theprocessofmanvz

[theprocessofmanvz]

Exercise: Reading an Image

Upon studying the illustration given in this exercise carefully, I broke down the content to the following; 

- the primary focus of the image is the large red dragon-like figure - the hot colours are the more visually dominant in the image. Reds, oranges and yellows stand out more, whereas the cooler colours are less intense. - there are two other figures in the image - there is a throne on the dragon’s back - I can sense a fantasy theme

What is the image about. What is it saying?

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Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display - Final Piece

I was pleased with my final outcome.

The colours worked so well because they were contrasting enough to differentiate the seasons. I tried not to be too precise with my line work to create some freedom in the images. I used Photoshop to add text and resize the images to fit a 1:1 ratio. I used the background eraser to modify the scanned image and add a plain solid background. I flipped the image horizonatally for the leek image, as well as changing the text placement for the composition of the whole image to fit.  I used a drop shadow and an outer glow to make the text lift off from the background. I do feel like the summer display was a lot better than the autumn one. This is because the compositions of the fruits were closer and more put together, whereas the leeks were too spread apart. Also, the shading of the dark green colour pencil did not blend as well as they did in my sketchbook trial run. I think the colour chart idea worked so well because it added some character and worked so well with the phrasing at the top of the illustration, really turning it from a regular drawing into a display for a supermarket.

If I could improve this project, I would try and manage my time better when it came to the final outcome. I feel like I didn’t take the extra effort to redo the final illustration that I was not happy with. I would also try to create it digitally, because I feel like I can achieve the neat watercolour effect I sought after effectively through a digital application like Photoshop. This has inspired me to explore the watercolour/colour pencil combination in the future because I think with more exploration, it’s something that could blossom.

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Assignment Two: Point of Display - Sketchbook

I sketched some outlines of different variations of the foods; whole, sliced and chopped. I thought it would be good to include these different variations instead of just one whole food, as that can look too plain and boring.

Once I was happy with this, I proceeded to experiment with different materials. I went for Prismacolor colour pencils and watercolours; both these mediums are the right mix of soft yet vibrant. If I were to go with a thicker medium, I think it would be too heavy on the eye.

When experimenting with watercolour, I tried out a flat brish and them a pointed brush. I think the pointed brush worked better as I could be more accurate with my lines and create the right texture visually. I then tried creating a layer of pencil on top of the watercolour and this worked so well because it created a perfect combination of colour and detail. The colour pencil was able to define the details and line work that I feel I couldn’t fully achieve with watercolours.

In terms of the composition, I thought it would be best to keep it simple. On a trip to Homebase, I was inspired by the Dulux paint colour charts. I thought it would be quite interesting to incorporate this into my final illustration by breaking down the colours used. I could be clever with the phrasing too by creating a metaphor. 

I decided to go with the direction of advertising the fruit/vegetables as organic, because when I took a trip to my local Waitrose supermarket, this is something which is advertised quite often to emphasize the quality of the food. I came up with a few phrases I could use and decided to go with “Organic Shades of Autumn/Summer’. By using a handwritten font, it will link to the authentic theme of organic foods.

I did a test run using watercolour paper and was so pleased with the way the colours came out. They blended very well but were patchy enough to show the texture of the watercolour. I tried creating a colour chart underneath the image but was not happy with the way it looked; it did not fit very well and it looked out of place. I tried out drawing lines from the drawing like a diagram to create small blocks of colour, and this looked quite unique. So I went with this.

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Assignment Two: Point of Display - Initial Thoughts

The brief for this assignment is all about creating two fruit and vegetable campaign images for a supermarket; one for the season of summer, one for the season of autumn.

I started by researching which fruit and vegetables could be associated with each season. I explored all my options, but opted to keep the two separate aesthetically by use of colour scheme. When I think of summer, I envision bright, bold tones of yellows, reds, oranges and pinks. When I think of autumn, I imagine more muted tones of greens, purples and browns. I started by taking my colour pencils and piecing together colour schemes – I thought of a fruit salad for summer, and a soup for autumn. From this I decided which fruit and vegetables would fit the colour scheme, and researched them further by beginning to experiment with techniques.

