James Carroll
Ashfield Boys High School
WALKS OF LIFE
Graphic Design
Felt pen and ink
There is a certain theatre to be found on public transport that is not appreciated nearly enough. My intention in my body of work was to elevate the ordinary by examining what I see on the Sydney train system. My work conveys how I see train rides: as fantastical, often dramatic, journeys that we partake in almost every day. I looked at the colourful characters catching these trains, representing them in operatic, science fiction, worlds which far better suit the occasion: their daily commute.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Moebius (Jean Giraud), Jamie Hewlett.
Marker's Commentary
Walks of Life presents a delightful and whimsical visual exploration into the everyday, grounded in the experience of the daily train commute. In a flight of imagination, the student elevates this experience by framing and transforming “these train rides in the way I see them, as fantastical, often dramatic journeys”. Through the use of graphic markers, a range of drawing techniques and well-refined tonal rendering, the student successfully captures a range of views. Perspectives within and outside the carriage are rendered in black and white, which then fictionalises and dramatises the colourful characters both metaphorically and literally on their daily commute.
The graphic design approach to practice is successful in drawing our attention to their unique personalities and style. The carefully selected application of colour consolidates the drawing mastery. This work consistently renders forms in a technically nuanced fashion, with each character adding further to the experience and the imagined worlds and journeys of the everyday.