Into the Woods

This years fall production at my former high school  is Into the Woods.  However, the director wants to do something completely different and set it in a steampunk world, so instead of trees there would be  big steam pipes and platforms that resemble a factory.  I was asked to do the poster design for the show.  

Inspired by fairy tale illustrators like Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, I thought I would give watercolor a try since I was doing plein air watercolors earlier in the summer.  

I came up with this design of a giant gear in the center with the title moving outside the wheel and steam pipes somewhat subdued in the background, that then from a far could resemble trees in a way.  I thought it would be a nice addition to add the characters into the poster as well since the show is all about how all these different fairy tales come together in a hectic whirlwind of events.

The original watercolor scanned.

 I thought that I got a little too blue and wanted to enrich the colors a bit more to the warmer side which I then did in photoshop.

A early design that would have been more horizontal, but that would have become difficult to hang with other posters from previous shows and other marketing materials that would be needed for the production.  I still like it and was inspired a lot by Eyvind Earle's Sleeping Beauty backgrounds and how I imagine the set would be like.

The poster for the show, minus some other text items that they will add for ticket sales, show times, etc.

I will be uploading future posts regarding what it will be like on the parade float, playbill, t-shirt, etc. 

Silhouettes

Another project I managed this summer was a new addition to the backstage hallway of The Loft Stage which before was a boring long hallway.  My former director wanted to do silhouettes of actors, musicians, techies, etc.    

We both thought it would be a great idea to make it meaningful and use actual performances from the theatre and specifically looking to those that helped found this growing program which is really only 6 years old when the high school opened.  

 We went through pictures from the shows, looking for shots that would be readable silhouettes, yet interesting enough in shape and size. 

 But more importantly, many of these people will be lost in time to new students as well as the what show they may be from.  So these will serve as memories of the past but more so as inspiration for future students to say,"That could be me playing that violin, fixing that light, dancing, acting, or singing."

It was a lot of fun to work on this project knowing that I've contributed something else to what is becoming a top tier arts program in minnesota, and something that I'm sure will be up for a long, long time.

Bye Bye Birdie

A set piece I painted for this summer's Woodbury Community Theatre Production of Bye Bye Birdie. The director wanted a window overlooking New York City from inside the office of one of the leads, Albert Peterson.  Albert is  in financial trouble as his money making singing heartthrob Conrad Birdie is drafted into the army.

A basic value study of the window

 A color study of the scene.

The final line which would be projected on the flat.

 I was doing a lot of watercolor earlier in the summer and thought it would be fun to experiment and lay it out like so.  I thought this would add depth, using natural sponges and splattering and drips.  Even if most of this stuff doesn't show, it'll be there to hopefully add some depth and life.  I picked this up from a great fantasy illustrator William O'Connor in one of his art books.

 Accidentally caught George Juaire in the background who is the set designer/carpenter at both East Ridge High School and Woodbury Community Theatre.  A huge inspiration for all that he does and is one of the greatest people you will ever meet.  Fitting that his back was turned when i took this shot seeing as he doesn't like the limelight haha.

The set itself is the opening scene in the production.  Sad that I probably won't be working with WCT for a while now that I'm a resident in florida and not minnesota. but being in the scene shop and backstage for this show was the better than I would have ever imagined and I will miss working with such a fantastic group of people.  It was one best way to end my summer.

Summer Sketching

Selections of sketches I did this past summer.