Studio Brief 1 - Final Presentation

Studio Brief 1 - The AOI

Before I graduate I am going to become a member of the AOI. To be able to get professional advice, from contracts to accountancy, will be invaluable, especially when working professionally and outside of the uni setting, without the tutors to ask. 

I will also make the most of the portfolio review opportunities to ensure that my folio is ready to start approaching companies and clients with in the industry.

I am going to wait a few more weeks to order my membership, to ensure that it lasts for as much of my professional life as possible in the year long student discount. 

Studio Brief 1 - Examples of Reportage in the Media

There are not many example of reportage illustration being used in the media alongside journalism as it would have been in the past; it is still mostly photography that is used alongside articles of news. Although there is definitely a gap in the market for reportage illustration and this is something I am hoping to target and fill, as there is a very valid space for it. Targeting small scale magazines is a good place to start, hopefully to then build momentum and get featured in more mainstream news outlets.

Studio Brief 1 - House of Illustration

One of the galleries I visited when down in London for Hanbury was the House of Illustration. They had an excellent exhibition on reportage illustration covering the refugee crisis. To see reportage work getting a lot of press and attention was very refreshing and reassuring. It was lovely to see these drawings in person too and to imagine those very pieces of paper once being in that location with the subjects and the situation playing out before it. It added an extra power to the images, an extra authenticity that photography could not replicate. The illustrations themselves have been in the same space as both the illustrator and the illustrated subjects and that in and of itself is a powerful thing. 

It would be great to cover a similar story with my work in the future. 

Studio Brief 2 - Personal Zines for 57 Event & Further Networking

I made some quick cheap zines to take to Hanbury to hand out to the professionals I talked to as an example of my work. It was in addition to the business cards I made and instead of a portfolio. I can easily send these zines out to any potential clients in the post in future to use as a first point of contact or quick example of my practice.

I chose some of my COP drawing work to give a little taste of my practice. It showcases the immediacy of my drawing style and also the reportage side of my work that is centred around documentation of life and narratives. I feel like these car drawings are a good 'portrait' of my practice as it stands at the moment. They could also exist on a different platform than just the project they were made for - for example they could be used for an editorial piece about congestion, climate change, commuting, urban infrastructure etc.

Studio Brief 1 - Hanbury Talk, Notes

• Get your work in front of people
• You have to reach out, there no other way
• Who do you want to work with, and why? Target specific people
• Be realistic about what you want from people
• Be personal, don't just send out a newsletter
• Follow up physical mail outs with electronic contact
• The most exciting projects are the ones you question whether you can pull them off or not
• Challenge yourself and push the plateau 
• Try to do what nobody else is doing
• Clue up on the market, know who you are targeting
• Forge good relationships first, be proactive and tenacious
• Keep it all up to date and easy to understand
• Consider how you package and present your work, polished, ready, professional 
• Be distinctive and different but genuine
• Make things and share them
• Find a unique voice
• Needs to be more than just a representation of something
• Work on conceptual side of practice 

Studio Brief 1 - Plans for Post-Grad

After graduation I am planning on moving back to Manchester. It is an exciting and vibrant city and I feel very inspired being there. I feel like there is a lot of opportunity there and I would still be close to Leeds and other Northern cities if opportunities arose there. I am going to live at home for the first few months/until the new year to save money, and then move out to the city centre.

I am planning on looking for a job within the creative industries to finance my illustration. I am going to look at opportunities in the museums and galleries in the city, even if it is a hospitality job, it will be valuable to be in a creative environment and around like minded people. I would also like to look for jobs maybe within publishing or printing. On top of this, I will hopefully be completing editorial briefs and trying to professionally establish the reportage side of my work.

A studio to work in would be a nice thing to have, but I don't feel like I would be able to fund that soon after graduation. The likelihood will be working from home, and to find a balance between work and home life. I would also hopefully be working a lot on location, meaning my 'studio' would not be in one fixed place, allowing me to move around freely and likely just work with what I can carry in a backpack. This will not only save on cost but also give me the flexibility to work wherever the story/ subject might be.

This is just a vague plan, and I am open to various opportunities arising wherever they may.