ILLUSTRATOR RESEARCH WEEK 4

You need to undertake thorough research into 2 narrative illustrators, these MUST be at least one historical and one contemporary practitioner. In this research it is important to give background biographical information on each illustrator, analyse some specific images in terms of content, technique and media and justify your own opinions on the work. Write at least 600 words answering the following:

For each of the two illustrators answer the following:

• What techniques and processes have they worked within and why is this effective in your opinion? 
• What or who has influenced their illustration? How does this relate to technology, materials or other practitioners that have been around at the same time?  
• How would you describe the characters that have been developed and why is this interesting to look at? Consider how they express emotion?expressions, gestures, poses, character idiosyncrasies
•  Is imagery surreal and dream like, simplified or stylized and why is this engaging?
•  How does their character sum up a sense of the scene or character they portray?
• How is colour utilized? why is this successful in your opinion?  How does this compare with how you use colour within your images?
• Discuss the viewpoints that you are presented within these illustrations, how is this effective or successful as a piece of design, how is it original or interesting? 
• What age group do you think this work appeals to most?  Why do you think this particular audience would like it?  
• What has the illustrator done to appeal to this audience? Is it playful, provocative, overly sentimental,? Consider marks, texture, styilization, mood etc and how the illustrator has used these to communicate a sense of the narrative. 
• What makes them different to each other, please compare? How does this relate to the era they are working within?   

This needs to be a distinct section of analysis that compares the illustrators from different eras and describes how you feel illustration has changed over time. This research is set to meet comparison requirements of your criteria. Choose one from each of these lists (if you have different Illustrators in mind there should be enough information on them for you to find out.  Do run them past staff before doing your research): 

CONTEMPORARY:

Chris Haughton

Peter Brown

Shaun Tan

Oliver Jeffers

John Hendrix

Dave McKean

HISTORICAL:

Randolph Caldecott

Sir John Tenniel

E.H. Shepard

Arthur Rackham

Harry Furniss

Beatrix Potter

Get imagery by these 2 illustrators, and start the written aspect of the research. You  will be producing some visual responses to their work in lessons. These responses should be undertaken in a similar way to how we approached the responses to Fashion Illustrators in the Trashion Project:

• Using your own photographs as inspiration produce 2 interpretations of your images in the style of each illustrator you have researched - that is 4 illustrations in total. Take time over these and do your best to really replicate the style and use appropriate media.