M-L goes ULF... II

Approved! Working on the hairnet — which is beyond my skills. Coloring the picture is also tricky. Ulf has pink eyebrows.

Mona Lisa goes ULF in FUL

I'm doing the cover for the next issue of Ful. Ful has an alter ego — Ulf — who's the periodicals spirit and soul. Ulf appears in a hairnet and a pink painted face. In this picture idea I'm paraphrasing myself by dressing my version of the Mona Lisa up in Ulf's characteristics. I suppose that this picture wouldn't be too complicated for Ful's common readers to comprehend. We'll see what the editor in chief says.

Recreation

Maid in India

I'm currently working for the Norweigan magazine Fett.

As I published this post I noticed a resemblance with the post below. Check the kitchen aprons! I believe that Stina and I are related in some way.

Find of today: »The Do«

I'm the proud owner of a silk screen print made by Stina Löfgren. Bang!

Shaping the void

Pictures for part three of the article series »Sustainable Design«.

The Great _ _ _ _ II

The Great _ _ _ _ is in progress. When there is time and energy I'll develop it further.

Conservation

From a delicious meal to making pickles:

Balance II

I decided to develop the previous picture. Transformism! Plus:

Balance

To be honest: I don't know if it's good or not.

Tove, I love you!

Me and my crew went to Uppsala the other day to see the Tove Jansson exhibition in Bror Hjorts hus. I got kind of inspired to start drawing for my own sake again. Her delicate pictures, skilled brush strokes and miniature ink drawings filled my heart with joy. It was also edifying to have lunch in a pittoresque garden with dear friends.

The Great _ _ _ _

I heard a sentence and imagined some pictures. These are some drafts I'd like to continue working on.

Apropos of sustainable design:

From nuts to facts.

A recognition

»Alexandra Falagaras teorier, studier och idéer om sitt tecknande har gjort henne till en upptäcktsresenär och tecknarpirat som väcker hoppet om något nytt.«

I'm awarded with the Cultural Grant of the City of Stockholm! Includes not only cash but also a ceremony in the City Hall. Thank you!

Walnuts

Pictures made in following order:


Think I'll follow the nut track.

Soda Stream

Sketch for an on-going work.

Scream III

Salt and pepper @ Blås&knåda

15/3 11.00-16.00 – opening of the group exhibition Salt and pepper @ Blås&knåda where Andrea Djerf shows off her new work Shake it like a salt shaker. Her salt shakers are extra ordinary, don't miss it! The exhibition runs until the 9th of April.

Letter #1b: The mtn

Letter in progress for my second pen-pal:

Letter #1: The painter

This freshly started project is an illustrated correspondence, held with two other illustrators. I correspond with one person at a time, as when writing ordinary letters. I send an illustration instead of a written letter and receive an illustrated reply.

When not making pictures to illustrate a text, but instead of a text, one has to make other choices. And I must say that this is far more difficult than doing my job.

Fire dancers IV

The dreaming girl with eyes shut. Still working on the colouring and their dresses.

Fire dancers III

I'm not sure whether I'll use this pattern or not. I had an idea of making a Mexican style pattern for these Mexican girls – but! This looks more like a romantic Swedish summer. I'd better broaden my floral references, or just skip the flowers.

The difference in the face expressions – compared with yesterday's draft – is striking. Here they seem a bit offensive in contrast with the rather pending and astonished look in the draft. I might want them to loosen up a bit. I'll also make a version where their eyes are shut to see if that's a good alternative.

This picture is illustrating the dream of Valeria's (see previous post). In the manner I've worked with this picture, I've made my own interpretation of her story instead of just transferring the pictures presented in the text to an image. I believe that this is the best way I can do it, adding something more than just my style to it.

Fire dancers II

Portfolio-matters or the portfolio matters

During my studies I prepared my illustration portfolio carefully – or at least in a way I considered to be careful at that time. I focused on the coming conversation between me and the viewer and put the pictures in a logical talk order. Someone told me that one should put the best works in the beginning and in the end of the portfolio. And so I did. I loved meeting with people and showing my work.

As a post graduate, now is the time for showing my portfolio more often. At this point I don't feel that enthusiastic about it; whilst being a student I needed the feedback I could get outside of the academic system – in opposite of now when all I think of is presenting the work flawlessly and getting new assignments. The feedback is central in the presentations but suddenly I care less about it. To lose the enthusiasm in favor of money chasing must be a fatal error. Still: one has to make a living.

