox)
• MA? not right now. I'd like to be able to afford it. it would be a good asset if I want to teach, but all in all it is something I'd like to do for the real reasons
• For now I've nicked the idea of "situated illustration" from RCA, and I try to figure it out myself in a very crude way
• exhibiting? small spaces? taking work to *experimental publishers + spaces* - Nieves, Landfill
• PPP basics- website, social media, entering annuals like 3x3, mailer riso print, business cards
• give It's Nice That and Creative Review graduates lists a crack because why not

• VISUAL SENSIBILITIES?
• MOVEMENT -> agitation drawings, disregard for anatomy, but respecting it enough to create an image that can be believed, or at least, belief can be naturally suspended
• painting, flat, colours, overlays
• that's what moves me right now, but I don't know how long that will soup it up

• I am optimistic to go forth and not heavily define my work whilst also engaging in commercial sensibilities... but let's see how that is in six months, a year, etc (hahaha)

contacted by People of Print

Yesterday I was contacted by People of Print to discuss potentially selling work through their curated market place, Department Store, with them interested in my work particularly in regards to the screen prints I made with Not Now. It seems like an interesting and legit operation, with a wide reaching audience but right now, as I'm not making much in terms of printed matter and don't have much intention in doing so, and the fees associated with selling I don't think it is right for me. I thanked them for their interest, and explained this, and we both decided that should the time come that I would be interested in working in this sort of way, that I should get in contact and they would be happy to support me.

I'm not keen on turning down offers, but this wasn't a *job* as such, and isn't right at the moment and has been left open ended.

tutorial with Teresa/ discussing children's illustration + portfolios

• On conflicting portfolio advice: don't cater yourself to too many people's ideas of what a good portfolio is! Be confident in your portfolio style, people can pick up on tentative-ness. I aim, personally to keep it simple.
• For children's illustration, I might consider having a unique portfolio to take to that kind of publisher/ AD. Not strictly just children's illustration if I have other pieces that are relevant, but there's no use in showing them pieces that wouldn't be suited to them. I suppose this essentially fits for all areas I'd like to work in.

• If you're going to pitch a children's book you will propose it with a dummy similar to the way the Carmelite prize is structured (a script, a mock up of sketches with three or four spreads completed).
• PACING IS KEY! Not every spread in a children's book has to be wild or full of things. Pacing the book with dips of quietness and wildness will, in turn, make the pages stronger in their own personality from the contrast. 
• It's good to work extra from the text, make it interactive, have something for the child and parent to talk about. But don't be gimmicky either, just for the sake of it.

There is A LOT of stuff in children's books. It's a huge market, saturated at times with some things that are... not so interesting. A list of publishers to investigate

• Osbourne
• Bloomsbury
• Flying Eye
• Penguin
• Little Tiger
• Pushkin
• Walker Books
• Candlewick

After now completing the work for the Carmelite prize, I can say that my interest in working in children's publishing is piqued. I wonder how I can sustain a practice that involves children's illustration, without necessarily giving all of my practice over to it.

Ben Cox visit notes

• The talk mostly confirmed what I thought I knew about the structure of agencies. 
• When looking over my folio, he seemed a little concerned at first that it was inconsistent. I think this was mostly in the different usage of media. However, hopefully at not too much of a push, he said that he understood it, and I suppose got the 'vibe' of it, and was mostly positive.  The piece he liked the most was this one, and he spent the most time looking over it:

• I can see it as a piece that has commercial value. Not that he would be put off as a viewer by anything else, but he was quite open about the business nature of an agency and that's completely understandable.
• I am still concerned that my portfolio isn't something likely to get me jobs- that the commercial looking work is few and far between and that the other *styles* would put someone off hiring me. Nonetheless, I don't particularly want to split my work off, when doing different things is really what keeps me going as a creative. I'm aware that he had suggested to a few people that they split their work into different entities, so maybe he at least doesn't see it as that disparate that it would require that. 

• He also suggested that I mock up pieces into their contexts, i.e. editorial in a newspaper setting.  I'm at a point where I realise I'm going to be suggested to do a lot of different things by different people. Some will say [art directors want opportunity, and they themselves can imagine a piece where they see fit] and [art directors do not have the time, show them an editorial as an editorial, show them a book illustration in a book] etc.
• My instinct lies with the former idea, at least in the printed format. Because my online folio is bigger and more edit-able I could put some mock ups there too, but they're not so... committed.

mailers

I am at an awkward position where I realise, I do not wholly know where my work sits. I'm still not drawn into the temptation of limiting myself to less areas, or methods, but do long that it would potentially be easier to work in that way.

I have sent 10 physical mailers, starting quite big to places I would very much like to see my work. I included agencies, (quite big ones at that), and understand that while they might not be interested right now I would also like to make them aware of me, as such. 

I'm holding back a little in regards to children's illustration, until I can publish my work for the Carmelite prize (should I not place). I'm not sure what to expect from this, but hope it is more effective than emails (that will perhaps follow these up afterwards). 

It's essentially... friendly pestering. Always polite.

In each envelope I posted a print, a hand written note with a drawing on the back side, trying to make it relevant to each place. I also wrote a little more to Cox and Brakus, as they are people I have met before and I wanted to make a note of that! I also mentioned my frequent stops to London over the coming months, and should they wish to chat in person that I would be more than happy to.  

• Heart
• Ben Cox @ CIA
• Dutch Uncle
• Big Active
• The Guardian
• Tate Publishing
• New Scientist
• Phaidon
• Transworld 
• Gerry Brakus @ New Statesman

Just a small selection to start! (I don't have the envelopes...)

I'm also selling these prints! More money, mostly going back into funding their printing and sending to art directors at this point. I hope to also sell these at ELCAF.

website update

I added a "currently" page to my website. I haven't seen this used anywhere else really, but I thought it would be nice to add something that shows I'm working, namely on personal projects that could show a little of what I'm interested in beyond *art*. Essentially it would work similarly to a blog, but only show what is happening at present- but obviously private / secret work will remain so. I want to have conversations about what I'm working on, particularly when it's on projects like the FMP, so I want to make it clear I want to chat!

I also added an instagram widget to the bottom of the page, hopefully to attract attention to the account but also make it available to those who wouldn't see it otherwise. More than anything, I think it's the nicest view of my work as holistic body- easy to look through and a mixed bag  of process and finished things, but also conversational and not so formal...