When I began this assignment, I was actually quite overwhelmed when I did my research. I felt like I had to include so many different fruits, and was feeling quite unsettled. I took some watercolours and soft pastels and began mark making across two pages; one for each season. I made quite random marks; some strokes, splatters and scribbles. I thought this might help me just release some frustration and clear my mind by visually separating the two displays. I took a few days and came back to the assignment, and after looking at the two pages, decided to just focus on one fruit/vegetable for each illustration. I chose a peach for summer, and a leek for autumn; I chose these because they are both quite vibrant in colour, which I feel is important for a display as it should look appealing if it is a food.

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Exercise: A Subjective Drawing

Exercise: A Subjective Drawing

For this exercise, I chose the word “trousers” from the list. I chose this word from the list because I thought it would be interesting explore the different materials, patterns and textures of them, as they are so versatile. I started by brainstorming the things I could explore with the theme, and collected some images from Vogue magazine of different types of trousers.

From my brainstorming process, I chose the word ‘denim’ to explore further. I chose this word because denim is a material that is so busy with it’s patterns and colours; so many shades of blue and seams going in all different directions. I experimented with some materials I felt would depict this the best. I tried watercolour paint because of the different water levels I could achieved with this. Some strokes, which were more washed out, would make a great base, whereas draining the paintbrush of the water left more scratchy marks, which created the patterns denim has. Soft pastel worked similarly in terms of smudging the pastel to create a good base, and raw lines were more textured. Layering the different materials on top of each other also worked in creating a busy array of blues. I thought the Prismacolor colour pencils were great for detailing the seams and shadows.

I found a different material to work on; a 150gsm handmade recycled page of cotton rag. The cotton was soft like a clothing textile, and using the materials on this created patterns, which showed through the colour similar to denim. Some denim jeans have rips in them for a statement look, so I tried this on the cotton rag by using a scissor blade sideways to scuff the paper. To my surprise, this worked so well, therefore I decided to go with this paper for my final illustration.

I was so pleased with my final outcome. I think this could be my favourite illustration of the course so far. This is because I feel like I really pushed myself to reach the criteria of the exercise as much as I could, by experimenting in my sketchbook with different materials. I used two layers of soft pastels on the cotton rag – a lighter blue underneath smudged to create a base, with a darker blue spread thin over the top, with darker marks in the shadow areas. I also used burnt umber and white Prismacolor pencils to create outlines and highlights. I scuffed parts of the legs on the jeans to create a ripped effect, which really highlights the complex texture of denim. If I were to repeat the exercise, I would definitely try this in a different colour; maybe a darker blue wash, or a pink.

[theprocessofmanvz]

Exercise: Using Black and White

For this exercise, I initially couldn’t decide between the word ‘building’ and ‘sea’, therefore I brainstormed both in my sketchbook.

I ended up going with building, because I straightaway had the idea in my head to create a building skyline. I immediately thought of cartoon shows and children’s books; when a skyline is shown, it is usually block colours with the buildings being black and at random heights. I drew a simple skyline freehand with a black fine liner, and added lots of small windows on the buildings, a moon, clouds and birds. I was really happy with the outline because it looks very quirky.

My printer didn’t have an invert feature, so I scanned the image into my laptop and inverted it on Photoshop. Here are the two separated images.

Instead of black buildings, I decided to keep the buildings white, and added black windows. This way, I could make the sky black to create a night sky, and the moon, clouds and birds can be white too. I was very happy with the final result because of how simple yet effective the image was. You can easily tell what it is from afar. Black and white images like this are not often easy to create, so I admire all artists and illustrators who can do this effectively.

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Exercise: Visual Metaphors

For this exercise, I collected examples of visual metaphors through Pinterest. Through my research, I created a spider diagram of some consistent themes I found in the illustrations that were interesting to me; health, technology, environmental issues, and politics. The visual metaphors I found were either used in the context of a publication or advertisement and were a great way to depict issues to provoke the viewer to think. Some campaigns with visual metaphors I found included those from WWF, NHS and Unicef.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/manveer517409/visual-metaphors/

An illustrator I came across by the name of Davide Bonazzi creates conceptual illustrations addressing issues in the form of visual metaphors. I really liked how simple his use of colour is; he generally goes for muted blues, oranges and reds. These create a subtle tone and make the illustrations comfortable to explore as they aren’t too outstanding.

