Professional Development Portfolio

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO Laura Huartson

Professional Development Portfolio Strategies of Practice Arts University Bournemouth

By Laura Huartson

CONTENTS PAGE STATEMENT OF PRACTICE CV SKILLS CHECK RESEARCH METHODS & METHODOLOGY REFLECTIVE DISCOURSE Southampton City Art Gallery - British Art Show 8 The Gallery (AUB) - Lucienne Day: Living Design Sea City Museum V&A Museum Russell Cotes Apples, Pears and Paint Lectures & Workshops Artist Research CONTACTS WITH INDUSTRY REFLECTION ON DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICE The Self/Portrait Landscape/Seascape Inanimate Objects/Still life Interiors/Exteriors The Folio Society Competition; Mansfield Park TUTORIAL FORMS TUTORIAL FEEDBACK BIBLIOGRAPHY

STATEMENT OF PRACTICE I am an illustrator currently living within the New Forest, Hampshire.

I love reading, visiting museums, ornamental gardens and exhibitions. Narrative illustration is where my practice lies. Having grown up within the New Forest, the world around me aids my imagination and influences the stories within my work. Documentation within my sketchbooks on location is an important part of my practice; allowing me to explore, research and observe through drawing and mark making. Challenging myself within my work is what drives my practice; through experimenting with composition, perspective and cropping of my images.

My practice involves a diverse range of materials, from the traditional methods of painting and coloured pencil, to the process of printmaking and digital work.

LAURA HUARTSON www.laurahuartson.co.uk laurahuartson@hotmail.com

SKILLS CHECK Evaluation table of Skills

SKILL

HOW GOOD AM I CURRENTLY

HOW AM I GOING TO IMPROVE

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

I am confident when using Adobe Photoshop to edit my images, and to colour digitally when I am able to have drawn initially beforehand.

However, I would like to learn how to create my own brushes, and to become more comfortable painting digitally overall; including learning how to use gradients and texture within my work.

To improve my skills within Adobe Photoshop, I am going to attend JR’s Friday workshops, and watch online tutorials on Lynda.com and Youtube.

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

Adobe Illustrator is a software I am still not confident with. Because of my knowledge of Photoshop, this has helped me a lot when trying to use the programme, but feel that I am not competent enough in Illustrator for it to be a skill that I can confidently say I have.

To improve my skills within Adobe Illustrator, I am going to attend JR’s Friday workshops, and watch online tutorials on Lynda.com and Youtube.

Overall, I feel I am competent in InDesign, and find this one of the easier programmes to use. I have therefore used this to write my PDP in.

I will be attending JR’s InDesign workshop to pick up any information about the software that I may not have known.

With Printmaking, I am confident with Lino cutting, but would like to explore further reduction printing, as I have never made one before. I would also like to refresh myself in Screen printing, and explore a variety of different types of silk screening, such as CYMK. I also want to give monoprinting a go, to further my knowledge of different techniques within this area.

To learn the new printing techniques, and to refresh myself in ones I haven’t used in a while, I will speak to the Print Technicians to help me with the process of preparing my work, and the subsequent printing.

ADOBE INDESIGN

PRINTMAKING

PAINTING

I am competent at painting with watercolours, and used to be the same with acrylic paint before I left college.

However, I would like to get back into acrylic painting and learn how to use gouache, to broaden my knowledge of different paints. I also would like to explore different ways to combine the material, to get the best out of each.

To learn about Gouache painting and how to use it, I am going to attend Bridie Cheeseman’s workshop. With acrylic paint, I am going to use my project as a platform to get using it again, and will use books to learn more about the materials.

My photography is of a basic standard.

However, having just brought a new Nikon D3400 camera, I hope to improve my skills throughout the year.

I will use Lynda.com’s online tutorials, as well as a photographer friend to help me learn how to use my new camera properly, to gain and better my photographic skills. I will also utilize the library, and visit the photography section.

With this type of printing, I am confident with the way it works, and how to prepare my images for me to be able to use it successfully with whatever amount of colours.

To improve my knowledge of this type of printing, I will both talk to Jenni, and explore online the different types of results that I can get from this method.

In terms of drawing, I would like to begin exploring methods and materials that I have not used before, or not as confident in as other certain materials.

I will attend workshops for in materials that I have not used before, and attend Life Drawing Class.

In terms of my presentation skills, I feel I am a clear speaker, and can get across what I hope too. However, I sometimes end up waffling, so need to make sure this does not happen so I can clearly get across what I want to say

To improve my presentation skills, I will practice plenty of times before I present, meaning I know exactly what I want to say, and keep within the allocated time.

PHOTOGRAPHY

RISOGRAPH

DRAWING

PRESENTATION SKILLS

RESEARCH METHODS METHODOLOGY

Gathering of evidence, theory and analysis of research processes METHOD METHODOLOGY

Primary Research (Trips and Photography) Whenever I begin a project, I always use Primary Research to help develop and inspire my ideas. I try and go on Research trips to gain primary photography and drawings on location to capture what I want to depict at the most recent time.

Whether this is the weather conditions, time of day or exploring the effect that both natural and man made light has on the environment during these conditions. When beginning my ‘Who am I’ brief, to explore the sub project of landscapes, I visited a variety of locations such as The New Forest, Hythe Marina and Bournemouth Beach to gain this primary research to inspire the drawing that I created. Because I was able to visit my chosen locations, I was able to capture Hythe Marina at night. Also at this time a Cruise Liner was docked at Southampton so I was able to explore the light produced from the ship as well as the buildings within my drawings; something I would be unable to achieve through secondary research. For the Still Life part of the project, I was able to take photographs of the pottery and busts within museums such as The Russell Cotes Museum and the V&A, and was able to draw them on location; therefore enabling me to capture the light and shadow falling on the objects, as well as being able to see first hand the intricate details. Then for my Exterior/Interior sub-project within the ‘Who am I’ brief, I took a trip to gather primary photography of buildings within the city of Southampton, to explore the ruins, listed and contemporary buildings to use for inspiration and reference.

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Secondary Research

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Opinion Poll (Testing Audience)

To enrich and develop my research into the project I am working on, I often undertake secondary research; looking at artists, documentaries, articles, photography and imagery etc. An advantage of using secondary research is that I can acquire imagery that I could not do myself, such as aerial photography to help me progress my illustration and develop perspective and composition to create something more visually interesting. Secondary research also enables me to research contemporary practitioners to see what illustrators are current at the moment. Its also provides inspiration with ideas for the different sub projects, and possible ways of approaching the subjects; through materials, composition, perspective etc. It allows me to read books and articles around the subject area, to develop my knowledge and insight into the subject matter that I am researching.

After finishing and choosing the cover design that I most liked to submit for Mansfield Park, I had trouble choosing out of the two different designs, the cover with a black border around the silhouettes, and the one with a cream border around them. I therefore decided to do an Opinion Poll over Facebook to get feedback on which people preferred. The results from this were 7 - 4 in favour of the cream border. I decided to do this poll over Facebook, as I was gaining feedback from my peers to help me decide; people who are also taking part in the competition, as well as from those within the target audience that this book would be aimed at. It is also an unbiased approach in gaining feedback and results about the choice of cover for Mansfield Park to submit.

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Method of Working

METHOD OF WORKING: Analyse the Brief Research - Trips, observational drawing, books, journals, exhibitions, artist research Practical work, creating imagery Test on audience - gain feedback and constructive criticism from peers and tutors.

Re-evaluate and make necessary changes.

Whenever I begin a new project, I always work in the same way. I begin by analysing the brief, creating a mind map to jot down any ideas that I can think off related to the possible directions I could take within the project. After analysing the brief, I look to go on research trips to gain primary photography and observational drawings to enrich my project, and help with inspiration for my ideas. I also complete artist research, read books, journals and articles to reflect on and analyse, and to again further my knowledge within the subject. I also continue this research during the process of creating my body of work, to influence my way of working and how to potentially approach what I am hoping to create.

Whilst creating my work, I continue to gather feedback from both my tutors and my peers, gaining constructive criticism and reflection on the imagery and materials that are successful and those that are not. From this I re-evaluate my work, and apply any changes that need to be made.

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Artist Research To enrich my project, I always complete artist research, which I feel is a very important part of developing and influencing my projects and myself as an illustrator. As Graeme Sullivan argued (Luqman, 2009), ‘research can be carried out that is robust enough to yield reliable insights that are well grounded

and culturally relevant’, meaning that artist research helps us to better our understanding of what is current and contemporary. I explore practitioners from a range of disciplines, including fine art, illustration, sculpture, photography and ceramics. From this research I can gain inspiration on methods and materials used, different perspectives and compositions of imagery, and the way light and shadow is utalizedhh.

