What's Your Story: The Phantom Tollbooth

Our second assignment was to create three narrative images based on a novel, mythological tale, poem, etc. And then we had to integrate words/layouts into the narrative images.
I chose The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It's one of my childhood favorites, and I think the book gives alot of freedom to go crazy/have fun with the imagery.



With this assignment, I really wanted to gain some experience with watercolor. However, I find that watercolor doesn't naturally fit with the way I work (it's not very forgiving either). But I definitely had better control of it by the second piece. In the end, the piece is Watercolor + Acrylic + hints of gouache + Digital.

Assignments like these also remind me of how much I respect graphic designers. Text is difficult to work with, and I was really confused as to where to take it. Originally I had "place-holder" text. But MJ recommended that I have more exciting text, especially since the entire book is so playful with words, knowledge, and concepts involving education.
I'm still not sure how I feel about the text, but it'll be alright for now :]

Born again + Naija Zombies

I have a bad habit of starting, new blogs...and sketchbooks.
But I'm sure I can hold on to this one for a good amount of time.
It has a good name :]

Anyway, Junior Year at RISD is in full throttle.
I love everything I'm doing, but it's exhausting to say the least.
My diet consists of learning to tell stories through comics/sequential imagery, narrative images,and dance/theater/performance art (New Works/World Traditions at brown university~I love them all so much).
I'm also taking an Anatomy class and History of Illustration. They're great additions to this errr ~diet~

Time is crazy, and fleeting to say the least.
But enough of that. Onto the work!

First Assignment from What's Your Story:
We were prompted to capture an interesting/significant historical moment (and place ourselves in the scene).
I chose to depict Fela Kuti performing on stage, and contrasting the joy and energy of his performance with the "zombie-like" (hoho, Fela song reference) soldiers that would constantly raid/oppress him

My first composition was not working out too well:

So Mary Jane told me to recompose and simplify

Here's a thumbnail!

Linework

Finished piece

This piece was really fun! I learned alot about painting in photoshop (e.g. THERE'S MORE THAN ONE OPTION/CATEGORY TO PICK COLORS haha. Thanks Emily :] )

Not to mention, I NEED to see Fela! on broadway now. The choreography, staging, costuming, and story all looks fantastic. Not to mention the wonderful musical score!

I leave you with this wonderful song, Zombie by Fela Kuti


Until next posting!

Additional goals~

Also--I want to

6. Try to go to open drawing/figure drawing as often as possible.

7. Go more in depth with research for my work, and fill folders with reference images for inspiration. And just use my resources more thoroughly (like the picture collections). I've already started to do some of this, but it could be pushed much further.

8. Not leave my sketchbook in the dust :[ (it's the first thing to go during crunch time)

Additionally I've been spending alot of my free time on tumblr just posting images, and just dicking around on ze internets.
odera.tumblr.com

I'm sure there's more goals...let's see how many of these I can keep up with :P

Improvement Meme

Okay, I know I have barely touched this blog, but I HAVE been working.
Most of the work I'm doing is to build up my skills, rather than have refined pieces to put in my portfolio or online. I'm just bad at recording my work/taking pictures/scanning etc.


So I did this little fun meme instead~!





http://odyism.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2u1b8k




It's fun to see the improvement over the years, and it gives me that jolt of inspiration to keep working (and actually update ze artblog).
...I've been updating my tumblr though XD
odera.tumblr.com

Some videos from the end of the year

I have a brand new respect for animators. I LOVE watching animations, but creating them is another story. I am really drawn (ding dong.) to the illustrative elements of animation like storyboarding, concept art, and any element of the pre-production art. But when it comes to worrying about x amount of frames and timing, things get a little srhofhweoqoadsjaasdlkjsKODFJDSBAS. :D

But here are the two projects I probably enjoy most from that class.

Telephone from Odera Igbokwe on Vimeo.

Computer Girl from Odera Igbokwe on Vimeo.

Although I didn't necessarily enjoy the process, I feel like I've learned alot from these animations. And they'll definitely inform the rest of my work :D

FAV has slowly crept into my Illustration work as well (are they even separate things nao?!!?). Like this nifty ~pattern~ assignment I did for Oren's class.

Heartbeat from Odera Igbokwe on Vimeo.

Sophomore Year is Over

I can't believe that I haven't made a single post during sophomore year~durhhhh
There is so much that has happened in the past year. And I feel like this year, especially spring semester have taught me so much about myself, my limits and boundaries, and what my priorities are.

In terms of my art, I do not know exactly what I want to do anymore. I just know that I want to be a visual storyteller, and I'll be happy whether that manifests itself in traditional 2-d illustrations, character designs, storyboarding/comics, or performance. Also I should really become better friends with simplicity and concept.

Now it's the summer, and I'm ready to recharge my batteries, find an internship, stick to ONE(. . .or two :P) sketchbooks, and danceeee~

1 Year Later

Dear odyism.blogspot.com, I promise to treat you better. I want to give you the love and attention that you deserve.
Sincerely, Odera