Sunday 27 October 2013

What is Illustration? Task 2

1 Narrative - Sequential Imagery
I chose this image because it uses sequential imagery and although its not what you'd conventionally consider illustration it uses image to carry out a purpose so it fits the criteria.
I chose this image because the purpose was a little more unusual than the others; a biography. concisely explaining where he comes from and his main life points up until now.

I chose this one from a comic I bought at a fair; The man who loved breasts by Robert Goodin, because i liked how the second art had burst out from the panel and the faces were overlaid to create a sense of movement and awe.

I chose this image because just through a simple set of action shots it tells a lovely story. It shows only the most basic plot points to show the story moving on but just enough for the reader to understand the story.

I chose this image because i like the way the borders are removed in the middle panels to create a sense of continual movement and a flow to the narrative.

2 Humour







This selection of images is what makes up the first page of the graphic novel I am currently reading; The book of Leviathan by Peter Blegvad. I chose this for the humour section as I have been greatly enjoying the obscure and sometimes a little crazy humour in it. The odd humour matches its style of character; the ghost cat and a faceless baby.
I chose this one because i love the sweet childlike humour of it and the humour fits it audience really well.

I chose this image because you can see the designer has set themselves a goal and then just had as much fun with it as possible and the final results are very humorous. 





These are from Johnny Ryan's book 'war + Penis'. I chose these because Johnny Ryan shows the downright dirty side of humour, toilets, bottoms and genitals.
I have chosen Jon Boam's larping because there is a very simple visual humour of the body parts belonging to all the others but being mix and matched in this image. This shows a subtler humour than some of my other examples.

3. Conceptual Development

This is from Chris Ware's sketchpad and I chose it as one of my examples as the style here is so different from his usual work but he does life drawing to learn.

I chose to use this extract from Gemma Correll's sketchpad as it shows good natured play with her character filling the page and exhausting different poses and ideas.

I chose this example as it shows sketches for a toy prototype showing a different direction in which illustration an be used.

I have chosen this page from Mikkel Sommer's sketch pad because it shows neater and more concise sketches and clearly someone who has drawn faces thousands of time over. It also shows drawing from observation which is a valuable skill within the practice of illustration.

I chose this double spread from Rob Hunters sketch pad as it shows examples of thumb-nailing and exhaustion of ideas as he fills all the space.

4. Attention to Detail/Skill/Complexity
I chose this wood carving of a moth because it showed great detail and intricacy but also an unusual media and method of making.
I chose this editorial piece by Kelsey Heinrichs because there is a lot of detail in it but it brings the piece to life as it shows the abundant nature around.
I chose this piece by Nat Hunter because it displays a piece that has very little detail and yet shows just as vibrant an image. Th line is very simple and doesn't vary in thickness but the simple use of colour to differ between separate object makes them stand out from the background.

I chose this piece by Olivier Kugler because there is quite a bit of detail in the lie work depicting the scenery but the colour has a lot less detail and some parts are just filled with a wash but this makes there a main focus point tot he image as the eyes are drawn to the more coloured part.

This image is by Joe Mclaren for 'The Ride Journal' there is little detail in the illustration itself but because it is overlaid on a detailed map it balances out the overall look of it; making it very aesthetically pleasing.

5. Colour
I picked this image by Nigel Peake that was made for a print company because it has a very simple use of colour and it is specifically made to be produced through print which links to the purpose which is to advertise the print company.

I chose this image by Jonathan Edwards called exhale as I like how all the colour used is different tones/shades of the same colour. It gives the piece a really calm sense to it which matches the sense of the actual image. Which makes it very congruent. 

Karolin schnoor - Pomegranate. I chose this piece because I like how the colours are used I block from to define the shape rather than filling spaces pre-defined by line work.

I chose Professor Astro cat because it uses bright contrasting colours, this makes it very eye catching and that draws in it's specific audience.

Robert Hunter - Map of Days
I chose this one because not only is the colour used t fill big block spaces it also defines them. some times using the negative space and letting it continuously flow into lines from the background without break.

















