Ever since I studied Alphonse Mucha for my A levels (this essay is the first post on my blog) I have been interested in communicating a message by using my creative skills. I admire his work since he brought so much to the world of advertising in my opinion, in a highly industrial time he brought something beautiful to advertising. My prime example is his work for Job cigarette papers.

It is such an exquisite piece of art for simply some cigarette advert. However it has caught my attention and told me what it is, thus it has done its job. Its this idea of bringing my creative skills in a way that I am able to apply them is what interests me. Feedback has shown me that my collage style is significant but there are issues with my identity and how you would identify my work. There is no doubt that I jump around styles, I know I do this, I can never settle on a style that I like or am satisfied with. To me that is the main issue, I have never found a style which is substantial enough in my eyes and satisfies me. I need to stay focused and keep going and creating work until I find that style. But how do I do that, I am finding it impossible to find a solid style which I am happy with. When I am looking for something like this I am looking for something that is able to work with a large variety of mediums, keeps me interested and is recognisable. This is why I am drawn to graphic design since you have your style and then you are given a project with guidelines and preferences then you are able to mould and change and consider all the specifics and produce something which is like a modified piece where you have moulded your style according to the brief. This collaboration of two people where they are both their own person but come together in a harmony are what draw me to the practice.

Thus I come to conclusion that I would like to do more graphics and talk to some people and get opinions and work out my own style and bring this illustrative layer to graphic design. Do I go and develop my collage style like I have been advised or do I follow my mind which is defiant and wants to travel down its own path which is shown through my current interest in fashion illustration. However through thought I have decided to combine these and if I get time in the next week or so and am able to find the resources, I would like to cut out small bits and pieces from fashion magazines and stick them together to create a collage of fashion models but they will be broken up and frankenstein like as different pieces stuck together. However, these pieces will work together and create a narrative. Additionally I am also thinking am I able to develop this further? Considering my latest work with my maquettes on the Data project, something which caught my interest was the cardboard cutouts I made of my characters. I am imagining making life-size versions of these but instead use this cut out of magazine medium instead, but big cutouts that can stand up made from plastic?

Another thing which has caught my interest concerning this topic has been this piece of the student portfolio on LCC’s Graphic Branding and Identity course. It is in the collage style which I have been talking about and I like the satirical message which is conveys. This is something which I can also let influence my style, it is not too dissimilar in concept to a piece is did with contraceptive pills, in my opinion.