Portfolio

So close to deadline but that was always my intention when it came to finalising my portfolio! what if I made some last minute great images that just had to go in! Which happened to be the case, or at very least competition. I even managed to add a little photography in there, strangely new territory for me. But, its done, really happy with it, I wont bore you with all the same imagery youve already seen so, just a couple of preview pages.

Guitar Zine

After years of just saying that I will do a project on guitars, I've finally done it, dedicated entirely to my preferred choice of the 7 string guitar, I have created a zine and poster book of guitars and famous musicians that use this type of guitar. It has been some of my favourite things to draw, definitely stuff i will be happy and proud to put into my portfolio, the kind of things that I hope I get hired for. 

Client Contact update : Back Road Books

I have been chatting to this up and coming publication company for a while now, as soon as im finished with my degree, I have a few projects ready and waiting with them, very excited to get started with it. they are similar to me, up and coming but with some big and great ideas. They already have a number of self published books out and travel the country doing press tours, book reading etc.. 

Ihave recently been in contact with the top guy James Jobling, He likes the work ive done for my own self published pieces, in particular the book cover work and comics.

Really looking forward to where this little venture takes me, for now check them out..

www.thebackroadbooks.com

An Update on my Client List

So all throughout my final year I have been chipping away at this, making notes.. Kicking ass and taking names.

Sure, at first I was being picky but that soon changed, pretty much everything I came across made it into my personal notes somewhere, and I know theres no way and no point of contacting everybody but it may all come in handy some way down the line.

They may not be clients but I have kept in contact with as many guest illustration talkers as i could have for advice on such matters.

But, for this section of the degree, needs must so I had to be picky  with my choices, i would be contacting these people imminentaly, Had to make sure I was what there were looking for, and just as important, there were what I was looking for.. not that im going to be fussy fresh out of college! heck no, ill draw anything for money. 

So to be captain obvious, in regards to what I have been doing this year.. Vehicles and Guitars.. luckily for me, this subject is a gold mine! I have pillegded everything from the library to WHSmiths, taking down the contact details of just about all of them.

Total Guitar

Guitarist

Guitar Techniques

Guitar

Guitar World

Kerrang

Metal Hammer

Rock Sound

Revolver

Car

Top Gear

Car and Driver

What Car?

Auto

Fast Car

As for the resources handed to me by college, There internal client list offered up some great contacts also. Especially in the Agents category, not something im looking at right now, but definitely on my mind for the future.

Mojo

Autosport

A&C Black Music

GMC Publications

The Folio Society

Hazas Worldwide

Ogilvy One Worldwide

Fig Taylors 'How to create a portfolio and get hired' also has a rich and specific resource section aimed at my style in the way of my comic book work.

I have a few names on the list in the comic world, mainly local independent publishers but again i havnt for a second ruled out the big dogs, im looking at you Marvel, i think i could blag my way to the tippy top ;-)

As for the book covers, something I really enjoyed and hope to do more of, I am currently in contact with and even working on a piece for them. 

BackRoad Books

Portfolio Surgery with Fig Taylor

Fig taylor is from the AOI and its hard to define her exact current job because the plain and simple of it is that the woman has done it all! she knows her shit! 

We were told even going into this talk that she "isnt to everybodys taste" but I have to say thankfully she was to mine, she says it how it is, zero bullshit and thats just how I like it!  

Sadly I only got a couple of minutes with her looking over my current portfolio, but in many ways why would I need more? Thats about all I will ever get from art directors, Fast opinion, quicker judgement, speedy advice. Well she obviously did something right since I went straight out and bout her book, a recommended read to anybody in the field. 

Ben Jones Talk

So last year I did my artist interview with former student of the college Ben Jones, He gave me somereally great answers and advice so I was pretty damn happy he was coming in to give a talk. Firstly I have to say how humble he seemed, it makes anybody doing the course he once did feel like damn near anything is possible, he is after all off working for the New York Times and beyond! what more could an illustrator hope to achieve!?

He had some great advice to give, some things obvious and just hard work and effort based but it was some of the small details that I took away from the talk, the little things you just dont think to ask or expect once your let out into the big wide scary world! A 6 hour turn around time for certain pieces of work! keep ontop of your emails people! 

His work, admittedly very different to my own tastes, he has a very visually striking and dark style, its no wonder he gets hired for the certain jobs he does.

 After the talk, I had a chance to sit with him alone, pick his brain and thank him for the interview. It was this time I felt the most valuable, I have since kept in touch with Ben, asking what I can when he has the time. A priceless resource. Make friends with fellow illustrators, they are not your competition, they are you in the future, they know what your going through!

