THESIS PROCESS BOOK. By Noe Paparella
From the beginning...
Emotional State: Motivated / Anxious Mental Health: Stable
GREETINGS, I hope you all had a relaxing, creatively refreshing summer! As your thesis faculty, we’re looking forward to working with you this semester. Illustration Thesis is a coherent body of work that acknowledges the broad diversity of illustration practice today. You will develop your thesis project over the course of your senior year, working closely with your thesis faculty. Thesis is an opportunity to make the work you want to make, to create a full,
personally satisfying body of work. The creative possibilities are wide open. The field of illustration is remarkably broad, especially now. Illustration allows you to develop a personal visual language that is applicable and communicable across a wide range of uses, purposes, applications and forms. It is a requirement that the finished work exist in a form we encounter in the world and that could exist in either a digital or analog medium. This is a moment to get excited about the full range of thesis possibilities. Immerse yourself in sketching, reading
and research, and let your thoughts run as freely as possible. We will then work closely with you to help you choose and refine your idea during the semester. Your ideas may change over the course of working on them. That’s to be expected but you each will have a sense of the direction of your work in the course of the next couple of weeks. We look forward to working together with you during thesis year and to seeing you next Tuesday! Yours, Steven
Words of advice
Writing Poetry New York Multi Culture Traveling
Illustrations Pen Drawings Line Art Alex Pardee Hayao Miyasaki Roger Hargreaves Branding Products Marketing Character Design Caricatures
Design Digital Art Typography Graphic Design
Book Design Comic Books
Animation Motion Photography Narrative Stories
Black and White
Humor Whimsicality Anomaly Odity
Secrets Taboo People Rumors Gossip Monsters
QUESTIONS What am I going to do for thesis? Shut up.
INSPIRATION What past work inspires me most? Character design.
INTERESTS What am I passionate about? People.
FASCINATION What am I looking for? Interesting people with stories worth telling.
IDEAS What are some ideas I have? Creating a series of characters.
RESOURCES What am I looking for? Interesting people with stories worth telling.
OBSERVATION What do I have? Monster characters. Too many of them..
RIGHT NOW I JUST CAN’T FIGURE IT OUT. It seems like no matter how hard I try, how intensely I think about it, I just can’t seem to draw anything. And I begin to question myself – What if it’s me? What if I can’t do this? What if I just stay stuck? Understanding what I want to draw seems an uphill struggle. What is this? What do I do now? Sigh Nervous breakdown. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t have a project. I feel frustrated. Fuck.
IT’S HARD. Why?
MAYBE I JUST THINK TOO MUCH. My main problem is my own mind. Thinking and drawing don’t mix. When I think I engage my logical. I am dominated by the left side of my brain, leaving me with an empty sketchbook and a brand new pen. I need to temporarily hold off my judgment and try not to second guess what I think the drawing should look like, rather than what the drawing actually looks like.
Because my mind is dead and my hand frozen. If I keep on talking to myself, overthinking, planning everything out, engaging my inner critic I will keep firing up my left brain.
MAYBE I NEED A DRINK. It is sad that my internal voice hinders my progress. I am my own opponent.
Emotional State: Fustrated / Confused Mental Health: Somewhat Stable
WE ALL HAVE ONE OF THESE STORIES — POSSIBLY MORE THAN ONE. I’VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF ODD ROOMMATES AND SKETCHY LIVING SITUATIONS, BUT THE PEOPLE IN THIS BUILDING ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. AND I AM GOING TO TELL THEIR STORY.
UNNAMED 3
UNNAMED 6
_Oldest and wisest doorman _Building’s drug dealer _Brings his own weed to Jamaica
_Works for Nasa _Invented his own mathematical formula _Has been found sleeping at Union Square
UNNAMED 1 _Youngest tenant _Hair way too long, body way too short _Known as “Slim Jim”
UNNAMED 4 _Handsome dad _Used to be refered as ‘the Italian Stallion’ _Settled with an uglo and now has a kid
UNNAMED 7
UNNAMED 5
UNNAMED 2 _Gay _Total peacock _Dresses like a 20 year old hypebeast _Has been trying to convert the doorman, with two kids and a wife, into being gay for years
_Rather chubby gay man _Constantly talking about food _Lost his partner _Lives with his dog who looks more desolate than his partner
Gathering juicy material pt.1
_Blonde roommate duo _Rude bitches _Only say hello when in presence of men
UNNAMED 8 _Unemployed coke-head living off his parents. _Engaged to another tenant in the building _Broke off the engagement a few days before the wedding
UNNAMED 10 _Dramatic bitch _Dumped a few days before her wedding _Had already bought the dress
UNNAMED 9 _Tiniest old lady _One of the richest tenants in the building _Gives least amount of money for holiday bonuses
Unnamed 1
Unnamed 2
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
_Bald head _Thug clothes _You-know-he’sgay kind of gay _Constant smiles
_Long hair _Short in height _Skinny body _Big eyes
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
_Seriously good looking _Total DILF _He’s sexy and you know it _Tall and climable
_Plump man _Gray haired _Serious looking with a humorous twist
Unnamed 3
Unnamed 4
Unnamed 5
Unnamed 6
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Round all over _Always smily and warm _Very talkative _Always eating something _Loves to show off his bikini bod (not) in warm weather
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Messy hair _Constantly looks like he returned from space _Fist up!
