Issue 1
Inside Illustration at PCA
The Student Experience
Student Feature
Travelling Tutors
PCA Illustration students reflect on what they’ve done, enjoyed and are passionate about.
Graduate Amy Ottley elaborates on the rationale behind her final major project, RUBY.
Lecturers Ben and Caroline discuss their separate journeys to Toronto and Shanghai.
Page 6
Page 30
Page 26
Laud
Laud — Issue 1 Autumn 2019 To get this publication going, staff from BA (Hons) Illustration at Plymouth College of Art asked students to pitch their ideas for a course newspaper. This issue was pitched and created by Sean Morgan, Cecily Goff, Caitlin Angell, Keri Lock, and Jess Holloway while they were in their second year. With art direction, proof-reading, layout, and design input from Sam Rowe, Mel Brown, Ben Wright, Jason Hirons, Bridgette Ashton, and Phil Trenerry.
2
Words by: Amy Ottley, Ben Wright, Bridgette Ashton, Caitlin Angell, Caroline Pedler, Cecily Goff, Charlotte Leadley, Conor Mullin, Fraizer James, Gabe East, Heléna Doré, Jack Viant, Jason Hirons, Jess Holloway, Jordan Wray, Jua O’Kane, Keri Lock, Kezia Lovell, Lottie Woolnough-Rai, Mel Brown, Mole Brown, Pauline Reeves, Phil Trenerry, Sam Rowe, Sean Morgan Pictures by: Amy Ottley, Ben Wright, Bridgette Ashton, Briony Cloke, Caitlin Angell, Cameron Williamson, Cecily Goff, Charlotte Leadley, Conor Mullin, Donatienne Borione, Fraizer James, Gabe East, Heléna Doré, Izzy Hazard, Jack Viant, Jess Holloway, Jordan Wray, Jordan Wray, Jua O’Kane, Julia Roccia, Kelly Walton, Keri Lock, Kezia Lovell, Lottie Woolnough-Rai, Mel Brown, Mole Brown, Pauline Reeves, Sam Rowe, Sean Morgan
Issue 1
This issue: Drink and Draw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tiny Mart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Student Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Student Feature: Charlotte Leadley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Student Feature: Heléna Doré . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Lecturer Spotlight: Bridgette Ashton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Lecturer Research: Sam Rowe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Student Takeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Tate Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Alumni Section Jordan Wray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Lottie Woolnough-Rai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Pauline Reeves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Mole Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Jack Viant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Berlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Lecturers on The Move. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Who created Laud? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Student Feature: Amy Ottley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 The Student Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 That Little Jackdaw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Pylon Press. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Elmer’s Big Parade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 3
“An easy way to get to know new people who love drawing too. It’s totally free and takes place at Boston Tea Party near the sea.”
“A fun, creative get together. Bring your personality, pencils, and pals.”
“We have music, loyalty cards, and poster call outs.”
We run a fresh, casual drawing task each time, aimed at encouraging some welcome, carefree creativity. These can range from cross-breeding animals into vividly horrific chimeras, to making mini comics with prescribed events, to illustrated board games with random themes. 4
Benjamin Wright
Issue 1
Tiny Mart
In 2017 as part of May’s event we hosted our first maker-seller fair: TINY MART. Here we offered tables to students and makers from across the city (and beyond) to sell their wares for one hot afternoon. With a distinctly kitsch supermarket theme, student assistants wore cool uniforms, and where possible the space was redecorated to fit the event. Since then, we’ve hosted more Tiny Marts, which has an easy to use application process and for most of us, has been the first time we’ve sold our illustration work.
Jess Holloway
5
Laud
What PCA illustration students do, enjoy, and are passionate about.
My first year here has been full of so many opportunities and scenarios that I hardly know what to do with myself! There are so many more branches on the proverbial tree of illustration than I ever imagined, and exploring these different techniques during first year has been challenging (but in no way less fun and engaging). There’s so much to do and learn, and this programme has taught me so much
6
more than just illustration. I’ve learnt life skills and time management abilities for just being here! I never truly believed my passion for art could lead me to a respectable career, but even this first year has exposed me to so many possible career paths in the industry. I want to create comics and concept art in my future, and the illustration course has helped in setting me firmly on the right path.
