Illustration Commons^™

Laughing In The Wrong Places: Daniel Clowes And The Danger Of Nostalgia, Liam Cassidy

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This essay explores the relationship between art objects and our past, narrowing in on nostalgia as a malevolent force in American culture that will lead to its eventual downfall. Focusing on Daniel Clowes’ latest graphic novel Monica as a case study, I demonstrate how graphic stories like this seek to reflect rather than interpret, and are often more closely aligned to the creator’s biography than an attempt at broad strokes or political pandering. The essay uses interviews with Clowes at various points of his career, reviews of Monica, academic essays on Clowes, as well as articles and books dissecting …

Seeing Is Believing: Observing Trans Spirituality Through The Smith-Waite Tarot, Phoebe Santalla

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

In 1909 the Rider Company published the Smith-Waite Tarot deck which featured 78 illustrated cards by Pamela Colman Smith. With heavy use of appropriated and ambiguous symbology, the Smith-Waite deck became a meditation tool for realizing alternative realities. By observing the history of the deck, analyzing Smith’s approach to illustration, and retracing the counterculture occult explosion in the 1970s, this essay argues that the Smith-Waite deck is an object the reflects the queered body and self. The modern, trans-contentious, Western political climate creates an environment that obscures the fact that transgender people exist beyond the medicalization of their bodies. To …

How Visual Narrative Can Elevate Immigrant Food, Yiting Chai

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

Throughout the history of immigration, visual cultural products have provided channels for them to express their voices in North America, helping audiences understand immigrant culture and situations to promote social equality. Photography and cookbooks, as traditional expressions of food art, provide insight into the vitality of food and the way people treat food.

Graphic memoir and social engagement, as emerging categories, have emerged in the post-pandemic period. These diverse creative forms discuss individuals and food deep connections, such as interactions between people and community or a sense of belonging. For immigrant groups, Food is the quintessence of human existence, which …

Crux: Urban Ecology And Cultural Essence, Maria Del Valle

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

The CRUX, stands for islands grappling with the aftermath of hurricanes. Its transformative vision is set against the backdrop of a city scarred by abandoned homes, tainted water sources, agricultural decay, and a crippled electrical grid. CRUX aspires to breathe new life into this urban landscape, envisioning a self-sustaining city dedicated to nurturing community ties for the resilient people of Yabucoa. The testament to the restoration is not just physical structures, but the research studies the very spirit of the community. By delving into the realms of art, farming, Afro-Carribbean culture, and food, the project seeks to create a vibrant …

The Catholic Runway: Examining The Representation Of The Chasuble In Modern Couture, Brendan Baehr

Honors Thesis

In Catholic tradition, the chasuble is a central garment worn by clergy members originating as far back as the 6^th century, albeit under a different name. The chasuble is the outermost form of vestment for members of the clergy and takes the general shape of a cone, leaving room for the head to be placed in a circular opening. The changes in form of the chasuble will be something I exam within this paper, as although often relatively minor, still reflect changing attitudes towards fashion sensibilities within the Catholic church over time. I will be primarily examining these changes …

I'M Not A Robot, Dean Krueger

Graduate Artistry Projects and Performances

My dystopian short film "The Ballad of Viktor GRC-01" seeks to tap into the essence of animation as a humanist art form, a distorted mirror to reality rendered in pencil. The mark making and compositions more closely resemble German expressionist woodcuts, or early 20^th century comic strips with stark contrasting monochromatic ink blotches and screen tones.

Character dynamics are implied through staging and body language as opposed to dialogue, and based off the assumption of the audience being willing to fill in their own gaps of meaning in the ambiguity, not dissimilar to a receptive audience to abstract modern …

Researching & Designing Marketing Materials For Rachel Messer & Connor Dale, Isabelle Bauer

Honors Projects

Isabelle Bauer’s Honors Project, “Researching and Designing Marketing Materials for Rachel Messer and Connor Dale” is split into two components. First, the research paper titled "The American West as a Cultural Phenomenon" explores the fascination with the American West and its integration into various aspects of American culture, particularly in music, film, and art. The essay discusses the historical significance of the West and its transformation into a cultural obsession. Focusing on the resurgence of Western aesthetics in modern country music, the project’s second component involves the creation of marketing materials for country artists Rachel Messer and Connor Dale.

The …

Clothing, From Textiles To Pixels: Exploring The Possibilities Of Design With Clo3d Software, Tina Shetabi

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project explores the application of Clo3d software as a transformative educational tool in couture fashion design instruction. Despite couture's rich tradition of meticulous craftsmanship and personalized design, its teaching methodologies have yet to fully leverage digital advancements. This project examines the integration of Clo3d into the apparel design program curriculum, specifically focusing on the undergraduate course Digital Apparel Design at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application, this project aims to determine how digital tools like Clo3d can enhance the learning outcomes of fashion design students by providing a more interactive and …

Away From Keyboard: Practical Applications Of Antifascism, Amber Sarelle Easley

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

My work sits uncomfortably between and across the disciplines of activism and art. This tension is typical of Socially Engaged Art: a social interaction proclaiming itself as art. I aim for these interactions to center antifascism in interrogating the complex interrelation between digital spaces and the streets outside our front doors, as antifascism is the only appropriate response to the blatant fascistic aspirations that is both digitally and physically present.

