{"id":3292,"date":"2014-01-05T00:01:31","date_gmt":"2014-01-05T06:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=3292"},"modified":"2014-01-04T23:14:12","modified_gmt":"2014-01-05T05:14:12","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-364-featuringup-and-coming-illustrator-tracy-subisak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=3292","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks #364: Featuring
Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Tracy Subisak"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Happy 2014, one and all! <\/p>\n

It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means I invite a student or newly-graduated illustrator to visit 7-Imp and share artwork. Today, I welcome Tracy Subisak<\/a><\/strong>, who is (as noted at her site) a “goofy Midwestern girl living in the great Northwest.” <\/p>\n

She’s here to share art, as well as tell us a bit about her work, so let’s get right to it … <\/p>\n

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(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

Tracy<\/font><\/strong>: When I was little, I was an inventor. I drew and designed outfits and people from made-up lands and made elaborate drawings of mansion interiors for my friends that had things like hovering petting zoos and secret caves for comic books. I wanted to be a designer and chose to study industrial design (to me, the broadest design field) at University of Cincinnati. It’s a great field, but if you look through my sketchbook, it is full of people. I started drawing people a lot when I lived in Taiwan, post-graduation. I drew people almost every day on the subway<\/a><\/strong> {above}, drew characters of my friends, and wrote small blips of the funny or touching things they said or did. I kept these to myself, of course — my way of noting observations and stashing memories. <\/p>\n


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It wasn’t until last year when I took a children’s book illustration class from Vicki Jamieson<\/a><\/strong>, that I started to fly with my illustrations. I wanted to refine my Photoshop painting skills, but many people agreed that my traditional artwork has a lot of energy to it. From my studies and countless doodles of the people surrounding me, I adapted a style with loose line work and a splash of value. My favorite medium at the moment is watercolor and brush pen. I also enjoy making detailed sketches with a fine-tip Hi-Tec C<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n


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(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

You might be able to tell who my influences are. Some great storytellers to me are David Small<\/a><\/strong>, Quentin Blake<\/a><\/strong>, Kazu Kibuishi<\/a><\/strong>, Hayao Miyazaki<\/a><\/strong>, Roald Dahl<\/a><\/strong> and Leo Matsuda<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

I am currently working on a story about a girl who lives on an air whale that is responsible for helping clean our air. I haven’t decided on the format yet, but perhaps it will be a young adult or middle grade graphic novel. I am interested in illustrating any type of book — picture book to chapter book, as long as I am telling a story. Lately, I love showing sequence. I think my loose sketching works well with showing the movement in a story. <\/p>\n


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I also have spent a lot of time traveling and have nearly finished my travel journal from my last trip to New Zealand. I like to show others how I see the world and insert some speculations on new creatures and how they adapt to their environments. I plan to travel again this year and hope to fill another journal with my adventures! I think it would be a great way to inspire kids and adults to go out into the world and explore it. <\/p>\n

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(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

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All artwork is copyright \u00a9 2013 by Tracy Subisak and posted here with her permission.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Note for any new readers: 7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome. <\/p>\n

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *<\/strong><\/font>
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1)<\/strong><\/font> Well, first and foremost, it’s bitterly cold here in Tennessee, though not as bad as many other parts of the country, and I’m grateful for a roof over my head. I hope you all—and those you love—are staying warm. <\/p>\n

2)<\/strong><\/font> I love Peter Gabriel’s<\/a><\/strong> music; I love Elbow’s<\/a><\/strong> music; and I particularly love Elbow’s cover of “Mercy Street,” which you can hear here<\/a><\/strong> (even if Gabriel’s cover of “Mirrorball” does nothing for me). <\/p>\n

3)<\/strong><\/font> Did you hear this week that Kate DiCamillo<\/a><\/strong> was chosen as the new National Ambassador for Children\u2019s Literature? It’s a good choice<\/a><\/strong>, indeed. <\/p>\n

4)<\/strong><\/font> I saw this film<\/a><\/strong>, and it’s hard (as in, disturbing) to watch, but I found myself wondering: Is there anything Hugh Jackman can’t<\/em> do? (I mean, I try to forget this<\/a><\/strong>, which I couldn’t stand for longer than about five minutes, but I’m sure his acting in it was fabulous, as always.)<\/p>\n

5)<\/strong><\/font> It’s My Gillian and My David: <\/p>\n