For my research task, I was asked to read the article by Pam Smy, ‘Searching for the Green man: a sketchbook quest’.
Answer these questions in your learning log:
• How does the character of the sketches relate to the final illustrations?
Pam Smy created 30 sketches of the allotments of numerous different objects and scenes. She shows that she finds it helpful to produce so many sketches to help her become familiar with the allotments and what objects they hold as well as documenting the constant tug of war between the gardener and the garden (nature). The sketches that Pam did as a form of research really impact the outcomes of the final illustrations. You can tell that the linework and ways that Pam has used the tools to create the different marks really runs through to the final illustrations, it’s interesting to see the simple ‘blind’ line drawings of her sketches that is done quickly in comparison to her final illustrations that she has taken a lot more time to create but still has kept the original atmosphere and feel of her preliminary sketches.
• Are there any texts or stories you have encountered that relate to any of the drawings you
have produced during this section of the course?
The only story I can think of is when I went out to create some reportage illustrations of my route and my preliminary sketches all helped me to create future illustrations in future exercises e.g. the watercolour people (Exercise 3.3) that I drew on my walk down Eastbourne Seafront, I used then to create new images in Exercise 3.4.
OCA Learning Log 