Type of breifThe briefs I responded to best this semester where definitely the one day meltdown posters and the editorial piece on the occult. Perhaps this is because the end results were less illustrative than usual but also because I didn’t feel my usual level of stress whilst working on them. I didn’t have time to stress about the posters and I thoroughly enjoyed the style and subject for the editorial. I think both the open-ness of approach and restrictions to these brief (typeface) stopped me from panicking do much about the precise outcomes

Integral Elemnts I have been using ink and brush a huge amount this semester, particularly in place of typography.(A fear of figuring out fonts?) And I’ve also discovered the wonder of (homemade) scraper board which is something I’d really like to get into more. Both techniques give a very tactile feel especially when juxtaposed against digital elements. I’ve been using photoshop as a tool to collage colour recently too. I’ve enjoyed this and I like the effect but I really want to keep working as analogue as possible.

SuccessI feel I’ve been most successful in my analogue skills during this semester. It’s as if I get to the computer in the later part of a project and panic (although my photoshop skills have come on a great deal this year). The Occult and Little White lies projects have been my favour-ites because of this. I really enjoyed creating the base illustrations for these projects.

PromblemsThe weaknesses in my work generally arise in the late stage of a project, when I need to compile composition and colour and where I have a pre decided view of how a piece should look at the end. On the last project, ‘Heroes’, I did try to overcome this but I still dislike the finished project. I’m finding it really hard not to build expectations for myself.

PersonalityI’ve been trying to find a visual style this semester and I feel like I’m part the way there with the Little White Lies and Book Jackets briefs. That is how I see my art and is the kind of art I’m interested in making. I think my fascination in masks, pattern and almost ‘primitive art’ were explored in the Occult brief (even though the result doesn’t feel very me). These are all the sorts of illustrations I really enjoy doing in sketchbooks in my spare time and I’d like to somehow integrate that into my work more in the future.

Everything is Broken

Occult Crime Book Jackets

Meltdown PostersCollections

Heroes

Reportage Workshops

Little White Lies

I feel like my technical abilities on the mac are improving and developing every project, be that from failure, success or mistake. I’m extremely interested in how faux texture and atmosphere can be achieved through photoshop and I feel only practice can help my understanding of this. (And lots of tutorials!)

Drawing skills wise only relentless practice will improve on my abilities and I have a number of things lined up for the summer which will allow me to do precisely this.I’ve booked myself a week long trip between London and Paris during july so that I can study the architecture and overall feel of the cities and compare them.(And visit museums and ex-plore!) I really enjoyed the reportage illustration this semester and I feel that I need to actively purse this route and develop my skills.I’m also intending to produce works that I can sell in the screenprint studio within the next few months. I’m hoping to branch out from the explorative work I did for the occult project with masks and pattern.

I’m hoping that my work during the summer will also improve my confidence, not only in myself but in my skills as an illustrator. I feel like my confidence has grown tremendously since the beginning of the year but I still panic like hell towards the end of every brief, doubting myself and effectively ruining my enjoy-ment the project.With this in mind I think it is the later parts like colouring and composition that I need to work on and ironically stress less over.

Less panicking and more problem solving!