OUIL505 Applied Illustration Summative Evaluation

I have learnt a few new skills this module such as making nets on illustrator and also learning how to use the lighting equipment from photography. Most of all though, I have been working hard to develop my existing skills, especially with pattern. I feel like my pattern work is coming on now that I am learning more tricks on Photoshop and I am getting the spacing of the components right in less attempts than it used to take. The Fever Tree brief from the responsive module is what inspired me to pursue pattern for this brief and I am so pleased that I did. I think my confidence with colour is improving. I did really like the black and white versions of my drawings but the requirements of the brief forced me to use colour in a way that conveyed meaning so I had to select what was appropriate.

I think I have learnt a lot more about the context within which my illustrations can exist. Even something so simple as going into the city centre and recognising where my products could fit was really helpful for me to gain a better understanding of my practice. I have found it interesting to draw parallels between mine and other illustrators’ practices and as a result, I feel more confident that I do have a place in this industry. 

Choosing to move away from mental health and focus more on general positivity and wellbeing conveyed through nature was a pivotal point in this project. It was definitely the right decision for me because I wouldn’t have been able to explore the application of my images onto products to this extent if I has stuck with the starter pack idea. I felt it was limiting the potential of the concept. 

I think the continuous evolution of my project has shown good problem solving skills and it shows that I have more confidence in myself to make a judgement about whether something is working or not and choose which path to take as a result. 

I enjoyed being really involved with the making of my final images. It has been a while since I have produced intricate drawings and I found it really rewarding to produce something I am proud of. I was tempted throughout the design process to go back to using ink and a brush but I felt that this is becoming my safe option so I wanted to do something more detailed instead.  

Time management has been an issue for this module but not because of lack of motivation. If anything, I have been more keen to get on with this module than any other but the demands of completing work for other deadlines has meant that this was put on the back burner quite a lot. The problem for me is that if i’m not ahead with my workload, then I instantly feel behind. My time management is admittedly becoming a bit slack which is something I desperately need to improve on to cope with the demands of third year. I am determined to get myself organised because I can’t help but feel like I could have done more with this brief if I had used my time more wisely. 

My blogging for this module has been a bit lapse. At the beginning I was on top of it all and I was trying to be efficient with my blogging. Towards the end of the module, at the time of multiple deadlines, I was not finding the time to blog effectively and I think this shows in the quality of explanation and justification evident in my writing.

This module has been my favourite so far on this course and it had clarified for me that product and packaging is the route I want to take forward to explore in extended practice in level six. I have really enjoyed working with pattern, getting to grips with colour and seeing how my work could exist in context. I feel like it actually has potential when I see it mocked up onto products rather than just existing in a sketchbook. 

I have learnt that I need to trust my instincts more. In all honesty, I should have gone with product and packaging from the very beginning because this is what my gut was telling me to do. However, if I had done this I may not have learnt what I picked up from articles which would have changed the course of my project. Although there have been numerous changes to my project, they have contributed to the journey that has led me to these final outcomes. I feel proud of what I have made for this module, it has really inspired me to try and get my work out there because I can now see that it has the potential to exist in the real world.