Warsaw zine DEVELOPMENT

Working from my 35mm film camera photographs and a photocopier, I started to collage the images.

I then drew from photographs, and started to mix the block collaged locations with simple line drawings to create work with a completely new aesthetic to my previous stuff. 

The idea of documenting our time there really excited me, and I wanted to make something that celebrated how wonderful the city was. I wanted to make something tangible, and accessible, which is why I decided to create a zine.

Planning of pages, to work out what would go where. 

Documentary illustration is really starting to get me excited about the future. I need to keep working with it, and see what I can achieve through varied aesthetics and methods of communication.

New statesman

I don't often work with editorial illustration, but my aim this year was to welcome any opportunities that came my way, which is why I completed this brief. 

Meeting Gerry was really encouraging, and although I was pessimistic about my final design, she gave me some interesting points to think about. 

I showed her my portfolio of work, which, at this moment in time is limited, but she told me she could see me working with creative stories. 

She preferred the design with Moby in it, as it communicated the article much better. 

Learnt from doing this-

- Don't dismiss illustrative contexts. Create work to suit varying topics and use my visual language and image making skills to complete briefs to the best of my ability.

- Continue to work on quick turn around briefs in order to adjust to professional time frames and deadlines.

- More roughs and development would have improved my design, use my sketchbook to play with compositions in the future.

Making work from work

Decided to create an alternative version of my Lets eat grandma vinyl sleeve, just for fun, but also to push my skills forward on photoshop. My work is definitely improving gradually, and I am starting to understand how best to create images to suit varying contexts, which is good.

Secret 12

International Reggae Poster Competition

I can't actually post what Ive created yet, as they ask you not to post on any social media. However I'm really excited about this one. I was really pleased with the poster I created, however the competition is strong, with over 1200 submissions. I will post the process and final submission when I know I can!

Mono printing for Whittard's Design a tea caddy brief

I thought i'd start the ball rolling again with a few short briefs. The first of these being the Whittards of Chelsea design a tea caddy brief.

AIMS

Having learnt so much about my practice and the way I work best during context of practice, I decided to take what Id learnt and apply it here. Starting in the print room in order to generate textures and patterns was a good idea. 

Submitted-

EVALUATION

I already know that my pieces weren't chosen, as they have already shortlisted 10. However I wasn't that impressed with their selection. Overall my design wasn't great, I think I should have just submitted an original mono print, just as it was. However I learnt a few new techniques on photoshop which was useful. 

What worked-

The textures are working well at the moment, and I want to keep pushing these within my practice. Not having a particular style has always worried me, but having a coherent element running throughout seems to be working well for me.

What didn't-

Im not pleased with the overall aesthetic. I really don't think this was a good brief for me, its far too twee and not really what I'm about. The stag just doesn't seem to suit the design.

How will I improve-

Work on briefs that mean something to me, or at least resonate with my passions and values. 

I don't want to be a tea caddy designer, I want to make work that speaks for people or has a voice that can actually make a difference. REMEMBER THIS. 

Printing onto old jeans

For a quick brief I decided to print onto some old jeans. I was trying to consider various elements from my COP research into recycling and sustainability. I was going to get rid of these, but instead thought I could make them better.
This is something i really enjoyed doing, and would consider doing more of in the future. Fabric printing opens up a whole world of possibilities I feel. Printing onto thick denim was a little tricky and i think I need some more practice, but it did the job!
By no means are these perfect, but the response Ive had has been great, even had people offer to pay me to do some for them.
There's a potential market here, homemade, bespoke, one off garments, that can be personalised to the client. Really worth thinking about...

Jeans designs

I have wanted to print onto an old pair of jeans for ages. I know that I can improve them and make give them a new lease of life if I was to do so. I think there is a gap in the market for this, because jeans are usually quite bare and boring. T-shirts are usually more interesting, but then you put a jumper over them, whereas jeans are always on show! 

I want to develop this further in the future, but for now a few designs and ideas, and one pair of printed jeans will have to do, as this is just a small, self initiated brief that explores up-cycling old clothes. 

Artist Research for colours may vary

When thinking about colours may vary, my main aims are to make something that sells, and that stands out in the exhibition. I have given it quite a bit of thought, and researched various trends that i think would sell. I recently drew a plant pot with a face on it, and I know I want to include that in the image, but the rest I wasn't sure about.

Broken Fingaz are a collective, and they make some of my all time favourite work. They use bright, bold colours, which is what makes their work so eye catching. I need to bare this in mind if I want my print to stand out on a wall of crazy talented illustrators. 

Naked women and plants seem to be trending at the moment,  and is something I have been subconsciously drawing. I even made a screen print of this not long ago..

I will factor these things into my planning, in order to create a print that sells (hopefully)

Documentary reportage

This is something I really want to get into this year. I want to be able to document events and happenings, that shine a light onto certain problems or celebrate things that should be celebrated. Here's just a few roughs from the sketchbook, but ideas are brewing and I'm really excited to get my teeth stuck into this.