Selection of artists I have looked at: - Paul Cezanne - Marcus Oakley -- Leonardo Paul Cezanne Da Vinci - Matthew Richardson -- George Leonardo Da Vinci- Lucinda Rogers Butler George Butler - Utagawa Hiroshige -- Laura Carlin LauraHaugomat Carlin - Tom - David Doran - JMW Tom Turner Haugomat - William Grill -- Charlotte Mei - Jon Klassen JMW Turner -- Becca Stadlander Charlotte Mei - Owen Gent - Henry Moore - John Piper

- Becca Stadlander

-

Patrick Hruby Matt Adolfsson Henry Mattisse Frida Kahlo Karl Mountford Pierre-Antoine Moelo Julia Sarda Steve Simpson Vincent Van Gogh

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Documentaries To gain inspiration, I enjoy watching documentaries throughout my projects. For this project, I have been able to watch the BBC documentaries Apples, Pears and Paint, The British Art at War series, David Attenborough’s Planet Earth series, and the 2 part documentary about Walt Disney. Despite not always being related to my project, watching these evolve my knowledge and imagery ideas, enabling me to learn new things and enriching my creativity.

METHOD METHODOLOGY

Books, Articles and Journals As with artist research and documentaries, reading around my subject within books, articles and journals broadens my area of knowledge. So far I have explored books about the works of artists, as well as books exploring drawing on location, different ways of drawing, and how to be successful within the career of Illustration.

REFLECTIVE DISCOURSE

Museums, Exhibitions, Books, Documentaries, Lectures, Workshops.

SOUTHAMPTON ART GALLERY THE BRITISH ART SHOW EXHIBITION (10/11/2016) During the ‘Who am I?’ brief, I took a trip to Southampton Art Gallery to visit the British Art Show 8 Exhibition that was taking place.

‘The British Art Show is a touring exhibition taking place every five years that provides a vital overview of the most significant contemporary art produced in the UK.’ (Exhibition guide, 2016). Overall, I didn’t find it very enjoyable, and struggled to enjoy much of the work on show. Despite not enjoying the exhibition as a whole, I did enjoy some select pieces of work, including the work of Yiadom-Boakye, who displayed a selection of canvases of people. I enjoyed the looseness of her paintings, and the character

Jesse Wine Still Life (2015) Glazed Ceramics

Yiadom-Boakye Come Hither Through Heather (2015) Oil on Canvas

this technique gives to the people.

I also found myself asking ‘Who are they?’ and ‘What is the background behind these individuals?’. However, you discover that these paintings are not real people, but drawn from the artists memory and imagination.

As Yiadom-Boakye explained in the small paragraph about her work, ‘I don’t want to fix a particular narrative behind the work, but to instead leave behind a suggestion of one.’

(Yiadon-Boakye, 2016). I was also intrigued by the work of Jesse Wine, and his ceramic wall based work ‘Still life’. Wine’s work often uses replicas or copies of other peoples, but describes the process as a chance to ‘learn something new by adapting someone else’s approach’. For his ‘Still life’ piece, he uses objects depicted in the paintings by the Italian artist Giorgio Morandi, and has incorporated a distinct, contemporary mug to unbalance the image. I really like the approach he has taken here, and found it to be my favourite piece of the exhibition. I enjoy the composition of the image despite being quite central, and the way the mug is out on its own and away from the collection of bottles. It stands out much more with it’s distinct logo, compared to the bland colours of the bottles, signifying the difference between the eras. I also like the colours and the way he has used 36 painted tiles to piece the painting together, and enjoyed how large the image was. The scale had much more of an impact on me, as I was able to see the different marks, textures and uneven surfaces of the tiles.

Benedict Drew Sequencer (2015) Installation

At the exhibition, there was also some installations on show, including the work of Benedict Drew. Drew uses a combination of video, audio and sculptural ele-

ments to ‘reflect on society’s ambivalent relationship with technology’. (British Art Show 8, 2016). I found the installation quite uncomfortable but also fascinating when walking through, with the use of repulsive sounds and imagery.

Drew explores and responds in his pieces to what he calls ‘the horrors of the modern world’, (ibid) which I feel he successfully fulfilled in his work Sequencer.

Whilst here, I also completed some drawings in my sketchbook of some of the work on display, as another source of documentation of my visit to the gallery. A piece of work that I really enjoyed was the work of Pablo Bronstein, and his watercolour and ink drawing of a skyscraper. According to the small paragraph that was next to his work, the image ‘explores the relationship between greenhouses and modernist architecture’. (Bronstein, 2016). I was instantly drawn to the image because of it size, and the intricate detail within the drawing. The way Bronstein explores negative space was really interesting, with three quarters of the image taken up with the shear size of the Skyscraper amongst a backdrop of white, and the remaining section full of delicate detail, greenhouses, trees and a fountain. I also found it interesting that as the skyscraper moves from the bottom of the image into the sky, the colour begins to be added, which balances the image as much of the focal point is at the bottom of the work. As well as Bronstein’s pieces, I found the sculptures of Magali Reus another stand out piece Pablo Bronstein of the Exhibition. These sculpThe Birth of the Skyscraper from tures are ‘derived from the Botanical Architecture. (2015) Ink and Watercolour on paper complex interior mechanisms

of locks’. (Reus, 2016).

When looking at this work, it got me thinking about my own project, and how there are many different and unique ways of exploring the project of Interiors then just within architecture. In terms of the work itself, I found it visually intriguing. The sculptures are made of a combination of metal, stone and Magali Reus (Left to Right) resin, and have embedded Leaves (Aspen Grey, March) 2015 within their layers, numbers, Leaves (Kent Stripes, June) 2015 letters and months that hint at things of emotional importance; birthdays, anniversaries, deadlines and deaths. Reus described his sculptures as ‘metaphor for content just out of reach [...] an invitation to unravel, unpick or decode’. (British art show 8, 2016).

THE GALLERY (ARTS UNIVERSITY BOURNEMOUTH) LUCIENNE DAY: LIVING DESIGN (24/01/2017) During the Strategies of Practice unit, I was able to see the Lucienne Day: Living Design exhibition that was taking place within the gallery at AUB. The exhibition celebrates the centenary of Lucienne’s birth, and explores her designed fabrics, wallpaper and ceramics.

There was also photography of her throughout the years to show ‘the story of her design legacy.’ (Day, 2017). Overall, I really enjoyed exploring the exhibition, and found the work on display fascinating to see, despite textiles not being a particular interest of mine. Whilst looking round, I came across this Tudor Table tea towel. I really enjoyed the characters on the towel, and the repeated use of the floral leaves. I also enjoyed the colour scheme of the towel, which compliments the white sil-

Lucienne Day, Thomas Somerset & Co. Tudor Table tea towel. (1964)

Lucienne Day, Thomas Somerset Jack Sprat tea towel. (1959)

houettes. I was also intrigued by the large wallpaper designs hanging down, and enjoyed the use of a repeated pattern on a variety of different colours. Despite being designed in the 1950s, it feels to be a very contemporary design. I was also drawn to this Jack Sprat tea towel, which was inspired by the nursery rhyme. I love the simple line illustration with the use of three block coloured shapes to add to the aesthetic of the piece of work. I enjoy the playfulness of the image, the humour introduced with the contrast between a tall thin man and a small chubby women, as well as the expression and postures Day has created.

SEA CITY MUSEUM (10/11/2016) To enhance my project, I took a trip to the Sea City Museum in Southampton, to gather more primary research and to enrich my practice. The museum explores the maritime history of Southampton, and its connections with the Titanic and the sea.

VISITING EXHIBITION: PORT OUT, SOUTHAMPTON HOME; THE AGE OF THE OCEAN LINER This visiting exhibition included a range of ship models, posters, photographs and items from the great ocean liners that visited the city, such as menus, souvenirs and furniture. I was really interested in the items from these ships to explore for the Still Life section of my project, because of the history and narrative behind them. The first item I looked at was Royal Mail tableware from the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. I found the intricate detail really beautiful to look at, and tried to capture this within my drawing so that I could potentially incorporate the pattern into other parts of my project. I then went onto draw the Bronze statue of Christopher Columbus, made by the German sculptor Emil Epple. I was intrigued by the history behind the object; the fact that it was initially on board the German ship Columbus before becoming Homeric after she was handed over to British and American shipping companies as part of Germany’s war reparations. I was also fascinated by the collection of past posters that were up advertising the liners. I loved the style of the posters, and its combination of text and image to create an appealing advertisement for customers.

