Position Statment

I’ve not left myself in the best position initially, however towards this last month I have put myself in a much better position for my practice and as long as I keep it up the better I will be. It’s turning my words into action now. I want to get into this mind set of doing what I say. Because I know that most of the time I am all talk and 20 percent action. 

As a practitioner I’m learning to categorising my strengths and weakness. Choosing what is a priority to improve for the development and advancement of my practice. I know the importance of honing my skill, as printmaking has be come a major tool in my compartment. As a result I’ve also had to become more aware of the kind of jobs and turnover rates I need to be looking at. I’m always looking to improve and develop my skills.

The reason I refers to myself as a person whose themes work within the triple H sphere is that my work does reside within History horror and humour and sometimes more than one of them. If some pieces don’t thats ok as this ideal shapes my practice and clientele but does not limit me. It allows those who wish to hire me a quick idea of what I and my work are like.

I am a Image maker who uses Printmaking with digital to create narrative and atmospheric images. I am a narrative artist. I use a mixture of traditional and digital to create something that communicates a tale. 

The next few months and years are a focus of building work up around the thematic areas I’ve described. I don’t go by type of illustration, rather theme for this reason. it allows me to go from editorial to publishing to comics to packaging while still congaing a constancy to my work. I’m hoping that building up a repertoire of more work will show this. 

Summative Evaluation

Overall i think PPP has gone quite well. Personally I don’t think that I took as much advantage over it as a should have done. However I do recognise the importance of it and how it’s shaping my career as I head to leave this course. I’m communicating with more companies and people now and I find myself less put of if people don’t answer back or reject em. It’s all about the grind at the end of the day. It’s about getting yourself out there’ putting in the work and developing, your brand to suit the section of clients your going for. I’ve learnt the impotence of separating your practice as a way to not let multiple ambitions clog up my practice and lead to no development in either work or contacts. 

Everything becomes priorities in importance now. i choose what I view as appropriate for My practice. whether it is the branding merchandise I create or the social media outlets I use to promote myself. I look for opportunities in all ventures I pick up. It’s Not just about getting work for now, it’s about having work later and seeing your practice as something you aim to maintain throughout your life. 

Honestly It felt like for the first 2 years PPP was irrelevant for me. However  don’t think this is the case, as I believe that it has given me the critical thinking skills need to be able to evaluate myself and my prate fairly and develop a sense if where my work fits into the grand creative scheme of things. 

I’ve enjoyed working out where my work first within the creative industry. It’s taken some time and i know that it’s going to evolve. However i feel more assured in myself and my practice once I leave this course. I know what I want and what I’m good at are not always the same thing however they can become similar and find common ground within your practice. 

I find valuing my work in the sense of a bigger picture difficult. Contacting museums that could help further my projects as well as other agencies, companies and professionals a bit awkward as I become self doubtful and don’t see my self as worthy of good opportunities. But by bitting the bullet and simply emailing people I’ve gained more confidence within my practice. The worst thing they can do is tell you to fuck off so, it’s really not as bad as you thing. 

I got into my own head a lot during this module which is why I only seemed to start to find myself when the stress of completing this module finally started to kick in. It’s through this last month that I’ve actually been able to see myself as a practitioner not just a student and slowly get opportunities come in that I otherwise would have just assumed I wouldn’t get. 

PPP is a module that everyone grows around differently. And even though I haven’t bloomed around it as fast as other people have. I do think I’ve gained a lot more from PPP on a personal and professional Level. 

PPP Literally Became my Personal Professions Practice.

Presentation

Creative Presence

Here It Is.

Portfolio

Here is my portfolio. If I'm going to be honest there are a lot more finished and what i deem acceptable pieces of work in here that I initially thought. However I do know I'll need more than this in future. However I believe this is a good start.

Buisness Booklet

This is my Business Booklet. Instead of a Business Card. As you can see my details are on every page so that if they take a liking to any picture they know who did it.  I've not name which illustration follows which theme as it should be either obvious or clear enough that if misinterpretation does happen the images are subjective enough to fall into one of the three categories.

What I'm Doing post submission

So Post-Submission I'll Still be doing PPP things. It doesn't stop here. As A result I aim to contact a lot more people as well as contact a few people for a one to one chat or portfolio meetup when I'm down in London in July. Also going to be contacting the Wizards of the coast people when I get a more Character design centric portfolio of them made up.

Making and Organising Time for Practice.

