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Since leaving school five years ago I have taken a path that I didn’t think I would. I went straight into college from school and during my two years there I learnt so much by experimenting with so many techniques. Digital/ traditional, installation art, ceramics and printmaking. I found myself drawn to printmaking because of the whole process of it, having to prepare a plate, roll the plate through the press, etc. I would constantly be in that printmaking room than anywhere else! Then college came to an end and I had no clue what to do with myself, all I had known was education to give me something to do, now I was on my own. I had hoped to go to Edinburgh College of Art to study illustration but even though I got positive feedback it seemed not possible for me to get in after two attempts of applying. Honestly I am glad I ended up not being offered a place at Edinburgh because it made me go out of comfort zone by getting a job, learning to drive, getting to be part of Uplands Modern Maker programme and having time to develop my artwork. I knew I wanted to study illustration still but wanted to stay at home so ended up applying for the course I am on now!
I have always known choosing to go down the art path in life wasn’t going to be the easiest way to get a full time job, yet there is nothing else that I would rather do than be creative. Before looking into illustration jobs, what am I aware of? I know there are agencies for children book publishing, graphic design based jobs and being freelance/ self-employed with no full guarantee of getting work. At this moment in time I need figure out where I sit in terms of what path I could take. What strengths do I have? Knowledge of printmaking techniques, use of Procreate, sketchbook drawing, having experience of being part of group exhibitions, having some commissions (pet portraits, card making), producing work for deadlines, taking inspiration from a whole ranges of sources (art history, places I visit, films, music) What are my ambitions? At the moment I have a whole range of thoughts about what I want to do. I want to be able to illustrate books, so covers, children’s picture books, history/ nature related informational books maybe? Freelance/ self employment is something I consider, the internet connections with clients are more accessible meaning it would make working from home an option, though it is no guarantee of work. Then there are options of looking at agencies that have branches for illustrators. I also want to maybe write/research and illustrate my own books based on historical people/ places or traditional folktales. Concept art is something I am interested in but not thought about as much, it was what I wanted to do about eight years ago but faded away over time and now I might look back into it! To begin with I am going have a general look at illustrators, videos, blogs, agencies, mentoring and podcasts that inspire me/ what I aspire to achieve in terms of working as an illustrator. Illustrators
Articles/Blogs
Agencies/ Mentoring
Videos
Podcasts
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