I decided to go for the phrase “Reaching Retirement”. I began by creating a spider diagram (as you can probably tell by now, this is my favourite way to brainstorm ideas). I separated the two words and thought of ways they can be visually portrayed. 

I did not really enjoy this exercise because I don’t think I met the criteria of it correctly. It wasn’t very enjoyable to me when it came to drawing a visual list of objects. I realised I didn’t really go for a visual list of objects, but I was trying to create visual metaphor sketches instead. However, I enjoyed researching the visual metaphors and unpacking the words through the diagram. 

Some of the drawings I created were:

an hourglass to indicate running out of time/ reaching the end of work life. The person in the top half of the hourglass is riding a bicycle, which is something I associate with retirement due to the enjoyment and relaxation of it. The wheels of the bike turn into coins, which drop to the bottom half of the hourglass. This symbolises collecting a retirement fund.

a similar concept of driving towards a retirement home with money coming through the roof like a piggy bank, indicating a retirement fund

this was a different angle from the rest: a bench with a towel and basketball next to it. In sports, “throwing in the towel” is a metaphor used to describe quitting, so I thought this could be an interesting view on retiring.

a clock with increasing decades to indicate ‘time is ticking’

a motorway sign indicating the next exit is retirement

I showed my drawings to a friend to unpack, and he did realise that they were all portraying retirement. He did mention I could have drawn some more typical objects and concepts such as retirement homes, golfing, or a beach.

[theprocessofmanvz]

Exercise: Choosing Content

Choosing Content

From reading the extract given in the exercise, my initial impression of the main character is that he is a middle-aged, tired, bitter and quite fed-up man who has been on the police force for 15 years. I picked up on the tone of him being fed up from the phrase ‘never thought to impress himself upon what he entered every day’. Although, regardless of his bitterness, there still seems to be a hint of determination still in his mind; I picked this up from the anger described as being ‘burst deeper’. This anger can be seen as determination because the pure emotion of feeling angry with case-related issues can imply that he cares. I picture him having thin, slicked hair, with a clean-shaven face and visible stress lines and slight wrinkles in his face.  

Due to his profession and the office-like setting (“sat at the desk”, “neutrality of his surroundings”), I get the impression that the character will be dressed in smart attire. I see a top hat, with a pipe in the character’s mouth. I can envision him wearing a waistcoat with smart trousers as part of a suit, with the blazer hung behind the chair of the desk. I can also see a pocket watch hanging out of the pocket of his waistcoat, and his trousers sitting quite high. This is the kind of fashion I have seen in movies and old photographs that are set in wartime London.  I picture that the room is set up as an office space, with the big desk and chair, potentially a fireplace, and low hung lights.  The BBC TV show “Peaky Blinders” came to my mind as I was reading the extract, which is set in Birmingham, England in the aftermath of World War I. The show is primarily set around a crime family, however the whole aesthetic of the show is a good reference for a feel of the kind of setting the extract would have.

- photo taken from https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-04-23/when-is-peaky-blinders-back-movie/

When collecting resources via Pinterest, most of the photos are black and white due to the time period. I felt like it would be quite fitting to keep the illustration black and white too. Reading the extract, the word that comes to my mind is ‘gloomy’ and I envisioned the character in a newspaper/characture style drawing/illustration. These are usually quite exaggerated and greyscale, with heavy strokes of graphite or charcoal to outline. I made some notes in my sketchbook regarding my thought process.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/manveer517409/choosing-content/

In the extract, I feel like the character looking out of the window in anger is a very obvious representation of the whole tone of the article. Therefore, I went with this composition for my illustration.  In my sketchbook, I quite liked the use of heavy exaggerated lines. I tried out smudging charcoal but I did not like the effect of it - it looked too messy and inconsistent for me. I preferred just drawing the charcoal straight onto the page without smudging it. It was a lot thicker and heavier. I also tried out using a thick, 6b graphite stick for heavy shading and liked that too for lighter tones. I created a rough outline of the composition of the drawing, then used tracing paper to finalise it and transfer it to the final page.