Issue 1
Personally, I have particularly enjoyed creating work using both digital and hand embroidery, and felt very pleased that this has not only been welcomed, but encouraged by the tutors! I have certainly developed my skills in this area throughout the year, as I have worked to include embroidery into some of my projects.
My favourite project of this year was our last brief, where we were able to lay out our own project proposal and parameters. I created a booklet identifying a handful of animals that are being threatened with extinction, and made some make-to-sell artefacts to go alongside this.
Throughout the year, I have learnt a lot about myself and the ways I am most suited to work; which I feel is evident in my final project, where I have been able to work in a consistent style, merging areas of my practice.
My favourite outcomes from my final project have mostly been moving images, and with this increase of interest in producing animated work, I have become more comfortable in, and drawn to working in, a digital context.
7
Laud
Student Feature
Charlotte Leadley charlotteleadley.co.uk
The Tiger In The Trees began as a project for a module about narrative! Loosely based on the children’s rhyme of ‘There was an old woman who swallowed a fly’ I manipulated the story to create my own version. The protagonist is a tiger instead, who stalks three explorers in the forest, doing a lot of eating in the process. After completing the children’s book, our course leader, Mel, suggested that I enter it into the Macmillan Prize for Illustration. I already had the artwork for it, why not? I collated my sketchbook pages, thumbnails and
original drawings to support my book. My submission ended up being highly commended by the judges! In June, I attended the private viewing in London and received the award. It’s amazing to see how far this book has come. I’ve realised how important it is to put your work out there, and enter competitions even when you think your work isn’t good enough. I didn’t consider a career in picture books until this competition, so this has opened up a new path for me. I’m definitely planning to pursue narrative more.
Issue 1
Top: The Tiger in The Trees Left: The Tiger in The Trees Right: ‘Shaketember’ sketchbook Bottom: Self-promo pack
9
Laud
Student Feature
Heléna Doré helenadore.com
Some of my most recent work consists of a palindrome children’s book based around deforestation, and an illustrated book cover for David Attenborough’s 40th anniversary edition of Life on Earth: documenting 40 species discovered or declared extinct since 1979. My design includes 40 different species across the cover and endpapers, 19 of which have been discovered in the last 40 years and named in Sir David’s honour, 20 species that have been declared
10
extinct by the IUCN between 1979-2019, And Sir David himself representing the species of the Homo Sapiens. I enjoy the challenge of creating a cover for a book. Summing up a whole story in just one image provides opportunities for subtle symbols and hidden messages, which enrich the design. It also forces you to think about the relationship between text and image, which doesn’t always come up in the same way in other design briefs.
Issue 1
My Forest (Palindromic book)
Top-left: Life on Earth Book Design Top-right: My Forest original book Bottom-left: Penguin Design Award book cover Bottom-right: Inside My Forest original book
11
Lecturer Spotlight
Bridgette Ashton
Bridgette Ashton’s practice includes sculpture, print, drawing, publications and participatory works, including walks. Her recent work has looked at redundant or overlooked sites, objects and archives. Her scale-models, depictions and proposals engage with the histories and narratives of sites and locations. Last year she was awarded the History Commission from Visual Arts Plymouth and 12
The Box for Plymouth Art Weekender. Her resulting project ‘Worth’s Folly’ commemorated the accidental discovery in 1886 of Plymouth’s Palaeolithic Cattedown Cave. A series of works - including sculpture, billboards and a publication - highlighted links to the Athenaeum, where the cave’s excavated finds were initially displayed, and subsequently partially destroyed, during WW2.
Lecturer Research
Disruption - Sam Rowe Last year I got sucked into a rabbit hole of research, starting with a Medium article called ‘The 50 / 50 Murder’ by Rob Reid. The title comes from a thought experiment on how we measure risk when millions of lives are at stake. The article spoke about a specific time this thought experiment became real: during the test of the first functional nuclear weapon. There was a very small chance the bomb would cause a chain reaction, igniting the atmosphere of the entire
planet and killing every living thing on earth. A miniscule possibility; non-trivial stakes.
few years before the bombs were dropped (unlucky to still have close ties to people affected by it though).
