Website on the way!

Now the Extended Major project has been handed in, I'm starting work on a new website for promotion. Hoping to get it up and running by the end of the week and will be a much better way for clients to view my work. Watch this space!!

Sneak Peek

Seems I've neglected the ol' blog for a while, well, here's a little butcher's at what I've been working on...

This is my work for my Extended Major Project influenced by Charlie Brooker's column in the Guardian. I've used the newspaper template as a navigation system for the illustrations that represent the flow of writing from within the article. By subverting the quotes into headlines, annotations and article styled columns the viewer can navigate around the image correctly and similarly to the way the eye steers around a normal newspaper front page.

Shan Jiang

Style, detail, colour, composition.... It has everything!!!

Sweet Illustrations

The RSA Animate

Hypnotize U - N*E*R*D

The second N*E*R*D song I am drawing influence from for my D and AD entry.

N*E*R*D - Rockstar (Jason Nevins Remix)

Collage continued

Stepping away from the extended majoy project and reverting back to my D and AD entry. I've added in the equalisers to the cityscape. They represent the volume and intensity of the track and with the police car introduced into the foreground the image should reflect this concept.

Upping the ante

So this week I'm working toward finalising designs for the DandAD competition brief (Diesel). From the previous tutorials I've found that the illustrations produced so far still seem a bit flat and need to be pushed to the next level to fit with contemporary illustration. To avoid my illustrations seeming flat I've moved away from the computer screen and started collaging to create layering and a greater depth to the work. So far it's working well, the first piece is starting to take shape and taking some interesting steps to fusing hand rendered method with the digital manipulation. I've now reached a point where I need to stop, evaluate the composition, colours, complexity etc and consider every aspect. To refresh my thinking I've delved into Abduzeedo, Coolvibe and Booooooooom to absorb the most current work.

Inspiring Music = Creativity

I've found that as I build up my work for the Extended Major Project that I work better certain music.. So I thought I would share some albums that have inspired me when working.

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders, Jack Johnson - On and On, Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid, Fat Freddy's Drop, Jose Gonzalez - Veneer, Hot Chocolate - Man to Man (Yes, Hot Chocolate!!!), Four Tet - There is Love in You, Bonobo - Black Sands and Pearl Jam - Yield.

Visual experiment

Today, I set myself a quick brief which was to apply an idiom to an

article from today's Guardian newspaper and create an illustration. I selected; "Security firm was warned of lethal risk to deportees" and applied the idiom "Forced to the Wall". Here is the online article, slightly different to the printed version. Below is the development of sketches... The second image is where I got to after an hour.. So it was good for me to test myself against the clock to see how I would respond under pressure. Ideally would liked to have had a more resolved illustration but it's something I will work on.

Just some inspiration

Getting hands on

Here is the collage attempts so far. Hoping to combine this with a new illustration of the character on top of the cop car. I'm starting to visualise the car coming toward the viewer as he leaves the hectic oppressive city behind. Watch this space!

D and AD - experiment

So, from yesterdays tutorial, I've decided to experiment with the work by reverting to a more hand rendered approach. I've noticed that a lot of design at the moment is incorporating a 'cut and stick' collage aesthetic that fuses with photograph and digitalised swirls. This is the kind of thing I mean:

D and AD - Diesel brief tutorial

This morning I had a group tutorial on my D and AD brief for Diesel. The brief challenges the creative to reinvent illustration as a powerful promotional tool within music. 'Your challenge is to choose a band or artist and create an illustrated response inspired by two of their tracks. In doing so, you’ll be facing this issue head on and demonstrating your vision of a brave new world for illustration in music.' The brief explains the development of the artwork from vinyl right through to the downsized icons of present day.

The illustration I have devised is for N*E*R*D - Rock Star, depicting a character rhyming on the top of a cop car. The bright equalisers reflecting the high tempo of the track.

It was pointed out that clothing style didn't reflect that of the Diesel brand and this illustration was more of a promotion for the band. I would argue that the clothing represented in the illustration you would find in a Diesel store, the Hi-Tops themselves were based on Diesel's brand. After putting in many hours drawing the character and re-working it, making sure the proportions and colours are correct then applying my digital skills I've got to leave this idea behind. I have understood the feedback from the tutorial and I will think again though it is difficult to do with an illustration that I was really pleased with. But never mind, I will push the idea further and create something better.

Potential idiom concepts

I've spent the last few days generating ideas for the direction of the illustrated idioms. I have considered creating a short story told through the idioms, I would begin to research into how to write a short narrative, devise characters and setting. By looking into folk tales, Shakespeare, children's books and film I could look to adapt a simplistic story embedded with morals and explain using idioms and the accompanying illustration.

Another idea, I could take news articles in various newspapers and apply idioms to the story. "A Leopard cannot change its spots" for example could be applied to the President of Egypt. Then I could look to apply idioms throughout newspaper and perhaps devise my own newspaper which would give me freedom to work with typography and layout.

Matt Ellis artwork

My daily search through the Abduzeedo blog and saw Matt Ellis' work. The second illustration is similar to how I visualise the outcomes of my idiom illustrations.