I am happy with the outcome of this exercise because it depicts my vision of the extract accurately. I feel like I took more time with the sketchbook process for this exercise, which is something I have been wanting to work on. Even by sketching out the composition before drawing out the final illustration, I documented my process more carefully. The overall mood of the illustration is quite simple, yet dark. The black line work with the charcoal solidified the whole piece, and gave it a very heavy structure. If I could improve this illustration, I may try and work more intricately by adding small details such as brickwork and texture in the clothing.

[theprocessofmanvz]

Exercise: An Objective Drawing

For this exercise, I decided to draw my mother’s reading glasses. The object itself was relatively simple with quite a straight forward structure. I didn’t notice this initially as I assumed as I started drawing I would find more intricate details. However from the position I was drawing, the screws and hinges were not visible. I used graphite pencils by shading and layering, and found this was effective as it allowed me to smoothly create shadows and light effectively. The glass lens created a division between the top of the frame and the back, with the lens reducing the contrast of the shadows beneath it. Although my drawing is very simple, I think I created a fairly accurate objective drawing. 

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Exercise: Exploring Painting & Drawing

When I began this exercise, I realised I got confused by reading the exercise “An Objective Drawing” and thought I had to choose an object from the list. Therefore I chose an umbrella for this. So even something as simple as the object used is an improvement I could make by choosing an object more interesting.

When I began collecting all my materials for this exercise, I explored my house for things I could use that were not materials I am comfortable with to ensure I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone. When choosing which drawing implements I would use on which papers, I tried to pair them by what wouldn’t usually go together, so the outcomes would be unpredictable, making the exercise quite exciting for me.

Indian Ink on Kitchen Foil

I began by using kitchen foil - I wrapped the foil around a solid piece of card to ensure I would be able to draw on it smoothly. I chose indian ink for this because it has a runny consistency and won’t stick instantly to the surface, making it more difficult to obtain accuracy. 

I was not pleased with the outcome even though I was aware of the problems it would come with. When I began drawing with the ink, I didn’t use a brush - I drew directly from the spout of the ink pot. I was happy with the way it was going and I was using the technique of a continuous line, then when getting more ink, there were air bubbles being created resulting in ink blotches and ink running down the page. The final result is too messy for my liking, however, the surface of foil is interesting to me due to it having a shiny, reflective surface giving it a strong character already. I feel like a thicker or dryer medium such as acrylic paint or pen would produce a more effective result.

Oil Paint on Cling Film Wrapped on Recycled Card

I wrapped some cling film found in my kitchen around some recycled card to create a smooth surface to work on, similar to the kitchen foil. I was skeptical about working on cling film due to its waterproof surface and flimsy texture. I chose oil paint for this surface as I have never used oil paints before, and it would be interesting to see how a paint of oily consistency will hold up on a slippery, waterproof surface.  

I was surprised by the outcome of this combination; the paint applied so smoothly. I began by stippling the paint on to the surface which was too patchy, so I led into small short brush strokes to blend the paint. I only used 3 colours: Cobalt Blue Hue, Titanium White, and Raw Umber. I was so pleased with this piece as I am very unconfident using paints and wet mediums in general; I painted the umbrella freehand, so to be able to paint and blend at such ease was so satisfying. This has given me the confidence to explore oil paints more in the future. 

Water Colour on Tracing Paper

I was very pleased with the outcome of this combination. The painting looked so soft and subtle, with the bolder colour application adding emphasis to the shadows. The shadow under the umbrella was achieved by washing out the watercolour on the paintbrush by dipping it into water, and I slowly allowed the paint-water to spread off the brush onto the surface by applying soft strokes. 

Watercolours and tracing paper both have a very washed out and translucent finish, so it could have resulted in the watercolour not showing up enough. However, It was such a beautiful finish because the surface remained translucent, but the paint was still visible. This is a combination I will consider in the future, and I thought about layering up different sheets of tracing paper and painting on them seperately to create depth.

