Sunday, January 30, 2011

"Peace" by Gerald Brom


I find this illustration by Gerald Brom to be exquisite and alluring. The contrasting color palette is powerful and eye catching, and it was the first element to grab my attention. The beiges, pale taupes, and soft pinks of the background are finely blended. The feel of the environment is soft and warm. The flying doves are a delicate element that almost goes unnoticed, in a sense they seem ghostlike. The female figure is my favorite element. I admit, I have been a fan of Brom for many years and this is a powerful example of how beautifully he illustrates flesh. Her skin reminds me of ivory, but yet seems warm and supple. Her dark helm and ebony gloves frame her torso and also highlight her as the main focus of the illustration. The tattoo on her back I find quite intriguing. It looks to me to be a cross between a chaos star and peace symbol. At first I found that quite contrasting, but really, how often is peace attained without chaos? The gun in a holster(lower right corner) only strengthens the concept(in this illustration) that peace and violence are often interconnected. I have seen this illustration before, many times actually, but never have I really looked at it. I hope everyone enjoys “Peace” as much as I have.

2 comments:

  1. I like how simple the background is; it helps to not distract from the figure in the foreground. Also, while it is a simple background, it looks purposeful rather than "lazy" as some simpler backgrounds tend to look.

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  2. I love Brom! I'm currently reading "The Child Thief" which he wrote and illustrated. It's beautiful.

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