GATEWAY TO THE WORLD This section of the exhibition introduces us to people who have passed through Southampton; Roman traders, Saxon settlers, Huguenot Protestants seeking refuge and Victorian industrialists.

The gallery explores these people through historic artefacts, film and installations. I was again captivated by the items on display, and the stories behind them which make them interesting pieces. In the area, I found a skull of a Barbary Ape, brought by Bernad de Vire, a rich medieval merchant, as well as a Bartman jug; German for ‘bearded man’ because of the distinctive face which appears on every jug. It was very different from the decorative vases I’d been looking at so far, and found these more period pieces to be intriguing to observe and draw.

SOUTHAMPTON’S TITANIC STORY Within this part of the exhibition, the stories of the people associated with the titanic disaster are explored. This includes the crew, victims and survivors as well as the sequence of events from when the ship hit the iceburg, its sinking and the rescue of passengers by the Carpathia. Whilst here I found a detailed carved wooden panel which was at the top of the grand staircase in the ship Olympic, which was similar to one the titanic had.

THE V&A MUSEUM

(15/11/2016)

YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION? RECORDS AND REBELS 1966 - 1970 For a trip with the University, we visited the V&A Museum to see the Records and Rebels Exhibition; an exhibition exploring the ‘era-defining significance and impact of the late 1960s, expressed through some of the greatest music and performances of the 20th century alongside fashion, film, design and political activism’. [V&A, 2016]. The experience was unique and inspiring, and probably not something I would have gone too normally. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found the experience even more compelling because of the use of headphones playing the relevant music of the era that you were exploring or relevant talks. This immersed you into the displays and the history of the 60s. I enjoyed finding out about events during this period which has had an impact on us today, including the space landings and social progression.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS

This was the first time I was able to have a good look around the V&A Museum, and was fascinated by the exhibits on show, including the scale of some of the sculptures. I spent most of my time in the sections of the museum exploring Chinese and Japanese art; detailed pieces of pottery, tapestries and ornaments. It was in this part of the exhibition that I drew the 2 statues of the official and his wife and a statue of one of two standing Daoist Deifies. I also loved the intricate detail of the Japanese porcelain vase, and the signifying features of Japanese culture and art that are displayed in the decoration of the piece. I also drew the bust of Apollonio Massa, a very interesting visual piece to look at, and very different to those I’ve already drawn so far.

RUSSELL COTES MUSEUM (22/11/2016) To gather primary research, photography and observational drawing, we took a trip to the Russell Cotes Museum in Bournemouth to inspire our Mansfield Park projects, as well as to prepare imagery for a Gouache workshop we were to have with Bridie Cheeseman. I found the place really enriching; the interior design of the rooms where each unique and individual with there own character, as well as the different paintings, sculptures, and artefacts that had been in Merton Russell-Cotes collection. The first object I was drawn to was that of a male reading a book. The character of the unknown reader has not come across as well as I had hoped, and feel I could be stronger with my line. The next drawing is the bust of an unknown women.

This is a much stronger image, and i’m really enjoying the use of line to create the suggestion of hair on the figure. I feel the shadow on the face is a bit too strong in places, but I’m happy with how she has turned out. Whilst exploring the museum, I was intrigued by the objects throughout, including a pair of black, simply designed vases and a collection of butterflies and moths. Each butterfly and moth had there own unique patterning on the wings, an aspect I tried to convey within my own drawing.

BBC DOCUMENTARY APPLES, PEARS AND PAINT (14/11/2016) ‘The Story of Still Life is not about looking, it is about seeing ... still life asks us to stop, and consider the world a new.’

This documentary is all about the life and works of Still Life painters, as well as the history behind this genre of painting. The documentary provided a really fascinating insight into this world and the artists who made them, including Caravaggio, Paul Cezanne and Pablo Picasso.

‘Throughout history, artist’s have used still life to help us understand the beauty of nature, and value the material world we have created around us’

Figure 1. Vincent Van Gogh Vincent Van Gogh’s Chair (1888) Oil on Canvas

I was particularly interested in the words of Proffessor Norman Bryson. He described how still life is about the normal everyday objects, ‘everything within arms reach, it’s everything that’s touchable’. He explains a ‘peculiarity’ with most still life paintings, how the world of Still Life seems to stop at the far end of the table, creating all these questions about what is beyond this. He also explores this notion that still life explores the objects that you use so much that you don’t see them anymore; still life painting gets you to look at them again.

‘(Still Life is the) [re]enchantment of the things that are overlooked, that are so taken for granted you don’t see them anymore’.

(Professor Norman Bryson, University of California. 2016.) ‘‘It costs me as much effort to make a good painting of fruit or flowers as of figures’’ (Caravaggio)

Figure 2. Francisco de Zurbaran A Cup of Water and a Rose (1630) Oil on canvas

I was also interested in the history behind this painting by Caravaggio, a very important piece within the Still Life genre, being the first known still life painting of a basket of fruit. It is a painting where the forms he makes are all imperfect, either ravished by worms, bugs or disease. It is a piece of work that explores life and death. As the art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon discussed;

Figure 3. Caravaggio Basket of Fruit (1596) Oil on canvas

It’s a basket of fruit that wants to be something else, it wants to be a painting about life, and death and resurrection, and salvation [...] Caravaggio is a man full of doubt, and that doubt is in [this] painting.

‘‘With an apple I will astonish Paris.’’

(Paul Cezanne) ‘‘He’s [Cezanne] not really painting an apple, what he’s painting is his own way of seeing ...’’

(Andrew Graham-Dixon)

Figure 4. Paul Cezanne Still life with Water Jug (1892) Oil on canvas

LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS GED PALMER: TYPOGRAPHER & LETTERING ARTIST (18/10/2016) The Lecture by the typographer Ged Palmer was a really interesting one for me to go to. I really like typography, and was intrigued by the work he produced, and how he can make words aesthetically pleasing. After the talk, Ged also came to the studio to give us a demonstration on how he creates his work, the technicality behind how the lettering works for the different fonts, and gave us an opportunity to ask him questions about his methods and processes. His talk also inspired me to initially look at typography for the Mansfield Park project.

ANNA STEINBERG: AN ILLUSTRATORS GUIDE TO ACCEPTING A COMMISSION (11/11/2016) During the Friday Lecture programme, Anna Steinburg, a practising illustrator and team member of the Association of Illustrators came to the university to give a talk about the commissioning process and the importance of copyright. Having seen Anna’s talk before when in my 2nd and 3rd year on the BA course, I felt it was still very important to go and listen to again to refresh myself with the important information within it about these factors.

These are some important points that I took from the talk; - EXTENT OF USAGE; When discussing payment for an illustration, you need to take into account the extent of its usage. Where it will be going? How many in a print run? Is it international or home usage?

- KEEP COPYRIGHT; try not to sell the copyright of your work, just allow the commissioners the usage.

Anna also went through a commission form which I have a template for, and gave us some useful books and websites to look at.

- Becoming a successful Illustrator mby Derek Brazell & Jo Davies - The Illustrator Guide to Law & mBusiness - www.aoi.com - www.OACS.org.uk

RISOGRAPH & BOOKBINDING WORKSHOP (14/11/2016) Within the Risograph workshop with Jenni, we learnt how to prepare and create a two colour Risograph print. I also learnt for the first time about the dot effect, which I felt added character to an otherwise flat two colour print. I really enjoyed this, and hope to create more through the project.

For the afternoon, Jenni took us through the process of creating a perfect bound book. Despite knowing how to do this type of binding already, I was happy to follow and create my own using the risograph print I had just made for the cover.

CHARLOTTE MEI: ILLUSTRATOR & CERAMICIST (25/11/2016) I really enjoyed the talk by the illustrator and ceramicist Charlotte Mei. I really like her work, but was particularly intrigued by her little ceramic pieces that she makes, and the way they each have there own character. It was these pieces that she showed us that inspired me to try and use this concept to make my own decorated ceramic work for the Still Life section of the project.

BRIDIE CHEESEMAN: GOUACHE WORKSHOP (29/11/2016) Having never used gouache paint before, I was really happy that we were given the opportunity to have a workshop with the illustrator Bridie Cheeseman. We learnt about the importance of tonal painting, and how the gouache paint works, such as how it is best to apply the paint thickly to the paper, using very little water.

Since this workshop, I have begun to explore this painting method much more within my practice. I decided to explore this method for the Mansfield Park brief, as well as within other sections of the ‘Who am I’ brief.

HAND LETTERING WORKSHOP (01/12/2016) After discovering Ged Palmers process behind creating letter forms, we then had a hand lettering workshop with Jenni, where we learnt about creating our own more illustrative fonts. Despite wanting to learn more about typography, I had still not pursued this further.

