Informed Imagination

My interest in the role of observation developed alongside my studies on the Children's Book Illustration MA at Cambridge School of Art. The process of observational drawing underpinned my own visual language and I witnessed the often miraculous drawing progression of fellow students. It also led to the realisation that for the illustrator, learning to draw is not about acquiring the ability to recreate a technically accurate image (often resulting in bland outcomes). What we are seeking to acquire is a communication skill capable of transcending reality and transporting an audience to another world. Alongside the development of communication through drawing, observation filters into the ability to create compelling narratives. Whilst the creation of books for children might appear to be routed in the imaginary, this study explores the role that observation plays throughout the creative process. Observation in the context of illustration is often taken to mean drawing from life (and the study examines the value of this), but I also seek to investigate the synthesis of observation which filters throughout the making of stories for children from first concept to the finished outcome.