404 Evaluation

404 Evaluation

This module has taught me a lot about how I see my own practice- I have learned a lot about myself, my style of image making and how I perceive it. I feel that I have developed as a practitioner this year- accepting that not all work has to be polished was a major learning curve for me- understanding that my work is valid as it is and to stop trying to be something I’m not has seen my work develop more than I could have hoped for. I have also discovered that though I tend to be in a last-minute rush most of the time, if I work consistently and really push myself, I can actually make work I am proud of and that holds value to me- something I really struggled with in the first module.

I have learned a lot about how to make work good and better- playbook lessons in composition, colour, and line of sight have made a big impact when considering work I’m making. Technology has also become more crucial to my practice- learning how to effectively use a graphics tablet alongside Photoshop, even at a basic level, and to make zines in InDesign has been invaluable to me- the excitement and accessibility I have gained from these techniques is something I never even considered that I’d learn.

Most importantly, this module I have discovered the importance of play. Trial and error is something I have always been a little bit too scared to throw myself into fully, always having a pre-perceived idea of how my work should turn out. But losing this has been the best thing I have learned to do this module- I have surprised myself with work I never thought I was capable of making, even when in a rush.  Timekeeping is still something I am working on both in my personal and professional life- but I'm also coming to terms with it as a part of who I am.

My most successful brief I feel was Tell an Untold Story. This process of learning and making through research and interviewing has been so uplifting for me as a way of working- selecting the interesting bits, narrowing down a mass of information into its bare form and most importantly storytelling- these aspects have developed my practice and my person as well- I feel more confident in my work and accepting of my place as an illustrator and story teller. Though I have had less successful briefs, they have been crucial in learning processes- I never thought I would be capable of hand rendering animations, or typewriting tiny zines the night before hand-in. I see these as platforms to build upon and strengths to grow, instead of failures and write-offs. Perhaps my whole attitude towards my work has changed- I feel at home and excited for what I am going to create in the future. I feel valid.