The Artist Icon … “When Nature Calls”
This project centered around the creation of an artist icon. We were given complete freedom to capture the essence on who we are as artists.
The research began and with joy and levity being such a paramount piece of who I am, the infamous gonzo glasses grabbed my attention.
The choice now was in trying how to successfully adopt and integrate other key components of my personality and character.
Changing the eyebrows into trees, the mustache into a night sky, and the addition of a ruler into the glasses brought home the key characteristics I wish to portray.
The first draft of the artist icon was a throw at all the pieces that bring serenity to the soul. Playing with abstract tree lines, the sun shining, the stick figure nestled with a book, the night skyline, and the measured detail of the ruler in the glasses provided me with getting it all out there.
However the varying values in the trees brought a sense of depth that was absent from the rest of the composition. The tree trunks while grounding the “forest eyebrows” kept the piece busy where the removal of them would allow a brief moment of rest for the eye.
The sun and the stick figure reading in the nose, while cute, much like the “forest eyebrows” was gathering to much attention and making the flow of the composition difficult. Being centered it pulls the viewer in and almost isolates this from the rest of the composition.
However the night skyline of the mustache worked exceptionally well, and breaking the frame of the glasses helps open up the eyes. The ruler with the 1, 2, 1 mimics the tree line above and is a great pivot point for guiding the eye either upwards or downwards.
With the first draft done and notes made, it was time to refine it and possible play with color.
With the changes made and closure brought to the issues of the first draft, now it was time to try and place with some color and the possibility of a different look. The introduction of colors brought forth the opportunity to further influence and establish a mood/character for the icon. The first played with a deep violet for a cooling effect, the second was a more vibrant violet with the accent of white. The third contained drastically toned colors with a grayscale nose and the final was a play with a bunch of colors to see how they would interact. While the colors most certainly brought more to the icon, the decision was made to move forward with just black and white. Also while the closed and shaded glasses gave more of a “Blues Traveler” vibe, losing the symbolism of the ruler was to much and thus this was averted.
The Icon
The decision to stay monotone brings more attention to all. the individual parts of the logo and what it is they symbolize:
Groucho Glasses - levity, joy, & lighthearted take on life
Tree Eyebrows - love of nature & need for grounding, raised eyebrow hints at my innate desire to be inquisitive & the tire swing...well who doesn't enjoy a tire swing?
Ruler - meticulousness, attention to detail, and more importantly the 1:2:1 ratio with people I prefer
Night Sky Mustache - Impetus of being laid back & the need for peace/rest in all seasons of life
The Character …
With the final icon catching many of the important facets of who I am as an artist, I was asked to create an animated video using After Effects.
The character of the icon quickly came to life as the short 20 second clip was constructed. The peeking from behind trees and the celebratory flip shows where the home truly is for this icon.
At the end as the icon shimmers in the sun light, the eyebrow slowly rises to ask what the viewer thinks about coming out to play…for nature calls.