However, during Jenni’s workshop we used a variety of materials, and just played with trying to create our own fonts, as well as using references from the internet to practice with. We also learnt about a website were you are able to turn your handwriting into a font to use on Photoshop.

SALVATORE RUBBINO: NARRATIVE (13/01/2017) This lecture from the children’s book illustrator Salvatore Rubbino, focused specifically on narrative and story telling. To begin with, he read and analysed the children’s book, This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. He brought up important features about how a good narrative works, how the text and image need to work together, but the image can suggest other interpretations. ‘... a good story gives us meaning [...] suggestion is a powerful thing.’

ARTIST RESEARCH BECCA STADLANDER Becca is an illustrator ‘inspired by the beauty of everyday objects, the comforts of home, and the lush colors and landscapes of faroff places’. (Stadlander, 2017.) I really enjoy her imagery, but particularly the strength of colour within her work.

This is a feature that I feel I need to consider within my own work, as my colours can often be the same tonally, or quite faded in strength.

Her work is visually very pretty, but I think the varying perspectives and compositions she uses adds to the success of her images.

MATT FORSYTHE I have been a fan of Matt Forsythes work for a while, and love his unusual narrative imagery. I really enjoy the way he combines a selection of materials together, including traditional mediums such as gouache and watercolour as well as digital techniques. This combination of mediums is a aspect I’d like to explore myself, to broaden my image making skills.

MATT ADOLFSSON Matt Adolfsson is a freelance illustrator from Sweden. I really enjoy Matt’s intricate drawings; the way he manages to create a story with the simple use of the same weighted line. Each part of his image is thought about, each object or character has their own specific detail or characteristics that add to the narrative of the illustration. I also find it fascinating that despite how busy the image is, his use of colour is very simple and successful with no real use of gradients.

OWEN DAVEY I really enjoy the work of Owen Davey, and how he creates an effective image with the use of the same colours but different shades.

I like how in this image, he uses 2 focal colours (red and yellow), that draws you to the important parts of the image. I hope to explore this within my own work to see how it could improve my practice further.

PIERRE-ANTOINE MOELO ‘PEAH’

‘Peah’ is a french concept artist living in Montreal, Canada, who works both digitally and traditionally. Being a lover of using sketchbooks to document my drawings, I love that his own books are aesthetically pleasing to look at, and how he utilizes both sides of the page. I enjoy the way space is important, and how he has not gone to the edges of the paper, but has used masking tape to create clean straight lines to leave a border around the image. I also enjoy the way he has applied the watercolour paint thickly to the paper through the build up of layers, adding strength to his vivid choice of colours. In terms of his digital work, I enjoy them just as much as his traditional drawings. I like the texture he includes, as well as the way he is able to explore shadow successfully within his art. These concepts are areas I feel I need to work on within my own practice.

PING ZHU I discovered the illustrator Ping Zhu during Bridie Cheeseman’s gouache workshop. I really enjoy her illustrations, and the way she uses thick brush strokes to create texture within her work. I also enjoy her use of shadow, and the consideration of composition within her paintings. This is an aspect I would like to bring forward to my own practice, as it will push my practice in a positive way to create more dynamic and successful imagery.

DAVID DORAN I discovered the work of David Doran initially from his illustration created for the BAFTA’s 2017 awards. Having then explored his website, I was intrigued by his use of texture, which looks to be the texture of pencil, and how he combines area of this with areas of flat colour, creating depth within the image. I also like the way he uses composition and perspective, to make the viewing of the work more interesting then just looking straight on. These are factors that I again would like to take forward within my own work.

CONTACTS WITH INDUSTRY MY PEERS

One of my biggest contacts is that of my peers, including those from the time I was on the BA Illustration course and those from my MA illustration group now at AUB. My peers offer opportunities for collaboration and collectives. With my MA group, we have already begun fundraising to be able to publish a professional publication to take to D&AD, to allow people within the industry to see the work we produce. As a group, we created work for a Christmas market, and hope to further this with other stalls and fundraising ideas, and carrying on with these after University.

AUB PRINTROOM After completing some work for my project brief, I was asked by the printroom about the possibility of using and framing four of my prints to put on display within the AUB Printroom, as examples to other students of Monprinting and CMYK Screen Printing. There is also the possibility of these prints being used within an exhibition that the Printroom are considering holding. This would be another great opportunity for me, enabling a range of people to see my work.

ILLUSTRATION AND LITERARY FESTIVAL - TALBOT HEATH The MA illustration group were lucky enough to be approached by Alice Stevens (astevens@aub.ac.uk), senior lecturer on the BA Graphic Design course here at AUB, about the interest and possibility of running a stall and workshops over a two day period for The Illustration and Literary Festival at Talbot Heath School. The festival is a celebration of literature and illustration for children and young adults, featuring talks by a range of authors and illustrators. This is a really good opportunity for me and my group to carry on our fundraising and selling our products to the general public, as well as to meet successful people from the industry; including Phillip Pullman, Johnny Meres and Raymond Briggs.

COMPETITIONS I have managed to gain contacts with industries because of the many competitions that are open to enter throughout the year. This includes: - The Folio Society (House of Illustration) - New Blood Awards (D&AD) - The Macmillan Prize

- Creative Conscience

- The Batsford Prize (Cass Art)

- The Prize for Illustration (AOI)

THE SELF

THE SELF PORTRAIT

PORTRAIT

‘WHO

AM I?’ THE SELF / PORTRAIT

This sub project was the one I was initially most worried about, but decided to explore the theme of me being a twin. This is a very important factor in my life, and has become something that has defined who I am amongst people I know.

Because of this, I have decided to use my personal experience, and explore a variety of different mediums and methods to create imagery exploring twin identity and nostalgia.

MONO PRINTING To start with, I had real trouble coming up with an idea to push this part of my project. I struggle to draw people, but wanted to explore the relationship between me and my twin sister, exploring both our similarities and differences. To just begin creating imagery for this section of the project, I found some old professional photographs of my sister and I when we were younger. I really liked the way they show how similar we were, and decided to utilise them by explor-

ing a printing technique that I have never used before; Mono-printing. I really enjoy the marks created by using both a hard pencil, as well as a very soft one to fill in the larger areas of black. You can also see where I have leant on the paper whilst drawing, but enjoy these ‘mistakes’ on the page as it gives the images their own unique mark.

I find the black background on my images are much more successful compared to those without, as it adds to the character of the image, and creates a more dramatic piece compared to those without. I also find the drawing in these images much stronger then the others, and the composition of the image with us facing away from the viewer is much more interesting then when we are facing forward. This is also the case with the separate images of my sister and I that are framed with this black background. I prefer these framed images compared to these whole pages, as being smaller, the detail within is much stronger and successful, and enjoy the negative space to give us a place to breathe. I enjoy the quality of lines in these prints, and the contrast between these and the less controlled background made with a softer pencil. Furtherore, it allows for these unique marks to be seen, adding to the charm of the prints.

RISOGRAPH To try and push my exploration of materials within this section of my project, I looked to create a 4 colour Risograph print of my old photos. To begin, I had to use Photoshop to separate my work into CMYK mode, then split the channels to get the different layers of the image. Overall, I’m really happy with the process, and the effect that the Risograph print has on my image. I find that looking at them, they remind me of the way photographs looked when colour was first introduced into photography; a look that’s quite faded in comparison to what you get today. However, I did question myself and ask what is it that using this method has added to the images compared to the original photograph.

My personal feeling is that it helps convey this sense of nostalgia, with the use of the dot effect. Furthermore, the fact that the prints are imperfect, adds to the autheticity of the images. I also had a misprint with a layer being printed the wrong way over the other, but I really enjoy this abstract look. For me as a twin and thinking about my own experiences, this misprint highlights this feeling of lack of individual

identity, and the view that twins can often feel that they are only seen as a pair, even when apart.

