Big Heads: Rob Hodgson

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• Rob works between his studio (a converted loft) and a publishing house where he balances freelance work with employed work.

• Rob displays his work around his studio - such as wrapping paper, storyboards, illustrated products - to keep him inspired.

• He sees his work as one big project. Everything is a continuation of his practice where techniques or ideas may span over projects.
• Themes and ideas are broadly applicable.

• He enjoys the technique of scanning analogue processes into the computer and mixing them together. Eg: a woodcut with a mono print.

• Rob is intrigued by the idea of how illustration and products marry together giving a more hand-made aesthetic rather than mass-produced.
• Packaging is something he considers a lot and how it will be compositionally on such a small, limited scale.
• Playing and experimenting with materials is fundamental. He's interested in using materials that are unusual, he hasn't used before or that he doesn't see often - his "Funny Buggers" zine for example is enveloped in a holographic paper that he wanted to use as soon as he saw it.

• An intrigue in refining the use of different materials has developed over time since working in a studio environment. Before that, he just stuck to using a traditional method of pencil, paper and scanning. Working on product packaging briefs and being exposed to the factories where the materials are have influenced this.
• His sketchbooks draw together notes, lists, doodles and half-finished ideas. They are the product of his personal and professional life and blur between both easily. He draws on a small-scale and doesn't commit to filling up a sketchbook or pursuing a daily doodle. He will test composition and coherency rather than experiment thoroughly in the sketchbook.
• He prefers to have loose sheets of source material (shapes, print experiments) in a folder that he can gather together and use as a starting point for projects which I think reflects the relaxed and loose nature of his practice and his work.
• His ideas, concepts and processes marry together digitally though he leaves enough room for changes as the work develops.
• Roughs are importance when leasing with clients so they can see where the direction is heading and where things can be tweaked.
• Building his portfolio and relationships with clients has allowed a bigger sense of freedom with his work.
• Even though a lot of Rob's work is now made in a commercial context, he still like to retain that ethic of making work purely for himself too. His self-driven pieces really connects with an audience.
• Making imagery is there to be enjoyed and if he had fun making something then surely someone will have fun viewing it.
• Sharing art is like sharing a radio signal and someone is bound to respond.

Reflection:
I'm new to the work of Rob Hodgson so really got a lot of out this Big Heads session. His work has a very gentle tone of voice with a childlike innocence and naivety to it. The lack of outlines with strong elements of shape, colour and texture help with this soft aesthetic as well as the quirky, unassuming and adorable characters. I find his method of working more relatable than to Stanley Chow, who took part in the first Big Heads session, mixing analogue with digital rather than just working in a purely digital method. I also like how loosely he approaches his work and this is something I am learning to do since starting my degree. His applied illustration products are fascinating - especially the capacity of turning illustrations into children's toys. This is a concept I played with in my diagnostic and final major projects last year and would love to pursue further in future.