learning

Concept, Technique and Illustration

So this class may have only three projects, but they were intense. There was a lot of research and trial and error throughout each project. I think the children’s book illustration really shows my process and how I take each critique and pushing myself with each assignment. I loved the flow of this class and the projects. I defiantly feel like I am finding my style and place in the world of illustration because of this class. I feel like I have been given the push that I needed to surprise myself. We are getting there people!

Project 1: Advertisement- Climate Change

Subject Matter: Ocean Pollution

  • References
  • Rough Sketch Idea
  • Final Line work
  • Value Study: 1
  • Value Study: 2
  • Value Study: 3
  • Value Study: 4
  • Value Study: 5
  • Color Study
  • Color Palette
  • Rough Final
  • Final: 1st Draft
  • Final: Final

Project 2: Children’s Storybook Cover

Theme: Medieval Ireland Fae Mythology

  • Reference
  • Reference
  • Reference
  • Rough Ideas
  • Rough Sketch Draft
  • Concept #1
  • Concept #2
  • Concept #2: Value Study
  • Concept #3
  • Concept #3: Revision
  • Concept #3: Revision: Value Study
  • Concept #3: Rework of Linework
  • Concept #3: Rework of Linework: Revision
  • Concept #3: Rework of Linework: Revision: Value Study
  • Concept #3: Rework of Linework: Revision: Color Study
  • Final #1
  • Final #2
  • Final Final

Project 3: CD Cover Art

Subject: SkyDxddy

  • Rough Idea: 1
  • Rough Idea: 2
  • Rough Idea: 3
  • Rough Idea: 4
  • Rough Idea: 5
  • Rough Idea: 6
  • Final Linework #1
  • Final Linework: Final
  • Value Study: 1
  • Value Study: 2
  • Value Study: 3
  • Value Study: 4
  • Final Values
  • Color Study: 1
  • Color Study: 2
  • Color Study: 3
  • Color Study: 4
  • Color Study: 5
  • Color Study: 6
  • Color Study: 7
  • Color Study: 8
  • Final Colors: Red with Black Linework
  • Final Colors: Red with Colored Linework
  • Final Colors: Blues with Black Linework
  • Final Colors: Blues with Colored Linework
  • Final: Final

Perspective for Characters and Environment

One of the things that I have a hard time wrapping my head around is perspective. Like, logically I get it and all the principles, but my hand and eyes never agree. So, one of my goals for my MFA is to work on my weaknesses and for my first semester I choose this class. Let me be clear, this class was the most challenging class I have done for a long time. I spent, no joke, four to five days out of the week on this one class. I had many, many different drafts and trash ideas. And don’t get me started on plotting light and shadows. At the end of the day, this was also the class I am most proud of. I am so glad that I pushed myself in an area that I struggle with the most. What do you guys think?

Project 1: 1-Point Perspective

Project 2: 2-Point Perspective

Project 3: 2-Point Vertical and 3-Point Perspective

Project 4: Three Heads in Perspective

Project 5: Three Nude Poses in Perspective

Project 6: Combat/ Action Scene

Project 7: Snow White Illustration (Focusing on Reflections in Perspective)

Project 8: Final Illustration

Clothed Figure Drawing

*Please note that there are NUDE drawings here. You have been warned.*

As the title of the class says, this course was all about the human figure and clothing. The first few weeks were the standard figure drawing class. Nude models and all. We also had to keep a sketch book going with on site sketching of people out and about. It was a little bit more difficult due to COVID, but I still did it. I hope you guys can see the improvements that I was able to achieve this semester. Things can only go up from here!

150 Years of American Illustration

This class was a more in-depth look at the history of American Illustration. We started with the Combat Artists of the American Civil War to the Modern Digital Age. I thought I would share with you my research papers if you guys wanted to see a little bit of the things I learned. Each paper as a Work Cited page if you would like to continue on in your own personal learning. I hope you found a new artist /or style that sparks inspiration for you!