Crayola Washable Supertips on Matt Photo Paper

I did not like this combination as it was simply messy. This may be down to my own way of using the pens, but I did not enjoy using them and was not pleased. I do feel like if I steered away from shading and led more towards solid block colouring the umbrella, it would have produced a more effective outcome. I did like the surface of the matt photo paper - it was very smooth to draw on and the pen dried quickly on it, so there was less chance of smudging. I feel it would have suited a dry medium well.

Dulux Matt Emulsion Paint on Wet/Dry Sandpaper

This was an interesting combination and I went with it because of the thickness of both materials; the thick wall paint would show up well on the thick and dark sandpaper. I began by using a stippling technique with my brush to apply the paint, as the sandpaper had a rough surface so I felt stippling wouldn’t take away from the visibility of the texture. I really enjoyed this process because of how free I allowed myself to be with the paintbrush. For the shadow and the stick of the umbrella, I used longer strokes.

I was so pleased with this piece as it was bold, and the stippling created a rough, imperfect outline on the painting. I feel like this gave it some personality, in a way. The dark background allowed the colours to pop more, and this has made me reconsider my usual decision to settle for lighter and softer backgrounds. 

Biro Pens and Crayola Washable Supertips on Iridescent Wedding Card Envelope

This combination was probably the most simple and least experimental one, and it shows in the final outcome. I was pleased with this drawing as I used biro pens to outline shade by crosshatch, then layered the Crayola pens on top to fill in with some colour. This style reminded me of my first exercise in the course where I created a drawing in the style of E.H. Shephard, due to the use of imperfect lines and simplicity and washed out effect of the colour. 

Sharpie Pens on 80 Grit Sandpaper

This combination surprised me; I didn’t expect the Sharpie pens to be so bold and blendable on the sandpaper. Due to the extreme roughness of the sandpaper, the pens didn’t show up as solid lines, like they would on regular paper. Instead, the colour spread across the small grains of sand, so layering the colours to blend was so achievable. I only used black, dark green and light green to achieve this. There is a very dark and sinister tone to the image, and the complicated texture of the surface creates an illusion of the way rain looks when it is falling down; it is imperfect and all over the place. I could use this combination to achieve a dark and heavy tone for a future illustration. 

Chalk on Brown Paper Bag

This was another less experimental combination as the surface of a brown paper bag is not too different from normal paper. Although, chalk is something I am uncomfortable with using; the powdery-crumbly texture of chalks, soft pastels and charcoal are messy and inconsistent for my liking. However, this exercise is about trying things I am not used to and experimentation, so I went for it. I was happy with the outcome; the colours applied quite smoothly to my surprise. The brown bag had lines on the texture of it, which showed through when the chalk was applied; I liked this effect as it created a layer and showed that the material was something different. 

Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of this exercise. I learned to step outside of my comfort zone and that by pushing myself and trying new things (keyword: trying) I can surprise myself. This has encouraged me to use my sketchbook more to explore different possibilities when it comes to materials instead of going with what I know and am comfortable with. 

[theprocessofmanvz]

Part 1: Tutor Feedback

Upon receiving feedback from my tutor and reflecting on it, I took note of a few things I can do to improve my work going forward.

Firstly, something my tutor addressed was that I can go in more depth with my dialogue alongside my work. There are definitely ways I can go deeper into exploring how I feel about the work, my progress, and my observations. I bullet pointed some words I can use to refer to when logging my work:

- colour - form - shape - materials - mood - tone - texture - format - composition - structure - technique  - brush strokes

Additionally, my tutor gave me some questions to help prompt more critical dialogue in my evaluations:

- What have I learnt from this project? - Have I met the criteria of the brief? - What is successful and why? (colour, form, shape, composition, texture, format, structure) - Is my idea successfully illustrating the idea and how is it doing so? - What else might I do to improve or extend this project if I had more time? - How can I address and improve on any weaknesses? - Has this inspired any new ideas or direction?

Moving forward, I will refer back to these bullet points in each exercise and project I do to ensure I completely dive into my thought process.

