Catherine Rayner

Whilst looking in Waterstones, to see the people that go and look at the childrens section, different publishers books and childrens book illustrators, i came across Catherine Rayner. I found many realistic book illustrators but Catherines work stood out, as i thought it was quite similar to the way i'm working in my Grad 1 project.  The lines are loose and feel free, also everything isn't photo realistic which i like as it captures some of the characters characteristics, like a little belly.


http://www.catherinerayner.co.uk/

Summer 2010

So i'm going to try and keep this blog up to date as much as i can, as it's easier to just put my thoughts and ideas down quick and upload photos easier than my wix.

Throughout this summer after seeing the Sheffield creative spark show my friend collected the handouts from Liverpool John Moores show for me.  These handouts enabled me to see everyones work without being there, some were included in thr booklet and i think every student had their work on a postcard front and back with a little description, collated together in a pack.  i really liked this idea as you could see and get a feel for each student's work.



I've also been to the Blackpool as my holiday and took hundreds of photos to practice using my camera and settings, also to collect reference incase i need it later.  I really enjoy days out as they are a chance to experience somewhere new and different, taking you out of reality and losing you in the environment. (Especially when most of my summer was at work at Clinton Cards.)

Examples of some photos have taken are in my photography blog:
http://andreamagson-photography.blogspot.com/

Playing with photography

Some photographs i have taken with my nikon camera, have been experimenting more with the camera settings :)

©AndreaMagson Photography

http://andreamagson-photography.blogspot.com/

Blog up to May

30/5/10
Just been to Sheffield for the weekend and popped into the graphics degree show 'Creative Spark'. We went on the saturday to the sheaf building to where graphics was but had to walk all the way round through the main reception, quite annoying. In the room I thought the layout of all the work looked very professional although it was clear that some students put more effort into their section than others, making business cards, laying out items not just using the boards. The work looked good, printed professionally although some needed an explanation as to what the concept was. Felt like there wasn't a great deal of work either like not all the students work was there? But all looked good though gives me an idea as to what next year includes and ideas how to present work.
4/5/10
Handed in today :) just prep to hand in tomorrow :)
May 10
1/5/10
Made my booklet for prep for level 6 today, made the proposal into a book covered in leather to make it look like an old fairy tale book, which i think fits with the content well as the underlying themes i like are fantasy, dreams and magic. I am happy with the end product and feel it is a definite improvement from what i handed in previously.


28/04/10
Had final crit today and displayed my three images for the card designs. There was a suggestion to make card 2 more optimistic by making the horizon line more bright rather than just dark grass at the end of the stepping stones. I changed the painting to include trees and a bright sky on the horizon . I think this works much better than the previous design and also appears more dreamy. Just have to send this card design to be printed now.
 27/04/10
Final designs have been done and getting printed so will look like professional cards. Now to focus on the layout of the portfolio, proposal document and dissertation form.
23/04/10
Have thought deeply about the theme and have decided on wedding but to create 3 general cards that do not focus on man and woman weddings so can be used for civil partnerships too:
The three cards will cover:
1/ animals that mate for life - swans
2/ love /togetherness - hearts, love, flowers, smiles, cupid?
3/ wedding elements- those that are general and not specific to man and woman, eg confetti, tin cans, champagne.
This way they can be used for both weddings and civil partnerships, not being too specific. The theme is narrowed down slightly to 3 concepts within wedding but not too much as they are general themes.
21/04/10
Had a crit about self directed work today, and need to decide on definite theme!! whether it is to be wedding or civil partnership cards as there are not many out there.
19/04/10
Took photos yesterday for self directed of swans, as they mate for life and i thought this could be a good conept for the theme of wedding cards. Also essay hand in!! one less thing to worry about.
16/04/10
Have been focussing on the proposal document this week changing the structure and adding more of my interests into the content. Still reflecting though.
Have also started practical work for the self directed module, i photographed a wedding for a friend on monday the 5th which gave me the chance to try out my photography skills and experiment more. I really enjoyed the experience and have started drawing from the photos i took.

April 10
12/04/10
Today was a crit session about the prep for level 6 proposal documents that were handed in before easter. There is now a new hand in date for a chance to do the proposals again. I need this chance my design was not up to scratch as i put more thought into the content, however after this crit this also needs more work. i need to really deeply reflect about what i like, including my interests linking them all together to find out what i like and want to do.


