Crit: Level 5 & 6 Summer Sketchbooks

This afternoon, I looked at the summer sketchbooks of Level 5 and 6 students to give me an idea of the skill level of my peers who are in the middle of, or finishing up, their degree work. I was immediately drawn to this sketchbook, illustrator unknown, based on the idea of Vanity as Vulnerability. The illustrator worked tirelessly to experiment with many different materials and processes, including; painting with gouache, watercolour and acrylics, coloured markers, pencils and pens, fine liners and coloured paper. Many of her works featured mixed media or collage techniques centred around the portrayal of young women in regards to fashion, cosmetics, hair, media and the idea of confidence.

My favourite pieces included the artists' exploration into today's need for instant gratification, through online apps such as Instagram and Snapchat, especially editing oneself through filters, stickers and level adjustments. It's thought-provoking, relevant and current. I also liked the idea of looking at hairstyle and colour as identity; when we're all dying our hair bright reds, pinks, purple, greens and blues to mimic Tumblr trends of nebulas and mermaids - are any of us really that unique anymore? As well as this, the interpretation of the contour process of blending foundation, concealer, bronzer, highlighter and blush as tribal markings is simply ingenious.

While I absolutely adored each page of this sketchbook - especially the colour palettes used, the knowledge and range of media, the style of the illustrations and the content and themes behind them - the main criticism I have to make is that there weren't enough experimental pages where the artist used some pages as a playground to let loose, to investigate and to enquire. Each image reads as a final piece and finished result, with no journey or background information as to how she reached that point in the creative process. I believe a good sketchbook should incorporate both small-scale pieces (that can later be worked into a final illustration) and also experimentation; quick sketches, observations, studies, mixed media and material experimentation, things that haven't quite worked and things that have worked explored further. This is something I will be taking into account when using my own sketchbooks this year.