When Music Invades Illustration

Between a research paper about Rajput Painting, 4 illustration projects due next week, and a cold, I am managing to post this:

DAS RACIST: New York based hip-hop trio featuring Himanshu Suri, Victor Vazquez, and Ashok Kondabolu.

I did this for a mock editorial article for Flaunt Mag. Digital Illustration --I also experimented with dropping in a watercolor background texture that I painted. I really like how the line art turned out...especially since it was a convoluted excess of ideas (or hot mess, for short):

*They aren't RACIST by the way, it's just a name, chill...

...AND they are going to have a show @ MJQ/Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta March 10th! Can't wait to see them...Seriously check out their music if you're unfamiliar.

New Year/New Work

I can't believe it's 2011 and I'm going to graduate soon! Wow time flies! Knowing I had to create like 12 new works for Portfolio class, I was a little freaked out. But I've been busy sketching and developing my style over the holidays and came back with a new perspective on my illustration. Yay!

Our first assignment: pick a client and come up with an illustration that fits for that client

My client: New Orleans Tourism Bureau (gotta represent my NOLA people. Geaux Saints!)

Project: Make an illustrated map of the French Quarter's top tourist attractions.

Here's the finished project:

(Exterior)

(Interior)

You can view larger versions of both HERE! This was my first attempt at illustrating a map, and I gotta say I really enjoyed it and the details with hand-drawn text and characters make it special. 1st project of the quarter and it's already going in the Portfolio....(relieved sigh!) I might post preliminary drawings later!

So Little Time...

I guess I didn't feel like I had enough work to do for finals at school because I took on an ambitious project from MTV's Teen Wolf crew....20 watercolors for props! And they're all due Wednesday. I must be crazy or a glutton for torture...LOL. Oh well, such is life! But on the bright side, I get to parlay Friday with my family in Louisiana! So nice.

Gallery Show @ Eyedrum-Atlanta

My friend and fellow emerging illustrator Yo-hey Hiroshita will be in a group show Sunday, November 14th, 2010 at Eyedrum Gallery from 7pm -11pm. The show will also feature works from 3 other Atlanta artists. I'm sure it's going to be a big turnout and a great event!

Update: Brandon Boyd Poster

I posted before that I wanted to complete a Brandon Boyd illustration and I finally got to do it. Here's the progression of the illustration: from sketch to Photoshop coloring. You can see the final on my Flickr or my Facebook. This was part class assignment, part personal project. I think I might soften that yellow highlight on his skin. I really wanted the final to keep some of the activity in the original thumbnail. Also I tried to get outside my comfort zone with color. This was really fun. I think I'll print it and make it my very own poster!

Update: Brandon Boyd & Hip-Hop

Let me start off by mentioning that NO! Brandon Boyd is not singing hip hop now. But I have discovered a project to finally portray my music idol! So happy about that and can't wait to see what turns out.

The hip hop part...well I'm obsessed with the music of Cage (Chris Palko/Cage Kennylz) and his contemporaries. I recently switched my musical tastes yet again and have settled on underground hip hop, which is a lot more interesting and creative than the musical stylings of mainstream "hip hop" (Waka Flacka for instance). But as it happens, I got into this genre a little late. Still, I love Cage's music so much now, I had to incorporate him in one of my works:

I tried to stay true to his personality and give the image a gritty feel, and also rep Brooklyn with the BK Bridge in the background. (See my Portfolio HERE) Any Susan Burghart fans will probably recognize the "crinkled paper" technique. And yeah, he does resemble the Biebs a little. I feel a complete rendition of "Cardboard City" is in the near future.

Rolling Stone Art Director to Visit SCAD-Atlanta

Steve Charny is going to visit SCAD Thursday, October 14th at 7pm. He's the art director of Rolling Stone! I'm incredibly excited to hear what he has to say and meet him in person. This is going to be a big deal!