After Scanning in the traditional sketch saving them as PNG 300dpi in true colour. Using a simple blue digital pencil to build main volumes. Adding detail was not of any importance with the initial sketches I just need to capture the initial form of the illustration. The goal is not to make a perfect blue sketch, then to just overwrite each one of the lines.

The foundation of any illustration is an accurate and detailed line drawing. To create this digital illustration, I took several screenshots of the process. I usually have a line style drawing but I wanted to try a more colour and shape approach. Before I move on to colour, I always do a very tight linear. Working out all compositional issues and include all the details. 

Even though I start with a very tight drawing, and at this point I am just colouring it in, it never becomes a paint by number routine. Always trying to maintain a balance and a visual rhythm filling each section with colour within the piece. I continue to work on the piece, making minor adjustments and refining details until I feel the piece works as a whole. This last stage is where Adobe Photoshop finally makes a significant appearance in the process. As you can see, at this point I work with `levels’ and `curves’ to achieve a higher contrast. Adding scanned textures I made during the W&N watercolour markers workshop to make the piece pull forward.

In the next process, altering the composition and trying multiple colours and elements using a female character. The idea originated from the article's description of women abusing alcohol to the extent she collapses. Everything I tried to include was imagined from boiling down the ‘It’s different for girls’ article into key elements. Using alternative positions and angles to pose this character collapsed on the floor while still maintaining the whole composition without leaving any blank space. Rotating the composition anti-clockwise to fulfil the dimensions. Multiple mediums went into creating this illustration including the Winsor & Newton watercolour markers. Colour choice came with trying multiple hues and combining them with different mediums.

The article ‘It’s Different For Girls’ written by Sally Marlow in context is about how woman drinking attracts the heightened levels of public attention because it deviates from traditional views of feminine behaviour. Underlining that excessive drinking in a woman is still a serious health problem. It then goes on to explain how woman’s drinking gained notoriety during the Gin Craze, captured by William Hogarth's drawing of Gin Street. Hogarth’s central message in his picture was not about general debauchery, it was about women - a woman takes centre stage, addled with gin and neglecting her femininity. Making you imagine the article visually seeing women neglect their femininity by drinking in the streets.

Building up a visual database of images in my head of women beginning to adopt male behaviours like consuming huge amounts of alcohol until they collapse in the street. The beginning of the article it explains: “What image do the words “drinking” and “woman” conjure up for you? For many the picture is of a busy high street on a Friday night where binge drinking woman are collapsing, losing their shoes and vomiting.” This is exactly what I conjure up in my head when reading this particular article. Below is my initial idea in terms of communicating this article, an illustration of a woman physically attached to alcohol that brings out her traditionally male behaviour of being out of control drinking to the extent you collapse to the floor. I want to try this idea in alternative compassions before developing any idea further.   

I was super excited to try the new Winsor & Newton Watercolour markers. Not being the best at painting I thought the new markers might give me the upper hand when trying to get a little better. The markers have two tips: a fine bullet tip on one side and a flexible brush tip on the other. Most colours are light-fast watercolours in marker form and the pigment colours are the same as those used in W&N watercolours so the marker can be mixed or blended. The brush tip end is definitely my favourite brush marker because you can even touch the marker with water to lift colour from the tip and transfer it to the water brush for a softer and a more washy, colour effect that is amazing for creating textures.

After sampling the Winsor & Newton watercolour markers myself on acid-free A5 watercolour paper. My conclusion is that before you go out spending huge amounts of money on them, think of how they are going to fit into your creative process. The main advantage being since they are pigmented based, they would be better light fast quality compared to dye-based markers which is important if you create artwork that is meant for a commission.

