Illustration Brief

BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design

1^stYear Project Brief

“It’s Illustration Dahling!”

James Carver-Grenside - Matilda

Specialism:Photography & Illustration

TIME: 8 Weeks

ASSIGNMENT OUTLINE:

In this project you will be responding to a piece of narrative text (selected from the works of Roald Dahl), initially through photography, which will give you the imagery to develop towards making illustrations in a range of media.

The final objective is to produce a 1m x 1m presentation board of your illustrations. Your final images could depict a sequence of events or you may wish to select and portray several different scenes from the same book.

WEEK ONE: Research and Storyboards

In the first week of the project you will need to select and familiarise yourself with a book by Roald Dahl, many of you will know these stories well, but refreshing your memory through some reading will help you to visualise characters and scenes more effectively.

A full list of Roald Dahl’s work can be found online at www.roalddahl.com but here are a few you may want to consider:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, George’s Marvellous Medicine, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The BFG, The Twits, The Witches, The Magic Finger.

As soon as you have selected your text you need to start shortlisting scenes that interest you in terms of developing photographic and illustrational work. Choose at least 3 separate scenes. Now you need to deconstruct these scenes …what do they include in terms of characters? Props? Costume? Location? Make Up?

You need to consider all these things carefully as you will be need to be resourceful and prepared in order to get as good a photoshoot as possible. To help you prepare for this you need to complete several pages of storyboarding for your shoot.

Simple Storyboard

Use your storyboards to work out shot composition, use of props and location, camera angles and lighting. A good storyboard usually combines visuals with thoughtful annotation. Find some good examples of these online and include them in your sketchbook with some analysis on why they work well.

Remember a storyboard should be a functional tool that helps you resolve potential problems and prepare effectively, if it also includes strong drawing and good layout that is a real bonus. You may also find making some lists of props, models, costume, make up and locations required is helpful to your planning. Think ahead, if you need to book studio time then do this in advance (use photography if possible, otherwise a small space exists within the Art department).

This week you should also look at how others have responded the work of Roald Dahl, this will involve collecting imagery and analysing Quentin Blake’s original illustrations and 2 films that interpret Roald Dahl's stories such as Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. You should also find and analyse 2 existing storyboards, try looking at Josh Sheppard's work at
www.thestoryboardartist.com

WEEK 2: Photography

This week you need to carry out your photoshoot(s). Remember the imagery generated from this shoot will be sustaining your work for the next 6 weeks. If you get fantastic photos you are already a huge step down the road towards a successful project, poor or limited imagery will make the next 6 weeks a real struggle.

Consider every aspect of your photos and be resourceful. If you have ambitious ideas about location shoots make every effort to carry them out, if you need time away from the college campus to do this, then this can be arranged, but staff must know of your plans in advance.

Use your storyboards for inspiration and direct your models to get the shots you need, don’t forget that dramatic lighting and camera angles can help create powerful imagery.

Take lots of photos and print off contact sheets for your sketchbook. Select your favourite 12 images to start your illustrations from and print these out at A5 or A4. You may need to tweak your selected images with Photoshop to ensure you have optimum colour, definition and contrast.

Alongside your photography you need to research at least 2 photographers who explore narrative or fantastical themes through their work. Some good examples of this are James Carver-Grenside, Ruven Afanador, Viona Ielegems and Annie Liebovitz.

WEEK 3 and 4: Drawing

Through weeks 3 and 4 we will be concentrating on making a range of good drawings from your photographic source imagery. We want to see you explore drawing more thoroughly than you have done before: sustained studies, quick sketches and experimentation with a range of media.

Research 2 Artists/Illustrators whose work is focussed on strong drawing technique for example David Foldvari, Esra Roise, Hope Gangloff, William Kentridge.

WEEK 5 and 6: Printmaking and Mixed Media Experimentation

Some time will be focussed on producing strong monoprints and relief (gold card) prints from your photos. We will then use the work you have generated to this point in the project to experiment with a mixed media approach. Use the photocopier, drawn elements, text, image transfer, photomontage, collage, printmaking, paint, acetates, photoshop etc. to come up with some inventive responses.

