KIM

THESIS 2014ILLUSTRATION PRACTICE MFA

2 KIMTHESIS 2014

P 1 2 3The Beginning

4-5 6-11 12-18 19-31

Inspiration and Background

In the Garden Editorial through Nature

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3

3

5 6E4Textiles and Patterns

32-45 46-55 56-67 68-73

Book Covers The Exhibition The Future

CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 EPILOGUE

4 KIMTHESIS 2014

The BeginningPROLOGUE

Thesis Exhibition 2014

5

The Beginning

What is visual communication? It’s about problem solving, delivering a concept, a message, a visual narrative, but above all it is about telling your own story. Steven Heller mentions in his book The Education of an Illustrator, “As the line between illustration and graphic design blurs, illustration has become an integral component of visual strategy. It has become necessary for illustrators to expand in to a more self-sufficient role and take total control of the creative content.” I also acknowledge the importance of taking an entrepreneurial role and working in collaboration across various disciplines. It has become ever more important for illustrators to be versatile, and I fully embrace that role. Now I would like to lead you through my journey in discovering my role in the world of illustration.

PROLOGUE

6 KIMTHESIS 2014

Inspiration and BackgroundCHAPTER 1

7

Inspiration and BackgroundCHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

I’m an illustrator that loves drawing plants and the natural world.

8 KIMTHESIS 2014

9

The natural world and observing organic forms have always been a part of my life.

As long as I can remember, I have always been astounded by the genius of the natural world. As a child I reveled in curiosity when encountering the natural landscape. I found pleasure in discovering new phenomena in nature, and often paid careful attention to inanimate details that defined a certain plant or element in the natural world. The brilliance of their engineering never ceased to surprise me. I find inspiration in things that are grow, live and transform through time.

CHAPTER 1

10 KIMTHESIS 2014

Drawing the natural world makes me

HAPPY

Transparent Things, 8.5”x11” Digital ,2013

11CHAPTER 1

My illustration work has a wide range—from product design, iPhone apps to editorial work—but they all remain genuinely personal through the use of my own voice and visual vocabulary that stems from my personal interests. I strive to connect the viewer with a visual experience that is both aesthetically sophisticated and visually eloquent. As long as I can remember, I have always been astounded by the genius of the natural world. As a child I reveled in curiosity when encountering the natural landscape. I found pleasure in discovering new phenomena in nature, and often paid careful attention to inanimate details that defined a certain plant or element in the natural world. The brilliance of their engineering never ceased to surprise me. This fascination with the natural world shows through my work as the driving force that narrates my concepts and ideas.

My studio work involves taking natural, organic forms inspired by nature to create, expand, and explore the world of image making. The vitality of living, breathing organisms animate the world I create, and through this world I strive to solve problems and provide solutions that perpetuate wonder. My digital paintings integrate intricate digital brush strokes with bold textures. I combine different types of scanned textures within a composition to create an organic and traditional surface. As an illustrator my goal is to create images that cause people to appreciate the natural world and captivate them in its graceful beauty through unexpected avenues.

12 KIMTHESIS 2014

In the GardenCHAPTER 2

A series of images inspired by the theme of gardening[CLOCKWISE] Wheelbarrow,

2014 Garden Tools, 2014 Gardening Boots, 2014 Flower

Cluster, 2014 Watering Can, 2014

This series of images were created specifically for the exhibition with the theme of gardening in mind.

The images are decorative in nature, and can be applied to a variety of different avenues pertaining

to the field of illustration. The images are suitable for greeting cards, prints for frames, a variety of surface

design and product application.

