Tutorial with Teresa

Website

Divide my work by style rather than project. 

There’s no need (yet) to divide my practice in half but categorising work into similar sections will make it easier to distinguish between styles. 

Think about how and art director would view my website and how easy is it to navigate to find what they are looking for. 

Clean up my homepage, it looks a bit busy and all work is thrown in together. 

What do I want people to see when they load the homepage?

Final Major Project

The lifestyle principles I have chosen are mainly based in northern Europe apart from Japan which seems like it doesn’t fit in the collection. 

Maybe the whole project should be based around European lifestyle and the principles just in this area. More focussed. 

Look at Flow magazine - Dutch and they commission a lot of illustration. 

Consider quotes or mantras that I can interpret and illustrate. 

Look at German lifestyle. 

I feel like my starting point of lifestyle principles around the world was good for me to research and get the process going, however I have realised that I didn’t really have anything in mind as a final product or audience etc. I feel I am lacking direction at the moment. I am interested in the themes that run within lifestyle magazines such as food, health, home and travel, so I think these are the subject matters that I need to be exploring. 

I am starting to define a brief although this is still quite loose. The work I am going to produce will predominantly be aimed at females as they form the primary audience for lifestyle and living magazines. I am thinking of targeting females aged 20 - 50 but this seems like a wide age range. I think the age range will become clearer to me as I continue researching and drawing. 

My main aim will be to produce editorial illustrations and mock them up to show how they would exist in print. Then, secondary to this, I can re-appropriate or adapt my images to suit other applications such as homeware, stationery, patterns or prints. At the end of this project I want some strong pieces to put in my portfolio, show potential commissioners and feel comfortable talking about. 

My plan is to draw LOTS for the next couple of days, take a bit of a break on Sunday and then come back to look at my work with fresh eyes on Monday and make some decisions about the direction of this project. 

Looking at Herb Lester Travel Guides
Themes - getting out into the countryside, city breaks, food guides, maps, themed travel guides, history, fashion,  unknown places, nature, shopping, independent, bars, restaurants, family, bakeries, views, parks, galleries, museums, experiencing local life, bookshops, markets, culture, arts, business, phrasebooks, science. 

Amsterdam Sketchbook

Observations in Amsterdam

Insides of buildings are small, compact, narrow. 

Roads are have separate bike lanes, efficient. 

Bikes everywhere!

People dress well. 

Simple and straightforward. 

CLEAN. 

So much water. 

Organised fields, observed looking from the plane. 

Flat. 

Everyone appears healthy. 

Good food portions! 

Food from all over the world. 

Struggling to find traditional Dutch food. What is traditional Dutch food?

Good coats and scarves. 

Pedestrian crossings are different. 

Not seen any homeless people. 

Everyone speaks english. 

Fashionable/designer. 

Elegant style. 

People have places to be but don't seem rushed/stressed. 

Looking into offices, work environment feels relaxed and comfortable. 

Buildings are very wonky on close inspection. 

Buildings are deceptively similar, streets look the same but each building is slightly different. 

So many physio places - maybe people do lots of sport. 

Lost of cafés and lots of people in cafés at all times of day. 

No road rage. 

Business and casual dress look quite similar. 

Harmonious living, everyone seems to get on. 

Good bread. 

Dutch Lifestyle - Gezellig Research

• The dutch word 'gezellig' or 'gezelligheid' cannot be translated directly into English. 
• Its meaning covers cosy, friendly, comfortabel, relaxing, enjoyable, gregarious, quaint and nice.
• It can be used to describe time spent with loved ones, family and friends and general togetherness. 

Peer Review

I was really pleased to receive such positive feedback. I feel really positive about my work after this crit and its so good to hear people say I have a strong tone of voice after worrying yesterday that my work maybe wasn't cohesive enough and was a bit all over the place. I'd like to think that I am an adaptable illustrator and I think the work I have done so far for this module shows that. I regret not having more to show for my final major project at this point but I am feeling really motivated to get going with it! 

Papyrus Colouring Book Extra Pages

Ideas and Roughs

• Ideas based around the same theme as the original brief - taking time to de-stress and relax. 
• Thinking about layout and how the cover pattern can incorporate text. 
• Layouts of internal pages, making the double page spread appear balanced. 

Drawings

• I drew out all the components separately to be efficient with my time. This would mean it was all editable on screen and I could make changes without needing to draw things out again. 
• I drew the Papyrus logo to fit in with this style, it is a flower so it fit in with the natural/woodland theme I was using on the cover. 

