Reflective ReportExperienceMy experience within Illustration and Animation tends to very as I’ve experienced a lot of different methods through a range of medias, expanding my knowledge and abilities in the subject. I have a basic experience within live briefs being with clientele as I’ve taken on projects and work that deal with communication between clients and I, insuring the objective is met. These being a project with Live Tales where I worked on creating features for a room based on the activities that takes place there and most recently working with an Artist creating collages for a gallery in Tokyo. Along with that I’ve entered in a number of completions being with Pictoplasma, the Cheltenham Illustration Awards and an assignment sent by a brewery for a new label. In these competitions I’ve adapted rules and restrictions into my work as I produce art that represents me and my creative as well being what they are looking for. I’ve widened my knowledge within the Illustration community through a great amount of research during my course as I look at Artists who are paving the way in the community and familiarising myself with trends and what is popular.

I’ve widened myself to different views and takes on the typical sense of Illustration by going to expeditions and gallery’s that display many artists work and the themes they play with. Doing so I’ve experienced their expression through the art form and taking in influence of how they have derived thought and concepts into a final piece. In my course I’ve experience many forms of illustration and animation during my projects, these being sequential, character design, printmaking and many others that have built my understanding of the artform. I’m experiencing a lot during my course that allows me to build my understandings of what I work well with and what I like to create that then gives me the knowledge of what I can delve deeper into and exploring more, using my insulative. I’ve experienced first-hand tutorials and workshops that put me in a unique environment of working among something where I’m not familiar, building my approach to methods and workflow in these sessions.

Reflective Observation

Looking back on my experience in the industry I can reflect on my strengths and focus on building on those areas of where I exceeded. In my course I excelled in coming up with ideas and concepts in different briefs that utilised different factors and themes, keeping all my projects unique and the narrative fresh. I am more than capable to keep up with requirements of myself and my work as I have a great work flow that I can apply to all my projects. I have a good understanding of myself and the pace that I work at allowing me to manage my time well and utilise the time sets for each project. This means I can take on as much as I can and still finish the briefs, utilising every moment I have and putting it to use. I have the initiative to develop my understandings and widening my range as an illustrator, experimenting with new and different materials, expanding my variety of work. Doing this I have better knowledge of producing practical work being prints, materials and merchandise. I’ve widened my knowledge with the potential for my work by looking into different ways of producing of showcasing work. Using more materials and medias to keep my work fresh and develop my skills.

I showcased a lot of great concepts and ideas which I successfully produced into reality hitting my criteria and objectives.

Great time management and self-assessment skills. Have a good understanding of my craft and knowledge of what I can do and what I

need to improve. I understand requirements and what is needed of me, working well with briefs and

instructions. I work well within experimental practice and new subjects, giving everything my best

and shows an initiative for widen my skill set.

The weaknesses I have shown throughout my studies I have looked at thoroughly and addressed them so. In some of my projects I tended to stay within a safe zone where my main techniques and methods lay, and I struggled to get out of that habit of always retreating to. I also tend to go straight from my concept to a finished project, sometimes not allowing myself to have any opportunity to let my ideas breath and experiment with different ideas. In some parts of my learnings I didn't improve on some of my work which I would like to have. Being techniques and filters, I could have cleared them up and made them look better when given the chance. Acting upon my weaknesses I aim to accomplish my goals and minimalize any risks and setbacks that they may course. Doing this I can better my understanding of my workflow and skillsets, creating a better approach to projects and briefs.

In projects tend to retreat to a safe zone of work, not allowing myself to utilise my potential.

I have shied away from learning new techniques and methods within Digital work. I tend to go straight from concept to finished work, so I don’t allow myself the space

to breath and develop my work. I ned to work on presenting my ideas and concepts, becoming more confident in

myself and my work.