SCREEN PRINTING After completing my 4 colour Risograph prints, I decided to explore CMYK Screen Printing. Its been 2 years since I last made any screen prints, and found myself quite reluctant to do it as I couldn’t remember much of the process of both preparing a screen and printing it. However, this project is all about exploring and experimenting with materials you wouldn’t normally use. Therefore, I made an effort to speak to one of the printroom tutors beforehand, about both the screen printing process, and

how to prepare my images for CMYK print. After this, I felt more reassured, so went ahead with the process to recreate one of my favourite childhood photographs. To begin the progress, I had to use Photoshop to once again, split the channels to get all of the coloured layers of the image. I then had to use the bitmap option to then Halftone the image, and subsequently create all the dots that you can see on the final image. I also had to adjust the angle of the dots on certain layers, so that they all connected with each other instead of just sitting on top of one another. Overall I’m really happy with the way my final print turned out. It once again reminds me of 1970’s photography, which is a fact I really like, and conveys my theme of nostalgia really well. I love the juxtaposition within the image, which is the reason why I chose this photograph, and feel that this screen printing technique is much more successful

compared to the 4 colour Risograph print. However, a problem I did have was with the choice of paper weight. For my prints, I chose to use just normal A3 cartridge paper, but because of the low gsm, when my first layer was printed, the paper stuck to the screen and began to curl. This meant that registration became more difficult as I went through the layers. I also had some problems in my second layer, where the magenta colour came out much too strong because I was using too much pressure to get the colour through the screen. Despite this, the problem seemed to be improved when I reduced the pressure and with the addition of the yellow and black layers, but meant that I’d only managed to get 5 prints that I’m really happy with.

DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION

After completing a digital workshop with JR exploring texture and brushes, I tried to utilize these new skills by creating this illustration exploring twin identity. With people who know my sister and I very well, we are often referred to as the ‘twins’, and not seen as individual people. Therefore within this work, I have depicted these sisters joined together, and not separate individuals to try and highlight this concept. However, I have tried to incorporate some differences, such as the hair and the earrings to show that despite the fact these people look the same, they have their own individual identity. Overall, I’m really happy with how it looks, and the incorporation of texture on the leaves and the face of the individuals. I feel my digital painting skills are improving and hope to utilize this further within my practice.

LANDSCAPE SEASCAPE

‘WHO

AM I?’ LANDSCAPE / SEASCAPE

Within this sub heading, I have begun to explore a variety of different locations, including the New Forest, Marinas, Bournemouth Beach, and more local to me, Lepe and Calshot Beach. The location of where I live is very important in defining who I am, having grown up within the New Forest, but being close to both a Marina, the beach and Southampton city centre. However, Bournemouth is also part of who I am, having been attending University here for the last 4 years. Within these locations, my drawings will not just be exploring the landscape itself, but also looking at it during different weather conditions and at different times of the day to push my exploration of materials and techniques, and to find the most appropriate way to convey and document the atmosphere of the surroundings.

BOURNEMOUTH, LEPE & CALSHOT For my first research trip for the project, I went to Bournemouth Beach to try and capture the seascape. I have looked to explore a variety of methods and materials to try and document the weather conditions, and the impact this has had on the surroundings and the sea. I first began by completing some water-

colour studies to observe and capture my surroundings, then moved on from this to explore further perspective, looking at the view from the end of Bournemouth pier back over to the beach. I feel this study is much more exciting, as I have begun to explore the relationship between the man made things such as the beach huts and buildings, and the natural parts of the landscape; the beach, water and trees. Furthermore, the ocean takes up much of the landscape, making it feel like we are within the sea. I was then faced with the problem of how I was going to try and depict this atmosphere of a cold, grey day. I then created this image on the left, using grey pastel paper and watercolour

pencils. I feel that the use of coloured pencil on the grey paper has worked really well, allowing the colour of the pencils to be much stronger on the page, conveying the dreary conditions of the day. Furthermore, using this coloured paper takes away the white space, and allows the highlight of the white to be much more prominent. Furthering the success of this drawing, I chose to use the same paper for another observational study where I used charcoal as my medium. However, I don’t think this drawing has been as successful. I feel the roughness of the sea has been well depicted, but the use of the wrong type of paper (pastel paper) has created lines on the page making it difficult to have a soft finish, and feel it needs more tonal qualities. After visiting Bournemouth, I decided to visit my more local beaches, Lepe and Calshot. The scenery is very different from Bournemouth, so I have tried to capture this within my drawings. Within my drawings of Bournemouth, you can see the vast size and length of it, where as Calshot and

Lepe are much smaller. Because of the success of my image at Bournremouth exploring the potential of perspective within the studies, I have also tried to look at this again with my trip to Calshot. This time, the viewer is slightly raised over the beach huts, allowing us to look from above over the top of the huts and to the sea. I then explored the use of Acrylic paint to display the staggered layout of the huts, an aspect I enjoy about this painting. However, an issue I realised throughout my work, which was brought up in a few of my tutorials and my critique, was the often lack of strength of colour and line. It was discussed that I can sometimes be quite subdued with the strength of the colour that I use, creating no real definition within my drawings. This can evidently be seen within some of my early work. Therefore, as my project moved on, I have tried to deal with this within my pieces. To gain inspiration, I had a look at the work of J MW

Figure 5. Joseph Mallord William Turner The Burning House of Lords and Commons (1834) Oil on Canvas

Figure 6. Joseph Mallord William Turner The Scarlet Sunset (1830–40) Watercolour and gouache on paper

Turner, and find his sketchbook drawings just as fascinating as his paintings. However, the key factor about his work that captivates me is his use of colour. Within his sketchbooks, he targets the important aspects of what he’s drawing, leaving the rest of the page with only little bits of details to allow a focal point within the image. I also find his paintings very atmospheric, with the exploration of light from natural sources such as the sun and the moon, and the effects this then has

on the landscape he is studying; with dramatic sunsets and moonlighting. I therefore wanted to take the way Turner uses strong colour into my own work. With my watercolour study of Lepe beach, my colour is very subdued and washed. For this reason, I specifically chose to observe the beach huts at Calshot because of there bright colours. I feel that my painting is much stronger then the study of Lepe; the colour is much more vivid and interesting, and like how the image spreads across the whole page of my sketchbook. However, I feel that this could still be pushed even further within my practice; whether this can be achieved more thoroughly with different mediums and approaches.

REDUCTION LINO PRINTING Whilst exploring seascapes within the project, I decided to look at Lino printing, but specifically reduction printing, as this isn’t a method I have managed to try out before. The process of creating this print was not difficult, as I had planned beforehand the colours and step by step process in regards to which areas to have cut out on which layer. However, when placing my second layer (dark blue) I had real trouble with the lines from where I cut the lino out being seen. After talking to the print technician, I realised that the pressure was too much on the press, meaning the ink was spreading instead of just being pressed onto the paper. Because I had saved my best prints until last, I was able to use these once I sorted out the problem, and managed to get a decent amount of good images. I am really pleased with my first attempt as this technique, as well as the registration of the image, which was compromised after I had to get rid of my registration board to reduce the pressure in the press.

HYTHE MARINA After taking primary research at Hythe Marina during the day, I decided to return at night to see the impact that this change of time had on the view of Southampton docks. I really loved the way both the natural and man made light captured elements within the landscape, such as the reflection on the water, and the light and shadows on aspects such as the houses and the boats.

I began initially by creating an A3 watercolour painting with oil pastels to capture what I could see of Southampton Docks from Hythe Marina, to get out of my comfort zone of a sketchbook. However, as well as finding it very difficult drawing large, I found this technique was not successful at achieving what I wanted to depict. Because things were not going to plan, I ended up over working the image too much trying to get rid of the white paper. The paint has merged together in the areas of light, and find the archway effect of the paint

for the sky distracting in a negative way. However, I did enjoy the reflection of the lights in the water, and tried to bring this further in my newer pieces of work.

Because of how unsuccessful I found this piece to be, I then moved on to capturing just the light and shapes on dark blue paper. I enjoyed the more cleaner and solid lines, and felt the image to be much more successful because I had taken away the aspect of having to get rid of the white of the paper. I found this more abstract look to be much more interesting, but felt the blue paper still did not have the impact I wanted to achieve. I therefore continued to create a series of these for the project, but moved on with black paper. Overall, the colour is much better, with the contrast between the background and the coloured pencil much more striking. I feel I have achieved the depiction of being a night scene, the aim of the piece from the start. Having focused solely up to now on the cruise ship, I decided to explore the area of the marina where the boats are tied down. I feel this is my most successful piece. I enjoy the suggestion of things within the image; you can see there is a house and some boats but they are not finished elements. I have tried to only capture what either the man made light or natural sources light up, leaving much of the areas still uncovered and in the dark.

