STRENGTHS
Photography: I have always been a keen photographer, and during the last few years i have begun to take it seriously. I try not to focus on a certain genre of photography however wildlife seems to dominate slightly as it is my passion.
For more of my photos please take a look at my Flickr account, there is a link to my photostream located on the left hand side of my blog home page.
Illustration: I have only recently gone in the direction of illustration after working for many years with a Graphic Design frame of mind. I made the switch to illustration because i felt that i wanted more freedom in my work and to be more creative within the field of natural history. I am trying to develop an illustrative style on computer and paper. I would also like to try to illustrate some characters similar to those by Tim Burton but in my own style.
crafts: growing up i was never really that good at making things, its only been in the last few years that i have been able to create things without them being thrown across the room in a fit of rage. Some of the things i have made include my vehicles and gift that i sent out to my three companies (see vehicle page), hand made wooden pens (surprisingly easy), a clay figure for a stop-motion animation project and i have started to carve an abstract wooden bird which i have yet to sand properly and varnish.
Illustration: I have only recently gone in the direction of illustration after working for many years with a Graphic Design frame of mind. I made the switch to illustration because i felt that i wanted more freedom in my work and to be more creative within the field of natural history. I am trying to develop an illustrative style on computer and paper. I would also like to try to illustrate some characters similar to those by Tim Burton but in my own style.
crafts: growing up i was never really that good at making things, its only been in the last few years that i have been able to create things without them being thrown across the room in a fit of rage. Some of the things i have made include my vehicles and gift that i sent out to my three companies (see vehicle page), hand made wooden pens (surprisingly easy), a clay figure for a stop-motion animation project and i have started to carve an abstract wooden bird which i have yet to sand properly and varnish.
Vehicle
A still from my stop-motion animation
Unfinished carved bird
WEAKNESSES
Typography: This isn't a major weakness but it is definatly one of the areas that i really need to improve on. I sometimes have trouble picking the right font for a brief and sometimes i have got it quite wrong. Since buying a great typography book ( The Complete Typographer: a foundation course for Graphic Designers working with type) i have noticed an improvement especially on my recent work revamping my identity. I am now using only illustrator for my type due to the editing capabilities.
OPPORTUNITY'S
In Wigan there is a small gallery, not far from college, so i went in and asked if it was possible for me to get involved and sell some of my work. They gave me an e-mail address and told me to get in touch so i did.
Hi i am an Illustrator and Photographer specializing in Wildlife, from Wigan, i nipped into your Wigan branch the other day and there was some great artwork on display. I just wanted to enquire if its possible for me to get involved and to maybe get my work in one of your galleries, or are your galleries strictly paintings only? Thankyou for your time.
I got a swift reply the day after:
Hi, you can submit work for us to look at by sending details etc to submissions@acartandframing.co.uk
We can then take things from there
Kind regards
Mike
We can then take things from there
Kind regards
Mike
At the moment i have not took this any further, with briefs and building a portfolio its been put on the back burner for now but in the near future i will come back to this and follow it up.
http://www.hindleyhs.wigan.sch.uk/2011%20courses.html
I am going to enrole on the community classes at Hindley High School due to my interest in the "Painting in Watercolours with Zina" This course is on a Tuesday night, 7pm - 9pm and runs for 10 weeks, all for the modest price of £30. Watercolour is a great media to use, however it is also the hardest method of painting. For me watercolours are the easiest to take in my pocket when i am going for walks over the fields, so i need to know the correct way of mixing the colours and techniques.
http://www.illustrationweb.com/About.aspx
http://www.hindleyhs.wigan.sch.uk/2011%20courses.html
I am going to enrole on the community classes at Hindley High School due to my interest in the "Painting in Watercolours with Zina" This course is on a Tuesday night, 7pm - 9pm and runs for 10 weeks, all for the modest price of £30. Watercolour is a great media to use, however it is also the hardest method of painting. For me watercolours are the easiest to take in my pocket when i am going for walks over the fields, so i need to know the correct way of mixing the colours and techniques.
http://www.illustrationweb.com/About.aspx
THREATS
Drawing: Lately i have not been drawing as much as i should and as much as i used to. Although i went into Graphic Design i spent my school life in illustration due to fact that every lesson would include me doodling on paper half hidden beneath my textbooks. My illustrations then were still very wildlife based, mostly drawing little woodland scenes, ponds, fishing floats and numerous little characters. I watched a video a few weeks ago about how doodling during talks and lessons increase your concentration which explains why my grades were very good: http://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown.html#.ToRd3wbPlV0.facebook. Since i started college and had briefs coming out my ears i do not doodle or draw as much as i used to and that needs to change if i want to go on and do the illustration course at Salford University.
Vehicles: I was immensely proud of the three vehicles i made and i was a little disappointed that i did not make four so that i could keep one for myself, but my main priority was to make the three and get them sent out. I do not think i followed them up as much as i could have done, i should have made more contact more frequently but i was unsure of how much to push them. I was a little unsure about ringing up multiple times because they are busy design studios who are meeting deadlines and have limited time to be dealing with students wanting to visit, so i guess i was probably being a little to kind for my own good, i should have been a little bit more selfish and forceful.
Wildlife: My work is very wildlife based and in the past i have been accused of being to narrow in my approach to briefs which is very true, which is why research and immersing yourself in design is so important. This is one of the reasons i switched from a graphic design future to an illustration based one, i wanted more freedom to explore illustrations based on natural history. I am taking my illustrations in a new direction to add variety to my work but it will still be more or less wildlife based in one way or another.
Drawing: Lately i have not been drawing as much as i should and as much as i used to. Although i went into Graphic Design i spent my school life in illustration due to fact that every lesson would include me doodling on paper half hidden beneath my textbooks. My illustrations then were still very wildlife based, mostly drawing little woodland scenes, ponds, fishing floats and numerous little characters. I watched a video a few weeks ago about how doodling during talks and lessons increase your concentration which explains why my grades were very good: http://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown.html#.ToRd3wbPlV0.facebook. Since i started college and had briefs coming out my ears i do not doodle or draw as much as i used to and that needs to change if i want to go on and do the illustration course at Salford University.
Vehicles: I was immensely proud of the three vehicles i made and i was a little disappointed that i did not make four so that i could keep one for myself, but my main priority was to make the three and get them sent out. I do not think i followed them up as much as i could have done, i should have made more contact more frequently but i was unsure of how much to push them. I was a little unsure about ringing up multiple times because they are busy design studios who are meeting deadlines and have limited time to be dealing with students wanting to visit, so i guess i was probably being a little to kind for my own good, i should have been a little bit more selfish and forceful.
Wildlife: My work is very wildlife based and in the past i have been accused of being to narrow in my approach to briefs which is very true, which is why research and immersing yourself in design is so important. This is one of the reasons i switched from a graphic design future to an illustration based one, i wanted more freedom to explore illustrations based on natural history. I am taking my illustrations in a new direction to add variety to my work but it will still be more or less wildlife based in one way or another.