The scientists involved wrote a paper to disprove the ‘ignition theory’ — available, officially declassified, online. I was struck by the contrast between the palpable relief following a successful test (sans-apocalypse) and the unironic deployment of the same weapon, used to intentionally kill hundreds of thousands of people. My grandma was born in Japan and was lucky to have moved to Canada a
On the other side, my grandparents were Jewish. And through reading into the team who developed the bomb I found that many of the people working on it were Jewish physicists who had fled Nazi Germany. I started with this research enthused by the shallow visual potential of a world on fire; and accidentally discovered that, even in my own family, there’s a lot more to it than that.
13
The Assembly is a regular meeting of everyone on the course! During these, we have talks from industry professionals as well as updating each other on what we’re all doing!
Keri - Second Year The Assemblies give us the opportunity for tutors and students from all year groups to gather together. For me, sitting in the first Assembly was special as I realised what a strong sense of community our course has. In addition, it is an efficient way to catch up with the current events such as live briefs, trips, workshops, competitions and so much more. It also allows time for valuable and educational visitor talks.
Getting to know each other Special Guests During Assemblies, we are given talks by industry professionals! From illustrators such as Ed Cheverton, who talked to us about warming up as an illustrator, to Steve Panton, who gave us an in-depth look into the process of commissioning and creating the cover of a book!
Each Assembly is a chance for us to talk to the other years. When we are working hard on our own projects, we can forget that there are other years creating inspiring work! During the assembly we like to hear about the different things each year are currently doing.
Izzy - Second Year For me, The Assemblies were a great way of learning about all the interesting things people were up to, as well as discovering great collaborative projects to be a part of. The Pigs, Bears and Peas collaborative comic (more on the next page!) was just one example. It was also really helpful to hear what visiting speakers had to say about their own work and the advice they had to share about progressing with our own work as individuals.
Laud
own collaborative projects based on A chance for students to run theirval e opportunity to meet new their own unique interests. A uabl a lot of fun! students, learn something new, and have Second year student Julia Roccia put together a botanical drawing workshop where students could draw a selection of flowers and other intricate plants. A refreshing break from the intense deadlines and a chance to draw something that may be different to what you are used to.
16
Julia
Second year student Jua O’Kane initiated a series of clothed life drawing workshops where students could practice drawing a variety of people and outfits. A fun and effective way of learning new skills such as drawing a wide range of faces, gestures and materials.
Jua
First and second year students Jessie Hill and Jess Holloway reimagined one of three fairytales (The Three Little Pigs) and allocated a part of the story to each individual as a single or double page spread that made up a finished zine by the end of the three evening workshop sessions.
Jess
Taking part in our tutor’s workshop ‘Propositions for change’ gave me the chance to experience working to short deadlines to unexpecting prompts and communicating with the public. It was a fantastic learning experience.
Issue 1
’Propositions For Change’ at Tate Modern London was a collaborative exhibition where students and staff were given the opportunity to run their own workshop themed on change.
It was a fantastic opportunity to build our presence within illustration outside of the course. We were able to begin conversations with our audience, and found exposure in our work that we wouldn’t have otherwise.
Tate Exchange was my first big jump into having my work and myself shown in a professional and public exhibit. The knowledge I gained from overcoming challenges and working with all my peers has been so beneficial as an illustrator.
Tate Exchange was valuable to both me and my personal growth as an illustrator. A lot of interaction with strangers being part of my project allowed me to improve my social skills; therefore improving my confidence.
Laud
This section is a deep-dive into the lives and work of some of the alumni of BA Illustration at Plymouth College of Art. We interviewed five graduates of the course (some recent, some not-so
18
recent), asking them about their career paths and aspirations as they moved on from university. If you want to know what it’s like after you leave — this is where you’ll find out.
