Urban Artist USB Light Packaging

I scanned in a piece of packaging for a USB light because I found the pattern work interesting. This isn't a style I would usually be attracted to but I am interested in repeat pattern which is why I took a closer look. When you look closely at the pattern, you can see characters playing with phones and games consoles, surrounded by other pieces of technology whereas from a distance it just looks like a black and white pattern surrounding the blue text. This doesn't work like a conventional repeat pattern because the repeated images overlap slightly and don't fit together perfectly but I think this reflects the urban, artistic style of the packaging. 

Kinchoi Lam

I came across this image by Kinchoi Lam on Pinterest and really liked the simplicity and composition. The two people, I presume a boy and a girl, are reaching out for each other and are very small in relation to the amount of space around them. I think Kinchoi Lam was trying to capture the innocence and naivety of young lovers who appear to be lost in this space constantly swinging closer and further apart from each other. 

Animal Farm (1954)

I watched the animated film ‘Animal Farm’ (1954) based on George Orwell’s novel. The basic plot is that the farmer at Manor Farm is a drunk and so the animals rebel against him to run themselves more efficiently, they rename it ‘Animal Farm’. All the animals are supposedly equal until Napoleon the pig begins a scheme to take over the whole farm. The film runs a full circle of the animals rebelling against their leader and then a new leader arising, the film then ends with the animals wanting to rebel again. 

I thought that because it was animated and based on a farm, it might be quite light hearted and maybe child friendly but I was wrong. I found this film rather strange to watch and it was quite dark in some places. It was clear to see how the film reflects politics and attitudes in society. 

Father and Daughter - Michael Dudok de Wit

Father and Daughter Video Link

This animation titled 'Father and Daughter' (2000) tells the story of s a girl who keeps returning to a certain place throughout her lift with the hope that she will be reunited with her father as this seems to be a special place they would spend time together. The animation uses traditional techniques, you can tell this by the handmade quality of the imagery and movement. Dudok de Wit has used simplified silhouettes, line drawings and a clever use of shadow do capture the sensitivity and emotion of the story. I found it interesting to see how he had captured the woman getting older through very minimal detail. 

I thought this was a beautiful animation which really captured the emotion of the story. I think keeping the characters small in relation to the frame size emphasises the woman's fragility and feeling of loneliness. 

Dumb Ways To Die - A Message from Metro

Dumb Ways To Die Video Link

I think this animation is very clever as it uses humour to get across a serious message in a memorable way. Aesthetically it is very simple which I think adds to its charm. It uses very subtle textures on its plain coloured backgrounds and characters and objects made from simple shapes. I also think the viewpoints from which we see some of the characters make this more interesting to watch.

Holly Sharpe

I received this set as a gift for Christmas and really liked the design of the packaging. 

I researched the designer, Holly Sharpe, who has a background in textile design but now works as a fashion illustrator and artist. I am inspired by her fluidity with media. I admire her confidence with colour and markmaking - her bold designs are well considered but also very brave. 

Product, Publication, Place, Online

Parts 2, 3 and 4

Product

• Children's curtains and bedding
• Stationary 
• Album covers
• Household cleaning product packaging
• Gift wrap
• Food packaging

• Clothing

• Ceramics

• Children's games

Mousetrap

Ladybird - Spell and Learn

• Greetings cards

Greetings cards are relevant to my interest as I think they are a very personal thing to exchange between one another so they need to have that personal element included in their imagery. I like how they usually stick to a theme or maybe numerous cards are created as part of a set which need to work together and on their own effectively. I see most greetings cards as having happy connotations which is always good to work with, however, some would need to be tackled more delicately which would test skills of producing images appropriate for a certain situation - this again links to the sensitive, personal element mentioned beforehand. I think what makes greetings cards relevant to my interest is because the illustrator would create the card with the intention of someone resonating with it and it being relevant to them in some way so that they choose to buy it. Its about finding something that triggers an emotional response within someone which will make them feel that this is the appropriate card for a specific person and occasion. 

