Seminar: What is Illustration?

For this seminar we were told to bring 5 images which represent our own personal taste in illustration. In groups, we were then given the task of categorizing these images into certain groups - some of my groups categories included things such as, 'line drawings', 'character design' and 'monochrome'. Each group then read out their lists and our categories were put onto the board into another set of lists - which were entitled purpose, context, process, product, aesthetic and content. I found this exercise valuable as it made me think about what illustration actually is and all the components to be considered when creating a piece of illustration.

This was then reinforced with a talk and then discussion of the difference between a drawing, an image and an illustration.

• Drawing is at the heart of making pictures - there are 4 main ways of drawing:
• Representation - a drawing that well represents its subject.
• Explanation e.g. maps, diagrams...
• Documentation - recording information.
• Visualisation - adding mood, a tone of voice.
• But drawing can also be a method of investigation or experimentation. It is a physical act that can involve the whole body. 
• There is a traditional value system by which we judge whether a drawing is good or bad - this usually includes a judgement of how well the drawing represents its chosen subject and the quality of its crafting - the use of line, tone, colour ect.  
• "All drawings are images, but not all images are drawings"
• In my understanding of it, the act of drawing is looking at or visualising a subject and then recording, explaining or representing this on paper.
• Image-making, on the other hand, is about creating a picture that is dynamic and aesthetically pleasing. There has to be a consideration for line, media, subject, composition ect. Images may contain symbols, metaphors, motifs...
• So...When does an image become an illustration? - Illustration is using visual language to enhance, translate or comment on a piece of content - be this an idea, concept, message...
• An illustration can be composed of images, drawings, symbols ect.

What do I want to know? Why am I going to do?

1. What is my tone of voice?

I need to find out what my own tone of voice is and how to express this through my work. At the moment I do not see any similarity from one of my drawings to the next. I feel that by consolidating my own personal method of expression I will gain confidence and the illustrations I create will be more unique to me.  To do this I need to continue to draw and experiment, and I hope that, as a result, I will eventually find my preferred method of working. 

2. What field of illustration do I want to go into?
I have no idea what field of illustration I would like to specialise in, and in a way I do not want to know for a while. On other hand, discovering which field of illustration I am best suited to will help me to focus the development of my work in one specific direction. In order to specialise, I will need to explore as many paths as possible through practice and research, and then through this I will find my preferred field. 

3. Am I good enough?
I constantly question and doubt my own work, which sometimes can become discouraging. I think I will always have a slight doubt in my mind regarding my own illustration, but I think it is necessary, at this point, for me to gain more confidence as I believe this will make me more willing to take risks. In order to do this I think I need to just draw as much as possible, hopefully this will bring improvement and therefore greater confidence. 

4. In such a competitive industry, how do I make my work stand out?
I hope to learn how to make my work stand out, as well as how to best promote myself as an illustrator. Making my unique work I think will come with knowledge of the industry as well as developing own tone of voice. In order to learn these things  I need to continue to draw and generate as much work as possible, as well as remaining up to date with what is going on in professional illustration. Promoting my own work is also something that needs to be practiced as soon as possible in order to gain better understanding of the best ways to do it and to gradually build a name for myself. 

5. How do I make a living as an illustrator?
I would like to learn what it means to be working in the industry and how all the 'business' side of things work, as obviously knowing these things are essential to being a successful practitioner. I hope to gain this knowledge through research, working on live briefs and whilst on the degree hopefully doing the odd bits of work that would be similar to that of a working practitioner e.g. gig posters

6. What can illustration lead to?
A degree in illustration teaches you the key elements of creating good images, therefore surely a lot of the skills we learn are transferable to a lot of different areas of the creative industry. I would like to learn more about the options I have and the things that I am well qualified for through studying on this degree. I hope to find this out through personal research, discussing this with tutors and peers, and I also expect, in our later years, for this to be something that is talked about on the degree. 

7. How do I network?

In this industry, as like many others, networking and building a name for yourself is very important. I would like to learn the best ways in which to meet people and network with them in order to build a range of links in the industry. I expect that this is something that will be discussed in later years of the degree, but also I should be doing this actively by myself - things like doing work experience, attending events, trying to get odd illustration work and attempting to make a good impression on those that you meet. Also staying in contact with my peers from LCA will, I am sure, become useful in the future as they hopefully develop into successful practitioners in their respective industries. 

8. How do I get better at drawing from my imagination?
Drawing from imagination is something that I have always struggled with, and so drawing from observation and particular from reference is how I create most of my work. Being able to visualise images in your head and then record these, however, gives much more room, in my opinion, for creating unique images, as they obviously only come from your imagination. In order to improve at this I need to draw a wide range of subjects from reference and observation in order to develop an understanding of how figures, objects ect. are constructed. Also repetitive drawing and attempting to draw from imagination as much as possible will also help develop this skill.

