Summative Evalutation

OUIL 505 Summative Evaluation Jazz Harbord OUIL505 has been by far the most enjoyable module I’ve undertaken this year. The freedom to self initiate your own brief allowed me to explore an element of illustration I haven’t previously had the time to; 3D. There have been some difficulties at parts regarding tone of voice and context at the the start of the module, but I feel now that the work I have produced for both final imagery and application is some of the best I’ve made this year so far.

One of the hardest things I’ve found myself struggling with this module was finding a context I really wanted to put my work in. Starting the brief I proposed putting my work in a gallery format with maybe a commercial element to it. Having looked at practioners like Charlotte Mei and Rosie Brand who often host their own exhibitions as well as taking part in collaborative illustration installations, the notion of a self driven exhibition really appealed to me. However in this context I found myself struggling, and I think this was largely due to me trying to undertake too much at once. I wanted a part exhibition – part album launch, that looking back now could have been feasible, but at the time was far too complex. I struggled with apply my illustrations appropriately as I didn’t have a clear consumer demographic in mind. Once this demographic had been established as music fans for a commercial album launch, the application of my images became a lot easier.

The relationship between 2D and 3D illustration is also something that has been a learning curve this module. Realizing how much one can inform and positively improve the other is something I will take with me into future projects, even if they’re not particularly 3D based. Taking my work into a new media and direction allowed me to see image making in ways that I may previously not have done. The clay allowed me to push shape in a way that was three dimensional and thus showed more accurate results quicker.

Looking at the 3D models I’d made allowed me to have a better understanding of the shape and body of each character, so the subsequent 2D illustrations and plans were more accurate in what they were depicting.

Another definite positive of this module is how much more confident it has made me in the value and possibilities of my illustrations. Mock ups and appropriate applications allowed me to see me work as a collection that felt viable. Creating a collection // campaign out of my illustrations made for a mental transition from hobbyist to professional, and while I feel my design boards could be more refined, it’s rewarding to see final illustrations presented in a way that feels practiced.

As with a few of my modules this year, blogging has been weak in terms of how I’ve time managed it. I feel as though because I let a few modules slip up in terms of blogging, subsequently the rest did too. Though I feel proficient in how I’ve explained and documented my blog, the time management and regular maintenance of it is something I really need to lock down moving into Level 6.