Category Archives: Illustration Alumni
Parsons Illustration Faculty included in Society of Illustrators show
Several artists affiliated with Parsons Illustration are featured in “Artists Against the War“, a show presented by The Society of Illustrators in collaboration The Nation magazine. Parsons faculty members Wendy Popp and Guy Billout, as well as Illustration alum Peter Kuper all have works on view.
The official press release reads:
This show is the expression of over 60 of the top graphic artists and illustrators working in the United States and abroad whose anguish has compelled them to produce works that challenge the self-destructive ignorance, indifference, incompetence and corruption that is the result of US Middle East foreign policy. These works of art will give a voice to those whose views are not represented by the mainstream media. We will be using this forum as a way to support those most directly affected by the harsh consequences of military combat—the brave men and women who serve their country as well as their family members who must live with the affects of war long after the parades are over.
You can view images from the online show here and/or visit the Society before the show closes on January 26th, 2008. Additionally, there will be a panel discussion called, “The Media: The First Casualty in Iraq” which takes place Wednesday, January 23rd at 7 p.m. ($10/$6 for students).
The Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues)
New York, NY 10021-7303
Tel: (212) 838-2560
E-Mail: info@societyillustrators.org
[Images by Guy Billout, Peter Kuper, and Wendy Popp.]
Illustration Alum Brian Wood’s comic DMZ written up in Print Magazine
Illustration alum Brian Wood is garnering attention in a recent article in Print Magazine. Author and artist of DMZ, a comic book he creates with artist Riccardo Burchielli, Wood tackles the tricky issue of war in his work, creating a re-imagined America ripped apart by disunion. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
A rocket explodes in a neighborhood in the middle of a war zone, and a U.S. Army division arrives to survey the scene. The commander turns to the embedded photojournalist who’s been traveling with them and suggests a way to characterize the photographs he’s taking: “Insurgent cell defeated en route to engage American forces’ or something. Whatever. And crop out the small bodies.”
It could have happened last week in Baghdad or Fallujah. But this scene is set in downtown Manhattan, in the future—in the comic book DMZ for Vertigo/DC Comics. Writer Brian Wood and artist Riccardo Burchielli’s ongoing series, which imagines a devastating civil war in the United States, is one of a new class of mainstream comics: stories that are clearly responding to the war in Iraq without referring to it directly. Using settings and characters that are futuristic, surreal, or satiric, these new comics go where the network news fears to tread.
Make sure to read the rest of the article here. Visit DC Comics/Vertigo to pick up the most recent issue of DMZ (on sale today!). Congrats to Brian on his thought-provoking work. We’re proud to call him an alum!
Late Breaking News: Illustration Faculty Bob Sikoryak at Comic Book Club tonight!
Illustration adjunct faculty Bob Sikoryak will be part of tonight’s edition of COMIC BOOK CLUB at the People’s Improv Theater. Named as part of the Best New York Press 2007, Comic Book Club is a live weekly talk show about comic books, hosted by Justin Tyler, Pete LePage, and Alex Zalben. Here’s an excerpt from a recent article in the New York Times:
The show, held in the People’s Improv black-box theater, has a minimal set: Two couches that look as if they were rescued from a 1970s rec room flank a screen displaying computer graphics. An audiovisual booth is situated at stage left and is run by Booth Man (Michael Solis, 26), the self-described supervillain of the troupe because he doesn’t read comics.
Each show is divided into segments including “The Stack,” in which the hosts and guests discuss the previous week’s notable comic books; “The Week in Geek,” about industry news, like, say, a creator’s signing of an exclusive contract, or the new trailer for “Speed Racer”; and trivia, in which an audience member tries to win a $25 gift certificate to Midtown Comics, a sponsor of the show. It’s a friendly quiz, and Mr. LePage supplies obvious hints to stumped contestants. There is also often a musical act.
The heart of the show is the chemistry among the three men, all aspiring comedians, whether discussing the annual, a comic book series’s larger, bonus issue, traditionally published in the summer (Mr. Zalben: “I miss annuals. You don’t get them anymore. You used to expect them every year.” Mr. Tyler: “Hence the word annual.”) or their recollections of a particular fan who has attended nearly every show.
