I recently started following another online artist challenge hosted by Michelle Burnett called "Following The Masters". http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/ Each challenge is designed to bring focus to the creative styles of past masters. This challenge's focus is the "self portrait".One artist who has inspired my work greatly, at an early age, was the master illustrator and graphic designer M.C. Escher. His designs in woodcut and pen and ink were always appealing to me in their complex nature and detail. He is probably the reason I became fascinate with illustrating in pen and ink in the first place.
I tried to pattern this piece in a similar style that Escher might have used, while infusing my own unique flair to it in the process.
I like the hauntingly timeless style of cross hatching and pointillism. The style has it's roots in the Renaissance periods, and has developed it's appeal through the centuries, lending itself to the classic depictions in story books. Which is part of the reason why I fell in love with being an illustrator. The joy of telling stories with your art.
