During this module I decided to do character based images of the homeless people id met. I steered away from my usual realistic drawings and took a completely new approach to my work. This widened my practical skills and helped me to visualise things differently. I worked thoroughly on the compositions of my book, changing the scales of the images on each page for the best possible outcome. Thumbnails and layouts were highly beneficial for this.
I also tested various media for this brief, and produced my book using coloured pencils and photoshop. I wanted to produce something that looked hand drawn, that was printed to a high quality. My skills in photoshop have developed and this allowed me to improve the illustrations before they went to print. I have also learnt how to use InDesign during this module, which is a highly beneficial programme when making a book, and definitely something that will be useful to me in the future.
2. Which approaches to research have you found most valuable during this module. How have you interrogated your research to identify appropriate ideas?
The most valuable approach to research for me was definitely first hand experiences and conversations, as this became the foundation of my book. It made me realise the tone of voice that I wanted to adopt, and what I wanted to achieve with this book. Being constantly aware and slightly more curious also helped me to form ideas. Researching various artists that have also produced work on sensitive issues was also helpful to me, as it gave me an insight of what was possible.
On the whole the book is about my own personal experiences with the homeless, therefore for me, it was all about getting out there, and creating these stories so that I had something to say.
3. What strengths can you identify within your submission and how have you capitalised on these?
My use of media has extended during this module, which was definitely something I needed to improve upon. Characterised illustrations worked well when using the coloured pencils, and the mark making improved each image. I am also happy with how I handled the subject, given that its a pressing issue in todays society, it was important that I approached it carefully and sensitively. I feel my strengths lie mainly in my exhaustive research and first hand experiences, and how I took something as great as homelessness and explored what I wanted my book to say. I explored the tone of voice I wanted to put across, and what I wanted to make people feel. This book for me wasn't something that was made simply for aesthetic reasons, but to try and make a difference.
4. What areas for further development can you identify within your submission and how will you address these in the future?
Refining my techniques when it comes to using certain media is something I would like to work on. Improving on this would involve plenty more experimentations, extensive amounts of drawing, and also by researching various illustrators and taking on board an array of styles.
During this module I have been introduced to InDesign, but still don't feel completely confident with the programme. A little more work and time spent on this should help me to improve in this area.
I would also have liked to explore other methods of book binding, and become more familiar with various ways in which to do so. In the future I will look into this by taking books out from the library and by making plenty of mock ups.5. How effectively are you making decisions about the development of your work?
What informs these decisions? What problems have you identified and how have you solved them?
There’s been plenty of problem solving during this module, as the subject I was dealing with is so great. I felt slightly at a loss after going on a sandwich run, as at first I wanted to document this experience, and create a book that encourages people to go along with the organisation. But after participating I didn’t think it was the right thing for me to do. I got straight back out the next day, met some more people and found myself heading down the path which got me to here. Not giving up and researching further helped me in my decision making.
I found the group critiques very useful when it came to decisions such as choice of media etc.
6. How effectively have you managed this project and organised yourself during this module?
After going out and meeting various homeless people, I would then go home and write their stories or draw what I remembered straight away, which grounded my ideas and helped me to visualise my thoughts. This helped me to be much more organised, and always sparked inspirations for more work.
