This Australian graphic designer is known for his colorful creations that look like they will pop out of the screen at any minute. And that is the aim of this artist. He loves to create dreamlike environments that seem to invite you to a whole new dimension full of happiness and vibrant colors.
ArtVenture Online
There are lots of ways to stay connected with the McMichael collection, educators and artists through art activities, videos, tutorials and more from home! Check back regularly for new posts.
This project video, inspired by artist Christi Belcourt’s floral paintings, will teach aspiring artists of all ages and abilities to create an unforgettable gift for a loved one this Valentine’s Day.
Kids Corner: Moonlight Magic
This Halloween, look up and experience the stars, moon and magic of the night sky in a whole new way! In 2020, we have the rare opportunity to enjoy this spooky season under a blue moon, the second full moon in less than one month.
Contemporary Canadian artist Steve Driscoll was inspired by the northern lights to create his large-scale painting Like a daydream, or a fever (2016).
Using pigmented urethane to create his landscapes, the artist created an effect that is almost magical when the urethane dries into clear layers. Follow Driscoll’s lead and use this rare lunar phenomenon as your inspiration to create a little magic of your own!
Today, we are going to create a painting depicting the Halloween night sky.
Steve Driscoll (b. 1980), Like a daydream, or a fever, 2016, Urethane and oil pigment on plastic panel, 214 × 280 cm, Gift of the artist, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 2017.4
Exploration Questions:
- How is the element of space used in the painting? Do you see more of the sky or the land?
- What is different about the night sky in this painting? Have you ever seen the northern lights?
- How did the artist recreate the feeling of the northern lights swirling and moving up the canvas?
Activity description:
Layer oil pastels (or wax crayons) and watercolour paint to create a magical nocturnal landscape painting. Use your view of the evening sky or your imagination to create a moonlit masterpiece that captures the essence of Halloween night.
Sometimes art can be magical. Some materials, like oil and water, can even work together in a way that seems otherworldly. In this activity, we will explore what happens when we experiment with materials that don’t really get along.
Before we begin, envision the time of day that you would like to paint and reflect on the colours, objects and texture that you’d like to include in your landscape. Steve Driscoll paints his picture from a “worm’s-eye view” while looking up towards a big sky. Choose a viewpoint that you prefer, then begin sketching a landscape using a wax or oil-based material. Both wax and oil will resist your watercolour, so be sure to leave some areas of your surface uncovered. Start with the lightest colours and then build the darker colours on top. Experiment with layers of thin watercolour paint on top of your wax/oil and watch the magic happen!
Gallery Explorers: Once Upon A Blue Moon
There are several notable artworks in the McMichael’s permanent collection that showcase the fascination many great artists have had with the starry night sky and nocturnal landscapes.
From Tom Thomson’s evening vistas of Algonquin Park, to Frederick Varley’s paintings of the Vancouver skyline at night, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries frequently explored the effects of moonlight on colours and shadows. Inuit artists often depicted the evening sky through a spiritual lens, populating the darkness with the spirits from the folklore of their culture.
Tom Thomson (1877–1917), Moonlight and Birches, 1915, oil on wood panel, 22 x 26.9 cm, Gift of Mrs. H.P. de Pencier, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 1966.2.5
F.H. Varley, Night Ferry, Vancouver, 1937, oil on canvas, 81.9 x 102.2 cm, Purchase 1983, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 1983.10
Activity description:
Watch this tutorial or download the step-by-step instructions:
Loss of the Night citizen science project
It’s day 2 of International Dark Sky Week, and the moon is fading towards a crescent, visible only in the early morning. That means that it’s a great time to use the Loss of the Night or Dark Sky Meter apps, or to contribute to GLOBE at Night using the regular webapp. To celebrate the crescent moon, here’s a post about depictions of the crescent moon in art.
If you saw a painting of a scene that included a coniferous tree filled with blossoms or fruit, it would be incongruous, and unless it was done intentionally it would probably somewhat spoil the painting. Similarly, if shadows are drawn incorrectly it can distract from the image, which is why shading is taught to aspiring artists early on. Unfortunately, these lessons often don’t extend to the shading of the moon, and representations of the moon in contemporary art are often (or more likely usually) incorrect. (Check out these tips to learn how to draw the moon correctly!)
The moon is most often depicted as a crescent, and there are two problems that frequently pop up. The first is that the real crescent moon is lit from the very top to very bottom:
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| Crescent Moon by Thomas Bresson from the Wikimedia Commons |
Many artistic depictions of the crescent moon extend considerably past the top and bottom of the moon:
Golden Crescent Moon by Dcubillas from Wikimedia Commons
Once you know a bit about the moon, incorrect depictions jump right out at you, and can spoil the art. For example, in the generally excellent “Conqueror” series of books about Ghengis Khan, the moonrise or moonset were often incorrectly described, which isn’t so pleasant in “historical fiction”. In one particularly bad case, the crescent moon rose shortly after the sun set (not possible!), and the opposing general took it to be a good omen. Since the plot could hang on a detail like this, it’s unfortunate when more care isn’t taken.
