Gemma Aylward
Year 2 Illustration BA2b: Collaboration Project Summary This collaboration unit has definitely highlighted my strengths at using a digital platform for editing skills across both collaborations and in Interchange. I was also surprised to see that when working in a collaboration, both for illustration and with fine art, I had a motivated and managing approach to the groups. This unit has also been important to my practice and I have begun to think more seriously about the prospects I want to take my illustrative career in. The interchange experience was noteworthy because I discovered new skills unbeknown to me. I had never used AVA before and it’s something I want to develop further as I had only been taught the basics of how to use the software. Being a digital-aware illustrator, I believe I’d be able to adapt to this software and be able to use it in my digital artwork for creating flat, 2-D work. I had tried converting my patterns from the session onto an old sketch and thought it was a very convenient way to save time of designing patterns for character layouts or maybe even inputting textures for backgrounds. Another thing I was pleased about with using this software, was the ability to create a fluidity between each repetition which I thought could only be done by careful planning, but this software made it so easy to perform. I can definitely see this software being a time-saver for myself in future projects. I’ve been finding my drawings recently to be inexpressive and boring to look at. The perspective drawing session has giving me insight as to why my work is this way. Seeing Will Teather’s dynamic paintings and the taught session focusing on horizon lines and fish-eye effects, I found out how to make more interesting drawings by playing with angles and perspectives. I thought it was most intriguing when learning to draw what I may perceive to be straight, as a curve and thought that this improved the impact of my drawing more expressively so simply. It really inspired me to just find something to draw something that appears flat to me and really make it dynamic through the lens of my pencil. I’m hoping to make sure that when I draw in the future, I always take this thought process with me to create more vibrant and exciting images. The fine art collaboration of the unit was probably more intense than the others due to the short time schedule we had available and collaborating with people I didn’t know who had a different discipline of art. The fine artists had a major influence on the concept of our work whilst I feel us illustrators were more concerned with the design aspects. My most valuable contribution to the group I felt was my digital skills with Photoshop and InDesign when it came to designing the publication to print of everyone’s work, as my earlier work wasn’t used for our final display, due to it swaying away from our original concept. Although I enjoyed the group I was a part of, I felt uninspired by our final outcome. I found it fairly flat and static against the wall when compared to the rest of the project space when other groups had 3D elements incorporated. The insight of this project of collaboration with people from a different discipline has taught me that I need to be adaptable with other people’s way of working whilst still contributing my own to gain a balance. The Illustration Festival project offered a variety of methods of working. As a group we were always commenting and sharing research and ideas, but we did have difficulties in having everyone present at every session we planned in the studio, which is to be expected with a project spread across a long period of time. I learnt new 3D skills by using foam board to create a ‘3-D version of our publication’. I thought these worked rather well as a translation from our book to the table, inspired by fellow group-mate Peter and his desire to create models. I don’t think I would had taken this approach which the inspiration from a peer which is the beautiful thing about collaboration. My digital skills became a big contribution to the group again alike in the fine art collaboration. I feel very more confident with my digital skills coming out of this unit now that it’s had continued acceptance from fellow peers. A very important aspect I have learnt from this unit is the direction I want to take my career. It’s the first big step I’ve taken in considering what I want to do after university. Whilst working on both my Pecha Kucha and the proposal itself, I’ve been seriously reflecting what I want to do, who for and why. Looking back at work, I see myself as an illustrator for children which I try to make to be playful and interactive yet I’ve never done the necessary research to do so. This opportunity for my Research Report is just what I need before I finish University. I’ve had a little difficulty searching the right sources, but I’m now feeling confident I’m on the right track to finding out the essential information I need to discover in order to make my work both interactive and beneficial to children in the future. Looking at journals and articles, which I’ve never used appropriately before, is a different method of research for me, but it’s being effective because it has allowed me to discover other sources valuable to me also. Overall this unit has taught me both the benefits of collaborating in a group and also the difficulties co-operating in one. I feel that these are good life lessons though as I believe in the art environment, collaboration is always vital and being aware how to perform in one is likewise. For example, if I took a book illustrating career path, I’d have to collaborate with authors of books, and understand the world they’re trying to create, as well as the publishers who need correct files and formatting for printing. Understanding this concept is so important I believe for when starting my career in the art industry, and I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to experience this throughout second year, primarily as a focal point this unit.
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