NEW FOREST The New Forest is a very important place in defining who I am. Having grown up here, I felt it important to depict this place within my ‘Who am I?’ brief. Once again, I wanted to convey the surroundings in its truest form, from the dense forest to the vast open lands. After taking a walk around to gather primary research, when in the studio, I decided to begin using another medium to broaden my material usage. Having not used acrylic paint since I left collage over 4 years ago, I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to try it out again. I chose to try and show the vast lands that the New forest occupy, but found the medium to be a lot harder to use then I remembered and expected. Therefore, I find that my first painting is not as successful as I would have hoped. The colours blend in too much and consequently cause the image to feel a muddy. There isn’t the definition between the bushes and the ground, making if fell very flat. I do however like the tree, and the sense the painting gives of wonderment at what is beyond. After this, I decided to persist with Acrylic, but try to capture the denser part of the New Forest, as I felt that

this minimalist image is what caused me the problems to start with. I feel my second painting is already a lot more successful then my first. As well as the fact that I have begun to grasp the material more, the composition is much more interesting. Within these images, I have also explored the aspect of light, and where it was coming from and how this has impacted on the leaves and the bark of the trees. I have also explored the composition of the image further, exploring foreground, middle ground and background. I then moved the image onto Photoshop to look again at the impact that time has on the surroundings, experimenting with changing the colours to make the image look like it is at night, with the moonlight instead of sunlight impacting on the trees. In my next image I have then again explored perspective, looking at the trees instead of across to them. I feel this is also successful because of this aspect, creating an interesting viewpoint.

INANIMATE OBJECTS

THE STILL LIFE

‘WHO

AM I?’ INANIMATE OBJECTS / STILL LIFE

For this part of the brief, I really liked the idea of drawing objects that have a lot of history behind them from a range of countries and eras. Therefore, the work within this part of the project explores the aesthetic of these objects; the patterns and colours, as I explore through different mediums and compositions.

COLLAGE To begin with, I was unsure as how to approach this section of the brief, I decided to begin with observational drawing, as well as exploring collage despite being a method that I personally really struggle with. I began by creating the shape of the pots out of coloured paper, then used my watercolour pencils to add a variety of different patterns onto the vases. I then stuck them onto a page within my sketchbook, and used some of my own cactus plants to draw and to go inside the pots. As an end result, I really enjoyed the decorative vases and the use of mixed media, by feel that I could have been much stronger with my colour for the cactus’. Despite this, it was this drawing that inspired me to explore decorative and aesthetic pieces further within this part of the brief.

GOUACHE For the project, I knew that I wanted to try out gouache paint, to see what results I could get with this medium having never used it before. I tried it out for the first time in a workshop with Bridie Cheeseman, where we explored tonal painting. I really enjoyed using this paint, and much preferred it to Acrylic; including in texture, colour, and how it is applied. The first painting I completed was an observational drawing of an orchid. I have begun to try and look at the layering of the paint, to create texture within the image. Overall, I have mixed feelings with the result of this first painting. For this I used an A4 sketchbook, an aspect I found difficult because of the lack of control I had over the paint, and prefer to work much smaller, as it enables me to work more detailed and controlled. I like that the image explores light and shadow; you can see that the sunlight is coming from the right because of the direction of the shadow, and the reflection of light on the plastic container that the plant sits in. I’m also happy with the background and the way I have managed to add loosely with washes other colours on top, which feel like they belong there on the page. However, I don’t feel that this is the case with regards to the leaves, which needs working into more. Despite this, I really like this approach with the me-

dium, and decided to further this by exploring a variety of vases, ornaments and decorative pieces I had seen from places I had visited, including the V&A museum, Russell Cotes and Kingston Lacy House. The first piece I found was this Dish with a Floral Design; made during the Qing Dynasty and Yongzheng reign period (1723 25). Unlike the Orchid painting, I used a much smaller Moleskine sketchbook, which I much preferred. I found I was able to layer the paint much easier, an aspect I enjoy for the background of the piece, hinting at the fact its sat atop a glass shelf.

I also like that you are still able to see the brush strokes, which adds charm and authenticity. I like the use of the black line to add more focal points to the detail on the dish. Choosing to use this more simply decorated dish has allowed me to get used to using gouache further, and to then move on to more detailed pieces.

The next illustration I created was of a group of Liddled vases (1880-90) by Namikowa Yasuyuki. I loved the intricate details; the Japanese cultural influences that dictate the pattern on the vases. I kept the looseness of the background once again, and incorporated this thin layer of paint to suggest the glass shelf, but this time I added the shadow of the vases to indicate a light source within the image.

I really enjoyed how this turned out, and find it a more interesting image to look at compared to the previous. However, I still feel that I can push the composition of my images further to add more of a dramatic effect, as the image is very cen-

tral and direct. To try and push this aspect of my practice, I created two gouache paintings that explore cropping within the image; one of a turban ornament from the V&A museum, (Bottom right image), and one of a Japanese inspired vase with flowers (top right).

For my painting of a Japanese vase with flowers, I placed the vase to the right of the page with the flowers extending off. Then for this turban ornament, I tried the same concept by looking at half of the object. I feel this works well here, as being quite a detailed piece, it could have been hard to have incorporated everything within this size sketchbook. However, looking at it from this composition, you can see the detail without having to repeat it, making it a much more interesting image.

3D SCULPTURE Before starting the Still Life section, I knew that I wanted to try and make something 3D with sculpey, having last made a character for a narrative within my second year on the BA course. Within these pieces, I was again focusing on the decorative quality of Japanese and Chinese design, which I had encountered on my various trips to museums. I was inspired and intrigued by the tiny pieces of pottery on display, and how that despite there small size, they were still as captivating as the larger pieces. The black vase I made was inspired by one I saw and drew whilst at the Russell Cotes Museum. Using this to help me with the style of the vase, I then used a combination of Chinese decorative designs that I had seen whilst researching on the internet to combine and finish the vase off. This process of inspiration was also the same with the teapot. However, this design was inspired

by Japanese art, and also incorporates a Japanese bird. Overall, I found the process of making these vases enjoyable, but left them in the oven for too long causing the pieces to crack, and the vase also burnt. Despite this, I feel the crack doesn’t effect them as much as I feared, but actually adds to the character of them. I do however wished I had created more, as I really like the way they have turned out.

MONOPRINTING After completing some Mono printing whilst making work for the Self part of my project, I decided to revisit this printing technique for the section exploring Still Life. Using primary imagery taken from visits to the V&A and The Russell Cotes Gallery, I tried to explore further the mark making that I used for my previous drawings, the use of both a hard and soft pencil, as I felt the contrast between the results that these two differing materials produce work well within the imagery. With my first attempt, I used imagery of the bust of Cassandra Sirigatti, the carver Ridolfo Sirigatti’s mother, as well as the sculpture of an unknown male. With my image, I tried to work much larger then I normally do, but find that because this was my first print, there is too much ink in the centre of the page, which meant that the line is not as defined as I hoped. Despite this I was happy with the composition of the image, the size and the detail that went into it. However, I’m not too keen on the use of the two different colours; the brown and the blue, and think It would have looked better aesthetically if I had used different shades of the same colour instead.

For my second attempt I used some imagery of Japanese Noh masks. No is a drama/dance that use these finely carved masks within the performance; ‘informed by Zen principles of restraint, understatement and economy of movement’. (V&A 2016). I find this image is much stronger then my first, because your able to see the whole image without the background being too overpowering. Within this print of the mask, I’m enjoying this use of the line, and how strong it is in the image. I also like the subtle use of shading which adds a 3 dimensional feel to the print. I also think the unique marking on the paper adds to the age of the image, and i’m enjoying the character that is seen within each mask. For my next monoprint, I again used my primary photography from my visit to the V&A Museum. I chose to look at the Bust of Pope Clement XIV made by the Irish Sculptor Christopher Hewetson. Once again, I feel that the line is confident and strong, and the contrast between the soft pencil shading and this definite line marry together well to create a successful print.

I really enjoyed creating this monoprint of a group of Chinese servants from the Ming Dynasty. (1600-44) . I loved the character that developed from this, how each figure is different and unique with their expressions and posture, yet there is this consistency with the hats and the plinth they are stood on. I’m also really happy with the use of the peach paper, as it moves away from this white space.

I then moved on to create these prints of two Buddha’s, one standing and one sitting in the background. As with most of my imagery, I was intrigued by the narrative behind the work, and the conceptual reasoning behind his posture.

‘The Buddha stands with his right hand raised in the gesture of granting freedom from fear. This symbolises divine protection being given to the worshipper. The loctus on which he stands represents purity and that of his teachings.’

(V&A, 2016) Overall, I feel this is not as strong as my previous Monoprints, and I’m unsure whether this purple paper is working either, as I feel it distracts from the print.

Despite this, I used purple paper again for this print of the casts of heads from Sailsbury Cathedral. I really enjoyed the imperfections of the faces, the fact that some cast are missing noses, eyes or even half the face. Once again, I feel these imperfections add to the character of the print, along with the different facial expressions and appearences of the casts. I also find the purple paper works well on this image, but feel it is not as successful as what it would have looked like on either newsprint or this peach paper.

