Newsletter- join me on my journey on my Illustration course with Falmouth University

On June 1st I begin my course




Well beginning this MA is nerve wracking.  So before I started I did some reading

 Quote:
The picture has the power to: Communicate instantaneously. Communicate to a global audience, regardless of age, location, or era. Locate the viewer within the image. Represent literally the human experience of seeing. Visually delight, again and again. Be arranged sequentially to communicate narrative. Connect instantaneously with emotion, memory, and experience. Delight through shape, color, and form.
Hall, Andrew. Illustration, Laurence King Publishing, 2011

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And I also did some preparation:  I found that Domestika is a good prep if you choose the right course and they are inexpensive.  One tutor advised to get out all of your art materials and examine them.  I had loads:
Inks calligraphy ink; acrylic of course; water colour and w/c crayons; crayons;felt tips/chalk; etc.

I then sorted all my pens; brushes; and materials.

He then advised to combine two or three together; eg.  To use a crayon and go over with watercolour.  To make a splodge of water and drop in ink. Use two pens together. Then try to draw an animal with eyes closed.

I am indebted to Chris Dart at my CICCIC, www.ciccic.com  art courses for already practicing these methods but this time with more control and making detailed notes on what materials were used in an experimental sketch book. I have experimented a GREAT DEAL and new characters for books have emerged. I have not used pen and ink before and a weird looking creature came on the page that I have called Fiz and the story just flowed.

My favourite Domestika tutor advised :- Start a new sketchbook for each book and then use this as a portfolio to show to publishers at illustrator fairs. The other thing to do is to illustrate an established fairy tale.  I tried out ‘The Princess and the Pea,’  but I have also tried to do this before: I tried to illustrate ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ in acrylic with Chris Dart as tutor.  It is one painting that I have sold which I wish I had hung onto.

I also found a publication called the ‘Association of Illustrators’ which I have not bought yet but intend to follow up.

Of course illustration is not just about illustrating books it is also about graphic art in posters and greeting cards and stationery. This worries me a bit.  I think I could give greeting cards a go and the course also covers videos which I have also dabbled with. But there is lots of reading and essays to do too.  Basically it is about finding my voice and networking with colleagues, that is greatly encouraged, so I will try not to say too much to start with.

 www.zoeainsworthgriggbooks.com


WISH ME LUCK -ZOE