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.
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.
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.
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.
