Confessional statement.

In my practise the go to process is lino print that is digitally edited then screen printed into the final image. This is very time consuming and required a lot of strategic planning. However it was giving me strong results and my skills in it improved as I repeated it. But I would say that my biggest fear lies in fear of getting things wrong by making work that is quick ,simple and experimental. A process lead practise is key to how I work and I am not making enough use of experimentation and play opportunities that I have with this approach.  I now feel that this is hindering the development of my practise. Normally I like to take time to plan an idea but I have realised that there are definite hesitation and a lack of confidence in making work that is quick and using experimentation as a key part of this. I also never use block shapes and bright colours together, so a more graphic approach to image making. But after the second 7x7 task, where I set myself the challenge to apply a new technique that forced me to use all of the new approaches above, but to a time constraint of half an hour. I was surprised to find that I found the process successful and enjoyable. Working with bright colours and shape is very different tone wise to what I normal make and it is perfect for making an image or pattern more light heart but more crucially appealing. Like I said in my statement of intent, I want to explore printed textiles more. So, carrying on this method of working quickly and through experimentation could be a good approach. While using this process I also felt free and less constricted. And it made me think in a different way and helped to move away from the more representational approach that I fell into towards the end of 2^nd year, which I am please about as I felt the images where quite dull. The new approach, even though still print based it is more exciting and fun to do !  I am not going to completely discount lino print as I feel I have a high skill set ( a potential USP) in this ,but I will now be using smaller amounts of this process and increasing the amount of experimentation I use to create work. A new aim for my practise is to create an element that is exciting, experimental and fun.

Statement of intent.

The themes and subject matters that I tend to address in my work cover the topics that relate to social and political issues. I normally take the approach of doing in- depth research into subjects and from this I develop ideas. Working with these subject areas, you must consider the audience, possible reactions and the content of the image. Tackling social subjects that are related to race, class or religion are very heavy going and an aim for myself in the module is to try and step away from the serious and go toward lighter subject matters. With the practical development of these ideas I use print processes such as lino and screen which give successful results. However this is very time consuming and with one sector of illustration I’m interested in , editorial, and using my current process ,the turnaround wouldn’t be quick enough. Within my approach to documenting the work and research I find having a material with which I can write and dot down ideas helpful. The blog is useful for this however writing too much is an issue. Taking the writing out of the blog into book form could be a good alternative and help me to condense down the key points. But the blog is still useful for posting development images. It makes it easier to look back pick up failings or ideas that could be taken further. However, going back to point of a more light heart approach, within this module I want to add a more experimental approach to my practise. I want to explore printed textile and more ascetical driven ideas. As I am finding, working constantly with difficult subjects can make my ideas dry. By creating and making for ‘vanity projects’ I’ll be able to play around and develop technique more, with the aim of improving the images I make. Process lead practise will still be essential to how I work. I find using process to develop ideas very effective and by the end of this module and as a practitioner this is something I would like to be identified as. My aim at the end is to be an illustrator that is able to create ascetically pleasing designs for commercial use e.g. textiles and product, but also still work in the editorial sector. Not in political and social issues but more creative magazines and articles. Currently I still feel like my practise is wavering slightly and I haven’t settled yet on a process that I am happy with and can be applied to different sectors and keep its core visual signature. One way around this is to simply play, have a re brand and develop work that had an identifiable continuity.

 My plan in for project management is to section certain days a week to work on the different modules and projects. This may however change due to factors such as external meeting with clients , so then I will need to schedule in catch-up time. 

My aims for this module:

·      Work with light heart subjects light hearted.

·      Do more ‘vanity porjects.’

·      Develop through play and experimentation a flexible and consistent visual signature/ process that can be applied to the different sectors of illustration.

·      Increase professional identity.

·      Build an effective network from sectors mentioned above.

·      Have confidence in my process.

·      Have fun !

Correspondence after meeting with Refugee Council and rough sketches of ideas

Responce -

Next step -

Need to merge designs together and get to work on stencils.

Collaboration with Refugee Council - Wall Mural - Bronze Tree.

The project - 

Design a mural (A tree) on a wall measurements- 

 That exists within the new floor of the office.  Once the tree is design and painted onto the wall ,  in collaboration with clients , run 1 or 2 workshop session in which they will design seasonal features to go onto the wall. The aim is to make the environment within the office more homely and welcoming for the clients who visit it in need of help. All materials will be paid for by the council and Me and Rachel have been given total control over the project.  Deadline - 26th October - Launch night of the new offices. 

First meeting -

I went to a meeting (present was Fleur and Rebekka , office managers and coordinators , Rachel, volunteer and graduate from Fine Art , Northumbria University and myself.)  Fleur and Rebekka talk me and Rachel through what they where after. Then Rachel suggested a really good ideas for a colour pallet of seasonal colours we could use such as , bright greens, reds , oranges and yellows. And Bronze for the tree. I suggested that this would work well as the wall is next to a large window that is south facing , so when the sun shines on it , the colours of the tree will change. The other colours will be used in the other materials that the councils clients will use to create the features to go on the tree. There was discussion as to what the material could be. We are sticking them to the wall using white tack. Fabric was suggested but one problem I highlighted was that white tack may not hold it well and that folded paper would be better and fabric can be placed on top of this.

Fleur and Rebekka asked if the tree could be made out of stencils , I said that I could design theses to fit to the scale of the wall. One I know how much paper I need i'll be able to send a costing over to them. The wall is larger then I initially thought but I should be able to work out the stencils size and proportions from the measurements that they have given.