I finish this section of the course feeling quite optimistic. This section was one that I was looking forward to. In fact, it was one of the primary reasons for choosing the module. So I am thankful and a little relieved that it has given me what I wanted and needed.
I was really pleased to read my tutor's feedback. It has been particularly helpful this time, as it clearly identifies potential strengths and provides specific and actionable ideas for me to take forward. I was pleased that my love for narrative shone through my work.
As this section progressed I have been coming to terms with what my process is, and have acknowledged that digital may well form a part of it. I am grateful that I have constrained myself to traditional media to date, however. That has made me realise that I am at my best when I learn to combine, and also I am better at noticing when one approach might be more appropriate than another. Sometimes less is more.
My experience with ink continues to improve, and I find myself thinking more as I draw, even when doing so quickly. I am more confident in where I can delegate aspects to my instincts, and where planning and thought can have the most impact. I am keen to improve more of my fundamental skills so that more can be delegated to instinct and muscle memory.
I am being more compassionate with myself to not expect everything I do to have perfect realism. The exercise in the Tank Museum has taught me that I can trust my inclination to focus on what interests me; it gives me the opportunity to tackle figure, form, space, pattern and colour. I really enjoyed that first zine and I appreciate the extra prompts my tutor provided to try this technique out again in the future.
I have enjoyed being directed to observe the work of other artists. I do a lot of personal research into artists, but from my tutor's feedback I realised that while I may do this passively, I am missing opportunities to be more present and actively reflect:
"Go into more depth about what exactly it is which appeals and connects to your own practice, how are you taking inspiration from these artists in order to shape and influence your own work? Which direction would you like your own sketchbooks to head towards?"
I think there is an opportunity in section five to act on this feedback, and use it as a catalyst towards my final assignment.
I have enjoyed bringing words back into my work in this section. I was amazed by how lyrical my thoughts became when writing first. It makes me think: before we start with doing drawing or painting, it's often good form to do some kind of warm-up (blind contour etc.) in order to get the mind and body joined and loosened up.
What if, I might also benefit from doing a verbal warmup too? Doing some kind of journaling as well to get my head into a creative state? It's an interesting thought for an experiment!
The storyboarding exercise was extremely fun and challenging for me, I was pleased that my tutor remarked that I was able to "communicate very clearly", as sometimes I worried about how detailed the panels needed to be. I think I took a lot away from my Key Steps in Illustration exercise about client visuals, and have been able to apply what I have learned to making storyboards.
I did get frustrated by some of my figure drawing, but I also have to acknowledge that it is improving, and will continue to do so the more I practice. I think that there is definitely an opportunity for me to do that more mindfully rather than every now-and-then. My tutor noted that she thinks "this is where your passion and strength lies." And that I should
"...consider how you might begin to work on personal projects which storyboard narratives of your own. Add research into the structure and pace of Graphic Novels."
I agree that I have a passion for visual storytelling. I found re-reading aspects of Scott McCloud's seminal works on comics extremely useful for my work this section. I think it is worth me re-reading them in full to get a fresh perspective on the subject. I suspect (but it is worth further introspection) that the narrative direction will be the most fruitful for my work in section five.
My tutor suggested experimenting with a personal project to explore my ability to apply story structures. I wrote a brief story outline in my small green A6 sketchbook some months ago. Maybe this would be a good subject to use and take forward to see if I can edit and refine it - maybe even create some kind of mock book?
My exploration with Gouache continues. I have been paying particular attention to the work of James Gurney, as he manages to use Gouache in a more realistic manner. Often I see it used in a more feminine or whimsical way. I played around with some of that style in this section.
There were aspects I liked, particularly exploring colour and texture. However, it also feels a bit too generic. My tutor has given me some specific ideas for further experimentation, so I plan to try those out in section five alongside other experiments I can try from the realism side of things. Perhaps there is a nice hybrid approach waiting for me to discover?
I have enjoyed exploring the work of artists I have referred to before, but I enjoyed discovering more about Myfanwy Tristram. I love the use of her colour, and while I probably wouldn't use pencil as much as she does, I really like how she adds narrative in visual as well as verbal ways. It's whimsical without being twee.
My tutor has repeatedly (kindly, patiently and intelligently) nudged me towards drawing on my personal life and experiences. I really started to go deeper into my 'everyday' during my personal work for this section and I am starting to see why it is so powerful. Based on previous feedback from my tutor, I have been researching my experiences living in the Middle East, and think that this might actually be quite a fertile ground for me.
The pandemic lockdown has really brought the mostly self-employed illustration community together. I noticed this particular work and had a little dialogue with the illustrator:
Noah is based in the States, and it made me wonder if he visited Muttrah to make the illustration or just used reference photos? I loved it to bits, it made me remember lots of happy memories. And then I thought - I have all these memories, all these experiences.
To me, they are just my life. They are nothing special. But I look at the illustration above, and I am seeing it. Because I have lived it. A lot of my GCSE art coursework had a foundation of my time in Oman because that's where I spent my holidays.
I have realised that part of my life is more special than I realise, and I have lots of stories to tell. I have even managed to find some old photos of growing up in Saudi Arabia, so I think it's time to see what I can do to capture some of those memories in my work.
I have really enjoyed trying out animation. It's something that I have wanted (but been too scared to) try since it was introduced in Procreate. I am really glad I did, and I learned a lot from doing it, but also for starting more academic background reading into this art. I have even started a stop-motion animation project with my son while he is at home during the lockdown. My tutor has suggested that I apply what I have learned to the other sequential work I did with the virus-Earth and lighthouse.
I think this could be really interesting, but I think I also have to consider time constraints in taking on too many projects - this may fall outside the bounds of this module, but I think would make a good personal project later.
The assignment itself was the final transition from visual description to the power of verbal-visual communication. I really tried to learn from everything I have explored in this module, but I also consciously reflected on what I learned from Key Steps in Illustration; I was very aware that making the final result (which I, as usual, had an idea in my head about) really depended on me taking my time to think, explore and prepare properly. In this assignment, I think I have taken the time to think about many facets that go into making the story successful. It might have made the final result take longer than I had originally anticipated, but I was also able to indulge that urge to 'just do it' and put something onto paper. But instead of rushing to a final result, I was able to use that energy through exploration.
The research stage (and not feeling guilty to accept that I need to use reference) was invaluable for me. I also really enjoyed taking the time to think about publishers. It has made me very aware of stylistic choices that different publishing brands take for their brands. It made me think more about where, if I wanted to make a book like this, would I like it to be published? What does that say about my voice?
The final outcome is something I am very proud of, and I really appreciated taking the time to get it good (and not too much time to try and get it perfect). My tutor even suggested that I should be spurred on to work towards entering competitions! This really shocked me, to be honest! I don't find taking complements like this easy. Most of the time I don't think I am good enough. But maybe entering is like going for a job interview? Even if you 'don't get the job' the experience is invaluable and makes the next interview better until you get the job you deserve.
Finally, I really appreciated the suggestion of making some of my own digital textures. My tutor for Key Steps in Illustration had a similar suggestion on that module, so I think it will be a good project if I can fit it into the coursework. If not I think I might see how I can combine it with the narrative personal project I mentioned above.
I am excited and nervous for section five. Despite the lockdown I am confident I can make the most of my opportunities to create work that is enjoyable, fun and that I will be proud to submit for the next assessment.
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