RISD Illustration Students Create Art Inspired by Music

Students in a fall Illustration studio called Picturing Sound are discovering fresh approaches to ideation and process inspired by music. “Illustration can expand upon the listening experience and provide a visual world with which the music coexists,” says Professor Calef Brown, who developed the course and has been fine-tuning it for the past nine years. “Countless illustrators have found inspiration in music for self-generated projects, and many are passionate about making music a part of their daily experience in the studio.”

Using both traditional and more experimental techniques, the class is working through a series of prompts intended to cultivate the connections between their ears, eyes and hands. They begin by creating a piece inspired by the lyrics of a song of their choosing, working directly with imagery described in the lyrics or interpreting the song’s meaning more subjectively.

From there, the class moves on to the concept of layering. Taking a cue from recording studio engineers who frequently layer vocal tracks over instrumental tracks, students build layered images inspired by a song and an instrumental piece. The first step is creating an abstract illustration informed by the instrumental, considering what forms, colors, structure and other elements the music suggests. Does a heavy bass line call to mind large, rounded shapes? Are the rhythms repetitive? Brown instructs students to consider clarity, edge quality, atmosphere and alignment to the grid.

In the second stage of the project, students integrate imagery inspired by lyrics from another song into the piece. Brown encourages them to experiment with new tools, processes and approaches.

About midway through the semester, the class turns to the quintessential gig poster, selecting a band or solo act of their choice and creating bold imagery that reflects the musician’s work and aesthetic while serving as an advertisement capable of capturing the attention of passersby.

When the time comes to critique the work, Brown advises the class to consider the purpose of gig posters when assessing each piece on view. Would it grab your attention from across the street? Is the relationship between the typography and imagery working? What stands out?

Senior Yilin Shen 25 IL presents two versions of a poster inspired by Sleeping Dogs, an experimental jazz group based in Beijing. “I was having trouble with the fonts,” she says. “The one on the right felt too heavy for their music.” The class appreciates her use of space in the composition and the way the English type mirrors the line quality of the Chinese characters. “Some of the smaller moments—these little icons, the shadows, this bit of overlap—really contribute a lot,” Brown notes.

Junior Ritvik Bhadury 26 IL created an eerie poster inspired by singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey’s 2012 album Born to Die. “I started off with collaged watercolor images and then turned it into a poster using Blender software,” he explains. One student comments on how the organic energy of the imagery relates to the type quality. Another appreciates the mix of symmetry and asymmetry. “Some of these decisions are quite bold and unexpected,” offers Brown, who goes on to say that the lettering “feels like poured mercury.”

The energy in a Men I Trust poster created by senior Mina Troise 25 IL is markedly cheerful in comparison, featuring a parade of colorful animals in response to the indie Canadian band’s whimsical sound. “The parade motif is such an enduring one,” Brown notes. “I find your use of pattern on the wizard’s socks and the spots on the ladybug to be really satisfying, and the watercolors work so beautifully.”

Student work dating back to 2015 from this course and Brown’s Animalia course will be on view in the ISB Gallery, Nov 15–Dec 4.

—Simone Solondz / photos by Kaylee Pugliese
October 31, 2024