Charley Harper Illustration (Triptych)
In a style he called "minimal realism", Charley Harper captured the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements. When asked to describe his unique visual style, Charley responded:
When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.
Assignment:
When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.
Assignment:
- Choose an organism (animal, insect, plant, tree, etc) to represent in its natural environment
- Draw in Illustrator a "stylized" version of the organism
- Keep in mind shapes, colors, patterns, and environmental "clues"
- Create a mini-story in 3 parts about the organism to form a triptych
- Use the vertical or horizontal templates provided for the illustration (be creative in your "interpretation", allow yourself to use representational as well as abstract forms and images