Kubert School Sketch Book

During my time at Kubert School I did a lot more sketches and unfinished pieces then completed work. Later on in this blog I may take a detailed look into certain pieces that I liked or would like to finish in the future. 

Senior Project: Part 2 Unpublished Book

Senior Project

04/5/11

Questions

Describe the first time you became aware of different typefaces. 

The first time that I became aware of different typefaces was when I first started working on a computer. Around the Christmas of 98 when my family bought our first computer and I was able to use programs with different typefaces. I remember writing silly stories and trying to find the perfect font that fit with the genre of my tale. I was a horrible typographer and had no sense for type. Even in high school as I worked in photoshop to make posters for events at my campus, I wish I knew what I knew now about typography. After learning indesign and looking though Communication Arts I can see what could be done with typefaces and words. That words can be just as beautiful as the things that they are used to describe. It wasn’t till Typography II when I really became aware of type as an art form. 

Describe the first time you became aware of “graphic designers”.

The first time I became aware of Graphic Designers is when I started paying attention to different graphic artists. When I started reading Manga in high school I started realizing books where done my the same artist and that showed in the art work. I began to notice this in other works how similar they are in the style or use of type and color in book covers and advertisements. In some cases I could tell who worked on what simply by the feels of the artist illustrations. When I started taking my second year classes at Farmingdale I begin to realize that everything was designed and to watch Tv just for the commercials. When I did that I would critique the advertisement, then check Communication Arts to see if they where featured as best ads of that year.   

What is it that made you want to be a graphic designer?

Ever since I was little I always was drawn to art, I even made a point of drawing everyday just in the hope that one day I could be a good artist. I remember sitting in my first grade class after being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said animator. As I grew older I enjoined any chance I had to be creative and collected books I found inspiring. When I was little my mother used to read me stories, many of them had beautiful illustrations. By middle school I discovered Manga and Japanese animation which love for was fueled by the animations when my early childhood like Batman and Superman the animated series. When I entered High School I began to take more and more Art classes from Studio Art to 3D Animation. When I entered my senior year I researched different colleges and careers I could be trained in and realized the best career would be Graphic Designer with the interests I had. I never really told myself I want to be a graphic designer but the most I work I realized how I wish to work in this field. 

Name the graphic designer that most influences you and explain why.

I can’t say which single graphic designer influenced me nor can I say which single artist sparked my interest in this field. I can say that after learning about Mucha I realized how much of a muse he has been on my thinking when it comes to design today. Bruce Timm was an big childhood inspiration when it came to animation, Superman and Batman the animated series made me want to become an animator along with many other animations I enjoyed through out my childhood.

What type of design work have other told you are most successful with? Why do you think this is? 

Illustration is the type that most have told me that I am successful at, I haven’t incorporated it in to much of my work in school but in my sketch books the designs. The reason that I think this might be is because I try to draw as much as I can and I draw a lot of cartoon characters. I also read a massive amount of comics from american to the far east, while still watching cartoons. I watch less for entertainment but for inspirations and to critique whether I feels they are well done and good for children. 

What type of design work would you like to do when you graduate? Describe the style as well as why you chosen this field.

I would love to work as Illustrator after I graduate, my dream job would be working for a major comic book company in some form, either as a inker or penciler. The type of job I expect to get when I graduate is working for a design company and working my way into maybe as a free lance graphic designer.  

How do you think your work compares to others students in the program and professional designers? 

Most of the time I feel like the kid in the group, the novice that one who is still learning but one step behind everyone else. I know I have the potential to make work that is finished and professional looking but I feel as if sometimes I don’t fully reach that full spotential. 

Kubert School

The summer of 2012, I went to Kubert School's summer camp. Ironically, it wasn't till I turned 23 years of age before I went to my first summer camp. Poking fun at myself aside I did do work while I was away on my little artist vacation. The first week was Pencilling and Inking below are two of the pieces I worked on that week. 

 

To the left is an original piece for two characters I created, Muse and Cody Hawkins. On the right, I inked over an Andy Kubert pencil copy from Batman and Son. 

Second week was focused on coloring, which I loved. Especially since I found a great new medium that I will have many future projects done in, Gouache. 

Left, I hope I captured the actors likeness enough I don't have to say who it is, this piece was in colored pencil. Colored pencil has always been a challenging medium for myself, I have fun but I don't consider myself skilled. On the right is my favorite panel in all of comics, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold confessing to stealing J'onn's cookies. 