Cover

• Final design for the cover. I added in smaller versions of each element around the placeholder for the text so that it gave this are a kind of frame. 
• The layout of the front and back is almost identical but the pattern doesn't fall in the same place on each page which makes them appear different. 
• We tried out a number of ways to add colour using the Papyrus brand guidelines but decided against this in the end with input from the senior art director. 
• The day after completing this work, I was asked to send over the other versions with some spot colours on so I'm not sure which one they will use in the end. 

Introduction Page

• I had originally spread the shells across the top half of the left hand page too just leaving a space for the text but I was then asked to change this into a small border.
• I enjoyed drawing these shells, this was probably my favourite subject matter from the whole project. 
• There was no issue with colour here as this will be a page that can be coloured in. 

Helpline Page

• These were my least successful pages in my opinion. The layout doesn't look as natural as the others and it feels overly busy, but they were happy with the outcome. 
• I didn't think the large numbers worked well but after raising my concerns about how dense the drawings were and how the edges looked a little too crisp, they said this was how they wanted it.

Overall the extra work I have done on this project has been really beneficial to my development and learning about how projects like this work.  It has been a good experience and I have proved yet again that I can be very productive under pressure. 

Pre-Amsterdam Research - Dutch Lifestyle

YCN UK Greetings Brief

I have decided not to go ahead with this brief purely because I haven’t allowed myself enough time to do it. The brief is something I was really interested in doing and greetings cards and wrap is something I do want to explore. In hindsight, I feel I have prioritised other briefs over this which were not so relevant to my practice. I have also been way too optimistic with my workload, especially considering I haven't got very far with my final major project yet at all. 

Although I have chosen not to go ahead with this specific brief, I might use parts of their specification to create a range of cards and wrap from the imagery created for my final major project. This could be one of the things I produce as a final outcome showing relevant application of imagery, I will have to see whether this is appropriate as I get further along with it. 

YCN Roald Dahl Brief

Since my tutorial with Matt I have tried to loosen up my sketchbook work a bit. I just wanted to a be a bit more free with what I was drawing and not be precious about the outcomes. I quickly filled a sketchbook with drawings and roughs based on the stories I had read. I like the drawings I did based on the story of Esio Trot but was struggling with the Fantastic Mr Fox roughs of the farmers. I was pleased with my continuous line drawings of grasshoppers but felt that they didnt get across the character of Roald Dahl’s creations. 

I’m feeling a bit stressed about this! I’m feeling quite under pressure to produce something amazing and innovative when children’s illustration and character design isn't what I do best. I’m trying to understand whether I am actually not enjoying this brief or am I just putting too much pressure on myself to get this done in a short space of time?

Ok, so I have decided the specific requirement to draw characters as part of the brief is throwing me off. I like the roughs I have for Esio Trot but they only have a suggestion of the presence of a human character by showing his shoes. Drawing characters from head to toe is not what I enjoy doing. I much prefer drawing a scene from a unique angle or taking inspiration from a part of a story and piecing together a new image. 

Moving on!

This brief is not really going anywhere, I have realised it is not what I want to do and I don’t see any benefit in continuing with it. I feel like I would be producing mediocre outcomes by sticking to the brief. I would like to develop my Esio Trot roughs into a print at some point but this will be a self directed project working to my own brief. 

Easter Cards

I designed a set of Easter cards for my family to send out this year. This was a very short project which took less than a day from start to finish. I knew there wasn't going to be anything groundbreaking created here as my mum had requested ‘just a nice normal Easter card’ so I used this as a chance to get back into using gouache paints. I chose a pale colour scheme appropriate for easter and worked hard to avoid using my usual black outlines as these might be too heavy for the occasion. 

Self critique - the contrast between the line and fill is not strong enough. Some of the images are quite awkward to look at. In hindsight I could have inverted black outlines to white and then added colour to create a fresh and light aesthetic. 

I can’t say these designs are my best work but I am continually proving to myself that I can work to a short deadline. If i’m honest I have been getting a little fed up with uni projects lately and was getting into a bit of a rut. It’s been nice to do something a bit different, play around and not worry too much about the outcome. 

Tutorial with Matt

• I have become a machine for churning out work but am losing what made it good in the first place - the exploration, testing, trying out different things. 
• Avoid being too rigid and only focussed on the final outcome. Value the exploration, MORE SKETCHBOOK WORK. 
• What do I want to get out of my work? What do I want my work to be like? What do I want to do? I want to make work that makes people feel good. Not in a cringey or silly way, in a genuine way that makes them value the work for the feeling it gives them. 
• BE MORE FLUID. Loosen up a little - in life and in drawing. 
• Research research research - reading, drawing, experiencing, observation, writing...
• THINK MORE. Or at least record my thinking more. 
• Use the lifestyle principles to INSPIRE my drawing. There's no need to directly illustrate them. CAPTURE THE FEELING THROUGH DRAWING.
• I am lacking research into contemporary illustration. Research artists and what is happening at the moment - it will help me figure out where I see myself going. 
• I want people to like my work because they like my work, not because they just like the subject. I want it to make them feel a certain way, especially in this lifestyle based project. 