Initial ideas started from the brief to design the cover of Druglink Magazine. The magazine is full of articles about teenagers abusing drugs and how the older patients weren't receiving their medicine prescriptions. The elderly are short on time and need medication to maintain a stable life, nurses and carers will also face a legal duty to consider the well-being and dignity of the elderly. Leading from that information I came up with the idea to use the medication prescription bottle in the shape of an hourglass in context to the elderly running out of time. During a tutorial with Joel Mercer he mentioned this was a very similar idea to my previous project ‘Cheltenham Illustration Awards’. Without realising I’ve stepped back to previous simple solutions I needed to step away from that comfort of past ideas and concentrate on new creative solutions.

During a conversation with editorial illustrator John W. Tomac, I got was lucky enough to receive a reply answering my questions on “What advice would your give a student that is interested but somewhat afraid to go into editorial?“ he replied, “The beauty of editorial illustration is that whether the work is brilliant or the worst thing you’ve ever done it will likely end up lining a bird cage. Even if you make something that’s not so bad, chances are it fulfilled a very real need for an art director or editor and if you leave a positive impression they’ll keep hiring you. There’s more editorial work out there than anything else”.

I learned a very important lesson from my short conversation with John, and that’s to always stay faithful to your creation. No matter the ignorance to produce something to fulfil the brief and discard any of the bad work I produce, chances it will be exactly what a client or director are looking for in a project.

During ‘Cheltenham Illustration Awards’, I barely managed to contact any editorial artists to ask them a few questions. On what advice would they give a student interested in working as an editorial illustrator, until the last week of that particular module. I was so relieved to receive a reply from experienced artists Paul Blow, Mark Smith, and John W. Tomac. Getting a reply so late in the module I had no chance to process the information and really put everything we had a conversation about on email into action.

Mark Smith.

Eva Bee’s Editorial illustrations tackle all the big issues from the fate of the EU to domestic violence. She has an unbeliever ability to succinctly tell a story while still being implicit is impressive and is one of the reasons listed clients include The Guardian, The Boston Globe, Nature, and Politico. She believes the concept behind an illustration is just as important as the image. Solving problems and creating interesting scenes, eye-catching concepts that bring a copy to life is key to her work. Her illustrations are created from hand-rendered line work, scanned in and coloured on the computer using her own textures and brushes inside Adobe Photoshop. This harmony between the silk lines and smoother colour mixes makes her work easily digestible to an audience.

Davide Bonazzi’s is a freelance illustrator raised in Bologna, Italy. His style combines digital techniques with scanned in textures and mixed media sets his work apart using bold conceptual illustrations, Davide’s work is accomplished and thoughtful. His use of textures makes the difference between a cold and flat digital image and a warm and evocative artwork. Love this series of illustrations depicting an elderly couple have delightful day-trip in the big city. He seems to have captured that content, peaceful, loveful companionship of old age in a series of editorial illustrations.

Clint Name: DrugScope Magazine.

What Do They Do;

Leading UK charity DrugScope Support professionals that work in drug and alcohol treatment, teaching prevention and criminal justice.

Drug Scope also published bi-monthly magazine DrugLink. Aimed at people interested in drug-related issues, it includes the latest new and features about drug treatment, public health, crime and education.

Project Brief;

Column Arts Agency was delighted to be commissioned by DrugScope to create an editorial illustration inside the July/August 2013 edition of Druglink called 'It's Different For Girls'. The article covers the use and abuse of alcohol between the sexes, particularly around stigma and the impact drug has on the body through myths and realities of female drinking.

You have been commissioned to produce one full-colour illustration for the alcohol: woman section for Sally Marlow. The illustrations will be printed in both the printed and digital edition of the magazine.

Editorial Illustration Topics;

How can the traditional methods be merged with the new technology?

What position illustration has within editorial publishing.

Discussing advanced narrative illustration in publication.

What impact technology has on creative expressions in illustration?

Researching my dissertation I started off really unsure on which subject to follow. Not worrying about any set questions at this point, just knowing the rough field of a theory that interests me. I need to search for ascertaining facts; detailed or careful research into editorial illustration in publication. Aiming to create a deeper insight into editorial illustration as a medium, through exploration of its potential in existing and developing media contexts.

