Kendra

THE ASSIGNMENT

Create a thick, rich, painterly portfolio piece.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a multi-layered, beautiful illustration filled with immediacy and dimensionality, while also working as a flat abstraction.

GETTING STARTED

I dabble in photography. A nice byproduct of this is I have an abundance of source material when I want to play, a bit, with the paint.

One such photo session was with one of my favorite collaborators, Kendra Scott. We tend to create magical images, together. This particular session was a metamorphosis-themed concept, transitioning — visually and metaphorically — from a beautiful facade to raw vulnerability. You can see and read about this beautiful and emotional session, HERE and HERE.

One of my favorite images, from our experience, was this simple, yet elegant, back shot. The sensual forms and shapes would provide lots of opportunity to juxtapose bold strokes and textures, and see what might pan out, in a painting.



Using the paint in a sculptural way, I strove for economy of mark-making — a few marks to define the dimension of a shoulder blade or a mass of hair.

Red is one of my favorite colors to exploit, in a piece of art. It’s an automatic call-to-arms, visually, and emotionally. It lets the subconscious know there is a bundle of emotion, residing, within.

What better way to exploit red, than with green, its complement?

The photo has a much more subdued background, which works, for the photograph. But, for my illustration, there needed to be more for the eye to touch and experience. I decided it needed to remain a non-descript background, but still be filled with detail and depth, to add that richness and energy I was looking for. Layers of lines, shapes, dots, and negative space, all trigger the mind, in different ways, while still harmonizing within that single background space. The green colors are just subdued, enough, to not overpower the main statement of the red. That’s important for color balance.

THE FINAL ART

To further enhance a sense of beautiful, painterly mark-making that also happens to create a recognizable series of forms, a ragged black border seemed to be the perfect final touch. In addition to creating a frame, the border intersects and blends into the figure, separating the picture into three shapes (negative space to the left and right of the figure, and the figure, itself). In doing these things, the frame starts to trick the eye into choosing between a 3-dimensional form or a flattened abstraction. The mind is always trying to make choices as it attempts to make sense of the world.

This complex journey into a piece of art is what makes an eye want to come back and investigate. The question of what is real vs what is illusion is one of the most important questions art can pose to a viewer. It is just one aspect of art that makes it such an important part of the human experience.

My thanks to the amazing, Kendra, for creating beautiful images, with me, and helping to make this artwork, possible.



Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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Serena Williams

THE ASSIGNMENT

A portfolio piece, featuring professional tennis champion, Serena Williams, to showcase my sports illustrations.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a rich, colorful, action-packed (and flattering) illustration of the dominant Ms. Williams, in the heat of an on-court point, while telling the story of her strength, focus, and beauty.

GETTING STARTED

Sports illustration is a favorite genre, of mine. My style and vision seems to mesh with the energy of sports. So, I decided to create a series of sports portraits, to showcase my latest stylings, in the genre.

First up is tennis superstar, Serena Williams. As I write, she just captured her 22nd major singles title, at Wimbledon 2016. This win ties her for most women’s singles titles, in the open era. If you don’t follow tennis, all you need to know is, she is, arguably, the greatest women’s tennis player, of all time.

My goals, heading into this illustration, were to capture bold color, texture, and motion. I wanted to give your retinas a feast.

As I gathered reference of Serena, in action, I was reminded how odd and contorted our faces can be, during the heat of a sporting event. That can look interesting and truthful, in a photograph. And, while I’m all for truth, I wanted to do so with a face that stated “focus” and “beauty” along with "intensity." Those snarling mugs don’t hold up so well, illustratively; for me, anyway.

As any connoisseur of Serena knows, she is a style icon, on and off the court. I chose a colorful US Open outfit, for her. The palpable energy and vibrant color of the US Open, held in New York City, encapsulates the energetic and color-rich vibe of my vision. So, I chose to sample my color palette of blues and reds from this one-of-a-kind sensory experience of a tennis tournament.

Since I was after movement, I decided on a moment, during the rally, as opposed to the serve or a moment, after the action. This would provide me nice shapes and angles, as well as a good vantage point for her face, and the sense of immediacy I was looking for.

