On Illustration

Not sure I actually know how to illustrate. I draw pictures. I don't really make illustrations.

Definition of Illustration (dictionary.com ha):

1.	something that illustrates, as a picture in a book or magazine.

2.	a comparison or an example intended for explanation or corroboration.

3.	the act or process of illuminating.

4.	the act of clarifying or explaining; elucidation.

5.	Archaic. illustriousness; distinction.

I don't think any of those definitions really help...

Illustrator (Cambridge Dictionary)
noun [C]
a person who draws pictures, especially for books

That's better. That could be me. However that definition still seems slightly outdated. A lot of contemporary illustrators never go near book illustration. The field of illustration is changing very quickly take Kate Moross for example. She is not only an illustrator but a graphic designer, photographer and now a fashion designer with the launch of her range for Topshop. I was pretty staggered to find out Topshop had picked her up for a range, I've been aware of her for a while as she had done a lot of music/club promotion stuff but the fact she has now worked both with Topshop and Cadburys at the tender age of 21 is quite frightening. I know she must be an extremely motivated person and I should aspire to be like her however I do think that perhaps she could end up being a victim of her own success. Her illustration style echoes a lot of the soulless club/scene stylings of London that inevitably will burn out and become just as looked down upon as the neu-rave scene that preceded it. Maybe this all sounds a bit clumsy but what I am trying to get across is my dislike of illustration as its currently being defined at the moment. It seems to be becoming a very trend driven field. Increasingly I am looking towards children's illustrators to gain inspiration because this area seems to be quite immune to trends. I also see that in children's illustration there is beginning to be a lot more experimentation. I got this book a few months ago and its really opened my eyes to what has been happening in this field. Check out Morteza Zahedi and Harriet Russell. Both very different styles but I think they're both great and really go to show the variety of children's book illustration that's on offer.

Ok, rant over.

And back to my skills in illustration. I think I am going to try and be content with making pictures and hope the illustration skills arise somehow. Although I should bear in mind that time is of the essence me being already 23 years old....

Mix CD Project

Woot. An update at last. I'd like to say I've been busy but I've mostly been plundering the depths of existential despair. Not really. But yes, haven't been feeling particularly inspired to write anything. So this was my first project back after the Christmas holidays. You can tell I've grown a little rusty just in those 3 weeks off. Basically we had to make a 6 mix CDs with 6 covers plus an A3 poster (to follow). You could have just reproduced the same cover 6 times over but I decided to make each one different. I say decided but I guess I was slightly pushed into that as I was refusing to a. use a computer and b. to have anything printed properly.

The CD had to have a theme, mine was misanthropy. My choice of music was pretty self explanatory I guess. It was mainly of the genre termed as 'Noise' by most. I will post a link to the mix once I have uploaded it to a file sharing server of some kind. I feel slightly sorry for those unsuspecting fellow students who received some of my mixes in our class lucky dip but I guess just by looking at the title they might well know what to expect. I, for one enjoy the majority of the music on the mix (apart from maybe the first track, by Whitehouse).

I'll be posting up the mix soon, in the meantime here are my front covers for use to peruse. Please note 'deliberately' lo-fi use of sellotape and wonky borders...

Miss Broadway

I've been a little lazy writing about these. They've just been sitting completely liberated without my negative thoughts choking them...oh well not for long...

These are all from a recent project. We were told to pick a song and produce images for it. I chose 'Miss Broadway' (a cover) by the band Glass Candy. This band are blogged about lots and lots so go to Hype Machine and search for it (it's like 'super awesome'). At the time of this project my continuing interest in silent cinema and the 192o/30's was resurfacing and I watched 'Pandora's Box' by G.W Pabst. Basically I saw Miss Broadway as a slightly languid and sordid woman. The first two are images linked directly to lyrics.

Body Issues

I remembered about this project the other day. It was at the beginning of my investigations into the evils of Photoshop and it seems my skills have deteriorated from these images onwards. This project started off as being about 'Elegance' but it quickly descended (as most of my projects do) into drawing grotesque people.

Welcome?

Today, after months and months of endless procrastination I have finally started this blog. What has provoked me to start posting was my current position in front of the television watching perhaps the most moronic faeces ridden piece of broadcasting i've ever had to witness. NBC's Age of Love with former tennis player Mark Philippoussis picking a mate from a selection of 20 or 40 year olds. I'm not really sure how to describe quite how utterly hateful the contestants (and for that matter MP himself) were. If you've seen the programme you probably know what i'm talking about. If not maybe these images of maggot ridden and vomiting dogs might help convey my feelings.






These images are actually from an editorial illustration project. I was producing images for a G2 article on the death of record companies. I realise in 'the real world', the Guardian would never actually use such images as this. It was fun to draw though. Please forgive the rudimentary photoshopping, I am still struggling the master even the basics.