2_2_SuzannaEdwards_PropagandaDownload
4_2_SuzannaEdwards_LegacyResearchDownload
6_2_SuzannaEdwards_LegacyResearchDownload
10_2_SuzannaEdwards_LegacyResearchDownload
10_2_Images_SuzannaEdwards_LegacyResearchDownload
12_2_SuzannaEdwards_ReseachLegacyDownload
12_2_SuzannaEdwards_LegacyImagesDownload
14_2_SuzannaEdwards_FinalEssayDownload
14_2_SuzannaEdwards_FinalEssayImagesDownload

Please feel free to leave a comment and start a conversation. I love talking about history and learning new things.

*Please Note: I do not own any of the images. All images have a work cited too. Sharing my research papers are meant to educate and to inform. Thank you.*

Entry 40: In the Name of the Moon!

Hey Crew!

Welcome back! How are you doing? Hopefully nothing too crazy has happened lately. I think we all need a vacation and a peace of mind. The world just seems to become a bigger and bigger dumpster fire everyday it seems. I have been listening to music that I loved when I was younger. A good dose of nostalgia is comforting. What was in your playlist back when life was simpler for you? I’ll be posting my list over on Pirate Games later today. Maybe we can compare notes?

My Dreams of the Moon

“I am Sailor Moon, champion of justice! On behalf of the Moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!”

Sailor Moon

Speaking of nostalgia, I’d like to introduce you to the very first obsession and love, Sailor Moon. If you have no idea what I am talking about… //cricket cricket//… I suggest you take a moment and go educate yourself. I can’t… can’t even. Anyway. for those who know, you know the feels I am talking about. I grew up with the 90s Sailor Moon and boy did that have an impact on my life. I always have dreamed to become a Sailor Scout and protect peace and love and the moon. Usagi always felt real to me, you know? She was the first character that hit a level of realness that I can’t even begin to explain. As corny as it sounds, I could see myself in her. I think that that is the magic of character design and connection that the viewer and artist makes. So it just seemed fitting to make my next Fan-Art piece about Sailor Moon.

References

For this I used Princess Serenity as my model. I wanted to challenge myself and push my knowledge of the Art Deco style. I took pointers from the illustrator Erté. In this first image that you are seeing, these were the main reference material that I used to create my piece. “You are only as good as your references are.” Professor Barclay. I obviously looked at many pieces of Erté’s work to get a feel for what I should do for the outfit and details. But I was mostly captivated by “The Queen of the Night” illustration he did. I thought it was very fitting for Sailor Moon.

I am so very proud about how this turned out. Like it is so clean and well polished. This mixture of Art Deco and Sailor Moon turned out so smooth. This is by far my most favorite illustration I have ever done. I think I am figuring my artistic style. What do you guys think? I am still blown away.

That concludes this story time. I can’t even get over how well I did. Like I am super critical about my own work, but I can’t see anything wrong with it. //Mind blown// Things can get keep going up from here, right? Check in tomorrow for a peek behind the scenes. Things are going to be looking a bit different around here soon. So stick around awhile! Remember to stay safe and to stay sane.

Until next time,

Suzanna 🌙

Want to know more about Erté? Check these links out:

How Erté Shaped Art Deco Design and Style

https://www.erte.us/bio.html

https://musings-on-art.org/erte

Entry 35: Finding Your Artistic Soul

Hey Crew!

Welcome back! How are you guys doing? I am not sure if it is just where I live, but I can already smell the Autumn air blowing in. I can’t wait! I can’t wait for fresh apples and cooler days. Plus all the spooky Halloween festivities. If you can’t tell already, Halloween is my favorite holiday. Do you think we should participate in Inktober? I’m still thinking about it, but maybe. Any-who, time to get to why we are all gathered here today.

How to Find Your Artistic Self

Now there is no right or wrong way to find your artistic style. I feel your eye roll too. I have never really felt like I have/had a “style”. And every book, blog, interview, lecture, and mentor never made sense to me. I felt like I was pulled in a million different ways and never felt close to what I was searching for. I think that also is part of me that is still so scared to show my work. I am getting more comfortable with it, but I still second guess myself. I still try to make excuses for mistakes I have made. But I have to realize that no one will really see the mistakes unless I point them out. They are going to read the art with their own eyes and make their own story from it. That is why I don’t write as much as I once did about my work. I keep them whiddled down to technique and some back story. The saying “I’m my own worst enemy” needs to be craved into my gravestone at this point.*

Anyway, what I am trying to say is to take my advice like a grain of salt. Maybe my process and ideas will work for you or they won’t. But if I can strike a cord with just one of you and I have made the difference in your thinking and work, then I have done my job.

