Lilla Rogers hosted an art review of our students’ incredible work created in our self-paced e-courses. Students were given fascinating assignments—one for the Wall Art market (MATS A) and one for the Editorial Magazine market (MATS B). Below are my top picks from the Wall Art submissions in MATS A. (Read the post for the MATS B class here)
This is one of my favorite assignments because it’s so quirky and leads to such a variety of art. First, the artists were given 2 colors based on their astrological signs for their Mini assignment.
Here’s what I told them about their colors. “Even if you don’t like the colors you are given, go with it. Let’s say you were given red and yellow. You can do a burnt red and a curry yellow. Or a cherry red and a brownish yellow. So you have some latitude.” So often we lean on the same color palettes over and over. I wanted to get artists to broaden their palettes, and this is a fun way to get them to do so.
Next, I set them on a scavenger hunt to gather specific items around the house that they could use in their art, and showed them some ways to create their own textures.
For the Big Assignment, they were to create an abstract collage-style piece of art for the Wall Art Market. (Learn more here.) They were required to add one floral and at least one word. Stuff sells better with lettering.
Here were a few tips I gave them.
- Feel free to use words (hand-lettering) to explain your work, to add wit, or to give journal-type information.
- Pretend you’re making this for a friend.
- Fewer well-drawn items are better than a load of weak images.
- Consider your background color when planning out your piece. You might like a dark
color, bright color, or muted color. It’s up to you! - Add type or hand-lettering if you are good with that. Do not do hand-lettering if it is amateurish.
- Do your colors match the vibe or your drawings? 7.
- Are you having fun? People buy your joy.
Let’s look at what gorgeousness the students have come up with!
This piece by Karen Williams (below) hits many notes. First, the vibe of the piece clearly matches the feeling of the word, ‘breathe’. The colors are calming. The composition is very balanced. Her word is beautifully lettered and the required floral is nicely abstracted. We can instantly tell that she was given blue and pink as her colors. I can totally see a home décor client licensing this piece for wall art! Bravo!
Karen Williams
I’m insanely in love with this piece by Julia Witzell (below). There is such a strong point of view. There’s no hesitation here. The text is wonderful (“yes, no, maybe”). The forceful palette matches the theme of YES! I get a feeling of searching for optimism even with the rainclouds in the background. The textures are interesting and don’t compete with the bouquet. It’s lovely. I can see Julia getting book cover work from this piece in addition to wall art.
Julia Witzell
In Ivana Matijevac’s piece (below), like Julia’s piece above, the optimism comes across. Yet here, it’s light and airy, beautifully balanced, and sweet but not sappy sweet. I love the lettering with the thicks and thins and serifs. It’s well crafted, and the fact that it’s slightly off kilter adds charm. Fabulous textures and a pretty color palette. When I see the dot to dot thing I get the sense that Ivana was having fun. People buy your joy! I can totally see Ivana getting greeting card work from this piece.
Ivana Matijevac
I love Devon Holzwarth’s work. Here’s what I’m going to say. Devon, your flying critters steal the show. Make them big big big! I love them! Your color palette and your critters are badass, so I’d have the sentiment reflect that. Maybe the text is something like, Keep out of the garden! I don’t know. But I will say that you’ve got to pitch those critters to children’s book art directors!
Devon Holzwarth
