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This past weekend was the annual SCBWI Winter Conference, a 3-day event, packed with speakers, panels and workshops, that brings authors and illustrators to Midtown from across the country. I’ve always wanted to go, and finally had the chance to attend the Illustrators’ Intensive by begging offering to help out a bit.
Friday was all about children’s books and new media (more on that later), but one of the most fun perks was getting to see the showcase of illustrators that was set up for judging and industry viewing. As I tried to have fun and not to get overwhelmed by the VIP cocktails and networking, I managed to grab a few cards of my favorites.
I was pleased, but not surprised, that Leeza Hernandez (above) won the Grand Prize at the showcase. She’s super talented, and has a friendly, approachable personality to boot. But I’ve been following her work for some time, so while she deserves much congratulations, she doesn’t count on my list of “new discoveries” . . .
1. Andrea Offermann / It was so lovely to meet German illustrator Andrea Offermann, whose rich, detailed porfolio is breathtaking. Her work is perfect for older, middle-grade readers – book covers, black and white interiors, graphic novels. I won’t be surprised to see her art all over the shelves!
2. You Byun / Aww, how sweet are those characters’ faces? And look at the lush range of texture! And warmth of light! When it comes to creating worlds, You Byun has it down. And I’m seriously gushing over every single one.
3. Greg Pizzoli / Okay, this guy’s silkscreen prints are just too freaking cool. I’ve got major jealousy looking at his 32-pa
1 Comments on SCBWI 2011: Stand-Out Illustrators!, last added: 2/4/2011
Finished revising one of the color pieces for Ollie And Logger, which is the first dummy book I’m polishing up for submission (my New Years’ resolution due date: April 1st!). And… well… it’s an improvement. I’m happy with Logger, the brown turtle, since he’s in the style of the first color piece I revised. But wow, painting a plastic bag floating in the ocean is CRAZY hard!!
I heard a quote recently of an artist who wouldn’t accept any manuscripts that contained “horses or bicycles” (smart move). Well, from now on, no more stories about amorphous objects in water, either. Just say no.
Looks awesome! I definitely think that addition of the subtle redish line on the plastic bag helped a lot and the dark blue accent around it. Plus Ollie and the Logger look smashing darling!
lindahalcombfineart said, on 2/1/2011 3:23:00 PM
Excellent illustrations. Both have strong elements.
Picture yourself in a first-grade classroom. The teacher has given out handfuls of jujubes as a way to teach addition and subtraction (“if you have 6 jujubes, and take away 2…”). But the kids have different ideas – instead of a math lesson, they’d rather build gummy towers, flick the candies at each other across the table, or eat them and run around from the sugar high. There’s 25 students, and only one teacher. Do you let the kids do what they want?
The obvious answer is no. The kids will run around like crazy and pelt jujubes at each other! They’ll pass out from the sugar high! They won’t learn any addition or subtraction, which will prevent them from learning multiplication and division and… and… then they’ll never go to college and get a job! Why don’t kids get to run their own schools? Because they don’t know what’s good for them.
Here’s the point I’m getting at: there are over 300 million people in the United States. About 1 in 10 adults own an e-reader and, depending on their device, they get to choose the font style and size of the text they’re reading, rendering a book designer useless. In the classroom, this amounts to handing the kids a bunch of jujubes and saying, “You don’t need someone to tell you how to do math, just go do whatever you want!” Is it design democracy, or design anarchy?
At this point, you may be saying, Okay, it’s not fair to compare the American population to a bunch of first graders. But of those 300 million people, less than 1 in 1,000 adults are graphic designers. The vast majority, even those who are visual, are typography-illiterate. And any designer who has had to explain what they do to folks back home can back me up on this.
So why even bother with the design of a book? Let’s face it, you can read the book no matter what — why not give the people what they want? Well, great design equals great readability. People like me spend time making sure words flow easily from line to line, page to page, highlighting and minimizing what’s important and unnecessary. All so that you don’t notice the design – it’s as beautiful and transparent as glass.
More than that, design gives flavor and tone to the story, making every book a unique experience to enjoy. In e-readers, you only get a few different fonts, so that every book you read is the same, with the personality of, well, a Kindle. In searching for choice, readers actually get homogeny.
I believe that people are more adept at recognizing great design than they know. That for the most part, they want a pleasant, well-designed reading experience. They may not know what they want, but they know when its bad.
2 Comments on E-Readers: Design Democracy or Design Anarchy?, last added: 1/28/2011
Interesting post. True, people know when something is bad… but they mostly don’t know how to get things to look good when it comes to design when they’re not trained in it. So what to do?