Research the work of at least 2 of the following illustrators to gain ideas for ways of applying a mixed media approach Eduardo Recife, Martin O’Neill, Tim Marrs, Dave McKean, Nazario Graziano, Mario Wagner, Eva Han, Tez Humphreys.

WEEK 7 and 8: Selection, Presentation and Evaluation.

In the final weeks of the project you will select, scan and print your best work from the preceding weeks then compose these images onto a 1m x 1m board. You may want to enhance the presentation of your images by adding interactive elements to your board, cut throughs, raised sections, moving parts, lights, sound, real objects etc.

Be inventive, resourceful and ambitious. You may find some images need to be reworked through PhotoShop so that they interact together effectively. Other images might require further hands on work to give them some tactile qualities and avoid a board made up of flat computer print outs.

You should complete your project with a word-processed evaluation of 600 – 800 words (further guidance for this will be given out).

MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

A full detailed list will be given towards the conclusion of the project, but the following will all be required:

1 (or more) Sketchbooks with all the relevant research, storyboards, photography, drawing, printmaking and mixed media work.

A 1m x 1m Presentation board showcasing your best work from the project effectively.

A word-processed Evaluation of 600-800 words.

 

REFERENCES: See the text in the brief. Use the internet, use the library, use your imaginations!

Architectural Forms Evaluation & Submission Guidance

Lisa Borgiani

It is good to see a wide range of final pieces taking shape in the studio. Over half term you need to make sure all the sketchbook elements of your project are fully completed, do any final touches to your outcome and complete a written evaluation ready for submission on the first day back (Monday 23rd Feb.).

After half term we will be starting work on an illustration project based on the stories of Roald Dahl, so start giving some thought to which book you might want to respond to.

Architectural Forms Project.

 Evaluation Guidance.

Your evaluation should be word-processed and be between 500 & 800 words in length. Please discuss anything you feel was significant to your work in this project, but ensure you cover the following points:

·       Describe how you gathered source imagery for the project, how successful were your drawings and photos? What did you see in your images that you thought had potential for development into substantial 2D or 3D work.

·       How did you go about developing your imagery? What techniques and materials did you use? How successful were these experiments? Did your printmaking and collage work help you to reach your final outcomes?

·       Describe your outcome, discuss their formal elements such as composition, technique, use of colour and tone etc. Do you consider your outcome successful? Discuss its strengths and weaknesses.

·       What Architects and Artists work did you research during the project? Were any of these particularly helpful in providing ideas/inspiration for your own work? Identify the aspects of Artists/Architects work that you found helpful or interesting.

·       How well do you think you worked in this project overall? Did you manage your time effectively? Suggest improvements you might have made to your approach. Did you enjoy the project, if not suggest changes that might have made the project more enjoyable.

Including photos of your final piece in your book alongside your evaluation is helpful.

Please submit your word-processed evaluation with your sketchbook and project outcome/s.

Submission Requirements

• Pre trip work:
  
  • Selection of your best photos from the College architecture.
  • Research into 2 modern Architects (see the brief for names).
  • 1 or more sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your College photos.
  • 1 or more controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawings based on your College photos.
  • At least 2 additional drawings exploring alternative media/technique - these could be faster more expressive pieces.
  • 1 good Gold Card print from your College photos.
   Post Trip work:
  
  • Selection of your best photos from the London Trip.
  • Research into 2 Artists/Designers whose work is inspired or influenced by Architecture (see the brief for names). If you know what you are planning for your final piece then try to find at least one practitioner whose work has a clear relationship to your intentions - so if you are planning a sculptural garment look at a Fashion Designer/collection that extends the body through structural garments.
  • A sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your London photos and/or a controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawing.
  • 1 or more good Gold Card print from your London photos.
  • At least 1 sustained and successful piece of monoprinting based on London Architecture.
  • At least 3 Collage/mixed media pieces developed from your London imagery. Use a range of techniques to create these (refer to the brief for a list of potential media).
  • 3 or more PhotoShop collage pieces (either developments of scanned work or created from scratch digitally).
  • Other experiments e.g. Carbon prints, copier inverts, paint transfers.
  • Paper city photographs, edit your best shots and print them out at A5/A4 for inclusion in your sketchbook.
  • Research into at least one paper engineering Artist (see link in previous post for names).
  • Visual planning and notes that outline your intentions for your project outcome. The nature of this planning might be very different from person to person, it could take the form of Fashion Drawings, experiments with 3D media, storyboards for animation or many other things. Annotating your developmental work is important!
  • An ambitious and well resolved final outcome.
  • A word processed evaluation (see the notes above).