Issue 1
Jordan Wray Can you describe your style in 3 words? “Cat talker, adventurer, doughnut enthusiast!” What are your favourite ways of working? “I really like working with mixed media, with using good honest pencil crayons you can never go wrong! I also work with elements of digital goodness and I’m in love with the new pencil brushes I’ve recently downloaded in photoshop.” Do you ever have creative blocks? If so, what do you do to get past them? “I have SO many creative blocks on a daily basis, especially when I get clients who give no direction and give me full creative say. To move past this, I do silly things like roll around in the grass, lay face down in the park, or even just take a nap until my creativity decides to come back.” What’s the most difficult or frustrating part of the job? “Now I’m not the one to whine about things but I think the most frustrating part of my job is late payments. It’s ironic how some clients can be REALLY pushy to
meet deadlines and flag projects as ‘priority’ and you bust a gut to finish on time, earlier even just in case of amends but when the time comes around for payment, they can take months to pay up!” What job, project, commission has been the most enjoyable/ rewarding and why? “The most enjoyable and rewarding project I’ve had HAS to be my first ever authored and illustrated book, ‘Rosa Draws’, published by Quarto. I usually illustrate children’s books which is fun but having authored this one, I had full creative say in the style, theme and concept... ’Rosa Draws’ was my baby, my first project that was FULLY mine which led to a national book tour in schools, hospitals and Waterstones, where I did signings, had my
photograph taken, got written about in the press and appeared on the radio numerous times. The hype was just unreal!...I was even invited to an author rooftop event in London, where I drank champagne with Blue Peter and Judith Kerr!“ If you could go back in time, what would you tell yourself when you were a student? “This is a good question! If I could go back in time and tell student Jordan something, it would probably be ‘stop worrying’. I used to worry about what would happen after university, would I ever get a creative job? The answer is YES. There’s always a way. Keep working hard, keep annoying companies for work or advice, portfolio crits and internships but remember to be nice about it and NEVER give in.“ 19
Laud
Lottie Woolnough-Rai
strongly about. They put on lots of events and courses locally such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness and aromatherapy. I’ve been asked to do the cover illustrations for their biannual events booklet and the cover art will also be used for promotional materials such as tote
Can you describe
What’s the most enjoyable
your style in 3 words?
part of the work you do?
“Detailed, line-focused, colourful.”
“When I’m drawing off my own back,
bags, badges and t-shirts. The first issue is being released very soon and I’m already working the second one for them. It’s really exciting.“
seeing people enjoying my work How do you come up
either through something as simple as
What advice do you have for
with new ideas – what’s
an Instagram like or telling me they
new graduates as they enter
your creative process?
like something about it at an art fair.”
the creative industries?
“Brainstorming, gathering quotes, going for a walk amongst nature and taking lots of photos, Pinterest.” What job, project, commission has been the most enjoyable / rewarding and why? “Waitrose Christmas giftwares project. It was enjoyable because I was able to really push my style for a big company for the first time and have my designs on a variety of products such as wrapping paper, greetings cards, crackers, mugs and gift bags. It was rewarding because it was the first time I was able to go see my designs physically being sold in shops and it was one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt.” What do you believe makes a successful illustrator? “Being versatile, a good communicator (especially when working with clients to get the finished product they’re after!) and being enthusiastic about creating.” 20
Any exciting commissions you are currently working on or future projects coming up that you can share with us? “I’m currently working on an ongoing
“Ask your peers and your tutors all of the questions and gain as much knowledge from them as you can while you’re at uni, or even after. Be persistent with applying for jobs or commissions — the worst thing that
project for the Isbourne Centre in
will happen is you’ll get a ‘no’. Get
Cheltenham. The Isbourne is a
your work out there as much as
holistic centre and hub of spiritual
physically possible and try and
development and emotional
network with other artists through
wellbeing which is something I feel
social media or local art events.”
Pauline Reeves Can you describe your style in 3 words? “Quirky, funny, colourful.” What are your favourite ways of working? “With traditional materials - Lino, coloured pencil, charcoal.” What job, project, commission has been the most enjoyable / rewarding and why? “A recent children’s book about powerful women in history because it was quite challenging as it had a lot of text and the illustrations had to be quite detailed but still work with the text in and around the illustrations. It was up to me to decide how it could all work together and make a pleasing layout. This book had some great characters which were fun to bring to life in a humorous way. I also like the idea that girls will read this and learn that they can be strong in many different ways and that women have been strong and intelligent leaders throughout the years.”
