My first goal was to achieve a portfolio suited to professional usage. I self-initiated and took part in competition briefs relevant to these ideas, namely editorial (self-initiated, New Statesman), publishing (Penguin, Stratford) and children's illustration (Carmelite Prize). This resulted in a series of pieces of something of a professional standard, including one that placed in the competition (Carmelite). However, these pieces, plus the more personal other work I completed, resulted in a portfolio that has been criticised for, although having a strong voice, being disparate and inconsistent.
I think that is because I have been finding myself, my voice and visual signature over the year, including my work for COP but also the more self-directed briefs, that hugely informed how I draw now. The work I produced after the Christmas break is moreso the work I see myself making. I've become keen on experimenting with form and figures, and using gouache and texture more. This all said, my keen-ness to change my way of working (shape style, media) hasn't stopped, and my mind will always be an idea ahead of what I'm doing. I question how I should approach my practice beyond the degree... whether to limit myself (and embrace that challenge for a while) or to continue to change (if that is still the natural path). Perhaps I consider a line of practice that runs concurrently but a little separately... just so it doesn't infringe on the portfolio so much, and I can get a foot into professionalism a little easier.
I also wonder if these more "experimental" looks may not be so appropriate for editorial or publishing illustration, and I look to test how far I can push an image whilst still leaving it sensible and appropriate. I have also enjoyed working on more personal projects, particularly Kick Don't Twist which also is something that is published. Being able to combine self-indulgence (to a level) but also make money from it (hurrah) is... what everyone's after, surely.
In regards to the FMP, I have voiced most of my concerns and feelings towards it, but mostly also struggled to come to terms with working it towards academic practice, at this late stage in the degree. Whilst I could or maybe should have specifically briefed myself that I was working on something for the degree, I have seen it as something far more self-indulgent, longer lasting and potentially prolific. With a good old pinch of "artistic angst" (of which I am self-aware of, don't worry) I sometimes resented working it towards the needs of the module.
This all sounds negative, but three years later I really have found myself to be someone who moves forward by analysing, not self-praise. But I'm glad with how things have gone, glad to have found, or am beginning to find, my own artistic voice, and all in all I feel like I've been learning how to learn. The last year, and the two before it, have largely been about opening up my ways of thinking, more than anything, and I hope to be someone who continues to think (and then, at necessary points, think not to think).
I'm going to have fun.
14/05/2017
Statement of Intent
It's a little odd to post this document now when the intent has already been achieved... so I left it largely untouched, but put a couple of plans in the planning section, as life goes on...
FMP: evaluation of paintings and overview of progress
Brief, briefly: a series of paintings reflecting on our relationship with the British natural landscape
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This project has been a strange one all in all. I struggled with timing, with other projects (Carmelite and Shortbox). I've had a lot of ideas in regards to the research undertaken, and have always seen this as something that will go beyond the degree. But, I knew I would need something that would appear finalised for the module, and wasn't sure which route to take. I ended up creating an overview of many reflections, and inevitably struggled to really hone down any of the ideas. It may have been more beneficial to just really look into one.
The relationships I chose to illustrate for this:
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This project has been a strange one all in all. I struggled with timing, with other projects (Carmelite and Shortbox). I've had a lot of ideas in regards to the research undertaken, and have always seen this as something that will go beyond the degree. But, I knew I would need something that would appear finalised for the module, and wasn't sure which route to take. I ended up creating an overview of many reflections, and inevitably struggled to really hone down any of the ideas. It may have been more beneficial to just really look into one.
The relationships I chose to illustrate for this:
The Children (Born)- our most feral selves
The Children (In Wonder)- wonder of the environment, but also as a tool for learning and imagination
The Children (In Conflict)- conflict with the environment
The Witch- folklore and spiritual feelings (negative)
The Wizard - folklore and spiritual feelings (positive)
The Instinct - what keeps drawing us back
As a start, I think this is a good beginning overview. However, many of the images resulting from this appear to be quite violent, which is not the feeling I necessarily wanted to get across. Nor did I want these to be endlessly happy, but rather... tender? Visceral? Soil under the feet.
