Reflective Commentary – Feedback Point 1

I analysed the work I had created so far to understand my practice. I already had the opportunity to do this at the end of the previous unit and for the progression evaluation.

I find that my work mainly falls into three categories:

  • Vector illustrations created in Illustrator with solid shadows and highlights.
  • Illustrations created in Procreate and Photoshop. At the moment, I struggle with focussing on a style and tend to jump from one technique to another.
  • Sketches created with black fine liners and watercolour inspired from urban sketching.
Vector Illustration
Painted Digital Illustration
Sketch

I have had the opportunity to explore many areas of illustration during this course from book covers to graphic novels and much more. At that stage, I think that I would like to focus on single illustrations that tell a story similar to editorial/conceptual illustrations.

I looked again at the work of illustrators I particularly like and realised that there is often a parallel between artists I follow and the type of images I create.

I checked my tutor’s feedback for the previous unit (Visual Exploration) and created a mind map to see how I could make some connections between my interests, the work I had done so far, the areas I would like to focus on and what I would like to achieve with this project.

When I do this type of exercise, I tend to come to the same conclusions.

  • I have noticed how I have neglected backgrounds. I tried to rectify this with the last project of the previous unit but I need to go further to create backgrounds with depth that tell a story.
  • I lack the confidence to stylise my characters (not only people but also objects, animals, …).  I also do not spend enough time to add small details that would give some personality to my characters.
  • I enjoy working with colours and textures but I struggle to achieve the right level of depth and contrast. As mentioned before, I still find painting digitally challenging. As a result, I keep hesitating between different styles and this has an impact on the outcome.

I would like to make connections between the different techniques and media I use. It might not mean choosing one or the other but finding a way to work with them all. They might be complementary or there might be a way to combine them.

I intend to apply my research in a more systematic and concrete way to my practice. As suggested by my tutor in the past, I need to ask more questions. Why am I studying one artist over another? What have I learned and how is it useful for my own work?

I have always wanted to experiment more with patterns but I am not sure that I will be able to explore this area at that stage. I need to make some choices if I want to keep the work manageable.

I know that I can be over ambitious with personal projects and lose focus of what I want to achieve. I therefore need to make sure that I have a plan that is detailed enough. However, I am aware that this plan will need some adjustments and changes.

I intend to do a dissertation as I would prefer to focus on one subject. It is difficult to decide on a subject at that stage. It should be linked to my practice and my objectives. I hope that as I progress with the project, I will have a better idea of the question I would like to answer and the research I need to carry out. I am considering looking at the link between digital and traditional media and how it affects the outcome and maybe the way an illustrator thinks about the creative process. As mentioned in my project plan, comparing two artists with a different approach or maybe from a different period might be an interesting way to understand the impact of digital tools.

My objective is to be better equipped at the end of this unit to create impactful illustrations  and understand my practice and my choices better. This would enable me to define my next steps.

Ideally the outcome would be a set of illustrations that demonstrate that I have developed the necessary skills to reach my objective.