Initial Rationale: October 2016
The main thing that I want to explore this year within my practice is the essence of behaviour ; what makes people want to do things and why. I want to explore how the role of illustration as a socially responsible visual medium can urge people to make positive lifestyle changes, can be used as an important tool within education, and can be generally appreciated and valued by society rather than being viewed as ‘just a drawing’.
Although my practice is still quite broad because I am interested in a variety of areas, the theme of social engagement connects the dots between all disciplines and lays at they stem of every brief. To sustain a strong social theme throughout my practice I will need to regularly practice my editorial skills, creating strong visual metaphors relating to current affairs in everyday life. I want to further explore the value and sensitivity that hand rendered creative processes can portray to specific audiences, on particular themes with a contrast to how important issues are visually portrayed in the mass media. This means I will need to emphasise the sensitivity with production processes such as screen printing, creating hand made type, collaging and many others.
To large extent, COP3 allowed me to research and visually explore the relationship between imagery and behaviour and how illustration can be used as a socially responsible device. Aspects of education have been put into practice through my work as a student ambassador, as well as working in a group to produce a set of workshops for the Illustration for Learning brief.
In hindsight, I think I had put a lot of pressure on myself at the beginning of the year to become the 'perfect illustrator' by June, and painstakingly forcing myself to do work that I thought that I should be doing rather than enjoy doing. I have learnt this through the 'editorial a week' brief that I set myself, which I discontinued and took a different approach; draw something every week that I want to draw, and then create a brief at a later stage.
Themes/Subjects
-Educational
-Positivity, health and wellbeing
-Socially engaged arts
-Editorial
-Narrative
-Ethical advertising
-Culture
Products/Methods of Distribution
-Visual imagery used in ethical advertising
-Editorial illustrations
-Book Jackets
-Workshop packs/proposals
-Cards
-Postcards
-Prints
-Stationery
-Zines?
I definitely overwhelmed myself with such a lengthy list here! At this point in time, I think it would be a wise idea to start small. Reducing both lists will give me something to focus on doing really well NOW, rather than thinking about too many things at once.
Themes/Subjects:
- Positivity, health and wellbeing
- Education
- Narrative
- Environment/sustainability
Products/Methods of Distribution:
- Prints
- Publications
- Workshop packs/proposals
Methods/Materials
- Watercolour/gouache
- Collage
- Monoprint
- Line work
- Screen printing
I haven't done as much printing as I had anticipated this year which is disappointing, but I really want to push myself to get in the print room more, especially after last years successes. My watercolour and line work is something that is really developing into a strong and sensitive tone of voice within my practice; I aim to continue to capitalise this.
Progress/Changes to Initial Briefs
Brief 1: Illustration for Learning
Status: Ongoing.
Areas outstanding: Presentation boards(how will I present these?), additional workshop planning for future events
Brief 2: Collaboration Children's Book
Status: Discontinued? Unsure...
Brief 3: Penguin Randomhouse Student Award
Status: Ongoing (I have a lot to do...)
Brief 4: Weekly health editorial
Stauts: Discontinued
Brief 5: Royal Watercolour Society
Status: Submitted, but not counting as a full brief
Next Steps
- Try to plan time from now till May 15
- Think of what is actually achievable; don't force myself to do too much!
- Keep drawing, I might get some ideas
