Editorial illustration
I created this set of illustrations for a food magazine’s article about bartenders getting creative to punch up the dirty martini.
For the hero image, I visually exaggerated the olive-ness of a dirty martini, reflecting how bartenders seek to exaggerate that flavor in their drinks.
I used playful abstraction and a hand-drawn feel as a nod to the artistry of crafting this funky cocktail.
Self-directed
The two-color spot illustrations each highlight a special ingredient mentioned in the article. I wanted to create characters who treat their ingredient as a way of life, and look really cool doing it.
The process:
I started with the idea that the hero image would depict a bartender character, but felt it was important to reduce the image to only what needed to be there.
I also liked the idea of a glass with one giant olive, but felt the visual wasn’t as clear, and the composition wasn’t as satisfying.
Ultimately, I decided that a glass with a handful of oversized olives achieved the right feel without unnecessary detail.
