I find the blog format fascinating, as my stories about my illustration career “unfolded” in their own way. I had no idea when I started writing my blog where it would go.

All of my stories, tips and information move forward from the first post. Therefore, because the blog’s format is backwards, this last entry has become the conclusion! However, because it is the “Home Page,” it is important for me to explain a few things that I have shared earlier in my blog. There are people reading this who have not seen anything else I’ve written.

I have already shared many of my “Portfolio Pieces,” but they have been scattered and it seemed like a great way to end my blog by putting them all together on this “Home Page.” For those who are not familiar with my painting techniques, most of my illustrations are completed with Dr. Martin’s dyes. I also use Prismacolor pencils and Badger acrylics for details. Some of my illustrations are done using only Admarkers (with pencil and acrylic, also) such as the Banana Split below.

A NEW BEGINNING FOR ME

From the time I graduated college until the present time, I considered myself an illustrator. My career suited me perfectly, because I was able to balance many things in addition to being an artist.

At times, being an illustrator was very stressful. There was a lot of “performance anxiety,” that went along with ridiculous deadlines and the pressure to please many people involved in projects. Often I worked with people who all disagreed with one another and gave me conflicting art direction!

However, I was always reliable and tried hard to do my best. I improved over the three decades that I was an illustrator.

I reached a pinnacle and felt very competent illustrating food, florals, and any still life object I could find reference for.

And then it was over. It was not my choice; it was just that there were very few calls for work anymore. That was not a bad thing.

When something ends, it also means that something begins. For me something wonderful began.

I discovered how much I loved sharing what I’ve learned with other people.

It has given me a lot of purpose and meaning to write about those lessons in my life. On this blog, I write about those lessons from being an illustrator, and on my other blog www.myjourneysinsight.com I write about other “life lessons” due to some of the many challenges I have faced.

I was very blessed to have had such a wonderful career as an illustrator!

ON MY PAINTING, I AM VISIBLE HOLDING A CAMERA IN THE REFLECTION ON THIS BOTTLE.

I LOVE THE TEXTURES AND COLORS OF THIS PAINTING.

PORTFOLIO ILLUSTRATIONS

When people see any of the illustrations in my portfolio I am often asked this question: “These paintings look like photographs? Why not just take a picture instead?”

Here is my answer:

1. Using an illustrator was often cheaper than photography. (No stylist, retouching, photo-shoots required). Sometimes the products did not even exist yet to photograph.

2. It was much easier to fit an illustration into the design of a packaging label.

3. And this was my favorite answer: I liked to think that my paintings were more than just a photograph. They were idealistic, because I attempted to make my images look exciting – shinier, more brilliant and more perfect. I tried to achieve this through the use of color, contrast and simple composition.

When I graduated college, I had no idea that I would specialize and become a “food illustrator.” However, I did have two pieces in my portfolio that steered me in that direction. One I called, “Vegetable Medley.” For some reason, I liked using the word “medley” to name many of my portfolio pieces. The other was a black and white painting of liquid pouring into a glass.

I DID PERFECT MY WATER DROPLETS LATER ON IN MY CAREER.

My portfolio was initially about sharing my best paintings. That never changed throughout my career; it was always more important than proving I had published work.

Therefore, my definition of a “Portfolio Piece” was a painting that would showcase and sell my abilities as an illustrator. It needed to be something that depicted my “strengths” and displayed what I could do best.

I kept my portfolio simple and didn’t show anything that might be detrimental – even though art directors were notorious in wanting to see examples of something close to a job they were looking for. Most illustrators know that clients often lack imagination about making a leap in subject matter.

Statements like these made me laugh and I heard them so often!

“I see you have a chocolate bar, but do you have any examples of melted chocolate?”

“I see you have tortilla chips, but can you do potato chips?”

“You’ve done cold cereal, but can you do hot cereal?”

Artist representatives told me only to share portfolio pieces of the work I wanted to do. That was perplexing at times because I had some nice paintings of beverages, but didn’t really want to illustrate them under a lot of time pressure (they are VERY complex). I demonstrated that I could do lettering on products, but always hated that part of illustrating.

