Initial drawing responses to text

These are few examples of my first responses to the written text and a film version Persuasion (2007). They are generally all using my usual 2D mediums, concentrating on getting bold linear drawings down to inspire 3D illustrations later on...

 

Looking back on these initial drawings, I can see how they could be developed further by application of colour. Its apparent that my drawing process has been restricted as some of these drawings were drawn from screenshots taken from a film interpretation. I think drawing from my own imagery, source material and my imagination will make developing new ideas easier.

Contextual Research: Reading around the text.

I am keen to educate myself about the era that the novel, Persuasion by Jane Austen, was written and set in.  This is to make the imagery that I created relevant and true to the text. From previous experience,  I discovered how important authenticity is to costume students, as it can determine how believable their production will be. As an illustrator wanting to create for work for theatre use, i think its important to adopt a similar attitude.

I came across a documentary series on BBC4 Elegance and Decadence: The Age of Regency that explores the social and political events of the times as well as looking at the Arts, Fashion and Architecture. The series reflected on the snobbery and ridiculous extravagance of the upper classes that Jane Austen writes about in Persuasion. You can most definitely relate characters such as Sir Walter Elliot, the protagonist's overspending and vain father, with the Prince Regent and the 'Dandies' of the day. Such characters in society that were mocked and exaggerated in the Satirical artwork of James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and George Cruikshank. These illustrations will be good reference in my own work, as they give abstract representations, something I want to explore to create more innovative pieces of work.

After watching these documentaries, i was intrigued by the architecture of the age. John Nash, the Prince Regent's architect, worked on many adventurous and intricate design projects that give great inspiration for paper cut artwork and pattern designing.

Here are two screenshots of satirical illustrations of the time. The application of colours is very strong and reflects the flamboyancy of the age. I'm interested to see how colours could be added to the poster design and other project work to reflect on satirical themes of Austen's writing.

Meeting with BA (Hons) Costume with Performance Design Students

Throughout the course of this project, its very important that I take opportunities to meet up with other students working on the live project. This was the first meeting I have had with the BA (Hons) Costume with Performance Design students, which included  a set designer, Rhyannan Hall, and a Costume Designer, Natasha Reid. This was opportunity for me to present my prior work and discuss ideas I had for the poster. Both seemed drawn to the considered application of colour to my work and it how it usually causes the work to be symbolic.

Level 5 Narrative Project: Projected illustrated images in response to the Opera, The Magic Flute.

Metamorphosis from Emma Sears on Vimeo.

Above is my response to "The Metamorphosis of Callisto" from The Metamorphoses of Ovid for my Level 5 Convergence/Divergence unit. What was picked up from this this piece of work, was the use of shadows and colours. Something they'd like me to possibly explore in my poster design.

I also showed them a recent commission piece I had done for another AUB production, Cloud 9. (see below). Both parties agreed that the analogue approach of colouring pencil wouldn't be appropriate for this project, however again they like the contrast of monotone against colour. I never really realised until recently how much the theme of contrast crops up so much in my practice.

Commissioned Cloud 9 poster, Oct 2013.

The meeting was generally very interesting to see how students with varied creative backgrounds interpret the same text. One seeing how locations in the text and themes could be interpreted through fabrics and then the other looking at how lighting in the set could express different characters roles in the text. My role as poster designer is to choose elements and themes of the text to successfully entice audiences with image and text. We also swapped practitioners to look at and photos from the different location trips we had taken to broaden our sources.

Research trip to Winchester: Location drawing

                           

                      

                      

                                       

My trip to Winchester was inspired by my research into paper cutting and paper sculpture. This was a technique I want to develop from previous projects, where I had use the laser cutter and created props and masks out of paper. Whilst reading up on the history of paper cutting, It was stated that many gothic churches incorporated paper cut stencils into their interior design. I was intrigued to see if the shapes and structures of Church interior would inspire my practice and spark ideas for making.

I chose to go to Winchester for the Cathedral, as from what I could remember from previous visits the building had plenty of gothic imagery and intricate interiors. It also seemed relevant the city as it was where Jane Austen (The Author of Persuasion- The text my project is based upon) died and was buried.

There was lots of beautiful imagery to be found throughout the city, a mixture between its medieval history and additional architecture that had been added most likely in the 19th Century. In the Cathedral itself, the application of patterned structure on the ceilings reminded me a lot of paper cuts and the intricate wooden structures in the quire (oldest part of the Cathedral) looked as if they could be replicated for a set design as a city skyline.

On my walk around the city, I came across two iron-wrought clocks. Both had very intricate and gothic designs. It made me think about the reference to time passing in Persuasion. Both the indication that eight years has passed since Anne being persuaded to break off her engagement with Frederick Wentworth and over that time she supposedly 'lost her bloom'. This is possible idea to consider in my visual response to the text.

After visiting the house in which Jane Austen had died, I was curious to find any more information on Jane Austen and connections to the time in which the novel was written (1818). The Winchester Public library offered not much on Jane Austen, however had a very useful book on silhouette portraiture (British Silhouette Artists and their work by Sue McKechnie), popular among middle classes between 1760-1860. I was intrigued by the varied materials used in this technique, in particular the idea of painting silhouettes on glass and ivory.

Other Illustrators that have explored Set Design...

In the initial stages of my project, I wanted to see if other Illustrators had taken a similar route in their practices. My research lead me to two areas. Firstly, there were the illustrators that created 3D/sculptural illustrations that were either photographed for 2D print or displayed in an installation form (usually for window dressing). These practitioners included Hattie Newman and Amy Harris. On the other hand, I found a BA(hons) Illustration graduate, Sally King, who pursued a career in production design, and is now currently Art Director for Eastenders. I was lucky to communicate with two of these practitioners, Amy Harris and Sally King. Both had had completely different experiences post-graduation, however both had moved away from traditional print illustration. Their post-graduation experiences included further education (in technical drawing) and internships. Even though, neither had experience in Theatre Design, they both were enthusiastic about the prospect of an illustration student applying their skills to a different discipline. The same response came from both of them, to get experience working on relevant projects would boost my practice and to make use of creative freedom of third year to develop ideas and experiment with materials.

Hattie Newman- 'Louis Vuitton Theatre' Set Design

Hattie Newman- 'Domus Nova Window' Installation

(Images taken from www.hattienewman.co.uk )

Amy Harris- Daily Telegraph Christmas Gift Guide

Amy Harris- Esquire Magazine

(Images taken from www.amy-harris.co.uk )

Sally King- Eastenders Production Design/Art Director

 Sally King- Jason Byrne DVD- Art Director 

(Images taken from http://www.sallymonster.net/#!portfolio )

Pre-Major Project Brief

This project will collaborate my skills and interests accumulated over the past two years of my degree to focus my practice on image making suitable for a career in the Theatre industry. I am interested in exploring how my skill set as an Illustrator could contribute to a stage production, and in turn how it influences my practice. Areas I wish to get involved in include marketing (i.e. creating advertising or branding imagery for a production), Scenic Design and Prop making. During the course of this project I will be working on a live project, The production an Arts University at Bournemouth performance of Jane Austen's Persuasion. I will working alongside students from BA (Hons) Costume with performance Design, Initially to create a poster for the production. Therefore my imagery will be based around the narrative of the text.

This blog will document not only my research and development of ideas, but also how I work alongside other students in a collaboration.