Read the rest of the article here and try to catch the show tonight if you can. Tickets are only $5!
Tuesday, January 8th @ 8:00 PM
Featuring: Kyle Baker (Plastic Man, Special Forces) & R. Sikoryak (Nickelodeon, Drawn & Quarterly)
The People’s Improv Theater
154 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor
Between 6th and 7th Aves.
Questions? 212-563-748
Illustration Alumna Leah Hayes does McSweeney’s cover art!
Parsons Illustration alumna Leah Hayes created the front and back cover art for McSweeney’s 25, a quarterly journal of sorts that features a wide range of literary and artistic endeavors including illustrated fables, sketchbooks, short stories, audio recordings, and comics. This issue is described as:
If issues were anniversaries, this one would have to be printed on silver plates. You could melt it in some sort of forge and then pound it on an anvil until you had a set of earrings. Instead, it’s a hardcover book with stories by a few of our old favorites—Steven Millhauser, Joyce Carol Oates, Padgett Powell—and more than half a dozen others, investigating everything from ape men to unlucky island-hoppers to what happens when Canadians go AWOL in Bosnia. Pound this one on an anvil and it’ll pound you right back.
Grab your copy of Leah’s fantastic cover (and McSweeney’s wonderful content) at the McSweeney’s store and don’t forget about her upcoming full-length graphic novel, Funeral of the Heart, which we wrote about in our holiday gift guide this past December. Good work, Leah!
The Illustration Holiday Shopping List: The Finale
Here it is, the last installment of the Illustration Holiday Shopping List. Make sure to check the other three episodes in the series!
Illustration Faculty Dan Nadel completed his huge compendium work–Art Out of Time–during his time here at Parsons, and it’s a doozy. From the official write-up about the book:
Art Out of Time reprints complete comic book and comic strip stories, most of which are being reprinted here for the first time since their initial publication. Among the artists included are Rory Hayes, Gene Deitch, Dick Briefer, Boody Rogers, and Charles Forbell. In five thematic sections, this anthology is a counter-history of comics, containing nearly thirty often-unknown visionary American cartoonists from 1900 to 1969. These artists foreshadowed and influenced the innovations within the comics medium of today.
You can find copies of Dan’s book (as well as a plethora of other books, shirts, prints, etc.) at PictureBox, his publishing outfit.
As previously reported, Illustration Chair Steven Guarnaccia and Illustration Faculty Nora Krug are featured in the latest issue of Blab! Magazine, compiled by Monte Beauchamp. Blab! is an annual collection of some of the finest and most exciting visual work out there today. Steven’s piece focuses on miniature golf, while Nora focuses on a more serious subject: No Man’s Land.
Get your copy from Fantagraphics!
A plethora of Illustration Faculty members are included in Steve Heller and Marshall Arisman‘s great resource book: Teaching Illustration. The book includes syllabi from an array of Illustration courses and describes different teaching techniques that can be utilized to really help create more productive classes. From the official description of the book:
Teaching Illustration is a must-have for any college-level art instructor. Packed with a wealth of illustration course syllabi from leading art and design schools across the U.S. and Europe, it offers exciting ideas on topics from editorial illustration to animation, books, and the Internet. Each syllabus includes an introduction, course requirements, a weekly breakdown, suggestions for projects, and selected readings–a comprehensive array of topics, reading lists, and teaching tips for courses at all levels. For beginning educators seeking guidance or for veterans seeking new inspiration, Teaching Illustration is essential for the craft of teaching the next generation of illustrators.
Illustration Faculty members Viktor Koen, Trey Hoyumpa (also an Illustration alumna!), Neil Swaab, Nora Krug, and Dan Nadel all have featured syllabi! This is a great book for instructors, students, and anyone interested in learning/teaching more effectively. You can purchase the book here!
Illustration Alumni Sun Min Kim and David Horvath have a ton of their incredibly popular Ugly Dolls available practically everywhere you go, as well as copies of David’s recent book (and toy) Bossy Bear.
