My final major project at Northumbria University was a self-initiated brief that explores answers to the question; 'What Makes You Smile?'
With this project I wanted to bring happiness into peoples lives by making the little things that we experience important and even just for a second, put smiles on peoples faces.
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The project started by putting the question to my Instagram followers. I gathered responses over a few days then started to draw them. From the first list I narrowed it down to four illustrations that I made into a two colour silkscreen print.
The four mini silkscreen prints were then distributed around the Ouseburn area of Newcastle. Each were signed and numbered so every copy was unique, the message on the back encouraged whoever picked one up to get in touch via social media with an answer of what makes them smile.
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The response was amazing, so many people from different backgrounds and cultures got in touch, which really made the illustrations interesting and diverse.
I started drawing the second wave of responses but as there were so many I narrowed it down to eight that stood out, for example: 'Getting an idea in the shower' (above).
These images were then used in a zine which documents the project so far (you can get a copy from my online shop).
Alongside the zine, I also created a series of silkscreen prints that I pulled myself as well as my first ever Riso that I collaborated with Monno Print on (Newcastle Smiles).
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All of this work built up to my end of University show which previewed on the 20th June (2019) in Squires workshop. Below are some photographs from the show.
