Tigerlily Tea label design

ballpoint pen & digital

ballpoint pen & digital

ballpoint pen & digital

For our 15th challenge in Square Carousel we were free to choose what we would work on. I chose to do a label design for a made-up tea brand called Tigerlily Tea. I had a lot of fun coming up with the concept & experimenting with hand lettering. I think I would like to take things further & maybe develop some idea for packaging design to go along with this . . . Still trying to decide which idea I like best, but I think I like the first!

I take a crack at fashion illustration!

For the 14th challenge of Square Carousel illustration collective, we collaborated with another group of fellow illustrators called the Pen Pals. The theme of this challenge was What I Wore Today. Definitely something different, and actually very fun for me to try. I was honestly surprised at how much fun I was having doing a little fashion illustration - almost like shopping without spending the money in a way . . . I can pretend!

I have to say it's been a great pleasure seeing this collaboration with the Pen Pals, and I hope we do this together sometime again. So for this challenge, I did more of an outfit that I wish I wore today, haha! I'm still shopping to find that nautical striped blazer . . . Think I saw it at J. Crew . . .

Happy Post-Valentine's Day!

Although it's post-Valentine's day at this moment, I could not help but succumb to my desire to share these vintage Valentine cards. Quite interesting concepts & imagery . . . They're amusingly morbid to delight those not feeling so lovey dovey this Valentine season. Have a chuckle & enjoy!

Square Carousel Challenge 12!

ballpoint pen & digital

So, our 12th challenge for Square Carousel was Sh*t Politicians Say. I had quite a time thinking about all the things I find so frustrating about politicians and the way the address or not address current issues. For my subject I chose sh*t politicians don’t say and topics that completely don’t appear relevant to them; in this case, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occured over a year ago. There is little to no coverage on the national news, no political candidates seem to discuss the pressing issue, and the news media seems to have abandoned reporting on this environtmental crisis. In researching I came across an article from Scientific American about the remaining oil that is “missing” in the Gulf. Instead, the public hears construed information or nothing at all about what is happening to the environment, people, and the lasting effects that will plague the Gulf Coast. The American public is unbearably blind to so many issues because of the censorship of national news and the political leaders that enable the ingnorance of this country’s citizens. “Ignorance is bliss.” The saying makes me cringe.

I illustrated this hermit crab to represent the oil spill and the scrawny significance it seems to hold in the eyes of politicians and the media. The tiny creature only indicates the smallest fraction of the effects of such a tragedy to the Gulf Coast.

Interest with a 'P'!

So, now I'm hooked on Pinterest . . . Feeling inspired to get busy with the sketchbook, so I'll be posting more personal work in 2012 :)

It's December already?!

So, I've been kinda MIA in Square Carousel for a bit (not to mention my illustration work in general) and I'm gradually finding time to catch up with the group. This was my piece for challenge 9, a recipe contest. I was soooo excited for this They Draw and Cook challenge because I love to cook and bake; it’s my other creative outlet when I’m feeling frustrated with my sketchbook. I love to bake sweets (as I also work part time as a baker), but I’m also very health concsious. This a salad that harmonizes sweet, tart, and savory tastes for the holiday season. I use fruits that are in season and savory ingredients to balance the sweetness. Keeping a watchful eye on your figure isn’t so bad during these celebratory occasions if the food you create is flavorful and beautiful. Be an artist in the kitchen and play with some color and mix up some textures – it’s even beneficial for your health! Enjoy!

We Don't Only Come Out at Night

We Don't Only Come Out at Night, ballpoint pen & digital

We Don't Only Come Out at Night (black & white), ballpoint pen

Challenge 7 for the Square Carousel illustration collective was to illustrate one of our fears. For my fear I focused on my initional reaction of panic: cockroaches. Yes, I love animals; frogs, snakes, and rats don’t phase me but when I see a dark little silhouette scurry across a kitchen wall I flip out. It’s pretty emabarassing cursing like a sailor about a tiny thing. Looking up reference images just made my stomach turn . . . I found the title We Don’t Only Come Out at Night to be a fitting name for this piece. I wasn’t sure if I prefered the black and white version or the colored, so I posted both.

Disgusting little bastards (excuse my French) . . .

"Grandma Take Me Home . . ."