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Stereotypical blondes _Girly girls _Oh and did I mention blonde?
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _30-ish years old fuckboy _Always welldressed _Charming eyes and sexy hair
Unnamed 7
Unnamed 8
Emotional State: Overwhelmed / Discouraged Mental Health: Mental Breakdown
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Over-dressed _Over-dramatic _Over-annoying
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Impeccable blonde grandma hair _Her outfit probably costs more than my rent
Unnamed 9
Unnamed 10
UNNAMED 11
UNNAMED 16
_Recurent drunk _Can’t hold his liquor _Found scrapping the elevator floor for any remaining McDonald’s french fries
_Australian guy _Dated both Unnamed 15 and Unnamed 10 _World record for dating the most girls in the smallest geographical area
UNNAMED 12 _Building’s youngest doorman _Unsatisfiable sexual appetite _Very uncomfortable living situation _Lives with the bipolar mother of his kids
UNNAMED 13 _Spanish tenant _Grows his own weed _Lives with his girlfriend but is quite famous for his occasional spur of infidelity
UNNAMED 14 _Recently movedin tenant _Very wealthy _Total cry baby _Known to make a scene when things don’t go his way
UNNAMED 17 _Middle aged lady _Sex addict would probably be an understatement _Has no problem whatsoever talking about her sex life in great detail, even too much detail
UNNAMED 19 _Works as a porter in the building –Strong Italian accent _Very nice but rather emptyheaded guy _Loves to hunt _Has received complaints for his lack of deodorant use
UNNAMED 15
UNNAMED 20
_Australian lady _Was living with / dating Unnamed 16 until he dumped her for Unnamed 10 _Ended up getting back together with Unnamed 16 aka her baby daddy
_Oldest doorman _Gambler, smoker, drinker, you name it _Often mistaken for a homeless person when he is not wearing his working clothes
UNNAMED 18 _Too fat, too furious _Stuck in his own apartment during Sandy as without power / elevators he could not fit in the staircase
UNNAMED 21 _Coolest tenant in the building _She is a dog
Gathering juicy material pt.2
Unnamed 11
Unnamed 12
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Funniest guy you will ever meet _Constant smiles _Still manages to look G even in his work clothes
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Fat and hungry
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Charming exotic looks _Muy caliente!
Unnamed 13
_He cries, he screams, he has money _#diva (not in a cute way) _Big mouth (it makes it easier to scream)
Unnamed 14
Unnamed 15
Unnamed 16
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Tall and skinny _The modellooking girl you grew up to hate
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _The modellooking guy you always wanted to date
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Looks like she just took part in a sex-athon
Unnamed 17
Emotional State: Depressed / Sluggish Mental Health: I Don’t Even Know
Unnamed 18
Unnamed 19
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Overweight _Large _Flabby _Paunchy _Potbellied _Beer-bellied _Heavyset _Fleshy _Big-boned _Tubby _Porky _Chunky _Pudgy _You get it
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Always rocking the “I don’t shower” look, (or is it not a look?)
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _Dog _Walks on four legs, duh..
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES _If looking homeless was fashionable he would be the trendiest guy out there
Unnamed 20
Unnamed 21
MY ADDRESS 22 West 15th Street Apt 12J New York, NY 10011 USA
Brand logo
DREW PEACOCK Drew Peacock is a wannabe instagram #hypebeast who is all about #patterns and #tryingtohave sex with the doorman. #WAITHESNOTGAY?
ERIC SHUN Eric Shun has a sex drive that can’t be satisfied, despite his uncomfortable living situation with the mother of his children, he’s been know to dabble in some of the ladies in the building, while avoiding Drew Peacock’s invitation to send him a dick pic.
DYLAN WEED Dylan Weed, runner up in being one of the original three wise men is the building’s most prolific dealer. He says he would’ve brought baby the dankest bud.