Luca Mantovanelli

Looks somewhat familiar Luca....

Olly Moss Star Wars Posters

http://www.leblogdebango.fr/2010/12/star-wars-les-posters-revisites/

Extended Major Project

So, the Extended Major Project has landed, 3 weeks have past and I've settled on my idea. My project will begin to research into the English language and idioms. I've collected many idioms, some with lots of scope to explore the literal and metaphorical meaning through illustration. I'm looking to illustrate the idioms with a new approach, looking at them from another angle. The idea needs grounding and purpose, so I was considering making a narrative out of the idioms. Perhaps applying idioms to newspaper articles and accompanying them with an illustration for each. By illustrating for newspaper stories I can set myself a limited area to fill, work with type and layouts.

Reflection of the brief so far

I'm finding the brief enjoyable so far, I'm fairly pleased with the visuals I have created though I'm struggling to identify a style that feels like it's mine. I'm caught between my realistic approach to a brief and the more cartoon and edgy style. I think this is a problem that I might always have. I think my realistic illustrations are stronger and I know when I've produced good piece by the amount of hours I've put into it. It seems as though my approach of illustration changes to fulfil the needs of the brief. My final project last year saw me take on the cartoon approach to draw the celebrities which worked very well due to it's humorous topic, but when I compare that to what I am doing currently it looks as though a different artist has designed them.

Where I'm at

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post so time to think through the project thus far and where I'm going to next.

Following my research into schizophrenia and mental illness I have defined my idea and began to create visuals. With not long to go until the deadline I have to structure my time carefully with fakery, dissertation and my job.

So the idea, I've decided to create visuals based on the visions my nan has which is caused by dementia. It's a very personal subject which I don't want to run through in depth on my blog. But I have decided to compile my illustrations into a doctors notes styled document, perhaps formed in a brown A4 folder. The idea is to write a very non descriptive note as if it is written by a doctor, to then turn the page to see my illustrative response to the note and how my nan perceives it. I intend to make the illustrations realistic so that the audience can see the reality of the illness but then realising that is perhaps a fake world. I'm also looking into creating realistic imagery and altering the piece so that it is more surreal but still interpreted as very real and true. This seems a bit too difficult to explain on here, so I will upload visuals soon.

More links for Fakery

http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/dementia

http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/schizophrenia

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/03/bill-oddie-this-much-know

Neat Photoshop tutorial

Really interesting Photoshop tutorial that I would like to follow up in my own work. Look at how I could combine my illustration into a more photo realistic image. Would be interesting to combine several illustrations and photographs together into a form of collage to see if I could achieve this delusional world of the mental patient.

http://abduzeedo.com/planet-x-matte-painting-photoshop-santosh

The Rorschach Test

My research has lead me to take the 'Rorschach test'. Supposedly it understands your personality and whether you've got problems.

I saw:

1. an alien

2. 2 people high fiving

3. 2 humans and a butterfly

4. a ram's head/ mask

5. insect/ moth

6. a star with the shape of jesus statue (rio de janeiro)

7. two rabbits facing each other

8 two leopards climbing

9. ?

10. eiffel tower

More insightful case study

I've found another case study into a form of Schizophrenia. It's based around the life of January Schofield, 6, who has a very severe case of Schizophrenia and has imaginary friends. She's been on heavy medication and this is her story:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-schizophrenia29-2009jun29,0,5289139,full.story

So far in this project it has been difficult to find actual case studies of mental delusion that contains actual interviews and recording of the patients visions which I want to be the focus. My initial ideas for this Fakery project is to investigate as many case studies as possible and select one that provides a strong insight into the patients mind. I want to know what the patient hallucinates, how they react to people in the real world, what medication they're on etc. Then take their descriptions of their visions and illustrate them to communicate their "fake" world.

Fakery Project link.

Schizophrenia case study.

Re-Focus

When I find myself procrastinating I know it's time to write a post to attempt to re-focus. So here I am... This morning I've been structuring my dissertation which has gone reasonably well, collected quotes, read extracts from my books etc.. Now I'm sat here no longer wanting to read books, I want to start something more creative!! I've got to work on my Fakery project, which is still in it's research stage and it's suppressing my desire to draw, maybe I just need some sort of doodle break?

The plan is as follows; move onto the Fakery project and leave the dissertation for now. Find more case studies around 'mental delusion' - make notes and doodle some ideas. If this fails draw a monkey with a spinning bow tie.

Some inspiration

http://abduzeedo.com/hip-hop-illustrated-portraits

This is the kind of style or art that inspires me and I relate my own style to these illustrations. I want to be able to combine my hand drawn skills and digital abilities together as well as this and take it beyond this level!

It's been a while...

