Illustration in Context: Do What You Love!

Illustration in Context Do What You Love

Rohan Patrick

About the Author | i

About the Author Rohan Patrick is the founder of Gifted at Play, LLC., a consulting firm that focuses on helping companies develop marketable digital strategies with their brand.

Currently, Rohan is the Digital Strategist for a non-profit Agency. Rohan is married and lives with his family in upstate New York. Email: rp580092@gmail.com Blog: giftedatplay.blogspot.com

ii | Illustration in Context: Do What You Love

Cover Illustration: James Gurney (b.1958), No Fear, No Envy, No Meanness (portrait of Dennis Nolan), 2008, watercolor.

Illustration in Context: Do What You Love, Copyright 2013, 2018 by Rohan Patrick . Printed and bound in the United States pf America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Gifted at Play, LLC , an imprint of GAP Publishing, 18 Prince Street, Monticello, NY 12701.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Patrick, Rohan

Illustration in Context: Do What You Love ISBN-13:978-1723292514 ISBN-10:1723292516

Content | iii

Content

About the Author i Introduction v Dennis Nolan: Do What You Love 1 Kawaii Illustrations of Laura Tallardy: Application Developer 7 Zina Saunders: Painted, Digicut & Animation 14 Rohan Patrick: Illustration in Context 22 Mark Ulriksen: So Instead of Playing Baseball I Paint It 24 Conclusion 29 References & Resources 30

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Introduction | Page v

Introduction The information for this book was gathers during 2012-2013 while I was in the MFA Low Residency program at The University of Hartford. The Low Residency MFA in Illustration Program at the University of Hartford’s Hartford Art School is the only low residency MFA in the country that is dedicated exclusively to illustration.

The MA Low Residency Program in Illustration at Syracuse Unuiversity is where I first met Mr. Tinkelman in 2002. This program was founded by the late Murray Tinkelman, award-winning illustrator, educator, and illustration historian. Later in 2012, I had the opportunity to work with him at the University of Hartford.

My goal for the program was to gain the skills nnecessary to continue my career as an Art Educator. After posting several Illustration in Context articles on academia.edu; I was encouraged to compile it into a book. I hope this book is useful and helpful to the many students and professional illustrators.

The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation was the basis for Illustration in Context which investigates the evolution of American illustration, beginning with the Industrial Revolution through the 1950s, when photography and television affected the illustration market. This book explores, highlighting the emerging styles and influences that had an impact on illustration and the graphic arts. Special attention is given to these notable illustrators who is forging the new golden age of illustration.

Illustration in Context also examines the transition of American illustration from its traditional, realistic roots to the more expressionistic styles inspired by the new-wave illustrators.

Each illustratior in this book explores, investigating the diverse trends and individual styles that is showcase here. Notable illustrators and their innovative work are highlighted in this book.

The author also investigates specific themes and genres that have existed in American illustration since the Industrial Revolution. Topics include science fiction art, pulp magazine art, posters, propaganda art, decorative illustration, and book illustration.

vi Page | Introduction

Dennis Nolan | Do What You Love | Page 1

2 Page | Illustration in Context

Dennis Nolan | Do What You Love | Page 3

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Dennis Nolan | Do What You Love | Page 5

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Kawaii Illustrations of Laura Tallardy | Application Developer | Page 7

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Kawaii Illustrations of Laura Tallardy | Application Developer | Page 9

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Kawaii Illustrations of Laura Tallardy | Application Developer | Page 11

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Kawaii Illustrations of Laura Tallardy | Application Developer | Page 13

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Zina Saunders | Painted, Digicut & Animation | Page 15

16 Page | Illustration in Context

Zina Saunders | Painted, Digicut & Animation | Page 17

18 Page | Illustration in Context

Zina Saunders | Painted, Digicut & Animation | Page 19

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Zina Saunders | Painted, Digicut & Animation | Page 21

22 Page | Illustration in Context

Rohan Patrick | Illustration in Context | Page 23

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Mark Ulriksen | So Instead of Playing Baseball I Paint It | | Page 25

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Mark Ulriksen | So Instead of Playing Baseball I Paint It | | Page27

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Conclusion | Page 29

Conclusion Illustration is one of the most important forms of visual language: it informs and observes, delights and decorates, instructs and inspires. Illustration has played a fundamental role both in telling stories and in communicating information. It is as relevant as ever in helping us understand our world. Today’s illustrators create an astonishing variety of illustrations across a spectrum of styles and genres, informed by a rich history and extraordinary innovations in recent decades.