BILL LEEAKE
CAL KLATOR
How many licks does it take to get to the center of Bill Leeake’s lollipop? Just ask... When he isn’t eating, of course. His partner died, he eats to forget, I think?…
Cal Klator is a NASA experiment gone wrong. Or right? The professor / math wizard / positive affirmation coach sometimes sleeps at union square. I wonder if he yells, ‘‘Have a wonderful day!’’ to the pigeons too?
JUANA BEA & AYMA DOMMY Juana Bea & Ayma Dommy are the blonde bitch duo who are incapable of speaking to anyone unless in the presence of a man. They were cursed in their teen years for wearing last season Gilly Hicks.
CHRIS P. NUGGET This one time, Chris P. Nugget having had a night of liberation-filled debauchery bought some delicious fries from the golden arches. He enjoyed those only after he’d scraped them off the elevator floor. Class, ladies and gentlemen, class.
Captions
DARYL LECT Daryl Lect is on the verge of retirement and is doing the most. You drink? He drinks more. You smoke? He smokes more. You gamble? Ha! He’s lost it all by now. When he’s not actively doing the most he’s taking napnaps with Cal Klator at Union square.
PAPA WOOD Papa Wood aka the Italian Stallion is a total DILF. His record in the bedroom precedes him; though the uglo he now has a kid with is nothing to sneeze at.
HUGH DEMANN Hugh deMann is not good at many things. The few things he does well involve spending money that isn’t his, doing lines off of Tuesday special strippers, and breaking off engagement after the bride’s already bought her Vera... ( The bride being Diane Toluvia )
DIANE TOLUVIA Diane Toluvia doesn’t have the shoulders for a strapless Vera anyway... You know the old saying, though! When one tenant dumps you ( Hugh deMann ), move on to the next one ( Barry D. Hatchett ), Right?
BARRY D. HATCHETT Barry D. Hatchett is Australia’s tallest rebounder (not as in basketball, but rather girls who’ve just been dumped). He had a thing with Diane Toluvia but some baby mama drama brought him back together with Mel Keetehts. When the universe speaks, it speaks.
KAY NEINE
MARION MONIE Marion Monie is that kind of old money, grand white woman who holds on to her dollars like a mother holding on to a newborn. She gave an oatmeal cookie when asked to contribute to the holiday bonus fund.
MEL KEETEHTS Mel Keetehts pulled some Jerry Springer type of magic, or whatever Australia’s Jerry Springer is, to get back together with Barry D. Hatchett. Got dumped? Easy, just get pregnant! Bam! Relationship saved.
Kay Neine is the building’s most beloved tenant. She’s a bit lazy, yeah, but the girl does wonders with a plastic bottle. Oh right! And she’s a dog.
Hugh Mungous is such a size Hurricane Sandy didn’t bother moving him around. Word on the street is he’ll be playing Jupiter in this year’s ‘‘Planet on Ice’’ spectacular.
CODY PENDANT
BARRY SHMELLY
Cody Pendant is a grown man baby child whatever. When mommy can’t fix his problems, you best believe grangran will have a tissue for his issue.
Barry Shmelly is an Italian hunter who always seems to smell like yesterday’s catch. He’s an accidental snitch, even though his scent, though I can’t imagine anyone wanting to give this snitch any stitches.
GIL T. AZELL Gil T. Azell has a Spanish green thumb that produces some of the finest weed the building’s ever tried to cover up with Febreze. His idea of a housewarming gift involves a J and blatant advances disregarding his girlfriend... It’s a one-sided open relationship, duh.
HUGH MUNGOUS
ARIEL HASSLE IVANA SUALO Ivana Sualo would have a boy scout’s badge in giving good head if there was one. Want to see her put a whole fist in her mouth?
Ariel Hassle is the pint-sized ( or liters since she’s French ) mastermind behind this whole thing. She’s noticing it all behind her 3 feet ( meters, whatever ) of hair and fresh puff of tobacco vapes.
Emotional State: IT’S WINTER BREAK! I CAN FEEL AGAIN Mental Health: Recovering
Emotional State: Despair / Morose Mental Health: Deteriorating
Final characters
Emotional State: On Edge / Stressed Mental Health: Delirious
LIST OF OBJECTS _Apron _Boxer _Candy _Chocolate _Cigarettes _Condom _Dog Toy _Flask _Jersey Shirt _Lollipop _Matches _Nail File _Oatmeal Cookie _Playing Cards _Puzzle _Rolling Paper _Skate _Soap _Thongs _Tissues _Wallet
STARTING OVER CUZ I’M DUMB.