SNOWED IN!

Hi Everyone! Due to the snow (and where we live - down a single track lane at the bottom of a steep hill) Gayle and I are unable to get in to College today. Please refer to the blog post below for what you should be getting on with. Hopefully back to normal tomorrow. Ivan.

Architecture Update

David Hepher



Iris Van Herpen

So you should all now have quite a substantial body of work for this project and be at the stage where you are ready to plan and realise your final piece. Planning stages should be complete by the end of tomorrow (Tuesday 3rd February), so that by Wednesday everybody is working on final outcomes, this should give you time to resolve some hopefully ambitious plans.

Pre trip work:

• Selection of your best photos from the College architecture.
• Research into 2 modern Architects (see the brief for names).
• 1 or more sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your College photos.
• 1 or more controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawings based on your College photos.
• At least 2 additional drawings exploring alternative media/technique - these could be faster more expressive pieces.
• 1 good Gold Card print from your College photos.

 Post Trip work:

• Selection of your best photos from the London Trip.
• Research into 2 Artists/Designers whose work is inspired or influenced by Architecture (see the brief for names). If you know what you are planning for your final piece then try to find at least one practitioner whose work has a clear relationship to your intentions - so if you are planning a sculptural garment look at a Fashion Designer/collection that extends the body through structural garments.
• A sustained full page pencil tonal drawings based on your London photos and/or a controlled linear (fineliner/biro) drawing.
• 1 or more good Gold Card print from your London photos.
• At least 1 sustained and successful piece of monoprinting based on London Architecture.
• At least 3 Collage/mixed media pieces developed from your London imagery. Use a range of techniques to create these (refer to the brief for a list of potential media).
• 3 or more PhotoShop collage pieces (either developments of scanned work or created from scratch digitally).
• Other experiments e.g. Carbon prints, copier inverts, paint transfers.
• Paper city photographs, edit your best shots and print them out at A5/A4 for inclusion in your sketchbook.
• Research into at least one paper engineering Artist (see link in previous post for names).
• Visual planning and notes that outline your intentions for your project outcome. The nature of this planning might be very different from person to person, it could take the form of Fashion Drawings, experiments with 3D media, storyboards for animation or many other things. Annotating your developmental work is important!

Architecture Update Week 2

So having been to London we now have the imagery to branch out and create some really exciting work. We were lucky with the light on the trip and lots of you have some excellent photography.
In addition to the work from the College Architecture (and the Architect research) from Week one (see earlier post) these are the things you should be completing by the end of Tuesday 27th Feb:

• Print out contact sheets of your London Photographs.
• Print out a range of your best shots at A5 or A4 for inclusion in the sketchbook.
• Produce at least one good sustained monoprint based on your London Photos (A4 or A3 in scale).
• Cut and print a good gold card plate (A4 or larger) based on your London imagery.
• Carefully cut a building to contribute towards the group paper city from white card. This can either be a façade with supporting struts or a self supporting 3D piece.
• Take a good range of "paper city" photos on the lightbox. Get in close to create some interesting angles, try to achieve the feeling of actually being surrounded by the buildings - look at the video clip below for inspiration and check out www.popupology.co.uk Print contact sheets and larger versions of your best shots.
• Research at least one Artist who uses paper engineering in their work, there are a range of names you could find out more about in this article http://weburbanist.com/2008/12/02/papercraft-creative-paper-art-design-sculpture/
• Create at least 3 photoshop experiments, these could be based on any of your London/paper city work, you might combine scans of your prints and layer these up with photographic imagery, try adding text and altering colours.

In the second half of next week we will focus on creating some inventive mixed media collage work, before we move our focus onto planning for final pieces in the last fortnight of the project.

Paper City

Architecture Week 1 - To Do List.

