1. Which practical skills and methodologies have you developed within this module and how effectively do you think you are employing them within your own practice?
• Rough sketches have been an important part of the projects within visual skills. I think that I have used them to not only put down any initial ideas, but have used them to think about how I could develop an idea further. It has also been useful for me to see that a rough sketch doesn't have to look like a finished piece of work, and that it doesn't dictate the quality of your finished piece.
2. Which principles/theories of image making have you found most valuable during this module and how effectively do you think you are employing these within your own practice?
• A principle that has been mentioned during this module that I agree with strongly is that good 'image making' isn't enough - design is equally as important. This mainly came through in the final book jacket brief. I believe that bad design (composition, colour choices, typeface..) can drag an originally good piece of illustration down. It was good to hear that successful illustration comes from more than making a nice picture - and that concept, communication, and design are huge factors too!
• I'm interested in design, however this module has made me want to continue bringing design into my work. I would love to create intelligent illustration that can make an audience think and feel, design can even make an image interactive in some ways.
3. What strengths can you identify within your submission and how have you capitalised on these?
• I think that one of my strengths during this module has been my research and idea generation. Whether it is researching a topic more broadly, gathering bits of information, looking at relevant illustrator's/artist's work, or brainstorming multiple concepts, to me it all helps to create an idea that is stronger, well-informed, and more considered.
• Another strength I feel I have shown throughout visual skills is how I experiment and develop my ideas by trying different approaches. Whether this is in terms of the materials I use, layouts, or how I consider more than one idea, I try and see how multiple things could work instead of just settling on the easiest, or the first outcome.
4. What areas for further development can you identify within your submission and how will you address these in the future?
• During visual skills I have always felt that my final pieces of work have fallen short somehow. This could be due to difficulties faced during final production, technical errors (e.g. measurements, mistakes with a material, etc..). I can address these issues by allowing slightly more time for the production stage of a project, and by taking my time (especially with work that is heavily practical - like the book jacket brief).
• Another way in which I can solve this in future projects is by being more forward in asking for peer feedback and opinions. I sometimes fail to stop and ask for help from those around me, but by asking they could pick up on something I have missed. Getting pointers from others is really valuable as you can get a range of views different from your own, and so I will have to feel more comfortable in doing this.
5. In what way has this module introduced you to the Ba (Hons) Illustration programme?
• This module has definitely introduced me to the pace of the work and the quick turn-around of brief-led projects. Having produced work for 3 structured briefs, I have got into the swing of how I approach a brief and respond to it. In some ways it has helped me develop a 'process' for this type of work and how much time I allocate to different stages; researching, initial ideas, development, and so on.
• Visual skills has also allowed me to get used to blogging and documenting my work. With the 'work process' I mentioned above, I feel that blogging these steps helps me to order my work and reflect on what I have done and consequentially, what needs to be done next. I think I have found blogging to be surprisingly straight forward and something that I do on time which is a positive as it is a requirement throughout the illustration programme.
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