THE FINAL ART

After crafting a pose and composing it to the page, I dug out the paint. With bold strokes, I gave myself plenty of texture to work with. This stage is like creating a skeleton for the refinements, to come. I’m, almost, sculpting the shapes of the body, to, hopefully, capture the flow of her shape and movement. I’m also looking for a few “happy accidents.”

Here’s a sneak peek into my underpainting process…









At this point, it goes into Photoshop, where I close my eyes and hope for the best. Actually, I go back and forth between tidying it up and layering and enhancing its texture.

For my color palette, the blues and reds were leaning toward a triad color scheme. So, I incorporated some yellow-green, as the third color. A triad color scheme is one in which three colors are equally-spaced, on the color wheel. As such, it becomes harmonious, and, it tends to please the eye.

I hadn’t, originally, planned on using type, but, upon completion, I felt the urge to give it a whirl. The no-nonsense sans serif “SERENA” embodies strength, while the delicate “Williams” script embodies class, refinement, and artistry — just as she does.



Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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Dean Martin Katz for Denver Law Magazine

THE CLIENT

University of Denver Sturm College of Law

THE ASSIGNMENT

A cover illustration to honor Martin Katz, the beloved dean of the University of Denver’s law school, who is stepping down from his position.

THE CHALLENGE

Tell the story of Martin Katz – his deanship at the University of Denver, his interest in aviation, and his status as a highly-regarded figure, at the school and among the nation-wide law school community.

GETTING STARTED

I participated in a conference call, with my art director as well as the assistant dean of Sturm College of Law, to discuss what they wished to portray for this cover illustration, honoring Dean Martin Katz, and thanking him for his time of positive service, to the school and its students.

Among his achievements, Dean Katz instituted a strategic plan, focusing on experiential learning, which helped bridge the community, academia, and the law profession. The success of his vision helped rocket the school up 22 places in the US News and World Report rankings of best law schools. At his peak, Dean Katz was listed as the 4th most influential person in legal education, according to The National Jurist, a premier publication devoted to law school news, trends, and rankings.

Symbolism would be an important instrument in the story of this illustration.

Among his avocations, Dean Katz performs search and rescue missions for the Civil Air Patrol. His interest in aviation will serve as a tool to bridge the personal story of Martin Katz with that of Dean Katz, the educator. His eye is always on the horizon, whether in flight or in educational vision. Aviation should, naturally, play a role in the illustration.

In addition to aviation, the natural surrounds, of Denver – namely, the Rocky Mountains – would seem to be beautiful visual tools, to consider, as I set forth with preliminary sketches.

PRELIMINARY SKETCHES

I started with Mr. Katz in a stately pose, with the viewer looking up, giving him a larger-than-life, heroic presence. A natural starting point was to depict him with rolled-up sleeves, looking like he is ready to get to work. After some experimentation, and photo shoots, of myself, in various poses, I felt this pose would communicate the story and fill the space, best.

A colorful sunset sky seemed like, not only a beautiful addition, to the scene, but, also, a symbol of the sun setting on his time, as dean.

The other devices I chose were the school, itself (interior and exterior), the Rocky Mountains, and the campus bridge, as a symbol of his bridge-building reputation.

A Cessna airplane, toward the horizon, is also prevalent.

I provided 5 options.







REVISIONS

After review, my client liked number 2 and 4, but with some requests.

1. A less-menacing sky, on both.
2. Lighten the landscape on #4.

I re-submitted the following:




THE FINAL ART

My client chose sketch #2, with the sky revision.

The magazine cover was a success and very well-received, by Mr. Katz, which is the icing on the cake.



My thanks to the folks at Denver Law Magazine for the opportunity to honor Dean Martin Katz.



Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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Prince Hall for American Legacy Magazine

THE CLIENT

American Legacy Magazine

THE ASSIGNMENT

A full-page illustration for a feature article on Prince Hall, who, in 1784, was one of the founding members of the first African-American Freemasonry order.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a beautiful, accurate, historical portrait of Mr. Hall, with the stateliness of “one of the first black organizers, in American history,” according to the feature article.

