Hopes, Fears and Opportunities 2

Last year, a group discussion was held entitled 'Hopes, Fears and Opportunities' in which we collectively discussed our thoughts and concerns relating to all aspects of our creative careers (as students and beyond). The main 'fears' of mine I identified regarding the course and my potential career in the creative industry in general included: Producing work that isn't of a commercial-friendly or marketable nature, not having a consistent style or distinctive visual identity, and successfully completing the then-impending 8000 word dissertation.

In terms of marketable work, it was discussed amongst the group that the best approach was to simply continue to produce imagery in whatever style or form best befit our personal preferences, based on the logic that to try to change what you're producing in order to please an audience whose interests are likely ever-changing can be a futile pursuit. Furthermore, developing your own work organically is the best way to maintain originality, rather than artificially changing what you do in order to have your work sell. With this in mind, I have continued to create work based off themes and visuals that interest me through the 'Authorstrator' approach, with a variety of experimentation with technique and media that aren't necessarily commercially viable without a lot of further refinement.

On the matter of consistency of style, similar to the above point, the group consensus was not to be too concerned with this, and to allow it to develop naturally. Therefore, I have continued experimenting in my work without limiting myself for the sake of creating a visual consistency, as I have not yet found an aspect of illustration I am truly comfortable with.

The latter of my previously mentioned concerns was being able to write my dissertation alongside carrying out my other work. This was successfully completed in January, and though I have yet to find out the mark I have received for it, I am confident in the outcome and take pride in it- I feel I wrote the piece to the best of my ability, without compromising its quality for the sake of spending more time on my art. Equally, my work running alongside the dissertation went well and did not suffer as a result of the timing- I feel I managed my time well.

My primary aim at the time of writing the first 'Hopes and Fears' post was relating to the Final Major Project- to bring together my interests in a project showcasing a selection of technique and subject matter. This project is now well under way and has proven difficult and challenging as a result of various factors, but I feel it reflects well the themes and aesthetics typical of my work. In terms of technique and media, I am utilising (or have experimented with) multiple approaches combined to bring the end result.

In terms of graduation, I have no specific plan or aim for afterwards, though I can say with confidence at this point that any foreseeable creative career will likely be relating to photography. It is the basis of my current and final project and has been my 'go-to' medium for a while now, I feel it is the specialism in which my skills lay. I have already set out to gather advice on the matter, and will take some time post-graduation to decide where I would like to take things next.