Graduate Exhibition '11

The Graduate Exhibition at the University of Cumbria ended two weeks ago, but it feels like years!

The Exhibition Preview Night:  Me (black dress, no glasses) with my class and a few of their friends and family

I completed three of the four images I had planned, making the fourth my concept sketches.  One of the three I completely re-started and did it in the two days before the hand in.  It was a bit of a mad decision but I pulled it off with very little sleep, encouragement from friends and a lot of relief.

It was really satisfying having my work put in frames and hung up for all to see, but I was doing my usual thing of telling myself "you can do better".  Which is true with every piece of work.  I think that's why I love drawing so much, it's addictive, each attempt I make at it is always different and hopefully better than the last.

  

I've just got a CGSociety account and I uploaded my original images on their if you'd like to see them!
J. x

I'm Not Dead

Bloody hell, I've not posted for ages!  And I have had so much I've wanted to share!
After Easter it's all been work work work, and when I get home I want to do anything but.

Firstly, before I left for Easter, I got an exciting e-mail telling me that my work and the work of three others' on my course had been chosen to advertise our graduate exhibition in GamesTM magazine!  I'm subscribed to the publication so to be told you're going to be in it in some way was really exciting.
The issue (109) is out now and you'll find us advertised at the back!
It's a really weird thing seeing work that's so familiar to me in something that can be seen by anyone around the country.  The ad is a decent size, which was a worry we had.  I'm definitely keeping the magazine forever.

Secondly, Ian Wharton, a graduate from the University of Cumbria, visited us last Friday.  He has already had a highly successful career only a few years after graduation.  He gave us an amazing presentation, full of confidence, honesty and inspiration.  Afterwards he spent time with each of us looking over our work, answer any queries we may have.  I was lucky to have been given fantastically positive feedback on my exhibition work, encouragement to stick with my idea for next year's project, and overall a message to really go for it.

Me with Ian Wharton

The University did this press release and took a sneaky picture of me with Ian.  I'm not happy!  I was dressed for a rainy day, not photos!  But it was definitely a moment to remember.  He made me feel (and I'm sure many others) like employment is more than a possibility.

If you want to find more about Ian...
www.ianwharton.com
Twitter: @ianwharton


Thirdly, the week before Ian Wharton, we had two guys from Ubisoft give a presentation and work feedback - Darren Yeomans, an artistic manager/visual developer, and Peter Cochrane, another graduate and an environment artist.  I didn't know what work to show them but Yeoman saw the exhibition piece I was working on and actually said (hold your breath):
"I would consider you as a concept artist"
This was based on how I had digitally painted an environment.

To say the least I'm on a high after all of this!

Fourthly: I will - I WILL - post up the images I've done over the past month.  I've kept up with the One Hour Weekly Challenge (though I've probably missed a couple...) it's just not evident online yet.  I bought a nice set of watercolour pencils in the holiday that I want to use more, mixed with ProMarkers.
And if you're fed up of silly drawings I've uploaded a few new photos on to my Flickr that I recently got developed.
All this hard work is really hard work.
Good job I find it so much fun!

J. x

A Quick Update!

As of last night my work alongside others at university is on display on our course website's home page.  My work shown is all my drawn stuff, as a variation from the 3D work that was already up.  Plus my 3D work pales in comparison!  I'm all for texturing and drawing, but 3D modelling, not so much.  I enjoy it, but my heart's not in it.  Hope you enjoy looking at everyone's work, I think there's some impressive stuff.  We have industry people that check the site leading up to our end of year exhibition, so it's nice to have something on show.

In other news, online statements I made about International Women's Day and sexual equality are being put in to the new edition of the University of Cumbria's newspaper, The Informer.  You can go to the online edition here.  The guys doing BA Journalism devote a lot of time and effort in getting news stories, and don't get the credit they deserve.  I'm sure you'll find some good stuff there.  I'm slightly nervous but I've not said anything outlandish or insulting to anyone, so I should have nothing to fear!

'Holiday Song' - a sneaky preview!

I'm also waiting to hear when the third issue of Bagatelle, a creative anthology of writing and sequential art, is going to be printed and up for sale!  I was responsible for illustrating a graphic novel script, written by Creative Writing and Journalism Joint Honours student, Jess Copley, called 'Holiday Song'.  It's a very beautiful story and I was so honoured to have been asked to do it.
It's very exciting and humbling knowing you're responsible for someone else's vision, placing it along side other talented people, and then having it printed and sold around the UK!
I finished it mid-January, and all the other contributors' work is in.  We're just awaiting a final cover design, and voilà!

J. x