What do you like?

I want you to figure out what kind of art/creations appeal to you the most. What kind of things do you like to read about? Fantasy, war, history, mystery, romance, etc? Why do you like them? Do they pick at a string in your soul? Do you find it calming? Do you find them make you happy? I want you to take that feeling that you feel about your favorite books and figure out what kind of visual art gives you that same feeling. Do you like bold line work? Do you like bright colors? Does your eye tend to follow realistic artwork or more abstract? What sparks your fire?

Personally, my likes are very fluid. But there are a few things that will allows grab my attention.

  • Bold Lines
  • Flat
  • Simple
  • Geometric
  • Vector

I know what you are thinking, “But Suzanna, your artwork doesn’t really reflect that.” I know. That is part of my inner battle. Part of me thinks that “good” art is detailed and full of depth and “perfection”. And the other side is screaming to just go with the flow and do what makes me happy. There is no right or wrong way to create. There is just the way that makes your soul sing. I think that is one of the most toxic thing in the art world, that there is a right and wrong way. The thinking that perfection and following the rules destroy creativity. There is no right or wrong way, there is only your way. And that is something that I am still fighting within my own work. But I am not going to let it rule over me anymore.

Time to do some research.

Knowledge is power. I am not staying that you have to get your PhD in Art History to understand how to find your style. All I am saying is that a quick Google search will help you. I personally would head over the the library and look into art history books, but I am just that kind of nerdy, book lover. I just want you to skim over the history of art periods and note which periods strike that cord in you.

Here are my favorite times in art history.

  • The Golden Age of Illustration (1850 – 1925)
  • Art Nouveau (1890 -1910)
  • Art Deco (1908 – 1935)
Examples of Art History (Images found on a quick Google Search)

From here I can look to the masters of these time periods. To see how they went about their pieces. To see what they were used for. To see the impact of their art on culture and society.

How did the Masters pull it off?

Now I want you to pick out a few of the masters from the time period(s) you fancied. It is time to get down in the dirt. I want you to copy the masters. Copy their work. Now I am not saying plagiarize their work, don’t ever plagiarize another’s work. No, I want you do use the pieces as a method of learning. Think of it as developing muscle memory. The more you do something over and over the easier it gets, to a point were you don’t even think about it. Which leads us to that boorish word of Practice. Unfortunately, practice does make perfect. I hate it too, my friends. It is needed to train your hand-eye coordination and your brain. Sort of like learning to type. You first start off slow and one figuring the keys. Then you start adding more of your fingers and need to build up their strength and knowing what key you are hitting without looking. Then you pick up speed. And soon you are typing as fast as you can think of the words.

You can also copy the masters to help blow past your art block. It keeps you creating. It starts making you think. It brings that fire back to life. It brings you closer to your self.

How can you make it your own?

Look at your doodles and sketchbooks, can you see the similarities in the work that you create without even thinking about it? That means you are halfway there already. Keep playing with your craft. Keep experimenting. You have to get comfortable with your art. You just have to let it flow. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to your art. It is your art, you need to reclaim it from the toxic space that tells you it isn’t good enough. You are an artist, you are good enough.

To summarize; find out what hits you in your soul, research history and masters, copy the masters, learn their skills, and make it your own through practice. Once you start listening to what fills you with happiness, you will start to see how good you actually are. Always be yourself and that is where you will find your true style and your true self.

I hope this has helped you with your own journey. I know I still have a lot to learn myself. I also know that I have a lot more practicing to do too. Well we better get to it, right? I’ll see you tomorrow to see the what I have in store for Tuesday’s Fan-Art days. Do you have any ideas? Can’t wait! Remember to stay safe and to stay sane.

Until next time,

Suzanna 🌙

* : Please note that this is a joke 😎