The third week I don't seem to have any finished work, I will upload scans from my sketch book later on. The fourth week  I sadly only have one finished piece and looking over it a second time I'm not happy with it. 

From left to right is page one of issue one of the Muse, the first is my pencils, seconded my inking and last a bit of coloring fun.  I don't have much more to say; I didn't want to leave an orphan at the end of the page. It's a graphic design thing. 

Senior Project: Part 1 - From my Unpublished Book

Senior Project 

04/5/11

Blog

As I walked through the halls of the Museum of Modern Art, pondering the project I needed to finish in the next few weeks, I realized the work here did not inspire me. It did not relate to my project, not as much as the work I had viewed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum had. I had happened upon them by accident while wandering the halls trying to see as much of the museum as I could before it closed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a sculpture, I could hear her familiar voice calling to me. I knew I needed to explore that wing because I would find what I needed there.  

I tried not to run; I felt this impulse to get to there as quickly as I could, briskly walking even though my feet were blistered beyond repair. The minor pain was worth getting to what I would find. The sculpture that drew me to this wing was Adolph Weinman’s Descending Night, a piece I once wrote a paper on for American Art History. After finishing that paper I purchased a miniature which I have displayed in my room. She towered over me, bronze wings spread as she lands on her perch, her brother Raising Sun ready to fly away across the hall. Seeing the two of statues in person was brilliant. As I peered into the rooms in this section of the gallery I realized that I was in a collection of work from the Gilded Age. I had always had a love for late 19th century art from sculptures, fashion, decor, paintings to literature. One of my favorite authors is H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds being one of my favorite novels, along with the Time Machine. If I could travel through time I would visit the Victorian Era, not just for the literature but for the art.

The Smithsonian’s Portrait Museum was not the only time I was called to by a work of art on this trip. While touring the national gallery before they were closing, I left the group. The Art Club was all gathered in a room but I noticed Symphony in White Number 1. Without a moments thought I was off, away from the crowd but I feel as if I had not taken that moment run off on my own I would not have had the chance to gaze at Symphony in White and Mother of Pearl and Silver. I would not have had the time to realize the true beauty of those two works by Whistler. 

Tori’s Tavern, the steam punk themed restaurant I’m working on for my project, relates to the works I viewed at the Smithsonian and National gallery because of their elegant beauty. In the illustrations I used for the menu and poster I hoped to achieve an elegant 19th century appearance in the character and the feel of the posters that would have been used at that time. Although the influence was more from Mucha than of the american impressionist’s like Thomas Wilmer Dewing or Childe Hassam who I admired in the Gilded Age gallery, the use of color and candid gesture of the figure’s inspired me. One of Dewing’s painting which is on the inside of a piano in part inspired the idea of making the menu a part of the table inside of an another display.  I find that I have always had a passion for the work from the late 19th century ad this passion is sure to be an influence in this project along with all my future work. 

The New Book Case

Ikea has nice looking furniture, I love to look around and design a room using their decor. Problem I have is I'm too rough on the furnishing, brake most of the stuff I get. The infamous habit I can not hide, I rearrange furniture on a monthly to bi-monthly basis. So, stronger furnishing is need in my bedroom that is why I fix up old pieces of junk that just need some love and elbow grease to look as good as new. Another bad habit, No addiction, and I should join a support group for is, I collect books. So, far in my bedroom alone I have four book cases which have too many, I started putting them across my dresser and night table. I'm in need of a new book case, luckily for me a local thrift store sold me a short one for $15. 

This is going to be fun! I still need to make a plan of action on this project. 

Unhappie Zombie?

Update on the Happie Zombie Card, I've been working on this for a week now and I am sort of happy with what I came up with. But since the deadline is tomorrow I'm going to have to live with it. 

Happy Birthday Mom

So, my Mom's birthday is coming up and I have little to no time or income to get/make something for her. This is quite a problem I have gotten myself into, I know she would love a painting or a really nice finished illustration and it takes forever for me to make something I'm willing to see more then once in a blue moon. Then I thought about it, what does you love the most in this world but our animals. I already have a great starter piece for a series of photographs of our pets. My Mom's favorite of which is Jack the dog who doesn't sit still in well lit areas, and loves to put his wet nose on my lens. Anyway here is a few example of possible pieces in the series. 

(Fun fact about this one above that isn't a photoshop effect, I just put my thumb over the flash) 

(Almost all of these are unedited, some I enhanced in camera raw but I only bumped up the vibrance and added some fill light)