There were also some interesting statistics that I had never seen before, which gave me a sense of the scale and potential of the creative industries.
The creative industries encapsulate a lot of sub-categories, including:
• Advertising
• Arts & Antique markets
• Crafts
• Film, video and photography
• Graphic Design
• Software, computing, electronic publishing
• Visual and performing arts
• Publishing
• TV, Radio, Music, Film, Animation, Games
Three main types of companies working in the creative industries...
• Design studios/consultancies/agencies
• In-house creative teams
• Freelance practitioners
Two main disciplines (though they cover many different ones)...
• Communication Design
Graphic design, illustration, retail & promotion, publishing & editorial, product & packaging, branding & identity, information, type, print, production, digital, multimedia...
• Digital & Multimedia Design
Web design, interface design, design for mobile tech, games design, motion graphics, digital film and animation, special effects...
Where am I in all of this?
When reflecting on my own practice (currently, and where it could go in the future) there are a lot of potential avenues that it could align with. I'm pretty open to the opportunities that lie within all of the industries.
When reflecting on my own practice (currently, and where it could go in the future) there are a lot of potential avenues that it could align with. I'm pretty open to the opportunities that lie within all of the industries.
Book cover design by Jason Booher / TheBookCoverArchive
1. Publishing & Book Design
Whether this would be on a commercial scale (the likes of Penguin, for example) or for a more independent market with smaller press companies and publishers, I am interested in designing the exterior of books and publications as well as potentially contributing or creating content for them. It would involve illustration and design in equal parts, as well as an understanding of subject matter through research.
Editorial illustration I made as part of a set based on William Burroughs
2. Editorial & Reportage
Similarly with the above, what appeals to me about editorial and reportage is the research side of things and having to grapple with context and subject matter in order to effectively portray the story, message or meaning of something. Also there is the potential for a broad sweep of information and topics to be covered, as well as numerous publications that utilise illustration to accompany articles. Also, magazines and newspapers have been expanding to the internet, with web versions being widely available. Here is another option for editorial illustrators but in a more digital format.
Storyboard from last year's Visual Narratives brief
Small characters from last year's postcard brief
3. Character & Narrative
Although I think I have approached these things from a stance that isn't what I immediately think of with character and narrative (e.g. children's books..) I have dealt with both of these things in my work. Narrative is the one I am more interested in as it involves creating a tone or atmosphere, as well as communicating something to an audience. This links with publishing also, and could be used in advertising and motion too.
Archer Farms Coffee packaging by illustrator Adrian Johnson
4. Product & Packaging
This wouldn't usually be on the top of my list of interests, but I do think there is a lot of potential for illustration and design to be utilised in these ways. Whether it's about making something ordinary and everyday look exciting or appealing, or packaging that isn't necessarily just for stuff like brillo pads, such as CDs, records, film, tshirts, and other things people buy for leisure or entertainment. However it would be a concern of mine that I'd just be reimagining something that's been released ten times over, or creating something that's quite empty and vapid.
5. Retail & Merchandise
There is a lot of overlap between this category and the above. As far as I know, merchandising is more about the display of products and items to make them more visually interesting and to garner attention from buyers. Again, not something I'm totally into or that I fully understand, but if I was to find out that this could be done in an interesting and engaging way maybe I would be more open to being involved in this.
Gino Bud Hoiting illustrative mural
6. Object & Environment
Again, another category that I'm not sure about the options that are available. I suppose this could be to do with spacial design, events, and maybe even move into animation and projection/light/sound/film (for example, motion graphics at a music event). The idea of making an environment interactive, and visually stimulating could hold a lot of exciting possibilities. Maybe I could look into this more.
7. Advertising & Promotion
Although I'm not completely sure how illustration is used alongside promotion, I guess advertising would be in the sense of designing a piece of work to make an audience aware of an event, item, or happening could be interesting. Especially seeing as advertisements don't have to be bland. Maybe this could tie in with being a part of an agency and only working on visuals/illustrative components of a larger project. I think I'd have to see some existing examples to gage where I could be in this.
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