OUIL402- PPP- Eleni Kalorkoti

I have become more and more intrigued with using shape in my practice. I think a lot of it is to do with the aesthetic and maybe something to do with wanting to get away from line. Eleni is an illustrator who's work I have always loved but have recently found a new admiration for the way she uses shape. Here are a few examples of my favourite works of hers.

OUIL402- PPP- Jose Mendez

I recently cam across Jose Mendez whilst researching online. I love Jose's use of shape and I really like his simple use of composition. A lot of his illustrations have a really central composition almost as if the images are vignettes in the middle of the page ehich I would like to experiment with in my own practice.

OUIL402- PPP- Context

Jean Jullien's take on beach holidays was really amusing. And probably contextually appropriate for a lot of people who have experienced what he illustrates.

OUIL402- PPP- Purpose

This image by Margoz sends an incredibly powerful and immediate message. His simple use of shape and composition makes it extremely apparent what the image is about. 

OUIL402- PPP_ Aesthetic

Miguel Angel Valdivia produces work primarily in monochrome. Which for me, being colourblind cretes a really easygoing but harsh aesthetic to the images. With a clear message and process.

OUIL402- PPP- Content

One of my favourite illustrators is David Doran. I love his use of shape and texture, but for my one of my favourite things about David's work is the content and ideas behind the images he produces. His images look relatively simple, but the ideas behind them are extremely interesting.

OUIL402- PPP- Process

Eleni Kalorkoti's image making process is quite unusual and interesting. Although her work is created primarily using shape, she starts her illustrations by creating line drawings, filling them in digitally with tone, then filling each individual line with the same tone, then adding texture on top. This seems a really weird way of making the kind of images she does. 

OUIL402- PPP- Product

I love these illustrations by Marie-Laure Cruschi. They were made for a childrens picture book focussed on animals. I love the way the images were made specififcally for the product, with every image being a double page spread.

OUIL402- Michael Cho

Recently I came across someone who I now know to be quite a big deal in the illustration and cartoonist world. Michael Cho's work is bold and attractive, he has created covers for penguin books, comic con advertising and has also co-written and illustrated his own graphic novel (shoplifter).

I particularly like Michaels use of colour, often only using two or three colours minus stock. His style looks really cartoony and comicy, with tones and shades being created by bold and thick black lines and shapes.

Michael produced a number of images of the unknown beauty of Toronto and other places, these images were compiled in a book he released which I definitely need to look at getting. The above image in particular really appeals to me, I love the simple use of colour and tone, and how he picks and chooses which element of the image to focus on, often leaving out parts of the image to alter the flow of the image. I love the composition of the above image, how the right half of the image is packed full of detail, but the left half is incredibly simple and peaceful, with mainly just an electrical wire running across the sky.

With the upcoming screen printing sessions coming up I will definitely look to create work similar to Michaels using simple colour choices and shapes.

Module Evaluation- Visual Skills

OUIL402- Visual Skills Evaluation

Reflections on the Module
Overall, I have really enjoyed the module. I have enjoyed experimenting with different types of illustration which I have never tried before; and have loved having to actually think about what my images are saying and the message they are sending rather than just drawing pictures for no particular purpose (although I have still done a LOT of that). I am reasonably happy with the work I have produced throughout the module, and I have discovered new methods of craft and production which I am really enjoying.

I think my downfall for the module was not having the confidence to try anything too extravagant and fun, I feel I have stayed within my comfort zone throughout, rarely delving into anything too new. I think this is probably down to it being the first module and feeling safer doing something I know will go well rather than trying to push boundaries and experiment.

OUIL402- Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

I've been re watching episodes of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared. This time thinking more about what I like about it specifically. The art style is great, it uses a great mix of different techniques and methods of animation and visual communication. It's also hilarious.

The series tackles social issues, but really subtly, almost unnoticably until you actually look into what the episodes are about, consumerism, religion, social manipulation, are all issues tackled in the show, though you may never even notice.

OUIL402- Leeds Uni Library

A couple of days ago, on lunch break, myself and a couple of others from college visited Leeds University Gallery.

The gallery mainly consisted of typical 'traditional' paintings and images. However, it also had a few line drawings and drafts from the artists, which I found much more interesting than the actual finished images.

The roughs seemed to have much more meaning to them, personally, I'm growing increasingly tired of seeing a landscape, or a portrait, or a plain 'pretty picture'; and whilst I can definitely appreciate the craft and skill taken to produce the final image, I can't help but be bored by it. Id much rather look at the working out of an image, or something with some substance and emotion, rather than some hills.

Maybe this has come from a lifetime of looking in plain old galleries, it could just be my brain has been over saturated and now I'm looking for something else to stimulate.

I also learned that Leeds Uni Gallery don't allow pictures to be taken inside.

OUIL402- PPP- What do I want to know? Why am I going to do?

10 Questions I want to answer throughout my time on the course:

1. Who am I as an illustrator. I want to find out how I work, and how my practice will work to be as productive as possible.

2. What kind of work do I ENJOY making. I know throughout the course we will be expected to explore and play with different media etc. I want to find out what I will actually enjoy making.

