This was the theme of an illustration conference I attended on Thursday and, to be honest, it took me a while to work out what was meant by it.
Perhaps a more straight-forward term might be 'artistic integrity', because the conference revolved around the extent to which illustrators, whose work is by definition commissioned and art-directed by a client, can maintain their own 'voice' within the work they produce and to what extent we need to sustain private, non-commissioned work, to keep sight of who we are as creatives.
There were two illustrators speaking: Simon Spilsbury, whose work you will remember from the recent Cobra ads, and Andrew Foster, who caused some controversy with his commission to paint the windows at Liberty (top image).
It was particularly interesting to watch Simon drawing on the spot for us, explaining how his ideas evolve, starting with quick, simple sketches, which then spark visual associations, and suggest ways to link two different concepts together in a single image, as with this Comedy Festival poster.
A third speaker was Ben Cox from the CIA - no, not that CIA, but the Central Illustration Agency, who represent a vast and diverse range of illustrators, from Carol Lawson (above) to David Hughes (one my personal favourites):
It was lovely to be allowed to sit all day and be bombarded by a continuous stream of exciting illustrative images, and the debate afterwards was thought-provoking and hopefully inspiring to the many illustration students in the audience.
The conference was the first one arranged by Frazer Hudson, editorial illustrator and lecturer at Hallam University, but plans are already underway for next year's, so it
Blog: Scribbled Business (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I may have mentioned earlier that I'm busy creating art for an upcoming art show in 2009 with the theme being growing up. I don't think there's been a time in my entire life where I've felt like I've had to grow up more than since I found out the big news (see previous post) but it's been fun meeting with the other very talented ladies involved in the show: Amanda Woodward and Davey Thompson and discussing how we've grown up in our lives and that the process never seems to stop.
I've only nailed down one sketch which I've started painting. Here's the painting as it stands thus far (it's about me moving to the city when I was 17 - feeling so out of place and in wonder yet scared out of my mind) -
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I'm terribly obsessed with mermaids and doodle them on a constant basis. I even completed a plywood painting of one for the art walk last year. Perhaps I'll do one each year until I have 12 and publish a calendar? I know this is quite a horrible photograph but this particular mermaid is on a canvas I'd never dream of scanning... it's just too big! I'll update you on this as I have time to work on it (which these days is less and less).
And alas... here is my favorite studio lamp - bought at a thrift store for $8!
* A side note for those who have been inquiring about this year's artwalk: I decided not to do it this year opting for a holiday with my family.
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By: Writing for Children,
on 9/30/2007
Blog: The National Writing for Children Center (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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We have an exciting lineup of guest authors this week on Book Bites for Kids, our LIVE radio show at blogtalkradio.com.
Monday, our guest will be YA novelist, Anne Gray, author of Rites of the Healer.
Sumach Press (Gray’s publisher) says, “Anne Gray creates a fascinating alternative world where the descendants of interplanetary colonists have built their society in a rich fusion of advanced technologies and ancient traditional ways of life. Sixteen-year-old Dovella is an engineering apprentice of great potential and talent, though her true vocation is for healing, for which she has a rare and extraordinary Gift. In four days, she is to go through the most important ceremony of her life, the Rites of the Healer, to join the ranks of the Healer’s Guild.”
On Tuesday’s show our guest will be Sally Rogow, author of They Must Not Be Forgotten (Heroic Priests and Nuns Who Saved People from the Holocaust), and Faces of Courage (Young Heroies of WWII).
On Wednesday, children’s author C.S. Larsen drops by to talk about his books and stories for children.
Stacey Kannenberg, coauthor (with Linda Desimowich) of the Let’s Get Ready series of books for young children and their parents is our guest for Thursday’s show.
On Friday, we’ll be talking with children’s author Rita Milios.
Listen to Book Bites for Kids LIVE every weekday afternoon at 2:00 (CST) or call in and ask questions or make comments by dialing 1-646-716-9239.
Anne Gray, author interview, blogtalkradio, Book Bites for Kids, C.S. Larsen, Rita Milios, Sally Rogow, Stacey Kannenberg
Great post and sketches Lynne. Funny, I was just talking with my students about graphic designers who have been doing that same thing. generating work to make statements about political or social issues that feel strongly about and paying for the publishing of same. There was an interesting exhibit a few years back at SVA, I think it was called The Design of Dissent (?) with many examples of just that kind of work.
SVA - Society of Visual Artists by any chance??
A fascinating question isn't it??? I do worry about this a lot. Funnily enough I worked with david Hughes at Cambridge art school. He's a great guy, so funny. He said he thought I'd never fulfilled my potential - so I must go and think about all that!!!
James
Classic back-hander, that!
It is an interesting one and I'm not sure myself if, after so many years of fitting my work seemlessly to the brief, I quite know what 'I' am about. I suppose that's why I get so much out of my sketchbbok drawing these days.
Sorry. School of Visual Arts, NYC
Thanks for the very good report. Love your new photo!