Student Spotlight- Katrin Wiehle

Time to shine the insanely bright Illustration Student Spotlight on ILLU MA candidate Katrin Wiehle. Katrin won one of the big prizes at last fall's Generate event, and has been creating remarkable work ever since she arrived. She's heading back to Germany in a few weeks after she earns her degree, and we wanted to make sure to brag on her a bit before she leaves us. As usual, we forced her to answer a few questions so we could get to know her a bit better, so without further ado, heeeeeere's Katrin!


Katrin Wiehle



Where are you from?
I grew up in the countryside near Hannover, Germany and now live in Hamburg, Germany.



Where have you been to school?
I studied Communication Design with a focus on illustration at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel, Germany, where I got my diploma (it is like a combination of bachelor and master and took me five years.)



What attracted you to Illustration?
My older brother brought me to graffiti, graffiti brought me to fine art, fine art brought me to graphic design and graphic design brought me to illustration. I happily arrived.



Who are your biggest influences?
I guess it's everyday life: people around me, all the small things I see and places I go. Somehow all these things appear on my paper later on. It is also all these incredible artists and creative people that I find in books, magazines and on websites or meet in school. I'm addicted to drawn.ca and illustrationmundo.com.



If you weren’t studying illustration at SCAD, what would you likely be doing?
Maybe starving as a freelance graphic designer in Hamburg. But definitively art somehow and somewhere.



What do you like to do in your spare time?
You mean when I'm not drawing or doing art somehow...I like to look at things: cities, books, exhibitions, stores and nature. I like walking barefoot in the grass, and I'm from Germany so having beer with my friends.



What is something that most people don’t know about you?
I don't think that I know everything about me.... I grew up in a commune, I can tile floors and I was dancing ballet, but I don't tell.



What would your dream job/client be and why?
It is more the perfect job situation that I dream of: having my own little shop where I could produce and sell my drawings, like an open studio. But wait, of course I would take that children's book series, too. I just hope to do many different things to see what it' s like.



What’s your typical process for creating your artwork (technique, media, etc)?
I draw with a mechanical pencil doing a lot of sketches until I like what I see. Then I trace it and do the color in Photoshop. To give it a handmade look I use texture, old paper or whatever material I find. I also enjoy handwriting the type. Lots of coffee and less sleep. Hating it – loving it – hating it – loving it.





Sum up your personal philosophy in 25 words or less.
Just living is not enough ... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. (The Butterfly – Hans Christian Andersen)

Illustrator Rep - Anna Goodson Monday, 11am, room 347

The illustration department is going live via Skype video up to Quebec, Canada!

My Self promotion class will have a video talk on the big screen with Art Rep Anna Goodson of Anna Goodson Management (AGM). She is the owner of an innovative, boutique-style agency serving the global marketing needs of the visual arts community. Representing around 34 Illustrators from around the world - as far away as Australia and Argentina. Founded in 1996, AGM is driven by passion and a commitment to providing exceptional personal service to artists and clients. Today, AGM's artists work with some of the leading advertising agencies, design firms, magazines, publishers and newspapers in the world. Anna will give a talk about the business side of the illustration industry and what it takes to be a successful illustrator. Q & A session to follow.

All are welcome to attend! I'm having my student's go through her website and blog and read through all her illustration topics. (Great info in and of itself.) She would be more than happy to elaborate on those and any other topics, but not simply repeat what's already been said on the blog. Come with prepared intelligent questions people! I'm sure you can come up with something else to comment or ask her about. Here is AGM's latest promo book in digital form showcasing her illustrators.


Who: Anna Goodson
What: Video lecture/presentation and Q&A session
When: Monday, April 27th from 11am sharp -11:45am
Where: SCAD ATL Cintique lab 347.
Website: http://agoodson.com
Blog: http://annagoodson.wordpress.com/

Thanks,
Jay

A Few of my Favorite Artists (part one) MARCEL DZAMA (and others)

Marcel Dzama

A few years back McSweeneys, one of my favorite indie publishers, started using these strange little pen and ink (and what looked like brown watercolor) drawings as random spot illustrations in their quarterly, books, and their magazine the Believer.  They were so strange, but loveable...naive but smart, you couldn't help but love them.  I later found out that the artist was Marcel Dzama and the rich browns were from using root beer extract.  In addition to having a few collected books, he has also shown at David Zwirner in New York and the Tate.