9. What are the best ways in which to gain inspiration for work?
Occasionally I get "Writers block", and I struggle to generate ideas in response to a brief. I would like to become more proficient at finding ways in which to overcome this and also source unique and inventive ideas for my illustrations. I feel that this will improve simply through practice, but also becoming more active in the research of the subjects I am presented with e.g. doing a piece on washing machines -- sit and watch a washing machine. Going to the source of a subject is something that I would definitely like to do more as, more often than not, the best work and ideas come from 'real world' genuine experience.

10. Would I enjoy being a professional illustrator?
This question may seem strange to ask as surely, you would hope that, being a student on this degree, that I enjoy illustration. I do really enjoy it, but as I learn more about what it means to be working as an illustrator in the industry I doubt whether Id find it enjoyable as a career. I worry that relying on my work for income will take the enjoyment out of making and the 'business' side of things - dealing with contracts ect. - will be tiresome. On the other hand, however, I think by learning how to work as a practitioner and improving my image-making will make this all seem less daunting and "doable". 

PPP seminar: Reflective Practice

Why we choose to study at LCA

Worries about the course

Things that we would like to learn

In our PPP seminar we were put into groups and asked to make 3 separate lists on - Why we choose to study at LCA, our worries about the course and things we would like to learn during our degree. I found this exercise really encouraging because it made me remember all the reasons why I choose to study at Leeds. It was also really comforting to hear that many people have the same worries regarding the course and their work. Reflecting on what I want to get out of the course also made me feel really motivated to get to work, and also to pursue my own personal goals while I have all of these facilities available to me.

Who am I? Why am I here?

5 reasons why I chose to study illustration

- I find image-making fulfilling. 

- I want to work in the creative industry.

- I need to study a degree to develop both new practical and intellectual skills. 

- I like that illustration is all about communication and problem solving. 

- The range of mediums and contexts within illustration really excite me, and I want to have the opportunity to explore as many as possible. 

5 reasons why I chose to study at Leeds college of art

- The interview experience I had at LCA was by far the best out of anywhere I applied - it gave me a real sense of how well the college treats their students. 

- LCA compared to some other colleges I visited had a real working atmosphere. I felt like the course would be a challenge and push me to improve. 

- I like how much workshop availability there is and that they are not limited to specific courses. 

- The current students and tutors all seemed like really kind, enthusiastic and interesting people.

- Overall I liked the structure of the course and what it had to offer. 

5 skills that I think are my strengths

- I try to be organised and manage my time efficiently. 

- Writing about and explaining my work

- When I put my mind to it I can be a really hard working and focused person. 

- Research can really interest and motivate me. 

- I have a hunger to improve. 

5 things I want to improve

- Not being afraid to make mistakes.

- Public speaking and presenting my work.

- My drawing and image-making skills. 

- Being more original and inventive with my visual content and ideas.
- Being more proactive with researching other artist work (and forming more astute opinions of this work), as well as having a better awareness of what is generally going on in the world.

Images I like 

A photographic illustration of a punk, by Jean Jullien

I really like the way in which Jean Jullien has used a combination of drawing and physical objects to create this illustration, as it adds texture and shows the playful attitude he brings to his work. He has also managed to capture a real sense of character through the body language and facial expression of the punk. In general I really enjoy the humour of Jean Jullien's work, and admire how he has managed to develop and maintain such a unique and distinguishable style. The way in which he sources inspiration through observing the world around him and drawing on human experiences is also definitely something that I would like to bring in to my own work. 

A painting of Santa Monica Boulevard in acrylic, by David Hockney

I found it really hard to choose what image of Hockney's to put up in this blog post, due to the huge range of his work. For me David Hockney is a master of colour, line and composition, as shown in this very painting. I love bold application of paint in this piece, both in Hockney's bright choice of colour and the simple lines and shapes of the summery scene. He also has achieved a good sense of depth in the painting and a well balanced composition.  

A double take? by Brian Grimwood

What I love about Grimwood's work is the simplicity and intelligence of each composition. He has a unique way of manipulating imagery, which often brings a charming playfulness to his illustrations - the above image being a prime example of this, as the simple rotation of one drawing has been made to reflect two different subjects. His illustrations also contain a beautiful simplicity and fluidity of line, making them seem effortlessly done.

A linoprint entitled 'The Merry-Go-Round' by Cyril Power

Cyril Power's clever use of shape, line and perspective creates a real sense of speed and movement in his illustrations, bringing them to life. His uncanny ability to capture this in his work is something that I would really like to develop in my own work. In this print in particular I really enjoy how the Merry-Go-Round flows and twists in almost a surrealistic and dreamlike manner. His use of only two colours makes sure the image is not too visually overwhelming, and his use of different intensities of the blue and orange works well to add greater perspective. 

Madeline book illustrations by Ludwig Bemelmans

I have a real soft spot for these children book illustrations - Madeline being one of my favourite books as a child. I think the style and simple colour palette Bemelman has used really reflects the parisian setting of the stories and also makes them charmingly childlike in nature. His clear and simple choice and admission of information in each image also well suits a child reader and perhaps is also aimed to represent the setting of a catholic boarding school.