1. There is still no substitute for good-ol-fashioned drawing. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect, the point is to take a risk and try. You will find that it will always look good.

2. Cut images out of papers or cut into the sketchbook page itself.

3. Photocopy an image and paint on it. Try this several times in order to see what might be the best technique to use with the subject matter.

4. Explore an idea as far as you can. 2 visual things can be combined in many different ways. Here, text and the body were combined in many different ways: writing with shapes of the body, writing on the body, writing on photos of the body etc.

5. Use non-traditional and experimental media. If your project relates to food then get food on the paper. Whatever the project is about then get that on the paper.

6. Be really experimental with your materials. Try to use materials to represent things. This wire and latex is trying to represent skin like material.

7. Get colour palettes going. Use unconventional methods of getting colour. Anything from marmite to paint with nails will do.

8. Get a good colour scheme going. Analyse the colours in other artists work and use these in your own.

9. Try drawing images in different media and with different techniques. The idea is to explore the potential and possibilities of an image.

10. Layer drawings as much as possible to get new effects.

11. When doing illustration, focus only on the relevant detail and leave the rest. Try using other media to fill in blocks of colour, i.e. clothes, upholstery etc.

12. Expanding pages with surprises are always good. Remember that art is about communication and presentation and first impressions count.

13. Take an image on a journey through different media.

14. Try the same image in different media. Each will represent the subject in a different way. You can the write about which one best suits your project.

15. Never include rectangular pictures. Cut parts out and draw the rest.

16. Paint over photos until you can’t see it’s a photo anymore.

17. With research, try to emulate techniques with your own imagery.

18. Use relevant surfaces. If it is about sleep or a dream then use a bed sheet.

19. Research can include collecting a wide variety of relevant media. If it’s about post then get envelopes and stamps etc. Explain what they make you think and feel and how they relate to your project.

20. If researching, try imitating the style, but drawing a different image. This way you will learn a technique and make it relevant to your own subject.

21. Write about others’ work that relates to what you are doing. Write about the techniques and materials used, what you like about the image and what ideas it gives you. Make your annotation look good and part of the image.

22. Brainstorm at regular intervals when developing ideas, create a visual or text mind map of the subject. If it’s about an airport, draw or write everything related to the airport. This will create new and interesting combinations.

23. No white spaces! Do not draw on white surfaces. Use relevant media to show through so that the image becomes more meaningful. Cram the page full of stuff.

24. Annotate your own work. Evaluate how your development is going, directions it might take, what is good and bad. Use tags or special blocked out areas (different paper etc) for annotations. Use Key words.