November 7, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Urban Sketching and Plein-Air Painting

The November 2019 issue of The Artist’s Magazine is in bookstores and libraries now! The issue includes a feature story by Illustration Department teacher, John Roman, “Urban Sketching and Plein-Air Painting: Descendants of the Renaissance.” In the story John traces the roots of these popular genres back to The Renaissance.

The article also highlights the plein-air paintings of two MassArt Illustration Professors: Paul Olson and Frank Costantino, as well as urban sketching illustrations by MassArt Illustration Seniors (2020): Elizabeth Ogle, Cherish Springer, Dani Stratton and Pallavi Rawla that were created for John’s (Spring 2019) section of Technical Illustration.

It’s great to see our Illustration seniors’ work reproduced in a national magazine! Congratulations to the students and teachers involved!

Pallavi Rawla (BFA’20)

Elizabeth Ogle (BFA’20)

Dani Stratto (BFA ’20)

Cherish Springer (BFA’20)

Paul Olson, Visiting Lecturer

Frank Costantino, Visiting Lecturer

May 21, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Arlington International Film Festival Poster Contest

This semester Robert Maloney’s Experimental Illustration class collaborated with the Arlington International Film Festival to illustrate the image for their 2019 film festival poster. This year Biana Bova’s piece was chosen as the winning design.

Here’s what Biana had to say about her approach to the project. “My goal for this piece was to capture the energy and fun of this incredible film festival. The punchy colors and explosive collage immediately grab the viewer’s attention while the little details—such as vintage cameras and ticket stubs—narrate all the elements of the festival. The outlines of the continents on the human figure symbolize everyone from around the world who are participating.”

All the posters on display can be seen in the slideshow below:

May 20, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Sustainability Posters

This spring the Illustration Department collaborated with MassArt’s Sustainability Fellow, Jane Marsching, on a climate change assignment given to six sections of the Sophomore Illustration class. These 85 Sophomore Illustration students used the recent IPCC report as a prompt to create poster images that address the dire challenges that the City of Boston and the MassArt community face around the topic of climate change.

The posters were be exhibited on campus in the windows of the Treehouse Residence Hall.

Images from the poster exhibit can be viewed in the slideshow below:

April 26, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Earth Day 2019

Scott Bakal, Associate Professor in Illustration, was honored to be commissioned by the U.S. State Department to create the 2019 Earth Day poster which was sent to U.S. Embassies around the world to promote environmental programming. This year’s focus is on pollinators!

April 5, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Society of Illustrators Student Selections

Congratulations to the Illustration students who were accepted into this years Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Exhibit!

From the Society: In a competition which can kick start a career, students bring their most sophisticated, well-crafted and original work to be tested. A jury of professional peers, including illustrators and art directors, selects the most outstanding works created throughout the year. Pieces are accepted based on the quality of technique, concept and skill of medium used.

The following students have been accepted into the show which will be on display at the Society in May.

Title: Derealization
Student: Ellie Fortier
Medium: Acrylic on board
Instructor: Bob Maloney

Title: tarzan
Student: Liam Mahoney
Medium: hand drawn ink/ digital color
Instructor: Mark Reusch

Title: Pigeons
Student: Maude Njoku
Medium: Etching
Instructor: Nona Hershey

Title: house #1
Student: Jesse Scott
Medium: Graphite
Instructor: Malgorzata Zurakowska

Title: 1056 Ramsdell Drive
Student: Justin Valliere
Medium: 3 Color Screenprint
Instructor: Catarina Coehlo

Title: Dreadful Catastrophe
Student: Justin Valliere
Medium: Colored Pencil & Digital
Instructor: Robert Maloney

Title: City
Student: Dora Wang
Medium: Pencil & Digital
Instructor: Irena Roman

Title: Miss Cactus
Student: Dora Wang
Medium: Pencil & Digital
Instructor: Wesley Bedrosian

February 28, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Anthony Palocci in the MoMA Design Store

Congratulations to Visiting Lecturer Anthony Palocci, whose work is currently being featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store!

This MoMA Exclusive, original five-color screenprint, Voice-Operated, Hands-Free 5-Channel Walkie-Talkie with Headset Mic, was created by Anthony Palocci Jr. in 2019 as part of Kayrock’s limited edition FreshPrints! series. Palocci received his MFA from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York in 2012 with a concentration in painting and drawing.

“I found this walkie talkie while cleaning out my grandfather’s house in the woods of New Hampshire after he died. I like thinking about hiding in the woods and speaking to him on a two-way radio, ‘Ciao, Nonno. Is it time for supper?’ I am interested in the geometry of packaging and the architecture, structure and tactility of older technologies, I find their power as objects to be used, handled and manipulated a rich source of contemplation.” —Anthony Palocci Jr.

January 31, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Virtual Tableware

Popular new elective Virtual 3D Illustration has been serving up some incredible projects, including a recent assignment to make a set of crockery that could include vases, cups, bowls and plates. Students used a virtual lathe to extrude the shapes, assign a material and decorated with a painted motif if desired. The challenge of this project was to make a family of sculptures that all relate visually in some way. Students also had to consider the layout and placement of the group of objects as a virtual still life.

January 31, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Find Your Niche – The Artists Magazine

Visiting Lecturer John Roman’s article, “Find Your Niche: Narrowing your focus can actually widen your career horizon,” has been published in the current January/February 2019 issue of The Artists Magazine. The work of four MassArt Illustration alums are featured in the column: Emily Muller, Maria Palkon, Becca Cahan and Laura DeDonato Wiatt.

You can find the issue at any Barnes and Nobles and at most libraries (including the MassArt Library).

Emily Muller

Laura DeDonato Wiatt

January 3, 2019
by alice.stanne
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Experimental Illustration Collaboration with Improper Bostonian

This semester Robert Maloney’s Experimental Illustration class worked with the Improper Bostonian on an assignment about the Charles Playhouse Theater Company and it’s founding artistic director Michael Murray. In the decade of Murray’s tenure (1958-1969) the Charles launched the careers of several celebrity actors like Olympia Dukakis, John Cazale, Jane Alexander, Al Pacino, Ned Beatty, Jill Clayburgh as well as some famous musicians like Joe Raposa and even Sylvia Plath was a poet in residence.

Congratulations goes to Paul Seguin who’s piece was chosen and published in the December 26 issue of Improper Bostonian. Congratulations also goes to Hannah Businger and Elijah Watters who also had their pieces included in the online version.

October 1, 2018
by alice.stanne
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Day of Dead Skulls – Virtual 3D Illustration

The first project of the semester for Wesley Bedrosian’s new class, Virtual 3D Illustration, was to sculpt and paint a skull celebrating the Day of the Dead. Models were sculpted in ZBrush and rendered using Keyshot.

Details of the individual skulls can be seen in the slideshow below: