Lauren Martin's groovy illustrations add lightness to the world
If you're feeling piquant, you're sure to feel even more voracious about Lauren Martin's work, as she often portrays gorgeous, cartoonistic feasts in her lively illustrations and posters. "I'm just obsessed with food! It's my love language – and I love the idea that every little piece of pasta in a bowl has a personality," says Martin from New York. "I like to think of food like the toy in Toy Story that comes to life when you don't look. "
The little faces that Martin adds to their foods are all it takes to create a cast of mischievous characters that instantly captivate the viewer. These images feel distantly related to the extravagant food photography of the 1970s, but Martin's reference pool is huge. "I feel influenced by so many things. If I had to narrow it down, I would say a combination of Japanese anime, old American animation, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Ingres and Dutch master still lifes, but the list goes on and on and changes constantly, ”she explains.
Aside from the cheeky pancakes and happy go-lucky eggs, Martin's motifs are often personalized flowers, and these have been particularly present in her recent political work, created in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the demand for police relief has been. Martin's groovy, lively style is still present in these illustrations, but her images are overlaid with effective, pithy text that simply conveys her message.
After studying painting at the National Academy of Design and later, after changing his heart and medium at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Martin studied painting, but now he prefers the principles of design to more painterly practices. Martin now works as a designer as well as an illustrator and often combines both, so that her work has a graphic approach with neat compositions and a lot of confident line work. She works mostly digitally on her iPad Pro. "I would say my illustrations have elements of design and my designs have elements of illustration," she says. "I like the real application that comes with design work. I love to see my work on an actual product. I find it super exciting!"
Martin recently created editorial illustrations for a number of projects such as the LA Times, Bumble and the upcoming TV show SnowPiercer. "I like to do editorial work because I usually get projects where I draw something that I never would have drawn myself," explains Martin. "It's fun to see how I draw something I've never drawn before."
Martin prefers super-specific briefs that define the scene, so her only job is to bring her vision to life as well as possible. If the order is clear and Martin knows exactly what she is up to, she can create a piece in 20 minutes. In other cases, it is a "long-form doodle" that takes shape after a few days of crafting.
“In a lot of my recent, more political work, I respond exactly to the idea and message that I want to share, and they come together very quickly,” she says.
Although the opportunity to explore ideas is exciting, Martin finds it more difficult to work as a freelance illustrator behind the scenes. "Things like negotiating prices and contracts, sending emails, revising work, and billing can get a little tiring," she says. "I also don't feel that there is a lot of information for illustrators that are starting out. I am glad to have friends in this field who have helped me to lead me from the beginning. "
This positive outlook on life is filtered in Martin's work, which deals with serious issues with determination and joy, exactly what Martin is striving for. "I want to bring happiness, hope and lightness into a world that sometimes feels overwhelmingly dark."
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