5 types of illustrated magazine covers

Variation of illustrated magazine covers for different audiences:

- An educational magazine, not aimed at children but mostly adults with an interest in science

Richard Wilkinson

Spencer Wilson

- A fashion magazine, primarily aimed at women, designers or those with just an interest in fashion

Andy Warhol

Malika Favre

- A magazine aimed at adults with an interest in contemporary issues in society 

Eric Drooker

Saul Steinburg

- a magazine at educating children about history in a fun and easy manner

both illustrated by Martin Brown

- a magazine aimed at cycling enthusiasts 

both illustrations by Gary Marshall

Not all the magazines are filled with content that will be illustrated; for most it will be photography and written information. However, I feel the illustrations made for the covers are so relevant, well crafted and engaging, more so than photographed covers I find. 

5 things

5 things I have learnt last year:
- how to create collages using photoshop
- learnt how to really explore subject matter when doing observational drawing - through line, pattern, shape, texture, doing repeated drawings
- to consider composition a lot more, I came to realise last year how much difference a good composition makes compared to a piece with one that hasn't been that thought out
- have become a lot more confident with photoshop after doing a whole project using it

5 things I want want to know more about:
- screen printing; I didn't manage to do much last year so want to try it out more this year
- where I can go with collage, I started with it at the end of last year but want to explore more with what I can do with it - how I can incorporate it with other methods of working
- try out other printing techniques; I have looked at practitioners who have worked with woodcut and lino and love the style, so want to give that a go this year

5 strengths:
- my experimentation with materials, I feel I experimented quite a bit last year and throughout my summer sketchbook, I don't usually like sticking to one material
- I enjoy research, which is important with some briefs, I feel I won't be able to do particular briefs well if I don't have a good understanding of what it is I am trying to depict
- I try to include my other interests into my work, like photography, literature, architecture - I find that m work becomes much more rounded when I filter in things I am really interested in

5 things I want to improve on:
- my use of colour, I don't feel I consider it enough when creating a piece - I want to be able to set a mood or draw attention of particular areas through my use of colour
- be more analytical when evaluating my work - really think about what I did well and where I can improve
- be braver when it comes to trying new methods, I experiment quite a lot with materials but not so much processes with print, so need to push myself to go down to the print rooms and experiment

5 images that define where my interests are in illustration at the moment:

- not illustration but saw the Matisse exhibitor, love his use of shapes and colour to depict a scene. very bold shapes that are simplified

- saw Bill Bragg's work for a folio society book, made me want to try to do a bit of narrative work.

- I don't feel I play enough with texture, love Ping Zhu's brush work to create texture

- love Bryan Olson's collages, very surreal and bold

- also, Beth Hoekel's mixed media collages, simple use of paint is very effective in creating a whole new image