Some links to illustrators and websites I have been looking at so far...

http://reportageillustrators.com/about-reportage/

http://www.transitiongallery.co.uk/htmlpages/cherry_blossom.htm

http://www.alexiatuckerillustration.com/

Initially, when i was thinking about doing a website on dog shows or something, I was researching when and where dog shows were being held. So when I dragged my self back on the Reportage track I was reminded about a previous idea I had had which would be to document/report on dog shows. When I had researched the shows before there seemed to be loads of them, now i cant find any happening in the area, they are all up north over Easter or held further South in the Summer. So unless one pops up soon, that idea might be out the window completely...

In the mean time I am continuing to take photos of dogs in various parks and seeing if there is any kind of story or 'event' that is emerging. Technically it could literally be "Four hours in the Park, how many dogs do I see?" As simple as that, which I think could be very effective, but we shall see...

Here are some images from Preston Park and I will post some illustrations I have done from the various photos over the next week or so...

So I have begun to draw from these photos but seemed to have lost sight of the fact that i need something to "report" on. Like the definition of reportage says, it is an account of an act, event, history, etc so i need an 'event' to account!

I also emailed a woman who runs a dog training school in Kemp town in Brighton who, after seeming reluctant at first, was happy to let me come and take photos of the dogs that she is training.

If I could follow the progress of one of the puppy's week by week that would make good reportage but I just dont think that it is practical or that any of the owners would particularly want me hanging around taking photos all the time!

Some of the photo's from dog training, again, not great because i didnt have the flash on as i didnt want to scare the puppies....

Aware of how little time we have to get this project done (and it has to be the best we have done!) I got going on getting some photographs for reference.

I rang Shoreham's Dog's Trust to see if it would be ok to visit the dogs and take photos of them. I explained that I was doing a project and needed some images of dogs for reference. After speaking to various different people and departments, I spoke with the manager of the Shoreham site. She advised me that it would be fine for me to some and take photos but unfortunately I would not be allowed to photograph the dogs out of their cages or from behind their kennels. The images I took were far from good as I could not use the flash on the camera and the dogs were all behind glass. Here are some of the better ones...

Mike showed me Olivier Kugler's work and i absolutely love it. I really like the way its detailed without looking like there is too much going on in one image. I also like the fact it is only threads away from being a comic strip.

http://www.olivierkugler.com/life_drawing_reportage.html

re·port·age –noun an account of an act, event, history, etc., based on direct observation or on thorough research and documentation. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

For my FMP I was originally going to attempt to make some sort of website involving dogs...eg, how to look after your new puppy, where dog training schools are etc etc. But after my first FMP breakdown - tears and all - i decided to go back to what i really love doing which is drawing, painting and photography. So combining at least two of those things, i will be doing some sort of reportage illustrations about dogs. So I begin by researching reportage illustrations as I am not entirely sure what this is!!