After looking at my interests and the work I had created so far, I decided on the following subject for the dissertation:
Character stylisation: Are there codes that differ across genres? How does Illustrator A compare to Illustrator B and how does my findings impact my practice?
I did more research to select illustrators in order to study their work and answer the question. However, the more I read, the more I wondered if I was going in the right direction.
I analysed the subject again to understand what was not really working. I realised that when I explored how to stylise characters as part of my project (https://catherinerouxillustrationdegree.uk/illustration-year-3/project-2-focus-on-specific-areas/develop-characters/), I was interested in stylising the various elements of the illustration and not necessarily the main character. It is quite important because in editorial illustrations, a subject I am particularly interested, there are sometimes no characters such as people or animals. Moreover, the approach to stylisation will be very different from the one needed to create a series of graphics novel with the same protagonist(s) throughout the stories.
I wondered if I needed to look at stylisation in a more general way. I also wondered about the difference between stylisation and style. The definition of the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries for stylisation is: “the fact of being drawn, written, etc. in a way that is not natural or realistic”. In a sense, many styles if not all are always a form of stylisation in illustration.
As suggested, I looked for interviews of illustrators and carried on reading about style and stylisation. I found the work of the fashion illustrator Laura Laine particularly interesting as she draws people and their clothes in a very stylised way (https://beretkah.co.uk/news/interview-with-fashion-illustrator-laura-laine).
As I looked at the work of the illustrators who were interviewed and read about artists that inspired them, I also realised that stylisation might depend on historical movements (Art Nouveau for instance).
I thought that it might make more sense to change the title to:
Stylisation: Are there codes that differ across genres? How does Illustrator A compare to Illustrator B and how does my findings impact my practice?
Before selecting artists, I feel that I need to read a bit more on the subject and consider what I would like to compare in terms of periods, types of illustration or artists with different styles.
Some of the articles I have read so far are:
https://www.lisamaltby.com/blog/versatility-vs-style – Style or versatile – what makes a successful illustrator
https://bigredillustration.com/articles/stylising-characters-breaking-the-rules-of-realism/#:~:text=At%20its%20core%2C%20stylisation%20means,or%20using%20bold%20colour%20choices. – Stylising Characters: Breaking the Rules of Realism
https://nicolecicak.com/blog/2019/8/27/cultivate-a-unique-illustration-style
https://ccmagazine.es/en/interview-with-the-illustrator-malika-favre/
https://beretkah.co.uk/news/interview-with-fashion-illustrator-laura-laine
https://classiq.me/essential-minimalism-interview-with-illustrator-sandra-suy
https://www.strathmoreartist.com/blog-reader/artist-interview-laura-kay
Catherine Roux Degree in Illustration 