Website Research

In the New Year we will be asked to design and produce our own website. Researching this area for ideas of layout and functionality has been an important factor in terms of what works both aesthetically and professionally.  It is clear to see that some designer’s websites don’t accurately represents their work and the sites can be difficult to search through. After scrolling through many professional practitioners of illustrators, surface designers and photographers it became apparent that a website says a lot about the artists work and productivity. This forms an immediate impact on the viewer and it is important to capture their attention instantly. Some layouts were complex and as a viewer I became bored navigating my way around their sites even when their work was impressive.  Some had gimmicky features but after a the talk we had by[ art director Charles Hively in N.Y] who stated that art directors don’t have time to play and mess around with sites. ‘They want to be instantly interested and only have time to view a selection of good images’. I have taken his advice on board while viewing websites of interest. Here are two examples that I believe work for and against a well designed website.

My first example is Sara Fanelli [illustrator and surface designer].  Her website opened with some of her recognisable hand drawn illustrations and you knew instantly that this was her work represented by her distinctive style.  I thought this had a professional style and I would like to incorporate a personal element into my own design.  The page also incorporated found paper imagery that was used as backdrops to her work and gallery selection menu. I viewed her online portfolio and found a collection of work to click through but when opting to enlarge the image, I found this looked a little underdeveloped compared to the effort put into the rest of the layout. All it produced was a slightly bigger image in the corner of the screen.  A small amount of details was given for each thumbnail and it was easy enough to direct my way around her site.  There was information about commissions and prints for sale but there was no up to date information on any present workings.  My real problem with her site was the handwritten information used in place of typography text, I found this section hard to read.

 The website of Emiliano Ponzi [ illustrator] was one that excited me the most. The site opened with a flashing neon sign that lead to his current project. He had a limited amount of menu options but  each category displayed a thumbnail format that when you hovered over the images the details of size, medium and client appeared. The website shared many similarities as the photography sites I investigated. His website was easy to direct myself around I could easy click back to the beginning at any point [some lead me back around their site]  and there was also a link to his blog and up to date info about his work ,clients and exhibitions.

This exercise has helped me to establish a better understanding of how a website should work and the layout I would like to present my own designs. I can see what works visually as well as practically and designing something simple that can be built upon will be first approach.Website research

http://www.sarafanelli.com

http://www.emilianoponzi.com/

Hopes Fears and opportunities

Hopes

 Part of our brief for this semester was to collate our thought and feelings about our hopes, fears and opportunities. This is to respond to how we feel now, for the coming year and the period after we graduate.  My first response is that I hope to be a confident and competent practitioner of illustration by the end of the third year.  At the very least I hope to work completely independently and to know how to approach work in a professional manner. I hope to have put in place a business strategy that will help promote myself and work through a well designed website and promotional material and portfolio. Professionally I am hoping that my work will have become more sophisticated with a defined approach to my working method. I am trying to strengthen my knowledge of illustrative application and design methods that I have previously missed out on and marry them with my surface design knowledge and technique. I hope to gain a strong understanding of the requirements needed to be a successful illustrator/designer and I wish to push boundaries with my work and make the most of this experience of my further education. When visiting Charles Hively of 3x3 magazine in Brooklyn N.Y, his words of wisdom on becoming a practitioner of illustration have stayed with me. He advised us to have a good website with only a few carefully selected images.  He believes a [.com] address is more professional and a need to be more prolific in the promotion of my work and myself. He believes a good way to do this is by entering competitions and contacting industry regularly.

Fears

This leads me to my fears. I know the ingredients of what needs to be done but I am feeling overwhelmed by the workload at present. I understand that it’s important to get these factors put in place but I am finding it hard to know where to start and to produce a level of decent work.  An impressive portfolio also keeps me awake at night as I fear that my work wont be professional enough in six months time. The competition of other designers and illustrators is so vast I feel I will be swallowed up. I have a desire to work in production design for film and media but would also like to establish myself as a freelance designer. I am still finding an anchorage in the practice of illustration and would really like another year to discover my abilities and find myself as a designer. I know I have the support of a great teaching team but still feel a little lost with the whole process.

Opportunities

So far since returning in September I have made progress regarding opportunities in T.V and Media. I have been to three portfolio visits including one with a production designer and two with art directors. These visits with industry have lead to more contacts and I have established a strong contact list so far. I have been maintaining a contact with them through Email, text and just letting them know what I am up to and offering my free services for any work experience they can offer. I have also made myself known to a Manchester based graphic designer company and offered to help out at their offices [even making tea] and they said they would like to meet and look over my portfolio [catch22 re: fears]. My current project of re-designing a book cover has given me a chance to be more experimental with mixed mediums and I hope this opportunity will help to elevate some of my fears and give me a better understanding of my own personal practice and the designer that I strive to become.