What do you believe makes a successful illustrator? “Perseverance. Curiosity to explore art as well as exploring the subject you’re illustrating. A willingness to improve and be open to ideas from others. A thick skin as the feedback you get can sometimes be blunt. Determination to make the art that you love and not to make art that you think is popular or will fit in because it shows in your work when you love what you’re doing.” What can you tell us about your typical working day? “In the morning I check my emails and reply to any that need a reply. I’ll post an image on Instagram if I can. Then I’ll get to work, if I have sketches to do, I sketch on my iPad as it’s easier to start again if I have to! If I’ve finished a coloured image I’ll do all the “creating” first - Lino cutting, coloured pencil, textures etc then I’ll scan it all in to Photoshop and spend the rest of the day layering it all together. I normally listen to an audiobook as I go and try not to get distracted by other emails, txt or social media as this can really eat into work time!”
How do you promote yourself in order to reach out to new clients/audiences, and does social media play a part? “I am represented by Bright so to reach out to new people I take part in their campaigns, for example they recently had a campaign to reach out to the Chinese educational market so I created an illustration about tomb sweeping day (an Asian tradition) which they then sent along with other artists illustrations to potential clients. Bright might also ask for me to create an illustration with a theme that they will then launch on social media or on their blog. I also try to post a lot on Instagram as I’ve learnt from speaking to publishers, other artists and agents that a lot of people will find new illustrators that they’re interested in working with by searching Instagram and looking at who other people follow.” If you could go back in time, what would you tell yourself when you were a student? “You are going to have to work a lot harder than this once you’ve finished your degree!”
21
Laud
Mole Brown Can you describe your style in 3 words? “Charming, colourful, soft.” What are your favourite ways of working? “I am currently producing most of my illustrations on the iPad Pro, with the Procreate app. I love the hand drawn feel it gives and that I can hold it in my hands and draw anywhere.
I also enjoy creating sharper designs using Adobe Illustrator and adding texture in Adobe Photoshop. During my time at LEGO my tools were a Wacom Cintiq, my mouse as well as pencil and paper - depending on the task.“ How do you come up with new ideas – what’s your creative process? “I have a lot of art books, I like to scroll through Instagram and even watching TV or reading a book can get my mind working on an illustration idea. Drawing random shapes on the page can be a pretty good way of starting too, because it always turns into something.”
What job, project, commission has been the most enjoyable / rewarding and why? “LEGO, of course. Because there is a great pride in knowing that the work I was doing was going to make so many children happy. It was also a great place to meet and work with a lot of international designers and taught me a lot about the professional design industry.” What do you believe makes a successful illustrator? “Patience, an openness to learn new things and confidence in what you’re doing.” What’s the most difficult or frustrating part of the job? “Designing for production comes with a lot of guidelines and limitations so it can get frustrating when your design keeps coming back to you for alterations. Keeping calm and professional really helps in these situations.” What advice do you have for new graduates as they enter the creative industries? “Don’t panic if a job offer doesn’t come up straight away, it can take time. But when you find the job you wanted take the opportunity to learn all you can, don’t be afraid of asking questions and be open when sharing your work for feedback. A new job in the design industry can leave you very tired during the first few months, so don’t worry if it seems difficult at first, you will have a lot of new things to learn and get to grips with.”
Issue 1
Jack Viant Can you describe your style in 3 words? “Quirky, colourful and fun.” Do you ever have creative blocks? If so, what do you do to get past them? “ALL THE TIME! I find taking a break is absolutely fine, come away from it all and take stock. But sometimes I like to try and dig deep and force myself to create something, it gets harder if you have a block during client work. Paying the bills and having the knowledge that you are doing what you love is good motivation to crack on!” What job, project, commission has been the most enjoyable / rewarding and why? “I really enjoyed branding for the Squiggly Wiggly Giant Squid. It started as a large installation situated in Royal William Yard and I got to create a character based off of the large squid sculpture. Alongside that, I got to make a whole set of nautical friends for this character and with that, I created a trail around the yard.
