Market Research: Fantasy

Research:

Research comes in many forms. Throughout my course I have used research to create my characters, describing the background on how they originated as well as their surroundings to help target and stimulate the right audience. I have used the internet, media, magazines, art books and questionnaires as well as other artists' work to compare and stimulate my imagination. Once I have brought the knowledge I have learnt together with the skills I gained, I can then evaluate if my goal is achievable. In some cases I have had to do further research, especially where to market the product as this isn't as easy as I first imagined. I wanted to create a book but found that when it came to printing it wasn't straight foreword. The pages didn't fall into place and also the quality of the paper was an important factor.

Market Research
My research is based on how to draw the target audience for my fantasy journal. Researching the best selling features at a realistic price, as well as gaining ideas on how and where to market the product. Fantasy is one of the most popular genres for fiction for both teenagers and adults. Games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer and Warmachine are just a few of the more popular games played by players of all ages. Fantasy is where you have more creative freedom and imagination for monsters, dragons, spirits gods and magic, objects also play an important role when telling a storey.


A lot of artists draw characters and creatures closely based on the myths and legends and other stories. I've researched into character development and tried to design characters with something unique that would draw a fan's interest but steer away from the the actual myths and legends. Objects that represent an important feature within the story with detail that stands out and captures the imagination.

I thought by making a journal of short stories using the illustrations I have done for the project was a good way of telling stories.  I wanted a balance of both illustrations and storey.  The book requires a title and front cover to capture the viewer and make them come back for a second glance. Characters were created for horrors, adventure, action and inspiration for a creative fictional universe. To inspire the reader to get to know their characters and want to read more, I changed some parts of the well known myths from different cultures. Rough sketches  were made for each illustration until the final concept achieved. Instead of human features i decided to keep to creatures for two and an object for the third.

Creative skills:

Transferable:

•   The recognition of how students learn independently.

•   The participation of students when marketing and selling their art may be influenced by financial pressures.  I travelled to London to display some art work including the comic I was involved in with three other students that Travelling Man are interested in promoting for us.

•   Expectations may change, specific work-related skills have to be considered but cost is reflected against your targeted audience. I set out to do a book of both illustration and stories, but I have also considered illustrations on postcards gift cards and posters.  Your customer has to be your inspiration.

•   Graduates learn from their mistakes, improving their skills and ideas.  Transferring skills to new tasks.  I have improved on my skills sketching, shading and texture.  I used digital art forms as well as paper versions. 

•   Recognition of the artists limits and scope for the commonality of art, design and craft as disciplines

Processes:
Process research involves an explicit and direct focus on processes within the target audience,  a creative journey of gathering, sorting associating collating and actual actions. Process art is an artistic movement as well as a creative sentiment meaning the end product is not the main focus.

Through my process in the project, I developed my skills in character designs by making lists of ideas, rough concept sketches, experimented in mix media (blend water color with digital paints), using more of texture by taking photo shots of stone texture and wood for background elements, developing my skills in using photoshop tools further and experimenting with colours that work well together. The quality of the products you produce reflect on the end result and how professional they appear.


Professional Engagement:
This involves a wide range of opportunities to identify one's own learning needs and analyse.  To evaluate and expand one's professional learning.

• As an artist you need to take a risk otherwise you are at a competitive disadvantage.  Plan a strategy for pricing your product and to define your place within the market.
• Be confident, show composure, a calm expression, try not to get too emotional or nervous. 
• Research is the key to knowing your product and the target audience you want to attract attention to. Keep focused on your original idea and if adjustments are required do rough concept sketch,  
• Know your own imperfections and learn how to solve them to prevent future problems.
• To keep your target audience interested portray your products in a professional manner.  Allow the public to view your products, keep them in an organised file making it easy and interesting to follow.  Make sure your ideas flow in some sort of order and the characters and background easily identified.

Required Industry Standards
The art industry sets benchmarks to monitor standards and ensure quality and safety standards.   Industrial production of artistic objects may include items of clothing, commercial fabrics for clothing and upholstery, machine-made carpets and rugs, decorative glass wear, porcelain as well as objects made of metal including jewellery. A lot of manufacturing processes are mechanised and automated.

Articles produced in the art industry differ from articles used in the home in their distinctive shape and originality.  If the object is mass produced it will be under the control of a group of people including the designer, artists, technicians and other workers. As an artist it may be useful to research the industry associated to my product such as fantasy. My design has to original and eye-catching to present to the team of workers  for them to consider the possibility of mass production on T-shirts, glass wear or even metal objects.

My first illustration is an object based around the number 4 combining the four elements; earth, wind, fire and water. The object would be a magical object, considered to be an important item to the gods.  It holds the power to control all four elements.  The design has to be original, eye-catching but also adapted to the background of the characters.

The object could take on a life of its own if produced in 3D form, the sketch would show detail that could be transferred onto other materials if sculpted. For the purpose of the project  the illustration will be digital.

My second illustration is based on the Unicorn from european myths, the Re'ems from the biblical legends and the Chinese counterpart called the Qilin. I began using a pencil to do a simple sketch of an animal  character  based on the unicorn but slightly different by drawing the anatomy of the creature's body, making the horn bigger. I studied existing animals; deers, horses, antelopes and other animals related to the type of creature I had in mind and developing into a horned animal.  Putting fur around the ankles I thought would give the animal a wild look.