You can buy both of these rockin’ items through Giant Robot, but make sure to check out David and Sun Min’s websites as well for news, artwork, and other bits of merchandise that might be out there.
While we’re waiting for Illustration Faculty Ben Katchor to finish up his new book, you can check out some of his work in the latest volume of Best American Comics (2007), edited by Chris Ware. Publisher’s Weekly states:
This collection isn’t about such heroes or villains, it’s about humor, fear, the finely observed details of life, and things of a generally more personal and less world-threatening nature. That (as well as a predilection toward Midwestern artists) is what you get when Ware (Acme Novelty Library) is guest editor. The book includes work from 39 different artists, but it’s hard to find a weak entry…
Grab your copy here and then go over to Ben’s website for a comic archive, as well as more news about his goings-on.
The Illustration Holiday Shopping List: Part Three
Another installment of the Illustration-related list o’ goodies is headed your way…now! If you missed the first couple of installments, catch them here & here.
Future Watch: Illustration Alumna Leah Hayes will publish her first, full-length graphic novel in 2008, titled Funeral of the Heart. The official description reads:
“Funeral of the Heart” is Leah Hayes’ stylistic tour-de-force and graphic novel debut, featuring a series of short stories by Hayes and illustrated entirely using the otherworldly medium of scratchboard. Hayes creates a world of unease and ambiguity populated by obsessive characters, forlorn animals, and mysterious, inanimate objects; odd occurrences, unnerving deaths and unconventional but genuine love bind these characters and their stories together. In “The Bathroom,” a middle-aged couple discover a mysterious tunnel in their poolhouse after a neighbor’s child accidentally drowns in their pool–leading to an immaculate bathroom and another drowning. In “The Needle,” two sisters suffer the death of their grandmother as well as her possible resurrection at the hands of the woman with the needle.
The stories are hand lettered and juxtaposed against stark, highly stylized, graphically powerful, black and white images. Stories with titles like “The Bathroom,” “The Needle,” and “The Hair” sound innocuous, but they aren’t fables that should be read to one’s children–unless your children enjoy being made uneasy by beautiful things.
We couldn’t say it much better than that. Check out Leah’s website for images of her other work and keep your eyes out for Funeral of the Heart early next year. In fact, you can already pre-order it on Amazon and Powells, or you can wait and purchase it directly from Fantagraphics, who also published Leah’s earlier work, Holy Moly.
Illustration Faculty member Lauren Redniss published her first book, Century Girl, this year. Here’s a synopsis, taken from Lauren’s website:
When Doris Eaton was born on March 14, 1904, the average American could expect to live 47 years. Today, at 102, the 5′ 2,” blue-eyed Virginia native has already lived more than two of these life spans.
In 1918, Doris kicked up the youngest pair of legs in the bedazzling, feathered chorus line of Florenz Ziegfeld’s annual Follies stage spectacular. For her 100th birthday in 2004, Doris was back on the same Broadway stage, in black taffeta skirt and silver heels, leading a conga line of a dozen dancers.
By the time she received her honorary doctorate at age 101, Doris had starred in silent and talking pictures, performed for presidents and princesses, bantered with Babe Ruth, offended Henry Ford, outlived six siblings, wrote a newspaper column, hosted a television show, earned a phi beta kappa degree in history (at 88), raised turkeys, and raced horses.
Century Girl is a visual biography of Doris’s first 100 years.
Praised by reviewers, Lauren’s work is a combination of hand-lettering, collage, archival materials, interviews, history, and general fantastic-ness. More information about how to buy can be found here.
Future watch: Illustration Faculty member Pat Cummings has a brand new children’s book available January, 2nd. 2008 called Harvey Moon, Museum Boy. Here’s a brief description:
To liven up his class trip, Harvey Moon brings his pet lizard, Zippy, along to the museum.
Whoops.
When Zippy escapes, Harvey’s adventures begin. You’ll be laughing and wondering what’s next as knights, dinosaurs, and even mummies get into the act.
