Lolek- Sketches

This work was for my final in Picture and Word. I had to pick a writing assignment to make into a children's book. I wanted to write about Karol Wojtyla or Pope John Paul II, since he was the Pope I grew up with. He was fondly nicknamed 'Lolek' as a child, and the name became the name of the book. By the end of the semester I had to have a book dummy with a couple finished pieces and sketches of the other illustrations. These are most of the sketches and one of the finished pieces. The finished dummy is a Christmas present for my dad, so there won't be pictures of it until later!

Antagonist and Protagonist

Yes, more Evil vs. Good, just under different names. I'm glad the pair of characters didn't have to be each other's nemesis; otherwise I think my protagonist would not last the first episode.

Little Ti

Toteme Demon

Mongolia

This was one of my favorite explorations. Each student had to pick a culture to investigate and from there draw out the most interesting visual imagery possible to create a character. I picked Mongolia, and I spent many a day trying to decide what sort of character I would do. I spent some time on a child-like sprite based on the Mongolian youth races, but changed my mind and did a DUDE, and an ill-tempered one at that.

Warm and Cool Intentions

Assignment:
1) Design a good character in cool colors.
2) Design an evil character in warm colors.

Ri, The Water Spirit

Scarecrow, Child-Reaper?

P.S. I know the title of this post is almost past all terrible puns, and I deleted it a few times, so please don't think I actually think it's a good idea.

The Ways of the World

Slanderous

Steadfast

Really, I should try to keep more on top of these things, instead of doing them all in one sitting, or maybe if I stopped complaining I would actually get this done. Ahem... Another assignment based on good and bad traits, except this time I had to pick characteristics I find exemplary or loathsome in the rest of humanity. Well, I cheated. It seemed a poor idea to find ways of being I have never, ever fallen into so I picked words regardless. Again, the words should be guessed upon looking at the character. Both did quite well.

An Assignment About Self-Reflection

"What is your worst trait?" and "What is your best trait?" were the two questions that jumpstarted these two characters. My designs had to reflect the characteristics I picked perfectly to be successes. I had to pick two words that I felt were both accurate, but interesting enough to spend a week wrestling over. Most people went with 'shy' on the first, but the second one got the funniest responses, things like 'fertile' and 'sensual.'

Self-Conscious

Caring

Paloma

Paloma

I will attempt to take you through my entire semester of Character Creation. My first assignment was to make "the most awesome character like ever." This statement was just wittle bit overwhelming, so I decided to do something simple. I based Paloma on the traditional Mexican paintings like the one below by Diego Rivera.

Cindersoot

This piece is meant to accompany a writing assignment I did for my Picture and Word class, where I had to retell a fairytale and then illustrate a particular scene. I made Cinderella into a chimney sweep, who by matters of circumstance ends up on a rooftop with the Crown Prince, both very happy, but covered in soot.

Long Live Steampunk

Finally, after a long, long interlude I'm updating my blog. Somehow doing my homework always won out. But before I go off on a long ramble about finals, and how good it is that they are over, I thought I'd actually keep my word a put up the piece I did for Steampunk Magazine over the summer. I was afraid I was in a little over my head (particularly in ways of machinery), but it all turned out well without discomposing myself entirely.

Clockwork

This black and white piece was done for Modofly, a community of artists who produce moleskin sketchbooks. If this picture is used it will be etched onto a cover just as it looks. There were two themes for this round of image making: Steampunk and Femme. For some reason all my none personal work this summer has had a steampunk theme running through it. I'm currently finishing up a cover for Steampunk Magazine which will be up soon! 

French Puppets

By the end of my puppet animation class this spring I had three puppets that I loved dearly: Mr. Bobineau, Pierre Pignon and Loretta. They happened to all be French. Pierre Pignon is no longer with me as he was made of plasticine and would have either melted in the summer sun or eventually been poked by some sharp object. I realized that they are all from different classes; Mr. Bobineau is comfortably situated in the middle class (he is a math teacher and a toy maker), Pierre Pignon enjoys the glitter of high society (he is a fashion consultant at Chanel), and my dear Loretta is a country girl of low income (she grows flowers to sell in the city market and helps her mama make jam). 

Prospect and Waterman

This building, I believe, is the home of the Economics Department at Brown University. I wanted to practice perspective and invented lighting, so I thought it would be the perfect subject.  

The sketch was made in pencil and the color in Photoshop. 

To Begin With

Welcome to my art blog!

I am an illustration student at Rhode Island School of Design, and I will be posting the results of my artistic endeavors here so feel free to pop by as I will be updating this thing frequently. My artwork is often inspired by fairytales, but my love of storytelling and design takes me many places. 

I have work from the summer, but I thought I'd begin with these two pieces as a general introduction. They were inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's Thumbelina. They were made in acrylic on canvas.