Self Identity and the Creative Voice

Who am I and What do i do?

When I started my first year on this course I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to end up, what kind of work I'd be doing, what kind of work I'd like to do etc.. I could just draw, and I loved it, I thought "If I can get a job drawing for a living i'll be happy forever". So I joined the course and pursued my dream. Before the course my work was always varied in subject matter, the styles would be different and everything was kind of all over the place and pointing in no real direction. I would simply just draw something if I was ever inspired enough to do so and the outcomes would always be different.
Today I still feel as though I'm not exactly going down any specific route, although I am also kind of purposefully doing that as I'd like to keep my options open and I don't want to put myself into any category before I know exactly where I belong.
At the moment I am using each brief to tackle challenges I have been setting myself, each time trying to learn a new skill that I can add to my arsenal and carry with me into my professional career.
I started by learning to do digital work on photoshop, I started as a complete beginner and within a few months I had discovered a basic way to work digitally that worked for me, although along the way I did produce a lot of work that I am not proud of and really cringe to look at... (fig1, and fig2))

fig1 (terrible)

Fig2

With this piece ^^ I actually did learn quite a lot, it was one of my first ever digital pieces completed on a Wacom Cintiq, I learned how to use the pen tool, I learnt about textures and better'd my understanding of using layers. It was never used for anything academic simply as a learning curve. 

fig3

My digital work improved a lot when I decided to revisit my old drawings for the animals brief and play about with them on photoshop. This is a piece I still like from back then. (fig3)

Fig4

Continued digital practise. (fig4)

I don't think I started to feel any direction until we did the non-narrative brief. Over the summer before it I had taken a sketchbook away to Malaga with me and when ever I wasn't walking around exploring I was sitting down and drawing with a cold beer in the sun. It was brilliant, and a great time for me to relax and just draw for myself, something I hadn't done in a long time! I started to do a few pointillism pieces based around satanic themes and I liked them, (I don't normally ever like my work). 

I had quite a great amount of practise while I was away and began to love the stippling process and the aesthetic that comes with it. So I decided to use my new skill on my next brief. 

Here are a couple of images from the brief that I am happy with, they are hand drawn with a single black ink pen, and then very basically digitally edited with the few simple techniques I know how to do. (fig5, fig6)

fig5

 I added the colour here digitally.

fig6

Cleaned on photoshop, text and grey circle also added digitally. 

It was after doing this brief that i started to find some subtle direction, I did a lot of research into demonology, the occult, myths, satanism, the maccabre and all things dark really. I have always been interested in these themes but now I am well versed in them. Since this my work has often had darker elements to it, themes of mysticism or anything similar.. I enjoy this kind of work, it keeps me motivated and I do not lack in inspiration for these subjects. 

I am not going to tarnish myself with the Dark artist brush as like I said before I want to be as open as possible to all potential work, but it is definitely something I will spend some more time looking into. 

The Message Behind the Concept: Symbolism and Colour in Modern Illustration

How does use of colour influence interpretation of an illustration

The use of colour in an illustration directs us to understand the overall concept. Our eyes will register with the colour of a piece before we notice the details, so understanding how to use colour properly to better communicate your desired outcome is essential. Not many people realise this more than Dan Mumford, It is his use of colour and fine detail that attracts me to his works. Dan doesn't ever seem to use more than 5 colours in his pieces, and sometimes limits himself to only two or 3. In doing this he is setting the theme for his works. For example look below at this image...(fig1) 

For this image dan has decided to only use two colours, red and black. Red of course a colour often associated with blood, fire, used greatly in horror themes because of its dominant and intimidating aspects. Here used as the main colour of the piece, its not hard to see that the image is of gruesome intent, and the hues of blood red exaggerate this concept. The black, here used not only as the main detailer but also used to show depth of field, growing darker towards the bottom where he just so happens to have placed the viewers eye line...It feels as though your looking through the eyes of one of the many rotted heads that lay upon the floor! The question to ask is would this image have the same effect had it not been coloured as it is? If the skies where Blue, the grass was green and we could see everything in full detail, would it still have its sense of impending death? I think not. 

Bibliography

http://www.dan-mumford.com

Illustration as Object: Secondary Non-Narratives

http://www.redtempleprayer.com

Illustration does not simply have to be a flat image, it can be taken into everything. I myself see products as part of my future as an illustrator, I want to sell my work on everything be it clothing or crockery, skateboards to ballet shoes I plan to explore as many sellable angles as possible. 

Here is a site I know of where some of my favourite illustrators sell there work on products. 

http://www.redtempleprayer.com

     

The artists include Kim-Anh Nguyen, a creative and tattoo artist working from the famed Salon Serpent. She creates beautiful pieces of artwork in a traditional tattoo style but adds tropical imagery and colours to give it a new and more interesting look.  Below is some of her work as shown on products. (fig1,fig2)

fig1

fig2

Another artist who's work can be seen on the site is Drew Millward(fig3), another of my favourite artists. I first discovered Drew years ago when browsing a clothing site, He had created a figurine toy(fig4)  in his awesome drawing style and it grabbed my eye straight away, leading to me find out more about him. 

This shows that creating products to sell as well as artwork is a great way to gain noteriety at the very least... Lots of money if your lucky!

