Slide 1: Introducing Presentation.
- Hi!
- My presentation is split into three parts:
- My practice – the key principles of my practice and how these have evolved over the course of degree.
- The professionalisation of my practice – avenues within the creative industries I would like to pursue as a freelancer or as a full time job.
- My mission statement for moving forward after graduation.
Slide 2: Early artistic influences
- Laura Carlin and Scott Bakhal both reflected on the early artistic influences in their life, which got me reflecting on my own artistic education before coming on degree.
- It was very traditional – looking mainly at the work of impressionists like John Singer Sargent, Monet and Cezanne.
Slide 3: Looking outside contemporary
illustration and design
- Over the past year, I have placed greater importance in looking outside contemporary illustration and design to influence my practice. Why:
- Richard Richards: influence of input – by looking at things that are less generic your creative output will be more original.
- Scott Bakhal: do not be influenced by market trends, make the kind of work you want to make and then find a place for it within the creative industries.
- Although my work could be seen to look like other illustrators, I always hope and strive for it to come from a place of authenticity.
Slide 4: Composition
- This has always been a key principle in my practice – favouring simplicity.
- My emphasis on composition was further strengthened through my COP practical project this year.
- My compositions either have a sense of literal or visual balance.
- Literal Balance – the tension created through all the visual elements meeting one another within the frame. Almost as if you remove one of them the composition will topple like a game of jenga.
- Visual Balance – using areas of negative space contrasted with areas of fill or concentrated pattern.
Slide 5: Shape
- My love for shape first evolved in first year through one of the visual language sessions focusing on different principles of image-making.
- It was like a lightbulb – I immediately found it easier to think and create images through shape rather than in line.
Slide 6: The Handmade
- I always like my final outcomes to have a sense of the handsome and high-crafting to them – whether this through using actual print processes and collage or just creating this effect through digital simulation.
- I like using handmade processes because I think it gives an illustration a sense of authenticity and authorship. Especially since my work is so shape-based I think it sometimes lacks the visceral feeling so easily achieved with the varying quality of a drawn line.
Slide 7 - Tone of Voice
- I would describe my practice to be fun and playful, but also with air of sophistication mostly coming through with the level of crafting.
- A quote from 1st year has continued to resonate with me throughout degree : “Evoking a feeling rather than boldly presenting the truth”
- Similarly to Laura Carlin, as she said in her talk, I do not like to illustrate the obvious response to any given content, often looking to find something that has not already been said in the text or article – as well as leaving a sense of ambiguity for the audience.
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8 & 9: Notable successes
- Penguin Random House, shortlisted.
- YCN UK greetings, highly commended.
- These successes helped me grow in confidence in terms of the professionalisation of my practice.
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10: Editorial and Adult Publishing
- I have two sides to my practice.
- On one side, I like to work on briefs that are content-driven and necessitate in-depth research.
- As I said before I like to leave a sense of ambiguity and I generally do this through using symbolism and visual metaphor to communicate the content or concept of my illustrations.
- Editorial and adult-publishing are two avenues within the creative industry that I think suit this approach to illustration and therefore I would potentially like to pursue as a freelancer beyond degree.
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11: Self-Publishing and Illustrative products
- However, almost as a continuation of my COP project, I see myself to continue exploring a more process-driven side of my practice.
- I identify with contemporary practitioners like Nicolas Burrows or Jordy Van Nieuwendijk that work a lot in print.
- Following the kind of clients they work for like Hato press or Gur, I see a potentially avenue for my practice to also be self-publishing or illustrative products.
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12 : But do I want to be a freelance illustrator?
- Fears of being a freelance illustrator: isolation, dealing with financial instability, having a thick skin and determination.
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13: But we fortunate to have a passion
- I understand that as a freelancer you may sometimes have to work on briefs that you do not enjoy, for the sake of money or promotion.
- But, from working on a series of self-directed briefs during extended practice, it made me reflect upon the sense of fulfilment you can gain as a freelancer from producing a piece of work you really like, that draws attention to an issue you care about, says something about you or even working for a client you admire.
- I would not want to deny myself the opportunity of pursuing something I enjoy so much as a career. A lot of people our age are not so lucky as to have a passion.
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14: Promotion
- To pursue freelance work I branded myself as an illustrator and printmaker, with a website, Instagram and print promotional materials.
- I now feel more confident to email and contact people having everything put together to a more professional standard.
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15: Pursuing a 9-5 creative job
- Beyond degree I also, however, see myself pursuing jobs or internships on a more full-time basis within the creative industries. Why:
- Good for networking and to build an understanding of the creative industries, before or even alongside becoming freelance.
- I like the idea of being able to work within a studio environment again, with like-minded people and engaging with artistic practice even it is not my own.
- I have strengths and interests in areas that I think would suit certain jobs within the creative industries e.g. I enjoy researching, writing, and talking to people about artistic practice and giving them constructive feedback – this could suit working for a creative online or print publication, being an art director, managing illustrators in creative agency or even college tutor.
- Having an interest in print-making I would also like to pursue working in a print studio – as a studio manager, workshop assistant or even resident screen-printer.
- For this I have been looking on jobs boards like ifyoucouldjobs.com.
- I have already applied to a 3 month long internship at ItsNiceThat.com to be an editorial assistant.
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16: Mission Statement for the coming year
- I would like to move to London at some point, ideally live there by this time next year.
- I think having that base in mind is useful in looking for internships or jobs – being able to narrow my research to print studios, creative agencies or publications only based in London.
- I would like to continue making work even if this is just on a personal basis – with plans of making some moving editorials over summer, as well as continue emailing people about my practice – even if this is just for some coffee and advice.
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17: Any Questions?
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