I need to make time for both sides of my practice however my more 'professional' practice trumps my personal one as it's more likely to get me money. However I have thought about what Ben Cox said which was to get enough money from the professional side that you can spend a couple of weeks or days in between focusing on the personal side. It's also the reason why I'm trying to link my artistic career to my retail job through working in the design team (hopefully) at Lindt.

Contast Between Then and Now

At The Beginning of this academic year I had a list of where I saw my practice and how I saw it going.

I'm Interested to see how they compare now as I feel like I see my practice in two distinct sections and that's something I didn't really think about at the beginning of the year.


At the start

• *Incoherent screaming
• Comics Artist
• Book Cover Designer
• Historian of Things
• Researcher
• Dan Harmon's assistant
• Horror Illustrator 
• Printmaker
• Character Concept.

Now

• Horror Illustrator
• Historical Editorial 
• Museum Exhibit Illustrator
• Publishing Art 
• Board Game Artist
• Printmaker
• Webcomic Artist
• Character Designing 

(italicised is in second more personal side of practice.)

There is definitely a more realistic and better planned idea of how I see my practice now. It feels easier to rationalise the steps I need to take to pursue the correct career paths for me when compared with the beginning of this year. I see my practice as a constant rather than in definitives. 

New Logo

So My Old Logo was Just a Picture of my face. And while it did pull people in; within the comic scene. It didn't work as well with the more commercial crowd. So I decided to Adopt a new logo.

I created the Logo around the alias I chose to go under, N.Ronke, It's got a graphic esque look to it however it's a hand lino cut logo so it has the textured and handcrafted style of my work.

I'd maybe mess around with cleaning up the lines a bit more or getting a graphic designer in as some point. However  I feel like it works well for now.

Concept for Business 'Card'

The Business cards I have right now don't really fit in with the N.ronke brand. The work well with maybe the Ronke Comics brand. But not with the more editorial and commissioned based side of my practice.

Old Card and Branding

As a result I am re-designing my cards. Following the phrase I have begun to use when describing my practice of being HHH thematically focused. I'm going to create an A6 four sided business 'card' visually shows these three aspects of my practice.  Using lino as my tool.

I feel like it's easier to visually explain myself through my business card then try explain it all through a lot of text on the card. It allows people to remember me for my visuals rather than just some faded (or repressed) memory.

Leeds Print Work Shop &The Discovery Centre

So Post-Uni I know that I will be joining the Leeds Print Workshop as I need a place to print. And not only do they have a print room but also the supplies in which I can buy my printing supplies in a non bulk way.

I also want to look at building a relief press for myself to use when LPW isn't open ast it's only open on a fri-sun and I can't build my practice around that with commission work.

I'm looking to also at going to the Discovery centre more to build up a on my documentative drawing so that i have a portfolio of work ready if I ever propose a series of images documenting historical artifacts to either V&A, uk museums or the art council.

Art Funding

I've been looking into going independent with my work and creating a series that is based heavily into historical and cultural british research that leads to a series of illustrations that would then become an exhibition.

The best way to do this would be to get funding from the arts council. I have looked into this. However It's a very complex proposal system and I know that I can get very lost when in control of my own work without a set brief.

This is a back burner idea however this is something i may return to in 10-12 years when I am more experience and have a better sense of organisation and control over my practice.

Wizard of the Coast

Wizards of the Coast is the company that owns Magic the gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. They're looking for freelance artist to work with. And although it doesn't fit in with my 'professional' practice side. I know that it does my more 'personal' practice, however I am going to be creating a series of character concepts in different medias into a portfolio to send to them.

For me, this is expanding the other side of my practice into, what could be monetized practice. Just because it's doesn't come from the same practical mindset as some of my other work doesn't mean its less valid.

Scream UK

Scream magazine is britain's no.1 Horror magazine. I've Messages them about a more editorial position. They tend to do more reviews and articles about horror within a wider range of media when compared with Famous Monsters of Filmland.

Similar to Historical editorial, doing other bits of editorial for the niche magazines appeals to me. Becoming the person they come to when they want that kind of work is a goal of mine.

Famous Monsters of filmland

Famous Monsters of Filmland is a Horror magazine celebrating films and classic horror icons. They tend to hold conventions within america surrounding these themes. I've contacted them in a similar vain of doing any advertisemal work for them.

Due to the amount of people I'm contacting for this and the increasing what the thepory of how I am going to form my 'professional' practice is going. I am thinking of forming my final products in FMP to mimic this. Designing a series of Advertising campaigns for a faux exhibition.

