Jazzy!

It all started innocently enough with a new idea... (which I got while watching TV of all places). But it turned out really Jazzy!

Now I've finally got some samples of that new inspiration that I mentioned last week.
What are styles? They're like music I think. That'd be a good analogy.

Most of my artwork is quieter and more subtle... woodwinds, violins & violas... an acoustic guitar.

But this new line idea came out all saxophones and trumpets. It's very brassy and unpredictable and Jazzy. Mostly it's the black line that's so strong and works against the bright colors and patterns. The line looks great just all by itself. It occurred to me I ought to try some displaced cubist color blocks behind the line too.

I'll still keep my quiet and charming illustrations... but it's good to improvise and go really wild sometime. Loosening up is hard to do and good for an artist I think.

Jazz is very appropriate for this style, since it's really a reflection of illustration styles from the 1950's.

I think lots of today's styles hearken back directly to the 50's. I'm amazed when I see old 1950's movies on TV that the clothing and hairstyles and glasses all seem so contemporary. It also makes it hard to find a pair of round eyeglass frames in a world of all square styles.

Comments

[June :¬)]

You can't hide that it is you playing this graphic music John.
It still shouts out YOU!

I like the plain line work piece. I think it is your style of colouring that gives YOU away mostly.
Have you tried a different colouring technique too? How about pastels or screen simulated printed blocks of colour just to see how it would work?

June

[Barbara Johansen Newman]

John, I LOVE this new style! Yes, it is very YOU , but it is also a touch edgy and almost a little 50's retro, And graphic, too, a la Ben Shahn! More !!!!!

Barb

[john nez]

Thanks... it was fun. But it works best for really simple silhouetted images. Once you get into complex settings, it gets lost in details.

Photoshop is perfect for trying out all these things.

jn

[Liz]

John- very cool Nezzified 50's look! I am sure you can come up with just the right kind of story to showcase this style variation- I agree, it wants to be on the simple side, where you can really work with the contour shapes and background color fields.
Liz

[Maryann]

Hi John- Love the lion---love all the art with heavy line- Did you do the entire thing on computer? How did you draw the line?? I'm just about to start a couple of new books- and again- I hate my illustration and I'm not sure how to approached it...I have been avoiding my desk!

[chris tripp]

John, I'm so far behind on this but wow, really love the retro feel. The cover illustration takes me back to the 50's (not that I would remember it or anything:)

Chris

[Vilyamyq]

Hello! great idea of color of this siyte!