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My Illustration Class on Skillshare is Live!

I miss teaching so I am beyond THRILLED to share with you my first ever online class with Skillshare. It's called Illustration in Action: Creating Stylized Portraits. In this class, I walk through some tips and tricks for illustrating a portrait with the theme of celebrating someone we admire. With Angela Davis as my muse I share how I use fun color palettes, bold shapes, and expressive typography to craft illustrations that tell a story. With my mission to celebrate stories that are often untold my hope is that you will be inspired to use visual tools to capture those stories. 

 

 

I am super excited about this course and excited about sharing it with others who are looking to expand their illustration skills. If you're not keen on illustration or feel intimidated about using programs like Adobe Illustrator, that's ok, you can still watch to learn how I research references, where I look for inspiration, what I keep in my sketchbook versus my idea book, and some best practices for being inspired responsibly.

 

 

Click here to join: Also, you can sign up here to try the premium membership for free. I can't wait to see what you create! Please share with me on Twitter, IG, or in the comments below who you will celebrate in your portrait.

Illustration in Action: Creating Stylized Portraits

An Online Skillshare Class by Andrea Pippins

Women Who Project: Jeanetta Gonzales

Women Who Project is an interview series highlighting women of color we admire and who inspire us in art and design.

Jeanetta Gonzales is a graphic designer and surface designer who has taken her creative interests down a related but new path, into the realm of editorial illustration. Her visual style is lush, inspired by nature and layered with pops of surprises, and captivating with rich color palettes. All of which translates beautifully into pattern designs and whimsical imagery. Jeanetta shares a bit about her process, how sharing her skills and knowledge fits into her practice, and what she'd like to see more of in the industries of art and design.

You have a background in graphic design and pattern/surface design and now transitioning into illustration. Tell us about this shift. What prompted it, and how are you liking it so far?
Illustration has been an interest of mine and something that I've been wanting to explore. My surface design and graphic design work involves commercial illustration where I sell or license my art for products and illustrate logos and graphics for clients. I see an explosion of illustrations on everything now from packaging, illustrated books, in ads, magazines and blogs. Hand-drawn art has become popular and since I paint and do lettering I began to notice new and exciting ways to apply my work that I hadn't considered before. Editorial illustration is a great fit.

You recently worked on beautiful illustration series for the California Lottery. Tell us about your creative process. How do you get from conception to delivering the final illustration files? Oh thank you. The ad agency whom I worked with was looking for a Californian illustrator to illustrate California landmarks in LA and San Francisco. They provided art direction and gave me a list of landmarks and visual references to use as inspiration. I began by doing research, sketched possible layouts and painted elements by hand. I then took the sketches and scanned paintings into the computer and added digital illustration and some Photoshop magic. I like combining digital and traditional illustration. It saves time, adds nice texture and allows me to work out the final layout by layering my digital illustrations with the painted pieces in Photoshop. The final files are digital which makes it easy to work with if there are any revisions and if it needs to be reformatted into different layouts and sizes for banner ads and various print ads. Read more...

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Women Who Project: Nuri Abdur-Rauf

Women Who Project is a new interview series highlighting women of color we admire and who inspire us in art and design. Interviews are conducted by guest author, educator, and artist Tanekeya Word.

Pronouncing her name begins with a meditative nasal stop, as you approach the N, freely breathing out your nose and ends with a powerful, turbulent labiodental fricative [f]. Linguistically, it takes willpower: a sense of control and awareness to intentionally pronounce Nuri Abdur-Rauf. Like her name, Nuri is equal parts sun/fire and powerful. She lifts up girls/women, via visual representation, through the passion project Girls with Difficult Names (#gwdn). I chatted with the Atlanta based designer, visual storyteller and typographer on her personal work that “explores ideas on being Black, being female and overall identity.”

How did you arrive at creating the Girls with Difficult Names project?  
The creation of #girlswithdifficultnames came from a place of wanting to celebrate and elevate names that don't make the Top Baby Names lists. That aren't easy to say when you first encounter them, but roll off the tongue with repetition. It came from wanting to poke a huge hole in the idea that it's ok to treat such names—and the girls that embody them—differently than names you've seen a thousand times. I believe people don't deserve scrutiny based only on the unique sound and spelling of their name, whether one's name has an origin steeped in culture/tradition or because it came purely from someone's imagination.

