Here are some more things from Winter Semester. I finished a few weeks ago (and it feels great to be done, until fall at least) and I took some really helpful and great classes. One, Illustration 5, is my very last Illustration class before I start preparing for my BFA project, and then graduation. I did an ongoing theme of Modernizing Myths (mostly from the British Isles) which I think I will continue with for my BFA.
Here's my third project of the semester. It's called The Valkyrie. (Valkyrie is from the Old Norse word valkyrja, which means "chooser of the slain.") In Norse Mythology, The Valkyries were women who would choose who would die during battle. I'd like to think this particular woman is Brynhildr. I love me some death-themed art. :D
I also took Character Design, which was lovely. It was taught by the amazing Jake Parker. I was lucky to have him, since he was only a visiting professor. You should really check out his stuff. Seriously. Click the link. It's fantastic. If you have kids, buy them the Missile Mouse comics. He's been working on that character since he was a teenager. I personally love the Robot and the Sparrow. Here's a sample of some character design work. Just one picture, because I didn't put enough into that class to be proud of much of what I did.
Another class I took was Typography (turns out I'm definitely meant to be an Illustrator and NOT a designer). For the final project, I did an 8 page magazine spread. I chose to redesign NME. I'm a little afraid to post it because it's a real magazine and all. I also made a typeface. We were allowed to use Fontstruct. No stairstepping, and no soft edges. I call it Soviet because my teacher said it sorta looked like Russian Propaganda lettering.
"Welsh Hymns"
For my Welsh 305 class we had a lovely project that I'll never forget. We were able to translate a bunch of hymns into Welsh for our own use. Many of the hymns were written by Reverend Colin Gordon-Farleigh, a Welsh Reverend living in England who writes a hymn a day. He actually came to visit a couple months ago. It was nice to speak Welsh to a Welshman again. :) Not that my teachers and students don't help with keeping up my language, it's just nice to speak with a natural.
So, I was able to do the cover for the hymnbook. It was a quick and simple project, but I think it still captures the green-ness and beauty of the South Wales landscape I based it on. Carmarthenshire, to be specific.
Another project I've been working on in my free time has been re-doing some old pieces. One, The Gray King, I did back in 2009. It was alright, and at the time I had just broken it off with my fiance, and I felt that I needed a change in my life. Including how I did art. It was done with a completely new technique which I've become very fond of since. It also has a feeling of breaking free of something.
Here's the original, done in November of 2009.
And here's the revised, better one. I like the t-shirt better than the weird brown cloak thing. This illustration is from a book written and set in the 1960's. So the t-shirt makes it more modern, but it also still has the feeling of fantasy.
In the realm of freelance, I was able to do some small illustrations for my University's travel magazine about Couchsurfing. It's an online system that allows people to sign up to let people stay at their houses for free while abroad. I drew four separate but different couches. I'm not sure when the magazine will be published.
I was also able to do rework a piece for a magazine for Quarterly West, a journal from the University of Utah. I already blogged about it, but I'll include it in here anyway. I'm excited, because I'll be on the cover of the very last printed edition! Looking forward to the publication.
At the end of the semester was the student show. Two of my pieces made the cut and were displayed in the HFAC with the rest of the wonderful student work. I got a crappy cell phone picture of one of my pieces. The other one, Magnolias, was on the main floor and I never really got around to taking a photo of it.
After the show went up, I was in class and my teacher, whose opinion I really respect, gestured that I should come talk to him. I was nervous, because he's very honest and upfront about what I need to work on. He looked at me and said "I've been very impressed with the work you've done this semester." It was such a compliment.
Anyway. There's the last four months. I'll post more from my sketchbooks soon too.
Here's my third project of the semester. It's called The Valkyrie. (Valkyrie is from the Old Norse word valkyrja, which means "chooser of the slain.") In Norse Mythology, The Valkyries were women who would choose who would die during battle. I'd like to think this particular woman is Brynhildr. I love me some death-themed art. :D
I'd like to do a whole lot more with this. Maybe someday soon. I suppose I do have about 2 months of free time to do what I want. But I have a feeling that Verbal Vomit will be taking up much of that time for now. :)
Also, this girl sorta looks like my best friend Erika. Actually, she looks a LOT like Erika. It's kinda freaky. I think it's the eyes. Or maybe the scarf. Erika wears a lot of scarves. Maybe it's the impending doom and symbols of death flying around her. Just kidding.
I also took Character Design, which was lovely. It was taught by the amazing Jake Parker. I was lucky to have him, since he was only a visiting professor. You should really check out his stuff. Seriously. Click the link. It's fantastic. If you have kids, buy them the Missile Mouse comics. He's been working on that character since he was a teenager. I personally love the Robot and the Sparrow. Here's a sample of some character design work. Just one picture, because I didn't put enough into that class to be proud of much of what I did.
Another class I took was Typography (turns out I'm definitely meant to be an Illustrator and NOT a designer). For the final project, I did an 8 page magazine spread. I chose to redesign NME. I'm a little afraid to post it because it's a real magazine and all. I also made a typeface. We were allowed to use Fontstruct. No stairstepping, and no soft edges. I call it Soviet because my teacher said it sorta looked like Russian Propaganda lettering.
"Welsh Hymns"
For my Welsh 305 class we had a lovely project that I'll never forget. We were able to translate a bunch of hymns into Welsh for our own use. Many of the hymns were written by Reverend Colin Gordon-Farleigh, a Welsh Reverend living in England who writes a hymn a day. He actually came to visit a couple months ago. It was nice to speak Welsh to a Welshman again. :) Not that my teachers and students don't help with keeping up my language, it's just nice to speak with a natural.
So, I was able to do the cover for the hymnbook. It was a quick and simple project, but I think it still captures the green-ness and beauty of the South Wales landscape I based it on. Carmarthenshire, to be specific.
Another project I've been working on in my free time has been re-doing some old pieces. One, The Gray King, I did back in 2009. It was alright, and at the time I had just broken it off with my fiance, and I felt that I needed a change in my life. Including how I did art. It was done with a completely new technique which I've become very fond of since. It also has a feeling of breaking free of something.
Here's the original, done in November of 2009.
In the realm of freelance, I was able to do some small illustrations for my University's travel magazine about Couchsurfing. It's an online system that allows people to sign up to let people stay at their houses for free while abroad. I drew four separate but different couches. I'm not sure when the magazine will be published.
I was also able to do rework a piece for a magazine for Quarterly West, a journal from the University of Utah. I already blogged about it, but I'll include it in here anyway. I'm excited, because I'll be on the cover of the very last printed edition! Looking forward to the publication.
At the end of the semester was the student show. Two of my pieces made the cut and were displayed in the HFAC with the rest of the wonderful student work. I got a crappy cell phone picture of one of my pieces. The other one, Magnolias, was on the main floor and I never really got around to taking a photo of it.
After the show went up, I was in class and my teacher, whose opinion I really respect, gestured that I should come talk to him. I was nervous, because he's very honest and upfront about what I need to work on. He looked at me and said "I've been very impressed with the work you've done this semester." It was such a compliment.
Anyway. There's the last four months. I'll post more from my sketchbooks soon too.
2 comments:
Wow. I always thought you were amazing, but after you showed the before/after of the Grey King, I can completely see the difference. You're so good at this drawing shiz!
These are awesome, Hannah. I don't know very much about art, but even I've noticed a difference lately. I've really enjoyed seeing your style develop even more!
I love what you did with the Grey King! And, you're right, it must be the impending doom and death symbols that make Brynhildr look like me. Haha! Just kidding.
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