Paula said, on 1/27/2011 7:31:00 PM
I have a Kindle, and I need my Kindle. But people definitely know when it’s bad, even when they don’t know that they know. Saying that there’s no difference between reading a designed book and reading on a Kindle is like saying there’s no difference between listening to a great audiobook and listening to the same book with an e-reader’s wonky robot speech. The words are the same, and practically, you can understand the content either way–but only one is going to do the story justice. Are you going to listen to Jim Dale read Harry Potter, or are you going to listen to robo-reader bleet Huh-mee-own-ee for 9 hours? Exactly.
(as tested by Annie Beth Ericsson in Christmas 2010)
Prologue: Just Paint ‘em Something!
I’m sure every illustrator, when asking what to get their family for Christmas, gets the response, “Just paint me something!” It’s great that an artist can make their own gifts, but with a blended “modern family” like mine, there are just too many relatives… you’d be painting Christmas gifts all year! A few special folks got real-deal paintings (shown above), but in case you’re not watercolor-inclined, here are a few creative alternatives I tried:
1. 4 Over 4 Cards
I have to give my shout-out to Queens… ever since my pre-graduation scramble for business cards and promos, 4 Over 4 has been, hands down, my favorite printer. To prove my point, this Christmas, they had an amazing special on greeting cards — I got 75 full-color cards with free shipping, envelopes, the works… for only about $50! Using the polar bear image I created, I gave little sets of 6 blank notecards to family and friends. They were so well received, I think they’ll become an annual tradition!
2. A Personal Subway Map
One of my dearest friends, bless her, has absolutely no sense of direction, and is often calling me to ask, “Where am I?” So I decided she needed a NYC subway map of her own, complete with favorite landmarks and frequent haunts. It may not be the best thing I’ve ever drawn, but it’s a fun idea for an urban explorer. On the other hand, she also got a smartphone for Christmas. Let’s see which helps more.
3. Digitally Colored Photos
I stole this idea from my coworker, who was using this handy tutorial to enhance black and white family photos with a vibrant, hand-colored look. For those who are better with the paintbrush tool than a paintbrush, this is a simple way to put a personal touch on old portraits, and all you need to know are quick masks and color balance in Photoshop. I tried a few and framed them, but I’d love to see a whole album of updated photos!
Since writing my first post about My Princess Boy, I got to thinking about boys who wear pink, and other non-traditional gender roles. Was there a place for them in children’s books before this news story? Turns out, there was, and librarians and readers have been making lists for ages! Here’s my own list, with some personal favorites for boys and girls:
(Note: I also went to the bookstore and read My Princess Boy. My two cents? I’m not a fan of an illustration style with faceless figures, though I understand the attempt to be “universal” and androgynous, and I know others that liked it. Ultimately, though, I respect the point of the story, and that’s satisfying enough for me!)
Little Women – by Louisa May Alcott / There’s no contest: Louisa May Alcott, in the guise of her autobiographical protagonist, Jo March, is the original tomboy. She’s independent, stubborn, and refuses to accept the feminine societal norms that eat up the rest of her sisters’ time and energy. Women for generations have idolized the way she bravely cuts off her hair (her one beauty!), but fans were a little less content with her refusal to marry Laurie… or anyone at all. In fact, Alcott later wrote,
“Jo should have remained a literary spinster, but so many enthusiastic young ladies wrote to me clamorously demanding that she should marry Laurie, or somebody, that I didn’t dare refuse and out of perversity went and made a funny match for her”.
Listen to a great story about Jo March on NPR, here.
Hattie Big Sky – by Kirby Lawson / There are many wonderful contemporary novels featuring spunky historical heroines, but my favorite is “the one about the girl homesteader”, aka. Hattie Big Sky. Hattie is a 16-year-old orphan who winds up with a piece of land in rural Montana, and has to successfully farm it in less than a year to stay. I love Hattie’s unique voice and the community that she creates for herself within a harsh setting… she can’t help but have guts to stick through her situation!
1. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (Newbery) / I love surprises, and so does the Newbery! So this underrated debut novel, set in 1930s Kansas, is sure to send booksellers and librarians scrambling to put copies on the shelves. Can’t wait to see if it lives up to the top dog award!
2. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (Printz) / When it comes to YA, no trend sucks me in more than dystopian fiction. The story of Nailer, a scavenger who finds a wealthy girl trapped among the wreckage of Gulf Coast oil ships, has intrigued me since it was nominated for a National Book Award. I’m hoping the action is as gripping and bold as the novel’s graphic cover.
3. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia (Coretta Scott King, Newbery Honor) / If I had to place bets on a winner before the awards came out . . . this would’ve been my pick, because everyone’s been raving about it for ages. And something tells me those 3 sisters on their Brooklyn-to-California adventure are gonna steal my heart too.
