Exe 3.5: Giving Instructions

Brief: Make an illustration to fit one of the categories below.

• Making a cup of tea 
• Getting to my house 
• Or Playing a tune on an instrument

I decided to give instructions on how to get to my house. I collected examples of general giving instructions and then collected some examples of maps that I liked. 

Adi Galili

Running for Crayons

Christina Engel

I chose to do a map-style set of instructions. 

I started by taking photographs of the route from Brighton Station to my flat in Hove. 

Brighton Station

Mad Hatter shop

Bulldog

Komedia

Dirty Harry shop North Laines

Mash Tun Pub

Graphic Novel Shop

Hove Beach Huts

Brighton Dome

Brighton Pavillion

I did a few preparatory, rough drawings for my map. The more drawings I did the more I realised I would not be able to include allll my favourite buildings or be completely accurate to include very road along the route either. I decided to use artistic licence and use the buildings as more of a landmark reference/guide to the instructions related to how to get to my house. 

map development 1

map development 2

come to my house!

Final Map

Section of middle of map close up

This is is the section of the map that I struggled with the most. Initially I had left it blank but when the rest of the map was finished but this just didn't look right in the composition because the viewer's eye was immediately drawn into the empty space in the middle of the page. I then decided to add a figure, the cup of tea and the decorative bits. Unfortunately I think that I went over board especially regarding the introduction of the decorative filigree which is a little frustrating...and one of the reasons that I don't think the map works 100%. Oh grrrrrr!!    

Hove side of map

For this section of the map I tried to include a different view point by making the running children smaller, the kite larger  and less defined then the other characters.

Hove Bulldog

Finish line! I chose to have my flat leaving the frame of the map to keep the feeling of movement throughout the image, i.e.: beginning to end.

I have made a number of notes in my learning log surrounding this exercise. I enjoyed it thoroughly but would have liked to try a number of different versions and ideas...perhaps a version which is separated into a sequence of drawings  i.e.: more of a comic book/graphic novel approach to include different angels or perhaps rather trial a more step by step approach or  perhaps just a different version of the map. 
I am also not sure if using the coloured paper for this particular project completely worked. 
The composition is still the factor that concerns me the most though. (see above) Perhaps it is a little too balanced with the two areas of green in the front of the image on a horizontal plane. It may have be worth having the Dome and pavilion slightly higher up on the page which would also mean being able to extend the diagonal of 'north street' which may have helped with " my middle-map issues" because, if anything, this would have pushed this area of centre which may have solved my initial issue straight away....well perhaps! ; )