I like how it came out, I think it is interesting and abstract/subtle in it's message. The diagrams and symbols work seamlessly together, creating a unique way of telling a story through what look like mechanical drawings. I love the idea of that story then being almost hidden within a map based on a map of the new multi-fuel project, something which is almost happening in real life; the problems and stories of the people effected are being overshadowed and hidden by a project that is seemingly positive and progressive.
I also love having a finished, physical manifestation of my work to finish off a project, to be able to hold a book that I have seen from start to finish. I want to make a lot more books in the future.
However, I am not overly-happy or proud of it. Yes it's interesting and engaging and 'good', but it isn't amazing. It doesn't excite me that much, I don't feel like I've really pushed myself and exceeded my abilities in making it. And I'm not entirely sure why, I don't really know what got lost in the process of this brief, but I have some ideas:
- I just wasn't exhaustive enough (or at all?) with the processes and approaches to this project. I feel like I just came up with a way I knew I could execute the story in a book form, without really going beyond my usual way of working, and then just ran with that in order to answer the brief.
- I didn't immerse myself enough in the work. I didn't reflect enough or do enough or think enough.
- Or maybe I was thinking, but thinking too much? That is a common problem within my practice. The thinking - doing ratio is perhaps a bit unbalanced.
Aesthetically speaking, the watercolours are too small within my compositions. They get totally lost and they look out of place and random within the diagrams. Considering they are the most charming part of the work, they should have gotten more real estate. This problem was due to a lack of planning and roughing and making dummies for the layout.
I feel like every brief is a battle of time. I feel like with a deadline in mind, I tend to stick to what I know to create work that answers the brief, but doesn't push me as an illustrator or thinker or image maker. I get worried about creating nothing good within the time limit, so I go back to old approaches which I am comfortable with and know will work to a degree, even if they are boring and predictable and not very exciting.
This is a struggle, but one I am willing to persevere with.
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