The two artists that come to mind when I see Dzama's work are Edward Gorey and Henry Darger.  I won't give a history lesson on both artists, but if you're not familiar with their work, here are a few images (some you might recognize!):

EDWARD GOREY.

Here's a great little comic about Gorey by another favorite illustrator Tom Gauld.

HENRY DARGER.  

I will make a quick note about Darger, because I read a lot about him a few years ago while working on a short bio comic.  Darger was NOT a successful illustrator/artist.  In fact, he died poor and was (according to those who knew him) what we in the business call "totally insane".  Darger lived alone and worked through the night on his epic book "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion."  See, I told you.  He was bonkers.  Actually, the people who lived in his apartment building thought he had people over all the time, but later found out that he was just talking to himself in made up voices!  

I saw his work a few years back at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum and it was breathtaking.  His work is all drawn on yellowed legal paper in pencil and watercolor, and most of the main characters are traced from old coloring books.  After he died they found the book (which was up to 15,145 pages!!) in stacks.  Often he would just draw on found paper or even the backs of other drawings.

Don't worry, I like normal stuff too.  I'll get to that later.

04 Voices Thesis Show Opening

SCAD-Atlanta's finest had their Thesis Show opening tonight at StudioPlex on Auburn Avenue.
It's a wonderful show and a testament to the talented young artists that are about to bit us farewell...

The Gang of 04:
Brenda Lyons, Noodee Aisiri, Goñi Montes and Heather Elder.


Heather and Julie Mueller-Brown discussing Heather's body of work titled "Stories From the Woods".


Katrin and Duygu admiring Goni Montes' series called "Inheritance".


Brenda Lyons' watercolor paintings deal with "Birds of Prey in History and Culture". Her display included signed, limited edition giclee prints as well as beautiful finished compositions and smaller watercolor studies.


Noodee Aisiri's three "Toy Theatres" are about as charming and fun as you can get. They feature a village scene, a woodland scene and an underwater scene. All with articulated dolls that dance and swim. Her display also included beautiful little paintings that were the studies for her characters, as well as an animated film of her theaters come to life.

Puppet Theatre from Parin Sarasin on Vimeo.
Noodee has also posted lots of photos of her process and shots of the show on her Facebook page.(you have to be Facebook friends with her to see them)



Mike Lowery and Alan Hawley


Bill and Lee Mayer chatting with their old bud Goni.


Rodrigue, admiring Brenda's raptors.


Noodee, workin' it.

Great job everyone. You did us all VERY proud tonight. We will miss you , but know that each of you will make a very big, beautiful mark on the world after you've graduated.

04 VOICES Thesis Show

Four of SCAD-Atlanta's shining stars will be burning brightly on Wednesday Night at StudioPlex. Please make plans to come by and join us in celebrating their crowning achievement as students! And, oh yeah... there's FREE FOOD!

FLUKE mini comics show THIS WEEKEND

Hey guys, this weekend is FLUKE in Athens, GA. This looks like it's going to be a great show. If you'd like to go and need a ride, or have an extra seat, be sure to email me.

The info:

Saturday April 4th 2009
11:00 AM until 6 PM
Athens Georgia
Admission is $5.00

www.flukeathens.com

From their site: FLUKE is a mini-comic festival that has been organized by Athens-area comic artists, underground publishers and their enthusiasts since 2002. Conceived as a venue for the discussion and exchange of timely ideas related to mini-comics, zines, and other independent publications, FLUKE is not a large comic convention or merchandising-saturated extravaganza. This isn't to say we don't like our share of stuff--'cause we do. However, we have kept the organization of the event as simple as possible to ensure that it remains focused on work and ideas rather than merchandising.

Teatrio Success!!

Congratulations are very much in order for Professor Julie Mueller-Brown and her Children's Book class from the fall quarter of this year. The results are in, and FIVE Atlanta students have their work in the traveling exhibition!

Lauren Rolwing WON FIRST PLACE in the Book Project competition!

Lauren's Book Project entry is titled "Big Teeth You Have"

Other Atlanta winners are:

Richard Goodwin


Meg McClelland



Charles Parham


Jacob Smith, winner of the Critics in Arms prize.


The Savannah winners are:
Pam Wishbow-2nd place
Aaron Kober
Katrina Kopeloff
Paul Hostetler
Sarah Burgess
Isaac Klunk

Great job, everyone!!