I will reflect on the feedback from my tutor for Part 4 of Illustration Sketchbooks. 

Overall response

According to my tutor, my overall response to Part 4 has been excellent.  She noted that it was great to see that I used what I had learned through the exercises and applied it to the creative process for the assignment brief. 

Assignment Four: Building Stories

She further remarked that the zine itself works very well. The use of colour to emphasize specific aspects of the narrative is effective, and the overall layout and flow are very successful.

She suggested giving more thought to the cover.  The cover must invite the reader and have a pick-up appeal.  Also, explore further potential of a zine format such as cut-outs, pop-ups, etc.

I agree with my tutor. The cover doesn’t have that pick-up appeal. Next time, I will give more thought to making the cover more inviting to the reader.

I haven’t even crossed my mind to include pop-ups and cut-outs in a zine from a practical point of view being a self-published magazine and keeping costs down.  Although this is not a real-life project, and we as students need to explore and develop our skills, it only makes sense to think about creating something exciting while we still have the luxury of not having to worry about producing 200 copies and making it practical. 

I really enjoy paper engineering and will most definitely come up with something exciting next time I attempt a zine project.

Feedback based on the Learning Outcomes

·      Develop methods to creatively explore and respond to briefs as an illustrator.

My tutor said, “Using ‘story structure’ to explore a brief through thumbnail sketches will help to ensure not too much or too little focus is put on aspects of a narrative, so in other words, think about the whole, then fill in the gaps.  This process can be applied to any brief, regardless of it requiring a single illustration or a sequence.”

This is very helpful to learn, and I will keep this in mind going forward.

·      Demonstrate your use of visual research in the generation of ideas for illustration.

My tutor mentioned that ‘fill it up fast’ is a great example of gathering visual research. The unexpected can be experienced when out on location.  She further elaborated on overhearing conversations which is a gem.

She further asked if I felt the style reflected the location you were observing.

I can’t agree more! This was truly an eye-opener to me, and I now realise why it is so important to go out on location. When I returned to my studio, my head was filled with lots of ideas. I think it is important to make notes of these conversations in your sketchbook as well, such as specific words, local dialect, and expressions in the conversation. This can be priceless when developing a zine like I have just done.

Yes, I feel the style reflects the location I was observing.  The organic market has a very airy fairy feel about it.  There was live music and people wearing bright colours.  The weather was cold and misty with the typical South African sun trying to break through the cold.

·      Use a range of visual approaches to develop and communicate your ideas

My tutor remarked that ‘storyboarding’ could be very useful in two quite different situations, where you will remain in one position, but your eye focuses on different pieces of information, similar to a film camera.

She also suggested ‘using basic narrative structure’ to sketch birds’ wings in different positions coming into the land, or using your imagination to morph the original plant sketch into a character.

This is helpful information to use when going forward. Focusing your eye on different pieces of information makes a lot of sense. There were times I had to do that while being out on location because the person I was drawing walked away or moved behind a tree, but purposefully doing this while keeping the narrative in the back of your mind can be very effective.

Sometimes, there just needs to be a trigger, such as someone suggesting trying a ‘bird’s wings in different positions’, which makes you realise all the ways you can apply this concept. I will keep this concept in mind going forward.

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

My tutor asked the question: “Your selection for ‘top 10 visual diaries” are nearly all examples of where the practitioner sketches in the same style of their illustrations.  Do you think this approach is more how an artist works than an illustrator?

I haven’t given this any thought until now.  Yes, I do think this approach is more how an artist works than an illustrator.  An illustrator will use the sketches in different ways and ‘process’ them ultimately into a project with a very direct and clear narrative and purpose.

Action Points

• The text in “depiction and description” is at odds with the illustration style.  Going forward research typefaces of the same era as the antique cupboard.  I agree with this.
• I agree with my tutor that I was trying to capture too much detail in ‘fill it up fast.’ I could have used photos to fill in the details in my studio and drawn with lines when on location. 
• I agree with my tutor that I should practise ‘storyboarding’ by reducing the detail within each frame to the bare minimum while retaining enough information to read. I should focus on composition, weight of line, and tone to provide a sense of mood and atmosphere.
• Be aware that an illustrator could often use her sketchbook differently compared to an artist.

Notes

There was no task given for Research Task 4.2: Case study Brandon J Wallace, so I looked at what other students had done, in this case Hugh Hadfield, as it was unclear what was required. Hugh Hadfield also did no writing for this task, so I assumed that it was an observation task.

This has been a great section of the course, and I have learned even more through my tutor’s feedback.  I am looking forward to Part 5 and feel better equipped to make the best of my final assignment.

My tutor suggested resources which I always find very helpful and inspiring.