Maria Taylor

http://www.mariataylorillustration.co.uk/

Maria Taylor's work for various greetings cards companies inspires me. It all holds a similar theme and comes across very punctual.

Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 16:53:45 +0000

From: njeffries24@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: Transition from student illustrator to practitioner.

To: mariataylorillustration@hotmail.com

Good Afternoon Maria, 

I am a third year student studying Illustration at Plymouth College of Art in the UK and I'm currently looking into researching various jobs that relate to my practice and the artists that influence me or surround the job's I'm interested in.

I am very interested in finding out other artist's career paths and how they got to where they are today, so i was wondering if you'd mind letting me in on how you got to where you are now... whether you had other jobs along side your practice to start with, how you got your work out there in the big wide world and become 'established' in your field, and what events do you find most helpful for networking, if any...

I hope you can help me in my transition from student to practitioner in as many ways possible.

Hope to hear from you,

regards,

Nathan Jeffries.

Hello Nathan,

The transition from student to practitioner was pretty quick. I worked in house for a while and then went freelance....

I went to the Princes Trust and received a grant to buy a computer and software. The Princes Trust also provided great networking events and short courses.

I did have another job for a while (teaching aerobics).

I then taught illustration evening courses and then taught on the illustration degree course part-time.

My personality preferred to work freelance....and perhaps if I get to a stage where I cannot afford to pay bills I would work part-time again.

I would say that as an illustrator starting out you will need to have a part-time job along side freelancing (unless you are a secret millionaire).

It also helps your sanity to see people and network.

The only tip I could give you is " Work like a dog!, don't think about it.....just get on with it!

Hope that helps abit?

Warm Wishes Maria 

Outcomes So Far

From this stage onwards i will be taking forwards the images that i want to and develop them further. I must bear in mind that i have limited myself to four images, however i could always produce 2 series of four; each including one form of chair, electrical device, past-time, and structure... Or extend it to six and complete just one range.

Having drawn various items of furniture from a variety of Habitat magazines and books i have been thinking of tying the cards together with a theme, for example a simple colour featured on one cushion or chimney etc... I have chosen to use a red as an example as this is a warm colour and something bold that will attract attention to the card.

At this stage to take further:

Chimney

Tandem

Cup on book

Arm Chair

Record Player

Sofa

Kitty Crowther

Kitty Crowther is a children's book illustrator but she was pointed out to me because of her naive style of image making in her furniture. For example the armchair below; It suits her intended audience and is finished to a strong quality and produced using colouring crayons.

"Kitty Crowther is the master of line but also of atmosphere. She maintains the tradition of the picture book while transforming and renewing it. In her world, the door between imagination and reality is wide open. She addresses the reader gently and personally, but with profound effect. In her deeply felt empathy with people in difficulty, she shows ways in which weakness can be turned into strength. Humanism and sympathy permeate and unify her artistry."  

The citation of the jury

Books

I think that it is important for me to peruse collections of other productions in this field of work, and where better to start than the library. Here are my results:

Promo-Art: Innovation in Invitations, Greetings, and Business Cards

 By Charlotte Rivers

• Cal*LINE - Classic American Letter Press Greetings Cards

http://www.littleoranges.com/products.php?type=letterpress&category=2

These are by far my favorite and most inspirational finds from my research so far. Such simplicity and yet so much character.

• Camron PR Christmas Card

http://studiobaer.com/design/

Detail within simplicity here with this bird and elaborate text. Something to take forward in my own work perhaps.

1000 Greetings  Creative Correspondance designed for all occassions. Peter King & Company. Rockport Publishers, Inc. 2004.

• KBDA Jamie Diersing

The card range above is a simple lino print, something that i could pursue perhaps with basic block colours that complement eachother.

• Firebelly Design Mikel Rosenthal

I have chosen to include this card because of the complementary colours and the border that reflects throughout that card folds. I am also drawn to the front text layout within it's triangle like casing.

• Dairy

I have included this because of it's novelty use and it's theme of 'I Wanna Take Your Breath Away' to show that there are themes like mine out there.

• Michael Osborne Design Paul Kagiwada Michelle Regen Bogen

The simplicity of design within a range of cards is shown here, something that i would like to stick close to.

• Fiddlesticks Press Lynne Amft

Again, another simple design on a range of cards.

Initial Idea Research - Current Greetings Cards

Based on the idea of 'I Wish You Were Here' greetings cards, i have googled 'i wish you were here' to see if anything like it has been done before. I had 3 main results:

• http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/miss-you-cards/wish-you-were-here

Greetings Card Universe, above, hasn't really excited me with their designs, the only one that relates moderately is the latter example above of the lady sat with tea in a strange art Nouveau style. The rest were simply photographs or basic cartoon concepts, nothing appealing or contemporary.

