Basically what i have decided so far is that i want to get back into illustrating and learn new skills to create a higher quality/standard of illustration. I felt like i had to begin drawing to get going with the brief and maybe find some direction.

I just began trying a simple portrait drawing of myself from a photo to see how rusty i was.




All the way through this illustration i didnt feel like i was into it, i knew that it was not up to the standards of the illustrations i used to create and i felt like i struggled with the actual techniques aswel as concentration and focus on the piece. I wanted to try a different style of illustrating straight away.

I wasnt sure if i wanted a different subject/focus to draw from or whether it was the techniques i was using so i began researching further into different types of illustrations that appealed to me.

I researched old school and new skool art to see what images would appear and maybe find out what style of illustrating i wanted to fit into. I also looked back at Casey Howard's work and tried researching images of demons or devils to see if it was this subject that interested me.



After searching for an hour or so i realized the images/illustrations that appealed to me most were 99% tattoos, or tattoo designs. Last year i said that i wanted to personalize this course for myself and try and find an aim to work towards and narrow down my focus. It seemed to make perfect sense as i used to spend a lot of my spare time looking through tattoo magazines and trying to plan what i wanted tattooing on myself. I also chose to analyze a text named 'Tattoo enthusiasts, subculture of figuration' for my most recent critical studies presentation. It seemed to come together for me from here and i couldn't wait to get drawing and try re-draw some tattoo designs, add my own spin on them and eventually be able to create my own tattoo designs from scratch.

These were some of the images that inspired me.

I also found these images by an illustrator named Mike Giant.

These illustrations really appeal to me. From the look of them, they seem to be entirely produced digital technology. This is not a bad thing whatsoever in my eyes, it is just one particular technique i aim to try out in the brief. I want to use a graphics tablet as I have never had chance to use one before and if I can produce an outcome similar to the standard of these illustrations it will be a box to tick off from the list of illustration techniques i wish to pursue.