4. Dark Emperor and Other Poems Of The Night by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen (Newbery Honor) / Three cheers for a picture book getting a Newbery, not just a Caldecott, Honor! It’s wonderful to see authors of books for younger readers be recognized, because it’s just as hard to say something beautiful in few words as it is to say in many.
Quick note to say that I read Ship Breaker a couple months ago and LOVED it. Wait till you meet the dog-men…reminiscent of Hunger Games Mutts but oh so much more wonderfully complex–and much less creepy.
Since reading She’s Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan, I’ve had a particular interest in gender studies. Boylan’s memoir, in a hilarious, moving and honest way, explains the oft-stereotyped and overlooked issue of transgendered people. For me personally, this was a life-changing book – I’ll always remember reading:
“After I grew up and became female, people would often ask me, How did you know, when you were a child? … It seemed obvious to me that this was something you understood intuitively, not on the basis of what was between your legs, but because of what you felt in your heart. Remember when you woke up this morning-I’d say to my female friends-and you knew you were female? That’s how I felt. That’s how I knew.”
My heart goes out to the transgender community, who are dealt one of the most difficult hands I think a person can get. There is very little education or acceptance of the issue, and I hope that in the future, as with race and sexuality, that can slowly start to change.
So I was immediately drawn to the story of “My Princess Boy“, Cheryl Kilodavis’ self-published story that was recently picked up by Simon and Schuster. Michel Martin of NPR’s Tell Me More interviews Kilodavis, the mother of the inspiration for “Princess Boy”, as well as Sara Mindel, director of clinical services at the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League in DC, and Bonnita Spikes, the mother of an older transgender male-female. Listen to the story here.
Kilodavis’ 5-year-old son, Dyson is male (so far, he’s a boy, inside and out), but he goes for anything sparkly, his favorite color is pink, and he prefers wearing dresses. In a world where girls can wear jeans and play with trucks, no problem, why is the opposite such a difficult concept? For Kilodavis’ family, they’ve let Dyson stay as he is, and are hoping to bring others more acceptance through this children’s book. Kids should be allowed to play and dress according to what makes them happy.
What’s the problem? It’s doesn’t lie with the kids, it’s with the adults. When presented with non-traditional children, parents can’t help but make it about grown-up concepts – homosexuality, gender – when the child may simply like the “wrong” color or toys. As interviewer Michel Martin awkwardly admits, most people have a hard time talking about boys dressing as girls without jumping to the question, “But is he GAY?&rdquo
0 Comments on My Princess Boy: Wearing Pink Isn’t Just For Girls as of 1/5/2011 5:44:00 PM
In case you live in a cave and no one has said this to you yet: Happy New Year!!! My first day of 2011 was filled with brilliant friends, hilariously bad tarot predictions, Enzo’s Pizza, and Easy A, so I feel like I’m off to a good start already.
Since I’m not the type of person who makes “lose weight and go to the gym”-type resolutions, I figured my goals would be professional, rather than personal, as usual.
In the Year Two Thousand Eleven, I, Annie Beth Ericsson, resolve to:
1. Finish revising and send out 1 picture book dummy every 3 months (at least April 1, July 1).
2. Keep a single sketchbook for the whole year.
3. Consider getting an agent. Like, actually research/do something about it.
4. Read at least 2-3 YA/middle grade novels per month, and go read new picture books in a store/library at least once a month.
5. Produce something creative/artistic every week that brings me closer to developing my personal style.
And… last but not least, continue to blog here 2-3 times a week (holidays notwithstanding)!
Since graduating, my 2010 year was all about finding balance – not pressuring myself to accomplish everything at once, unraveling the art-school mentality of constantly doing art for a deadline. I had to learn not to feel guilty for wanting to relax, to be spontaneous and have a bit of fun.
But now I’ve chilled out significantly, and I’m worried that if I don’t pick up the pace now, I’ll tip the scales and become an unmotivated lump. So, 2011 is all about working with passion! Vigor! Verve! Time to get moving!
Those are some great resolutions! I really can’t wait to see some of your more recent work/children stories. I loved the last one you did of the parrots
As you may have already noticed, I’m taking a break from blogging for a couple weeks to celebrate (read: run around like crazy) during the holiday season. So while I’m too busy sledding to post, I hope you had a very merry Christmas, and see you in bright and early 2011!
Just a note to say that cold is here, and it’s time to make like a polar bear and hibernate/snuggle. I’ve actually been doing a lot of drawing-painting-crafting these days, but as they’re presents… it’s mostly TOP SECRET ’til after Christmas (except for a sneak peek of this little watercolor, above).
That’s all the news that’s fit to print – for the moment!
