Tuesday 30 June 2020

First Term at Falmouth University Illustration Course


Falmouth University - 1st Term of MA Illustration online course


I feel as though I have been through a washing machine and hung out to dry.  I have never had so much information given to me in such a short space of time,

Firstly we were asked to read A LOT /every week.

Then chose the marks we were going to use in a series of images.  We were restricted to twelve so we had to chose very carefully.  The images were chosen for us e.g

The wedding; the chicken; a portrait; a landscape.

Then we had to make four drawings of our own choice and then draw around them, after placing the drawings on a blank piece of paper.

Researching and looking at other illustrators has been fun but the academic work has been challenging.  This has added to our efforts to make the images really work. I have been very conscious of prejudices in our culture following the BLACK LIVES MATTER CAMPAIGN  and have endeavored to take account of ethnicity and social and cultural divides.

Images really sculpt our unconscious mind and if we are aware of what we portray then perhaps society will change for the better.

I have been very conscious of the technology involved with modern illustration and art. I cannot at this stage learn new technology such as Corel Draw, and Humaans or even photoshop.  I have to use traditional methods and made an articulated template out of cardboard for a template for one of my story characters. the lack of technology skills nearly has been a game breaker for me.

One illustrator I found that was very useful was Alex Deacon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeFYHtWc2Vs





I am now very aware of 'happy' colours,  An artist in the Observer supplement this weekend:

Yinka Ilori




What I have learnt is that illustration is about the status of Auteur, a recognisable readable style that complements and illuminates the words that it acompanies.