Illustrator of the Week: Jody Hewgill

Montreal native Jody Hewgill is an illustrator with an extensive client list that includes Time Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine,  Entertainment Weekly, the US Postal Service, Mondavi Wines, Oprah Magazine and Windstar Cruises just to name a few.

She has illustrated posters, book covers, celebrity portraits, magazines and retail interior murals and has been awarded by the Society of Illustrators, Print Magazine and Communication Arts Magazine among others.

Jody works mostly in acrylics.

Visit Jody's website HERE.

See her blog on DRAWGER.COM

Comics Celebration in France

In the town of Angouleme in the Southwestern region of France, the second largest annual comics convention is held every year.  Comic art is celebrated throughout the town by murals in that style which complement the historic local architecture.

Here are several examples of the murals... 

Dishu: Chinese Water Calligraphy

In China cosmogony, the square or ‹di› represents the earth and the circle
represents the sky; ‹shu› signifies book, writing by association. The expression ‹dishu› literally means square calligraphy, i.e. earth calligraphy: practicing ephemeral calligraphy on the ground, using clear water as ink. 

Very popular nowadays, this recent phenomenon appeared in the beginning of the 1990s in a park in the north of Beijing before spreading in most of major Chinese cities. Thousands of anonymous street calligraphers operate daily in parks and streets, the different pavements becoming a large paper surface. Displaying literature, poetry or aphorisms, these monumental letterings, ranging from static regular to highly cursive styles, convoke the whole body in a spontaneous dance and infinite formal renewals. The calligraphic practice corresponds to a research of self accomplishment or improvement, this improvement modifying our perception of the world.*  

This non-abrasive, temporary and perhaps more beautiful form of expression is an interesting counterpart to Western graffiti, which is often damaging to property and offensive to aesthetic sensibilities.

Calligraphers use hand-made brushes of sticks and foam sponges:

Videos of Dishu Calligraphy can be found HERE.

Read more HERE.

*Opening statements on this post credited to Francois Chastenet, who created a  photographic and video documentary on the subject of Chinese ground calligraphy in Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Shenyang in 2011.  To learn more, visit his website HERE.

Illustrator of the Week: Marc Burkhardt

Illustrator Marc Burkhardt, who has a BA in Art History, a BFA in printmaking and a BFA in illustration, combines contemporary images with an historical sensibility.  He cites fine art painters Cranach the Elder, Ingres and Neo Rausch among his influences as well as illustrators Anita Kunz, Robert Crumb and Phil Hayes.

Marc often uses allegory in his personal work but also uses historically-influenced images in his commissioned work.  He mixes traditional painting materials with wood, metal and other materials.  Of his process, Marc says, "The basic steps in developing the direction for commissioned projects, with a somewhat less structured version for personal work, share the idea that the concept stage determines the materials used on the finish. Though most of my pieces are done on wood, some are on more weathered boards to suit the overall direction of the work. Other materials like metalwork, goldleaf and even 3 dimensional borders & frames are incorporated where they support the concept and mood I'm trying to convey. While I'm very interested in the craft aspects, I try to let the ideas drive the execution."

Marc's work can be found in trade publications like 3x3 Magazine, Communication Arts and Juxtapose. He has received Gold and Silver awards from the Society of Illustrators as well as the prestigious Hamilton King Award and his work has been exhibited at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Visit Marc's WEBSITE.

INTERVIEW 1

INTERVIEW 2

Exquisite Corpse

Exquisite Corpse is the name of a Surrealist parlor game in which a collection of images are assembled by several people into one completed image, typically of some sort of figure, whether human or animal.  Begin with a sheet of paper that is folded into thirds (or fourths).  The first participant would draw a head on the top third of the page (continuing the neck lines slightly onto the middle panel) which is then folded over and handed to the next participant to draw the torso, without seeing the drawing of the head.  The process is repeated and the third participant would complete the figure by drawing the legs and feet.

The technique was invented by Surrealists and is similar to an old parlor game called Consequences in which players write in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the writing, and then pass it to the next player for a further contribution. Surrealism principal founder André Breton reported that it started in fun, but became playful and eventually enriching. Breton said the diversion started about 1925.

Here's a few examples...

 

 

There are many childrens books which utilize this concept-

And a website that was developed for a childrens' Hospice in London-

Visit the GO RED website HERE.

Get together with a few friends and give this game a try!