Well Annie — if you think that its cold in NYC – wait until you come out here to Bemidji MN for the holidays. We don’t call it Brrrr-midji for nothing. We’ve been around -2 at night this week, with daytime “high’s” in the teens. Looking forward to your visit sooooooo much. Love ya (and this watercolor), Daddy-O
When considering the perks of working in publishing, I have only two words: free books. Between galleys and take shelves, there’s always something to bring home. But the best part is when Penguin decides to give away a free, hot-off-the-presses title… delivered right to your desk!
I’d heard about the famous “Penguin 5″, a selection of new YA titles whose advance copies were packaged and sent to industry folks, setting them all abuzz with excitement (did I mention the power of free books?). I’d be surprised if the above trailer and website didn’t send every teen reader of paranormal/romance/horror/dystopia/fantasy running “breathless” to the nearest bookstore. But the book I was excited to read myself was Matched… and guess what pretty, pretty hardcover showed up on my desk in honor of its release yesterday?
I think I can accurately describe Matched as The Giver for the teen girls of 2010. Heroine Cassia Reyes is a 17-year-old member of The Society, the universal government that dictates everything from your clothes and your food, to the art you consume, your job and – of course – your mate. Cassia receives her optimum match, and in a stroke of luck, it’s her best friend and resident blond hottie, Xander. But in an unlucky “error”, another face comes up on her match-card as well: outsider Ky. Ooooh snap!
Who is her true “match”? Will knowledge lead her to buck “The Society” and realize it isn’t all that perfect? Though the answers seem obvious, I’m a third of the way through… and I’m still enthralled. Definitely a great YA read!
Check out the super-mysterious website for Matched, as well as a video of the author, below.
The ever-amazing Chronicle Books is having a Celebrate The Haul-idays contest: post a wish-list for up to $500 dollars of their books, and if I’m randomly selected, I could win the whole list. I’m SO there!
It gets better – if you post a comment here, YOU could also win the list. So go ahead and give a shout-out . . . you never know, you could take home $500 worth of Chronicle Books, too!
Here’s my Chronicle Books Wish List:
for myself
The Exquisite Bookby Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski, and Matt Lamothe / $30 / I’ve heard so much about this book through their blog tour and Brooklyn event announcements, so I can’t wait to see the collaborations created by 100 artists for this epic version of the Exquisite Corpse!
This Is NPR by Cokie Roberts, Susan Stamberg, Noah Adams, John Ydstie, Renee Montagne, Ari Shapiro, and David Folkenflik / $30 / On quiet days of scanning and typesetting in the office, I’m addicted to getting my news and “didja know?” info from NPR. Plus, who can live without This American Life and Radiolab? And Diane Rehm? My personal experts.
The ever-amazing Chronicle Books is having a Celebrate The Haul-idays contest: post a wish-list for up to $500 dollars of their books, and if I’m randomly selected, I could win the whole list. I’m SO there!
It gets better – if you post a comment here, YOU could also win the list. So go ahead and give a shout-out . . . you never know, you could take home $500 worth of Chronicle Books, too!
Here’s my Chronicle Books Wish List:
for myself
The Exquisite Bookby Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski, and Matt Lamothe / $30 / I’ve heard so much about this book through their blog tour and Brooklyn event announcements, so I can’t wait to see the collaborations created by 100 artists for this epic version of the Exquisite Corpse!
This Is NPR by Cokie Roberts, Susan Stamberg, Noah Adams, John Ydstie, Renee Montagne, Ari Shapiro, and David Folkenflik / $30 / On quiet days of scanning and typesetting in the office, I’m addicted to getting my news and “didja know?” info from NPR. Plus, who can live without This American Life and Radiolab? And Diane Rehm? My personal experts.
Happy Thanksgiving, folks! This week, I received my Moleskine in the mail for the Sketchbook Project 2011, a nationwide tour of thousands of themed sketchbooks submitted by artists. I signed up just in time, and as someone who doesn’t regularly keep a sketchbook, it sounded like a cool exercise for the next two months. My theme? Happy thoughts!
Before I got into brainstorming concepts and drawing away, I thought I’d celebrate the holiday by writing a list: everything that makes me happy. Free association. In no particular order. It was a lot of fun, and as I look it over now, I couldn’t be more grateful to have all these things – and especially, people – in my life.
What’s on your list? As we head into the holiday season, count the things you’re grateful for . . . I’m sure there are plenty of reasons to be happy today!
As I mentioned, I already attended the Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Show during its opening, but the hustle and bustle of the event kept me from really getting a good look at all the pieces and reading the actual books. So the Putnam art and editorial crew took a field trip last Friday to spend a few hours there in relative quiet and share our likes/dislikes.
