CIRCUS creations

Since i picked the topic subject of 'Circus' to work with, from recent projects, I have struggled on occassions with a self initiated brief, to create imagery that had a meaning, that had a purpose. For this, I suppose you could say I took the easy route and picked a story to illustrate.. After reading into Martin Salisbury's 'Playpen' and the in depth anylsis of childrens illustration, I developed a keen liking to childrens illustration. I have also been looking into Jim Flora and french illustrators Antoine and Manuel. All shapely design of which are constructed with strong colour, composition and simplicity.

By the time I will have completed the project, I will have an image for each chapter I complete, there are 26 chapters and upto now, I have atleast 15-20 images all at different stages.. the few I have included, are images I consider either finished or a rough final..

Above: the chapter depicts how Lotta, a circus girl, is learning to do tricks with the horses, she has to jump within a ring, that is on the broad side of the horses back. (ROUGH FINAL)

The above image, was created from a range of old circus imagery, that have an etching look to them, I try to use an element of this sort of imagery within most of my work. The cut and paste technique seems to have generated into an original style for me, it gives a different appeal, a look of building an image and 3dness instead of flatness, for me the image comes alive with this. and finally, shape, the element that holds my work together, that links each piece of imagery. For this project, after looking into book illustrations and format, I have 3 format proprtions to choose from depending on the image. a full page, a half page and a double page, just across the top of both pieces. Most of my designs so far, have been the half page, and so only develop into a size of 10 x 7cm, this is quite a small format, so the images have to be a somewhat simple detail.. so you can see exactly whats going on, but yet still have the integrity that depicts the making of the illustration. After looking at some 'Vignettes' , I have decided to create my designs in the same manner. 

Above: Lucky, the new dog of the Circus, is learning new tricks, one being how to push a pram, the chapter denotes how the dog steers the pram right round the ring, and so this large circular element denotes this. The image is not quite finished as yet, but its not far off. (ROUGH FINAL)

Above: An idea that has generated and changed a numerous amount of times. 'the new caravan', as the browns move in with the circus, they have their own caravan but are expected to clean it out in return for their gift from Mr. Galliano. After I have generated it a bit more it will be finished, but presently, the elements, are a bit all over, and too spread, and not correctly scaled. (ROUGH FINAL)

Above: the first final image, an exciting chapter where Jumbo - the elephant rampages through the town at night time, the dimmed colour, is reflective of the night as is the shadow around the elephant. As a first image, I decided to keep the shape of the elephant simple, this contrasted on the mixed media photographic elements in play with the shape, and gave the image a sense of movement. (FINAL)

Above: A chapter denoting the circus dogs, jumping through hoops, showing their tricks in play. Again the large shapes play the roll in holding this image together, they leave out the negative space in creating this vignette. (FINAL)