Architecture Project Week 1

Before the trip next Thursday you should all complete the following:

• At least 4 pages of research into 2 contemporary Architects (see the project brief below for names). Include background information and analysis of some specific buildings/projects. Discuss materials, aesthetics (form) and function. Include good reproductions of the Architect's work and take care over presentation.
• A selection of photos from the College Architecture, print contact sheets of your shoot and include the best shots printed out at A4 or A5 scale.
• At least one full page sustained careful pencil tonal drawing from your College photos (this should represent at least 3 hours work). Choose a complex composition that will challenge you.
• Minimum of one full page precise linear drawing using fine liner. 
• At least 4 other drawings exploring other techniques (expressive) and media (biro, ink etc.). Really focus on the quality of your drawings.
• Photocopier experiments with your drawings (inverts, blueprints).
• We will also aim to complete some printmaking before the London Trip.

So from Day One you will need:

• Cameras (with plenty of battery and memory capacity, also USB download cables or card readers if you have them).
• Memory sticks/online space for saving your photos, your college workspace is too limited. 
• Money for a new sketchbook (or purchase online) - A3 generally best for this project.
• Drawing media - pencils, fineliners, biros, erasers etc.
• Printing/photocopying credit.

New Project Brief - Architectural Forms

BTEC Extended Diploma 1^ST YEAR PROJECT BRIEF.

PROJECT:  Architectural Forms

TIME:  5 Weeks + Half Term

ASSIGNMENT OUTLINE:

We will be generating original 2D and/or 3D responses to modern architecture. We will develop our project outcomes through a sustained development of imagery gathered from primary sources.

We will begin the project by producing observational drawing from primary sources such as the college architecture and going to London to gather imagery from modern architecture such as The London Eye, The New Hungerford Footbridges, The Lloyds Building and Norman Foster’s “Gherkin” and Canary Wharf tube station.

Once we have accumulated adequate primary material we will begin to develop responses using drawing, painting, collage and 3D maquettes. After a thorough exploration of our imagery we will conclude our investigation by producing one ambitious outcome. This outcome can be figurative or abstracted and can be in either 2 or 3 dimensions.

Throughout the project we will enrich our practical work with research into relevant modern Architects, and Artists whose work has been influenced by Architecture.

GUIDELINES: 

• Ensure you begin the project with a range of high quality observational drawings. Good line drawings are particularly valuable as they reproduce well and can be used as a starting point for more experimental collage and mixed media work.
• Make the most of the trip, it is essential that you gather a rich and diverse body of imagery from the day. In addition to a sketchbook and basic drawing materials you will need to bring a camera (if you do not own one, borrow one or arrange to loan one from college).
• After the trip it is important that you process photographs within 2 days, as any delay will hinder your progress in the project.
• Once you have got your imagery you will need to be inventive and experimental in developing responses to it. Consider the following approaches: 

1. Line Drawing
2. Photocopying
3. Tonal Drawing
4. Painting
5. Integrating Text
6. Paint Transfer
7. 3D Maquettes
8. PhotoShop
9. Photo Montage
10. Collage
11. Mixed Media
12. Acetate Overlays
13. Monoprinting
14. Relief (gold card) printing
15. Film/animation
16. Sewing
17. Spray Stencils
18. Heat transfer

• Imagery derived from modern Architecture lends itself towards abstraction, try zooming in on shapes, overlaying them, repeating and rotating them to develop interesting compositions.
• Be thoughtful in your use of colour, subtle neutral colours can be very effective, and may be more in keeping with your Architectural sources.
• Once you find an approach/idea that has potential you need to explore it thoroughly in a range of studies before attempting to resolve it in a final piece.
• You will need to develop and realise an original and ambitious outcome. The outcome needs to express the Architectural theme in some way but the form is entirely of your choosing - it could be anything from a painting to a garment to a piece of animation. Your outcome should be clearly developed through a process of visual investigation and experimentation with your chosen media. 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

You will be marked on how effectively you:

• Observe and record from primary sources.
• Demonstrate resourcefulness in gathering appropriate source imagery.
• Develop your observational studies through experimentation with media and mark-making.
• Generate ideas through purposeful investigation.
• Demonstrate inventiveness and skill in the handling of materials.
• Select and resolve compositions.
• Research and present information and imagery related to the project.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• Sketchbook including observational drawing, photography, developmental studies and research material.
• A fully resolved project outcome.
• Word-processed project evaluation (500-800 words).

