There are many illustrative styles in "Illustration Now! 2" that I feel slight like or dislike for or haven't seen enough of to make a definite decision, but the ones that stood out to me were Gez Fry and Chow Lee.
What I like in an image is a story so I'm attracted to some of Gez Fry's work, as shown in Illustration Now (2). Particularly the style he uses to illustrate depth and movement, without forcing too much drama into subject poses or abusing color intensity, is something I admire. The compositions are full without being cluttered and the eye is directed around the picture subtly through use of clouds, patterns and mid-ground scenery. The lack of a hard edge to the lines of the image help integrate the subjects and make the overall illustration easier on the eyes.
On the other hand, I am sorry to say that Chow Lee's "Longman = Romance" eludes me completely. What the purpose is behind his "Longman" distortions is something I do not grasp; what is "Longman" exactly, what is supposed to be conveyed through the illustration and how do the two work together? The closest I can get to an understanding is the idea of elegance from tapering and distorting the subject's figure - similar to fashion figures - to create a sense of "romance" in the image. Unfortunately, "Longman" doesn't hit the same notes as fashion figures do because, rather than actually create tapered limbs or figures, Chow Lee skews the perspective in such a way as to make the subjects seem 2D even within their own respective worlds. Not only that, but the distortion is not consistent throughout the illustration; bodies elongate along one line of sight while the furniture and background are enlarged separately or keep to regular perspective.
1 comment:
Hey Jessica, just wanted to give you a heads-up that your writings look to be about 100 words short & you can add more if you wish before tuesday.
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