I enjoy creating illustrations for projects to help the viewer understand the topic or issue more so than if they just read it. Being able to take specific criteria and turn them into my own vision has the power to inspire new ideas. My work is bright, crisp, and inviting and often involves cross-hatching, color blocking, and textures.
There is a significant difference between my professional work and my schoolwork because of the audience. For school, using my voice is encouraged. Professionally, I recognize that it is vital to include the client and remain unbiased to reach the masses. Working in these two capacities has given me the ability to be versatile with my work.
My process is conceptually based and grounded in research. First, I sketch out concepts that come to mind, usually a compositional idea or form. I then look through articles, books, photos, and my own materials to feel comfortable enough with the topic to inform others. After more sketching, I focus on what I want the audience to experience. I mostly work digitally because it provides various mediums and opportunities that do not exist with analog forms. I start with a line drawing on my iPad to work out the composition and then move onto color and texture. My work lives in a pretty enclosed space with the reader, the author, and the publication.
My voice is a balance between my thoughts and ideas and the message that I want the viewer to receive. I am influenced by many personal experiences which inform my process and, ultimately, the work itself. Foremost is my ancestral history. Having ancestors who fought so hard to become who they did has always inspired me to never lose sight of who I want to be. Another influence includes the arts, especially music, film, and pottery. I also find myself inspired by the illustration community as a whole, especially those with the New Yorker.
My overarching goal is to tell a story to connect with the viewer. I want someone to look at my work and combine it with the article to arrive at their own conclusions. I get pleasure knowing that something I created may have helped others see another viewpoint.