Michael Sieben is an Austin based illustrator and designer. He works primarily within the skateboarding culture and even launched his own skateboarding company called Roger skateboards. He has a rather unique cartoony illustration style. Most of his works are comical and the characters he illustrates are entertaining and just plain distorted. I found out about Michael Sieben a few years ago through thrasher magazine, which he is a columnist and illustrator. A lot of the time I would pick up the magazine and go straight to his section. Lately I have been rediscovering him and have been looking through his other works and gaining inspiration. This Piece is titled "Never Stop Rowing." Which is the cover of his "Never Stop Rowing Zine." It is also featured in the Salford Zine Library. I feel like it really portrays what his style is. I like how he creates such detail with the pen (You can really tell a Michael Sieben piece by looking at the pen work.) He only uses three colors here (blue, white and black) and makes it work. I also like the handwritten type that he uses on just about all of his works. This piece portrays a obscure looking man in a boat, which is too small for him, his arm is in a sling, and he's not getting anywhere anytime soon. Yet there is somehow something humorous about that.
I really like this illustrator's line work. The character must be pretty determined since he is rowing even with his arm in a sling.
ReplyDeleteI think the wood oar and the wood inside of the boat is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love the use of line for detail on the boat and character. If left out, the image would be completely flat, which wouldn't be so much of a bad thing, but it totally contributes to the subtle creepiness of the character and compliments the lettering. The colors are great too. They're not too overbearing, so the focus is more on the detail of the illustration, and the colors are more of a side note to create a melancholy theme. I feel kinda bad for the dude.
ReplyDeletei wish i had this as a framed poster at home. sieben is my new favorite artist. i like the really depressing guy in the boat who's form is mostly expressed by the use of black while the happy blue color kinda adds to the idea that maybe something good will happen
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