On the eve of the Revolutionary War, Prince Hall, and fourteen free black men, risked their lives, and their freedom, by taking a boat to the enemy’s fort, at the entrance to the Boson Harbor, in an attempt to join Freemasonry. After being rejected by colonial Freemasonry, these men, determined to join, were accepted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Lodge No. 441, on March 6, 1775. After the British evacuated Boston, the African-American Masons were left without a lodge. The departing Irish soldiers gave these Masons a permit to meet as African Lodge No. 1. However, without a lodge, this permit provided limited provisions. A petition for lodge was sent to the Lodge of England. In 1784, the petition was granted, and African Lodge No. 459 was founded — the first African-American fraternal order, with Prince Hall as its leader.

Today, the nationwide branch of African-American Freemasonry is named Prince Hall Freemasonry, in his honor.

GETTING STARTED

The direction would be a head and shoulders portrait with the Masonic symbol, behind. My task, now, would be to gather reference, showing what the man may have looked like. There is a bit of leeway, when it comes to historical figures, for whom no good reference exists. No one is around to dispute. I also needed to be sure and gather historically-accurate clothing and hair styles. This includes general Revolutionary-era attire and powdered wigs.

The Freemasonry symbol is the square and compass. As with many aspects of Freemasonry, these items are rooted in symbolism. There are no concrete, consistent meanings, behind them, however, they are, often, to be reflective of lessons in conduct. The square is to remind members to square their actions and the compass is to remind members of their bounds with all of mankind. The letter, “G,” is often found, in the center of the logo. It is generally believed to represent God.

PRELIMINARY SKETCHES

I provided 4 options, in various configurations.






THE FINAL ART

My client chose sketch #3.

My sketches are based on other sketchy artistic renderings. So, a photo shoot was in order. Matthew was my subject and a combination of a nondescript sweater and a Revolutionary War-era costume from the costume shop, was our wardrobe.

This is the photo composite reference I used for the final art...



Acrylic paint with Photoshop is my medium, of choice, for color work.

Unfortunately, the illustration did not see publication, as the magazine, unexpectedly, went through some restructuring. However, Prince Hall is still a popular figure and the illustration has taken on a life of its own, since its creation:

• It was accepted to Illustration West 50 annual and exhibition, in 2012, sponsored by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles.

• As mentioned, there are not many depictions of Mr. Hall, and those that exist are not very detailed. As a result, it caught the eye of the leader of a California Freemasonry Lodge who licensed it as part of Prince Hall Day, at their Lodge.

• It will also be seen at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, in Bloomington, MN, as part of an educational exhibit.

My thanks to the folks at American Legacy Magazine for the opportunity to learn more about Prince Hall and to bring him to life, in this way.



Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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Frederick T. Gates For the University of Chicago

THE CLIENT

The University of Chicago

THE ASSIGNMENT

A black and white illustration of Frederick T. Gates for an annual academic service award. Mr. Gates (1853–1929) served on the school’s board, for many years. He was also a close advisor to John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who founded the school.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a portrait of Mr. Gates, while also telling the story of his academic roots with the school, for this, aforementioned, academic award.

GETTING STARTED

After a discussion, with my art director, about the direction the portrait should take, we decided on Mr. Gates against the backdrop of the University. They wanted to include a background of some sort, instead of, simply, a silhouetted portrait.

Along with images of Mr. Gates, I rounded up reference of the school, thinking about iconic buildings, interior vs exterior, as well as angular vs squared views. I wanted to try a variety of options to achieve the best composition.

PRELIMINARY SKETCHES

I provided 5 options, including a basic, nondescript background, in order to cover all bases.



THE FINAL ART

My client chose sketch #4.

The hard work and major decision-making is done, in the sketch phase. All that’s left is execution.

Charcoal on paper, with a hint of Photoshop, is the recipe, here.



Once and a while, I like to re-visit illustrations, after they’ve been published. This was one such case. Because of its historical nature, I decided to try a monotone color treatment, for an extra visual punch and an added layer of historical feel. I think the color fits, nicely.

Many thanks to the University of Chicago, for the opportunity to work with you on this fantastic project.



Allan Burch is an award-winning illustrator and portrait artist, providing solutions for editorial, book, advertising, and institutional projects.
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