How can I make my work more appropriate for real world contexts?
I would really love to be able to confidently adapt my practise to work based environments, so I feel learning the basics of how illustrators work within professional environments would benefit me greatly. In order to do this I will have to ensure I am proactive with my theory work throughout the three years in order to learn the essentials of what is required in an illustrator, whilst feeding in my practical work in order to tailor my skill set for a professional environment.
What are the main technical skills a professional illustrator needs to know, and how can I learn these?
The tool kit for illustrators is so broad that I will need to narrow down my practise over the course of the degree in order to find the raw necessary skills of a professional illustrator, such as digital skills like Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign, in order to ensure my work can be presented in a professional manner.
To what extent do the different art and design practises cross over, and how will these be able to impact on my own work?
The broadness of illustration means many different approaches are often incorporated into the umbrella subject of illustration, so I anticipate to learn about how animation, graphic design and print fit into illustration, and how they work together. In order to develop my understanding of these practises I will ensure that I fully explore every opportunity to work in a different manner or media, as well as collaborating with other practitioners.
How do I collaborate with different practitioners whilst still having a strong input?
Through group projects and work experience I feel I will be able to develop my interpersonal skills with other illustrators, whilst my development through my studio work will hopefully improve my confidence in my own work as well as being able to subjectively identify the parts of my work which need improvement. I feel I will be able to achieve this through really throwing myself into group projects and taking on different roles within the group, even when it is a role I am not entirely confident with.
How can I present myself in a professional manner and network within the field of illustration?
I expect that through the learning of technical and theoretical skills I will be able to brand, promote and present myself and my work to different practitioners and other industry based environments. I will ensure I thrive in this section through taking part in as many art based extra curriculum activities as possible, as well as using my existing contacts through my brother into the world of illustration in order to work in the industry as much as possible, be it through holiday time work experience or simply informal talks with well established illustrators.
What career options are available to me once I have graduated?
Because of the strong industry links within the course, I believe there will be many opportunities to explore the different illustration avenues, and in order to develop this understanding of career paths I will again ensure I work as thoroughly and as diversely as possible with other practitioners in order to help me discover which fields suit me the most.
How can I merge hand rendered and digital work to create professional and finished images?
One skill I am desperate to develop are my digital skills, and I feel through workshops and practise I will be able to learn the basic underpinnings of how collaborations of diversely different styles can work together to help develop my work to fit into the ever changing arts culture of our society. To develop these skills I will ensure I attend all of the available workshops, as well as researching processes I am not familiar with regularly.
Is there a need to develop a definite style, or is a more broad skill set preferable?
Even though I feel it may be beneficial to really get to know a few media and really master these elements, I feel there is also the option of being a 'jack of all trades' with reference to illustration, especially since the Big Heads lecture with Kyle T Webster who feels being able to use different skills and techniques is extremely beneficial to your practise. In order to develop these skills I will ensure I explore each media and approach as thoroughly as possible at every opportunity.
What is the underpinning theoretical knowledge of illustration, and how will this alter the way I work?
Through lectures and practical work I hope to develop a more thorough knowledge of illustration related terminology and processes, and I feel this will naturally impact on the way I work and produce outcomes, as it will hopefully change my views on illustration once I understand what the tools an illustrator needs to utilise are. In order to ensure I understand these processes I will make sure I attend all the lectures and keep on top of my work as well as letting my work take me in new exciting directions which I didn't necessarily anticipate.
How will I be able to make myself stand out within a field of illustrators?
One essential skill I will need to develop will be the ability to make my work shine through to the required audience, and since the pool of existing illustrators is already quite wide, I expect to learn how to really harness my creativity and let this expand the way I work so that my work shows much individuality. I will make sure that I work with other illustrators as much as possible in order to develop my practise, as I believe the best way to create unique responses is to talk with other creatives and bounce ideas off each other in order to both develop as creative individuals.
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