All of the books are obviously winners, and of course, there were plenty that I already knew I loved: Peter Brown’s Children Make Terrible Pets, Jan Jutte’s Sleepover At Grandma’s House, Lane Smith’s It’s A Book!. But I wanted to mention a few new titles that I discovered along the way. Here are my favorites:
I was literally cooing and gasping with laughter aloud when I read this, as I couldn’t believe that a single book could be so adorable and disturbing at once! In three parts, Mr. and Mrs. Goat find various ways to accidentally muddy/trap/maim a group of baby bunnies, and Bear comes to the rescue… with, um, interesting solutions. Well-meaning Bear subjects the bunnies to the washing machine (and hangs them to dry!), a high-powered fan, and a sewing machine. AND THE BUNNIES ARE STILL CUTE! AND NOT DEAD! Hilarious.
This was one of my favorite designed books at the show. I just love the wintery limited color palette with pops of red… reminds me of a modern version of classics like Mary Wore Her Red Dress. Plus, predator (Fox) and prey (Groundhog) become friends and share toast. Aw.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with magic and the occult. Blame it on Harry Potter. I’m not a true believer or anything, but I’ve definitely been known to whittle stick wands (age 11), write fluently in the Runic alphabet (age 13) and ask everyone, “What’s your sign?” (last week). What can I say… it’s my idea of FUN.
So last night, I sat down with my clairvoyant gypsy roommates to – what else? – have my cards read. Normally a basic reading consists of 3 cards, but I decided to go for the big one – a 10-card celtic cross variation. The exercise begins with picking one card from the deck that represents yourself. And since I don’t know much about the meanings, I chose simply on what visually “speaks” to me – and ended up with the 10 Of Cups, above.
The 10 Of Cups just so happens to be perfect for me! Also known as the “Happily Ever After” card, the 10 Of Cups represents peaceful contentment and personal happiness. The idyllic scene shows a man and woman, boy and girl, surrounded by the ones they love. Since this is my “identity” card, it’s not that my near future holds sunshine and rainbows, but that the ultimate dream of family, friends and joy is what’s most important to me. I couldn’t have said it better myself!
What else did my card reading hold? Well, it was mostly work-related. I’m supported by the Ace Of Pentacles – financial stability, thanks to a steady job, but I’m going to have a hard time keeping it all together soon (the Four of Pentacles, reversed). No worries, I’ll learn how to juggle it all in the end (the Two of Pentacles). All in all, it sounded like an eerie premonition of… dun dun dun… student loans. Also in the reading: a friends-based, party-loving lifestyle in my college past (the Three of Cups), and my roommates’ game attempt at relating the confident Ace Of Wands to “a new day” in my love life. That’s pretty much it.
Even if you could care less about the readings, Tarot is full of incredibly interesting visual elements. In most types of illustration, the pictures complement and draw out meaning from the words, but the words come first and foremost. But in Tarot, the illustrations ARE the meaning, the artwork holds all the power. Every composition and symbol on the card can be interpreted, so each kind of deck holds a potentially different future for the reader. With hundreds of decks from the 15th century to the present, that’s a lot of illustration divination!
Some classic decks, like playing cards, are based solely on their suit:
Yes, that’s right. This weekend was the actual, Harry Potter-inspired Quidditch World Cup in New York City! Don’t laugh – there are hundreds of Muggle colleges around the country with legit Quidditch teams (nearly 50 playing this weekend), and the sport itself, which, keep in mind, must be played with one hand on broomstick, is actually surprisingly athletic. This is no game for nerds. The players have to be tough-as-nails to survive this competition, and the variety of action far surpasses any measly one-ball games like basketball and football. I don’t care for sports in general, but the atmosphere at the event was SO positive and fun, it was irresistible. Why, why didn’t we start a Quidditch team at Pratt when I was in school?!
Check out the photos below, and the official site for more info on Quidditch. Harry would be so proud.
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – just like Ian Falconer’s Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris.
Phew, what an exciting week we had on the blog for the 1st annual Illustration Week! To be honest, when I first put out the idea, I completely underestimated what an amazing response I’d receive from my talented fellow illustrators, and what a positive reception the entire idea would get on the internet. Thanks to everyone for tuning in!
While I don’t think I could ever keep up with posting daily, I will continue to feature up-and-coming illustrators. I personally learned a lot from the artists who were interviewed, and I can’t wait to expand it more. So if you are/know someone who would be great for the New Artist Showcase, do let me know!
In the meantime, here’s a round-up of all the artists of this week (in case you missed any), and don’t forget to check out today’s finale illustrator, Chris Harrington!
Christopher Scott Harrington graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2010 earning a BFA in Communications Design with a concentration in Illustration. He primarily works in watercolor, ink, and colored pencil to create humorous, fun, illustrations that are narrative in nature. When he’s not at his desk sketching and painting he enjoys juggling, unicycling and having a good time.