Grandma Take Me Home, ballpoint pen & digital collage

Listening to music is one of those things that I live on. Living in a podunk town, the radio plays the same terrible pop music from 10 years ago, rotating every 2 hours or so. Other than playing percussion in middle school, I know next to nothing about instruments or history in music. It probably was not until I started college that I started to really listen and explore the genres of music that I truly enjoy. The underground punk rock of the late 80's and the introduction of 90's grunge music particularly strike a common chord with me. Not only do I love the musical itself, but the intentions of the artists to deviate from the pop scene really drew me in.

Going through my portfoilio I see that pretty much have no portraits of any sort, and I thought I would pay tribute to the musicians that have had a huge influence on me and my work.

Nirvana especially intrigued me. I first listened to their more popular & over-played songs (which I still love anyway), but then to listened to less familiar ones, finding that I wanted to just hear more. I started to read more about Nirvana, the band, the lyrics, its influences, and Kurt Cobain's death. Yeah, he was easy on the eyes, but the emotional torment that seemed to progress through his young life just kinda broke my heart; it moved me to do a portrait of Kurt Cobain. The anniversary for the album Nevermind was September 24, when I (almost) finished this piece.

The title of this piece is from the song lyrics of Sliver.

Deer Spirit Animal

Our 5th theme for Square Carousel illustration collective was chosen by me. Being an avid animal lover, I challenged the group to channel their individual spirit (or power) animal. I selected the deer (doe) as my spirit animal. This suggestion was also brought up by fellow Square Carousel member, Caitlin Alexander. However, I was inclined to illustrate a deer for its my love of running and my admiration for the agility of this graceful athlete. And maybe for the large, brown “doe eyes”, too.

As I read more about the symbology of the deer (or doe) in various cultures and legends, I felt that I had picked the perfect spirit animal that related to me inside and out. The recurring qualities that personify the deer, other than its swiftness and agility, are gentleness, compassion, kindness, and unconditional love (often times can be a flaw). The sincerity of compassion and love for all living things reflect my own beliefs and feelings. Deer are also keen observers and have highly sensitive intuition, which I feel reflect my own artistic qualities and aesthetics.

A brief article I came across while researching the symbology of deer:

The topic gentleness is part of this tradition. Many stories tell of Hinds (does) changing into women, often goddesses, to protect does from being hunted. The lesson to be gleaned here is that when we explore magic and spirituality, it must be with good intention, to harm no living being, but to enter the realm of the wild things in the spirit of love and communion.

Deer teach us how powerful it is to be of gentle demeanour, to exert keen observation and sensitivity. Deer are in tune with nature and all it comprises. They are sacred carriers of peace and show those with this power animal how to open their hearts and love unconditionally. (article by Ina Woolcott)

Katharine & Company and Interning with AMSET

front

back

I started a curatorial internship with the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont, Texas two weeks ago, and I just finished designing a postcard for the upcoming exhibit called Obsessive Worlds. The exhibit opens towards the end of this month and continues until early January 2012, featuring fifteen different contemporary artists. I was eager to start more graphic design work, and this internship gives me the opportunity to.

Meanwhile, I also started training for my new job around the same time. I am currently training to be a baker at the local restaurant Katharine & Company in Beaumont, Texas, which I am thouroughly enjoying. I always loved the food there, and now I have the chance to explore my culinary curiosity in the realm of baking! Check out the website to find out about their hours and delicious menu . . .

They Draw & Travel (or run . . .)

The theme of our fourth challenge for Square Carousel was to illustrate a map for They Draw and Travel, a website featuring artists' maps from around the world.

Although I have been blessed with the opportunity and excitement of traveling overseas to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, I decided to dedicate this challenge to someplace very close to home. A place where I have spent a good deal of time (and miles) around: Northway Park in Orange, Texas. About 20 miles away from my parents’ house is a little dirt trail, 1 mile in distance, which I would (and still do) drive to for a good long run. I can’t even recall the number of miles I have run around this little park, but I have grown quite attached to it. For the landmarks I pin-pointed the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 mile markers (as it is at Northway) but I also had a bit of fun illustrating the things that make this running trail so unique, fun, and sentimental. Use the porta-potty at your own risk . . .

Honey, Let Me Tell You . . .

ballpoint pen & water color, digital

Honey. Our third challenge for the Square Carousel group. This was yet another challenge for me; being so broad a concept, I was overwhelmed with different ways I could interpret it! For my concept (after lots of doodles, sketches, and word lists), I chose to design a pretend label for honey and beauty products. I’ve come across a lot of beauty and soap products that incorporate honey, and I love designing labels and packages. I chose the name Hive Honey after the beehive hair-do. This was a really fun challenge to me, and working traditionally has been so refreshing.