Merlin Entertainment

Merlin Entertainment is the conglomerate that owns A majority of britons amusement parks. However they also own All of britons dungeons. London Dungeon, York Dungeon Blackpool Tower Dungeon etc.


I've contacted the Blackpool office about the chance to do some design work for them.

In this way I wouldn't mind working with big companies to develop and design advertising campaigns or information booklets and even merchandise. Similarly to what Teresa told me, its ok to have a niche, just become the person they all want to come to.

Seeing all the options I could have with both big and small companies gives me hope for the future.

No Sleep- Update 2

Since I hadn't heard back in a week I decided to further inquire as to how the company was doing. Knowing that sometimes, with people you can get lost and they can forget to email you back. I waited a week due to the easter holidays being within the mists of this and knowing most people would not look at their emails til a couple of days later. And I did not want my email to get lost within the masses.

History Magazine Options

Not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket when it came to historical editorial work. I contacted other historical magazines such as History today, History Revealed, and Future publishing who own All about history, The Royals and other historical and design based magazines.

Because I'm not yet that established I'm going to try and work that to my advantage by exploring a retinue of creative freelance jobs. I'm not stuck in one studio or internally with one company. So I might as well have fun exploring all potential avenues available to me at this time. And keep that more experimental in the jobs I take mind set when I've matured my career.

V&A

Messaged the V&A about creating a series of lino prints documenting the artifacts held within the museum.

Hopefully this could be an option as the V&A is big on documenting and inspiring the younger generations to get into history and it's importance.

I should be hearing back from the Word and Image section after contacting the V&A About it. I hope to bring a proposal to them in July.

Christopher Brown

Christopher Brown is a Primarily lino print based illustrator. 

I was shown him to get to terms with the fact that I could make a career out of historical based lino cuttings as well as understanding the more complexity and variety an artist can achieve with adapting and experimenting with printing techniques.  

Opportunities With Londt

After My one on one with my Manager at Lindt we've discussed the idea of my furthering my creative and professional practice through the company. I've been given a series of internal contacts to email about me doing some design work within the packaging n marketing company of Lindt.

What was also useful thought my one to one was being told that from a companies perspective. My ability to write quite well and having some basic graphic designs skills will all set me instead to be viewed as a higher and more successful candidate as it mean's they don't have to hire multiple people to do different things if they find one person who can do all the things.

It's important for my career that I get across that I don't just have my artistic and creative skills but other skills as well, to potential clients. It's important to not just fall back on the given when it comes to being a creative.

No Sleep -Update

I'm excited to say that after a successful enquiry into collaborating with the no sleep podcast company I have been offered the chance to work with them. I'm so excited for this, however I'm trying to keep a professional mind when it comes to this. After the multiple lectures we've had on clients.

Persona & Professional

I've been wrestling with this for a long while now. But After a precious blog post explaining how I realised that my Practice was splitting off into two different paths; artistically. I've come up with the concept of a 'professional' and 'personal' website.  The More 'Professional' one contains my more commercial work along side working as a online portfolio. This is what I will link nearly all of my contacts too ( unless they are comic specific) as it tends to be work that responds to briefs compared to the more 'Personal' one which is more for me to pursue my love of sequential narrative. 

For multiple reasons at the ,moment the N.Ronke professional website is the Only one live. The other is just a visual mock up at the moment. 

They both come under the N.Ronke brand. However they both focus on different branches of the brand I am creating for myself.

My'Professional' Website. 

My 'Personal' Website

What I Am. Through Trial and Error.

Alongside the more practical and illustrative creative endeavors'. I have also collaborated with Olivia Northtrop briefly for the pilot of a podcast. It wasn't focused around art rather self published literature in a comedy podcast. 

Pros of Podcast

• Allowed me to work with sound and recording booths again which I enjoyed
• Made me aware of the difficulties of attempting to keep a natural conversation flowing throughout a recording. 
• I was forced to work and generate an idea and see that through with another person. 
• Felt as If i got a better idea of what doesn't work within a professional collaborative environment. 

Cons of Podcast

• No all ideas work well from theory to practical
• My Wing-it approach will not always work
• Working with a friend can leads to a more lax approach to professionalism which doesn't always help the project along. 

I did this because I wanted to explore the creative industry from not just the illustrative side. I'd like to work with film and tv on story and art concept. I'd love to work within the brain storming centres of game board rooms.  

Limiting myself to just one thing in terms of the type of work i create, seems pointless to me. I like to speak to people to create, form and develop ideas. 

