Applied Illustration: Briefing and Initial Thoughts

So begins the next module of Level 5 and i'm quite excited! We've basically been given free reign with this module and it's really up to us to see where we go with it. This feels like the next step towards becoming a professional illustrator.

Throughout this module I want to develop further some ideas I was toying with over the summer. Specifically the idea of my zine called 'Red', which I discussed in the my Summer '14 blog post. I left that work behind at the time as I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do with the two characters I'd drawn. I feel this would be a great point to create some context for them and apply my illustrative skills to create something special.

It's important to note something that I hadn't really discusses in my Summer '14 blog post - one of the overarching points of the 'Red' narrative would be about female empowerment. The characters, both women, find themselves in a world where they have to be strong and fight for what they believe in. I suppose that my reasoning for pushing forward with this idea for OUIL505 is in part due to my recently finishing the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The Scarlet Letter details the story of Hester Prynne and her resolve when questioned on the father of her child by way of adultery. She is forced to wear a scarlet letter A so others are aware of her adultery. Through sheer willpower she pushes through the hate and becomes a strong power woman who many of the townspeople end up indebted to.