March 10
The last two modules running along side one another are prep for level 6 and self directed. As well as doing the essay for contextual studies.
Since i haven't wrote on here for a while i'm going to summarise most of the points i have been thinking about.
Self directed:
Tried to think about subjects i like outside of uni and these include: sports, work at clintons, music, tv, films. etc. Then i thought about cards at work and maybe designing own cards for the module. I first came up with male and wedding themes, as my boyfriend plays rugby and could maybe base male cards on the sport of rugby. But after a little crit at uni, the proposal was to design around the theme of wedding as it could include more elements. Focussing on photography and painting as these are the methods i want to develop more.
Prep for level 6:
The first hand in of this module consists of a proposal document of you. Artists and inspiration i like, my work and proposal for next years work deeply reflecting on what i enjoy. Looking at professional bodies, portfolios and where profssional work is reviewed.
Essay:
I have began writing my essay and getting this done and out the way first so i dont forget the things i've learnt. The essay question i have chosen is about the differences between modernism and postmodernism in my discipline. Therefore i have decided to focus on illustration/graphic design focussing particulary on picturebooks and how it has changed over time.


17/2/10
Developed my idea further and have come up with a final design and had it printed out today! :)
12/2/10
Have been working on more 'clock fish' drawings from different references to show at uni, however some are hard to tell which clocks they are meant to be, and maybe hard for the reader to understand. Decided to stick with previous method of working as feel it is unique to me and to try using the clock element within the fish.
10/2/10
The concept have decided to take further is that the fish are against time, they are going to be caught sooner or later most probably sooner. So i first began drawing a fish racing against another fish that was the shape of a pocket watch. Then came my idea of 'clock fish'. After having a little crit at uni i need to take the concept further and leave my net idea behind.

Blog and valentines card

Inspiration for my valentines card (http://andrea-personalwork.blogspot.com/2010/02/cards.html) from an 'a la mode' card (left) at clinton cards and the lecture we had from Rob Ryan (right):






Blog updates on my wix account:


5/2/10
Thought of few concepts for the brief, and discussed them at uni; going to take one further and look at references.
Also been thinking of my valentines card to karl after the Rob Ryan lecture.
3/2/10
Been practising conceptual thinking by doing some exercises at uni, relating two things together. i think this will help me develop my ideas for the brief further.
Feb 10
1/2/10

Just updating my blog, uni work and making a few changes to the website by adding better navigation through the mini pages :)

30/1/10

Have been drawing, making marks with ink as this is the restriction. Like one method have been using with a spatula and ink and have been trying to perfect it, along with the hand drawn type that should marry with the illustration method.
22/1/10

In a new year and getting back into work. This module is the professional practice brief and has the main topic of overfishing, for the illustration specialism we have been asked to illustrate the book the end of the line front, back and spine along with hand drawn type.

I am quite enjoying this brief i bought the book and half read about half and have now seen the film, so have quite a good understanding of the subject. The main points that have stood out to me are the trawlers and the size of the nets they use, also what damage it does to the seabed. After watching the film it made me realise how brutal the fishermen are to the fish and how over half gets chucked back in the sea dead.

Back on Blogger

Thought i'd come back to my blogger account and start again, i'm still keeping up my other accounts but this allows me to upload pictures of items/artwork/anything that i have found and like, from being out and about to browsing on the web and books.

Past blog (NOV 09) Specialism decision

Blog from www.wix.com/amagson/acmdesign

17/12/09

REFLECTIVE SUMMARY

Looking back over the past few weeks I have really enjoyed my illustration and think I have chosen the right path for me.

Looking at inspiration and tips has helped my drawing along with the exercises we have done. 

My action plan is continuous and not just till the end of this module, I have began doing some of the points but I will continue to do more in future.

My main aim was to be drawing everyday and I really enjoy doing this, whenever I see something / someone interesting I want to record it in my sketchbook as I think the drawing can tell more of a story than a photograph can.

