I'll be honest, I have really struggled with this section. I can't say that there has been one part that I have really enjoyed. My first mistake was after I received my first feedback from my tutor. She had suggested the next date, and I didn't question it. For my last module, I gave myself tight deadlines to keep me focused. The deadline was at least double that of my normal timebox. It's true what they say about Parkinson's Law [1] - my time extended and extended. And the longer it took, the less enthused and more anxious I became.
It's hard for me to do work that is less stimulating, much more than is normal for others. I then became more depressed and anxious about my lack of progress. To but a long story short, I spent weeks in a malaise. Added to that a new contract for my work, and my mental energy was thoroughly drained. It meant that I panicked as the deadline drew closer, and in doing so actually missed my deadline. The only recourse was to give myself the time to finish the section properly and extend by a week.
I have, as a way of taking more control, specified my preferred dates for the rest of the module and kept them tight to keep my focus. I'd prefer to do that and, if needs be, move them out by a week, than waste months. I am also thinking about how I can plan out my work to make my progress through exercises and research more visible using techniques from my day job.
Tutor Feedback
As a result, my expectation of my performance was not very high. So when I received my feedback whilst out-and-about doing my next exercises I have to admit that I shed a few tears in relief. My tutor's feedback was surprisingly complementary and I have read and re-read it many times in order to process, assimilate and reflect.
I have found the experimentation in this section very challenging, but in overcoming those challenges I feel that I have increased my capability to overcome and tackle problems. Some of the techniques that I have experimented with have proved more interesting and useful than I had first expected, and in particular, I found that the blind contour drawing was not just only successful, but it was in its own way therapeutic.
I am pleased that my tutor sees promise in my ability to think and write critically. It was surprising to me that this was something that I do well, so I will endeavour to try and continue and improve this.
One of the things I appreciate most about my tutor's feedback is the way she gives me clear and actionable ideas to push forward, expand and progress:
Investigating other illustrators
One of the suggestions from my Key Steps in Illustration formal assessment was to do more investigative work into other illustrators. Now, I do a lot of observed research, but I found it useful to think about actually making practical changes. How to do so, however, felt very uncertain to me.
My tutor gave me a really useful bit of advice as part of her feedback for my investigation of James Albon's work:
"Perhaps begin by breaking down and emulating James' process before interpreting it your own way."
I honestly hadn't thought about this approach. Through all my years at medical school, it was obvious to break down anatomy to understand form and function. Yet I hadn't made the connection to try it with art. I think this could be really useful, not only with James' work but also when completing the previous exercise investigating the work of other illustrators.
Collage & Sketchbook Circle
For this section, collage has been essential for me. I found that, in worrying about how to render, I could let go more easily using collage. I was able to slightly detach my overactive brain, and free myself up to just do. It's something I will take forward - and as luck would have it, I received a new book on collage techniques for Christmas.
I am two months into a sketchbook circle that I organised with some other students on the OCA Vis Comms Discord server. I have really enjoyed it so far, but I was a little lost in what to full my last two leaves with. I had a printed copy of the wet-in-wet acrylics experiment, and noticed the swirls. They made me think of a cockerel's tail feathers, so I went about trying to create a collaged bird only using the one A4 sheet. I am really happy with the results:
Moving forward
Now it's time to move forward, I am excited to get out and sketch on location. I think there is a lot that I can take from this section, as well as previous experiences like my holiday. My tutor asked me what it might be like to conduct rapid sketches when people are moving, so I am interested to see how I react to that challenge. I am thinking about doing some gesture drawing whilst watching videos of crowds, dancers etc. to see if I can communicate the movement.
I have made a list of personal projects that I would like to tackle over the next month:
Do more collage, especially when I need to let go from expectations
Extend pareidolia exercises with additional photos over the rest of this module
Try out some animations, time permitting
Research artists suggested in feedback
Create a list of other illustrators' work that speaks to me (in addition to the ones in the exercise in part one) and start working through them methodically to break down then interpret their techniques.
References
En.wikipedia.org. (2020). Parkinson's law. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law [Accessed 6 Jan. 2020].
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