Cut loose in a museum setting with a brave boy, a lively lizard, a funny plot—and award-winning author and artist Pat Cummings at her entertaining best.
Pre-order the book here and visit Pat’s website for artwork from a host of her other great books.
Illustration Faculty Guy Billout’s latest children’s book The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea has garnered tons of critical praise for its storytelling and artwork. One review describes Guy’s book thusly:
Our heroine is Alice, a little green frog who is growing restless within the confines of her small pond: Alice knew every inch of the pond’s murky bottom and every hiding place amoung the reeds. She knew too, that she could swim from one side to the other with 28 kicks of her back legs. Spurred by a loquacious sea gull, Alice gets it into her head to leave home, taking only a rolled-up lily pad- great detail- to venture forth and see the ocen. A quest narrative, as they say.
The psychological hook for young children (or midlife parents) is obvious. Fortunately, Billout, whose writing is as disciplined as his artwork, doesn’t drive home the point with a nail gun in the manner of, say, Katzenberg-era Disney animation. Instead his story unfold simply, with grace, nuance and high style. I particularly loved his description of Alice’s first sighting of the ocean, which comes after a troubled sleep adrift on her pad: When Alice awoke the next morning, all she could see was blue. She looked in every direction for green riverbanks. In a moment of both joy and fright, she realized that she had reached the sea. Alice croaked softly. … The only reply was a gust of wind that blew across the surface of the water. The hook here- the lostness- is again compelling, and the illustration, of Alice riding a wave that honors Billout’s debt to traditional Japanese printmaking, is a thing of subtle beauty. But it’s that moment of both joy and fright that rally gets me. Beyond encouraging feelings, how many children’s books bother with that kind of emitional duality, let alone conflict?
Guy’s book is available now and you can always visit Guy’s website for more artwork and information.
Illustration Faculty Tara McPherson has a wide variety of items on the market now. Her most recent work produced the Bubble Yucky Dunny, Hug Life Hellboy, and the Alien Ion Dunny (seen above, in order), as well as other items available through Kid Robot and Tara’s own website. In other news, Tara is currently working on art for her upcoming solo show at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York, which will take place February 23rd-March 22nd, 2008.
One final installment of the list coming up soon!
The Illustration Holiday Shopping List: Part Two
Here’s the second installment of Illustration’s shopping list, where we spotlight art, publications, and various wares created by Illustration Department alumni and faculty.
Illustration Alum Aaron Stewart has created a line of pillows in the shape of fantastic pooches and cute kitties. Here’s an official description:
Created by Aaron Stewart and Hornet Toys, this line of comfy, cozy pillows features our first edition designs of bow-wow-beautiful doggies and purrrfectly snuggle-worthy kitties. PillowPillowPillows make a great gift for family, friends and you (why not give yourself a bone?). They appeal to pet lovers of every age, from cat-crazy kids to pooch-loving grandmas. Our pillows look great on your couch, in your car, on the plane and atop your bed too!
Aaron is hard at work on the second edition, but in the meantime, you can buy pieces from the first collection here. Make sure to check out Aaron’s website as well, where you can submit pictures of your own pet for future pillow immortalization!
Boathouse from The Central Park Drawings, Ronnie Lawlor
Parsons Alumna and Illustration Faculty Ronnie Lawlor has a series of drawings from Central Park available through Gallery 1482, a site that features a variety of artist and graphic communicators. As Ronnie says, “Studio 1482 consists of nine members with one common goal – to communicate visually in new, unique and exciting ways. Each member of the studio works both as an individual and in concert with the other eight. The studio is based on reportage – drawing and illustrating on site. This kind of engagement creates unusual visual solutions that are graphically appropriate for the problem at hand.” Soon, another series by Ronnie, called Sensations, will be made available.
Illustration Alumni and Faculty member Bob Sikoryak contributed several illustrations to Our Dumb World: The Onion’s Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition. Bob is also working on some animation and fake archival graphics for the feature film “The Bentfootes,” a dance mockumentary, which will be showing at the Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, as a part of The Dance On Camera Festival, January 5 and 6, 2008. Program 9 on the festival features the Bentfootes & a few shorts and happens on Saturday, Jan 5th at 4 p.m. (repeats Sunday, Jan 6th at 8:30pm).