I don't see myself as just an illustrator; which is why i'm moving away from the brand of ronke illustrates to N.Ronke. My creative process shouldn't just be limited to 2-d Art. 

I see myself as an image maker a idea generator and character creator. And I aim to explore all the facets of my practice when it comes to my core ideas. 

No Sleep

I've sent another email today to the No Sleep this time.

Looking forward in within my to-do list. I am going to be looking and hopefully, pitching my exhibition idea to the art council for my FMP.  A more detailed out line will be posted on my idea in another blog post. I'm hoping to use my love of completing lists to my advantage.

Finally

I sent my first professional Email a few days ago and frankly i was terrified. Until other email sent to practitioners this one contained my work and focused on me enquiring about working within the BBC history magazine as a artist.

I know this sin't much and I'm not going to pat myself on the back for the next week because I sent ONE email. However I must acknowledge on this blog that this was a  big step for me. As breaking down the barrier thats been keeping me from pursuing myself within the creative community. I'm very self critical about my own self with as an artist but I believe this was a step towards me not letting that doubt get in the way of me pressing my professional practice.

Crit with Teresa

My FMP tutorial with Teresa made me realise a couple of things.

Practical things such as working on my colour so that I don't mute or de focus meaning on my work through bad colour pallets.

But also this personal to my practice like not allowing the concept of me doing webcomic not to be a thing just because it doesn't fit in with that side of my practice.

Similar to what Ben Cox said at his talk. I may need to look into hosting work under two separate identities. I've spoken about it before to Patrick and Jon but I realise now that it's best for me to reach my full potential.

As a Comic artist I am more naive and developmental in my work. It is more personal to me and as a result should be focused on my interests.

As a Image maker, However, my art is cleaner more technical and usually can be fitted to a more commercial back ground.


Naomi Crompton the Comic artists and N.Ronke the Image maker are two separate practices and should be treated as such.

Website

My Website is now Up and live: www.nronke.com

I have categorised my work into three main categories for now.

Editorial
Print
Digital

I chose the name N.Ronke as It's Short distinctive and allows me to use a Pseudonym that still sounds professional.

I feel excited and more grounded now that I have the foundation of my online presence sorted out.

Feeling overwhelmed -

I feel A bit overwhelmed at the moment. My anxiety and self doubt is stopping my professional progression. However I know that, yet Feel like 'm doing nothing about it. I have set myself a list of objectives to complete by easter to focus myself on completing smaller tasks which make up the larger landscape of my profession.

• Finish and Live Website
• Email David Cummings 
• Email BBC History Magazine director 
• Email 2 other History Magazine Directors
• Look at grants from the art council for FMP
• Email one museum about collaborative work
• Find at least 5 people within the creative industry who i'd like to work for.
• Contact said people.

Passionfruit - Where I may wanna Go in my practice

I'm entering a queer erotica Anthology. I usually wouldn't do this out of fear of what my family would think. However for my practice to develop I see it dealing with mature themes of horror and maybe sex. So i want to develop my art in an erotic context to see if this will become a pillar of my practice.

Self-Reflection, Idealising my Practice for Myself

A while ago Jon asked me to look at creating a short piece of writing that looked at me as a creative and person and what I want from life. To be honest I find this difficult to do, when it comes to being honest in my practice to what I want and not what I think others want of me. It’s why I put it off for a long time.

What I can say first and foremost is that I want to live somewhere warm. Tuscany in the hills preferably. I’d like a kind of Conservative that’s a Print studio/green house. I want to create concept for stories with people that get developed into films, made for Sundance, I want them to question the horror genre. I want to become a part of the new wave of Black writers, director, artists and creators improving the standard of content created in the film and publishing industry. I want my work to exist in three different realms. In international and wide reaching Ideas and concepts, In the art and publishing sectors character and comics and in the more selective state of personally driven or commissioned lino prints.

I don’t just want to exist in one place. I want my practice to reflect my diversity but I don’t want to put people off within my inconsistency. I know that Contacting and being consistent in my grafting and creating is important to my practice and i worry my apathy will ruin it for me. 

Contacts

Making contact with people isn't even half the battle for me. I find it difficult to keep in contact with people that I don't regularly see. David Olusoga and I exchanged a few emails and became contacts on Linkdin similarly to Dona Todd. But I've not contacted them further. Similarly to how i try to up date my instargram every 3 days I may just have to set a day aside when i Just make sure I'm refreshing and keeping in contact with people.