Post 33

PRODUCE AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK ABOUT YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE.

ILLUSTRATION

IDENTITY

Sponsored by Paul Davis.

The Brief in brief...

16 pages, colour, hardbound.

Target Audience.

What is the purpose of the book? Self promotion, publication or art? need to give reason for the book prior to the send in.

Considerations.

. Where do I fit into society?

. Loves, hates, troubles...politics, obsession with fame, mass culture etc.

. Anger, upset, weep.

. What makes me 'cool.' hmmmm...wrinkles, baldness, fattyness, crummy clothes etc. There may be a few issues to deal with in this one, might need to bring the councellors on board...

. Then there is espionage and supergrasses, branding, advertising.

Right..erm...where's the sketchbook...

Post 32

...just purchased the writers and artists' yearbook today, and the experience of reading has been much more pleasurable than that in the library. I guess that it is the illustrators bible. I also spent some time in WH Smiths browsing the magazine and book selections which is something I've yet to do since beginning the MA.

I've added my illustration Friday blog (bridgecrit) to my links, which includes some tentative bits of flash fiction.

Now...why do I want to use a Mac? To keep me warm on a winters evening?

Post 31

Blow your own trumpest...

I've been considering objects...what do I put into a portfolio? I think it could be existing reworked drawings in photoshop. The actual object hangs in my bedroom in my house. is it a musical instrument now that it hands from the wall? The refugee of a 2003 car boot sale.

Should I have collage work in the portfolio? I'm not sure that I'll find out too many answers whilst on the MA, although my very nature is one of impatience. I think I need to start making this a daily post no matter how mundane.

Post 30

I've spent some time in the library liking at book covers and researching other work that is similar to my own and have made notes on the publishers. I can't find much info regarding art directors on their websites, perhaps that is the time for the phone call? I'm also unsure whether one sends in samples unsolicited or whether it is correct practice to contact an individual first...time will surely give me some answers.

I think I need to put a few hours aside when I'm next in Lincoln, or anywhere in fact, to start a proper search through magazines, books and journals to find out where the work appears.

I've also been looking on illustration mundo and the AOI for illustrators working in a similar style to myself and finding out who their previous clients have included.

So, I need to look again at my portfolio. I have a good selection of images (mainly reworked digital drawings) on the AOI portfolios. Do I need to produce another completely separate body of work?

I've been thinking that The New York Trilogy could be a good start for a narrative series. On my illustration Friday blog (Bridgecrit.blogspot.com) I've started to write some short stories. I was thinking that I could look back through the NYC trilogy text and use it as a starting point for my own flash fiction, placing Quinn in a variety of sub plots, with a view to creating a series of text less narratives. This will once again enable me to use the figure as the central point of my portfolio. I find it difficult creating the same figure more than once...this is something that practice and further research will help me with.

I've decided that I would like to send out some samples of some existing work to potential clients and take it from there. I think it's important to get the ball rolling whilst I'm on the course rather that wait too long. I will try a few initial prints...A4 or A5 and just send them out. One thing I don't want to do is make early negative impressions, but I know my work is strong anyway. This is a stage where I feel the need to put self doubt to the back of my mind and simply get on with it.

Post 29

Started a larger scale drawing influened by The New York Trilogy.

I'm continuing to browse the AOI discussion pages for more pearls of wisdom, I think this is a really good resource and it is starting to slowly make a bit more sense to me.

The AOI have their own 'Trilogy' of books listing publishers, advertising and editorial at the handsome price of £25 each. I would definately like to buy one but am torn between editorial and publishing.

I think the important thing about the MA is the continued evaluation of my practice as an artist, and the way the research methods have informed this have been invaluable.

Brief summary from tutorial:

Interesting illustrator for text: Johnny Hannah

Need to find way of matching face with hands: one can inform the other.

Laurel and Hardy: Good movies in which to study hands.

Toby Morrison: hands.

Maurice Sendack...

..........

Prof practice

John Brown at citrus. (Publishers).

Could either send postcards or produce poster with details underneath.

Use white envelopes.

Look for potential markets.

Contacts.

What to send and show them?

Matt paper.

Set up a blog for now and include a short bit about what this image is, title etc.

Good quality paper.

Check out bikinilist

Mick Marston...?

Post 28

Here are a few example of beginning a journey to conquer an avoidance of hands in my work and further responses to The New York Trilogy...

It has been something of a relief to return the 20+ books from my research methods and held onto just a few to read in a bit more depth such as The poetics of space by Bachelard, explaining illustration by Michael Fleishman and my own edition of Teach Yourself Postmodernism by Glen Ward.

It's interesting looking at The New York Trilogy having studied Structuralism, Post Structuralism and Postmodernism. It leaves me feeling concerned regarding my visual responses: are they too formulaic? Could I push this one much further?

I feel that much of my drawing processes are intuitive but am considering the visual signs/semiotics etc? Perhaps the pens go into retirement for a while, even though I feel at my so - called happiest working in this way? Many of my responses to the NY Trilogy have been primarily intuitive...I might need to consider other options to tackle potential future briefs.

I've still been checking in and out of the AOI website and seen a number of events that may be of interest but unfortunately finances are getting tighter than ever. Perhaps I should have waited another year? Anyway, the research methods alone have been worth the three and a half grand sucker punch to my finances, but I can't help but feel that I'd move quicker with more cash. For example, a website would be a great start....

I'll start by looking at the painting/collage (above with mainly pink background). I took a book out of the library at the beginning of the course on Basquiat with the intention of producing a City of Glass image in his style.

I started it in oil, painting over an old canvas...a pink background with two black squares.

The first thing that I've found incredibly difficult is converting text to image. I started reading the Stillman junior monologue and was struck by the almost sickly ill description of this character. My perception, perhaps, of the strangeness of a new book...

The meanderings, the doodles...intentionality...I think I'll go back to read chap 5 of teach yourself Postmodernism.

Writers mentioned in NYC trilogy...POE...MILTON...

Post 27

Well it seems like there has been a fair portion of time that has passed since my last entry. Quite a lot of that has been devoted studying for the research methods, well trying my best at least! Still, I've got the deadline next week, so hopefully, at long last I'll be able to pick up the sketchbook again and look into more detail as to how one goes about practising as an illustrator.

I've also been preparing a selection of work for my first solo show at 20:21 Visual Arts Centre titled 'Storybored'.
You can check out www.northlincs.gov.uk/NorthLincs/Leisure/arts/20-21visualartscentre/exhibitions


I've spent some time reading the artist and writers yearbook, and will ensure that I find the latest edition.

*Above image is one of the 48 illustrations to be included in my 'Storybored' solo show at 20:21. Check out the link above for further details.

I've nearly completed The New York Trilogy...gripping stuff.





I will post further images including some attempts at my greatest fear of hands and some more poster designs for the New York Trilogy. I haven't quite managed 100 a day but will certainly continue to face my fears!


One thing that I would liketo do next term is to spend more time producing practical stuff whilst in Lincoln. I think it might be liberating for me to post some fabriano paper on the 'MA room' wall and produce an ongoing 'New York Triology' collage....see the link list and click on Mark Bell.


I've tried screen printing and can safely say that it not for me. I still feel that my best work is produced with the line...perhaps etching is the next thing to try out?


I'm still doing the back page illustration for North Lincs main art listing magazine 'article,' so will keep the blog updated with details of the possible brief for Feb.

Snappy New Year to all...