They are a charity that works for an important cause and DrugWise educates and updates their audience about the current issues surrounding alcohol, drug, and medication abuse. As well as writing new article reports controversy surrounding the conflicting views on drug policy and practice. DrugWuse has created an international hub of information online that will always be available.

Druglink 2013.

Druglink emerged as a magazine in 1986. The charity is full of aspirational articles of those who benefited from the charity's work. The last two editions of Druglink to be published in magazine form took a look at the UK drug scene in the theme of plugged in, front cover illustration by Guy Mckinley. Druglink magazine contains the latest news articles informing the UK public on drug issues, I want to gain that information to help generate better and more relative ideas on how to communicate the theme of Druglink ‘Plugged in’.

Druglink 1992.

Looking at magazines published in the past, Druglink used various cartoon editorial illustrations to throw light on some conceptual elements to attract the readers to it. Most cartoons use visual metaphors and caricatures to address complicated political situations and thus sum up a current event with a humorous or emotional picture. 

Column Arts Agency is a creative agency, based in Birmingham. The latest project is for leading UK charity DrugScope that work in drug and alcohol treatment, teaching prevention, educating, and updating people about current issues surrounding drug use. Commissioned by DrugScope to create a front cover illustration for July/August 2013 edition of ‘Druglink’. 

For the very first magazine being launched as a stand-alone digital publication, Column was asked to create a dynamic electric illustration that reflected the concept of ‘plugged-in’. Druglink has been a current affairs charity magazine aiming to provide a platform for information, comment and debate in a sector which is no stranger to controversy. 

This project should contain preparation towards our dissertation, define the topic of ‘Editorial Illustration’. Locate and retrieve relevant information, case study, portfolios, questionnaires, and interviews. Collect and research specific publication types, identify and evaluate key political key debate topics.

Sight & Sound Illustration Project Brief.

A 48 project brief, for Sound & Sight you must produce visuals that will form part of a double-page spread of the magazine. This magazine is a British monthly published film magazine published by British Film Institute. Sight & Sound features a full crew and cast for each reviewed film. The key theme of the project is to the film narrative of Shadow Lands. “ Welcome to the dark side, once again. As the BFI unveils a massive three-month blockbuster season devoted to all things Gothic”. Sight & Sound request an illustration that will accompany a one-page feature article about the movie. 

Comment Magazine Editorial Brief. (Recreation)

This brief will be a reinterpretation of a brief illustrated by Eva Bee. Cell sex: More male cells are used in scientific experimentation than female cells this could be a problem for outcomes argues scientists. Christian leaders and culture makers speaking public theology that’s articles consists of financials, politics and education, museums and labour unions.

“Male and female cells can behave differently it is time that researchers, journals and funders took this seriously, says Elizabeth Pollitzer.

The New York Times. ‘China’s Digital Soft Power Play’ Project Brief.

A complicated political article inside the New York Times illustrated by Adam Avery. An illustration about China digitising thousands of new language characters, significantly increasing their stock whilst also adding further monitoring of its inhabitant's online interactions.

Leading UK charity DrugScope Magazine Project Brief.

Column Arts Agency has been commissioned by DrugScope to create a front cover illustration for July/August edition of DrugLink. The magazine was being launched as a stand-alone digital publication for the very first time and Column was asked to create a dynamic electric illustration that reflected the concept of ‘plugged-in’. For this project, I’d want to provide 3 alternative illustrations that reflect the charity and concept that educates the current issues in the article.

This project is considered of identifying an area of the illustration practice on which we must self-device a project brief. In the spider diagram below I explain my first ideas for this project including workshops, projects, and areas on which I want to undertake. Investigate newspaper articles that could be reimagined in my own interpretation of the narrative. As a starting point, I want to look at magazine & newspaper publications for political article illustrations.