{"id":4940,"date":"2019-09-01T00:01:35","date_gmt":"2019-09-01T06:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=4940"},"modified":"2019-08-29T11:35:11","modified_gmt":"2019-08-29T17:35:11","slug":"7-imps-7-kicks-653featuring-up-and-coming-illustrator-christina-rycz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blaine.org\/sevenimpossiblethings\/?p=4940","title":{"rendered":"7-Imp\u2019s 7 Kicks #653:
Featuring Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Christina Rycz"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n
 

\nIt’s the first Sunday of the month (welcome, September), when I typically feature an illustration student or someone newly-graduated. Today, I welcome the talented Christina Rycz<\/a><\/strong>, who just graduated from the School of Visual Art’s<\/a><\/strong> MFA program. She shares lots of wonderful art today and shares a bit about herself. Let’s get right to it, and I thank her for visiting today. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Christina<\/font><\/strong>: I just moved to Chicago from New York (I am a Brooklyn native), which is really exciting and also very new. This spring I graduated from SVA\u2019s Illustration as Visual Essay MFA program, and since then I have continued to develop my thesis project and begin another story, featuring the same characters. I also had the opportunity to spend a month in Paris and tried to soak up every last drop of artistic inspiration that I could. The past two years at SVA were overwhelming and electrifying in a great way. The program gave me the space to delve into and hone my personal storytelling with greater maturity than I was able to during my undergraduate studies at Pratt, and I have come away with a forever-deepening admiration for gifted storytellers.
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n

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

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

\n
\n
 

\n
\n
Pictured above: Art from <\/em>Nestling (see more here<\/a><\/strong>)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nI\u2019d always spun my own stories for fun, and the itch I was scratching with elaborate world-building and character development as a kid never actually went away. The source of this interest, I believe, is my family. They surrounded me with beautiful stories in the form of books, animation, and art history, encouraging me to develop my own. I grew up steeping in a large and diverse collection of illustrated books, and my favorites were usually more classical and intricately detailed.
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
Exhibition piece (see more here<\/a><\/strong>)<\/em>
(Click to enlarge)<\/center>
\n
 

\nAmong the most enduring for me are: The Story of the Root Children<\/em> (Sibylle von Olfers<\/a><\/strong>), Faeries<\/em> (Alan Lee<\/a><\/strong> and Brian Froud<\/a><\/strong>), Stellaluna<\/em> (Janell Cannon), The First Do<\/a>g<\/strong><\/em> (Jan Brett<\/a><\/strong>), My Father\u2019s Dragon<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (Ruth Stiles Gannett<\/a><\/strong> and Ruth Chrisman Gannett<\/a><\/strong>), and the nightmare-inducing Der Struwwelpeter<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (Heinrich Hoffman<\/a><\/strong>). Charles Santore\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> rendition<\/a><\/strong> of Hans Christian Andersen\u2019s “The Little Mermaid” was a particular obsession of mine as a child, and I was devastated to hear of his recent passing. Primarily, my artistic sensibilities always return to this library, most of which I still have and keep within arm\u2019s reach of my desk.
\n
 

\n
\n
 

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

\n
\n
Pictured above: Art from <\/em>Song of the Selkie (see more here<\/a><\/strong>)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nFrom art and illustration history, the artists who continue to inspire me most are John Singer Sargent<\/a><\/strong>, Alphonse Mucha<\/a><\/strong>, Gustav Klimt<\/a><\/strong>, Kay Nielsen<\/a><\/strong>, Howard Pyle<\/a><\/strong>, and Arthur Rackham<\/a><\/strong>. How they were able to balance such technical precision with compositional flow and expression is magical to me. Evident in the work of these artists is also an appreciation for and fascination with nature. The natural world is another steady source of inspiration for me, and I am thrilled any time I am able to add flora, fauna, or other natural elements into a piece.
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
Pictured above: Character sketches for thesis project<\/em>
(Click each to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\n
\n
Pictured above: More process work from thesis<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nWorking traditionally \u2014 primarily in a mix of watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil \u2014 is most often how I create images. More recently, I have been using ink and lots of handmade textures and patterning to develop the depth and color of the final pieces digitally. When I have the time, I love to sculpt and have had so much fun creating three-dimensional book covers, masks, and characters for projects in the past. I have also had the opportunity to work professionally on some amazing projects as a painter\/fabricator, which is an incredibly fulfilling extension of my interest in visual development.
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
 

\n
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
Pictured above: Art from Christina’s thesis<\/em>
(Click second and fourth images to enlarge)<\/em><\/center>
\n
 

\nI want to make picture books, because I absolutely love them. They were my first understanding of story, character, drama, and the unexpected. As a medium, they are especially powerful and hold such a vivid place in all of our memories of childhood. My favorite illustrated books, and the ones that I find most successful, are those that don\u2019t require text to follow the narrative. I think it is a beautiful thing that collectively we can remember understanding the stories laid out on the spreads of our favorite picture books before we even knew how to read.
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
 

\n<\/a>
\n
Pictured above: Sketchbook images<\/em>
(Click each to enlarge)<\/center>
\n
 

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

1)<\/strong><\/font> I love Christina’s artwork but particularly love Nestling<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2)<\/strong><\/font> A new album from Joan Shelley<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

3)<\/strong><\/font> Sierra Ferrell<\/a><\/strong>: <\/p>\n