Well, back into the full swing of uni 3rd year. Started back a couple of weeks ago and have already completedone project. 'Significance of numbers' - really good project to get my mind working once again and the short deadline ensured that I found my idea and stuck with it. Initially I went with the idea of the code system to find products in the stockroom at work and how I could produce a diagram/ visual map to display the co

des and their placement within the stockroom. To me, this would be a really helpful poster but to the audience it wasn't the most exciting idea!So, I had a tutorial and bounced ideas off of friends and kept the idea of looking at trainers/ shoes in particular and thinking about all the numbers associated to the making of the shoe.. flight codes, distance it's travelled, size, cost to make etc etc. And this is what I produced:

I wanted to make the work powerful and immediately eye catching. On one level the viewer will see it as an advertisement for a Nike shoe but as they start to look into the art they see all these numbers and statistics that show the Nike corporation for what they really are. As I'm now in my 3rd year I am going to consider exactly what I want out of each project and consider how I want my portfolio to come across because that is the most important part.

Article about celebrity ads.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/celebrity-ads-do-not-work-with-apologies-to-jamie-gary-and-bob-584628.html

I think I need to put together an illustration, not necessarily linked with my Professional project and just experiment with how I could manipulate the image and see what works and what doesn't.

Arrrrgh!

Having a bit of a panic for no reason. Feeling a bit like I'm not good enough to master the skills of Photoshop and digital illustration. Not good.

Basic Photoshop - Pen tool tutorial

http://www.melissaclifton.com/tutorial-pentool.html

Tutorial to kickstart my research into using the Pen tool more effectively.

Also looked at: (bit more in depth)

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/pen-tool-selections/page-5.php

Essay and Professional Project

My essay research is underway though I am struggling to find myself the appropriate images and title. I want to focus my essay around my Professional project and look at editorial illustration, perhaps looking at how it's changed from as far as back as the Gutenberg press. I'm unsure whether this will give me enough to write about so I will run it past my tutor today.

Last Friday we handed in the Learning Agreement and over the weekend I've bought myself a couple of books based upon contemporary illustration which should provide me with inspiration and initiate the ideas process for the project. I need to ensure that I structure my time well and research thoroughly so that I produce the best possible outcome. I've found that I already have an idea of how I want it the work to look which I need to leave and develop ideas based from the research.

Steinberg lecture

Today we had a lecture with Anna Steinberg who is a freelance illustrator. She gave a presentation and provided advice on how to get yourself set up as a freelance illustrator which was really helpful and refreshing. I had the chance to have a quick chat with her and showed her my portfolio. She identified that my work needs to have more cohesion as the work doesn't seem to have a consistent style which I agree with to an extent. From my point of view I am still exploring different ways I communicate through my illustration. I'm unsure that I have established my own style, I think it's something that will come naturally over time.

At this moment in time I'm trying to decide whether to move onto Illustration for my 3rd year or to continue with Visual Communication. My worry is that my illustration hasn't developed enough over the last couple of years to get me onto the illustration course. I need to have a chat with my tutors and a chat with a tutor over on the illustration course to give me some direction. If I were to continue on my current course I feel I could still carry on with the work and run my own self initiated illustration alongside which I have been currently doing.

To help me make my decision I definitely need to sit down and have a chat with tutors, peers and family. Take all of that advice on board and ultimately make my decision.

Where do I see myself in the future? Where does my passion lie?

Animal Farm Event

The Animal Farm fund raiser went really well and apparently the Panda screen prints I did sold really well! Which I can't quite believe but it was a great night and very rewarding seeing my work sell.

Professional Project thinking

Tomorrow I have to present my initial ideas for my professional project. Right now I think I have got an idea in a mine field of other thoughts. I'm struggling to produce one solid idea to present for tomorrow so I think I am going to have pull together my ideas and run through a couple and hopefully I can gain feedback that provides me with one solid idea so I can give myself some direction. I'm feeling confident that I will present well and this will build upon my confidence to present on front of several people.

Fund Raiser and ycn meeting

Me and Ben met up today to progress with the competition brief and then prepare work for the fund raiser on Wednesday at Sixty Million Postcards. Out of the screen prints I produced 5 were good enough for sale and another 4 will be sold in a separate bargain bucket as they didn't turn out as well as the others.

Professional Project launch

So the professional project has launched, the day that seemed so far away when I arrived back at uni in October and somehow it's here. This morning I felt confident of my idea and the direction I was heading but now it seems that what I thought was going to work probably wouldn't after a good discussion with peers on the course.

I find myself lost on day one which is a very strange feeling, as this usually happens at least a week in! Though I think it's good that I've woken up and realised this is my opportunity to create the best piece(s) of my career so far. It's highly unlikely that I will have a chance as good as this to design whatever I want. I know that I want to produce a more illustrative based outcome, however I don't want to shut off other possibilities with this golden opportunity. My initial idea was to create a brief where I designed a Graphic novel, which I would create and develop characters, storyline, setting, layout, typography and overall design. I saw myself designing the whole thing, but I had sat back and asked myself; What do I see myself doing in ten years? Even five years!? Where would I want to be in the future? These questions I can't seem to answer, but I think I can answer them with the Professional project. Maybe that's what my project should be about, my journey to find the answers, my dreams and ambition.

Who knows... All I know is that I am going to push myself as far as I can because I don't want to look back and have regrets.