update
So, what am I doing at the moment? well, apart from exploring colour, struggling with character design and layout I'm also doing some theory work. We've been having lectures on design theory and soon we will have to give a presentation based on these but about our own work, then hand in a 4000 word essay on it too. So I've been doing A LOT of reading. Tons, infact. I think my forthcoming interview with Bryan Talbot should be quite informative too.
Outside of the course, my freelance work is going well. I am doing some cartoon bees for a roman fort, some book illustrations for Essential works publishing, colouring and activity sheets for an art gallery and getting ready to do some workshops too. I'll be doing some world war two comics with young people, teaching the art of stenciling as a drop in workshop and doing a workshop for the Big draw at the end of October.
Keep reading for my current statement of intent (which is an outline of what I'm trying to do during the MA course)
Statement of intent
Leonie O’Moore MA Illustration and Design
My work during the MA course falls into four main strands:
1. Graphic Novel
2. Weblog
3. Dissertation
4. External work
1. Graphic Novel
The term ‘graphic novel’ in this instance refers to a comic book of 80 pages or more in length.
This is a practical piece of work which will inform, but also be informed by, my research. I want
to attempt to create a larger consistent body of work than I have previously been able to, which
will be more complex and have a more challenging narrative. I hope to create something that
is innovative and engaging, but still accessible. Many experimental or advanced works of
sequential art are difficult for inexperienced audiences to relate to, so I am concerned with
designing in a way that will enhance the narrative without alienating the reader.
My book will be made with the adult market in mind. This is a broad audience. Within the
confines of a comic store marketplace it is predominantly a male audience of between 16 - 30
yr olds. However, if sold or displayed elsewhere, there is a much broader market. This is
something I have explored with previous work and research.
I would like to create something that the audience can engage with emotionally. I have
developed a basic story outline which deals with ideas of evolution and adaptation as well as
isolation and ego, told from the point of view of an ‘everyman’ character. I want this book to be
very honest and personal in a way that my commercial work does not normally allow.
I have been making comics for over ten years now and I want to reassess and define my
work. I am, in a way, looking for a new approach to working, but I want to build on my expertise
rather than begin on a completely new path. I am hoping that the size and scope of this
project, as well as the time frame, will help me to explore my own artwork, ideas and
philosophies in a more in depth way than a comicbook would allow.
Key Issues to address will be: within the graphic novel
I aim to have a finished piece of work ready for publication and distribution by the end of the
year.
Visual Style Characters/environment, illustrative style
Typography
Pallette
Narrative Content
Tone
Pacing
Format Original artwork
Reproduction
Presentation
2. Weblog
An important part of how I work is to collaborate and share ideas and techniques. As such, I
have decided to blog the next year of my life. In this way other artists, students, tutors and my
intended audience can look at my progress, research and influences and comment/discuss
these with me. The weblog will form the cornerstone of my research as well as being a unique
tool for the dissemination of that information.
Also, the blog acts as an online diary that I can refer back to, which will give me a better insight
into my processes than standard note taking would allow. Unlike a diary, though, it allows for
the inclusion of imagery, links, video, music and downloadable documents as needed.
So the blog will be used for:
Documentation of ideas, research and process.
Dissemination of research.
Feedback from all over the world and cross pollination of ideas from other media.
Personal reference tool and diary.
Promotional tool for finished practical work.
A common element to tie together all areas of my practice.
At the end of September I will send out a press release to relevant
people/publications/websites to alert them to my blog.
The blog can be viewed at:
or via my main website and is available as an RSS
feed for regular update alerts.
3. Dissertation
The dissertation will be related to graphic novels. I am very interested in uses for graphic
novels (other than entertainment) and audiences for graphic novels outside the specialist
comics collector market.
I will probably explore different uses and then do a case study of educational applications of
graphic novels.
4. External Work
The work I do outside the course is very pertinent as it is within in the field of comics and comic
research. Exhibitions, published work, conventions and reviews will all shape my MA work. I
can conduct interviews at conventions, gain feedback at exhibitions, try out ideas on smaller
pieces of work for publication and use my position as critic for Comics International magazine
to keep up to date with current trends and ideas in the field.
I will use the blog to relate all these extra activities to my MA.