The Enchanted Snake

"The King and the Snake"

"The Princess and the Snake"

My second project in Illustration. We had to design vignettes based off of any work of fiction. I wanted to illustrate the fairy tale "The Enchanted Snake" from the Green Fairy book, but I decided to place it in a middle-eastern/arabic setting, rather than in a boring and overdone medieval fairy tale world. 

I experimented with a new coloring technique with these! I used lots of layering of custom brushes in photoshop to give them a watercolor-like look. 

The Princess and the Snake is actually hanging up in the illustration building at my school, along with my Mary Margaret Alacoque vignette, and a poster I made for the Ohio Roller Girls!

Les Mis On Tour!

I had the amazing opportunity to go see the Les Miserables US tour last weekend! I'm a huge fan of the cast, espcially their Javert, Andrew Varela. We've talked a bit over twitter and I've shown him my stupid Les Mis doodles (which he found hilarious.)

I wanted to be able to give him something when I met him at the stage door, so I threw together a quick vignette of Valjean and Javert!

The show was FANTASTIC and the entire cast was just SpECTACULAR. I was able to meet Andrew at the stagedoor after the show and give him this piece (also have him sign my own copy and snap a photo haha.)

I'll post my (quick) process for this piece tomorrow! I actually experimented with livestreaming while I worked. It was fun but I need to work on being more entertaining haha. I might try again soon so keep a look out! 

Design: Essence

My first design project of the new semester! THe assignment was to capture the essence of something, and I chose to capture the essence of "misery."

I was inspired by a few quotes from my favorite book, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. He writes:

"So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine, with human fatality; so long as the three problems of the age—the degradation of man by poverty, the ruin of women by starvation, and the dwarfing of childhood by physical and spiritual night—are not solved; so long as, in certain regions, social asphyxia shall be possible; in other words, and from a yet more extended point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless."

From there, I decided to try to capture the essence of misery in a single person. I went back a forth between child labour and prostitution, and came to the terrifiying conclusion that child prostitution exists. I did research, and re-watched one of my favorite documentaries "Born Into Brothels" for inspiration.

I did a quite a few value studies in watercolor, then used photoshop to make color studies. My professor ended up really loving the color studies as a group, and encouraged me to use them for the final project. I ultimately decided to use a finished illustration for my final, but I still think the color studies are powerful on their own.

 
 

Final Version

I based most of my research and visual inspiration off of the sex trade in India. Here are some statistics:

• There are estimated 900,000 sex workers in India
• 30% are underage

source

Sketchbook or "wow I draw phantom a lot ok"

I have to maintain a daily sketchbook for my illustration class, and the past few days I haven't drawn anything but phantom haha.

A sad Phantom, a red Phantom, a crappy Christine, and a quick sketch of one of my favorite costumes from the show, the monkey w/ cymbals from Masquerade! I sketched these while watching the 25th Anniversary on netflix, so the costumes aren't completely accurate haha. 

A page of Christines! The top left is based off Katie Hall, and the bottom right is based off of Sierra Boggess (I think I've posted that one here before.)

And a page of Phantoms! Every time I try to draw a particular actor as the Phantom they all end up looking the same, but the top right was supposed to be Ramin Karimloo and the bottom right is based off of one of my favorite photos of Earl Carpenter as the Phantom. 

As for the top left, idk what it is about the wig for the UK tour, but Erik looks super sassy with his sweeping bang. 

Phantom of the Opera!

"Phantom" celebrated it's 25th year on Broadway yesterday, so I've been a big PotO mood! 

Barry James and Gareth Snook as M. Firmin and M. Andre!

Sierra Boggess as Christine! 

Hadley Fraser as Raoul!

And a generic Phantom, not particularly based on any actor.