Part three focused on transforming ideas into a form that best communicates those ideas.  The overall feedback is that my response throughout part three has been very good.  My approach evidence that I am utilising all the exercises to inform most areas of my practice.  My methodology is excellent in place, which needs to come together as a whole.  My response and reflection on the feedback are in GREEN.  

I am happy with my overall feedback and my progress so far.  I agree that my methodology needs to come together as a whole, and I have decided to read more and listen to some TED talks to get a better feel of the design world in general and design methodologies.  The following books are on my reading list for this December holiday:  

• How Posters Work by Ellen Lupton
• Penguin by Design: A cover Story 1935 – 2005 by Phil Baines
• Ways of Seeing by John Berger
• The Fundamentals of Illustration by Lawrence Zeegen

1. Assignment three – A Poster

My tutor noted it is excellent to see that I have considered text and image together in my initial thumbnail sketches, therefore a hierarchy of information in context to poster design.  My exploration of materials, processes and techniques informed by Butcher Billy has produced some great results.  It is also evident that collage techniques from earlier exercises in Part 2 were used.  The mix of traditional and digital are working very well when exploring ideas.  There is potential in this idea worthy of further refinement as a portfolio piece. When researching the work by Butcher Billy, consider going to the original source.  

I have mentioned that Billy draws his inspiration from Salvador Dali, Tim Burton, David Bowie and Andy Warhol.  It is an excellent idea to go deeper into his inspiration and research these traditional artists.  I will most definitely execute my research in this manner for future projects.

How visible are the traditional techniques when mixing traditional and digital techniques? 

Combining traditional and digital methods is something that needs more work.  I must find a way to keep the tactile quality of mixed media.  Although I have tried to keep the soft paper texture by using tissue paper overlays and a canvas texture overlay, I think it is not enough.  I would like to explore overlaying my own illustrations (as suggested by my tutor) and even lino prints.  The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to explore them.  On the top of my head, I am thinking to use very texturised techniques, paper and media when mixing digital and analogue.  That way, I should be able to preserve more texture.

My tutor mentioned that the typography and layout require more thought, so I should start by revisiting my thumbnail sketches and work from there.

I will read the book How Posters Work by Ellen Lupton, go back to the thumbnail sketches, and see if I can improve the typography and layout.  I enjoy doing poster designs, and this is an essential skill I would like to develop.

2. Feedback based on Learning Outcomes

• Develop methods to creatively respond to briefs as an illustrator.

The sensitive typography for the album cover design for “abstract illustration” compliments the illustration very well, and the research and planning for “giving instructions shows a thorough methodology is developing.

Test your idea as purely visual, with no words.  Does the instruction still work?  It is important to test a range of ideas before committing to producing a final illustration.  Content and composition must be resolved first and foremost.

I agree with this.  I think I am spending too much time on the thumbnails by drawing accurately and correctly.  I should consider focusing more on exploring and testing ideas at this stage, and as my tutor said, resolve the composition and content first and foremost and look at a range of ideas.

• Demonstrate your use of visual research to explore and generate ideas

I have selected a strong diagonal stress composition for “image development” by using my reference image.  My tutor feels this is an interesting and successful composition, whereby the character’s extended arm leads to the diagonal clothes rails then leads the eye up through the speakers. The travel of eye direction takes in all visual information.

The two exercises before this one informed my image development for this exercise.  It opened my eyes to more possibilities for composition and colour, which is great.  I am more aware of using colour strategically together with composition to lead the viewer’s eye.  I will try these methods when revisiting “A poster”.

According to my tutor, my primary research photographs show interesting obscure angles for “viewpoint”.  I have chosen to draw with pencil as I did for “observation drawing” in part two.  

Next time, I will consider using charcoal or red polychromos pencils to make sure I use a wide range of materials when exploring ideas.  I think exciting elements can emerge when exploring as extensively as possible.  

Further, my tutor said that the framed sketches show such a diverse range of observation, such a valuable skill, so important to consider in order to retain the interest of the reader to your illustration work.  She noted that my traditional and digital skills were very good in creating “making a mock-up”.  

