Assignment 3: Illustration 1- Key Steps in Illustration- Tutor Feedback and Reflection

Project: Composition and Viewpoint

You include insightful discussion into aspects of composition and have produced a wide variety of tests which differ in scale, arrangement and angle.

This exercise has reminded how you can create harmony through the arrangement of elements or a feeling of unease. Use these compositions as a guideline to create a specific atmosphere and feeling in future projects. 

Project: Hierarchy in the image 

This exercise acts as a reminder for the capability of simple tools such as colour, scale and tone to connect elements (as you mention in green) and heighten emotion. The use of line arching in the ceiling helps lead the eye and the dragon’s foot to the right of the frame points outwards, thus leading our eyes to turn over to the next page. 

Consider what age range the image is aimed at, what might happen next in the story and whether you think this image is a successful illustration? How might you have changed it if it were your own brief? 

This was an interesting task and allowed me to focus on colour, composition and how they can present narrative/evoke emotion. I have added further response here.

Project: Visual Properties 

You have used an image with many possibilities, the two selected crops intensify drama as you mention. 

Aim to use the crop as a starting point, perhaps you re photograph someone in a similar position rather than assign the exact outline. 

I agree that introducing more stages might help you add more texture and depth, aim to play around with brushes and mark making. Try adding more contrast and colour to the painting, consider what you want to draw the observer to and why. 

Project: Abstract Illustration 

Some exciting experimentation here with more abstract marks, the end result has an interesting sense of depth, there is a lightness yet the texture communicates differently to heighten emotion.

Aim to use this final outcome as a starting point to scan in and trim to a cd/record format, make small variations with colour and contrasts in order to play further. Mock the design up as a final product in order to test its success in size and dimension. 

I went back to this task and looked at combining the final images/digitising them into a new piece of work. I edited the colours and textures further. The result was interesting and linked here.

Project: Diagrammatic Illustration 

You have thought carefully here about each step alongside use of colour and tone.

The first outcome achieves a sense of nostalgia around the exercise of making tea, the tone, texture and colour emphasise a ritual which is taken over and over again. The textured greys alongside smashes of white milk work very well. Try adding 2 further colours here, this might help as you say to imply heat but also enable specific aspects to stand out further.

Your second design feels less resolved, mainly due to the fact that the figure is too dominant, the actual steps (the most important parts of the image) feel too small to be fully recognisable.

Perhaps try your initial first idea in various layouts, you have some interesting compositional options in your rough planning, test these out and then compare and contrast 2 or 3 options together. 

I took my first outcome and implemented some simple colours, red to represent heat and blue to represent the time. The blue and red contrasted well together and worked throughout the illustration. The improvement is shown here.

Project: Viewpoint 

This shows how you are connecting knowledge form past exercises in order to create specific feeling through tools such as cropping, angle and perspective.

You have tested and trailed many options, the intention behind the cafetière is evident, perhaps play around with the coffee spilling out, go back and re photograph the object in a few more positions in order to create slight variations. 

Project: Visuals 

This exercise gives an indication of the process behind interacting with a client; a mock up should give an idea of what to expect so the client does not get any surprises! It may go back and forth for a while before it has been approved.

By simplifying your image here, we are still able to get a strong indication of the scene and intention behind the image.

If you have enjoyed this, spend a little more time here researching different types of illustration and critically evaluating it, chose some illustrations which have been used in different contexts e.g. poster, diagrammatic and note down the thought process and design ideas. 

I went back to this task and added some different images and responses here. I looked and and analysed some further images here.

Project: Creating mock ups 

This shows that when you persevere and move forward with different options, your idea has become much more individual. The tactile nature of elements, dislocation using the cracked screen as an initial starting point all move towards communicating a disjointed feeling. This approach puts emphasis on dislocation and an intensity of nervousness.

Your main focus should be on how you respond to and extend projects, your end design here has great potential but time is needed to return, analyse and implement changes in order to push communication.

Seek out more of your own photography, play with the arrangement, tonal values and opacity. Where font(notes) gets lost seek out ways of rearranging elements or coming up with alternate options. When you get to a final design you like, use it as a starting point to move forward. 

I went back to this task and re-edited/arranged and added elements into the front cover. I also made a new mock up of it. I described the process here. Going back to the final design and tweaking certain elements had a massive affect on the outcome, it was more legible and felt more ‘complete.’

Feedback on assignment 3 

If we compare both your final designs, the first is much clearer in terms of readability. A poster should invite intrigue from afar, here the band name this way is presented more clearly.

Having said that, your second outcome is far more interesting in terms of composition and layout. The top section has post strength, the bottom feels more compacted. The tone in the bottom section is starker (black and dot patterned figures) could you dull done the black to grey in the bottom figures in order to connect with the tonal values in the top section? Try adding blue into all or part of the numbers / part of the top title in order to create more unity.

If taking a new direction is not clear, post your work on the forums or ask for feedback from friends, often a fresh pair of eyes will automatically point out areas for improvement. 

Action Points :

Main focus should be extending final outcomes through trial and error. As mentioned above, aim to gain feedback from others through student forums, social media or friends. You might wish to start a small group where you meet and shop work online with other students. If there is opportunity for group OCA crits online, aim to join in with these also.

Keep pushing your experimentation with materials as this shows off an individuality and strength using texture.