13

In the GardenCHAPTER 2

14 KIMTHESIS 2014

[LEFT] Gardening Boots, 5”x7” Digital, 2014[RIGHT] Garden Gnome, 8”x10” Digital, 2014

15

16 KIMTHESIS 2014

17

[LEFT] Wheelbarrow, 8”x10” Digital, 2014[RIGHT] Watering Can, 5”x7” Digital, 2014

CHAPTER 2

18 KIMTHESIS 2014

Garden Tools, 5”x7” Digital ,2014

Flower Cluster, 5”x7” Digital ,2014

19

Editorial IllustrationCHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

Select Editorial Images[TOP TO BOTTOM] Overcoming Obstacles, 2013 Contained Risk, 2014 More Than Meets the Eye,

2014 Vanity, 2013

For my thesis work I wanted to draw images that I was intuitively attracted to, while challenging

myself to think conceptually, and quickly. Editorial illustration addressed all aspects of illustration

that I wanted to investigate and explore while sharpening my skills to brainstorm, come up with

concepts and work somewhat quickly. I researched certain prompts that were associated with popular

editorial assignments and created images that accompanied a prompt. Each image below is

paired with a prompt that helps guide the message along. All editorial assignments use natural and

organic elements to solve specific visual problems associated with each prompt.

20 KIMTHESIS 2014

Overcoming Obstacles, 9.5”x12.5” Digital ,2013

21

Contained Risk, 9.5”x12.5” Digital ,2014

CHAPTER 3

22 KIMTHESIS 2014

23

Transferring Risk, 18”x12.5” Digital ,2014

CHAPTER 3

24 KIMTHESIS 2014

More Than Meets the Eye, 9.5”x12.5” Digital ,2014

25

Vanity, 9.5”x12.5” Digital, 2013

CHAPTER 3

26 KIMTHESIS 2014

27Same But Different, 18”x12.5” Digital ,2014 CHAPTER 3

28 KIMTHESIS 2014

What Goes Around Comes Around, 12.5”x12.5” Digital ,2014

29

Finding the Way Forward, 9.5”x12.5” Digital,2013

CHAPTER 3

30 KIMTHESIS 2014

Trapped, 12.5”x9.5” Digital, 2014

“I wanted to solve visual problems while

incorporating themes I love to draw most.”

31The Good Die Young, 11.2”x16.6” Digital, 2014

32 KIMTHESIS 2014

Patterns and TextilesCHAPTER 4

Gardener’s Soap Poisonous Plants

33

CHAPTER 4

Gardener’s Soap

34 KIMTHESIS 2014Peppermint Pumice Cedarwood

35Coffee Mint

36 KIMTHESIS 2014

Gardener’s Soap Lavender Oatmeal

37

Peppermint Pumice

38 KIMTHESIS 2014

Gardener’s Soap Imaginary Plants

39

Carnivorous Plants

40 KIMTHESIS 2014

The pattern workshop with Julia Rothman opened up possibilities to numerous ideas. After becoming versed in the world of licensing, Julia guided us through an extensive demo on traditional pattern tiling and digital tiling. Afterwards we were to create five patterns under the same aesthetic or theme and apply it to a product. The Brooklyn based soap company SAIPUA was my main inspiration. I selected five different soap scents and created the patterns based on the name of the soap. The Gardener’s Soap features a blooming garden, the Oatmeal Lavender highlights the lavender scent, Peppermint Pumice emanate freshly picked mint, Cedarwood represents the woodsy, more masculine scent, and Coffee Mint encapsulates the deep aromas of warm coffee. All patterns are united by organic forms and plant matter while differentiated by colors.

[LEFT] Detail shots of the Binoo soap packaging.

41CHAPTER 4

42 KIMTHESIS 2014

43

“Packaging design should sell the product, protect the product and facilitate the use of the product. ”

[LEFT] Detail shots of the soap packaging. The packaging was applied to other bath products to show variety of application methods.

CHAPTER 4

44 KIMTHESIS 2014

Patterns Applied to FabricTapestry, 36”x44” Cotton Linen

My interest in patterns and textiles began during my first year at MICA. During a pattern workshop, I discovered my interest in

organic continuous patterns, especially repeat patterns where you cannot tell where the specific pattern “tile” is located. I have a love for

patterns that weave in and out and flow continuously. With patterns, the opportunity for application is endless. With these specific

patterns, they were inspired by specific grouping of plants and designed with those specific color schemes.