I will note using the observation skill learned in “viewpoint” when planning illustration work.

• Use a range of drawing, mark-making and image-making skills to develop your illustration practice.

My tutor noted that through “illustrating visual space”, I demonstrate a very good sense of composition in context to narrative.  She mentioned that even in a simple exercise such as this, a strong illustrative style is emerging, similar to Scandinavian folk art tradition.  My tutor suggested researching Su Blackwell and Kara Walker.

I had a quick look at the work of Su Blackwell and Kara Walker, and I love both their styles.  I will most definitely dive deeper.

She further mentioned good use of traditional and digital materials, processes, and techniques for “abstract illustration”.  Exploring colour to create more depth starts to work well, as did pasting different parts of illustrations in Photoshop.  She suggested considering exploring layering a couple of my illustrations in Photoshop.  

That is a great idea.  Layering illustrations in Photoshop is a technique I would like to explore further.

In “giving instructions”, she noted it is lovely to see I am exploring linocut.  It produced a style of illustration that suits the subject matter very well, a great skill to develop.

• Demonstrate a critical and contextual understanding of illustration and reflect on your own learning.

My tutor felt my colour analysis in context to the narrative is very good for “reading the image”.

3. Action points based on Learning Outcomes

• Develop methods to creatively respond to briefs as an illustrator.

My tutor suggested that next time for a brief such as “giving instruction” to film someone making a cup of tea as a method of gathering information to use to explore ideas.  Film will reveal seemly insignificant details such as a tap for water or a cable on kettle.  Small details are obvious if we are familiar with a task, but consider an instruction for someone who has never done it before.  Also, consider instructions as a universal visual language, therefore no words.  Reading for research on this subject, she recommended From Hieroglyphics to Isotype, A Visual Autobiography by Otto Neurath and Beautiful Evidence by Edward Tufte.

It makes sense to me now that it is important to include details like a tap and cable on kettle.  I have deliberately excluded it from the illustration because I was working with lino print and wanted to keep the illustration simple. It is an excellent idea to video someone making tea to gather information.  I will use this suggestion next time for a similar brief.  There are ways to include fine details into lino print, especially when you do it in a large format and digitally scale it to a smaller size.  Similar to what they do when illustrating comic books. 

Further, she encouraged me to thoroughly explore the potential of a brief like “making a mock-up” by producing a range of thumbnail sketches of different designs with maybe moodboards suggesting styles informed by research; revisit “client visual” exercise.

I agree and will focus more on doing this.

• Demonstrate your use of visual research to explore and generate ideas

She suggested revisiting the analysis of my secondary research for “image development, Adolfo Serra Little Red Riding Hood, whereby minimal colour has been used to provide hierarchy within the visual narrative.  My tutor advises me to compare and contrast this to my solution.  Do I think adding colour to posters enhances or dilutes your narrative?  Did you consider the text at an angle?  She also encouraged me to research Russian constructivists use of strong angles and limited colour.

Comparing and contrasting secondary research to my solution is a helpful pointer, and I will do this in the future.  It is a great idea to research Russian constructivists, and I will find this very interesting.

• Use a range of drawing, mark-making and image-making skills to develop your illustration practice.

Continue to develop your management of materials, processes and techniques in context to the narrative.

• Demonstrate a critical and contextual understanding of illustration and reflect on your own learning.

Refer to “illustrating visual space” to analyse the composition of the dragon for “reading an image”.  For example, you state the leading child points to the dragon, its nose, directing the eye around the body to gather all the visual information.  So the composition starts top left through the nose around the body to roughly centre of the image where the main focus of the narrative is the treasure.  The deep purple on the right side frames the image and draws the eye back to the centre.  Also consider fore, middle and background.

Overall, I am pleased with my feedback and my tutor’s action points and recommended reading is beneficial to my learning.  I am looking forward to exploring further what I have learned in Part 3 and working things out even further.