It’s impossible to talk about contemporary illustration without citing the influence of Push Pin Studios, founded in 1954 by Cooper Union classmates Seymour Chwast, Milton Glaser, and Edward Sorel. The illustrators threw everything out the window in terms of referencing style,” says Whitney Sherman, director of the MFA in illustration practice at Maryland Institute College of Art. These illustrators reimagined and recombined these diverse forms, creating innovative, delightful, unexpected work.

In the late 1980s, illustrators were combining, experiment with, and celebrate different historical styles and methods. They were just as inspired by historical art movements as they were by the punk culture of the 1970s and the era’s New York City street art scene. Graphic design also helped define the look of the decade, within publications, leading the way with radical typography and layout, which inspired many illustrators and designers.

With popular culture and consumerism illustrators put everthing in the mix. In 1992 when I started working as a graphic designer, no one could have told me that millions of pictures from illustrators and other artist would be on the internet. Today with Social media, viewers have changed how they interact with art as it takes place so quickly and quietly.

Expert illustrators are mindful of the increasing need for their work to be noticed amid the cacophony of content on the web. They must acknowledge that their work will be vying for a disassociated audience’s limited attention in this modern world which has become relentlessly overrun with online advertising, content marketing and the limits of the attention economy. This means attention is a resource, as each user only has so much of it.

As big business has accepted the need for higher quality artwork over cheaper stock

30 Page | References & Resources

imagery to capture the attention of Millennials, the illustration industry gas seen a recent resurgence. These companies seek to employ illustrators to create unique custom images that will reinforce and focus the business’s branding (Kliever, 2016).

The very act of hiring illustrators to create custom work also ensures avoiding embarrassing mishaps which can occur when companies are noticed displaying the same stock imagery as their online competitors.

A positive consequence of employing an illustrative artist is that individual companies can present a far more personalized and accessible user experience. This is by far better suited to their specific target market and reaffirms a more authentic presence for potential clientele.

Illustrations in the future will be more than purely a visual support. The constant development of advanced programming, online formats and cutting-edge digital techniques, coupled with skilled innovative illustrators is resulting in new illustrative designs which are tactile, united and interactive (Burns, 2016).

Thanks to “divergence culture,” or the stream of information across mixed media platforms and the migratory attitude of general audiences, illustrations are being modified for mobility and versatility (O’Reilly, 2015).

References/Resources https://create.adobe.com/2017/3/10/illustration_styles_of_the_past_30_years.html http://www.printmag.com/illustration/the-future-of-illustration/ https://modelo.io/blog/index.php/design-manifestos-victo-ngai/ http://www.printmag.com/illustration/the-future-of-illustration/

Illustrations still secures its place in the twentieth first century. Illustration has kept its defining features in many newspapers, magazines, and books.

This book contains examples of themes that recur across genres and periods of time, while encompassing a dazzling variety of styles and media.

Illustration is often the silent ingredient in design strategy because its economic and social impact is not readily measured. Yet, the practice of illustration is highly visible and evident in the environments we live, the supermarkets, the books we read, the movies we see, the merchandise we wear and the Apps we use.

The future Illustrations are always evolving and so does illustration. I started as a graphic designer and worked in print and web design for many years before I got involved in illustration. I would ofted wonder why illustrators often use the same method of promotion “postcards”. However; that was then, now illustrators have a tremendous amount of tools to work with. Not only are there an abondont abount of tool but there are many different platform to showcase their work. I do not hope it stays the same, often time as illustrators we get comfortable with a particular style and maximizes it effectiveness. Illustrator use their talents in a variety of field, why? because they have to continually learn and research. At whatever stage in your career, keep the excitement and continue to do what you love. Wanting thing to remain the same will never allow you to grow as a visual communicator. The way to maintain that is to keep evolving, keep making new stuff , keep creating, whether it’s coming up with ideas and concepts or improving your skills. One of the best ways to see growth as an illustrator is to look back at your portfolio, you should see that you’ve come a long way.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Patrick, Rohan. Illustration in Context: Do What You Love ISBN-13:978-1723292514 ISBN-10:1723292516