While creating illustrations for The Smart Set, I really wanted to focus on experimenting with different materials that I had not had as much of a chance to play with in my course work. Many of the materials I chose to match elements of the story they were created for and to capture the mood and look I had imagined while reading.
For "Towers of Ivory" I decided to created shapes and images from the article out of various colored strings glued together. I wanted to create something that was visibly three dimensional in quality and looked handmade as the basis of the article is about the importing/exporting of ivory and the products made from it. https://www.thesmartset.com/towers-of-ivory/
The article "Can, You dig it" is about the emergence of the band, Can, in the 60s and their style of music. For the illustrations I wanted to hit the themes and feeling of the music while also incorporating aspects of avante-garde and DADA. I chose cut paper and bright markers as the medium as these were the most fitting for the style I was imaging. https://www.thesmartset.com/can-you-dig-it/
"Unmanned at the Fleabag Hotel" is predominantly an article about the show Fleabag and its author, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. For the illustrations, I incorporated both aspects of the show and aspects of the life of the author, and combined them using various types of cut fiber paper to create flat, but textured illustrations that reflected the feelings of the article and the show. https://www.thesmartset.com/unmanned-at-the-fleabag-hotel/ - Post Editing in Adobe Photoshop
"Peter Pan's Labyrinth" is a nostalgic article about the original story of Peter Pan and the real world ties of the author to various locations in London. It is a story on multiple levels and a journey through the author's life, which is what I wanted the illustrations to be as well. I decided on using watercolor as my medium to give a misty and nostalgic quality to the pieces, and I illustrated parts of the real world with magical moments. https://www.thesmartset.com/peter-pan/
I created these colored pencil drawings for the article "Memento Mori" which discusses the inevitability of death, the concept of the void, and the importance of memories. For this reason, I wanted to make my illustrations blurry, colorful, and surreal using the equally rough and soft textures of colored pencils. https://www.thesmartset.com/memento-mori/
"Metronomic Underground" is an article about a 75ft metronome within the city of Prague, and its ties to the Velvet Revolution. I wanted my illustrations to feel energized and colorful, but sketchy so I used markers as well as thin black pens to create the effect I was looking for. https://www.thesmartset.com/metronomic-underground/