Post 59

'To dream of loose teeth'...can't remember the rest...

Well...here is my first scanned image! I won't be colouring my work immediately on photoshop now and will be able to show work in progress from the early stages. My postcards also arrived, although half appear to have a crease down the middle...the trials and tribulations of the illustrator.





I've spent a studio day continuing work on a collage sculpture for the impending hand in of the 2 units. It portrays Humpty Dumpty on a plinth...we are all eggs....

Post 58

Had a walk along the Humber bank this morning. The mist was covering most of the Humber bridge which made me think about the legend of the magician Manannin. He was the guardian of the Isle Of Man and would cast his mist coat to disguise it from the danger of invasion.

Anyway, I've been on the lookout for discarded objects and ephemera to use in my latest series of collage works for the book of dreams. I'm interested in the objects I choose to select and reject. I've found myself rejecting materials such as coke bottles and passages of text in favour of 'the decorative'. I'm becoming increasingly aware of these concerns when operating as an illustrator over the fine art profession. Society is more and more concerned with attaching a lifestyle to images and this is an overriding concern when working as an illustrator.

I've also beeen collaging some existing sketchbook drawings...something I must confess to feeling uneasy about. I think there is a kind of reluctance as I tend to view the sketchbook as a work of art in it's entirety. Although, most of my sketchbooks are shop bought, I'm becoming more and more interested in the possibility of making my own ones. I think there is also the issue of the archiving process. For example, I tend to attach my sketchbooks or journals to a period of time, when complete I date them (mostly in retrospect) thus developing a history. It can feel uncomfortable for me to break this system...is this a bit sentimental of me? Could I put them all into the mix...post modernity says it's OK.

Post 57

The attached image is of the incinerator on The Isle Of Man. It was initially seem as the great blot on the landscape....just hope at least one of my postcards end up on art directors notice boards as opposed to the old chimney!

I've finally ordered my postcards and have to wait a good 14 days for the privilege of a standard order. It will give me time to look further at potential clients and to try and strengthen my portfolio prior to my mail out. It feels good to get the ball rolling at last. I'll spend some time deciding what, if anything I should put in my letter. I'll also look for some good quality envelopes, paper and address labels. Do 2nd class stamps look a bit cheap...a precursor to the art directors wastepaper basket?

I'm the only student on this years MA and have found sitting in on a recent 2nd year crit to be really insightful and useful. I've got out the collage stuff and am really looking forward to some quality studio time...need to give my work a bit more depth...

Post 56

'To dream of carrots portends prosperity and health.'

Well I hope I'm moving along the right kind of lines.

I feel that i need a good few days in the studio and will do just that over the next week to get my teeth into the dreams project, experiment a bit and design letter headed paper and envelopes etc for my forthcoming mail out.

So, what else could I do to make this image a little less literal? Have I referenced health? Perhaps I've done this through the colour of the notes on the tree...green=health?

I like the idea of carrots being buried like treasure...I've learned that sliced carrots are thought to resemble gold coins...

The image needs tidying up with attention to the finer details, but fingers crossed, I'm moving in the right direction.

Post 55

The image to the left is another example of my exploration combining collage, photoshop and drawing. Once again, the limitations of not having a scanner have affected the production...especially trying to get a decent photo in the rain. Although I feel this particular image benefits from the shadow in the background, I feel I really need to get a scanner.

I've been looking at the Canon Lide 600f but it is over £90, so I'm going to have to get saving.

Back to the image...Car, green grass, could be advertising some sort of family holiday?

Uncertainty shown through the road sign...

The sun mimics the dripping of paint or ink...

Torn envelope for the 'mountain'.

Post 54

'Dead and dying birds foretells a period of coming disappointments.'

So here is my first image reworked in photoshop. I used some foil for the cloud which I collaged onto the image. Is this a bit obvious? Clouds represent gloom? Being from the Isle of Man I'm familiar with the negative comments whilst looking out to sea on a hot day with blue skies...'but I can see a cloud on the horizon.' Such is life with the ups and down.

Where do all the dead birds go to anyway? Do they find a convenient bush in which to hide and fade away slowly? Are they all struck by cars? Perhaps I need to think a bit more about the location of the dying birds? I've used what looks like a desert, almost putting them on a stage...a stage of death...the great final adieu? I, the onlooker is therefore granted a period of coming disappointments.

The 'cloud' looks a bit like a speech bubble....

Why have I used foil....what are the connotations?

Blackbirds...they have a conversational song...

Morning has broken...

Post 53

I've started working on preliminary sketches for a project based on dreams.

1. To dream of carrots, portends prosperity and wealth

2. To dream of dead or dying birds foretells a period of coming disappointments.

I've started to tackle these by drawing thumbnails and trying to play with shape and composition. I think I might start using pencil for these initial thumbnail sketches as I've perhaps got into a habit of using pen only.

How does an illustrator generate ideas? I've started by using the power of the internet googling for images such as key words and checking out illustration sites too try and glean how other artists tackle such problems. I think I'm starting to develop strategies...

I've produced my latest image for article which has a loose brief of folk. I may have cheated a bit by including the word 'folk' in the image. I've used some rudimentary collage...nothing too sophisticated but will continue to find ways of giving my illustrations another dimension. Still unsure about the colours...a bit nasty?

I really need a scanner...this will save me walking into the garden and balancing my sketchbook on the wheelie bin to take photographs...

Post 52

I've decided to go with this as my final postcard image to send out to art directors etc. I recently got in touch with the AOI and have bought their editorial contacts directory which is pretty much up to date as far as I can tell.

The creative industries worker at my studio helped me transport the text to this postcard...I really need to learn how to do this stuff myself if I've got any chance of success as an illustrator. I'll make sure that I put time aside to learn more about photoshop.

I've also been looking into various postcard companies...Vispa print looks a bit too cheap for comfort. There is also a good thread on the AOI website re postcard companies etc. I'll plump for one in the next couple of days....

Post 51

What is the purpose of a blog? I'm still trying to decide whether there is any real merit to producing what is a glorified diary? Even if I write the original notes into a book and then copy them for these pages (something I seldom do) then am I indulging in fakery and simulation....perhaps a question to put to Mr Eco?

I've completed my postcard to send out to art directors...now I'm researching companies that will do a professional job. There is loads of info on the AOI website...Vispaprint appears a lot...well they are cheap but I may be tempted researching further to ensure a professional job.

I'm going to write a short story (based loosely on NYC tril as starting point) and send in in for publication to 'Article' North Lincolnshire's arts magazine. I also produce a monthly illustration for the back page so hopefully this will give me further influence on which to produce some more illustrations.

Amsterdam was truly wonderful...I'll post some illustrations influenced by the trip later.