Anyone who found my designs could take note in a passport-style document that I had made and upon completion, they’d get a pack of stickers, again designed by me. This was the most enjoyable because it represented everything I’m about, having fun, creating characters and actually watching families engage with my content. It showed me that illustration can and should go beyond an idea on a screen.“ What can you tell us about your typical working day? “It’s not that glamorous, I wake up early-ish, get a coffee on the go and usually read a book or answer emails. I have a day job so go there and continue about my business, inspiring the masses and such. I then get to work on illustration based things when I finish work. It can be quite a fragmented process and sometimes I’ll be doing basic edits and jobs with a touch of music on, and other times I’ll work through till morning on bigger projects.“
What’s the most difficult or frustrating part of the job? “Indecisive clients can really hinder the creative process but so can my own self management. I work on my freelance business from my home studio and at times, I can get so distracted or struggle to start something and I end up getting really frustrated because I may not have achieved everything I wanted to for the day. I’m not always the perfect worker that I aspire to be, but that makes me pretty human, too.” What advice do you have for new graduates as they enter the creative industries? “Be unique, don’t be afraid to try new things and travel to new horizons. But at the same time and in the spirit of being my own devil’s advocate... Don’t be afraid to have a style which is super commercial, don’t worry if you aren’t illustrating what you want to be illustrating straight away, think about where those creative jobs will take you, and who you will be sharing tables with.“
23
Lef
t-C
aitl in
Ang
ell,
Rig
ht -
Ker
i Lo
ck
Gabriel East
There were so many cool things to see! From amazing graffiti across the walls to a shop that looked like a strawberry!
azard
Izzy H
Gabriel East
Donatie
nne Bor
ione
Keri Lock
As well as being an amazing city for culture and art . Berlin was an amazing trip purel y to explore and have fun with all the friends we have made on this course!
Izzy Haz
ard
Donatienne
rd
za
y Izz
Ha
Our sketchbooks were a great way for us to quickly capture the city of Berlin. We then used these sketchbooks as launchpads for future work such as zines and travel journals!
Check out Monster Kabinett if you ever visit Berlin!
gell
Caitlin An
Keri Lock
Borione
Laud
Lecturers
on
Ben Wright “In May I was fortunate enough to exhibit as part of Toronto Comics and Art Fair, selling and promoting my various comics and products. Like all fairs I attend I always intend to produce new work for TCAF I debuted Break In, a short comic about two girls who decide to rescue a Tamagotchi from an abandoned toy store. TCAF itself is incredible. For just a few short days Toronto Reference Library becomes a nexus of independent and creative storytelling. With over 450 talented comic artists,
Jess Holloway
26
writers, publishers (and even indie game designers) from across the world, it is easily the most vibrant and diverse comic show I have ever attended, and something that I’ve been looking forward to for some time. As an independent creator you can only exhibit at TCAF once every two years, which is an excellent way to keep the show fresh from year to year. I’ll definitely be looking to exhibit again in 2021, and would recommend to anyone interested in comics to consider attending themselves should they find the opportunity.”
Issue 1
t he m ov e
Caroline Pedler “Shanghai was an opportunity that arose from an annual trip to Bologna Children’s Book fair. By chance I gave my card to the International Programme Manager of the Chen Bochui literature award who was also running the CICLA Original Illustration Exhibition in Shanghai. She emailed me some months later to ask if I would be part of it. My work was accepted and is now part of the permanent collection of the Boashan Folk Arts Museum in Shanghai. Creatively, going to Shanghai was a real confidence boost for my work and I felt like I was tapping into a new world of picturebook makers from all over the world. Non-profit organisations that celebrated the craft in such a way that not only made me feel proud that I was amongst them all, but also that they were pushing boundaries of storytelling and publishing.
