Pitch Presentation 09/02

Slide 1 : What is style and do I need it?

I am conscious of the fact that I do not have an identifiable visual aesthetic to my images. I almost always work in shape with bright colour palettes and place strong emphasis on simple compositions and handmade processes. Despite this, my images do not appear to be made by the same creative hand. 

At the 'You Are Here' event at Hanbury Hall many of the agents emphasised both individuality and consistency in a portfolio. At the moment I feel I am a creative chameleon, adapting to different illustrative contexts and influenced by the work of other designers. I would like to use extended practice to build a portfolio of work that has original visual references and a consistent aesthetic value. 

Slide 2 : Penguin Random House

Last year I was shortlisted for the Penguin Random House children's cover award. The competitions emphasis on conceptual and concise idea resonates with my creative practice. Adult publishing, as a context of illustration, I feel suits me as a creative practitioner - I enjoy generating ideas through in-depth research and learning about new subjects. With an emphasis on composition, I also like working within constrained formats and dealing with layout. 

For extended practice, I would like to set myself the task of completing all three Penguin titles this year. In doing do, I hope to build a portfolio of work that demonstrates my interest in illustrative publishing. 

Slide 3 : Editorials

Editorial, to me, is an opportunity to make an impact through illustration and communicate on matters that need to be brought to light in the media. Personally I am interested in environmental and social issues. Here is an example of a project I did last year concerning the endangerment of Orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo caused by the Palm Oil industry and the illegal pet trade. 

For the purpose of my portfolio I would like to produce a series of editorials, ideally working within a number of different formats ie. square, vignette, full page etc. 

Slide 4 : Moving Image

At Hanbury Hall, a number of the agencies mentioned the growing prominence and influence of moving image. My practical animation skills have developed over the past two years and I have enjoyed working on moving image projects. 

For both these reasons and in benefit of my portfolio, I would like to progress my editorial illustrations in to a series of looping gifs, to demonstrate my ability to work on both print and online content.

Slide 5 : Play/non-cognitive image making

For the purpose of developing a more succinct and consistent visual aesthetic, I think it is also important for me to play and experiment within my practice. Working with serious content and generating conceptual ideas is what fuels me as a creative practitioner, however I do also take an interest in illustrative products: ceramics, textiles, print and clothing. 

Working on images purely for their aesthetic appeal will help me develop my visual style, as well as produce a body of work possible for sale online or at local illustration and design fairs.