• http://www.zazzle.co.uk/wish+you+were+here+cards

These again don't stand out from the crowd, although i have found 2 interesting homely cards that do relate to my theme but focus it to a Christmas audience, the first is a basic vintage style print of a family centered around the house at Christmas time http://www.zazzle.co.uk/vintage_countryside_greetings_card-137183546205397443. The Second is titled Christmas around the fireplace with the inside greeting saying 'I sure wish you were here' as it is simply a photograph of an elaborate, grand fireplace   http://www.zazzle.co.uk/christmas_by_the_fireplace_card-137654555135095198.

• http://www.bettyblanche.com/shop/pd/wish-you-were-here-caravan-postcard

Now, the only website here to strike me with exciting designs is this one, Betty Blanche. Whereas the other websites featured very basic cards in terms of art; either reflected through use of photography or cartoon. Betty Blanche uses a block print system onto quality brown card, and although this is a postcard, it still works and appears contemporary and interesting to look at. 

Further research continues below:

• http://www.pinkfloydstore.co.uk/acatalog/Wish_You_Were_Here_Greetings_Card.html

I thought that i would include this last example just so that i am aware of the relating title connotations that link it with Pink Floyd.

Here is the chorus from the song that i may draw upon in development:

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
And how we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

On the theme of furniture, here are some examples of current greetings cards:

I really like the basic imagery used here with the chair above and the rocking chair below, something i'd like to draw upon perhaps in keeping my idea simple .

These pieces above and below are a bit too fine art esque, and something that i cannot practice within my time frame unfortunately.

Inspiring as the card below is, it is a very dramatic photo... Not what i'm looking for.

A range of  furniture related greetings cards, all paintings or prints which makes a nice change from the theme of current 'I wish you were here' ranges.

The latter one above is being marketed as a retirement card. 

http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/retire/greeting+cards

Sandra Dieckmann

http://www.sandradieckmann.com/

Looking at Sandra's work, i am enthused by the way that she uses so much detail and takes so much time. Her outcomes include so much depth as an image and are really inviting and wholesome in the way that they draw you in. 

Degree:
BA Hons Graphic Information Design

1st class honours with distinction

University of Westminster London
 
Awards:
Winner of 'Emerging Talent' at the Cheltenham Illustration Awards 2011, chosen by Oscar winner Shaun Tan.
 
Selected clients & collaborations:
Random House Publishing

Urban Outfitters

Area Designed Environments

House of Wolf (Venue // Islington, London)

Ohh Deer

Atomic Skies

Rhum & Clay Theatre Company

Coast

Digital Artist

Tallow Swim & Surf Apparel

Paper Darts Publishing

Moment Skis

AMMO Magazine

Poolga

Anorak Magazine

Gabby Young & Other Animals

The Culture Vulture

Politick Magazine

Catch Club London

Financial News
 
Selected print & publications:
print - 
 " All Rights Reserved"
 “Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals”
 UTNE Reader
 Time Out London
 Famous Magazine // Russia
 Watchmepivot Magazine
 V-mag
 Get In If You Want To Live
 Digital Artist issue 25, 28 and others
 Illustrators Unlimited
 Digital Arts Magazine July 2011
 Lamono Magazine
 AMMO Magazine 6
 Wolf Magazine
 Paper Darts Magazine
 
Selected press:

web - 
Pull The Metal Magazine
ETSY FEATURED SELLER 

BBC CLICK
Computer Arts
Country Living Magazine
Kuvva
Grazia
Lamono Magazine
1973
Creative Boom
BLKFRMT
Free People
Juxtapoz
Doodlers Anonymous
We Love Creativity
Beautiful Decay
Cohabitaire
The Artfuls
Girlcore Magazine
Poolga
PeculiarBliss // Main Feature
Anorak Magazine Blog
Culture?
IM // UR
Ape on the Moon
The Culture Vulture
Pikaland
 
Exhibitions & Live Art:
 100 Houses for Shelter :: Bristol UK, Nov 16th 2012
 (En)danger for WWF :: Philadelphia USA, Oct 13th, 2012
 "KIDULTS" at L'ÉPATANTE GALLERY :: France, Oct 12th, 2012
 White Canvas Project 3 :: London UK, Oct 11th, 2012
 HelloHead :: London UK, Aug 2012
 Etsy UK at Clerkenwell Design week :: London UK, May 2012
 The Beach Hut Solo Show :: London UK, May/June 2012
 FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION exhibition :: London UK, Jan 2012
 Dog & Pony Gallery :: Munich GER, December 2011
 Give Me 5 exhibition :: Moscow RUS, June 2011
 Illustrated Type :: Gallery Nucleus, LA USA, May 14, 2011 - June 6, 2011
 Jaguar shoes, Shoreditch London UK,12th Nov 2010
 Ballad Of life drawing event, London UK, 4th March 2011
 
 
Elsewhere:
twitter 

Facebook 

Society 6 

blog 

flickr 

tumblr 

letterplayground 

Envelop 

Etsy 

Poolga
 
✏ sanidieckmann@gmail.com
☎ (+44) 0753 1120058
 
Sandra is represented by Jules Beazley Represents.