(For additional guidance on submission requirements and evaluation see separate post)

REFERENCES:

Architects:  Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Nicholas Grimshaw, Frank Gehry, Cesar Pelli, Mario Botta, Renzo Piano, Shigeru Ban, Daniel Libeskind, Santiago Calatrava. 

Artists:  Lyonel Feininger, Maria Elena Vieira da Silva, Charles Demuth, Charles Sheeler, Naum Gabo, Ben Johnson, David Hepher, Richard Galpin, Carla Klein, Brendan Neiland, Robert Rauschenberg.

WEB LINKS:

www.artcyclopedia.com/                                         www.GreatBuildings.com/gbc.html

www.artnet.com/                                                       www.archinet.co.uk/index.html

Fashion Project - Requirements and Evaluation Guidance

OK, so the deadline for your Fashion work is Monday 12^th January and this is the minimum you need to have in your sketchbooks:

Initial Research and Presentation:

• Observational drawing/s of your object.
•  At least 2 busy pages of visual research into your garment, different versions/styles/shapes, try to find inventive Haute Couture versions.
• Minimum 2 pages of visual research into your object - different versions, different uses, unusual applications of your object, if you can find examples of it in Fashion then include these.
• 2 pages where you find examples of Collections. Most designers/design houses release themed collections seasonally, look for examples of collections that are inventive, exuberant and perhaps use elements of recycling – for example the work of Martin Margiela.
• Copies of your presentation slides.
• Any notes relevant to your presentation.

Illustration and Design Development:

• 4 pages research into 2 Fashion Illustrators.
• Your photos from the figure (the ones you used as a basis for your Fashion Illustrator responses).
• 4 Well finished Illustrator responses based on your photos.
• 6 garment proposals (with notes, using the templates).
• A finished Illustration based on your best design - this should be developed independently and not based on an existing template. This might include sample pieces, annotations and colour swatches alongside.

Final Garment, Photography and Evaluation.

• 4 pages research into 2 Fashion Photographers.
• Your finished garment/accessory.
• A thoughtfully styled location shoot of your garment - be ambitious, think about the photographers whose work you have studied. Arrange model, location, props, make up. Consider posture and camera angle carefully. Take plenty of shots (20+) you might use PhotoShop to enhance your best shots for inclusion in your sketchbook.
• A studio shoot of your garment, ideally you should collaborate with the other students who shared your object and get some group shots of the collection together.
• Your word processed evaluation (see guidance notes below). 

RECYCLED FASHION EVALUATION GUIDANCE

In order to pass this project you must complete a word processed evaluation of 500-800 words, discussing the following ……

• What object and garment did you get to work with?
• How did the development of your Presentation help in understanding the possibilities offered by your object. What sources did you access in researching your object and garment?
• In what other ways did you respond to and investigate your object? (e.g. photography and drawing)
• Who were you collaborating with? How did you share tasks? Do you think you communicated effectively together? Did you find this collaboration helpful?
• Which designers/collections did you look at? What appealed to you about their work?
• What did you learn from looking at the designer’s work? Did their work influence your own garment designs later in the project?
• What were your first ideas for your garment design? Did these bear much relation to your final solution?
• What was it that appealed to you about the fashion illustrators you chose to research and respond to?
• What did you learn from recreating the styles of the illustrators you looked at, and how did this help you to understand the techniques employed in fashion illustration?
• How did you go about creating your own fashion illustrations – what processes did you employ in developing your final images? Describe how you used photography to style them initially and what you did to get them to a high standard.
• Which Fashion Photographers did you research? What appealed to you about their work?
• Describe the process you went through to create your initial garment designs, and how you decided upon the one you chose to make.
• What elements of your original garment did you retain and what was added/taken away?
• What materials and techniques did you employ in the production of your final garment and what problems did you encounter along the way?
• Discuss your final photoshoots, how did you style your garment? Mention aspects such as make up, props, location, models, postures, lighting, composition.
• Do you feel your final garment will work well with your collaborators? Did you maintain good communication throughout the project?
• What do you regard as the most and least successful aspects of your project?
• How well did you manage your time and what you would do differently if you did this project again?