I think I've been marinating on #gwdn my whole life. Growing up as a Black girl in the suburbs of Atlanta, with a full Arabic name was interesting, to say the least. During elementary school, I didn't like my name. I thought it was too complicated and only brought me unwanted attention. Kids made fun of it, I got called Mary a lot, there were many raised eyebrows and long pauses. I make very different first impressions with people when I meet them in person vs. when they first meet my name in written form. It often feels like people are trying to reconcile my name with my persona. Sometimes it's negative, sometimes it's just sincere confusion, sometimes it's authentic interest and sometimes there's no reaction at all. Usually, I get questioned about why I have a "full Muslim name" and I'm not Muslim, which I answer. And after people go through that initial reconciliation, the buzz surrounding my name fades away and I just become Nuri. All of these experiences led me to become aware from an early age of all the underlying layers of meaning placed on names and how they become labels or identifiers. 

I also began to have a heightened awareness of the reactions to the first names of other girls that were in some way profoundly Black or had a non-American/non-Westernized/ethnic tone. And further, how those reactions to the names were indelibly attached to the way pop culture and mass media reacted to the individuals who happened to have those names. Read more...

An Essay About Unscrambling Africa by Lulu Kitololo

photo by Joe Were

 

I truly began to appreciate my continent, Africa, when I left it. At the age of eighteen, I moved to the US to study at Pratt Institute from Kenya. 

 

Being in New York, I met people from all over the world and what was especially memorable was meeting people from all over the African continent. I learned about their cultures, tasted their food and danced to their music. Although a lot of these experiences were new, they were also strangely familiar. They made me feel at home.

 

I took the opportunity to learn more about my continent, informally through social interactions but also in the classroom while also studying African literature, film, politics, anthropology. My love for my continent grew and grew.

 

During this time, I met a handful of people who'd travelled extensively across the continent and they planted a seed in me. I was suddenly beginning to fantasise about one day "taking a year out" to go from one African country to the next. Visiting, exploring, learning. 

 

There was no concrete plan for this ambitious trip (that would happen one day), but I held onto the hope that someday I'd actually take some action towards this dream opportunity.

 

About a year ago, I met two amazing Kenyan photographers who I’d been following on the interwebs for some time, Joe Were and Mutua Matheka. As our friendship grew, they let me in on a trip that they were planning to take: a road-trip from Nairobi to South Africa and then back again. I was excited for them and a little bit envious. Taking three months “out" to do something like that wasn’t an option for me. But as time went on, I started to challenge myself about that thinking. Why exactly wasn't it an option? Didn't I work for myself so that I could have flexibility and freedom? I brainstormed a plan for taking care of business AND being unavailable for three months while on the road. I decided to make it work.

 

Of all the people I'd met who'd done some sort of extensive African travel, not one of them was actually from Africa, nor black. Why is that? Why not? 

 

That's one of the things we'll be untangling with our trip. Sharing, with others who look like us, what it's like to travel by road, across borders, in Africa. We know there will be some challenges but we also know, without a doubt, that it just may be the most enlightening and enriching journey we've ever taken.

 

We want to transport as many of you with us as possible. That's why we've created a Kickstarter campaign that ends on the 24th of December. On one hand, we get to create artistic works in response to our travels: a photobook, a colouring book, prints and a web series that you can all enjoy. On the other hand, we get to prove that we can come together to make things happen, including by leveraging the funding power of the crowd.

 

You can find out more about our route, why we're focusing on cities, our crew and how you can support us here.

 

On a final personal note, this trip is such a meaningful milestone for me. It comes at the point where so many things in my life are in transition: 

• Relocating back home to Kenya, after 16 years of living abroad in the US and in the UK
  
• Totally transforming my business after 6 years and having the guts to TRULY pursue my passions and dreams 
  
• Preparing for motherhood
  

I hope that our trip will be inspiring, enlightening and of value to you too. 

 

Big love,

Lulu x

What I Like Right Now: Collages from Christa David

Recently, artist Christa David made the leap and decided to leave her job to pursue a career as a full-time artist. She shares about her new artist-life experiences and latest inspirations on her blog where she captures her excursions into gallery exhibitions and how she navigates her new found freedom.