When I began my career, I used to take my portfolio to appointments with local art directors. I painted two of what would probably be the most important paintings to guide my style of illustrating. It was my Nestle Crunch bar and Coca Cola glass. Those paintings opened up a lot of doors for me.

I had done the lettering by hand on both of them, and in the advertising domain it was not considered “perfect” enough. I had to find a way to create perfect lettering.

Eventually, I did.

After that, I indulged myself to create paintings that truly allowed me to explore what I loved through textures, colors, and contrast. I used my own photography as my reference and painted a “Portfolio Piece” every year or two. My purpose for these paintings would be to use them for self-promotion.

Because I was usually busy with assignments coming in, I wasn’t always that motivated to paint something for which I wouldn’t be paid. However, it was important for me to advertise almost every year in a “Source Book” for art directors to see my work.

Below are some examples of my ads that were very useful for gaining credibility with art directors and for getting jobs:

THIS WAS MY VERY FIRST AD (THE WORKBOOK). IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR ME. AT THAT TIME, IT COST ABOUT $3,500.

I RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ON MY ADS DESIGN. I LEARNED HOW IT WAS FAR MORE INTERESTING TO “CHANGE UP” THE LETTERING ON MY NAME, AS WELL AS TO USE OTHER SHAPES BESIDES RECTANGLES. I PAID THE DESIGNER $400 FOR HER SERVICES.

THIS WAS MY LAST AD IN THE WORKBOOK. I DESIGNED IT MYSELF AND INCORPORATED THE NICE LETTERING FROM A DESIGNER’S PRIOR AD.

Painting portfolio pieces helped create colorful advertisements  that showcased my style. Printed job examples were also important, but they were never as impressive as something that I created to please myself.

I still have boxes of the expensive ads that I had printed. There is no need for me to do time consuming “envelope stuffing” anymore. The Internet is a far easier way for an art director to find me, and most of the places I used to mail my samples to have gone out of business.

I did design my own ads for many years, but with success I decided that even the ad design needed to be more professional. Because I was never very comfortable with graphic design, I hired a designer for the last six ads that I did. It made a huge difference. I always had admiration for designers, and even more so after that because I saw what an improvement it was over my own “boring” placement of images.

My postcard promotion with my Snicker’s and Nestlé’s candy bars was also very helpful for my career. It was often easier to share a postcard than a larger tearsheet.

So much of what I have shared is not relevant in today’s career marketplace. I don’t know if there will be more projects for me “down the road.” Working digitally is certainly much faster and easier on my eyes.

For me, my journey into becoming an artist started when I was very young. I do not believe that talent alone guarantees success.

My passion to do my best is what truly guided me.

I continue to do that now as I pursue writing and music.

ICE BECOMES VERY “ABSTRACT” WHEN ILLUSTRATED UP CLOSE!

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF MY HAND LETTERING USING WHITE GUACHE AND A TINY BRUSH.

SINCE I HAND LETTERED, MY SKETCH NEEDED TO BE VERY ACCURATE. I WAS VERY GOOD AT TRACING.

MY PHOTO REFERENCE FOR THE COCA COLA CAN.

THIS WAS PAINTED USING CUSTOM, RUB DOWN LETTERS AS A MASK. I CUT AWAY AREAS OF DROPLETS WHERE THE LETTER CONTOURS WERE ALTERED.

I PAINTED THE ICE USING MANY VARIETIES OF BROWN.

I LOVED CREATING THE REFLECTION OF THE MELON IN THE SUNGLASSES.

I FELT LIKE A KID SETTING UP MY PHOTO REFERENCE IN A SANDBOX!

IT WAS FUN PUTTING THIS SANDWICH TOGETHER!

I LIKED THIS IMAGE SO MUCH AS A MARKER SKETCH, THAT I DID IT AGAIN MUCH TIGHTER WITH THE MARKERS.