What kind of projects have you been working on lately?
Personal projects, I’ve been working on drawing kids, kids are a bit of a weak point for me but not going to shy away from them, they are a work in progress as is everything. But whether it’s a job or just for fun I approach it the same way…It’s all fun. As far as freelancing goes I’ve been doing mostly some animal character designs here and there…A lot of fun!
What do you do to keep new ideas flowing and stay fresh creatively?
I am constantly on the look out for new ideas, I can’t stand when I get “artist block” so to fix that I sometimes take day trips to a park, or to the mall, sketchbook in hand and jotting down notes and crude looking doodles of the things I see or hear. My mind is always thinking in narrative although sometimes my ideas are just babble that doesn’t make any sense what so ever, and wouldn’t be a successful illustration conceptually…But I’ve found that real life is a good source of inspiration. Hearing or seeing something tweaking the story making it your own creation. What comes next? Who are these people, animals or things? When asking myself those type of questions it keeps me fresh because the possibilities of what actually could come next are endless…And up to you.
How do you go about promoting your work?
I try and target certain places where I think my work could fit. Researching the client first and foremost finding out what they publish, what they want and look for. Depending who the client is, some prefer e-mails, or snail-mail, and sending a postcard every 3-6 months. Although I bug them a little more then they might like with postcard samples…They can either give me a job or a restraining order. But I’ve found the internet is the way I like to promote myself, although I do enjoy sending postcards with my illustration on the front and contact info on the back. I enjoy getting mail…Do th
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Chris Harrington as of 1/1/1900
What projects are you working on lately? Anything you’re particularly excited about?
Currently, I’m working on writing and illustrating a children’s book about a brother, sister, and a fortune cookie. I won’t tell you what happens though… you’ll have to wait to read it! I’m also working on some oil paintings which I’m very excited about, and a handful of other little craftsy projects like textile designs, glassware/dinnerware designs, and some digital illustrations. I’m also in the process of getting a website up and running, but for the meantime have been using my blog to showcase recent work. I’ve ALWAYS loved art–at least for as long as I can remember–and am so excited to graduate from Pratt in the spring to start life in “the real world” as an artist.
How has your art evolved in the past year? Have you discovered anything new about yourself as an illustrator?
In the past year I’ve realized my passion for children’s books even more. I’m having a lot of fun writing and illustrating new stories. I’ve always had a love for illustration that intertwines with graphic design, like the prints and patterns on clothing and home goods, and am finally discovering how to incorporate that into my work. I would love to design for a company like Anthropologie. I am also completely obsessed with buying items of this sort! This past year has been a period of discovery and development for me; I feel that I’ve finally found my niche (what I enjoy doing, although of course I’m open to the changes/growth that will come in the future) in illustration.
What is your creative process like? What do you do to keep new ideas flowing, especially under stress?
I find that I get inspired most by reading books, listening to music, and looking at artwork. I think that always surrounding yourself in art, no matter what form, will keep the creative process flowing. When I’m stuck on an idea or can’t quite figure it out, I take a break and do something that is not related to what I was working on at all. Some of the best ideas come when you’re lying in bed or in the shower—when your mind has time to think freely or when you think you aren’t thinking about your art at all!
As a student leader, what advice would you give to incoming freshmen or young people pursuing illustration?
As a student leader, I would encourage young people pursuing illustration to draw, draw, draw. And then draw some more (and keep these drawings compiled in your sketchbook so you don’t lose them). As a young person, it
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Alexa Macfarlane as of 1/1/1900
What kind of stories and projects are you working on lately?
I’ve been itching to do a children’s book lately, since I really want to let loose and bring some fun into my drawings. I enjoy drawing weird things, like monsters and strange animals with bulging eyes and random patches of hair, and I’ve doodled a few before deciding to come up with a story about an ugly– yet beautiful– dog. At the same time, another part of me likes drawing dark, moodier things, and I find myself sketching out illustrations like that, and sometimes finishing them.
What was your process of developing your style?
I’ve kept a sketchbook since I can remember. At first it was full of hideous self-portraits and deformed horses (all of which at the age of 10 or so I thought were amazing), but as I entered my teen years I started look at things other than textbook and museum art. I found anime, and I found Ralph Steadman. Some people look down on anime/manga-style drawings, but it taught me that things don’t have to look realistic to be functional. As for Ralph Steadman, I wanted to be him. Or live my life as his work, if I could only transform into a drawing. There was more simplicity in my drawings than in his, with cleaner lines (perhaps due to the fact that I spent a while drawings an obscene number of anime characters), but I mimicked what I could, adding texture and exaggerating to the best of my abilities with my Walgreens-bought pens and colored pencils. I had a style going on, but somehow after leaving Vassar College and going into Pratt, I reverted back and thought that all “real” art had to be painted. After a semester of mediocre paintings, one of my awesome professors, Cheryl Gross, looked at my sketchbook, saw my black and white line work, and taught me how to color in Photoshop. Best. Lesson. Ever. As I got better at Photoshop, my style started gaining more texture and my drawing improved. I also experimented with linocuts recently, and have found using them a great tool in terms of thinking about composition and color. And they have a great organic texture!