INTERIORS EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

‘WHO

AM I?’ INTERIOR/EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Within this part of the ‘Who am I’ brief, I decided to explore a variety of exteriors and Interiors. I wanted to visually depict and document the contrast between both the contemporary and past exteriors/interiors, as well as ruins such as castles and churches, to explore the history behind them. I decided that I wanted to look at both listed buildings, as well as modern day apartments and buildings to help with my aim. I also wanted to then explore how people interact with these buildings, to illustrate their usage.

SOUTHAMPTON - Exploring Buildings For this part of the sub-project, Interiors/Exterior Architecture, I took a trip over to Southampton to look at the exteriors of buildings within the city. Southampton is full of a variety of both modern apartments, and listed buildings and ruins.

I therefore wanted to use this trip to explore the contrast between both the contemporary and past. One of the first places I wanted to visit was the Tudor Museum. Here I tried to depict the complexity of the woodwork on the outside, as well as trying to depict the complex brick work that surrounds the building.

Within my sketchbook, I tried to capture the variety of colours that I could see, and the way the bricks were placed to fit together. I also used brown paper,

as the white of the building stands out much more compared to if it was on white paper. I also wanted to try something new by getting rid of the white space, so that the building is the main focus. The brown paper also helps to give this feeling of age within the building. However, I’m a bit disappointed with the middle section of the image, as I’ve lost the perspective, but overall I’m happy with the way it looks. However, it was discussed within my critique that the use of brown paper has not worked, therefore took this constructive criticism forward when beginning my other imagery. I also began to look at more contemporary but interesting exteriors, with these coloured pencil drawings of both a restaurant, an abandoned office building, a shop, and a pub. One thing I enjoyed about these was the symmetry within the architecture; the fact that the right side mirrors the left. I also like the way I have utilized the whole page, the way the image spreads across. With this drawing of the restau-

rant, I don’t feel I have been successful in what I was hoping to achieve, and feel that the line quality could be much better. The next drawing is of a shop that was for sale. I was drawn to it by its interesting repetitive pattern that covers the units above the shop. I loved the contrast between this period feature, and the modern bight green paint that covered the front exterior. I enjoy that it’s quite an unusual building that has much character and history. The next coloured pencil drawing of the abandoned office building is the drawing I feel is most successful.

I loved the architectural features, such as the pillars and the designs around the

windows, and again this repetitive aspect to it. The last drawing is that of a pub, The Red Lion. I really enjoyed the woodwork and the aesthetic of it, and feel that these drawings all work together well as a series. I also created this small limited colour illustrations exploring important aspects of the city; West Quay entrance, the ferry terminal, the Sea City Museum and Ocean Village. I really like this use of the same coloured pencils for each drawing, meaning they all work well on the together on the page.

Exploring ruins After this, I then looked to explore the ruins of the city, such as that of Holyrood Church, a church bombed during World War 2. I wanted to try an capture in my studies important and fascinating parts of the building, which still had the burn marks from when it was bombed. I also liked how it looked in onto the anchor which, (as well as the ruins of the church itself), is dedicated as a memorial to the sailors of the Merchant Navy who lost their lives at sea. I chose watercolour paints over other materials such as acrylic or charcoal, as I like the soft colours it produces, giving of a sense of calm and a peaceful atmosphere of this place of remembrance. Within my tutorials, it was discussed that I needed to explore the placement of my image more fully on the page, therefore in my second study, I explored the cropping of my image, using a double page spread of the sketchbook to creating a more interesting image to look at.

It also helps convey a sense of scale and loss, with this large tower structure looking over the debris of what is left of the church.

Furthermore, the colour palate is very limited, using only browns

Figure 7. John Piper Somerset Place, Bath (1942) Graphite, ink and gouache on paper

Figure 8. John Piper Seaton Delaval (1941) Oil on Canvas on Wood

from the war artists, who tried to depict the destruction and devastation that the war caused to the areas they visited. I was inspired John Piper, and many of his paintings and prints of buildings damaged by war. I tried to create my own interpretation of this concept within a very quick drawing I did of a church in Southampton.

I don’t think its a successful drawing at all, but it was a much more quicker and a less controlled study then I am used to doing. I really enjoy the line work, but feel it could be developed a lot more further.

and greys for the church to once again get across the damage caused, as well as to show the age of the ruins. I don’t think that this is the most successful piece, but I’m glad I have begun to think more about the composition of the image. I do think that I could progress this by going larger, and experiment much more with my choice of material. I think I also need to get stronger with my colours, as they are quite subdued.

Whilst exploring the ruins of Holyrood church, I began to think about the impact the bombings of WW2 had on the structure, and how I could go about depicting this more efficiently then I feel I had so far. As I have progressed, I have drawn inspiration

RESOLVING THE PROJECT Having gathered all these drawings from my trip to Southampton, I felt the need to try and resolve this sub brief and come up with something that brings together all these buildings I have explored. I therefore used this opportunity to explore digital illustration, by creating this 2 colour image exploring the different variety of buildings that I found within the city, including older buildings such as the Tudor house, the Bargate and Civic Centre, and combining this with more modern building such as flats and Esso Oil Refinery. However, with the original digital piece, I felt that it was too flat but enjoyed the composition. Therefore using this image, I choose to push this by exploring two colour Risograph printing, using the dot technique to add texture to the image. Overall, I felt this technique achieved what I was hoping to, and adds a handmade quality to the piece.

FOLIO SOCIETY COMPETITION MANSFIELD PARK By Jane Austin I found the book Mansfield Park, very difficult to read. I struggled with the language of the book, as well as trying to following who was who within the story.

I did therefore watch the 2007 film, but once again found it very difficult to watch. In the end I didn’t finish this part of the project, and therefore didn’t submit anything to the competition. I feel disappointed that I didn’t finish to enter, but hope to do try again in the future and submit for other competitions.

COVER DESIGN I thought I would find designing the cover for Mansfield Park very difficult, however, once I got started I found it quite easy to produce a variety of designs. Before discovering that the Folio Society wanted a Gold, Cream and Black coloured illustration, I was exploring typography with mixed results. Before beginning the cover with the requirements from the folio society, I initially had a quick look at the Jane Austin books already published, to see what covers are out at the moment, and how other practitioners went about creating the covers. With my first cover design, I began by using a silhouette of both Fanny Price and Mansfield Park. I really like this use of the silhouettes, and also used Kingston Lacy House as reference for Mansfield park. I felt this design worked well, but thought I could develop it further. Within my second design, Mansfield park is in the larger circle, as being both the name of the book, and the setting of the story, this was the most important aspect for me. I then have two silhouettes of a man and women, which can interpreted as Edmund and Fanny, or as the characters in general, as relationships between them is another crucial part explored within the narrative of the story. I also

chose to have them facing away from each other, as throughout the book, the suppression of Fanny and Edmund’s feelings are explored, as well as the other relationship problems amongst the characters, such as Edmund and Mary, Fanny and Henry, and the affair between the married Maria and Henry. When designing my third cover, I kept the silhouettes in the same place as the second, but decided to increase the amount of roses to cover the whole page. The roses were taken from a section of the book where Mrs Norris was sat in the garden whilst Fanny cut the roses off the bushes exploring her fragility when first arriving at Mansfield Park. Because this was my favourite cover of the three I designed, I then explored ways to try and improve it even further. It was then suggested

by the visiting tutor Richard Allen, to look at using the roses to frame the silhouettes instead of the hard black border. I then got rid of it completely, and found that this worked really well on the house, but not so much on the people. I therefore brought back the border around the silhouettes and found this worked much better. It was also suggested to look at having the character face each other instead of away, but found that the balance of the image is lost with this, and it also goes against the reason why I had them facing away from each other in the first place. I also then looked at changing the border colour to cream, which I found worked well also, as this did not stand out as strongly as when it was black. Because I was undecided as to which one to use, I created a poll for my peers to help me decide which one to use, with the cream border winning 7 - 4.

INTERNAL ILLUSTRATIONS For my first internal illustration, I explored the passage, ‘where all that was solemn and soothing and lovely, appeared in the brilliancy of an unclouded night, and the contrast of the deep shades of the woods’. (Austin, p.112).

After a gouache workshop with Bridie Cheeseman, I used the skills acquired to create the image of the woods outside of the window. I tried to explore how the light of the moon would hit the trees, to get across the different areas of shadowing. The next passage I looked at was ‘...its mild air, brisk soft wind and bright sun, occasionally clouded for a minute [...] the effects of

the shadows pursuing each other, on the ships at Spithead and the islands beyond’. (Austin, p.405). In the end I only managed to finish painting the ships, with the shadow, and had left to finish the sky and the sea. Overall, I was happy with how it was coming along, but felt that there was a lot more that needed to be done to finish the image off.