I DID BEGIN PAINTING THIS IMAGE, BUT DECIDED I PREFERRED WORKING WITH MARKERS INSTEAD. THE WHIPPED CREAM IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW I INCORPORATE MANY COLORS EVEN INTO SOMETHING THAT IS WHITE.

MY PHOTO REFERENCE TO PAINT MY NESTLE CRUNCH BAR.

I STARTED OVER WHEN I WASNT SATISFIED WITH THE WATERCOLOR PAPER. IT WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENED. AFTER THAT, I ALWAYS TESTED THE PAPER BEFORE I BEGAN.

MY PHOTO REFERENCE FOR THE BRACH CANDY MEDLEY ILLUSTRATION.

A TOOTHBRUSH WAS ALWAYS HANDY WHEN I NEEDED TO “SPATTER” A TEXTURE.

SKETCH FOR MY FLOWER MEDLEY ILLUSTRATION.

TO CREATE THE PHOTOGRAPH FOR MY “FRUIT STRIPE” PAINTING I ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF LEFTOVER FRUIT!

ITS HARD TO APPRECIATE HOW LONG THIS PAINTING IS. I WORK FAIRLY SMALL AND IT WAS ABOUT TWO FEET LONG.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A “STOCK IMAGE” I CREATED DIGITALLY BY MOVING PARTS AROUND FROM MY EXTREMELY HORIZONTAL FRUIT PAINTING.

THIS CANTALOUPE TEXTURE WAS A CHALLENGE!

MY PHOTO-REFERENCE FOR DESSERT MEDLEY. I DID FOLLOW IT RATHER CLOSELY.

I USED A LOT OF DELICATE COLORS IN THE WHIPPED CREAM, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS “WHITE.”

I USED THIS PHOTO TO CREATE “RUB-DOWN” LETTERING THAT WAS MORE PERFECT FOR MY PAINTING. THE RUBDOWN LETTERS WERE ONLY USED AS A MASK, AND LATER ON REMOVED.

© Judy Unger and http://www.foodartist@wordpress.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

A CLOSEUP OF A "RECONFIGURED" DIGITAL PAINTING.

For this post, I have an assortment of jobs that range from early in my career to very recent. On the most recent assignment, I am proud to say it was completed digitally and no original artwork exists. Of course, I did not “paint from scratch” on my computer, but I created my image by assembling elements scanned from prior illustrations and “reconfigured” to match in a unified composition.

Usually I work chronologically, but I prefer to start with this recent job. When assembling images from different paintings, unifying my painting is very important for me. Painting over a print certainly helps to “unify” or pull all the elements together so they don’t look like they were painted separately. This job was not “painted over.”

On the computer, I always make sure all the elements have the same light source and I create shadows to help tie everything together, just as if I had painted my illustration on paper.

About a year ago, I created several illustrations for a supermarket, Price Chopper, Inc. It was exciting for me to know that I embraced the computer after so many years. I received a nice note from the art director, and that’s sweet to share also.

MY FINAL, DIGITAL ARTWORK WITH THE TYPE FOR THE LABEL IN POSITION. I NOTICED IT WAS POSITIONED DIFFERENTLY ON THE PRINTED LABEL BELOW!

THE PRINTED LABELS HAVE LOST A LOT OF DETAIL FROM THE ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION.

I DID A FEW OTHER LABELS FOR THIS COMPANY.

I have illustrated a lot of dried fruit packaging. Below are ones from an early assignment with General Foods followed by some “Fruit Dinosaurs.”

THIS WAS A MARKER COMP. THE COMP WAS GLUED TO ACETATE AND DIFFERENT COLORED BACKGROUNDS COULD BE INSERTED BEHIND IT.

I FOLLOWED THE ART DIRECTOR'S SKETCH CLOSELY.

MY MARKER COMP.

Early in my career, I received a large assignment for General Foods. It consisted of several illustrations of Fruit Rollup packaging, with two accompanying landscape/crate illustrations. The landscapes were for a “point of purchase” in the store where the dried fruit products would be sold. The art direction was clear as I followed the art director’s sketch very closely.