Another thing my tutor picked up on was that I should include additional artist research. I am very active in terms of attending exhibitions and exploring artists, therefore I should always document what I find and learn. I am not very good at keeping on top of writing about my research, and this is something I definitely need to tap into as the course progresses. 

Another weakness I have which I can improve on is my sketchbook work. My tutor noted that I should try out two or three final designs before committing to one. I am a perfectionist, therefore I don’t really use my sketchbook for my ideas, processes and experimentation; I focus more on the final outcome. I am aware this will effect the quality of my work, and moving forward I will try harder to ensure I take to my sketchbook to document my process, including my less successful ideas. 

[theprocessofmanvz]

Exercise: Using Reference - Sketchbook

For my illustration, the vision that came to my head instantly was a living room setting, as I can clearly display colour, design, and content to represent the 1950s. I drew an initial design in my sketchbook to map out the content. I had a vision of a woman in a cinched dress and gloves laying down on the sofa. She was on the phone, with her legs crossed, surrounded by furniture. I included a geometric design on a rug and for the clock, and also created a framed “home sweet home!” picture for the wall, to represent the iconic bubble typography.

The shapes of the design were to be quite rounded, with pointed edges. I got this idea from some of the posters I had discovered on Pinterest. Another reference I used was the Cartoon Network cartoon “Dexter’s Laboratory”; this is because I distinctly remember the character of Dexter’s mother strongly holding a typical 1950s housewife aesthetic.

I scribbled down a few bright pastel colour combinations that came to mind in my sketchbook before I decided the most effective way to produce this illustration will be digitally on Adobe Illustrator. Due to the nature of the designs being sharp, curvy and pointy, creating vectors in Illustrator would allow me to achieve accurate and symmetrical designs to mimic posters and advertisements.

I started creating vectors from scratch. Illustrator makes this process so enjoyable as I start of with a rough sketch using the pen tool, then I can manipluate and adjust all the lines by rotating, resizing and reshaping until they are perfect.

I created each item in the illustration in seperate layers, making it easier to scale and resize, until I had created the whole illustration as an outline. I began adding colour, sticking to my bright, pastel colour scheme.

Final Illustration

I was very happy with my final illustration. I felt like it was a contemporary design using a simple block colour scheme to create shading. Using this style to depict a 1950s room made the illustration a fresh approach, rather than going for the obvious advertising and poster style drawings and typography. Creating this piece allowed me to learn some new technicalities in Adobe Illustrator, including exporting the file to a larger format, as well as distortion and warping; these are skills I was aware of using Photoshop, but did not understand in Illustrator. In my final design, I did not include the carpet design as I struggled to make it work through this application. If I could improve my illustration, I would definately include a pattern on the flooring, as well as some additional small objects that were particularly popular during the 1950s era.

Updated Reflection

The more I refer back to the illustration, the more I realise the 1950s theme does not jump out at me. I am aware of the theme, therefore I understand why I have created the illustration this way. However, if a third person were to look at the illustration, I doubt they would be able to pick up on the theme. I would definitely create a more obvious effect using different patterns and prints if I were to recreate this exercise. Also, after reading my tutor’s report, if I had more time to go back and redo this exercise, I would mock up a few different ideas before committing to this one to see which works best. One thing I have learnt from this exercise is the importance of taking the time to consider my options before moving forward and completing a whole design; I could have produced a much more effective outcome if I did so. 

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Exercise: Using Reference - Notes

For this exercise, I began with Pinterest to collect as much reference as I could and categorised my findings into the different categories. I merged some of the categories as I found they overlapped a lot e.g. merging art with advertising and graphic design. I also kept my sketchbook with me and noted the standout aspects of my visual research - colours, shapes, objects, etc. From a visual perspective, the 1950s were a bold time. It feels like a time of empowerment, and people were ready for change after the war.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/manveer517409/1950s/

There was popularity of bright, pastel colours, reminding me of citrus fruit and flowers. This reflected in interior design, graphic design, and fashion. Housing interior often employed a solid pastel colour accompanied by 2-3 complimenting colours. Furniture was very simple and low-sitting, and prominent interior items that I feel really give a sense of the time are; tall lamps, box televisions, and telephones. 

