this is the first piece of album art that i ever illustrated and designed. although it never went into production, it was a bit of a milestone for me (if you will). i put this together in 2006 for a friend of mine, Rich (who later went on to form Lost Weekend*). when attending a high brow design school and attaining a degree in a competitive illustration department, there is a certain self consciousness that tends to take a hold of you.
i made this on my summer vacation – away from the pressures of school and the you-need-to-be-a-commercial-illustrator mentality. it was the first time in my ‘career’ that i realized i could make something that not only satisfied the needs of the assignment/job, but something that i also liked and enjoyed making. what a concept?
i don’t think i’m alone in my battle, as an artist, to strike a balance between getting a job done and liking the job you are getting done. it’s a fine line, but album art and concert posters are right up my alley. they allow you freedom to be the crazy fine artist that you are at heart while fulfilling an assignment that will, hopefully, get you paid at the same time.
[collage + pen + colored pencil + digital application]
jessi
*more on Lost Weekend to come
p.s. although i originally intended to place these postings in some semblance of a chronological order, i am failing miserably. i have much work i would love to share and it feels impossible to categorize it into a neat and tidy structure. or perhaps it’s just my dyslexia and messiness preventing me from keeping things in order. regardless, please bear with me.
Year of the Pig Studio 