Using reference continued...

The 1950's 

ILLUSTRATION: 

Studying the black and white photographs by Robert Frank I really enjoyed exploring the glamour of the 1950's, I much preferred this angle in contrast to the pattern colour clashing frenzy that the 50's welcomed. 

I also took a visit to the RSC exhibition 'The Play's the Thing', as much as theatre isn't included in the category of research, TV and film is and I discovered that the 1950's were a time where famous films stars were taking to the stage, Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier being two of the most recognizable. 

So I took this line of thought as my inspiration. I wanted to explore a 1950's dressing room or bedroom, a 'wannabe' actress'. 

I started by collecting some visual ideas: 

Walnut dressing tables featured in most ladies bedroom at the time, English furniture maker Alfred Cox was popular so I wanted to include one of his pieces. 

I will also include, a teacup, tall lamp, and the iconic 1950's phone I felt were also key visual clues. An aspiring actress, getting ready. Decoration& costume in 1950's bold block colours. 

I mapped out a rough sketch with a black felt tip:

Draft one: My aspiring actress, seated at her dressing table. 

Colour draft: Ink sketch & watercolour.

1950's illustration: Ink sketch and coloured pencil. 

REFLECTION: On the whole I have found this exercise extremely challenging. The size of this reference task has been overwhelming. I chose to focus on 1950's Britain, I am unsure if this is correct as of course there were many trends and influences from America, however I wanted to concentrate on one area to at least pinpoint my areas of research. 

Reading through the books I borrowed from my local library also took time, I feel I have spent  too much time on this exercise, however the enormity of this exercise demanded extra time. 

I feel that, typically, the angle of which I wanted to approach my illustration also added its own challenges, the glamour of the 1950's were what caught my attention and I wanted to express this area of interest. However, I appreciate that a 1950's kitchen could possibly illustrate this decade in a clearer fashion. 

I chose to use coloured pencil as an experiment, another first. I am neither pleased or displeased with it, I want to keep experimenting.