In terms of advertisement and 50s representation, geometric designs were the statement movement. This was seen through the sharp, cinched waists and flat hats in fashion, as well as the vector-style shapes and silhouettes prominent throughout interior design and advertising. I was vaguely reminded of the animation in the children’s programme Dexter’s Laboratory, with the straight cut figures and sharp features. 

I do feel like there is a strong reflection of 1950s design in contemporary culture and art. An immediate example that comes to mind is beauty brand “Soap & Glory”, who base their whole aesthetic on 1950s typography and colours. Similarly, the brand “Benefit Cosmetics” plays off these kinds of designs too. In fashion, the statement cinched waist can be seen channeled in various fashion campaigns and magazine conceptual shoots.

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Exercise: Making a Moodboard

I really enjoyed this exercise as making moodboards is one of my favourite ways of brainstorming and inspiring my ideas. I make moodboards on a regular basis to not only inspire my creative work but my everyday life - beauty, health, travel, etc. Moodboard and writing down ideas (lists, diagrams, etc.) are the methods that get my wheels turning the most. 

I chose the word ‘kitchen’ because I have a great passion for interior designing. I took to Pinterest to collect photographs of kitchen interiors and appliances, and I could have gone on forever I enjoyed it so much. As I was collecting images, I ended up going a tangent from kitchens from an interior design perspective to food. Although it seems pretty straightforward and directly linked to the subject, it isn’t something I would have usually associated in an aesthetical moodboard for kitchens. I struggled the most collecting textures, as it was a difficult relation.

I found this exercise refreshing as I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it put me in a mental position of being ready to start a new project. 

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Exercise: Turning Words Into Pictures

I approached this exercise in the simplest and most straightforward way possible to me. I interpreted the main focus of the exercise as drawing what comes to mind without thinking about it too much - so I did just that. I chose the word ‘exotic’ and as I began drawing things I thought to be exotic, I found that my brain was not processing enough ideas. All I could see were bold, bright colours. So I ran with that - I started putting down streaks of colour I found to be exotic, and with that came objects to match. I found this method of coming up with ideas not really suited to my brainstorming process and didn’t really enjoy it, because without initial research of pictures and using words, lists and notes, my imagination felt like it was just coming to a standstill. 

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Exercise: Spider Diagrams

For the exercise, I found my mind works very visually. All the things that popped up into my head, I instantly wrote down. I wrote down all my thoughts in coloured pen, and enlisted the help of my boyfriend to see what he would come up with - and wrote his thoughts in black pen. The words that are circled are ones we both said. My thoughts tended to stem deeper than his.

The word that was easiest for me was ‘childhood’, as it’s obviously something I have a lot of memories and thoughts associated with. I generally found that I just worked my way through my own childhood and wrote down what stuck out. Looking at the diagram now, I could have done better by taking a step back and dug deeper by thinking of different perspectives of people’s childhoods. The one I found most difficult was ‘angry’ as it is difficult to personify the feeling into physical things, therefore synonyms of the word were coming to me more than other things.

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Exercise: Writing a Brief

For this exercise, I decided to choose an illustration that I had recently sent to my significant other because of how simple yet effective I thought it was. It was this illustration created by Philipa Rice for her “Love in the Little Things” series. The series was created to depict the everyday joys of sharing love with your significant other. I figured for this exercise, it would be perfect to create a brief for this illustration to be used on a Valentine’s Day greeting card.

The Brief

We would like you to create an illustration for a Valentine’s Day greeting card depicting the simple, daily acts of sharing love. This means a portrayal of an act in an everyday, ordinary routine that couples may carry out together. The goal of this is to showcase that sharing love can be done and found in the littlest things.

The illustration will be printed on a 5x7″ greeting card. To depict the simplicity of the idea, the colour palette should be kept minimal; with a use of 3-4 colours only and a clean, white background. Feel free to use short phrases/words in a comic book style if necessary.

Deadline: Initial Ideas - 10 June Visuals - 17 June Final Artwork - 19 June

Point of Contact: Manveer Matharu - (email)