Steven Byron

Steven Byron artist, illustrator and graphic designer, let 30 students take over his home. During a visit to his house in New Jersey we were introduced not only to the generosity of his hospitality but also a private viewing of his beautifully made work. Mr Byron has produced Album covers for some of the most prestigious names in the music business as well as book covers and posters. His work was varied and would range from collage, oil paintings, sculpture and photography. He has been working since the 70s  and it was fascinating that his work still looked as current and that he had embraced the digital age with ease. Mixing both practices together he had produced some really interesting results and he stated that since discovering photoshop he loves to play with his designs to see how far he can push them. I found it encouraging to listen to him explaining his journey as an artist and that he does not believe in defining your work it to a category . He believes you should make, design, approach your work as you feel fits at the time. His advice was really encouraging and he was enthusiastic about us being young designers. He is still enjoying his work and likes to keep experimenting with different practices. Meeting this man was a fantastic experience.

Just so you know still looking at book binding

Book binding I found while in New York, images to put in my memory bank for further use!

Meeting Oliver Jeffers

When we were asked to make contact with people in the industry I never imagined I would put Oliver Jeffers on my list. While visiting Andre  Da Loba, I noticed a sign above the studio sink with the recognisable handwriting of Jeffers. When we  were told that he also shared the same studio space we were all taken back a little [some a little to much]. Oliver has been one of my favourite children's book writers and illustrators for the last 8 years and my children cannot get enough of him. Telling them I met him was the same as meeting batman himself. I have never known an artist to appeal so much to children and adults purely through illustration and as with the post about Andre, clever content. 'The heart in the bottle', is a favourite amongst my adult friends some who don't even own children but appreciate the beautiful imagery and the thoughtful text that accompanies them. His work holds a depth that I have found hard to try and replicate and there is no denying his defined style and approach to his working method. He is illustration royalty yet we never tire of his illustrations as each one is as beautiful as the next. http://www.oliverjeffers.com/

Andre Da Loba

While visiting New York we called in to the Brooklyn gallery of the Invisible dog where we were kindly treated to a tour of the premises and  a look over the installation pieces that were on display. We also had the opportunity to meet Andre Da Loba a NewYork based illustrator and artist. His work is as bold, bright and colourful as the man himself and you are left feeling like a 5 year old in his presence. His approach to his work is mixed and he has stated that his choice of medium will depend on the brief and what the brief entails. He has no set way of working although he said he likes to produce many images at one time so has plenty of alternatives.  He has produced books, children's toys as well as illustrated imagery for the likes of the New York times but what I find most appealing in his work is the way he translates the content. His work has a narrative to it that is not only visually vibrant it also pertains a rhythm too. What I have noticed as parent of small children whom I still read to, is that if I don't seem interested they soon become bored too. It is important for the writer and illustrator to capture the audience of the parents a well as the child in order to be successful in the books publication. My favourite of Andre's books is 'Thoughts' a colourful book depicting houses in a series of shapes. Here is his  website http://www.andredaloba.com/.

New York, New York

I have just had five fantastic days in Manhattan. My whole experience was overwhelming and I feel that I have so much to blog about. This was my second visit to New York city but still feel as if I haven't seen enough. This visit was a little different as our lecturers had kindly organised some amazing trips and meetings. We had a meet with Andre da loba an illustrator who works in Brooklyn and while there we were also fortunate enough to bump into Oliver Jeffers too, as they just so happen to share studio space. I had the pleasure of being invited into Artist Steven Byrons home to look over his work and question him about his practice and approaches to work and business. He very graciously let us know everything we asked [ separate post] and we also visited the studio of Illustrator Mike Perry in the middle of nowhere. His place was amazing and so inspiring with many ways of working ad producing his designs. The MOMA and American Folk museum are amongst the galleries i had the pleasure of viewing- phew! many posts to follow.

Negotiated project

'Brave new world' was  first published in 1932 by writer Aldous Huxley and the folio society has asked for the front cover to be redesigned. The book is a fictional story that imagines life in a futuristic London. We have been asked as illustrators to design a front cover for this book, portraying something that instantly explains visually the main basis of the story. Researching previous covers I could see many recurring themes using the cloning of embryos and bar coding. For my own design I wanted to use something a little different. I have started looking at molecular structures of DNA as these remind me of futuristic architecture, they also represent structure and strength which are strong themes in the text. I hope to incorporate this into a design that will include the characters of the caste system juxtaposed with a visualisation of how i believe Brave New World would look to the reader. Along side the Book Jacket, three pieces of text are to be selected and illustrated from our own personal choice of text. Using a passage of no more than twenty-five words that are spread equally through out the book, I have carefully selected three significant sections to depict. The first being the reference to a hand gesture of the letter 'T' that is significant to the influence Henry Ford has had on the making of this new society. Secondly the feeding of 1800 babies, all labelled sitting in row's, I believe this translates the importance of the caste system in the book that is a strong theme through the book. Thirdly I have chosen the lighthouse as this gives a prominent conclusion to the ending of the story. My choice of approach to my design work has been influenced by Film Noir. This has provided me with resources of inspiration stemming from other films, books, photographers and artists from this period. I have also looked to other illustrators, sculptors and past book covers for research material. This is as such my first illustration brief and so far it has been a fascinating process. Understanding how to breakdown the brief details and what is asked of the designer has been insightful. My fear is now accomplishing a successful design to submit in the next few weeks.