- What did you learn?
I learned a lot doing this project. I haven’t done a lot of visual work (or any how-to style guides), so I had a fun time researching examples and trying to emulate them. I also learned a lot about the process of constructing landfills and the issues that can arise from a poorly made/operated one. They are very complex systems with their own micro biomes and chemical compositions. I also tried using Photoshop which I am not very familiar with, so I learned a lot about that too.
- What feedback did you receive? Any reflections on critique itself?
One piece of feedback that I received was that I didn’t get to the elements of satire quick enough or include enough satire. I totally agree. The main point of the guide were the pages towards the end that used the how-to format to illustrate real world issues (ex. pawning off trash and landfills on neighboring cities/states/countries). If I could continue the project or redo it I think I would condense the initial pages to give myself more time to complete the later ones.
- What might you do differently in terms of process or content?
Echoing the above, I would spend more time on the satire, point-of-view style pages and less on the technical ones.
- What was inspiring? What parts?
For me, it was really inspiring that I could even make the artwork for the project. I’m not a very confident artist, and I was really doubting my skills. To be able to put something together, artistically, that was cohesive and styled in a way I was proud of was great.
- Revisit the assignment prompts: how did your project relate to the original prompts, in terms of critical lens, audience, tone, etc…
I think I did have a critical lens, and I hope my point of view came across in a way that was obvious. The tone felt very satirical to me and using illustrations with a child-like style helped emphasize that a bit given how serious the topic is. I also feel like the metaphor carried well.
- How did you balance research and experimentation? Which is easier for you? How can you focus more on the areas that you shy away from
The research was definitely easier for me. I found a lot of technical and opinion pieces online and had no shortage of information. If anything, I think I could have have spent less time researching (especially the technical aspects) and more time on the experimentation. That was definitely the harder part and something I shied away from. I think I just need to continue working on art pieces to build more confidence and get more comfortable crafting visuals.