I have some portfolio meetings to take care of in the forthcoming weeks and until then I'll arrange and rearrange my pictures all over again. And perhaps get myself an easier attitude.

Fire dancers

This is a papercut – obviously it's a good technique for making quick drafts.
I was invited to participate in »elmonstruodecoloresnotieneboca«, a project where kids dreams are collected and then illustrated by artists. It will result in a book and an exhibition in MuVIM, Valencia (they've got a horrible website, let's hope that the museum is better).

The dream I illustrate is dreamt by a Mexican girl called Valeria:
»/.../ We looked through the door and there were persons that had fire instead of hair. We hid under the bed and we saw how these persons entered the house, set a bonfire, and were dancing and singing /.../«

To be honest, I am not very keen on illustrating stories like these, they evoke pictures in my head that are uninteresting. Someone else has already used their imagination and what could I possibly contribute with? The picture is somewhat already there – in words. As an illustrator I'm sorry to say this: words could sometimes be enough. Anyway I thought I'd give it a chance – it might turn out to something good. Maybe I could make something very stiff. Iconic.

To see other contributors in this project: go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogeromar

To learn

”To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach.”­
Yogi Bhajan

Att studera är att befinna sig i ett tillstånd som inte går att beteckna på ett annat sätt än priviligierat. Att avsätta tid för att göra efterforskningar i ett ämne, att sortera och värdera informationen, att analysera och reflektera över den för att sedan sammanställa den – i exempelvis en uppsats – är också det ett privilegium. Tolkandet, eller uttydandet, är ett värdefullt arbete som möjliggör förmedlandet av detta. Kunskap är ingenting värd om man inte förmår omvandla den till något. Utan praktik är den meningslös.

Det sägs att det finns ordmänniskor och bildmänniskor – och visst är det sant att man kan ha lättare för vissa uttrycksformer än andra. Samtidigt behöver de inte skilja sig så mycket från varandra. Att skriva kan vara som att teckna. Att gå in i ett ämne och att ta sig an ett textarbete är inte helt olikt den kreativa process man går igenom i rollen som grafisk formgivare och illustratör. Research efterföljs av sortering, redigering och stilistiska val. Stämmer källorna, är innehållet relevant och vilken ton framhäver ämnet bäst? Att processen även innehåller inspiration och lust är underförstått.

Att sätta sina tankar på pränt är något man har allt att vinna på. Det finns idéer och föreställningar som behöver kläs i ord (eller bild för den delen) för att man ska kunna se giltigheten i dem – kanske behöver de omvärderas. Att formulera sig kring andra personers arbeten kan skapa nya ingångar till det egna arbetet. På vilka sätt kan jag förklara det jag själv gör, i vilket sammanhang befinner jag mig och vilken kontext verkar jag inom? Ett analytiskt förhållningssätt till det egna arbetet är en förutsättning för att vara tydlig i det man utför (och påstår).

Man kan gå in i vilket ämne som helst och komma ut berikad och klarsynt. Att förmedla detta till andra människor är förmodligen något av det svåraste och det bästa man kan göra.

Scream II

I've been trying to recall the good expression I found in Mona Lisa, and am continuing on drawing the Scream (I've done hundred already.) After talking to a friend yesterday, everything seemed clear. I'm working on simplification – and making a portrait of this character is an idiotic idea. I'd better focus on his body language. As far as Frida is concerned I believe that I'd better leave her for now. To be continued.

A crafty friend

Just look at this flowerpot! The smiley, the tiny hot dog, the clay beads... I got it for my birthday from my friend Andrea. Go to Andrea Djerf's website to see more of her stuff.

Herakles' First Labor: the Nemean Lion

In response to Illustrationfriday. This week's topic is: »Tales and Legends«.

Sexy glass for Åsa II

This is too much, I know, but I think that it suit the style of Åsa's work very well. Don't know which one to choose, though.

Sexy glass for Åsa

Drafts! I'm illustrating a text that will appear in glass artist Åsa Jungnelius' website. The text, written by artist Linus Elmes, is describing the essence of her work as pornographic. Tricky! Her work is outstanding and I'd better make something very good. I think I could do something like this: