The Illustrated Self

The Illustrated Self

PRODUCE TEN ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT MYSELF AND MY FIRST YEAR AT UNIVERSITY/IN LEEDS/STUDYING ILLUSTRATION ETC. CAN BE ANY FORMAT.

I think I want to produce either a 10 page zine or 10 GIFs - as these processes within visual narratives and visual communication were by far my favourite and the format my work will benefit from.

Research more into zines

A few books taken out of the library about zine culture and the importance of it. I know I have little time to make 10 illustrations, so research isn't key - but these books have so many images to be inspired by - these and a reflection of my journey through first year will be all I need.

Some different forms of zine aesthetics that I dig and may emulate.

The beauty of making a 10 page zine too is how easy it will be to just knock off a large number.

One of the main things about zines is that so many of them are used to just totally kick back at something in the world, whether thats like Christmas and mass consumerism, how fucking stupid videos of cats are on the internet or first year on an illustration course. Throughout this year I think my main journey has been tackling my position within university and knowing that one day I'll probably have to conform to try and make money and totally calm down - so I want my 10 pieces to reflect this - through image and through format.

10 illustrations / 10 rules and statements

Because I did my 10 rules/statements with I kind of throw-away attitude - it has been hard to base illustrations around them. Therefore, I have re done my '10s' to become more meaningful and in return create more meaningful artworks.

In conversation with Fred : don't overthink this brief. Just re-do 10 statements and you'll be able to make artwork from there. "The best things you make come from when you just do".

I have re-evaluated my 10 statements and feel as though I know exactly how to make an effective 'narrative'. Doing this has also caused me to totally re-do my presentation and make it so much better.

Process is important

The process I want to push within PPP is photography and drawing - setting up my own events and sequencing them to make a 'story'.

                               

Process undergone: photograph taken - bitmapped on photoshop - printed on shit paper - draw over - scanned back in - editted on photoshop - text added

Taking photography and completely bastardising it through a drawing process.

Scanned back into photoshop and edited with 'multiply' and 'soft light'

Final images

REPRESENTING MY INITIAL FEELINGS TOWARD
DRAWING AND MY DRAWING ABILITIES. HOW I
FELT OUT OF MY DEPTH AND IN DISBELIEF I WAS
ACCEPTED ONTO AN ILLUSTRATION COURSE 

REASSURING - BUILDING CONFIDENCE
AS AN ILLUSTRATOR, IN THE VISUALS
I AM MAKING ESPECIALLY THROUGH-
OUT MODULES 

BATTLING WITH WHAT KIND OF
ILLUSTRATION I WANT TO ASSOCIATE
MYSELF WITH. APPRECIATING 'TRENDY'
ILLUSTRATION AND WHY IT IS TRENDY
BUT FLIPPING IT THE BIRD 

ACCEPTING A NEW LIFESTYLE. DITCHING
BAD HABITS AND LEARNING TO BE HAPPY
ON MY OWN

KEEP KICKING BACK AGAINST TRENDS
AND SOCIETY - ITS WHAT I DO BEST

ILLUSTRATION AND THE COURSE
IS IMPORTANT TO ME RIGHT NOW

BUT IF I DONT SUCCEED IT IS NOT
THE BE ALL AND END ALL

KEEP LETTING MY IDEAS FEED MY PRACTICE
BECAUSE I HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND FROM MY IDEAS
AND OPINIONS I CAN MAKE SOME INNOVATING
ILLUSTRATIONS

        Original collage                                                                  Bitmapped collage

BEGINNING PAGE

A tortoise and an aardvark represent myself at the beginning of the year and me now at the end - the hunted is now the hunter, kind of thing.

END INNER PAGE

Zine

I chose the title 'shit zine number 1' because thats all it is really - a shit zine, abstractly talking about the important shit that has happened and that I have realised throughout Level 4.

This zine definitely takes on the form of a 'non-sequential narrative' - I have tried in some cases to make some of the text sound like it is a sentence.

However this is a totally personal abstract zine - the quality I have submitted is a little shoddy, but I plan to use the digital print room closer to the end of year show and print the images on a better stock, making my zine the best it can be.