The landscapes were interesting because they were inserted into another illustration, which needed to resemble a wooden crate. I used markers to create the wood texture on a separate illustration. The landscapes themselves were enjoyable. I loved painting the sunrise and sunset skies so much, that I continued to collect photo reference of those images for many years after.

MY ORIGINAL, JOB LAYOUT FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.

THESE PRINTED TEARSHEETS SHOW THE WOOD CRATE TEXTURE I ALSO ILLUSTRATED.

One thing I have often lamented, is that I always find great reference “after the fact” when I would have loved having it for a certain job. When I was truly “stuck” while searching for reference, I sometimes used a local company called Warner Research, which the movie studios also used for printed items. An example of something I was looking for once was an image of a banana tree and a camel!

I have been gathering photo reference for thirty years, so I have a rather extensive collection. It consists mostly of food images, but also many other photos that might have been useful for prior jobs if I’d only found them sooner. Examples would be holiday related items, hands, landscapes, and many other still-life subjects.

I received jobs throughout my career that were not food related. The most important part for me on any job was obtaining good reference I could follow.

When I did an illustration for Sparklett’s, I was driving around my neighborhood looking for brick walls that had cracks. Once again, a lot of preliminary work was helpful and the job went smoothly.

PURCHASE ORDER.

JOB LAYOUT FOR AN ILLUSTRATION OF A CRUMBLING, BRICK WALL.

AN EXAMPLE OF MY PHOTO REFERENCE. I LIVE IN NORTHRIDGE AND THERE WAS PLENTY OF CRACKED WALLS TO LOOK AT DUE TO THE '94 EARTHQUAKE!

A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MY MARKER COMP "IN PROGRESS." I MUST HAVE SUBMITTED SOMETHING ELSE.

A TEARSHEET WITH THE FINAL ILLUSTRATION.

The current FSI inserts in the Sunday newspaper do not carry illustrations very often anymore. Everything is very bland and boring for me, as I look to see if there are any exciting illustrations. Photoshop has truly replaced the need for the style of illustration that was once widespread.

A few years ago, I created a marker comp for a design agency of an agricultural scene. I did not spend much time creating the comp – perhaps only a few hours. However, the subject matter was very useful for me to have. Because the sky on my marker comp wasn’t too exciting, I experimented digitally and utilized the sunrise sky from my General Foods assignment. Of course, I needed to reflect the sky into the winding river, and that was also easy to do on my computer. I also inserted another sky with clouds.

MY MARKER COMP WITH THE SKY AND MOUNTAINS I CREATED IN A FEW HOURS. I DID GO OVER THE COMP WITH COLORED PENCIL AND ACRYLIC.

I worked with the same designer on some illustrations for Parmalat (milk in a box), and created two, marker comps with breakfast scenes. I’ve always enjoyed working with markers because the looser style helps me to feel more like I’m a “true” illustrator!

I created an illustration for “Professional Write Software” and it involved photographing my husband’s watch, a sandwich, a cup of soda, and inserting a box of the software packaging. I used custom, rubdown letters for the packaging that were made from my photographs. I loved the straw’s reflection in the soda! The watch dial was definitely a challenge.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT LATER ON THAT SANDWICH HAD OTHER USES!

Years later, I modified the painting so that it could be “more generic” and useful for stock purposes. I was not utilizing the computer yet for digital techniques – which is ironic since I created images of computer items. I worked with markers to create a mouse and mouse pad and then cut the paper and glued it over the other illustrations.

I HAD TO WRITE ON THE MEMO IN PERSPECTIVE WITH A PENCIL.

I have shared both versions – I don’t have a scan of the original painting with the Pro-Write package, but I did have a tearsheet.

I wrote earlier about a menu that I illustrated for Spires restaurants. I found some of the menu’s interior illustrations. These images depict the bright and simple dye technique I used early in my career. There was less photorealism, and the images translated nicely when they were reduced. For the examples below, I simply scanned an old menu – which I had taken from the restaurant because I could not get any samples!

