LIBBY PAYNE ILLUSTRATION
23rd May 2023 hand in: Visual Essay
Unfortunately, I've run out of storage space on this site! Please view this project's digital sketchbook here:
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20th March 2023 hand in: Narrative and Sequence
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1p-wInCbX95dOHgWtxyurn9TN50kXw07XHAqsH1ynF6Q/edit?usp=sharing
Evaluation:
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24th January 2023 hand in: Part A – Editorial Illustration Research
First hand in
Lecture and workshop notes
Part A evaluation:
Over Part A of the Professional Practice module, I've researched a range of styles and techniques used by different illustrators in the editorial field.
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The focus taught on this module was zines, so I began by visiting the shops recommended and learning first-hand what they actually are. They were really diverse in forms and topics.
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Publications I was more drawn to were ones with unique illustrative style, such as the designs and animation of Joe Sparrow.
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Please scroll through
I also watched the recommended TED Talks on different design processes for book covers etc. It was interesting to see how successful designers of the past had made it (though some videos were definitely dated).
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The lectures from guest speakers were helpful as an insight into editorial illustration and the typical industry experience, which I was most interested in. The lexical field approach was also useful for generating ideas and I'll definitely be using it in future.
Part B - Editorial Illustration Brief
MIX Magazine
Research and choosing article
Part B evaluation (full):
When beginning Part B of this project, I was still very overwhelmed as to what topic to focus on. While looking through magazines in the library I found this issue of MIX Magazine which focused on our human and cultural relationship with water. It showed the contrast of ancient mythology and storytelling with modern ecological circumstances which I found really intriguing, encouraging me to begin researching down the sci-fi route.
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I began to find and read articles that focused more on modern day struggles of climate change and how these were being integrated into current fiction, often under its own category of 'climate fiction' or 'cli-fi'. This period of research was really helpful for me to narrow down texts and what I was/wasn't interested in. I eventually went with the article 'The climate is changing. Science fiction is too' by Eliza Levinson in 2022.
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What separated this text from the others that I had looked at was it centring solely on cli-fi being integrated into contemporary literature - excluding film, TV etc. While these would have been interesting to delve into, concentrating on books and written storytelling helped me keep the visual focus of this project.
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This led me into the visual research element of Part B, as a few of the articles I looked at
already had really beautiful editorial illustrations done for them. One artist I particularly liked was Hokyoung Kim, who used colour and contrast to portray a vibrant modern day, versus an apocalyptic future brought by climate change. I looked at their other work and was interested in incorporating elements of their painting style into my own.
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I knew from this project that I wanted to animate as well as illustrate, so more artists I looked at in editorial design were Sarah Ellem and Cornelia Ryås. Their nature graphics were visually simple yet effective: something I wanted to emulate.
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Editorial illustrator Hokyoung Kim
Editorial animators (left to right) Sarah Ellem, Bruno Mangyoku, Joona Aalto, Cornelia Ryås
However I still felt somewhat unfocused with the text, so before sketching I made more notes on the structure of the article, highlighting its most important features, deciding what was most vital to portray from it. I used the lexical field technique which was really useful for generating ideas to then draw.
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Then after rough sketches on paper, I began continuing my ideas digitally.
Around here I began to focus on the turning pages/wave concept - it showed a sense of urgency and tension and tied the themes of literature and speculative disaster. I played with a range of styles and compositions, eventually rounding it down to two final responses.
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I regret with this project that I wasn't able to try as many techniques as I first set out to. I'd wanted to be more ambitious using animation, but didn't end up doing so with the time limit. What I'd take away the most from this project is the importance of planning and not being reluctant to begin visual preparation earlier on.
Final responses
15th November 2022 hand in: Perspectives final
Final response images
Tiny Stars
Climb up my walls,
Spill outdoors,
Land in streets,
Then take the leap
Back home.
For my final response for the Perspectives project, I digitally drew a series of 6 panels meant to illustrate a short poem I wrote about the connection I felt between the lights (or 'stars') of my room, of the city, and of the sky.
15th November 2022 hand in: Artist 4 Artist response
When planning my artists' response, I realised I was especially drawn to Wyeth's painting Winter Carnival (1985). I studied the painting in watercolour and pencil (which can be seen in my sketchbook work). Then for my final interpretation I tried to replicate the artist's style and composition through photography, by taking my own photos and editing them after.
Final response images
31st October 2022 hand in: Artist 4 Artist research
So far, I've really enjoyed researching Andrew Wyeth and his work. It was intriguing to discover more about his thought process and the historical context his art sits in.
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For my final response, I want to adapt his style of painting to portray scenes and memories personal to me, just as he did.
Summer work 2022
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And while not drawings, I included some photography taken over the summer as well - quick photos were a really useful way of capturing scenes to use as reference later, or just remember moments that definitely influenced my art :)
I was working most of summer and didn't have a lot of time to complete pieces, so the below is a mix of finished and unfinished work.
I also have an Instagram account serving as a second blog where I post all uni specific work I make, including that from workshops and life drawing. Work not necessarily added to this site will be posted there.
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Thank you!
@libbypayneillust.uwe