The objects
_Lack of thinking _Did not consider the drawings in relevance to the objects _Not satisfied _Decided to redraw each character. Shoot me.
MY THESIS INVOLVES THE CREATION OF A BRAND called 22/15 which involves a series of drawings that show bizarre monster-like characters. All of these characters are based on the various tenants that live in my building at 22 West 15th Street. By creating a variety of different characters, I was able to cover a range of personalities and stereotypes, which in turn created opportunities to experiment with illustrating a diverse assortment of characters with varying looks, genders, sexual
preferences and physical traits. These were then assembled into a book to offer the viewers a catalogue of all the characters, with vectorized reproductions of the illustrations as well as descriptions (name, facts) indexed for the audience to easily read, understand and review each character. The primary purpose for using true facts as a base for these characters was not only to showcase people in funny, painful, embarrassing and humiliating situations for the rest of us to laugh and be entertained by but also for
Thesis statement
others to hopefully be able to relate in some way to these personalities and their actions. Besides their decorative and entertaining purposes, I like to think of these drawings as a metaphor for the theme of fiction vs. non-fiction: how much remains true and how much do we recreate and readapt? In addition, these characters create a kind of fictional brand. Each illustration was applied to an object related to the character’s identity or story.
The objects are marketable material allowing it to be of use as real life products. Moreover, the application of my drawings onto often non-paper surfaces allowed me to use a range of different materials as well as develop a strong pleasing visual identity for this fictional brand. By applying the illustrations to a range of different yet somehow cohesive objects, it show the potential for the marketability of this range of characters as products within a real brand.
MACHINE VS. HANDMADE _Strong preference for handmade products but not for the whole “it is the Unique art of modern time, it is the most laborious and intensive method, generally associated with more precious products, each item is special, the perfect design, the right fold, the right color, the best material and so on and so on ” speech but more because handmade gives me full control over what I do. It’s simple really: “Unless you’ve been in my head, you can’t give me exactly what I want”. I’m not pretentious, i’m just kind of a freak. That being said, I couldn’t actually make all of them by myself because well, I’m just not a robot.
COMPLETELY REPACKAGED/ REDESIGNED OBJECTS
ORDERED ONLINE _Apron _Boxer _Candy _Chocolate _Cigarettes _Condom _Dog Toy _Flask _Jersey Shirt _Lollipop _Matches _Nail File _Cookie _Playing Cards _Puzzle _Rolling Paper _Skate _Soap _Thongs _Tissues _Wallet
Figuring stuff out
_Apron _Boxer _Candy _Chocolate _Cigarettes _Condom _Dog Toy _Flask _Jersey Shirt _Lollipop _Matches _Nail File _Cookie _Playing Cards _Puzzle _Rolling Paper _Skate _Soap _Thongs _Tissues _Wallet
BRAND IDENTITY _Black and white _Drawer box _Everything centered _Occasional extra decorative elements / illustrations when necessary _Overall very neat (I might be an obsessive / compulsive neat freak by the way)
MATERIALS _Final decision: black matte box inside white glossy box.
Matte Black 80lb
White Glossy 80lb
PRINTING
SHOOT ME SHOOT ME SHOOT ME SHOOT ME SHOOT ME
BOOK AND GLOSSARY
DISPLAY LAYOUT
_Reinforced brand identity cohesion by printing the final book on the same material (white glossy paper) as opposed to matte like the previous versions _1 large book 8.5in × 8.5in _ 2 small books 5.5in × 5.5in _Added a loose leaf glossary to reveal the real meaning of my characters’ names
_Shelves!! (currently in the process of making them)
PACKAGING Items for sale: _Chocolate ×30 ×100 _Condom _Jersey Shirt ×25 ×24 _Lollipop ×50 _Matches ×30 _Nail File _Rolling Paper ×25 ×2 _Skate ×30 _Soap ×25 _Tissues ×30 _Wallet Options for packaging: _Sets of objects in envelopes (Set 1: Condoms, Nail Files, Tissues, Soap Set 2: Rolling Papers, Matches Stand-alones: Skate, Wallets, T-Shirts, Lollipop, Chocolate) _Paper bands to group objects
Emotional State: #MEOW Mental Health: Death Is Near
Condom
Skate
Rolling paper
Candy
Nail File
Boxer
Puzzle
Playing cards
Flask
Wallet
Thong
Jersey
Apron
Cookie
Match book
Dog toy
Tissue box
Lollipop
Chocolate
Soap
Cigarettes
To the end.
WWW.NOEPAPARELLA.COM NOEPAPARELLA@GMAIL.COM 347 484 5693