5.3 Constructing a visual journey

The purpose of this exercise was to create a visual journey containing information from the exercises and activities that I most connected with or were most important combined with the action plan to serve as a reminder of what I’d like to do more of.

Key words from the brief:

• Think about how you might order and compile the work
• The actions could be used as a key to make simple sections
• You may also decide to write out key words, or sentences from your tutor feedback
• A snapshot summary of where you are at this stage of the course and where you want to go next
• Don’t be precious

My approach

For me this exercise is the culmination of the previous three exercises:

1. 5.0 Taking stock – with an assessment of exercises, processes, materials and tutor comments
2. 5.1 Making an action plan visually – containing a list of objectives for future work
3. 5.2 Making connections – that develops images based on inputs from the first two exercises

From this I planned the work across 7-images:

No	Exercise	My memory/comments	Key words	Tutor report/action plan objective
1	Making mistakes and cutting up fast	3-minute painting		Experiment with more media
2	Investigating a process	Watercolour brushes, layer and masking, marks and textures, collage Structured testing and experimentation Lucy Austin
3	Observation	Early morning sketching in January 20 x sketches or more	Objective, reportage, places, people Work in sequence	Architectural line
4	Working with external impetus	Single figures, crowds and activities Commuter sketching. Sitting in the window of the Black Sheep with a black Americano and sketchbook at 7:30am every day	Reportage, people	combine fast observational drawing and slow studio development
5	Blind contour drawings	Sketching passengers on the last train home	Expressive	A way to develop new characters
6	Illustrative people and places	Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market – a hive of hipsters	Reportage, fast	Rapid and slower drawing in combination to create a sense of temporality Architectural line Another layer of background detail
7	Building stories	A million people, a long day	Sequential, meaning, Narrative	Bringing lots of smaller sketches into larger, more finished pieces in the studio

I wanted to experiment and try out new combinations and feature sketches and processes that haven’t been used previously. I didn’t have any preconceptions about how I’d achieve this.

I sketched out some thoughts:

My visual journey

All images were created across two pages of an A2 sketchbook.

Reflections

What went well

• This was a very enjoyable way of reviewing the whole module and reminding myself of what I’ve achieved and what I need to focus on next.
• I liked working in an A2 sketchbook.