Square Carousel: Challenge 2

thumbnails & thought process (just scribbling ideas etc.)

hermit crab comp sketch

snail comp sketch

another snail comp sketch

Home Away from Home (final piece)
ballpoint pen & watercolor

So, this is my illustration to Challenge 2 from Square Carousel. I must confess that I had spent a good deal of time on trying to develop a concept for Caitlin’s challenge: A Home Away from Home. Despite the subject relating to my own point in life in limbo. The definition for limbo: in a state of uncertainty, neglected, up in the air, in abeyance, betwixt and in-between, not knowing whether one is coming or going. There is also sort of a sadness assosiciated with it as it can be described as an imaginary place for lost, forgotten, or unwanted persons or things. With this feeling that I could so easily relate to, I decided to move beyond that sense of vagueness and aloneness, and turn the idea of a Home Away from Home to travel and exploration, adventure and determination. From my time spent in Lacoste, France, I could not help but think of all the snails and their little mobile homes. The snail carries his shell, his home, where ever he ventures, much like we have our family and friends to turn to if necessary. He’s not afraid to go it alone and continue on.

The final piece was done all tradionally: ballpoint pen & watercolor. More time consuming but was a nice break from digital. Almost forgot how fun watercolor is!

Square Carousel

black & white (ballpoint pen)

final color (ballpoint pen & digital)



I'm a member of the illustration collective called Square Carousel, which was formed just this late spring/early summer among some fellow illustrators. Every so often there will be a challenge with a chosen theme to create a new personal piece. This is the piece I did for our first of many projects. Being the first project, the theme was carousel animals. I love horses so I chose to do a horse in Bedouin inspired ornamentation. Go ahead and check out the website to read more about Square Carousel and find out about the group!

Promotional mailer!

front

back

My design for my promotional postcard once I order them . . . These things take time . . .

Official website FINALLY online!

Finally uploaded a NEW website, which I built myself (with the help of fellow illustrator and friend,Caitlin B. Alexander! Check it out my portfolio here: Catherine Fontenot Illustrations

Some Scientific Illustration work

So, for my vary last studio elective at SCAD, I finally had the chance to take Introduction to Scientific Illustration. My only regret about my decision was that I did not take this class two years earlier and take several other classes related to a scientific approach. I am thoroughly enjoying it and discovering an interest in a different field of illustration. I always have loved studying and drawing wildlife (probably pretty apparent) and now I intend to pursue this field more seriously after graduation.

Each of these projects used different materials than my usual illustrations, but it was so refreshing trying new techniques. Here are some examples of work from this class, as well as sketches:

Rieger begonia botanical illustration (watercolor on hot-press board)

Raccoon skull (traditional stippling technique using crow quill)

Sketch studies of mountain lion

Sketch studies of mountain lion

More studies of mountain lion

And more mountain lion sketches . . .

Sketch for final piece

Research notes on mountain lions

Sketches for final piece

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor / Puma concolor) in scratchboard technique

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor / Puma concolor) in scratchboard technique

Jigsaw girl . . .

A few more pieces left for this puzzle . . . Looks like things are starting to come together this quarter at SCAD: I've designed my logo & business cards, revisited my artist statement, and polished up my resume. I'm finally prepared and looking forward to the last couple of art shows at the end of the school year as well. AND, I'll be making a trip to New York City in the middle of June! My first time ever in New York, so it will definitely be an interesting experience. There's still much more to do for school and life in general, but the reality of being an artist and becoming a professional is feeling good!

logo

business card (back)

business card (front)

Sidewalk Arts Festival in Savannah, GA!

To alleviate some of the stress from mid-terms, I decided to participate in Savannah's Sidewalk Arts Festival this past weekend! The weather was beautiful and the atmosphere was refreshing. A great way to spend the day procrastinating from a work . . .  Didn't complete my square for the judging of the contest, but it was fun anyway!

Got a square right next to the trashcan! Oh man, I'm lucky!

Adding some whimsical designs . . .

Oh deer! :)

COMING SOON . . .

I know it's been quite a long time since my last update, but things are going by so quickly during my last few months before graduating from SCAD. I'm so excited, but really pretty nervous. I haven't really had the time to think about it anyway . . . Just finished with mid-term exams, and I'm eager to get focused on more artwork!

Well, within the next month or so I will present my new logo, get my official website up, and get with the program of posting current work! So keep checking back :)