My final and third illustration  is a digital painted shell creature. I wanted to make a fish-like creature with tentacles. I thought of a giant fish as big as a ship that floats but that could also be mistaken for rocks due to the formation of the shell by sailors.

I originally intended  it to be a slug or something similar to it but changed it to a more aquatic-type creature.. I considered making it into a fish after looking into mythology of giant fishes. The Namazu in Japanese folklore is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes, it is said to live in the mud under the island of Japan and guarded by the god Kashima by restraining it to a stone.

youth culture

Youth Culture

The word “teenager” was used to dscribe the category of young people from 13 to 19 years of age, around the late th century they were usually referred as “young adults” and still in today mostly. Started forming an age group over the years with its own riguals, rights and demads. Not jut an age group but also the new age of social life in individuals when they come of age between a child and adult.

Many youth cultures were starting to form, giving rise to hippies in Europe around the year 1962, or as they were commonly referred as “beatnkis and the United States who favour love and freedom along with the freedom of music, drugs, and even sex while going places where ever they like to make a revolution, race hardly even matters to them as they. Usually criticised by many in those days as people who don’t want to work for careers and against governments and militaries even after the second world war. They started a series of festivals. Spirituality became more open in religious cultures and more popular into rock music back in those days, the Beatles were among the most popular bands in the music media.

• 
  Right: Usually common when youthful fans are very entheusiastic of meeting their idols from music bands, TV shows and movies. Police and security tend to keep them from getting too close to them should they get out of control. Although judging by the picture it was not so easy keeping the frantic crowd under control.

A growing number of teenagers started to rebel, mostly against their parents in favour of pursuing their own goals which can either be good or bad depends how they are raised or in the area they live in. Mainly because of the rules which makes them feel like they’re being stripped of their rights of freedom. So it kinda gave many teenagers ideas of for music, media and culture.

But in the late 20^th century, numerous gangs have been formed in cities, mostly youth cultured groups that are either good and bad in society since the 1920s. Authorities had to tckle the growing youth-related crimes in 1981. Many of the violent gangs have taken names, symbols

According to current news, students who considered leaving school tend to turn their backs because of the rising number of medium and low-level students being more accepted then those considered to be ‘overqualified’ for a job. Showing that not many would want earn a degree if they need to.

Lots of teenagers, mostly guys would wear outfits like hoodies and in the 50s, wore greaser jackets in those days when teenagers started going through many changes in the mid-20^th century.

These days, a lot of teenagers are portrayed as anti-social, drink a lot, get into trouble with authorities, smoke, get addicted to drugs and have sexual intercourse on a daily basis. Others are just portrayed as victims of certain crisis and future of the next generation. So basically, they’re all true in ways.

Japanese Youth Culture

Well known for having districts for Anime, cosplay and games for people of all ages. They have a lot of people, mainly those who are teenagers dress up in costumes not only for conventions but unique fashion sense, when watching a few music videos of japan's music it was really hard to tell if the musicians were either a guy or a woman by how they're dressed and wear make up which makes it more confusing.

The most common impact on youth culture is the Anime and Manga that more common in Japan, restaurants with bright colours and flashy advertising. In honesty many people who don't understand Japanese language will be confused or having the urge to understand what they are on about. 

Books for Teenagers

Teen books are usually the best sellers in the market for many to read, some of those I know of that are fictional in horrors, fantasy and science fiction that are most popular. Girls tend to read romantic-type of stories that have a lot of emotion and drama they like to see, while guys like action, horror and usually science fiction and fantasy most that have creative worlds.

Source:

Teenage: The creation of youth 1875 – 1945

Juke box Britain: Americanisation and youth culture

Commissions and Communications

My research on Commissions and Communications. Wrote down what I know from research and understand how it works.

So this would help me understand more of commissions/briefs and how to be careful when accepting from clients, not to jump right in or it would cause problems for me. But on the bright side would greatly build up my reputation and how to organise these things by getting to know the client and people to help out if problems occur.

Golden Age of Illustration 1890-1910

Golden Age of Illustration 1890-1910

What was called the “Golden Age Illustration” was a period of when the technologies in the 18^th century were starting to develop and advance in its time and public demand for graphic arts. Artists would then use the skills and ideas to draw concepts for buildings, architecture and interiors for more unique buildings. This would’ve been a big step for illustrators to begin illustrating with their imaginations and also for novels such as children books, mainly on fairy tales and folklores.

European illustrators were influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites and unique design-oriented movements, it would give them more ideas of making unique designs for houses then being all similar to each other and later in the 20^th century many houses and architecture designs would evolve over the decades and stand out more.

There have been recent numbers of talented artists who have taken their skills further to making children books, like Beatrix Potter’s books about Peter Rabbit, 

jack and the Bean Stalk, a fairy tale book published by the folklorist writer Joseph Jacobs 

Among the Gnomes and Trolls by John Bauer 


Brothers Grimm that have made big impact and influence among other artists in the later period of time and made their own unique styles of illustrations, mostly 2-D and brighter colours for younger readers.

When Japan ended it’s isolation from the world, artists were greatly inspired by their artwork of illustrating stories, myths and history. Fashion illustration was also an influence on the western cultures such as Christopher Dresser after his trip to Japan and admired the coursel-granulated character of the fabric used to make the outfits.Their influence in Europe can be found in France with many portraits with Japanosim, including France for their portraits.

Sources:

www.wired.co.uk