I have suspected for quite a while that before the advent of electric lighting, people would have been more familiar with the comings and goings of the moon, and it’s made me wonder if depictions of the moon in art are were more likely to be correct in the past.
Over Easter, I visited St Mary’s Church in Stralsund Germany to listen to an organ concert. While we waited for the concert to begin, I took photos of two of the church’s paintings that caught my eye because of the presence of the crescent moon. The first photo shows a burial at sea:
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| “Seebestattung” (Burial at sea) – unknown artist, ca 1900, oil on canvas |
The crescent moon is correctly depicted: it points towards the sunset in the West. We can tell it’s sunset and not sunrise because the painting most likely represents a burial in the Northern Hemisphere. Since the moon is never near the northern horizon, it follows that the right hand side of the painting must be the West.
I don’t know the name or any details of the second image:
Here you can see that the crescent moon is again correctly depicted, with the lit part running exactly from top to bottom, and the moon “pointing” straight to the sun. Some artistic license is used here, because stars are shown with the moon while the sun is up, but (I think) the two sides represent before and after Adam and Eve ate from the tree. (It’s also interesting to me that living in Eden is depicted as being in the night, while being cast out of Eden is under the sun.)
Of course, artists are free to depict the moon (and pine trees) any way they want. But if it’s going to be depicted differently from nature, artists should be aware that some segment of the population will note the incongruity, and it may spoil the work for them.
Lotta Nieminen
Lotta Nieminen is a contemporary graphic designer, illustrator, and art director. Originally from Finland, Lotta founded her own studio in 2012 in New York.
Lotta Nieminen Studio creates visual solutions for clients across various disciplines. The studio also works as a creative partner, helping its clients with branding and bringing their unique visual identities to life.
Lotta has been nominated for Forbes 30 Under 30 list and several other awards, including the Art Directors Club Young Guns award and Print magazine’s New Visual Artist. In almost all of her works, you can feel her Nordic roots influence. However, in her designs, she likes to play around with bright colors.
In this example, we can see how she plays around with different colors for this Cook in a Book cover. This award-winning graphic designer has also illustrated interactive recipe books for children. So far, she has illustrated a series of four Cook in a Book.
The background you see in this example shown here is also taken from one of the inside pages illustrated by her.
Leta Sobierajski
New York-based artist Leta Sobierajski is known for her unique and quirky designs. She combines traditional graphic design elements with styling, art, and photography, as we see on this example.
The combination of bold, bright colors with fashion and the bold yellow background is eye-catching and draws you in. Even though there are many colors used in this example, all the colors work well with one another.
The contrast between black and white parts and the bold colors is powerful. You will see these kinds of combinations on almost all the art pieces by this artist.
The image we have taken as an example is from their 2020 Tokio exhibition at Calm and Punk Gallery.
They have accompanied it with this description: “Music to your eyes is picking up the rainbow and playing it like a piano and dancing from dawn until dusk to the sound of your own heartbeat.”
In October 2016, Leta founded a design studio together with her husband and collaborator, Wade Jeffree. Their projects range from art direction to installations. Their provocative designs are very different from all the other artists we have mentioned above.
Just take a look at her website or Instagram feed, and we assure you that you will have a hard time taking your eyes off those amazing designs.
Among the clients Leta has worked with are Adobe, Bloomberg, Google, Gucci, IBM, The New York Times, Renault, and Tate Modern.
Like Lotta Nieminen, Leta has also been recognized as an Art Directors Club Young Guns 15 recipient, among other awards.
Key takeaways
We’ve explored the work of 11 famous graphic designers and artists from various backgrounds and generations.
These influential designers have left their mark on the field of graphic design and design principles, shaping visual culture and creating iconic logos for some of the biggest companies of the 20th century.
From product design to motion graphics and magazine covers, their distinctive styles and visual language have resonated with audiences and contributed to the evolution of contemporary design.
It’s also important to highlight the contributions of female art directors and creative directors, showcasing their impact on the industry. These designers have collaborated with renowned design firms and worked with notable clients, bridging the worlds of art, design, and pop culture.
Whether it’s corporate logos or magazine covers, their innovative approach and creativity have influenced the work of aspiring designers and shaped the visual landscape of so many cultures.
If you are looking to break the monotony of your Instagram feed to engage with content outside of your social media bubble, then these 11 design profiles are sure to help with new ideas and inspiration on a daily basis.
Additionally, you will have a lot of design tips to learn by following their work and design process. We are sure their work and life will be a true inspiration for becoming one of the top graphics designers one day!
Do you have any other ones that you follow? Make sure to let us know on our social media.
You want one day to become a famous graphic designer yourself? Then definitely check out these graphic design courses.
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