Last year the Portfolio Center profiled Rachal Duggan, an Art & Design major, who was just beginning to embrace her illustration talent. Fast forward to now. In the past year her work has been showcased on the walls of Energy BBDO in Chicago, she was selected to illustrate ALL of the Manifest 2009 promotional materials, and she won an Albert P. Weisman Award which she will use to print copies of her illustration book "Dads." As she prepares to graduate this May, we caught up with Rachal and discussed recent developments in her portfolio.
PC: How would you describe the work you were creating this time last year?
RD: This time last year I was both excited and terrified. I finally began feeling strongly about something (illustration) but I wasn't able to successfully express it in an illustrated form just yet. Looking back, my work was reflective of me playing with an idea and in many cases, not reaching a strong conclusion. But, I think it is healthy to look back to track your progression. At the very least, you can see what not to do again.
PC: None of your work is classroom based, right? So how did the new stylistic direction in your work come about?
RD: I draw all the time on my own. I didn't really get a chance to take that many drawing classes throughout my education here (as a previous Art History major) so, I ended up making up for that on my own time. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it definitely makes better. As I drew more and more, I started seeing what worked for me and pushed it further.
Right now, in my last semester, I am in a couple illustration classes that are helping me prepare for working within freelance illustration. Assignments can always helpful, but having the initiative to do something outside of a class or a grade shows that you are serious about what you want to do.
PC: Last spring you put together a portfolio for the first time. What developments have you made since then with presenting your work?
RD: This time around, I am trying to think about it more logically. My work is visual and thus, I have to present it in a visually enticing way. I've been working on my website non-stop because I understand how important an online presence is to an illustrated body of work. I've also been planning promotional materials, my print book and different ways to attract interest to my work.
PC: What was your decision making process with regards not only to the look and feel of your site but also the work you decided to include there?
RD: I think simplicity is key. Why navigate through a bunch of links to see my work when it can just be the first thing you see? I am very lucky to know an amazing designer and an impeccable web developer (both Columbia alums) who really understand my work and where I want it to go.
I have a lot of drawings but only a small few make it online. Not everything I do or have done should be up for all to see. There's stuff I really like and other things I'm embarrassed of drawing--so for me, I like to be very cautious when sorting through my work.
PC: What, if any, are the key differences between your print portfolio and your online portfolio?
RD: I absolutely want to keep both similar with the design elements and specific illustrations. But, a print portfolio is much more of an intimate experience. With that being said, I'm thinking about the layout, image sizes and pacing. My main goal is to keep someone interested long enough to flip though each page and spend more than a few moments on each illustration.
PC: What types of activities are you participating in to generate new work or promote your work?
RD: I've stopped stressing about the little stuff and started putting myself out there more. I used to over-think everything but little by little, I've taken chances and overall, I have a lot to be excited about. After submitting a design to the Manifest Design contest, I ended up being voted on and winning. Instead of letting work, assignments and stress get the best of me, I applied for the Weisman Award to make an illustrated book and ended up being awarded the funds. A few years ago---even a year ago, I wouldn't have imagined submitting work to either but, I took a chance. Now I am very willing to take chances.
PC: Anything else you think is important for other students to know?
RD: I suppose the most important thing I have learned in all of this is to just keep doing it. Some people are going to like what you do and others will not. If you feel strongly about something, express that.