GROUP TUTORIAL To help with our Mansfield Park Project, we were given the opportunity to discuss where we were up to so far with the winner of Sky’s Landscape Artist of the Year (2016), Richard Allen. Whist critiquing other peoples work, he discussed some really important points that I felt needed to be incorporated within my own work. ‘create something very syncratic and individual, don’t follow what you think is expected [...] you shouldn’t steer your style to conform with consumerism and what you think is expected. A piece of you should be within the image’ (Allen, 2016).

When it came to discussing my own work, at this point I had completed 3 cover designs, one completed internal illustration, and one in progress. When discussing the cover, we talked about the use of the black frame around the silhouettes, and whether this was needed, and if there was an alternative option of framing them such as with the roses themselves. In terms of my internal illustrations, for my first image which explores the paragraph where Fanny and Edmund are stargazing out the window of Mansfield Park, we discussed that the image was successful, but needed to brighten up the background to show the ‘contrast of the deep shades of the woods’ even more then I have managed to do.

T U T O R I AL FORMS

T U T O R I AL FEEDBACK

04/10/16 - Sharon Beeden & Fran Norton Within this first tutorial, I had mainly focused on the interior/ Exterior aspect of the Who Am I? project. So far, my on-site tonal drawings at Kingston Lacy House and on my trip to Southampton were praised. However, the next aspect for me to work on within this section and the others, is to push my practice in terms of composition and cropping of my drawing, to make the images much more interesting to look at. Furthermore, I need to move out of my sketchbook and begin to draw larger, experimenting with more materials, types of paper and format, to see how scale impacts on the way I draw.

25/10/16 - Sharon Beeden For this tutorial, I have managed to produce more drawings for both the landscape section of my project, and the Interior/Exterior segment. Within my Interior/ Exterior section so far, I have taken a trip to Southampton and begun to look at the Exteriors of the buildings, as well as the ruins of Holyrood Church. I have also begun to experiment more with the cropping of my images. To move this section forward, I’ve been told that my drawings of the building are much more contemporary compared to that of my studies of the ruins. Moreover, I’ve been told to stop using watercolour paints and begin to explore some other materials, such as screen printing. In terms of my Landscape/seascape work, this is going well, and we discussed how interesting my more abstract drawing were that captured just the lights that could be seen looking over to Southampton Docks. It was also noted that my locational drawing had much more character then those that I spent more time on working in the studio, therefore I should look to add a time limit to my studio work to try and replicate this. Once again though we discussed working bigger and exploring materials further. I also feel I need to start beginning to look at the other sections of my project, Inanimate Objects/Still life and The Self/Portrait, as well as The Folio Society Competition Brief.

GROUP CRITIQUE 01/11/16 - Lisa Richardson, Fran Norton and Simon Granell I was quite nervous about the critique, not because I didn’t think I had produced enough work, but because I was worried that I had not experimented enough so far in the unit. However, I feel the critique went very well, and had some really valuable feedback about the work I was doing and how to progress it. Within my feedback, I was told that despite some of my choices not working, they could see that I learnt from this, therefore showing my progression. For example, we discussed how the brown paper used with coloured pencil to create my Tudor house was not the right choice, compared to the use of black paper. Furthermore, the tutors really liked my night work where I captured just the light, and commented that the black paper really gets across this feeling. However, it was mentioned that I need to make sure that I leave room around some of my images, and to be aware about cropping them. I was also once again told to experiment with the placement of my drawings on the page, as well as perspective and scale.

07/11/16 - Lisa Richardson For this tutorial, I had not produced much extra since the critique, but had managed to explore some typography for the cover design of Mansfield Park for the Folio Society Competition. During the tutorial, it was discussed that I need to clarify more what I want to communicate within the Landscape/Seascape and Exterior/ Interior architecture section of the project, as well as possible areas of exploration for the Still Life and The Self sections. We discussed how I needed to explore scale within my images more, as well as editing the views of my images, and to make the composition of my images less obvious. In terms of the Folio Society cover, I was recommended to explore a variety of nibs and brushes, and to look at scanning and manipulating what I make. I was also advised to watch the BBC documentary, Apples, Pears and Paint, which was all about Still Life Painting.

SUPPORT TUTOR 07/12/16 - VINCENT LARKIN Within this tutorial, I had produced a lot more work for all 4 of the sub projects within the ‘Who am I’ brief, and created 3 covers and an internal illustration for Mansfield Park. In terms of ‘The Self/Portrait’ part of the project, we discussed how my images of my sister and I explored nostalgia and the twin identity, and spoke about looking at ways that I could resolve this more fully, as the idea is strong and unique. We explore the option of possibly creating a hand bound book of my images, and exploring text within them, but looking to use my original Risograph prints as to not lose the quality of the image. For the Interior/Exterior Architecture part of the project, it was discussed that despite exploring the contrast between contemporary and historic listed buildings, it was unclear as to what I was trying to communicate within the imagery. My tutor really enjoyed my more graphic Risograph print of the different building within Southampton, and talked about creating a graphic representation of people and how they subsequently interact with each of the building in my Risograph image, such as drinking at the pub, or children entering the Tudor museum. In terms of the landscapes/seascape part of the project, my tutor saw my body of work as showcasing my identity through landscape, and agreed that my body of work could be left for now whilst I focused on the other sections.

03/01/17 - Lisa Richardson Within this tutorial, I had been able to make work for all the sections of the ’Who am I’ brief, as well as a finished cover design for Mansfield Park, one finished internal illustration, and one in progress. Because I had mainly focused on the Still Life, The Self and The Folio Society Competition since my last tutorial, we discussed the work I had produced within these sections. For the Still Life section, my paintings and sculpey work of vases inspired by Japanese and Chinese aesthetic were praised, as well as the fact that I was extending my repertoire of image making.

We discussed about taking photographs of the decorative vase and teapot that I made, but explore the use of dramatic lighting and composition. Furthermore, in terms of my Monoprinting, the strength of my line was also praised with my images of the bust and Japanese masks. However, in terms of my section exploring The Self, my concept of exploring twin identity was seen as a strong idea. However, in terms of the CMYK works I have produced so far, we discussed what it is exactly that my Risograph and 4 colour screen prints convey that the original photo does not; which is an aspect I was also questioning myself. Despite this, we talked about how these prints can be the start of a developmental step that can be worked into. We also spoke about the possibility of creating a book exploring this twin identity, and incorporating text that’s relevant. In terms of the Mansfield Park, I expressed how difficult I was finding it, and we agreed that my work for this did not have the same strength as what I have produced for my ‘Who Am I?’ brief.

We therefore decided that if I’d like to, I could leave the Mansfield Park project to just focus on the other, which I was very happy about!

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Figure 1. Vincent Van Gogh’s Chair.

Oil Painting of a Chair. (1888). [online image]. Available from: http://s.hswstatic. com/gif/vincent-van-gogh-paintings-from-the-yellow-house-4.jpg. [Accessed 21st January 2017].

2. A Cup of Water and a Rose.

Oil Painting of a Cup of Water and a Rose. (1630). [online image]. Available from: https://meetingwater.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/francisco_de_zurbarc3a1n_-_cup_of_water_and_a_rose_on_a_silver_plate_-_wga26060.jpg. [Accessed 21st January 2017].

3. Basket of Fruit.

Oil painting of a basket of fruit. (1596). [online image]. Available from: https:// upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Canestra_di_frutta_%28Caravaggio%29.jpg/800px-Canestra_di_frutta_%28Caravaggio%29.jpg. [Accessed 21st January 2017].

4. Still Life with Water Jug. Unfinished Oil painting of plates and fruits on a table. (1892). [online image].

Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/N/N04/N04725_10.jpg.

[Accessed 21st January].

5. The Burning House of Lords and Commons.

Oil painting of the burning of the Houses of Paraliament. (1834). [online image].

Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/T/TW1/TW1258_9.jpg 6.The Scarlet Sunset.

Watercolour painting of sunset over buildings and water. (1830-40). [online image]. Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/D/D24/ D24666_10.jpg. [Accessed 1st November 2016].

7. Somerset Place, Bath.

Painting of WW2 damaged buildings. (1942). [online image]. Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/N/N05/N05720_10.jpg. [Accessed 1st November 2016].

8. Seaton Delaval.

Oil Painting of bomb damaged castle of Seaton Delaval. (1941). [online image].

Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/N/N05/N05748_10.jpg.

[Accessed 1st November 2016].