End of Module Student Evaluation BA (Hons) Illustration Module Code: OUIL502 PPP Name: Siobhan Spencer Student ID: 254696 Please identify where the evidence for each of the learning outcomes is within your submission and how well you feel you have met the learning outcomes. Please also grade yourself in relation to the learning outcomes using terms: poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent (Note - This is so that the team have an understanding of how well you feel you have done. It is not an indication of the actual grade you may receive.) Learning Outcome
Evidenced where? Blog, Visual Journal, Roughs, Final Illustrations, Storyboards, Development Sheets etc. (No more than 75 words)
5A3: Demonstrate an informed understanding of professional context of their practice within the creative industries and cultural environment. (Knowledge & Understanding Research and Critical Awareness)
Documented on blog through investigation and analysis of individual practitioners and visiting lecturers.
5B2: Identify and analyse the challenges and opportunities offered by future developments within individually appropriate areas of creative practice. (Cognitive Skills Problem Analysis, Problem Solving)
Evidenced on blog through my interview with my chosen professional for Creative Report and through my thoughts given on my blog.
Good
5C2: Develop a body of work in response to a defined brief that effectively demonstrates professional working practices in research, planning and communications. (Practical Skills - Visual Quality and Conceptual Development)
Evidence on my blog through documentation of set tasks, generating ideas and expressing my thoughts.
Very good
5D2:Employ a range of appropriate professional communication methods to record and present their own creative practice, concerns and ambitions. (Key Transferable Skills, Organisation, Communication and Evaluation)
Evidenced on blog through regular updates about my ambitions and thoughts surrounding my practice. My creative report and evaluation demonstrate reflection on the industry and my own practice in a professional way.
very good
Your grade Using words: > poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent
Very good
This module has made me consider where my work lies in the context of the illustration industry, as well as in the world. It is sometimes easy to forget that illustration exists and is relevant outside of this degree ‘bubble’ so PPP has been useful in recognising the contexts in which it exists and where my own work could be applied. This year I have begun to produce work that is both personal, informed by my own interests, and takes into account where it might sit in the world. I feel I have had to take responsibility for my own practice, especially during the Responsive module, which required me to respond to set live briefs and manage my own time. It was a struggle sticking to my own deadlines so I need to be more strict on myself in future. In producing work for live briefs, I have had to consider my professionalism when submitting my work. This was evident in my use of digital mock ups and design boards. Producing mock ups helped me imagine my own work in context and consider the suitability of various applications. I also had to consider professionalism when creating Project Reports, using simple graphics and appropriate type to present the development of my projects. The Leeds Comic Fair gave me the opportunity to produce personal work in my own time, which I also thought would sell. Despite the fair itself being unsuccessful, it was valuable in that it made me produce ‘products’ including zines, stickers and postcards, which all felt true to my practice. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in churning out work for various modules so it was useful to take a step back and consider the work that I really want to make, despite there not being a set purpose. This is something I’d like to expand upon, setting myself small briefs to make sure that my practice continues to evolve and to think about my illustrations as something other than flat images. I also had to consider branding myself, producing business cards with my details on, which is something I need to build upon but it was a first step. I used my leftover products to set up an Etsy shop, which has given me a small taste in putting my work out there, selling it, processing orders, and conversing with customers. I’m not sure that Etsy is right for me, it feels a bit too commercial maybe, I don’t think it is my audience in hindsight. Despite being apprehensive at first, I’ve learned the value of collaborating with people from other disciplines, breaking down a brief and deciding upon each of our roles to utilise our skillsets. It was also a lesson in confidence, in showing my work to new people and having belief in myself to present my ideas. In the past, I have tried to resist my process of refining and completing my illustrations using Photoshop, feeling that I should be able to produce finished images by hand. However, this year, I feel I have embraced that this is part of my practice and that a lot of my development takes place digitally and this is fine. I have realised that I don’t need to produce work in the same way that others do, and I should find a process that I am comfortable with and makes use of my skills. For my Creative Report, I contacted several people, including OFFLIFE magazine, Nous Vous, Koyama Press, and Jon Boam but only received answers from Boam. I was particularly interested in the selfpublishing industry and wanted to know about the reasons people choose to be independent, as well as the duties it entails. As everyone was too busy to answer these questions, I chose to contact Jon Boam, one of my favourite illustrators, to ask about the life of a practising illustrator. This was really useful as I received honest, laid-back answers and it helped me understand his process, as well as raising questions about the line between personal and client work. I have realised that a lot of my work is informed by words and I would like to explore this further in level 6, using my own words in my work to produce more personal/heartfelt illustrations. I’d also be interested in expanding upon my experience of producing music and podcast graphics by designing book cover and editorial illustrations, producing my own interpretations of given content and distilling the content down into motifs and symbols.