Visually, the paintings are heading in the direction that I'd like to be, though are not quite there. I'm pleased to be using shape in a more complicated and playful manner than say, the paintings of Kick, Don't Twist, but, looking back on the sketchbook work, I think I have lost so much feeling in these paintings. They are at once too formalised, but also not skilfully tight enough to have ownership of the flatness. I struggled working on paintings that were so small, and I think that lended itself to a lack of movement and power. I'm unsure about the use of symbolism, and with the somewhat improvised nature of the way of working on these I struggled to keep the pieces balanced.
But! I'm moving forward, and these criticisms are... mostly minor.
I'll admit that there isn't much "application" to this body of work. But it wasn't intended to either, this is illustration as a tool for investigation and display, not selling something, or even promoting anything. This should be exhibited, and could be displayed in a book and online but... having done much applied illustration for the module, it felt it was time to do something different, further.
As I continue the project, I look forward to going slower, and more thoughtfully. Work may be re-painted for the show, or more paintings added, but I don't think I'll have time to re-imagine the concept at this point.
FMP: finals for module submission
Large painting depicting the landscape, surrounded by smaller paintings depicting how we reflect on said environment.
The Trees
(large painting, 56x76cm)
For this piece I had to decide what kind of landscape I wanted to portray as the very thing we project ourselves on. I could have made it grandiose, or dismal, or catered to my own understanding of it. Whilst still interested in making something visually appealing, I did try to make quite a generic portrait of it. No sprawling mountains, or rivers, or lakes but trees. Something we've all seen, and daily engage with.
Interested by an Orwell quote along the lines of "[in the city] nature goes on, unofficially", I wanted something that could be related to by all, rural or urban resident, in whichever way they do reflect on it. This project is about projection of different feelings, which does not mean the base image has to really reflect them.
Small Paintings (in box)
The Children (Born)
Perhaps a wilder consideration of instinct than my painting titled The Instinct. Plainly, a recollection to when we were wild, but also a reflection on our slightly feral instincts that still remain (you might dig them out more than most if your name is George Monbiot)... It is not a violent image, but is not about peace either.
The Children (In Wonder)
Looking back to investigation into Montessori and outdoor learning, but most of all the reminiscing of being a child in awe of the environment. Actually, awe is the wrong phrase. As a child you might not register the landscape to be something particularly special as a whole, but it is the little things within it that are wonderful.
The Children (In Conflict)
Our relationship with the environment isn't always peaceful by any means, and in a literal sense of the children, our actions or lack of can influence a disrespect of their surroundings. Sometimes you don't care. (Quite literally, inspired by seeing children throw stones at ducks)
The Witch
Considering connections to the landscape that may feel the same as The Wizard, but are considered to be (unjustly) menacing.
The Wizard
Simply, a reflection on general folklore, the feelings of wonder that quite clearly captured people when looking at large stone formations. A connection that is more positive than The Witch. Influenced by Julian Cope's Modern Antiquarian, and, as well as ancient stone circles, more modern groups of people who found wonder in them- i.e. The Kibbo Kift.
The Instinct
For this image I wanted to convey the primal urges and instincts we might feel out in the wilderness, big or small, as much as the urge to embed your hands and yourself into the grass. Instinct could suggest something harsh, something violent, but what I mostly feel and wanted to get across in the project is that unspoken gut feeling of peace and detachment. I suppose this ties into earlier researched ideas of Attention Restoration Theory, but it's not so much about productivity.
07/05/2017
FMP notes
Due to time scales I don't think it would be feasible to do a rush job of all of the aforementioned relationships with the environment. I have chosen six to begin, with the hope of getting more done by the show.
The Children (Born)- our most feral selves
The Children (In Wonder)- wonder of the environment, but also as a tool for learning and imagination
The Children (In Conflict)- conflict with the environment
The Witch- folklore and spiritual feelings (negative)
The Wizard - folklore and spiritual feelings (positive)
The Instinct - what keeps drawing us back
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