Reading Assignment: Chapter One
Training to be an illustrator:
- There are distinct differences between applied art and fine art, applied art being applied to someone else’s problem or product, and fine art being a work that stands alone.
- The blank space is a great source to think, imagine, and form thoughts. The blank space can be frustrating at first or freeing-a world to be rendered, a solution to be found.
- Illustrators always have to find a new solution. Other lines of work like accountants and lawyers use mostly set knowledge in their work to be applied everyday whereas illustrators face the real risk of failure forming a new solution with each new project.
- Illustrators can’t just regurgitate the rules of visual communication with a project/subject, they must know their project/subject so well, all the ins and outs, every bit of knowledge they can learn about the subject, and apply it in their own peculiar way. And writers are no different with words on a page.
Contextualizing illustration within graphic design
Graphic design- it’s everywhere and often a combination between words and pictures. It’s a term that’s only been in use since World War II. After the war “communication design” fragmented into different ares like illustration (pictures), typography, art directors, photographers, and graphic designers. Graphic designers utilize many if not all of these aspects to IIIPP “Identification, information, instruction, presentation, and promotion.”
Pictures and words-similiarites and differences:
They have the power to communicate together and create great effects.
- Pictures: instant communication, wide audiences, visually delight, can make a visual narrative, connect emotions instantly, etc.
- Words: communicate specifically and accurately, localized and specialized, engage over a long time, reveal things slowly, arranged for a narrative, emotion connection, etc.
Working together both can compensate for weaknesses.
Similarities and differences between fine art and applied art:
To tell start by asking these questions:
1 What is the primary, intended origination point of the object?
2 What is the primary, intended function of the object?
3 What is the primary, intended fabric of the object?
4 What is the primary, intended worth of the object?
5 What is the primary, intended numerical edition of the object?
6 What is the primary, intended audience of the object?
7 What is the primary, intended context of the object?
(From here the book covers a couple of pictures with these questions, with the first picture being applied art and the second being fine art).
Developing your product: problem-solving processes:
The illustrator needs to take interlinked steps to solve a solution visually. One sucked person who created a good system to do that is Edward De Bono. He invented Lateral thinking in 1967, and The Six Thinking Hats.
The White Hat: To gather information.
The Green Hat: To explore and generate ideas without criticism.
The Yellow Hat: To assess the strengths and benefits of each alternative.
The Black Hat: To assess the weaknesses and dangers of each alternative.
The Blue Hat: To maintain an overview of the progress and focus on the whole process.
The Red Hat: To express intuitive and emotional views that have no defined rationale.
These “hats” are used in the states of creative solving as such”
Stage 1: Defining the problem, and asking questions, “the brief.” (white hat)
Stage 2: Gathering the relevant research (white hat)
Stage 3: Gathering options, being free and loose with information and ideas, (Green hat)
Stage 4: Evaluating the options, (Black and Yellow hat)
Stage 5: Selecting the Best option. Is it original? Does it answer the brief? Is it achievable within the time frame? Is it achievable at reasonable cost? (Black hat)
State 6: Implementing the chosen solution, form follows function. "At this stage, it is worth checking again the factual information provided on the brief: size( s), color( s), physical or digital form, and deadline.” Do not go back to an earlier stage, it is an illusion to think there will be a better solution around the corner.
Stage 7: Monitor and evaluate outcomes: was the client pleased, anything you could do differently/better?