3. What is expected of me as an illustrator. What kind of work will I be expected to produce, and what kind of interaction will I have to have with others in terms of public interaction.

4. How will I develop as an individual through the course. Will I be less lazy.
5. Who will I be influenced by during the course. I want to explore new ideas and now ways of making images. Who will influence what I produce as an illustrator.

6. What new skills will I learn. Will I completely change how I make images?

7. How will I find work outside of university? How will I earn a living from being an illustrator.

8. What other avenues can I explore with my degree.  Am I limited to just being an illustrator or are there different career paths I can explore.

9. Who do I want to be as an Illustrator. Similar to the first question, but rather than who am I as an illustrator, how can I grow and develop to become who I WANT to be as an illustrator.

10. How far can I push myself. Creatively, and mentally to produce the work I want to produce.

I think thee best way for me to answer all of these questions is to explore every avenue exhaustively and question everything. 

OUIL402- PPP- Kyle T Webster

Today we had a Big Heads from Kyle Webster, a successful illustrator and apparently a technical whiz too. I do like Kyles illustrations, but that's not really what intrigued me about today's talk.

The thing that really struck a chord with me was how Kyle creates his own Photoshop brushes to reflect natural media and sells them to other artists online, apparently quite a lot.

I found this really inspiring, it king of opened my eyes to the fact that there are other ways of generating income through being an illustrator without just illustrating freelance. I am definitely going to start looking into creatin gmy own brushes and seeing what I can come up with and potentially start to see if anyone would have any interest in purchasing any from me in the future.

Ely Dagher

Ely Dagher and Model 86: Self Help Dance teaser


Ely Dagher and Model 86: Self Help Dance teaser
(www.elydagher.com)             http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/ely-dagher-model-86

I really like these images by Ely Dagher. The contrast of the neat lining in the background agains the flat tones in the foreground create a great contrast. I love the abstract take on the first image ,by adding small figures on the stomach it creates a whole different narrative to the picture. I will look to bring the neat linework and solid colours into my work at some point.

MADE YOU LOOK

Yesterday I went to see a film called made you look, which was a film about illustrators and graphic artists, their views, how they work, and where they see the field going.

The film made me look at my own work differently, with even professional artists still not being 100% happy with their work but knowing that whatever they create, if at a good standard, will find an audience.

For me the best part of the experience was the Q&A at the end with a few local professionals, Matt Hodson and the director of the film. The questions asked backed up what the film was saying; that whatever you create and if you love what you do it will find an audience.

5 Images that Demonstrate my Interest in Illustration

1.
      

The above image by Jay Cover demonstrates the simplicity in which illustration can be used. Without colour, context or narrative, a message can still be seen through the image.

5 Things I Want to Improve

• Organisation- I want to become a more organised person, in both my personal and professional life.

• Technical Skills- I want to be able to improve my technical skills. Working with new media and equipment will help with this.

• Critical & Theoretical Thinking- I want to be able to properly analyse and critically asses others' work as well as my own to make improvements to my skills.

• Design Ability- I want to be able to improve my ability to create new ideas and create self-initiated briefs.

• Professional Understanding- I want to expand my knowledge of a professional practice and understand a business side of the creative industry.

5 Skills I Think are My Strengths

• Communication- I believe one of my strengths to be communicating with others, weather working towards a solution to a brief or communicating ideas.

• Responding to Briefs- I think I am quite good at working with briefs and thinking of solutions to difficult briefs.

• Self Analysis- I find critical thinking of my own work to be one of my strengths. I am able to identify weak and strong points from work.

• Exploration- I enjoy finding new work and artists, be it visual or musical, and find this to be a strength towards making my own work better.

• Creative Thinking- I think I have quite a creative mind, which helps create new ideas and think differently.

5 Reasons I Chose This Program

• Recommendations- I have been told from multiple people that the course at LCA is one of the best in the country (If not THE best).

• Lecturers & Tutors- All the lecturers and tutors on the course are currently, of have been, professional illustrators. Their experience is invaluable to my development.

• Programme Content & Quality- The programme is not only tailored around illustration skills, but also practices and business, which is exactly what we need to learn about.

• Skill Development- The program is pushing me to develop my skills as an illustrator every day; weather through method or through theoretical understanding.

• Facilities- The facilities at LCA are incomparable to any other establishment I have seen. 

5 Reasons I Chose to Study Illustration

• Voice an Opinion- I chose Illustration so I could learn how to effectively voice my own opinion and the opinion of others through imagery.

• Create Images- I want to be able to create images that have a purpose and meaning, rather than just making for the sake of it.

• Interest in Illustration- Quite simply, I want to develop and expand my knowledge and interest in Illustration.

• Develop a Professional Practice- I want to be able to turn my interest into a successful career.

• Meet Other Illustrators- I want to be able to meet and collaborate with other Illustrators to challenge my abilities.

Orientation Week

Idea

• Eye-catching
• Fun
• Individualism

Image

• Screen Print
• High density
• High contrast

Context

• Advertisement of anniversary of cafe
• Distributed as prints
• Also used in posters