The Boutique, Kate Moss and Scout

I have now successfully created the illustrations for my first three greetings cards. These are for the collections ' The Boutique', 'Kate Moss' and 'Scout'. I have produced them using the same media and style so they are linked and look like a collection. I have based each illustration on a centered image of a Topshop model wearing this seasons clothing from that collection. I have then built up a collage of images, from sketches of animals and photographs of accessories, with watercolour added to the background. 

The Scout collection is Knitware in earthy colours such as Tans, Forest Greens, Burgundys etc. I have reflected this in my illustration by using dark green water colour runs and sketches of woodland animals such as a fox and a barn owl relating to the word 'Scout'. 

The Kate Moss collection is all designed by the model herself so this really reflects her style of a rock n roll girl. Her clothing range for this season is mainly made up of chiffon blouses with feather print, leather jackets and light pearl pink colours. 

The Boutique collection is very varied and so I did struggle with finding and assembling the correct imagery to reflect its style. In the end I decided to keep it quite simple and neutral. The model is wearing a dress from the Autumn/ Winter collection, I kept the colours to navy, pink and cream which are the dominant colours from this collection. I added the letter B in some gorgeous letterset which I brought over the summer in Laura Ashley.

The Designs - TOPSHOP

I have began producing my illustrations for the 6 collections and I am very pleased with the way things are going. I have done a lot of research and feel confident that I am meeting the brief and am working with a stye that reflects Topshop and will appeal to everyone that shops there. I have decided that I am going to leave the cards blank so that they can be used for a number of occasions as its not just birthdays that people would buy the electronic gift cards for.

During my research I have looked at alot of the existing designs that are out there, I have mainly looked at designs in Paperchase, M and S, Next and other high street shops as this is mainly where the Topshop client will also shop. I have also looked a number of existing fashion illustrators who's work I have been inspired by. I especially like the work of CocoPit and Stina Perrson, who uses mainly watercolours. 

  

Idea Number 2 - TOPSHOP

Ok, after a chat with Sally I have come up with a new audience that I can produce my greeting cards for using my preferred style.

I am going to use the fashion chain, Topshop as my client. I have noticed that they don't actually have a card range like most stores do, they only have plastic folders to put the electronic gift cards in. So I feel that this is defiantly a gap in the market for me. Luckily they also have 6 different collections.

Pagan

The Boutique

Kate Moss

Scout

Punk Couture 

Wonderland 

So I will be producing one card for each of these collections basing them on the Autumn/Winter collection. I am going to use an image of a Topshop model dressed in items from that collection as the main focus and then build up a collage of relative images, using mixed media and water colours. I will have to get a good idea of the types of clothing and colours used for each collection and then reflect that in my designs. 

Crit of Initial Ideas.

I am really enjoying these Crits at the moment they are so different from last year, everyone seems so much more confident and are much more willing to discuss their ideas. 

I produced a small illustration as an example to show Neil and Clare they style I would be using so that they would be able to give me some good feedback on wether my style will suit the Client - Pop magazine. And I am glad that I did this because the point was made that Pop magazine is very Photographic and not really Illustrative so my style wont really reflect their image and that wouldn't meet the brief where we are required to define out target market.

So I have to change my idea, and find a new target market... I am very conscious of the fact that we are now a week into the brief and I haven't really got going with it yet!

Evaluation of Look Again/ Think Again

I was always looking forward to this brief being set because of not really involving myself in the Design world over the summer. However when the brief was first set I struggled to determine what was actually expected of us and found it quite vague, which didn't give me the confidence to go of and begin brainstorming ideas and research as I didn't want to be wasting time heading in the wrong direction.

After a chat with Neil I had a much clearer idea of what we were supposed to be doing and I got stuck in. Because it was such a short brief I was very aware that we had little time to so I planned my time so I wouldn't over research and not leave myself enough time to produce the actual poster. 

Although I struggled with the concept to begin with,  and changed my final piece quite alot I am pleased with my final out come and I think that I have met all the requirements of the brief. 

Cards, Cards, Cards

I have began to research into my idea for the greeting cards. I want to produce them on fashion illustrations, as this is the type of illustration I want to head towards so this will be good to show my work style in my portfolio. 

I have decided to use the fashion and culture magazine 'Pop' as my client, and then the target market will be all of Pop magazines clients. They can use this set of cards to send out to their clients. I am going to be leaving them blank so that they can be used for a number of occasions.

I have always read Pop magazine so I have a nice little collection of them to get an idea of ther style that I will incorporate into my illustrations. They will have to reflect the present season, which is Autumn/Winter and then obviously the fashion and trends at the moment. I have noticed that Pop always seem to use animals in their editions, so as it is a British magazine I will look at using British winter animals such as a Stag, Foxes.

Final Poster Crit

This was the final critique for our poster campaign Look Again/Think Again. I was quite disappointed that Sally did not understand mine, when everyone else has. But apart from that I didn't really get any new feedback other than what I got in the main Critique. There are a few changes that I need to make but I am going to prioritise on the Greeting Cards project at the moment and put some time aside at the end of this unit to come back and make amendments to my poster.