In this part of the course we have been given the opportunity to take our work out of our usual environment in which we create and into the real world. This project is based on Reportage Illustration, which has the power to reveal layers of cities cultural, social and political compositions through recordings of real events and situations. Living in London puts us at an advantage, as this will give us a chance to document times, places and people through hand drawn illustrations created on location.
“The power of reportage drawing is in the immediacy of the images that are created and the feeling of the illustrator’s presence on location.” Gary Embury and Mario Minichiello
The aim of this project is to depict personal stories by sketching street scenes, or raising awareness of certain issues through recording communities’ experiences. These illustrations may also involve soundbites or text that has been overheard or noted down in an interview with the subject to further enhance the story.
Initial thoughts for locations:
- A work environment, for example at my work: The Great Court Restaurant in the British Museum. Depicting day-to-day jobs at work
- Markets around London
- China Town
- Notting Hill
- Cafe’s, Bars etc
- Concerts
- Protests
- Transport, ie. tube station, bus, train etc
To start making us think more about the people or locations we may be illustrating we took part in a workshop in which we only had between 2 and 4 minutes to complete the drawings. We were challenged by having to create sketches in which we didn't look at our paper, only having a short amount of time and also being able to correctly depict someones emotions or feelings.