End of Module Student Evaluation BA (Hons) Illustration Module Code: OUIL502 PPP Name: Sophia Watts Student ID: sw255328 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)
Your grade Using words: > poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent
5A3: Demonstrate an informed understanding of professional context of their practice within the creative industries and cultural environment. (Knowledge & Understanding - Research and Critical Awareness)
Researching into the specialist areas within the creative industries and how illustration can be applied, through the study tasks. Also, meeting people from different creative disciplines and walks of life informed me of the diversity and opportunities available to me after graduation.
Very Good
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)
I thought more about defining where my practice sits in the world of illustration, my ideas in regards to this are evident in my blog. The industry research presentation and getting the opportunity to contact professionals, gaining valuable advice is also something that fueled this analysis.
Excellent
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)
External briefs such as the work I did for Independent Leeds shows my development of practical skills, primarily when it comes to digital processes. I also experimented with this medium outside of working on briefs, which helped me to recognise what works best within my practice.
Excellent
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)
Presentations and public speaking helped with the professionalisation of my practice, as well as contacting professionals and networking which made me think more about my communication skills. Also, reflecting on experiences of travel and exhibitions on my blog helped me to evaluate my practice more.
Excellent
Summative Evaluation (See Evaluation Guidance on next page for more information)
You are required to write a 750 word Summative Evaluation of this module. Please type up your Summative Evaluation in the box below. Make a PDF of the document and post the PDF as your final post on your OUIL503 blog. Also, please cut and paste the text from this box into the final page(s) of your OUIL502 Project Report. A main aspect of this module that had a big influence on the way I view my practice as a whole was learning more about the creative industries. At the start of the year I knew about the more general areas of illustration but had not really thought about what a specialism could mean in regards to my own work and choice of briefs throughout the course. Professionalisation and thinking about where I could fit in, in regards to application, helped me to hone in on appropriate techniques and an aesthetic style, which was one of my goals at the start of the year. It was through this, as well as researching into other practitioners that I admire the work of, that inspired me to begin working with a more digital approach. This helped me to produce work a lot more efficiently, images became malleable and I found that I wasn't so precious about adapting things after roughing stages. My process is now a lot more playful as a result and I feel more confident when experimenting with ideas. I also introduced myself to characterisation which is something I had always shied away from beforehand. Having more of an alignment and less of a separation between my own interests and practical work completely changed the way I see my practice, I now feel much more of a personal connection to it. Acknowledging the themes and topics that I like to work with alongside my hobbies, including literature, film and theatre helped me to see things differently. I feel as though I have much more control over what I create and who for, which fuels my inspiration when researching and thinking about different subject matters. I can now take ownership of my work much more easily, and feel that there is a purpose and message behind what I produce because of this. An example of this was when I was approached by Independent Leeds to illustrate an article titled 'The Sound of Silence'. Luckily, they gave me a lot of freedom and there were very little requirements when it came down to the actual imagery. I felt that I could explore the theme of silence in my own way and found the project really creatively fulfilling. Although I haven't had many opportunities to try editorial work this is something I definitely want to do more of in the future. The prospect of researching around different themes is something I enjoy and these type of briefs embody the idea of this. I still struggle with the idea of presenting to a large group of people. However, I do think my skills in this area are improving. This year I had many more opportunities to consider how to approach presentations and I am usually able to talk through the development of my ideas fairly well, even if I get a bit nervous beforehand. Workshops and smaller tasks relating to public speaking have helped me to rationalise the reasons why these skills are important, especially when thinking about the proposition of work to potential clients. Linking to this, the task to contact a professional was also daunting at first as I was convinced that no one would get back to me. Because of this I contacted two people just in case one didn't reply. I was pleasantly surprised by how willing and helpful Rian Hughes and Jon from Handsome Frank Illustration agency were. After completing the process, I feel encouraged to keep asking questions, gain advice and eventually build myself a creative network. Speaking to people already established in the industry gave me a taste of what working in a professional environment could be like and the potential possibilities available to me. In future modules and projects, I will continue to think about the professionalisation of my practice. I feel like I have a much clearer idea of where I want to take my work in regards to the briefs I will tackle as I progress on the course. Next year I want to set more time aside to think about PPP. This would give me more of an opportunity to reflect on the direction of my practice. The practitioners and industries I have learned about also influenced the way I see illustration as a fully adaptable means of communication, whether that's through the portrayal of tone and atmosphere, or the message/feeling conveyed in an image.