Identify a piece of work by an illustrator whose work you find some connection with. You might, for example, choose a particular illustration because you admire its conceptual or narrative dimension.
OCA – Key steps in Illustration
Now try to write the brief for the illustration you’ve chosen. Starting from the context in which the illustration is positioned, write the brief which would have led to the creation of the image. Direct the illustrator in terms of what content should be included. If the context has text, identify the connection between the image and the written content.
Advise the illustrator about the role the image will perform. Consider whether it is extending the meaning of the text, decorating, informing or educating and potential ways this can be achieved.
What colours? What flavour? Be clear about who you think the intended audience for the illustration is.
Briefly indicate which stylistic aspects you admire.
Describe the effects that you would like to see in the image, which aspects of distortion, and what use of tools and materials is appropriate to the idea.
Brief
In this exercise, I need to work backwards to create a brief that would have been given to an artist that created the illustration.
First off, I need to find an illustration that I really like for it’s content and try to break it down into smaller notes that would have inspired the creation of the piece.
I wanted to start the search by looking at publications such as the New Yorker Magazine, because I know that they have some amazing illustrations on their covers, and wanted to see if I find anything that inspires me and I like the style of in particular. I found this article with a nice illustration.
I liked the above illustration and wanted to see if I could come up with the brief for this.
Brief:
Context: New Yorker online, gastronomic gift guide
Content: Satsuma, Tin of tuna, Extra virgin olive oil, Wine glasses, wooden bowls, bread lamp, Haku Black Garlic Soyu, sea salt, saffron, pistachios,
Role of the image: To grab readers attention on the listing page and to decorate the article page.
What colours/flavours: It should have an artistic edge, needs to look hand drawn to fit in with the rest of The New Yorker illustrations.
Intended audience: The New Yorker online readership. The reader for this is someone who has a curiosity for strange and special gastronomical items, and is stuck for gift ideas leading up to Christmas, probably very little time but someone who doesn’t mind spending money on items that feel special.
Audience: The New Yorker online readership. The New Yorker is read by many Americans not just in the New York area but across the United States, and also worldwide. The average reader was around 47 in 2009 according to research conducted by Mediamark Research Inc. with a household income of around $109K.
Style: The style of the illustration must be really loose and expressive. Bold colours are used for an eye grabbing effect. Must include all the products that are listed in the content section. It must have punchy contrast so that it stands out to attract attention and should be fun to look at.
Size: The illustration ration must work at both wide, 18:9 and at a small almost square size 6:5 aspect ratio.
Reflection
I think this exercise have shown me that a good brief is essential to creating a good illustration. If the brief is too loose the artist has a lot of room for interpretation. I think this is important to especially consider who the audience is. I think the above illustration is very cool and has that really eccentric illustrative style I love. I feel this is something that I really like because it seems very light and carefree on the surface, but actually there is a lot of thought behind it.
Graphic Design 