Walter Reade Theatre
Lincoln Center Plaza,165 West 65th Street
January 2-6, 11, 18-19, 2008
Illustration Faculty member Neil Swaab has two volumes of his popular comic, Mr. Wiggles available–Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles: Vol. 1 and Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles (Attitude Featuring) (Attitude). An interview with Neil once announced that, “rumour has it Mr. Wiggles may have been born out of some “orgy with Smokey the Bear, Winnie the Pooh, Snuggles the fabric-softener Bear (later murdered by Wiggles, see Vol 1) and a loose female Build-A-Bear.” DNA results are still pending.”
Catch more of Mr. Wiggles here and also make sure check out Neil’s antics at his website.
The Illustration Holiday Shopping List: Part One
Over the next week, there will be several posts featuring books, crafts, art, and various other wares created by Illustration Department students, alums, and faculty members. Here’s a sneak peek, starting with items from two Illustration Alums. Enjoy!
Illustration Alum Isabel Samaras has created a limited edition jigsaw puzzle out of her recent painting Song of Birth: The 3 Magi. Here’s what she says on her blog:
The edition for this puzzle is only 50, they are $50 each (plus shipping), and they have 50 pieces — just kidding! They actually have 192 pieces — *that* oughta keep you busy for a while!
Learn more about this special item here and make sure to visit Isabel’s website to see more of her work.
Coco Masada (Illustration, ’83) recently opened an online store, showcasing apparel and merchandise featuring her artwork. Browse her collection of ornaments, t-shirts, and other goodies here. See more of Coco’s work on her website.
Illustration Faculty Wendy Popp has several books available including One Candle. A brief description reads:
Amidst the food and the festivities of Hanukkah, Grandma and Great-Aunt Rose tell their story. Bunting’s touching and joyous story about the importance of remembrance is exquisitely rendered by Popp’s remarkable pastels.
Wendy has taught Sophomore Concepts in the Illustration Department for a number of years. Find copies of her book here!
Check back soon for new posts with more gift ideas!
From the Vault: Illustration Alum Jill Bliss Rallies to Keep Gocco Alive!
Back in October, an article in the New York Times discussed Parsons Illustration Alumna Jill Bliss and her efforts to revive production of Gocco printers. What is Gocco, you ask? According to Jill’s site…
In the 1970’s Noboru Hayama, a printer and the japanese inventor of the “print gocco” system, wished to develop a quick and easy household color printing system. cleverly combining the basic priciples of screenprinting and rubber-stamping, “print gocco” is a clean, easy, and fully self-contained compact system that exposes and prints all in one unit.
And here is an excerpt from the New York Times article, written by Rob Walker:
Turns out that Print Gocco is both better known and somehow cooler than it has ever been here. And this is almost certainly because in late 2005, the Riso Kagaku Corporation, now an international and largely digital business, announced that Gocco was dead.It was this surprise announcement that inspired Jill Bliss to start a Web site called Save Gocco, which became a centerpiece of a product-fandom community (or at least a cult). Bliss, who used a Gocco machine she bought on eBay in her handmade stationery business, Blissen, says she threw together the site “on a whim.” She handed out some press packets at the Bazaar Bizarre craft fair in Los Angeles, and soon SaveGocco.com became ground zero of Gocco-withdrawal angst. The site ultimately collected more than a thousand names of enthusiasts, in a show of strength that the signers hoped might inspire some entity to start making the product again. It also carried news of Gocco art shows that started to pop up, and it listed retail resources. Wang says interest in the process among artists and crafters was already gaining momentum when word got out that the device was going to disappear. “Then there was just this urgency,” she recalls, “to find a Gocco.”
Read the rest of the article here. Visit SaveGocco.com for more information about Gocco printing.
If you live on the West Coast, don’t miss Jill Bliss’s show, currently at Giant Robot in Los Angeles. See more of her work and wares at her personal website.
(image from SaveGocco.com)