Mod Bird Collection
For my birthday one year, my boyfriend got me a pair of binoculars and Peterson's field guide to birds for our region; I've been captivated by their beauty ever since. I created a series of Midwest bird illustrations inspired by Art Deco and Mid-century graphics. They began as just a personal project and evolved to be used on acrylic mirrors and sold as prints. Created in Adobe Illustrator.
The Challenge
Not every bird is the same shape and size, but I always keep the proportions uniform in these graphics. I made that decision because these birds are not meant to be literal representations, they're intended to be icons with focus on strong graphic patterns and colors to represent each species. Because of this, the biggest challenge is successfully portraying each unique bird in a uniform manner, which takes a lot planning and revision.
Image Descriptions
First: Picture taken while making triptych prints. I've been selling prints of these birds in sets of 2 and 3, each with a unique combo of birds and background colors. Alone they are just a simple bird graphic, but in sets they can tell a colorful narrative. This print utilizes different split triad color schemes in the backgrounds and illustrations.
Second: First bird rendered, a Northern Cardinal. When creating this template, I drew inspiration from the sleek, streamlined shapes in the Art Deco movement and the strong color blocks and blobs found in Mid-century graphics (and wallpaper).
Third: The initial 5 minute sketch that inspired this series. I often sketch on Post-it notes and carry a pack with me wherever I go because the best ideas are the spontaneous ones that come with no warning. I opted not to use any graphics in the backgrounds, settling for a simple two-tone color variation to add depth, however I am now exploring background elements that might make some of these birds stronger and anchor them to a scene.
Fourth: Sell sheet featuring a handful of my birds on a children's acrylic mirror. While doing freelance mirror designs, I was rendering these birds for personal use on the side. They ended up being used in a different line of acrylic mirrors when the idea was proposed to include them. *Actual mirror design by SeKure's creative team.
Fifth: The latest bird I am working on, a Peace Dove. This bird was inspired by the tragedy in Ukraine and its' the first bird to have another graphic element included, the olive branch. It's still a work in progress as I feel the body needs more flourishes (or the background), but I wanted to include it to show the new direction this project is going in.