Fig3

fig4

Also showcasing her amazing talents on that site is my favourite artist at the moment and one of my favourites of all time, Angelique Houtkamp. Also working from the famed Salon serpent Tattoo shop in Amsterdam, her work has always grabbed my attention and I will make sure I get my hands on some of these plates!(fig5)  She sells book prints and other products and is very good at getting her work out there and receiving a good reception

fig5 

Bibliography

http://www.redtempleprayer.com

http://www.disturbia.co.uk/blog/2013/drew-millward-interview

Targeting the Youth Market 50's-60's

Album Covers Research

I am now looking at and researching albumin covers of the sixties, mainly because the album I am working with was first released in 1966. (even though it was recorded in the 1930's).

Im going to try to find similarities in the album covers, and take note of how they change as time moves forward. 

To start with, I will look at one of the later 60's, but most iconic album covers of all time..

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

Peter Blake, the artist and designer behind the iconic art piece said, " In my mind i was making a piece of art rather than an album cover. It was almost a piece of theatre design." 

That I agree with, it does look like a piece of theatre design..

He went on to say, " I offered the idea that if they had just played a concert in the park, the cover would be a photograph of them with the group who watched the concert.. If we did this using cardboard cutouts, it could be whomever they wanted."

Each Beatle was told to come up with a list of people they most admired. Ringo, being the least pretentious said, " Whoever the others choose is okay with me." 

John Lennons creative mind instantly came up with Adolf Hitler and Gandhi, both were axed, Hitler for obvious reasons and Gandhi because they thought it would lessen their sales in the far east.

George Harrison chose four Indian gurus, and Bob Dylan was an obvious choice as all of the band members worshiped him.

Fred Astaire was Paul's choice, and was chosen to help sell records with his legendary dancing status.

Among many big names, some of the most notable are:

*Sonny Liston (boxer twice defeated by Ali)

*Lewis Carroll (Johns writing hero, based 'I am the Walrus' on Carrol's poem 'The Walrus and the Carpenter')

*Marilyn Monroe

*Oliver and Hardy

*Marlon Brando

*Oscar Wilder

and Albert Einstein 

The most touching tribute however was for former bandmate Stuart Sutcliffe to appear in the shot.

Sutcliffe who John considered his 'best friend' barring Paul, died in 1962 aged just 21 from a head injury and never got to see the success of the band.

The cover was shot by Michael Cooper on March the 30th 1967. In the cover the band members are shown wearing custom made military style outfits made satin. Four wax dummies of the Beatles are shown standing alongside the living members of the band, symbolising the 'old Beatles' sporting mop tops and plane suits. 

The Album cover won the 1967 Grammy award for best album cover, Graphic design.

The Modern Age: The Influence of the Golden Age

The Golden age of illustration Happened between 1880-1920's and was an excellent time for illustration in magazines and books and much more. It came about due to advances in new technologies, granting artists with new, more precise and less expensive ways of reproducing there art and also because the demand for art work for commercial purposes was growing larger, rapidly. 

The golden Age artists of Europe were heavily influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites and by design movements like Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts Movement. Some of the leading artists in Europe at this time were Arthur Rackham (fig2), Kay Nielsen (fig2), Walter Crane (fig3).. In this I will be talking about Arthur Rackham. 

fig1

fig2

fig3

Arthur Rackham was born in September 19 1867 In London. He went to the Lambeth School of Art, and joined the Royal Watercolour Society and the society Nationale des Beaux Arts,  he also became the Master of the Art Workers Guild. He illustrated many amazing books including Alice in wonderland 1907 (fig4), Peter Pam in Kensington Gardens 1906 and The wind in the Willows (his last work). 

fig4

He has won two Gold medals, one in Milan (1906) and one in Barcelona (1911) and now today his works are still much loved, actively sought out and collected. 

It has been said that Rackham is the "leading decorative illustrator of the Edwardian period". 

Rackham's works for the Grimm brothers, Hans Anderson and Poe show him at his best in my opinion, these are his most imaginative works. (fig5)

fig5

Bibliography

http://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI8018571/

http://www.art.co.uk/products/p14499781061-sa-i6747261/walter-crane-swan-rush-and-iris-wallpaper-design.htm?sOrig=CAT&sOrigID=0&dimVals=5000345&ui=5C7FB801196647B8818B58E9746A1CF6

http://rackham.artpassions.net

http://50watts.com/Golden-Age-Illustrator-Kay-Nielsen

http://arthur-rackham-society.org/about_the_artist.html

Material Culture as National Identity

How did Japanese Culture Influence Blade Runner?

In Blade Runner, the Ridley Scott film from 1982, the setting of the film is set in the future (2019) and is a good representation of what people thought the future would be like back then. 

Growing to be one of the worlds most influential films in cinema, Blade runner has inspired countless creatives and will always continue to do so.  Ridley Scott graces our eyes with fantastic uses of concepts, symbology, imagery, lighting and camera effects to create an intense visual world that is totally convincing to the viewer. Here I'd like to discuss the Japanese themes in Blade Runner and how Japanese culture has influenced the film. 

Fig1

It is initially very apparent that the film has been influenced by Japanese culture when we see the first city scape (fig1), thousands of modern high rise buildings towering into the sky covered in neon lights, walls dressed in advertisements with Japanese text (fig2), steam rising from the crowded bustling streets below, very similar to the stereotypical view of the big cities in Japan. 

Fig2

Here we see some very blatant Japanese influence, the streets in Blade Runner are made up of many obviously individual cultures, but the most abundant is the Japanese. There are people dressed in traditional Japanese clothing with very Japanese accessories. Fig3

Fig3

Although the film is set in Los Angeles it is plain to see that the future here is depicted so that Japanese people have grown in mass within the americas and had a huge impact upon the overall culture, scenery and way of life.

Bibliography:
https://stillsfrmfilms.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/blade-runner/