Zombie Bearing Flowers
June 28, 2009
Bleak Visions
April 11, 2009
Project 3 for my computer illustration class called for us to choose a significant graphic design movement and produce an original website (2 page mock-up) in that style.
I chose to do my project in the style of German Expressionism. I toyed with the idea of doing something in The International/Swiss style, or perhaps Constructivism. I went with German Expressionism because I wanted to do something that would challenge me to get outside my comfort zone. I selected a literary magazine for the subject of my website, because these types of magazines were prolific during the 20’s, at the same time German Expressionism was popular.
Slide 1: (click for larger)
Slide 2: (click for larger)
The background of the first slide consists of a photograph with sepia tone and cutout filter applied in Photoshop. For the second slide I used the same images, but cloned out the tree and place an illustration in its place. The illustration is based on the story excerpt.
Notes from Instructor: You really understood the project. Very cool and properly depressing: Schade, Schulde, Verzweiflung und Angst. – Ausgezeichnet! Convincing atmosphereics.
The Interrogator
February 13, 2009
This is the first project in my only graphic related course this term:
Project requirements:
Choose between a paperclip, a pushpin, a Q-tip, or a toothbrush, and “present the object as if it is entirely new to the market and no one has ever seen it before.”
Considerations:
-Either present the product as the solution to a need, or create the need in the consumers’ minds.
-Identify the market segment which will be most interested in this product and pitch it to them effectively.
-Explain the benefits of this product to that market.
Here is what I came up with, along with the notes we were also required to turn in:
Notes:
I started this project by doing some quick sketches of the various items. I found the toothbrush and the pushpin had the most visually interesting shapes. Just as a whim I did a sketch of a pushpin with a drop coming off the tip, and that sparked the idea of using a pushpin as a torture device. Given the nature of the “product” I thought a constructivist inspired design would be appropriate. I used Futura for my typeface because of its widespread use in corporate advertising, and its connection with Constructivism.
Positives:
I was happy with the final look of this piece. I think it just screams “corporate evil.” I also like the political irony from using the phrase “enhanced interrogation device.” The headline “creates a need” and the lower text points to the product as the answer to the need.
Negatives:
I think I could have done a more to explain the benefits of the product. Just a few bullet points on one side might have done the trick, and could probably have been done without unbalancing the composition.
Feedback from the teacher:
This is good, subversive fun. Your notes are excellent. My only quibble is with the actual drawing of the Push…uuh, device: The perspective is mixed between the top of the shape and the other ellipses, which makes it less convincing.
Final Version:
I had to agree with the comment about perspective, so I fixed it. Here is the final version:
Pickle Fork
July 22, 2008
My girlfriend and I created a mutual shop on Etsy called Pickle Fork. If you haven’t heard about Etsy, it’s like Ebay for artists and crafters. I intend to offer prints of some of my photographs at some point, and my girlfriend will be selling a variety of craft related items. Check out her original Etsy shop here. She makes the most amazing polymer clay beads you’ll ever see. I think there’s some kind of sorcery involved, but I haven’t found any lizard eye of newt laying around the house.
Anyway, the whole point of this post is to show off some of the Pickle Fork graphics I’ve been working on:
The Avatar/Logo:
The Banner:
The Pickle Fork Mascot:
Desert Sunset Illustration
April 23, 2008
It’s no surprise that moving to Arizona has had a great influence on my artistic endeavors. I’ve gone crazy taking photo’s of cacti, and desert landscapes. I’m sure it will seep into my writing sooner or later.
This is a vector illustration of a desert sunset. Vector graphics are generated through mathematical formulas that represent all the lines and shapes. (Thankfully there are programs like Adobe Illustrator that hide all that ugly math from sensitive artistic eyes.) Because the image is made of mathematical formulas, it can be enlarged for all eternity, without sacrificing image quality.
I was surprised to see this become best seller on Shutter Stock.
© 2009 E.R. Ellsworth