45CHAPTER 4

46 KIMTHESIS 2014

Book CoversCHAPTER 5

Warm Soup Recipes From Grandma5”x7” Digital, 2012

In addition to editorial illustration, I wanted to investigate the art of book covers. During the first year, I had worked on a publishing project that allowed me to create a “pitch” for an idea and determine the type of publication as well as the market it is aimed at. I wanted to create a recipe book that combined a grandmother’s tradition and seasoned wisdom with a more modern take on the tradition. The initial story was that the granddaughter found recipe clippings that belonged to her grandmother in the attic. This soup journal is a collaged book of personal stories she associates with each of the found recipe clipping. Through this recipe book I wanted to convey warmth and family tradition that is passed on to future generations. The audience for this book would be someone who enjoys cooking, but also likes looking at nostalgic stories and illustrated books.

By redesigning well-known chapter books, I was able to develop an understanding of traditional parts and functions of illustration and design when it pertains to books as well as the fundamentals in choosing the themes to visualize a narrative. I explored and researched different types of book cover imagery and effective design that is functional/practical in the book publishing industry. I mostly targeted Young Reader books, but also designed some decorative book covers for a poetry chapbook collection.

47

CHAPTER 5

48 KIMTHESIS 2014

49

Warm Soup Recipes From GrandmaInterior Spreads, 5”x7” Digital, 2012

CHAPTER 5

50 KIMTHESIS 2014

Anne of Green Gables, 5.06”x7.81” Digital, 2014

51

Nancy Drew-The Secret of the Old Clock, 5.1”x7.6” Digital, 2013

CHAPTER 5

52 KIMTHESIS 2014

53

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, 12.06”x8.6” Digital, 2014

CHAPTER 5

54 KIMTHESIS 2014

Poetry Society of America Chapbook Designs, 4.5”x6.5” Digital, 2014

55CHAPTER 5

56 KIMTHESIS 2014

Thesis ExhibitionCHAPTER 6

57

CHAPTER 6

Exhibition To-Scale Mock-up Model, 2014

My thesis exhibition was divided into three parts. Initially, I started out with a mock model that indicated the spatial layout of the gallery. In the far left corner, I built two shelves that held more intimate illustrated objects such as framed prints, book covers and ceramics. In the center, I displayed my editorial pieces, which were digital prints wrapped in foam core. To the far right, I hand sewed printed fabric and hung them as tapestry. As a whole, I wanted the exhibition to represent me as an illustrator and a creator of things.

CHAPTER 6

58 KIMTHESIS 2014

59

Logo Design and FabricationWood, Laser-cut, 2014

CHAPTER 6

60 KIMTHESIS 2014

61

Nature Inspired Ceramic DesignCeramic, 2013

CHAPTER 6

62 KIMTHESIS 2014

63CHAPTER 6

64 KIMTHESIS 2014

65CHAPTER 6

66 KIMTHESIS 2014

67CHAPTER 6

68 KIMTHESIS 2014

The FutureEPILOGUE

[LEFT]Hi-Fructose Magazine Redesign9.5”x12” Digital, 2012

What is in store for me in the future? I have always loved design and illustration. I firmly believe that the two fields go hand-in-hand. After all, aren’t both fields about visual problem solving? Whether it is a specific design for a client, or an illustration that is accompanying an article, they both require understanding of the audience, and the brand that it represents. I would love to work in an environment where I can utilize both my design skills and my illustration skills. Publishing houses are an excellent match since they require confidence in typography, layout and hierarchy as well as the ability to harmoniously combine image and type.

I am also interested in stationery, paper goods and the world of licensing. I enjoy branding and product design. I believe application of illustration to different materials is endless. I am excited for what the future has in store for me!

69

EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

70 KIMTHESIS 2014

71

Hi-Fructose Magazine RedesignInterior Spreads, 9.5”x12” Digital, 2012

EPILOGUE

72 KIMTHESIS 2014

73

Harvard University Art Museums NewsletterDigital, 2012

EPILOGUE

74 KIMTHESIS 2014

Thank you!Whitney Sherman, Jaime Zollars, Rebecca Bradley, Eric Leland, Lydia Nichols, Shadra Strickland and all of the lovely faculty and staff members at MICA.

To Aaron, Marki, Mom, Dad and Guhn for all their support and love.

Finally to my lovely Illustration Practice family. It was an honor to spend the past two years with you all. I am eternally grateful for your friendship, love and support.

75

THESIS 2014All materials copyright Seo Gyoung Kimwww.seokim.com

KIM