Having gone a little too far off track I decided to invest some more time into contextual research to gain a better idea of a suitable direction to take my project in. So I had a look online and in some magazines for inspiration.
Online and Publishers
A beauuuuutiful website where artists and illustrators can share and promote travel themed work, predominantly maps. (Teresa mentioned to me a last week that Maps are always a good piece to have in your portfolio!) No two maps are the same and each of them amplify the artists individual experiences in new places, making it feel more personal and well crafted.
The Herb Lester associates have a really traditional and charming manifesto, really placing emphasis on the visual quality and communication with the audience.
"Most guides try to tell you everything there is to know about a city, we just tell you how to enjoy it. It’ is our aim to show the reader what makes a place distinctive, to shed light on obscure locations as well as revisiting well-known ones with a fresh perspective. We research each city the old-fashioned way: asking friends, acquaintances, cab drivers and concierges for their tips and then walking, tasting, sipping, and peering into doorways and down alleys. We turn that research into a compact guide with enough suggestions to keep you entertained, with a list of shops, bars, restaurants, cafés, galleries, museums and parks, each one carefully described."
The Citix60 City Guides are produced by the Asian publishing brand, Victionary. They also make huge maps and art prints!
"They tasked 60 international creatives to contribute tips, secrets and favorite spots in six different cities around the world and compiled them into the CITIx60 City Guides. The series’ goal is to guide you through each city’s backroads and leave you feeling inspired by the each contributor’s picks."
Individual Practitioners
I really admire Nina Cosford for being such an all-rounder in the illustration world; I find that her work can easily be adapted to fit any context (ultimate illustrator goals). On her website I came across some of her lovely illustrated maps, as well as some educational material she has produced in the form of an interactive museum guide, which is something that I could consider!
I also see Ohn Mar Win as being an extremely versatile illustrator, similar to Nina Cosford. I first came across her work on the cover of a cook book in Anthropologie, and later discovered her talent for map making too (and wasn't disappointed!)
Having looked at Laura Carlins travel based work, it made me think about travel diaries and documentary illustration, which works SO well for her. Although the only thing is that I'd be working from photographs from now on...so might not have the same vibe.
What next?
- - Keep drawing, start to think more about the final outcome
- - Think about having a go at making a map; what could I include from my personal experience
- -Look more into Amsterdam travel diaries, any work that exists already that relates to my ideas?