When you finish catching up on her blog posts, pop over to her online shop and gallery and get a glimpse of her beautiful collages, prints, and paintings. I love her exploration of color, emotion, and layering of textures. 

I'm eyeing several of her collages for my own collection. These would make perfect holiday gifts, too.

Women Who Project: Nikki Farquharson

Women Who Project is a new interview series highlighting women of color we admire and who inspire us in art and design. Interviews are conducted by guest author, educator, and artist Tanekeya Word.

Born and based in London, UK, Nikki Farquharson is equal parts feminist and video gamer, digital and analog artist. Having specialized in graphic design, and earning a degree in 2008, she chose to focus on hand drawn patterned illustrations and typography. Her attention to detail is extraordinary and shows the magic of what can be achieved with rudimentary tools and skilled hands. Nikki has a list of notable clients Adidas, MAC Cosmetics, Malibu Rum, Benefit Cosmetics and Fujifilm.

Tell us the backstory, of how you arrived at creating a bespoke greeting card line?
For years I've been illustrating patterns to be applied to products for other people and clients. At the start of 2016, I decided to focus wholly on creating artwork for products for my own online store. Not just art prints which I already have experience in, but useable items such as stationery, colouring books and head wraps. All of these products (and more) are currently in the making, but I recently decided to prioritise greeting cards in order to bring these to my shop first.

How has this project brought you closer to becoming you?
There is so much liberation in being in absolute full control of what you create. I believe I have a distinct style, especially within a space where so much popular artwork within the industry is produced digitally, but it can still become diluted if it is heavily art-directed by the client. I've done lots of self-initiated projects in the past, but this is the first time I'm really taking it seriously and on a much larger scale. I really want to create a brand and business from the art that I have created from scratch with no dictation from others. There is such a freedom in that. Read more...

Pyramidion from Katra Awad

Chunky crystals and colorful stones adorn in this glorious collection from Katra Awad.

Art by Tafui

Loving these original drawings and prints by Jamaican-born artist, Tafui.

Gail Anderson + Emancipation Proclamation Stamp

January 1st marked the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and recently, the United States Postal Service released a stamp commemorating the occasion. For the 100th anniversary African-American designer George Olden was commissioned to design his now famous stamp (in 1963). This year the amazing Gail Anderson was given the same honor. (You can learn more about her process in this interview.)

I was excited to learn that the design started out as an actual letterpressed poster printed at Hatch Show Print (a famous printing shop in Nashville) and that the limited edition prints are available for purchase on the USPS website. I purchased mine immediately and can't wait to have it framed.

Poster design by Megan Kutchey

On top of all that goodness, I (along with the help of my wonderful colleagues) are preparing for Gail Anderson's visit to our school next week. She is our spring artist-in-residence and will be presenting a lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 19th. It's open to the public, so if you live in the area come by we'd love to have you.

Gail Anderson Lecture
February 19 @ 6:00 pm
Stevenson University/Greenspring Campus
Inscape Theatre
http://www.facebook.com/events/520823031272746/

If you can't make it, please support this design. Purchase the stamps at your local post office and/or the limited edition poster.

What I Like Right Now: All Things Basquiat

In honor of Black History Month I will be sharing a few posts about African Americans who's stories and talents have inspired me. Like, Jean-Michel Basquiat, who's work continues to inform and enlighten us; especially in the realms of fashion, design, and other visual arts.

I always enjoy having a few items around me to commemorate the legacy of people who have played an important role in history. Whether it's something to wear, watch, read or hang, it's good to be reminded of their wonderful contributions to our story and culture.

clockwise, Basquiat by Mark Mayer; Reebok Basquiat I Am Tee; Jean Michel Basquiat: Radiant Child; Basquiat giclee print by Alison Black; Jean-Michel Basquiat x Reebok NPC Clean; BASS-QUIAT Bowtie; Basquiat Dragon Candle.

Journeys by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson

A few weeks ago I was in Cincinnati at my family reunion and we all went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as a fun family outing. I'd heard great things about the museum so I was curious to check it out.

As soon as I walked into the museum and up the main entrance stairs I saw this piece, called Journeys I and II, by artist Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. It's what she calls a raggonon, a textile that goes on and on. She worked on it for 35 years, and it documents moments in history: personally, communally and globally.

I was blown away by the scale, the use of various techniques and materials, as well as the amazing details. This piece left me breathless.

