Exercise: Writing a Brief

OCA Brief:

• Identify a piece of work by an illustrator whose work you find some connection with.
• Write the brief for the illustration you've chosen which would have led to the creation of the image.
• Direct the Illustrator in terms of what content to include, if the content has text etc.
• Advise the Illustrator of the role the image is to perform, whether it's the meaning of the text, decorating, informing, educating etc - and potential ways this can be achieved. 
• Advise on colours, flavour, stylistic effects, which aspects to distort, and what media or use of tools and materials is appropriate for the piece.

-----------

My Turn:

I chose this image by Owen Davey - an award winning Illustrator from Bicester.

I decided to use a mind map to write the brief as ideas came up. See below for the finished exercise:

Final Thoughts:

Reversing the process from illustration backwards to initial brief was an interesting concept. I learnt how much information is needed to get the final illustration just right - and how important communicating correctly can affect the final piece.

In future when starting work on a new idea I'll definitely incorporate a brief into my process - especially when I'm working on a personal project. It would help me really plan out my illustration so that it depicts exactly what I want it to rather than just what ends up being drawn.

For such a short and simple exercise - I felt I gained quite a lot of valuable insight!