Friday 25 October 2013

Study task 1

Why Am I Here? - What Am I Doing?

reasons why you chose to study on this programme

1. I did the foundation at LCA and I was keen to continue my learning at the same place because i enjoyed my foundation year and found the way things were taught there really helpful and easy to understand/improve from.
2. I was very interested in doing an Illustration course particularly and the presentation that was shown to us back in my Foundation year made this course look really exciting.
3. I wanted to expand my knowledge of the illustration world, learn about illustrators, styles and techniques that I could use to improve my own practice.
4. I wanted to be in an environment with other illustrators and and a specialised learning programme specifically for illustration as other some other places I looked at didn't offer a specifically illustration course and instead had it in with Graphic Design.
5. I want to learn about the career of an illustrator and how to be one, in the presentation we were shown back in Foundation year there were talks on modules entirely for professional practice and even that we'd be taught how to invoice in the second year and go out and do live briefs.

things that you want to learn during your time on the programme

1. How to improve my compositional skills as I'm used to just doing floating spot images or images that are just one full page illustration.
2. More Photoshop skills as at the moment they are very basic.
3. How to make my work to a professional standard so i can compete in the professional world of illustration.
4. Colour matching and just picking the colours or colour schemes to use in projects as I lack control and tend to go overboard on colour.
5. New ways to work and produce work so that I have a variety of ways to complete a brief.

skills that you think are your strengths

1. Drawing with fine liners.
2. Creating 'silly' humour images.
3. Draw to think.
4. Can work for hours on end when I get into it.
5. Know a variety of methods and practices that surround illustration.

things that you want to improve

1. managing to draw characters the same over and over.
2. Setting out successful comics composition wise.
3. choice in colour/ Colour pallets.
4. Breadth of  skill; as in different styles and methods.
5. My professionalism and organisation.

ways in which you will evaluate your progress

1. Self Evaluation. Stepping back and deciding what works and what doesn't and what's appropriate.
2. Peer review. Showing other students on their opinions of my work.
3. Group Crits. Discussing the work in a group, its strengths, weaknesses and new directions it could go in.
4. Tutorials. Talking with a tutor about my work and progress and discussing the strengths and weaknesses.
5. Displaying. Displaying work and getting feedback off people possibly from feedback forms or on-line with comments.











Thursday 24 October 2013

Animated Video

This version of Arctic Monkeys - I wanna be yours uses an animated video made up of a dancing couple but only rough skethes are uses as they flick past your eyes the generalised line work and slashes of pencil to convey shape whip out and create movement and explosive emotions.
The background colour is neutral and the figures are only done in grey/black and white so everything gives off neutral feel until it starts moving then it brings it to life. Paired with this song, which I don't think is what it was initially intended for, it works well and fits the song lyrics and conveys the message of the song. It also evokes a lot of emotions as multiple comments on the video were people saying they were sad now and others wishing for love like that in the video, so a lot of strong responses to this animation.



Tuesday 22 October 2013

Kelsey Heinrichs

This is an editorial illustration by Kelsey Heinrichs for Wired UK's article: Society isn't a start up and sharing's not caring.
Really strong message and works well in its purpose. i like the use of the black to show shadows in both block colour and in fanning out lines. With the frame being round it looks like the viewer is seeing it through a camera too. I also enjoed the little points of heinrichs personality coming through in the piece, mainly her humour as along with the man being x-rayed so is the cat, his piggy bank and even the photo of a couple on his desk is skeletal. 
I've been seeing quite a bit of work lately using an orange/blue collour palette and it seems to work well together, specially with pieces that have a subtle humour to them.

Alex Norris

I love the bright colour palette in this but mainly its the narrative because its so relate-able to me.
By Alex Norris at Dorris McComics : http://dorrismccomics.com/post/64681231561

Monday 21 October 2013

In groups we decided upon 5 points that are all part of Illustration. We then have collected 5 images for under each subheading to represent them.

1: Illustrative Products
Domo Plushy
Adventure time toy range

Smorkin Labbits

'Fight' Comic by Jack Teagle

Snowboard designs



2: Illustrators
Gemma Correl

Jack Teagle

Luke Pearson

Meredith Gran

Pendleton Ward

3: Opinions and messages
Jonathan Edwards

Jean Jullien

Ping Zhu

Robert Crumb

Holly Wales

4: Entertainment Design (storyboards and sketch pads)

Derek Hess

James Jean

Laura Carlin

Roman Muradov

Saul Steinberg

5: Application of Illustration
Comics

Editorial

Tatoos

Clothing

Interior decoration