Peer Review

General Comments 

• Get going on my final major project, NOW.
• I have a lot of small briefs and they show a broad range of work, it shows I am adaptable.
• Think about researching artists when you are working on a brief - where is the inspiration coming from?
• I have done enough small briefs, its time to focus on bigger projects. 

FMP Notes

• When doing editorial illustrations try to think about layout rather than just square images or spot illustrations. How can the illustration link in with the text?
• Maybe use pattern work to apply to products which are then mocked up as a magazine feature?
• Illustrated recipes is a good idea. 
• Think about which sections of magazines my work could be applied to. 
• Maybe look at doing horoscopes? 

Self Evaluation

What do I think works well?

I think I have got a good range of work at the moment and the briefs I have chosen to do are reflective of where I see my practice going. 

How will I capitalise on this?

Continue to choose briefs that are relevant to me. I also need to start taking my best work and putting a portfolio together which reflects where my practice is at right now. 

What could be improved?

I need to do some more substantial briefs as a lot of the briefs I have done so far have taken less than a week to produce. It means I have had a good turnover of work but no in depth investigation and exploration of a brief. 

How will I benefit from this?

It will mean I can invest more time and focus into a single brief without the pressure of a deadline. It is often a deadline that drives me to complete a brief but it means the exploration stages are often brief which is sometimes a downfall. 

What do I need to revise?

I need to revise the plan I had for which briefs I was going to do. I need to cut down on the number of smaller briefs I am doing and focus a lot more on my final major project. 

What would you achieve from this?

All I have done so far for my FMP is reading and going out and researching but I haven't even blogged this yet. I need to get my research onto my blog and this will allow me to move on into doing some physical work. I just need to start! 

What actions will I take in response to the peer review?

1. I will re-write a plan for the briefs I am going to be working on from now up until Easter. 

2. I will put together a simple portfolio of work which I can use for my PPP module to send out to people and show people in person. 

3. START MY FMP.

Lifestyle Magazine Research

Oh Comely (UK)

• Calming photographs. 
• Neutral and natural colours. 
• Simple and light illustrations. 
• Eleni Kalorkoti - shape based and textural. 
• Line based illustrations - similar to how I make images. 
• Lorna Leigh Harrington - line combined with flat colour and shape, selective use of white. Very simple, using minimal colour to add depth, detail and contrast. 

Happinez (The Netherlands)

• Earthy colours. 
• Nordic themed feature - sustainability, botanicals, natural, handmade, homeware. 
• Living slowly and simply. 
• Potato page - about appreciating the most basic things. 
• Textiles - pattern, eastern influence, cosy, warm. 
• Cooking - taking the time to make something special, traditional, earthy, natural. 

At this very early stage in my research I am just trying to identify themes in these lifestyle magazines. The ones I have chosen here, Oh Comely and Happinez, feel quite indulgent. It’s all about slow living and taking time for yourself which is a theme that fits with my intentions at this point. 

Out Of Order Linoprint

For my ‘Out Of Order’ entry I decided to go back into print and try something a bit different from the other work I had been doing for this module so far. The image was a development of an image I completed for my COP module and this was shape based rather than line based so it would translate well into print. 

I developed the image, adding extra details, and then separated the layers using tracing paper and a light box. I scanned these and finalised my positives on Photoshop. I had wanted to do a screen print but I left things a bit too late and there were no screens available that were big enough and seeing as my screen print skills aren’t the best anyway, I didn’t want to make this even more last minute in case it all went wrong. 

Instead of abandoning the work I had done so far I thought about how I could use these shapes with linocut. I had already attempted to make some mothers day cards in a similar way but had drastically failed and ended up a total mess. The lines you get from lino printing built up layer after layer and made the images look messy. I learned from my mistakes and decided to cut out each shape individually so that no lines could transfer from the cut-away areas. I cut out 35 pieces of lino in total. 

My first attempt at printing these went okay (printing in blue). The process took a long time as there were so many individual pieces to line up. There was still some excess ink transferring outside the shapes I wanted so I cut more lino away and tried again. 

This was much more successful, it looked much neater and actually started to resemble a screen print a little bit. I like how the shapes overlap a little bit to create new shades of red. Using back for the last layer (the line) made a stronger contrast than just using a darker shade of the colour. I feel like this also ties this piece in with the rest of the work I usually create which is line based. After all, this process is a little outside of what I normally do. 

