{"id":3765,"date":"2015-06-14T00:01:23","date_gmt":"2015-06-14T06:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=3765"},"modified":"2015-06-13T23:11:46","modified_gmt":"2015-06-14T05:11:46","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-436-featuringup-and-coming-illustrator-louis-fratino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=3765","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks #436: Featuring
Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Louis Fratino"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I am breakin’ the 7-Imp rules this weekend and featuring a newly-graduated illustrator just one week after featuring another debut illustrator. (I normally do this the first Sunday of each month.) But, hey, rules are made for breaking. <\/p>\n

My guest, Louis Fratino<\/a><\/strong>, graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art<\/a><\/strong> just under a month ago, majoring in Painting<\/a><\/strong> and concentrating in Illustration<\/a><\/strong>. He tells me he likes to draw more than anything, though his studio work is mostly oil on canvas.<\/p>\n

Below is more from Louis, including some of his artwork. I thank him for visiting. I hope we see his work in (published) books one day. <\/p>\n


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On Illustration:<\/font><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

Drawing made me want to be an illustrator. I have been drawing and telling stories my whole life. It was something I spent enormous amounts of time doing as a child. I would go through reams of printer paper, which really irritated my parents, because I never wanted to draw on the back of an image. I still remember having a nice fat stack of clean paper in front of me, a feeling I think I understand more fully as an adult. I really loved illustration as a child, too, and continued to pay attention to children’s books through adolescence.
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\nI am a painter, primarily, and I use painting as a means to tell stories about myself. I really enjoy illustration as a way to inform my painting practice — and to take a break from it. Since I am a storyteller and a draftsman, illustration excites me.
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On Influences:<\/font><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

I love Persian and Indian miniature painting and American folk art. I am influenced by the ancient pattern work of the Etruscans. Painters that I really rely on would be Matisse<\/a><\/strong> and Hockney<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Some illustrators that influence me are Marc Boutavant<\/a><\/strong>, Enzo Mari<\/a><\/strong>, Maira Kalman<\/a><\/strong>, and Ben Shahn<\/a><\/strong>. I also am amazed at Blexbolex’s<\/a><\/strong> use of print and digital media. I love Chuck Groenink<\/a><\/strong>, Ignacy Witz<\/a><\/strong>, Makoto Kagoshima<\/a><\/strong>, Miroslav \u0160a\u0161ek<\/a><\/strong>, Benjamin Chaud<\/a><\/strong>, Laurent Moreau<\/a><\/strong>, and Dahlov Ipcar<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

This is, unfortunately, an insignificant number of things that I see that become part of the visual soup I am sampling from whenever I am making an image. I have a blog of imagery that I reference that can be seen here<\/a><\/strong>, which is maybe the most comprehensive answer!
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(Click to enlarge fourth image)<\/em><\/center>
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On What’s Next:<\/font><\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n

I recently completed (maybe) a book project called Some Boys<\/em> [pictured below] … that used colored drawing inks.
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\nI was awarded a Fulbright in Painting and Printmaking to Berlin for 2015-2016. I will be there for a year, continuing my studio practice, which I still am completely speechless about!
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(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
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(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
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\nAll artwork is used by permission of Louis Fratino.<\/em><\/p>\n

* * *<\/center><\/p>\n

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> A late-night game of family laser tag. Just ’cause. <\/p>\n

2)<\/strong><\/font> This song, “Little Bigot” by Villagers<\/a><\/strong>: <\/p>\n