Things That Are Long, Frankie Gutierrez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Bigfoot has become an important motif for Frankie Gutierrez, especially since his transition in 2021. The characters in this exhibition showcase the deeply personal exploration of transness and non-mainstream trans identities, the in-depth observations of others, and their interactions with transgender people. He compares transness to the likeness of bigfoot, typically an elusive and hard-to-find character that everyone suspects, but has rarely been seen. Evidence of their existence surrounds us, but only those with open minds can truly see them. The characters in this show look like you and me, and no one at all. This exhibition is not meant …

Exploring Pedagogical Approaches: A Comparative Analysis Of Information Delivery Methods In Fish Dissection Instruction, Kiara Smidt

Honors Projects

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a global shift to remote work and education, challenging traditional teaching methods. This research explores the effectiveness of audiovisual versus visual-only guides in teaching perch dissection anatomy, safety, and procedure. The study involves a cross-sectional experiment with students from an Introduction to Biology course at Bowling Green State University. Participants were divided into groups using either a video or a written guide, and their knowledge was assessed before and after the dissection. Results calculated through a Student’s t-test indicate no significant difference in overall effectiveness between the two methods, apart from labeling an anatomy diagram and …

The Lantern, 2023-2024, Grace Wurzer, Naila Twyman, Owen Fazzini, Catherine Stump, Aiden Jones, Keegan Mcgowan, Nanditha Vinod, Olivia Cross, Tatiana Kent, Sidney Belleroche, Zach Devita-Paulson, Christopher Gerrow, Morgan Grabowski, Leyna Maio, Derek Matarazzo, Madeline O'Connor, Luke Peloquin, Ze'ev Shaheen, Hana Yolacan, Mary Mcnabb, Mary Lobo, Hannah Conley, Matilda Dumaine, Mairead Mcdermott, Abigail Prince, Livia M. Nocito, Heather Reitnauer, Ashley Adam, Ryan Bernier, Erin Corcoran, Leo Cox, Julia Decamp, Izabella Entrekin, Georgia Gardner, Emily Gurganus, Amber Leech, Kelsey Lyons, Aurora Mckee, Amy Smith, Miara Truog Sebouhian

The Lantern Literary Magazines, 1933 to Present

"God," worship, and damnation in the font of my body • The Men in My Life • Vagabond Fishermen • Unfinished Elegy • Big Game • Bitters • On the Ferris Wheel • Ruffling Feathers • Haunted House • Dragon in the Pond • Saint Sebastian • The Last Supper • The Perfect Babka • Session • Sunrise • Dish Dog • A Love Letter to Hands • In Memoriam: Mary Lobo '15 • Champagne • Resting Place • Balance • An Arboreal Requiem • Moving Forward • Bye-Bye Beach Days • Portofino • The Moth on My Dashboard • …

Collaboration With Lillee One "Sucker Puss", Garald (Gary) Barton Iv

Waldo Library Student Exhibits

No abstract provided.

{Re}Considering Illustration | Risd Mfa Illustration Anthology 2024, Illustration Department, Illustration Mfa, Jenine Bressner, Emilia Miekisz, Simone Nemes, Simone Khanyi Hadebe, Ananya Parekh, Ariel Wills, Irene Chung, Nellie Geraghty, Nina Martinez, Reem Al-Ani, Lingyi Kong, Courtney Mckracken, Deanne Fernandes, Mara Menahan, Ji Zou

Illustration MFA Anthologies

The essays in this volume have been created by the candidates of the inaugural cohort of the Masters of Fine Arts in Illustration Practice at the Rhode Island School of Design. The writings provide an overview of some of the ideas, research methods and artistic concerns addressed by the candidates through their art over the two-year span of their graduate studies.

Whimsical Indie, Lily Newton

Illustration Student Work

This is an album cover for a playlist inspired by whimsical indie songs that I enjoy. The image of this work came to mind as I listened to the songs, so this work is my interpretation of that and an attempt to create a work that communicates the cozy, fantastical feelings the songs I chose elicit.

Vinyl Cover - ..Normal?, Kayla Dos Santos

Illustration Student Work

I listen to Indie/Indie Rock/Indie Alternative music, so based off of some of the covers from the songs in my playlist, I decided to use similar colors and compositions.

Country Cookin’, Wyatt Mueller

Illustration Student Work

2 Lovers standing in their kitchen after making dinner. The warm sunset reaches through the windows and lightly covers the countertop and kitchen. A father rooster and his chick sit in the corner peacefully.

Ashlen & Eli: Surprise For Eli!, Joy Chappell

Student Sequential Art and Comics

Eli's boyfriend, Ashlen has a surprise for him. What could it be? Read and find out!

(Based on my comic series, Ashlen & Eli)

My Gender In The Closet, Aspen Balducci

Student Sequential Art and Comics

This book details the transitioning and rediscovery of gender from a single person's perspective. Gender is not linear or binary, something all people should be free to study and discover.

The Woman’S Candlelight, Lauryn Harden, Lauryn Harden

Student Sequential Art and Comics

This zine that was created for Sequential Art I.