The work that I was making for myself was being accepted and celebrated. Not picked apart or asked to be edited. It was a revelation! Being very focused about the exhibitions I have entered and being accepted into an arena I feel excited about has really boosted my confidence and belief in myself. It’s punctuated and pushed my practice forward and made me realise that I now need to sit at my desk for a prolonged period and create. Without that, there is no point or meaning to any of this. Since then I have been back to Bologna, got myself a publisher and intend to enter a completed self-authored picture book to Nami Concours, in South Korea in 2021, a huge event that celebrates picture book illustration and storytelling from all over the world.” 27
Laud
? d u a L d e t a e r c Who Keri
Medium(s): Digital Art Interests: I really enjoy narrative illustration, whether it be sequential imagery or animation. My interests include nature, fantasy and adventure. I am attracted to bright colours and texture, and enjoy character design. Experience: Plymouth College of Art has allowed me to develop skills I never knew I had. I had a vision of what my art would look like once I improve, but my art has taken a big turn around. I have enjoyed every module we have been challenged with because they have pushed me to my limit. I value how PCA has made me feel truly prepared for what’s to come after I graduate. Aspirations: I can say with confidence that my aspirations are constantly changing as I grow as an artist. But I have learnt that this is okay. What is important is that I continue to illustrate. I will know when I am ready! Keri Lock
Sean Medium(s):
Digital with elements of analogue.
Art Interests: I would say that my biggest interests are things that are messier and seem abstract. I enjoy work that looks like it hasn’t been finished! Experience: Studying illustration at PCA has allowed me to fully expand my view on what illustration is and what it can do. It’s not just drawing a pretty picture, its conveying ideas and feelings through visual means, with so many outcomes and ways of doing so. Aspirations: Coming into PCA I was dead set on children’s picture books. But now I don’t know, there’s so many interesting and different paths I could take with my illustration. All I know is that I’d like to help people with my work, that would be nice wouldn’t it?
28
Sean Morgan
Issue 1
Medium:
Caitlin
Majority coloured pencil
Art Interests: I love any work with an interesting and bold use of colour and a crazy amount of texture! Experience: This course has been a bit of a godsend. Before discovering PCA I had little to no interest in studying at university, with barely any understanding of how perfect illustration would be for me! Second year especially has kept me enthusiastic and inspired by something that I’ve loved for my entire life. I’ve been given enough freedom to explore what I’m passionate about, while still being given enough direction and structure to keep me calm and organised (definitely something I value). Aspirations: I am still somewhat unsure as to exactly what I want to do in the future, but there’s nothing wrong with that! It’s very easy to think you have to specialise but there really is no pressure, I’m just making sure I stay open to new techniques and niches and seeing where it takes me.
Jess
Medium(s):
Caitlin Angell
Digital/Traditional/3D
Art Interests: I love experimenting with materials I don’t feel comfortable using. I love pushing myself, and my limits and like a good drippy looking animal. The uglier the better. Experience: Studying Illustration at PCA has been one of the best experiences of my life. I’ve learnt so so much, from the talented, practicing lecturers, and from my peers alike. I’ve also learnt more about myself, especially how I could begin my journey building a Jess Holloway brand from the ground, exploring what I like visually, and ways I can share that with others. I’ve learnt far more than I could have hoped before I joined. Aspirations: I would love to receive regular commissions alongside authorial work, whereby I’m drawing for myself and selling at fairs and events. I don’t want to stagnate — I want to keep pushing my work in new directions.
Jess Holloway
29
Laud
Student Feature
Amy Ottley
My project is a menstrual subscription box called RUBY, branded and designed by me. The name stems from a girl named Ruby Donaldson who gave me a sanitary pad when at 11 years old I found myself unprepared in a school bathroom, this is the purpose of the box - to stop women being unprepared for their period as all they would need will be delivered to their door, while also being your best friend. However I wanted RUBY to be more than just pads and tampons, therefore I created added extras that make that time of the month a little more bearable. These include proven aids such as vitamins, herbal teas and chocolate, alongside stickers and a period friendly yoga guide.
@ottleyillustration
30
Issue 1
31
Laud
A selection of real-world commissions that PCA Illustration students have had – from PCA! Portraits by Izzy Hazard
I was approached by Mel, head of Illustration, saying that she had been asked by the careers team at PCA for an illustrator to create a mural of the timeline of the college. I discussed with Laura from careers what she wanted before returning with various thumbnails. Once the colour scheme of the chosen and refined design was decided, the commission was signed off.