15/12/09

We have also been set a conceptual thinking task after developing our drawing skills, this is to create a  'dog exercising machine' using a piece of montage.  At first I found this quite hard , as I think I’m not that strong with conceptual thinking, but kept developing my ideas and came up with Smack-a-snout, thinking back to my childhood and amusements with the bash-a-croc machine.  This piece along with few others from illustration tasks I’ll upload in my 'uni work' section, when completed.

8/12/09

I 've been a few places when drawing these figures now; near the minster, starbucks, winter gardens, pubs, home and others, any chance I got to draw figures interacting.  I feel this has really helped me loosen up, allowing me to focus on the unique elements of each  figure,, which characterises them.

30/11/09

So since I last wrote, I did go down to museum gardens and drew a few of the ruins on site, I enjoyed this drawing on site and now we have been set a 1 week task of reportage drawing of figures. 

25/11/09

Been getting into the whole drawing everyday over the weekend and now, and I love it, just want to sit down and capture everything when I’m walking, for example the Museum Gardens in York; the gardens are amazing along with its historic ruins.  I think I will go down there Friday whilst I’m at home :)

Also been thinking of 3 specific objects that are personal/unique to me, thought of lots, however most of them are at home as I go home quite a lot I only bring things I need at uni house, will pick the up this weekend.

www.zazzle.com/illustration+cards   

http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/

Just looking at illustrators out there and have come across Teresa Flavin, her website is very helpful she has links to all sorts for advice in the illustration industry. (Couple of links:

http://britishscbwi.jimdo.com/   - supporting published and unpublished children's book writers and illustrators

http://thedrawingboardforillustrators.blogspot.com/)

Coleen McIntyre - faerie tales studio.

Have taken few books out of the library to research more into other illustrators(Picture this: the artist as an illustrator, in all directions  Travel and illustration.) Also bought little book on sketching by Alwyn Crawshaw.

19/11/09

Been thinking about SPECIALISM more today think it's going to be illustration but don’t like how people say you should know if you're an illustrator.  I don't but I know I love drawing more than anything and I think this is why I should pick illustration.  There are definitely skills I need to improve but surely this is what it’s about.

Will carry on reflecting and come back to it!  Also very pleased with how created this website from Tuesday :)

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Ok decision time, the specialist route I am going to follow is illustration...  This is basically because of my love of drawing and wanting to develop it further and have a unique style. Drawing is the base of any design so this is another reason why I want to study it further. I also work at Clinton Cards and love seeing the illustrations on the some of the cards that come in, it would be great to have my own range in the shop.

Illustration has been defined to me as drawing, painting, print and photo manipulation.  I believe these are the key aspects of this specialism.  Illustration is everywhere is the world today, from book illustration to those used in adverts, posters, magazines, newspapers even on clothing, it is everywhere.  Agencies are always looking for a unique style for their brands, music artists, books; so why can't it be illustrative. However many agencies and companies source through freelancers and the only way to get work known is to send it out to them, yet some will employ in-house illustrators.

There are some helpful websites to view current illustrators (egg. www.MonkeyFeetIllustration.co.uk) and others that provide work for freelancers and they bid for it.  Have looked into some on Inspiration Artists tab and named a few to research more.

I would define illustration as drawing using more than just a pencil and telling a story, fact, detail, title whatever with a creative image.

Plan of Action:

Research more into illustration, past and present, through books and the internet.

Explore and learn more about print processes.

Create a unique illustrative style.

Learn more about illustrating for specific things such as book, adverts, posters, headlines.

To have more confidence in my work.

To learn more about illustrative type and improve my weakness on type.

Look into agencies and placements that cover illustration.

'To draw like you breathe.'

18/11/09

Putting up content whilst keeping thinking about what to do, trying to reflect on my work from the past year finding out what my strengths and weaknesses are, reflection is with the work.

17/11/09

Looked into specialism areas on my course the lectures were very good and helpful but still a little bit confused as what to do as they all overlap slightly, there's:

Graphic Design - Handmade

Graphic Design - Identity

Illustration

Structural Graphics/packaging

Motion Graphics/interactive

Typography

Advertising
I know I love to draw, paint, etc maybe illustration?

But do like a challenge and learning new software like after effects...motion graphics maybe?

Enjoyed consumer module designing for a specific target audience creating a new brand... Identity?
Hmmm...Such a tough decision!