Project Report
OUIL603 Extended Practice Molly Fairhurst
Brief One (live) Fuzzy Logic My relationship to this body of work has been increasingly tentative and detached over the last three years. Not through fault of client, but within personal changes of direction in regards to style, tone of voice and media. Whilst some pieces could be argued to fit within my portfolio (Alevels poster, rebrand 2016) my current disregard for working digitally pushes this further away. The collaboration with this client has since ended.
Brief Two (live) Flamenco Sketches A quick turnaround brief, with focus on fun and humour (the client is a comedy night in London). With the hindsight of my work for Fuzzy Logic, I made a conscious effort to do something that felt more in keeping with my own visual language. At this point I was starting to engage with forms and movement, but this image was not realised enough in that to appear so confident as some later images.. However, at this point I was beginning to use paint and gouache in a similar way to how I do now, and am glad to say that it was well received by the client. This project was a step forward to me creating commercial work that felt more like my own.
Brief Three (live/competition) The Prize For Illustration 2017, Sounds Of The City AOI + London Transport Museum Continuing my use of pencil and digital colour, which proves itself a quick but effective way to work whilst retaining an *analogue charm*. At this point I was also beginning to engage with less realistic figures and forms (see: big hands), and overall, conveys the busy city scene. Composition was a struggle with this one, due to inadequate planning. I had hoped that after drawing each figure individually they would easily slot together digitally. They did not, which lead to the awkward text filling space not a bad beginning to lettering, but heavily leans on the image’s right side leaving it unbalanced.
Brief Four (selfinitiated) Editorial Illustration The intention with this selfinitiated brief was to complete an editorial illustration every week, based on existing articles. These would be ideal for a portfolio concerned with tackling this sort of commercial brief. Quickly, the turnaround was not so frequent, and it did not make sense to rush pieces for the sake of proving something, when they would inevitably be lacking. The decision was made to spend time on work, and gradually move faster. As suggested by Gerry Brakus on her visit and looking at my work for her brief, it was said that I am suited to the types of editorial I had already been tackling emotional, creative writing pieces. But this doesn’t need to mean that it has to be boring, or sad either…
Brief Five (selfinitiated) Zine for Thoughtbubble A collection of short comics produced for Thoughtbubble. A successful seller, and a new way of working for me. Comics are not a main focus, but I enjoy sharing narrative in this way. Using words, particularly, is something that could be considered in the rest of my work. Visually, this relaxed style is something that continued to crop up, but overall is something that feels more personal, and thus suited to these strips.
Brief Six (live) Forge Art Magazine: “Relief” Submission to Forge Art Magazine’s early 2017 issue. The client was happy for me to take the theme as I wanted, as it would be essentially a showcase of myself. At this point I was beginning to become more interested in movement and figures, and am still pleased with the idea. I remain a little concerned about its construction, the busy background, the unnatural awkward digital collaging and would consider a more complex composition with the figures placed in an environment rather than a blank space.
Brief Seven (live) MK PRESS
Risograph design for fundraiser Simple image based on quick turnaround and free theme. Looking back to my work for Thoughtbubble I once again considered a more traditional approach to narrative and sequential image making. Whilst some panels offer interesting composition and use of light, together there isn’t a balance to make the image also fit as a whole, which is problematic as a decorative print. The use of tones is messy but lacks the lofi charm.
Brief Eight (live) Green Gardens Album artwork
Simple response to client’s request for an image of foliage and a tiger. I think this reflects well on the soft, gentle nature of the music, and is the first time I was so satisfied with a paid brief. It fit the music, the client was happy and it still felt like my voice (media, style, charm of the animal).
Brief Nine (live/ competition) Stratford Literary Festival Anthology cover
Another quick turnaround (a day this time). Whilst I see value in the image (that could have been edited better) I disregard the design of the layout as a poor homage to Penguin classics (but mostly an accident, from a design brain that isn’t aware enough to do more than this simplicity).
Brief Ten (live/ competition) Penguin Student Design Award 2017 As addressed on the blog the three books had varying outcomes. It has been a step towards achieving a portfolio which could be taken on by publishers, but in thinking of design, and being aware of a client so much, I started to lose my own energy.
Brief Eleven (live) Out Of Order
Design for print exhibition At the beginning of this project I had hoped to achieve something with atmosphere, something quiet and gentle. But upon not finding any energy for that, or a composition appropriate to decorative uses, I went silly. This image was a real turning point in my approach to drawing figures and forms. I haven’t pinpointed why this way of drawing is important to me, but at this point it is natural, and thus key to my visual signature. The print sold outside of the show.
Brief Twelve (live) Shortbox: Kick Don’t Twist 20 page floppy zine of paintings
A point in which I was able to really communicate my own visual voice and interests, mostly selfdirected and encouraged by the publisher. Though there are a few paintings I did not care for so much and mostly included because of time, there will always be a ranking of images and some will always be less than others. Here I begin to consider form in a more extreme but palatable way, but also how it can engage in an environment.
Brief Thirteen (selfinitiated) Promotional Print Risograph
A print designed to promote my own practice to art directors, clients, agencies etc, but also sell in my online shop. The print was designed to appeal to a large array of audiences marking me as a competent image maker applicable to many forms but also be decorative to hang on a wall, as prints do. I’d like to think that the fun and charm of this are not too ridiculous to be regarded completely unsuited to say, an editorial context. The caption, and the subject matter, was picked to hopefully intrigue someone to look further into my practice.
Brief Fourteen (live/ competition) The Carmelite Prize 2017 Illustrating children’s story text, Free Range Freddy. A brief where I realised I could really tune into my fun, wilder image making whilst also being appropriate to an audience. It received many comments on how unique it was, and I can only hope that is a positive. But I do wonder if it is truly suited to a commercial context.
The Instinct
The Trees
The Children •Born •In Wonder •In Conflict
The Witch and The Wizard