Thesis: Visual Component

Here's what I've been working on for the past two or three weeks. These drawings were part of the visual component of my thesis, and were displayed at our Illustration thesis exhibit on March 4th. They are studies for the proposed Risen Savior Triptych.

11 x 14 pencil on bristol, 2011

24 x 17" charcoal on Arches cold press, 2011

8 x 6" watercolor on Arches cold press, 2011

11 x 8" digital, 2011

Just for Perspective...

Just to give you a good idea of the space I'm working with, this is a picture of the sanctuary at Risen Savior. It has very nice natural lighting. But as you can see, the chancel is quite minimal. My task will be to design the triptych so that it fits into the space without appearing as an afterthought. Easier said than done!

Triptych mock-up

This was my proposal mock-up for the triptych at Risen Savior Lutheran Church in Pooler. Whether they approve the project or not, I'm also hoping to fully incorporate the triptych into my thesis.

Text: 1 Cor. 15:21-22 "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

Creature Planet

I love doing these "Creature Planet" competitions at CGHub every once in a while. They're fun creative exercises. Following some creature specs that the moderator provided, I made the following image and wrote the accompanying description:

The Bomorian scinos is a reclusive inhabitant of mile-deep caves that riddle the jungles and rainforests there. No daylight can reach this deep into the planet, so the scinos has learned to navigate without eyesight. It is an amphibious fish-like creature with six limbs, sharp triangular teeth, and translucent skin. The average adult weighs 3 kg., or about 6.6 lbs. It inhabits the ice-cold subterranean lakes and the rocky areas surrounding them. Its diet is mostly carnivorous, but it can survive on plankton for short intervals of time.

The scinos cannot see, so it uses its senses of touch, sound, and smell to locate prey. The bioluminescent markers on its body help to attract its favorite meal, the Bomor lantern beetle. Lantern beetles create their own light and are drawn to other lights. The scinos waits under the surface of the water, with its snorkel-like sensor protruding above. When the beetle is close enough, the scinos will jump out of the water and snap it up.

The male and female scinos are nearly indistinguishable, except for the strong odor that females produce in order to attract mates. A female scinos lays 8-10 eggs in a nest just at the edge of the water. She remains with them until they hatch into their larval form.

MFA Thesis Proposal

Beyond being an illustrator, I aspire to be a liturgical artist. The world that the contemporary Christian artist faces is one that is still reeling from the iconoclastic effects of Modernism. It generally believes that adhering to tradition is destructive to artistic innovation. This thesis will be an investigation into the various historical instances of iconoclasm in the church, the roles that tradition and innovation play in art for worship, and how these ideals can be positively applied to the present situation. The final part of the thesis, however, will be to propose, plan, design, and pitch an altar painting to the congregation of an actual church. This will put into practical effect all of the key issues dealt with in the thesis.

Apprenticeship

I began my first day as an intern/apprentice with artist James Langley (website) today. He is in the planning stages for a commissioned project on the stations of the cross. I'll probably be doing a lot of go-getting and cutting and preparing panels, but hopefully a lot of learning as well. I'm excited and very honored to be working with such a gifted artist—and especially one who shares a love and appreciation for spiritual artwork.