Drop Caps - Final

This is a follow up to a previous post on drop caps. They will be printed in black and white at probably about 1 inch in height. Keeping the final print size in mind I tried to keep the value somewhat simple. I kept getting carried away with the detail so I had to make sure those little areas were keyed in properly. Below I have a close up of the "A". I particularly enjoyed painting the Queen Ann's Lace as well as the drippy background. Karen Appleton sites a quote from Alfred Sisley that I found appropriate for this little painting..."Every painting shows a spot with which the artist has fallen in love".

History of Design

As an illustration student I found it difficult to juggle the different disciplines assigned. Typography was a course that was mandatory and it was hard to grasp letterforms while simultaneously learning the fluidity of oils, the theory of color and the emotional responses of composition. Nancy Stock-Allen is a design professor at Moore College of Art and Design. I find her integration of typography into the illustration department intuitive and exciting. She posts a website for her students ... designhistory.org ... that goes through the history of design from illuminated manuscripts (my personal favorite) to European poster art to the basic letter forms. The site is chock full of information for artists of all mediums and styles. Check it out and get educated!