Amy Martino

I found Amy Martino in an issue of Computer Arts (though I can't remember which one at the moment). Her illustrations are great because of the simplicity of the ones on the right, mainly using dynamic shapes and colors; it also helps she uses textures to make it look like someone literally drew and painted on the piece of paper!

She has also made many advertisements and t-shirts; some simple - others complicated like the one below. Yet, she is still able to successfully illustrate the use of each of the product in the spread and make it very appealing to the eye!

It's also nice her illustrations are very simple and can be done in a few hours or so. To get to her portfolio, click here.

Natsuki Ostani

This is Natsuki Ostani, who I also found in the July 2011 issue of Digital Arts. I did a tutorial of hers through Computer Arts, but never knew the name of the illustrator. She uses very bright colors (sometimes they can be psychedelic - like the illustration on the bottom) with lots of detail and watercolor qualities. Some of her illustrations can be quirky and she brings out the subject matter behind the illustrations in a very interesting way. I wish I could draw more like her.

For more of her work, visit her portfolio here.

Carolina Torres

I found Carolina Torres in the June 2011 issue of Computer Arts and think her illustrations are gorgeous! Her illustrations are abstract, but bring everything to life using simple lines, a great color palette, textures she uses on different parts of the illustrations, and techniques in Illustrator I would never think to use. One of her tutorials is using transparency, which can be seen in the light beams from the moon and the glisten in the waves. I'm going to be working on this tutorial and, hopefully, applying this to more of my illustrations. The image on the top-left is the result of the tutorial.

You can find more of her work on her website here.

Gabriel Moreno

This is the work of Gabriel Moreno, who I found in the July 2011 issue of Digital Arts magazine. She has absolutely beautiful sketch work that almost looks like their photographs! Her beautiful use of color also makes everything seem so organic, beautiful, and makes you want to be a part of the illustration itself.

She's done her own personal work, but has done illustrations for clients such as Coca-Cola (bottom) and Gap.

More of her illustrations can be found on her portfolio website here.

Malin Rosenqvist

Malin Rosenqvist is an illustrator I found in Communication Arts and think her style of illustrations are very interesting. She does most of her illustrations in silhouette style with line details (like the picture on the right - with the knuckles and fingernails being sketched in). Also, the colors used seem to be darker than any of the other illustrators I've normally seen so far and it works for the style of illustrations she does. There are even textures in the illustrations that make it seem to be more organic (sort of like the Arts & Crafts movement). Like the image below, she seems to have nature as a part of her theme in illustrations.

To see more, you can visit her portfolio here.

Jessica Hische

I have seen this artist in several magazines, including HOW and Communication Arts Jan/Feb 2011 Typography Annual.  I used the card on the left as an inspiration for Parkland College's holiday card.  I love her use of drop shadows to create a paper cut/collage 3D effect without having to cut all of the pieces, which she does in almost all of her designs.  She also has a variety of color choices, depending on her client and what the subject matter is; though a lot of her color choices seem to be the darker hues.  I don't know if she handmade a lot of the type on some of her pieces.  Either way, she is one of my favorite illustrators... I can't get enough of her pieces and look forward to seeing more of her in the future!  You can find her portfolio here.

Mary Blair

From looking on Google today, I found one of their tributes was to a woman named Mary Blair.  She innovated Disney from it's early years down to her retirement.  She worked on many different types of advertisements in the late 1950's, early 1960's and I can see why she's a big influence; even today.  She had an amazing way of using bright colors and different types of lines to inspire such films as Alice in Wonderland (seen to the left) and Peter Pan.

She began to have a different style that seemed to be her own, using mainly watercolors with hardly any line detail to what she did.  The ads were also unique at the time, going away from her usual style.  She was definitely a major influence and always will be.  You can find out more about her online and look at some of her work here.

Mats Gustafson

The illustrator I found this week is Mats Gustafson, which came from looking at Communication Arts November 2005 issue and seeing his illustrations in the catalog below. His illustrations are based on watercolors and inks, creating interesting textures and conveys the object in the simplest matter possible.  Though he's done some sketches and they're as neat as his watercolor illustrations, they don't bring the dynamic feel illustrations like the one on the right.  It also seems that he uses the grayscale as the main color scheme; but when she uses bright colors, it feels more romantic and very organic.  To find some of her work, you can click here.

