2020 has given us all some surprises, a world turned upside down forcing us to work in different ways and to adapt to many new rules and restrictions. Here at TICE, everything changed. What was mainly a face-to-face organisation working with young people giving them a hands-on insight into creative, design and digital sectors suddenly had to change – TICE went online. In all honesty, we did not know if many young people who were participating currently in TICE programme would want to carry on or whether we should carry on in such difficult times. But we did and guess what… so did many students and this is what happened.
In previous years, our Create Stage gives students (from Year 9 or Year 10) a selection of industry projects to choose from. Something different, unique and special to add to their portfolios. This year was no different, yet instead of physical hands-on support, our TICE students took it upon themselves to do their projects online. Step-by-step video guides took them through industry-focused themes, topic and skills. Not only did they manage them, but their results have also blown us away. Here presents what the TICE Illustration students achieved:
Illustration projects 2020
This years Illustration students come from Jarrow School based in South Tyneside. The students could choose from two projects:
- Project One – Mr Wolf: Character Design Brief
- Project Two – Surfers Against Sewage: Fashion Illustration Brief
Project One – Mr Wolf: Character Design Brief.
ONCE UPON A TIME || REINVENTING A CLASSIC
Supported by:Mr Wolf, Andy Waugh & Thought Bubble Festival
Mentored by: Helen Turner
Project Contributors: Lyndsey Birney – Founder, Mr Wolf, Luke Pearson – Illustration and Comics & Chloe Green – Thought Bubble
Project Outline: The words ‘Once upon a time’ will instantly transport you into a world of princes, princesses, little girls with red hoods, ferocious wolves, horrible stepparents, fairy godmothers and all sorts of weird and wonderful characters. Fairy tales form a huge part of childhood and have been retold and embellished over since the 17th Century. A lot of the well-known stories are universal, being adapted and retold all over the world. It is heritage reinvented.
The Brief: There is a clear format to most fairy tales – the heroes and villains are clearly defined, and it almost always ends in happily ever after. However, there is a trend to reinvent the classics. Mr Wolf Toy & Book Shop (Hexham and Newcastle) have created their charming business branding on the idea of a wolf being the good guy! Wolves are often given a bad rep in fairytales – think of Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs and Peter and the Wolf. The owners of the iconic Mr Wolf shops love the idea of the wolf setting up a toyshop to right the wrongs of his ancestors in the past – bringing joy to children where wolves once brought fear. They are currently exploring ways to encourage people to browse and take their time exploring all the delights their shops have to offer. They regularly produce their own little printed newsletter that has quite a following and now they would like to see if the TICE Illustration students can create a series of illustrated comic pages that retell classic fairytales with your own unique twist.
Project results: please view the final results of the students’ work from Autumn Barnfather, Kate Young & Bethany Sanderson all from Jarrow School.
They always said ‘I wish I had that at school’ and I can see why. This project in TICE has been a fun experience and I would definitely take part in this again.
Bethany, Jarrow School.
Project Two – Surfers Against Sewage: Fashion Illustration Brief
Supported by: Surfers Against Sewage
Mentored by: Jennifer Barrett
Project Contributors: Andrew Riley – Surfers Against Sewage, Naomi Austin – Senior Lecturer in Fashion Design and Promotion at The University of Sunderland, Helen Turner – Rosie & Radish & TICE Illustration Mentor & Megan Robertson – Fashion Design & Promotion Graduate at The University of Sunderland.
Project Outline: Fashion is a vibrant industry that employs hundreds of millions, generates significant revenues, and touches almost everyone, everywhere. Since the 20th century, clothing has increasingly been considered as disposable, with garments often designed in one country, manufactured in another, and sold worldwide at an ever-increasing pace. This being the emergence of the ‘fast fashion’ phenomenon.
The time has come to transition to a textile system that delivers better economic, societal, and environmental outcomes based on the principles of a circular economy – to design out negative impacts by truly transforming the way clothes are designed, sold, and used.
The Brief: This project is about showcasing beautiful design but in a thought-provoking and meaningful way. You will design a 6 outfit athleisurewear collection based on an environmental cause of your choice. Once you have chosen your cause, understood the fight, you will design a print which will feature on many of your garments, this print will celebrate the achievements of your chosen cause and will also inspire its future.
Your collection will be made entirely from waste and designed to be sent back when it’s worn out and remade again. It will be natural, renewable and recyclable and designed never to enter landfill. You will explore circular textile processes and select what is appropriate for your collection.
Project results: please view the final results from Louise Sharp of Jarrow School.
Thank you & Well done!
All we have left to say is “Thank you & Well done”, not only to the students but to the teachers at Jarrow School, to the parents who helped along the way, the companies that have supported and contributed to these briefs, the TICE mentors (Helen & Jenny) that plugged away at the project week after week.
And to the students, our final words of 2020 – we hope you have enjoyed these projects, we hope in years to come that when asked “What did you do when COVID-19 hit your shores?”, you can proudly present an industry written project you did, achieved, quite frankly smashed. Well done and congratulations from everyone here at TICE. It’s been an absolute pleasure!