Reportage illustration is an area I have enjoyed exploring and so I wanted to read a little more into the topic. This book gave a brief overview of what reportage is and its history, followed by tips on how to create, for example, a narrative, a sense of place and to capture an event effectively. It combined theory, history and practical advice, as well as case studies and interviews of reportage illustrators (some with which I was already familiar).
As I stated in my notes, these images are harrowing, showing the impact of war on families – mothers, children and the soldiers themselves. The black and white adds to the dark atmosphere, and the facial expressions are vital in these images to portray emotion linked to war. 
I was intrigued by the packed detail in this image – although it only uses black and white, there is so much information. The patterns and characters squished together makes for a bustling, busy piece. 
The layering of the figures here looks very effective, especially with the pop of red on the page. This arrangement also conveys movement and a sense of the atmosphere at the event.
I really like the idea of trying a concertina sketchbook; this is something I have not explored.
This was one of my favourite images I encountered when reading this book. I love the bold line of the whale, hanging over the crowd of people. It looks surreal, especially with the blocks of blue added around the whale, like a mish-mash of two worlds, but obviously shows a museum. The way the artist has brought such character and life to the whale is brilliant. 
Another image I enjoyed – the way the characters and environment interact and overlap is exciting. It portrays a bustling kitchen, lots of movement and action. The variation of line thickness plays a huge part in this image.
Key points I will take away:
- Reportage illustration provides the viewer with a unique insight into an event or news story or location, due to the sense of immediacy in the image, its production on location, and the transfer of the artist’s own ideas, thoughts and opinions.
- As the artist is selective about what to include and how the image will be arranged, they can steer the viewer’s attention in a particular way.
- I am intrigued by the idea of a concertina sketchbook and the idea of using a surface found at the location to draw onto.
- There was a piece created collaboratively by the Topolski Residents who all drew their view of a landmark onto tracing paper; these pieces were then arranged, slightly overlapping, to create one image. I would like to try this – snapshots of a landmark from a few angles and overlapping the images.
- It is vital to include the context and to embrace unfinished drawings.
Jade's OCA Learning Log 