Jane Mjolsness

This is the work of Jane Mjolsness, whom I found in the Print November 2002 issue.  It's similar to the artwork of Mary Lee Blasutta, but she brings her own style to it, using brighter colors (bringing more vibrancy to her work) and at some points uses simpler line strokes and less detail to convey the subject at hand.  She even has pieces, like below, where she has a simple drawing with her handwriting to explain everything, which I would like to try and put into my own work.

The only thing I wish she would've tried to do was collages like Mary, but maybe it worked out for the best and she does packaging designs for her work instead (like she has above).  Simple is beautiful.  You can find her portfolio here.

Franklin McMahon

I was looking through the old World Book Encyclopedia's down in my basement and came upon one illustration that I loved!  I will eventually get it scanned, but am currently trying to find his website as well.  His name is Franklin McMahon and has been an illustrator for quite awhile.  He has a very interesting way of still showing lots of lines, adding detail, and a unique way of drawing each section and people; even for the articles in the World Book Encyclopedias.  He adds character to everything he draws.  If someone found his main website, please send me the link.  I've been trying to look for his portfolio website and haven't found it yet.

Trish Grantham

I had found Trish Grantham in HOW magazine's August 2006 issue and fell in love with her illustrations!  Not only does she do regular artwork that have the collage feel, she does a lot of installations that are the same.  Her murals are really interesting as well.  To me, it's not only the collages that I really like, she has a very pleasing color palette of lighter colors of blues, pinks, and yellows.

I wonder, though, for some of these illustrators what the message is they're trying to exactly convey?  There is a certain sadness in the installation (to the right) but don't understand why the dove is wearing a crown?  Either way, I would definitely view more of her work if she had some here in town.

Jonathon Carlson

Image Credit

I found Jonathon Carlson in Print magazine's Design Annual 2002.  The best part of his illustrations is he's able to have his own style while bringing in the old 1940's/1950's drawing inspirations to light.

Image Credit

Jonathon has a way of combining darker color tones that I truly enjoy in each of his pieces and love a lot of the advertisements he's done.  They're so humorous and totally unexpected!

Some of the best examples of incorporating the old with the new design in his work is above and to the left.  To check out more of his work, click here.

Jaz Harold

Image Credit

The illustrator for this week I found when looking through CMYK 2009 edition by the name of Jaz Harold.  He has really interesting subject matter in his illustrations, which really drew me to him.

Image Credit

His drawing style was probably the item that drew me to him the most; especially when you look at his different types of illustrations he does.  Throughout, you can still see his style in there, which makes it very special.

The picture to the left is a digital drawing he did (which can be seen in the CMYK issue), and the right is a painting/drawing.

You can click to get to his website here.

Mary Lee Blasutta

Image Credit

This is the work of Mary Lee Blasutta, whom I found thanks to Paul while I was working on a previous project for GDS 220.

I think she has done some absolutely amazing artwork, some of it reminding me of the French drawings and has a unique drawing style for the people she creates.

Also, she manages to do some collages (one of them being below and I think that it's an absolute creative way to take a map... It looks like it could be a real life project a designer created!) and a few animations.

Image Credit

I hope to use this style of work for one of my projects because it brings out sophistication while being so simple.  To check out her website, you can click either of the picture credits or here.

As Fair Tomorrow... As Today

The Saturday Evening Post from the 1950's (I believe - have to double check) I bought at a Farmer's Market earlier in the summer and thought it was beautiful!  This picture was taken through my cell phone (so apologies for the reflection on the glass - I didn't want to have to put the picture back in the frame again).  I thought this was a great example of how illustration is very effective.  To me, the drawing is just beautiful by itself.  Pepsi did an excellent job of using an original illustration to convey how youthful the person would feel when drinking this light refreshment because of how well drawn it is and it represents the time period in which they were in.  If it would've been a regular couple in the same pose, I'm sure it would've worked just as well.  But, because of the unique typefaces (which I'm sure the yellow type was hand drawn) and the color scheme used to bring out the youthfulness in which Pepsi was going for, it wouldn't have been the same.

If you want to read the small type, it says:

Share the youth. That's the motto of today's America, where trim, up to date young people of all ages are giving a new light look to everything in the land.

Keep up to date. Look smart. Stay young and fair and debonair. Be sociable. Have a Pepsi - the lighter Pepsi of today, reduced in calories.