I don’t think this is a process I will continue with, it’s just quite far from what I am developing my practice to be and the outcome didn’t inspire me enough to want to do it more. It has definitely clarified a few things for me and although I may return to lino in the future, at the moment this is not what my practice is about. 

To Kill A Mockingbird Book Cover

Initial Ideas

I studied this book at school but that was ages ago so i skimmed sections of the book and watched the film to familiarise myself with it again. I was initially considering physical objects and scenes that occur in the book but didn’t like how obvious and cliche the outcomes were looking.

 

I liked the idea of feathers floating down the cover as if a bird had been shot (out of the frame) and this was the aftermath. I then thought about merging this shot noise with a judge’s hammer to represent the court case and themes of injustice. 

I still thought this was a little obvious so thought about how I could use just the feathers to represent a concept in the book. 

Developing a Concept

I researched and drew the mockingbird feather. It is black white and grey and I thought this connected well the the themes of racism in the book. The black and white divide was extremely strong in the time when this book was written. I played around with this idea until I arrived at the idea of using three feathers to show a hopeful transition for society. 

The first of these feathers (left) is black and white and represents a fully segregated society. The last one (right) is purely grey and represents and entirely integrated and peaceful society. 

The feather in the middle is the feather of a mockingbird and is the middle ground between the two. It represents a gradual change in attitudes and actions that this book begins to recognise. Although there is such a strong racial divide in the book, certain characters like Atticus have the opinion that blacks and whites are equal. 

Roughs

I wanted this concept to span the whole cover so I used the basic pattern of the mockingbird feather to design the back cover. 

For the feathers I wanted to incorporate collaged newspaper as the grey elements. A story is told in one of the first few chapters about Boo Radley cutting up newspaper, stabbing someone in the leg with scissors and then continuing with what he was doing. Using newspaper will also represent the spreading of information, a lot of idle chat occurs between certain characters in the book. This and the spreading of rumours is what spreads fear and hate for the mockingbirds of the story. 

I did a quick search to check the internet for similar designs using feathers and couldn’t really find anything so this is a good sign! 

Experimentation

I used ink to start drawing feathers. I was using a brush and didn’t like how controlled the lines looked. I wanted something looser and more expressive. I used the end of the paintbrush instead and was much happier with the outcomes. They looked more sketchy and frantic. I also did some mark marking to overlay over any of my images. I’m not sure whether I will need these or not yet.

Text

I used the end of a paintbrush again to create this type. I like how childlike it looks, I think this is relevant as the story is told through a child’s eyes and there is a strong theme of innocence running through the book.  

Layout

I created some digital layout mockups using my scanned drawings. I asked for feedback from my peers on these and the most popular were the third and fourth design on the top row. I am not sure about the third one because I find it awkward that the title is aligned to the right, I feel it makes it harder to read the words in the right order. I am going to go ahead with the the fourth one and might play around with scale. 

I created a mockup for the full jacket too, I like how the back cover looks as it is a good contrast to the front but still connects well. 

Drawing

I re-drew the feathers until I was happy with at least one of each. I made my ‘newspaper’ collages on separate sheets to combine on Photoshop. This would mean my line work was smooth as it wasn’t going over uneven layers of paper. Instead of newspaper I used photocopied pages from the book itself. When the design is finished, the text will be too small to be legible so as long as it looks like the it doesn’t really matter. 

I also drew some of the letters again for the title as I wasn’t happy with how all of them looked, and wrote Harper Lee’s name all in lower case to fit in with the childlike aesthetic. 

Colour

Most of the previous covers I saw had been quite muted so I wanted to so something a little more eye catching and bright. I was torn between the pale yellow and the pale blue so I asked for opinions from quite a few people and received a very mixed response. 

• The yellow shows the heat of the deep south in the summer. 
• The blue is a generally nice colour which might appeal to people before they have even noticed what book it is, it’s popular at the moment.
• They yellow makes the feathers look like bananas. 
• The blue is a bit cold, might not be relevant enough to the story. 

Final Design and Evaluation

The submission requirements said to separate the cover and present this alongside the entire cover spread including crop marks. 

Positives

I am glad I sent time to carefully consider things like layout and colour and also ask for opinions of others. I asked my peers in the studio but also asked my ‘non-creative’ friends who would potentially fit the target audience for the book, for their feedback too. 

I feel like this is quite a bold design for me. I tried to play to my strengths using black and white and one colour and I feel it has been successful. 

I am happy with how the type has turned out. Type is not my forte so choosing to do this was a bit risky but I really like the effect it has had and how it connects to my drawings. 

Negatives

I feel like I spent too long on the design for the overall simplicity of it, but maybe this is just me expecting too much of myself in a short amount of time. 

The text from Capote on the back could do with a little more breathing space.