Haas & Hahn in Philly

After reading this article about the Dutch artist duo Haas & Hahn painting storefronts in North Philly I had to make sure I saw it for myself when I was visiting for a day over the weekend.

I was familiar with their work after seeing the brightly colored murals in a favela in Brazil, so I was quite excited to see them take on a similar project in a city I know so well.

The new project is on Germantown Ave right at the Huntingdon intersection. When I lived in North Philly I would sometimes drive down Germantown Ave to get to school; it was a back way I took to avoid the annoying traffic on Broad Street. Although that particular area has a lot of neglected buildings and property, I always drove through there noticing that it was still pretty vibrant with the shops and activity of the locals getting to where they had to go.

Aside from the amazing colors that bring the drab buildings to life, what I love most is that the community was actively involved in the project. From picking colors to assisting with some of the painting, this mural allowed Haas and Hahn to get to know and work with the shop owners and residents (versus imposing a piece of art work into their space).

It's still a work in progress but I can't wait to see when it's all complete. And I hope they can make their next project happen in Baltimore. My new home.

Read more about the project here and here. And if you live in or around Philly definitely check it out.

R(ad)ical Love: Sister Mary Corita

Several months back I shared the work of Sister Mary Corita after being blown away by her alphabet prints I saw at Art Basel Miami. When I learned there was an exhibition, R(ad)ical Love: Sister Mary Corita, featuring her serigraphs as a social activist showing at the The National Museum of Women in the Arts I knew I had to make time to visit.

I went with my friend e and we were in that room over an hour admiring, reading, and gawking at every single print. Sister Mary Corita's color sense is incredible. She used unexpected combinations with pops of color that vibrated off her thought-provoking pieces. e loved her use of tone on tone ink on paper technique which made some things invisible at first glance but brought in the viewer a little more if they noticed there was something else there to be read.

And the text. Sister Mary Corita was clearly well read and very involved in her community. She pulled quotes, intriguing newspaper clippings, and poetry into her pieces to give them another layer of thought. You could tell she really had her eyes and ears opened to what was going on during that very intense era of the sixties. She interpreted the social injustices and political fires of that time into her work in a way that simply spoke to love, unity, peace, and God.

She also had an eye for design. Sister Mary Corita incorporated pop icons, logos, and imagery into her work giving her messages double, sometimes triple meanings.

I love her work! I really wish she was still with us today, I have so many questions to ask her.

This body of work is a must see. I hope you get a chance to check it out.

(I don't think I was allowed to take pics, but had to for you to see. So please excuse my quick iPhone pics.)

Rest in Peace Chuck Brown

D.C. is mourning the loss of a legend.

I am so sad that one of our musical heroes has passed away.

Growing up in the D.C. area go-go music plays a major part in the soundtrack of my life. And Mr. Chuck Brown, our Godfather of Go-Go, dominated that section. Every cookout, cabaret (parties thrown in rented out spaces), every party played music by Chuck. (We lovingly and respectfully called him Chuck.) People always had their favorite go-go bands, usually bands that represented where you were from, but everyone loved and would go see Chuck.

When I would come home from college for the summer, every weekend my girlfriend and I would ask, "we goin' to see Chuck?" Go-gos were expensive, but everyone paid whatever to see Chuck Brown. You knew if he was performing then you were in for a good time.

Even if you're not from the D.C. area I'm sure you've heard his songs, if not his own, you've heard his brilliance sampled in songs like "Tambourine" by Eve and Nelly's "Hot in Herre." I knew about these but when I did a search I didn't realize how much his music was sampled (check out this link).

We will miss Chuck Brown but I know for sure his spirit lives on through his music and through the people who loved him.

Thank you for your light, Mr. Chuck Brown.

The Bearden Project

In celebration of the centennial birthday and the many contributions of artist Romare Bearden, The Studio Museum of Harlem created The Bearden Project; a collection of works by contemporary artists who have been influenced and inspired by the famous artist. Expect to see dynamic pieces from Xaviera Simmons, Lorna Simpson, Shinique Smith, Mickalene Thomas among many others. On The Bearden Project official website some of the featured artists share a some examples of their work along with a synopsis of how they were influenced by Bearden; these are great reads, especially if you can't make it to the exhibition.

Learn more about The Bearden Project here.