What do you use to work with? What tools, art supplies and materials can you not live without?
I must have india ink, a small brush, and a dip pen, though in some cases, just a few Micron or Faber-Castell black pens will do. I could do a black and white illustration with just that. But I really do love Photoshop. I can fix things, I can add things, I can take them away again and compare between different versions. It allows me to see thousands of options before deciding on a final product, and I really love it just for that. Plus, then I only have to carry around my laptop and a Wacom tablet for a large part
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Shaina Koval-Kim as of 1/1/1900
What interests you about illustrating graphic novels? Tell us what you can about your latest project… how did it get started?
The great thing about graphic novels is the ability to tell a story on a grand scale, and on a budget that almost anyone can handle. You don’t really need much more than a pencil, paper, and a story to get started. It’s also really nice because being the illustrator means your imagery is a large reason why people buy the book.
The project started after I did some political cartoons about the 2008 Presidential campaigns. The client liked what I did, and several months later they contacted me and we worked out a test comic together. It eventually evolved into a 100+ page novel. It has been a fairly long and involved project, especially considering I am the sole individual behind illustrating it. A whole book involves tons of work, especially considering each panel can be an illustration on its own. Throughout the project I’ve ended up drawing several hundred full-color images. Its definitely something I’m not used to, and keeping everything cohesive is a quite the challenge… especially considering my style has evolved a bit since I started. However, this book is really fun and has influenced my style quite a bit. I think its what finally helped me choose a direction with my work.
What are your favorite graphic novels/comic books/artists?
Growing up I was never really into comic books or graphic novels, even though I was surrounded by them. Almost all of what I know about storytelling comes from reading newspaper comics. As a kid, they came with the parents’ newspaper so they were ‘free.’ You also get tons of exposure to many different ideas and styles in a short sitting. To me, the champion of those has to be Bill Watterson. He will always will be my biggest hero. There was something about the way he communicated his ideas through Calvin and Hobbes, something I think all storytellers should strive for. He was able to reach readers of all ages, even though many of his ideas were quite grand and radical at times. I own almost all of the Calvin and Hobbes collections, which I thumb through often for inspiration.
Then there is Art Spiegelman who’s comics are a favorite of mine especially his graphic novel Maus. Karl Kopinski who is an absolutely phenomenal illustrator. He has some amazing black and white inkwork. I used to strive to be like him, although now my style isn’t like his all. Eric Palma is another favorite, and I had the pleasure of having him as a professor while in school. Lastly, I have some Punch magazine cartoon compilations that I grew up reading. Very dry and sarcastic British humor, which eventually rubbed off on me I guess.
How are you using the web to get freelance work? What’s the process of working with stock illustration sites like?
There are a bunch of websites out there that try to hook up small businesses with people who can provide work. Elance is the main website like this I have worked wit
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Alexander Doig as of 1/1/1900
What makes you passionate about pursuing a career as an artist?
I think the main factor that motivates me is the same thing that drives most artists to do what they do. I’ve been doing this for such a long time, that I can’t picture myself thriving in any other field. You set yourself up for success in almost any skill that that you begin to practice at an early age. Ask any Olympic gold winner. They’ll probably tell you they’ve been training since the age of 4.
What kind of stories are you working on lately?
Right now I’m working on two stories simultaneously. They are both graphic novels. One of them takes place in a parallel universe, on a distant planet. It touches on many of the problems we have here on earth – war, economic disputes, pollution, etc. This comic won’t be done for many years, and I began conceptualizing it eight years ago.
The one I plan on finishing sooner is about drugs and substance abuse. Each character in the series is a drug, and they all interact inside the body of a 15 year old boy. I do not work any biased views into the plot, and make sure that each drug’s persona proves to be educational to the fullest extent of it’s nature.
None of my stories have ever involved humans. They’re boring and predictable.
Where do you get your inspiration, in or outside of art? Favorite artists?
Ren and Stimpy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Anything that involves the Muppets, Looney Tunes, Calvin and Hobbes, The Crow, The ”Bone” series, the Ninja Turtles, Dennis Hopper, Edward Munch, Salvador Dali, Magritte, Goya, and Hunter S. Thompson.