Two of my old projects came together for me on one of my few ventures into the world of licensing and fabric. I was only paid an advance of a few hundred dollars to have at least twenty of my illustrations utilized to create fabric designs with a “deli theme.” The fabric was not a big seller.

MY DELI FABRIC - IT DID MAKE A GREAT APRON!

Five years later, I was told that a manufacturer was interested in making towels and potholders from the fabric; however, I would not be paid for the use of that fabric. If I chose to let them go ahead with the project, my compensation would be twenty sets of towels, potholders, aprons, napkins and tablecloths.

THESE FRENCH FRIES CAME FROM THE SPIRES MENU FRIES.

WOULD YOU EAT THESE BURGERS OR EVEN WEAR THEM?

THIS SURE LOOKS FAMILIAR TO ME!

THIS IS NOT HOW I ENVISION MY WATER DROPLETS SHOULD LOOK! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HIGHLIGHT?

I decided to allow for it. I enjoyed seeing my artwork on towels! However, when I ran out of the twenty, I had to pay for more. I did that because I felt that it was such a great gift idea for me one year!

Below is a fruit juice label. There’s not much for me to write except the cherries were an “add on” to some other illustrations that were used to create a flavor “medley.”

However, I am sharing these “cropped illustrations” to once again state how sorry I was that the fruit wasn’t completely painted. I wanted to enlarge the peach to indicate how colored pencil was helpful to create the “fuzzy texture” that I was looking for.

THESE FRUIT ILLUSTRATIONS WERE CREATED TO BE USED ON JARS OF JAMS.

THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A PEACH THAT I MADE "FUZZY" USING COLORED PENCIL OVER THE DYE PAINTING.

I painted three illustrations for a large company where I signed a confidentiality waiver. Since the agency involved is out of business, I’ve decided I could share the illustrations. However, I won’t share invoices, etc. and I’ve cropped the product name off.

There were three, basic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Below are the job layouts, line drawings, and comps. Those share the process of creating my final paintings, of which I only have a color copy.

JOB LAYOUT.

MARKER COMP FOR THE STRAWBERRY FLAVOR.

A SCAN OF THE FINAL ART TAKEN FROM A COLOR COPY.

LAYOUT FOR THE VANILLA FLAVOR.

THE MARKER COMP HAD TWO, SMALL ORCHIDS AND THE FINAL ART BECAME ONE, LARGER ORCHID.

LAYOUT FOR CHOCOLATE FLAVOR.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO COME UP WITH SO MANY COMPOSITIONS OF CHOCOLATE CURLS. THE CLIENT ENDED UP WANTING A "SQUARE" IN THERE ALSO!

THESE CURLS LOOKED TOO BRITTLE, ALTHOUGH I WAS INSTRUCTED TO ORIGINALLY PAINT THEM THAT WAY.

A SCAN OF THE FINAL ART TAKEN FROM A COLOR COPY. THE CURLS ARE NOW "SMOOTH."

On this project, I had a “paid revision” because it was decided on the final painting that the chocolate curls were preferred to be smooth instead of “striated.” I followed instructions and always hated when the final art was completed with a change of mind. Especially when I created a color comp that clearly showed what the illustration would look like!

The very last image I want to share is a digital one that I created for a friend. It is an illustration of her Maltese and I used Photoshop filters and worked over a print. It was a lot of fun and certainly a lot less time than if I had rendered it from a plain, white sheet of watercolor paper!

I no longer lament that I don’t have the tactile sensation of holding a paintbrush anymore. I am far more passionate about the other things in my life, which include music and writing. I have embraced the computer as a wonderful, efficient, timesaving tool.

Creativity can be found in life and one should never rely on technical aspects to be of the most importance. I became technically proficient perhaps, but it is what is inside my heart that is most important for me at this juncture in my life.

A CLOSE UP.

© Judy Unger and www.foodartist@wordpress.com 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Judy Unger with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.