Publication

• Creative journals
• Fashion magazine
• Fliers 
• Health information leaflets
• Zines
• Children's books

• Educational text book

• Car manuals

• Event posters

The Orange Tree, Loughborough

The Orange Tree, Loughborough

• Scientific reference books

The ABC Guide to Garden Flowers

Although I love to experiment with processes, techniques and approaches to image making, I also appreciate the technical skills of accurate drawings for scientific or reference books. These drawings must be successful in their accuracy for them to fulfil their purpose so I find them interesting to look at to learn how to draw things. This specific book about flowers is good to learn about natural shapes and forms of plants and people would trust these drawings to be accurate representations. The lines are clear and confident to get visual information across effectively. I feel I can learn a lot of technical skills from looking at accurate yet often simplified drawings of collections of items and transferring this into my own drawing practice. If I then can combine these skills with creative influences from other sources and my own imagination, I think this will create a strong basis for some interesting visual outcomes. 

Place

• Museums
• Supermarkets
• Fabric shops
• Practitioners' studios
• Children's section in book shops

The Works

• The streets and buildings (street art)

Victoria Street, Loughborough

Devonshire Square, Loughborough

• Art fairs

• Card shops

Card Factory

Card Factory

• Doctors waiting rooms

• Exhibitions

Illustration exhibition at Charnwood Museum

I think it is good to go to exhibitions because you often come across a theme or particular artist you hadn't seen or heard of before. It can often sark ideas so it is good for getting inspiration but also just to build up a good knowledge of what kind of work is out there at the moment. You can research artists and illustrators online but I don’t think you can ever appreciate the true value of a handcrafted piece of work by viewing it on a screen. For example, I had researched this illustrator online briefly before attending his exhibition, ‘It Started With A Cat’, and I wasn't expecting to be so intrigued by his work as I was when I viewed it in person. Exhibitions like this one show the development of a practitioner, allowing you to see their growth over the years and a the range of styles they have worked through. I feel this is valuable to me because I can see how practitioners develop which helps me learn about the different challenges and jobs I will hopefully be faced with in the future. 

Online

• Fashion blogs
• Apps
• Advertisements
• Pinterest

• Publication blogs

creativereview.co.uk - CR Blog

• Online shops selling illustrated products

ohdeer.com

etsy.com

• Newspaper websites

theguardian.com - Comment

• Google homepage (Google Doodles)

Bram Stoker's 165th Birthday

Bastille Day 2014

• Online games

Cut the Rope 

Club Penguin

• Individual practitioner websites

juliarothman.com

Paul Davis - copyrightdavis.com

Browsing individual practitioner websites gives me the opportunity to view how the person wants their work to be showcased and promoted without the influence of a middle man or a standardised layout of a collaborative blog. It allows me to see through to their individual interests and personality which often gives an insight into how and why they produce the work that they do. Where possible, I love to read about an illustrator or designer’s background, achievements and influences because I feel like I can relate to their work more and maybe read something that inspires me to try something new. I feel this is relevant to my creative interests because it is important to me that my personality and individuality shows through my work so reading about the person behind the work as well as researching the work itself gives me an insight into how this can be done. On another note, I find reading about their struggles as a practitioner really encouraging as it makes me realise that even successful illustrators face similar struggles to myself which highlights the fact that it doesn't suddenly become an easy life once you leave university. If anything, it gets harder. 

Association of Illustrators - www.theaoi.com

Part 1

The blog on this website advertises current exhibitions and includes book reviews and critical analyses of illustration. Reading these reviews will be particularly helpful when it comes to analysing my own and other people’s work as it is making me aware of different points to consider in the critiquing process. Reading these reviews also gives me the chance to agree or disagree with the opinions stated in the writing which is gradually making me more confident in forming my own opinions about illustration. The blog is regularly updated so the flow of information is current and relevant. 

The portfolio section of the website is packed full of illustrator’s work which you can search through by a wide range of keywords. If I have a specific project I need to research for this will be invaluable for finding something relevant and from a trustworthy source. While browsing through the portfolios, I came across work I wouldn't usually search for and I feel that if I continue to do this, my knowledge of the discipline will broaden. I will post my findings on my PPP blog as my research continues. 

The 2014 Illustration Award winners have spoken about their experiences of producing their competition entries and these were interesting to read through. It made me realise that even professional illustrators have to battle with the same struggles I face with my work such as responding to feedback, avoiding distraction and learning how to use technology. It is a journey of problem solving. Similar to the blog, there is a link to the Varoom magazine website which has a limited range of articles from the magazine to read through for free.