Evaluation for professional practice

Evaluation for professional practice

So over the past year I have learned a lot about myself becoming an illustrator, what practice I want to get into and develop as a person. With each work experience I have gained an understand of how each job is different from each other and what would be required to get the work. So for example what I learned from setting up the illustration awards was how you should layout an exhibition, how works corresponded with each other and how to work with a team when it comes to each. Each experience has given insight into aspects that would be expected of me if I enter any job. I have also done some independent research into what business I want to get into. So at the start of the year I wanted to get into the concept art industry. I was going in blind without any knowledge, so when I sent out email for work experience, a talk with concept artist and research what it takes to get into that business. After doing this research I found out that I did not want to enter into this business because you have a lack of creative freedom, I know that this applies to every illustration job but at least I will be able to have some creative influences over the project.

But I think when it comes to me being an illustrator, I maybe be asked to do concept art which I will do but I just would not like to work in that environment in generally. I also learned from the interviews with the senior game designer from EGX and concept artists from the London book fair that the concept art company come to you, you do not go to them. So after find out this information I was stuck with what to do as a career, but after doing some projects during this year such as children book and comics I found out that I enjoyed designing my own graphic novels and writing my own stories. After find this interests I decided to research what it takes to be a comic design, so when I went to the Cheltenham comic con to sell my artwork I decided to go around and ask comic artist what it takes to be comic artists. After talk to them I discovered that if I want to become a comic book artist, I need to practice creating comic layouts and writing my own stories. I am now practice this skill and develop my artist to a standard that I pleased with.

I also done work experience in which were artist competitions such as a poem covers in which we were hired by Gloucester academy and All saints academy  With this competition it was interesting because we did not have a lot of information to go on but we got given themes to go by. The themes were identity, childhood memories and through the mind. This experience taught how planning out and drafts are important when becoming an commissioned illustrator because I had to take what information I had and develop an illustration out of it. I think I would have preferred more information to go on so that I could get more idea to develop something that is more to the client’s idea but then again from what I have learned, sometimes the clients will not give you all the information you want and they are after your artistic view on the information. I have also been commissioned at the Cheltenham comic con which was my first time doing a commission on the day.  Again with this task it gave insight if I want to do commissions again at comic cons I would do it again.  The other competition that I entered was a University of Gloucestershire contest which was designs a wall design that related to student life and we had no restriction on a colours scheme. With this contest it gave me more of idea of what to go because it went straight to the point and made it quite clear what the client wanted. Overall from this part of professional practice I have learned that is a great way to get notice and to get possible future clients.

Besides the work experience, I have done interviews with artists to gain a understand of what it takes to be an illustrator. They told us what would be expected of us when we enter the business as illustrator. But they also told us their process of work and how they develop ideas. With this it was interesting and informative to how we help develop my own ideas and how what I am expected to do.  I have also learned the aspects of being an illustrator. So I learned about copyright, mass producing, presentation, group working and been independent. I have become more independent and developed as an illustrator and as well a person.

Overall this whole experience has taught me what is expected of me as an illustrator; it taught me what I would like to do as a career, what are possible jobs to do besides illustration and what to do when creating my illustrations. Overall this year has taught me what it is like to be an illustrator.