Self-reflection on Part 1.

After receiving my tutor feedback for Part 1 I was advised to write a self-refelctive piece in preparation for approaching Part 2.

My overall experience beginning my first OCA course has been exciting and gratifying. I think the structure of this course makes it so you get what you put in. Many of the exercises are quite open ended, and approaching them in an enthusiastic, creative way is how to get the most benefit.

I initially found it a little difficult to get in touch with other students, and was worried that the alienation would make it difficult to stay motivated in the months ahead. I joined a group on Facebook for the illustration students and found it very friendly and supportive. Later I went ahead and created a group chat on the app Discord. Many of the other students have already joined, and I think it’s a nice casual way to keep in touch.

With regard to tackling Part 2, the main takeaways I got from my feedback report was to cross reference between the previous exercises, do more exploratory sketchbook work, and do more secondary research. Going the extra distance to read and view lots of different illustrators’ work as inspiration for my studies is good advice, and something I’ll keep in mind when writing up subsequent exercises. I also feel like I have a habit of thinking that my first idea is my best idea, so challenging myself to really explore different options before committing to one plan of action.

It was also recommended that wherever possible I should draw from observation. I think again, this is something that would really demonstrate my willingness to go the extra distance and find features in the world around me to directly observe and reference, and feature in my work.

Looking forward to part 2.