Through my studies in Animation and Illustration I have gained some great opportunities where I can cash in my learnings and put them to great use. With the briefs I’ve worked on I have a better understanding of how to construct characters, stories and narratives which have given me a better stance to marketing myself on theses abilities, opening doors to new projects and career

advances. Also, with the experience of first hand presentation with a clients and partners I am able to successfully surmise a presentations and treatments which shows off my concepts and designs. This is great as I can prepare myself for further encounters with clients as i have a built an understanding of work relationships which I can use to network and advance in the field. By doing all of my research and investigations I know obtain a wider knowledge of styles, printing methods and materials at my disposal. This has made me more viable and flexible to projects and future commissions. I've opened myself to future methods that I can utilize in the future project at a professional standard as I begin to look for employment and opportunities, making myself look better from an employer’s prospective. With these many projects over the years I’ve experienced lots of practical work within groups and on my own and they all have taught me many skills that I can now apply to new possibilities. Among them I have taken on heavy workloads that I can now go into new projects with a better knowledge of my abilities and construct a work flow that benefits by abilities and my time limit. This builds my reputation and ability to put an estimated time to my completion of either a project or commission to insure I get what I’m hired for done in a reasonable and professional standard.

I have gained experience and skills that makes me more viable for jobs and hiring. I have first-hand experience with clientele work allowing me to network and build

relationships professionally for sufficiently. I have built a good understand of myself and my craft allowing to market and

promote myself and my work promptly. With experience of heavy workloads and big projects I can apply myself new projects

and experiences with a better knowledge of my capabilities and construct a work flow that allows for a swift conclusion and product.

Going through my strengths, weaknesses and the opportunities my learnings have presented to me, have all been to minimise the possible threats and hold back what naturally come within the learning cycle. Things like the lack of certain knowledge and experience is a common one that could stunt me within my expansion of skills as I could be held back or run into a road block within a new project. I’ve faced certain struggles like this before where my learning goes so far and I have to adapt to an uncomfortable situation where I’m a little out of my league. But if I keep to the things I’ve highlighted and created an action plan I’ll be able to build more confidence towards these situations and use my arsenal of skills in order to overcome.

Not enough knowledge and understanding with crafts and techniques, stunting me of possible opportunities.

Possibility that nerves get the best of me and I don’t break out of my comfort zone, never developing my work and skillset, effecting my growth within the industry.

With not a lot of first-hand experience with actual client work perhaps my knowledge and confidence aren’t substantial for the industry, not allowing me to grow and make connections.

Action Plans After doing my SWOT analysis I can now look at my overall experience and performance within my studies and better understand where I’m at within my practice. I’ve came a long way since the beginning of the course as my skills being digital and traditional have all improved and my knowledge has widened. I’ve experienced a lot of styles and materials that is allowing me to experiment and widen my form even further. Doing this I want to continue experimenting and leaving my comfort zone. In the end of year showcase I did just that, getting more creative with the medium and materials on which I created but kept authentic to my craft. I will choose projects and briefs that will allow me to do so, for me to become a better artist with a wider understanding and harness of skills. I will work within new mediums and techniques like Painting, Clay and more Fabric work to versify my portfolio and abilities. I will still work on bettering my strengths as there is always more to learn, being staying focussed on character design, character interactions, stories and the narratives where they exist. Doing this I will expand on my ability to create more out there and dynamic forms and shapes, adding better elements and techniques into my character approach. This will strengthen my abilities in this form of creation and widen my knowledge of interesting visuals. I will work on outputting my talents and skills through different medias and formats, being merchandising and promotion. Working on different outlets to widen my appeal as an Illustrator and capabilities through merchandising and selling.

As well as this, I will also address my weaknesses by focusing on them also, making sure they are being addressed in my projects. Intertwining my strengths with my weaknesses will insure that my outcome is successful while I improve upon myself in the process. Taking to independent research I will investigate into new forms of creating, taking new elements I’m not to failure with and harnessing it within my style and workflow. Doing this I will be leaving my comfort zone and trying something new and daring, leaving the ‘stuck in my ways’ style behind through experimentation and working with more abstract elements. I will also search into different forms of digital techniques as I want to be more versatile when it comes to Photoshop and Illustrator. I really enjoy traditional and the other forms of media I’ve been looking into has also been very hands on creative, but I could also use mixed media and enhance my projects. I will take to my projects with a new form of thinking, giving my concepts room to breathe and get more creative, insuring their uniqueness that will show my versatility as an Illustrator and willingness to learn and grow.

Work on character design and widen knowledge of the human form, shape and silhouette.

Experiment more within new materials, versifying my talents and choices of mediums.

Work within Digital, widening my understandings and skillset through technique. Build confidence and client/public relationships through public work and

investigations.