The Students’ Union called for a student to design the new social space mural — I happened to be that person! This was the biggest commission I’ve had to date, which came with its own challenges in my image making process. Despite the trials, the feedback I received from the Students’ Union was really positive. I think the mural is my most successful piece so far! 32
I was commissioned by London-based design agency TEMPLO and PCA to create a map of Plymouth and a group of eight portraits of alumni to accompany interviews for the new prospectus. Templo were so helpful and quick with replies. There is a real
benefit with phone calls, they are daunting but were a life saver for this, it can be a lot easier to chat than write emails! It was scary but I learnt a lot that will improve my future practice and it really built up my confidence.
The brand team reached out to me asking if I’d be interested in collaborating with them on the new applicant packs. I developed two separate concepts for the team to choose from, of which they chose the space design. Overall it was really fun for me getting to go wild and have creative freedom on a project like this. It was exciting to see it all come together at the end as a complete set.
33
Mel Brown Senior Lecturer
That L ittle Jackdaw ‘The Jackdaw of Rheims’ is the tale of a jackdaw who attends a grand banquet, steals the Cardinal’s precious ring, is cursed for his sins but is eventually absolved and sainted. The poem is part of ‘The Ingoldsby Legends’, written by clergyman Richard Harris Barham and first published in 1837.
‘That Little Jackdaw’ Published by Pylon Press at Plymouth College of Art, 2019
34
Drawn to this tale of theft and redemption, artists, illustrators and composers have adapted the poem ever since and That Little Jackdaw (published by Pylon Press in 2019) is Mel’s own interpretation where the imagery is stripped back, with no reference to the Cardinal, his guests or the lavish display of the banquet. Instead, this is the Jackdaw’s tale, and his alone.
The use of marks, smudges and flourishes threaded throughout the book in one moment simply suggest a place to perch and in another become the violent and excessive curse delivered by the cardinal, thus distilling the narrative right back to its most basic moments. most basic moments.
Through a recent exhibition at Plymouth College of Art, Mel explored her process of working on the project, from first encounters with the poem in the 1980s through to the final building of the Jackdaw’s nest. The exhibition included initial drawings, early drafts of the book and also on display were prints from the Ernest M. Jessop illustrated edition from 1883.
Laud
Floatin gA Camero round n Willi amson
PYLON
PRESS
Pylon Press is a shared framework for students, academics and practitioners who want to investigate authorial avenues and independent publishing within their Illustration practice (a support structure for the transmission of creative energy). By recognising undergraduates as emerging talent, perceptions of the unproven student and the established professional have been broken down in order to cultivate a collegiate alliance of image makers. Since starting the project in 2010 we have published 20 books and various items of ephemera, showcasing them through local and national events and stockists including Counter, Native Makers, Gosh! and B.A.B.E.
Photography: paulmounsey.co.uk
36
We have also submitted selected publications to recognised competitions and awards including Straubs by Kelly Walton, which was shortlisted for the AOI World Illustration Awards in 2013.
Issue 1 Defore station Briony Cloke
BS STRAU on alt Kelly W
Shelter ray W Jordan s) (variou
As well as continuing to champion solo projects we plan to refocus our attention on thematic collaborations with our new book ‘Regeneration’. Publication of this anthology will be followed by a retrospective exhibition. 37
Laud
Elmer’s Big Parade
1.
Elmer’s Big Parade is an arts trail in Plymouth featuring forty sculptures of the character designed by David McKee — all painted by different local artists. Illustration students at Plymouth College of Art submitted designs before 2.
38
the trail started; and four of them were chosen to paint elephants! These photos document the process and outcome of these huge projects. Well done to Cecily Goff, Charlotte Leadley, Donatienne Borione, and Leah Hayler!
3.
Issue 1
4. 5.
6.
7.
9. 8.
10.
1. Charlotte Leadley — finished and in place near the pannier market 2. Donatienne Borione — block colours 3. Cecily Goff — finished and in place on Mount Edgcumbe 4. Cecily Goff — midway workspace 5. Leah Hayler — finished! 6. Cecily Goff — finished! 7. Cecily Goff — being interviewed by St Luke’s Hospice 8. Donatienne Borione — finished! 9. Charlotte Leadley — first coat 10. Cecily Goff — finishing touches
39
Visit for more information: plymouthart.ac.uk
Keep up with PCA Illustration on Instagram @illustrationpca
Laud Issue 1 More to come!