No matter who you are, your creations will always reflect what you were exposed to when you were younger. I feel like my generation was particularly lucky.
You’re an art teacher as well… does that inspire you creatively? What advice would you give to kids looking to pursue illustration as a career?
The kids I teach are mostly between 6 and 8 years old. every once in a while we’ll get a
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Chris Mulvey as of 1/1/1900
You’re about to enter your senior year at Pratt in the spring. Do you know what direction of illustration you’d like to go in for your final projects?
I’m definitely doing another children’s book, although I don’t know what yet! I’ll have to ruminate over winter break. For my other senior project, I actually have no idea. I may just work on a series of promotional pieces to expand my portfolio, but I would like for the body of work to have a common thread. I know that in the Fall of 2011 I will be doing a lot of the characters that I’ve created in 3D, but not just yet for Spring! I’m really trying to find a way of working right now.
What kind of stories do you like to illustrate? Any favorite subjects?
I love to draw kids, especially in the classroom setting. I also love to play with drawing kids and animals together–except I put the animals on “human-level.” I think it makes a great story whenever humans and animals are nonchalantly interacting. I probably love to illustrate that subject so much because when I was a kid I wanted nothing more than to have some sort of animal who could converse with me in fluent English. That was everyone’s fantasy, right?
Who are some of your artistic heros?
Gosh there are a lot. Walt Disney and Pixar, for starters, not just for the art but for the amazing story and character developments.
Tim Burton’s animation, as well. As far as illustrators go: Norman Rockwell, Maurice Sendak, Chris van Allsburg, David Weisner, Mary Blair. Two new favorites of mine are Suzy Lee and Peter Brown. As far as writer-illustrators, I will not ever respect any other poets as highly as I will ever respect Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss.
As a Peer Counselor, what career advice would you give to aspiring illustration students?
Well, I highly recommend that you take a class called “Self Promotion.” Not only will it give you some really valuable information about getting jobs and internships, but it will force you to make a great resume, portfolio, and website. And you do NEED a website. I shouldn’t talk, because I don’t have one yet, but I will by the end of the semester!
While we’re on the subject of portfolios, make sure that every single assignment that you get in your classes is completed to a level of sophisticated finish. If that means that you don’t sleep for the night, that means you don’t sleep for the night. Trust me: when you are putting together your portfolio, and you have those great pieces, the bags under your eyes instantly become superfluous.
In addition, make sure that every single as
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Christee Curran as of 1/1/1900
Daniel has a fancy diploma from Pratt Institute that says that he draws good.
He’s working on another degree that says that he’ll teach kids to draw good too.
Daniel has had his work featured or used by:
- Doritos
- American Heart Association
- United Nations Film Festival
- Pride Along the Mohawk
- Speak Out! Upstate New York Political Art Showcase
- Word-It design blog (sadly defunct)
Daniel has done work for bands such as the Melvins, Krallice, and the Lanky Mofos.
Daniel lives, works and watches Frasier reruns outside of Albany, New York.
He loves his dog, punk rock, pizza and beer- in that order.
What kind of events/shows/bands have you illustrated for? How do you come up with concepts for the posters?
I’ve done posters for metal bands in the Brooklyn area like Krallice and Goes Cube, and a few indie rock bands in the local area like the Lanky Mofos and Bleeding Hands. I also did a poster for the Melvins (one of my favorite bands ever) that wound up not getting used, but their drummer sent me a really nice letter apologizing and saying he thought the poster was hilarious.
As for concepts, it really just depends on what I think of when I think of the band. If it’s a metal band, obviously it’s gonna be lots of black and skulls and stuff like that. For a band like the Melvins, their sense of humor is so bizarre that I had to really bust my ass in order to think of something that I felt the band would approve of. And for local bands, it doesn’t matter because they’re my friends and they don’t really care what it is so long as it can look good when it’s photocopied.
How did you decide to get into illustration? Did you always know that you wanted to be an artist?
I initially went to Pratt for graphic design, but at some point in my sophomore year I realized that I felt more comfortable doing illustration rather than graphic design. I still love graphic design, but it took me a while to be comfortable with combining the two.
I think I’ve always known I would do something with art. I’ve been scribbling and doodling ever since I was in elementary school, and the only other career path I thought of vaguely persueing was being a writer or an english teacher.
Are there any other industries or artistic endeavors that you’d like to conquer in addition to illustration?
At some point, I’d like to do the gallery thing. Other than that, I’d eventually like to settle down and teach at either the elementary or college level.
0 Comments on New Artist Showcase: Daniel K. Harlow as of 1/1/1900
Wow so awesome. I really love Andrea Offermann’s work… it’s so lavish and sultry!