Thank you Ben - www.benjonesillustration.com

Fellow students brightening up the college

Big shout out and huge credit to my fellow 3rd year Joe Anderson, last project he did all about graffiti art and as a final piece decided to give the college a much needed lick of paint, great work bud.

Hopes, Fears and Aspirations.

Hopes, fears or aspirations.. which one to begin with! To be fair, they all aptly roll into each other some how so, head first it is.. My biggest fear, obviously and like many others is that I finish my 3 year degree and do nothing with it, so easily done, but in truth I have been working full time the entire 3 years, bustin' my ass so that im not a poor student and that I have a business nest egg to propel me out into the wide world in good sted. No part of me is foolish enough to think it will be easy, so, my biggest fear is just going to be my biggest driving force moving forward. Being a slightly more 'mature' student was once my biggest fear; has now I think become my biggest strength and ally. In truth 'Fear' is a very small part of what I'm feeling upon leaving.

Coming into a degree course, my biggest goal was not the grade, although my pride wants that, it was to come away with a portfolio of work that im very proud of, this has always been my big hope and remains so long after im finished with the education side of my journey, you never stop learning so I will never stop adding to and updating my portfolio, its the greatest tool I have. Second maybe only to the people I have met along the way, I not only hope to remain in contact  with fellow students and tutors long after im left, I hope to work with them, share a studio, always have somebody there to drive you on, critique your work and mostly kick you into gear, as I sure as shit will for them. I do not fear losing contact with certain people, this will happen. I know that of a select few people I have met along my journey, I will stay in contact with, as friends, colleagues, business partners?? I digress!

I aspire to become just like the people I have been looking up to along my 3 years, to become one of the illustration success stories that Jo, Ian and Gary tell to future students for years to come, as they have done for us. I would love for a student to one day come to me for advice or even an interview for there blog, that in my head would be like a defining moment that said I had taken a massive step to become what I've set out to be. Pass down my experiences and knowledge, share stories and just basically help and support whoever will listen.
Not everything I aspire to is selfless and in quest of helping others, a huge part of me will become very selfish when I leave college I won't lie, first and foremost; I will become an illustrator, regardless of others opinions, doubts and competition. I'm going to sell my work.. sell more of my work, heck, sell ALL of my work. 

Be an illustrator.

Guitar Drawing : Time Laps Video

So my latest project is all about guitars, finally after 3 years of a degree im doing it! 

Pretty soon ill be posting all about the zines and posters ive created but mosy of all I got round to making a time laps video, pretty darn proud of how it has come out, theres still a few frames to be added on but for now.. enjoy

Scan of the final image

My Website... is ALIVE!!!

Just a short one for you, but arguably the most important thing I will post for sometime! You know how your not really anything in this crazy world until you have your very own webspace and domain name, well, boom... bencouch.co.uk is now live! 

Yeah, i bit the bullet and settled for a .co.uk, sure the global tyrant in me desperately wanted a .com but hey-ho, global domination can be put on hold for now.

but until then, feel free to enjoy my very own website at your will. Updates will be happening on it all the time, subject to when you are reading this of course.

www.bencouch.co.uk

Hattie Newman Talk

On friday 5th February we were lucky enough to have the excellent Hattie Newman drop by the college to give a talk on her work, she is a paper artist and a damn good one at that, she showed us a lot of her work and took us through not only her process and working habits but also an insight into her history and career.
Definitely a worthwhile talk, incredibly talented lady and very pleasant, not to mention highly infectious, her laugh in particular! I couldn't recommend checking out some of her work anymore, especially if you are into fine art and paper cutting, it is a wonderful mixture of both, there are a few examples her, courtesy of her personal website: www.hattienewman.co.uk

Business Card

Shits getting real when you get your own business card!

And here it is, my very first.

multiple designs, couldn't decide on one and now I get to update it as often as I desire.

Would you hire me? i'd hire me... hard!

My First Self Published Comic: EXIT PLAYER ZERO

Front Cover

Prologue Page

Double Page Spread

Back in the (Blogging) Saddle

Busy Busy times this past year, Year 3 of my degree is almost up and there has been some great work produced.. if I do say so myself!

• My own comic self published
• a 6000 word dissertation (something i didnt think i was capable of)
• My very own business cards and website are now live!
• And i finall got to do a personal project on guitars

Over this next month, blog posts will be coming in thick and fast getting you fully back up to speed, all thats left to say is.. enjoy!