Extended Practice: 2018

Feeling a little anxious as by this session i should have had a set plan of where i am gong but it really helped to thoroughly discuss my direction. - don't need to be as concerned about the final outcomes as i had thought. It also made me realise that I was perhaps tackling too many separate briefs and that I work best expanding on one theme. - still can produce many outcomes but it helps me to focus down.

Feedback:

Really positive response to my lino cuts! - just keep working on these and focus on finishing the series - have at least 4 that I am happy with.
General thoughts - that the black and white combinations are really strong, - the colour perhaps detracts away from the image? doesn't flow as well.

Re think - macmillan harry potter orientated. - copy writed. - this is something that i had really considered enough! the harry potter inspired series that i had wanted to propose will be copywriter and therefor not eligible for the macmillan book prize. However - I could narrow this down to become a personal brief. - produce 3 images for the book? / covers?

Reflection on editorial idea - don't need this brief. - instead focusing on my interest in nature to develop - nature orientated work. - feedback from peers really helpful at this stage. - trying to tackle too much perhaps for the short time left.
Decided to produce a nature based sketchbook which could inspire - products / pattern exploration / some lino cuts. bringing in quicker ways of working - ink etc. Don't narrow down brief too much or worry about the end goal - just start drawing/making and see where the project takes me.

Considered doing Carmalite prize but advised - to stick to 'darker' themes - suit me and my practice better. A much as i have enjoyed doing children's book illustration in the past (and it could potentially be something i do in the future) after discussing this brief in my tutorial, I realise that im just not as excited about perusing this genre as i am with my mythology series. I feel that approaching this brief would almost be a step back in my practice. Currently I'm really inspired by mythology and it's a subject which I can continue to push my lino aesthetic throughout.
New direction...Greek mythology - retelling of the odyssey? or choose some more obscure stories.
(beware of adult greek themes - need to be suitable for children) - this would mean that perhaps I need to write my own brief if i chose to go down a more adult themed route...
Indian mythology
Chinese mythology
other folklore?

Saturday, 3 March 2018

Extended Practice - Final Plan

*Tutorial thoughts and update (scan in sheet)
Reflecting on Extended practice briefs.

After a recent tutorial, I realise that I need to be more realistic about the amount of time remaining and what I will be able to produce in the time remaining.
Struggling with health as of late - which I don't like reflecting on but realise its a key part of my developing as a practitioner. - I'm still dealing with issues and i have to be smart and consider this when trying to meet a deadline. i realise I'm not going to achieve everything i set out to do - after the tutorial i realise i need to focus on getting 4 Greek lino cuts finished - main focus of the end of year show.
Chinese mythology book was going to be the final major project but it has taken a bit of a back seat at the moment. - I'm finding nature explorations and patterns very therapeutic - struggling to get into the story boarding of chin ease - so my focus has shifted slightly.

Summery of Extended Practice Projects.- At current stage.
(Competition briefs:)

Macmillan Competition brief
Time scale:

4 Final Page spreads / 3 and front cover
12 Double Page spread of roughs
Theme - Chinese mythology - The retelling of the story of 'Nian'

(Personal Briefs:)

Greek Mythological Characters
Time scale:

A series of 4 prominent female characters within greek mythology
Lino cut prints
Possibly apply to products/pattern/ceramics

(Small Briefs:)
Nature based Sketchbook
Time Scale

Evolving around nature,themes include:
sea animals/rainforest/forest/birds/butterflies
To eventually inspire lino cuts / pattern / product prints

Untranslatable words
Time Scale:

A series of three images illustrating words from different languages which cannot be translated in english
Not exclusively Lino cut - may work digitally with texture/ink

The tale of three brothers
Time Scale:

illustrating the short story by jk rowling
A series of three images
Not exclusively lino cut - may work digitally with texture/ink

A Brit Marling Film Collection

Time scale:

(one image left to produce)

Illustrating three film featuring / produced by Brit Marling
poster designs
mixed media / analogue/digital

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

In preparation for Friday, I have been reflecting on my briefs and how relevant they relate to my practice. I have also began to consider what might be missing from my collection of work by the end of the year, and feel that I may need more diversity in my portfolio.

perhaps tackle some editorial to show range?

Aim: tackle two articles.

Create these in the style of Lino cut to demonstrate ability to tackle a quick turn around.
Although i am not as fond of mixed media images, and have identified Lino cut as my main medium, - creating an aesthetic somewhere in between (see below) may still work with my practice when needing to compromise for quicker briefs. ??? I feel that the work is still recognisable as my own.

Subject:

Interested in nature / conservation
Some of my drawings will be evolving heavily around nature for my weekly brief, so putting some characters into context will be useful perhaps?
Possible editorials:
Protecting the Blue https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0080-6
The price of fast fashion https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-017-0058-9
Saving a Forest Stronghold https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/spring-2018/articles/saving-a-forest-stronghold
https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2017/articles/working-together-for-monarchs