Possibilities are endless only time is limited

Yesterday Hayley Potter started our day by giving us a lecture about her work and the industry of illustration through her experience. She showed her sketchbooks and books she illustrated and wrote. I found this particularly interesting, because this is exactly what I am doing for my Professional project. During her talk I asked her about her approach of doing a book. Does she write the story first and then based on it, generate the images or are the images that she draws influencing the written language. She said that every case is different and that there is not just one right way. I agree.

Later on that day I had a talk with Hayley about my ideas, showed my earlier work and discussed how to get started. She gave me many good advise, people I should look up for refrence, research and inspiration, some of them new to me, some already " old friends" ( Su Blackwell, Sara Fanelli, Mervyn Peake, Andrzej Klimovski ). We talked about how how to pinpoint my target audience, something I was worried about, since we have to explain this in our learning agreement. She advised me to look at artists books collectors and authorial illustration. To getting started she advised me to set myself a page limit in writing ( since I am not sure if I will write something completely new or use an old text I have already written. In the latter case, I will alter the text to suit my present taste ) and to generate more images I plan to use, so I have a large stock from where to choose.

I am still wondering how to get started. I have the concept, but whether to start writing first or drawing. To this Hayley advised try both. The best way of working for me, will come along the process.