Final Portfolio

Final portfolio. This is where I'm supposed to write something worth reading. Thank you Rusty for everything you've taught me this semester. There was a lot. I don't know how much of it I'll remember or use again but I can honestly say I'm glad I learned it, glad I did it, and I'm ecstatic that it's done. By far the worst pain of the semester was the digital illustration and the greatest pleasure was the combination of line art and watercolor. The most I can say at the end of this semester is, I hope I did the best I could with the resources I have.  This most important things I think I learned this semester is that problems happen, and they can be fixed, that there is always more to learn and that when it really comes down to the nitty gritty, a kind soul can always be found to help.

 Classical Cd Cover, "Scheherazade"

I had very few printing problems with this project. So it jumped right to the top of my list of favorites. I think this is also my best example of a piece where my line work is strong but not overwhelming. The watercolor still holds it's own in this piece.

 World Record, "Isobel and Lydia"

This project is by far my favorite from the entire semester. I realize the line work is extremely heavy but that's my style and while drawing this I felt like I was doing something right which was not a common emotion associated with the majority of projects in this class. I lightened the tattoos around her breasts to bring out the tattoos and to separate her from the background. 

 Native American Heritage Month, "Thanks Rusty"

This one was more pain than it was worth. I loved the illustration that I did for this one, but my incompetence in incorporating that many design elements was a real wake up call. This design was a big hand from Rusty's genius design mind. I do know how to move and place the text now, as well as how to make layers interact with each other on photoshop. I'm also pretty confident in my spot color skills after this project. Although this is not my best example of personal work, it is the most educational project of the semester and there for earns it's spot in the final portfolio. 

Book Cover, "To Kill"

This illustration is a combination of gouache, watercolor and line color. This is what a mockingbird looks like, I did use a reference photo. I believe this illustration is also very much my style but I achieved the contrast through painting and not through excessive line work. I like the design of this cover, regardless of it's simplicity. I think I made a good design choice to not make the text large or too bold because the illustration itself is very bold. I think that the simplicity of this design compliments my style of illustration. This is also one of my favorite books so I was trying very hard to respectfully represent the book. 

She's outrageous, and intends to always be

I love her. She holds the world record for the most tattooed elderly woman. She is a lot more tattooed than this now if you look her up, her head is shaved now. She's not gorgeous, she's kinda scary, but drawing her was more fun than I've had in a while. Look closely, she has chains hanging from her nipple piercings. This is again pen and ink and watercolor. I really had fun with the watercolor process in this piece, I worked on a couple of layers and if you look past the tattoo design around her you can see the warm watercolors interacting with the cool.

Classy

For a cd cover or itunes image we had to pick a classical composition and illustrate it. I chose Scheherazade from 1,001 Nights. Also known as, Arabian Nights. This was fun, as Rusty says, everyone in the class is running back to comfortable now and so I've resorted to watercolor and pen and ink. I am getting more loose and gestural with the watercolor. My pen and ink, as always, remains tight. 

N.A.H.M.

Here is the poster for Native American Heritage Month, word to the wise don't get behind on blogging. Also, this was my first lesson in typography and design. I learned a lot, for example, design does not come naturally to me. I thought it must be instinct. Rusty, I know you're laughing right now. The first image is the initial illustration, the second is my attempt and the third is a big helping hand from Rusty that is now my final project to turn in with the final portfolio. 

Society of Illustrators

Well, this isn't exactly like the comp I made. I decided instead of wash in the background it would be more powerful for my concept to have a ghost image of the monarch to echo the color drain from the woman. She is changing and he has changed, or he "is" change. If you've ever seen the painting of a woman sleeping with a demon on her chest, it's a medieval myth, this is meant to reference that. Change being the demon. It was nice having an open subject for this Society of Illustrators project. Now that I've said that I'm sure Rusty will never have it be open again. Ha. Don't worry Rusty, you'll get the feedback you really want out of the Native American Illustration. 

"Change is King"

Life and Death

For the life and death illustration, I can honestly say I wasn't content with the lack of creativity. I thought that a match lit and then blown out was pretty typical. However after speaking to Rusty, I think I found myself satisfied with not having these typical images illustrated with typical elements. I like what can inferred from the flame having so many colors and casting such wild shadows in the background. And I really love that the no-longer-lit match still has glowing embers and the smoke is thick and very visually dominating. This medium is a mix of water color and gouache. And just a pat on the back to myself, I did the printing process all by self, cross your fingers it prints well.

5:00 Somewhere

For our #5 Illustration, I illustrated that it is in fact always 5:00 somewhere. I think this somewhere might be kirksville. I don't think that phrase has ever specified a.m. or p.m. Thank you Rusty again for helping me with the printing process but I was so close this time, I think for the next six illustrations I'll have it down. I used watercolor, line art and gouache for this illustration. I didn't realize that mixing watercolor and gouache together, not only works but is an excellent solution to having to paint over or  on top of a previously painted area. Gouache's opacity really brings the pigment in watercolor up a notch.