For this module, I set out with the intent of building a portfolio of work that would reflect my interests in the creative industries. Certain briefs have not been completed due to a combination of poor time management but also the direction of my practice naturally changing over the course of this year. The body of work submitted for this module, however, I still think represents a portfolio that has both professional applications, demonstrated by my responses to briefs such as Penguin Random House or YCN Dog’s Trust, as well as a collection of self-initiated briefs that have a strong sense of authorship and communicate the current direction of my personal practice.
I think I have gained a strong sense of what defines me as a creative practitioner, in terms of both my conceptual development process and the visual aesthetic of my illustrations. Through this, I have identified a number of other contemporary practitioners that resonate with my current practice – such as Kate Gibb, Nicolas Burrows and Jordy Van Nieuwendijk – as well as professional applications that I would like to pursue as a freelance illustrator.
By working on a range of competition briefs, I have found preference in commercial applications that are content-driven and necessitate in-depth research, but still have the opportunity to inject your own tone of voice – such as Penguin Random House and Secret 7”. I enjoy generating abstract or symbolic concepts and, alike to Laura Carlin, leaving a sense of ambiguity to my illustrations. This, therefore, I think makes me best suited to contexts like adult publishing or editorial, in which symbolism and visual metaphor can be used to illuminate subject matters rather then reveal the whole story.
Despite finding success in the outcomes of my competition briefs, towards the end of the Easter term I was feeling disconnected from my own practice, leading me to embark on a series of self-initiated briefs. In this personal work, I have been illustrating moments or experiences drawn from real-life observations and self-directed research. The final outcomes have a certain air of self-indulgence, but I still think communicate a feeling or tone of voice that make them a valuable edition to my portfolio. Taking time to draw what I want to draw, rather than making something in order to fulfil the outlines of a commercial brief, has helped me to develop a greater sense of authorship and realise the sort of content that resonates with me on a personal level.
A common thread running through my approach to each brief I have tackled, as a part of this module is an extensive use of thumbnailing. It is now rare for me to make a final outcome without first planning it’s visual content - this most likely derives from my strong emphasis on composition, strengthened during the Context of Practice module. Another staple of my practice, which I think has considerably developed during this module, is my use of print and handmade textures. Taking influence from contemporary practitioners such as Kate Gibb and David Hockney, I have developed a number of different methods of generating textures using both manual and digital processes, and often now use multiple textures within one illustration, to create contrast and greater visual interest. Improving my ability to simulate the handmade using a digital finish has also become an important part of my practice – understanding that after degree I will no longer have access to such an extensive number of technical facilities.
At the beginning of this year I stated in a pitch presentation that I see creativity as a job. In this I meant that I struggle to create work without some form of initial content or purpose. Since then, I have discovered that this is not a true description of my practice. I enjoy working on briefs that necessitate in-depth research and the development of a concept built around set content; however I also enjoy self-directed briefs that involve me simply making work for the joy of making it.
Over the course of this module, I have found myself to be most motivated when working on something that is driving my practice forward and resonates with me on a personal level. Working as a professional practitioner I understand that this will not always be the case; however I feel that this module has aided me in identifying which commercial contexts suit my practice the most, as well as underlined to me the importance of maintaining personal projects to keep myself engaged in developing my own distinct visual language.
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