THE ULTIMATE SOURCE FOR CREATIVE TALENT

 

Member Spotlight

 

Member Spotlight - Aaron McKinney


[ August 29th, 2005 ]   From a very young age, Aaron McKinney was using drawing as a kind of simplification. Growing up with significant hearing problems, he learned to refocus aural impulses into his own visual world. "When it sounds like your third grade teacher is lecturing the class from under water," he says, "sitting in the back of the classroom and doodling all day makes all the sense in the world." His illustrations combine a childlike fixation on funny creatures and odd hybrids with a peculiar, nightmarish monumentalism-in one piece, a strangely tropical-looking bird seems to struggle with its own body morphing into a machine; in another, an unidentifiable creature, all mouth and eyelids, is on the verge of inhaling a small child, and the entire room he occupies. Bold colors and watercolored, colorblock backgrounds frame the pieces, while fairytale-ish spotlights illuminate key players. But the key is the absolute believability of McKinney's completely fantastical, fabricated reality. Rather than caricature-which is often categorized as juvenile, but betrays an adult's fixation with symbols (a big head shows that he's brainy or egotistical; large hands means...)-McKinney's illustrations offer a completely different view of his subjects; as though, just below the surface, the leaders of the free world really are just bombs of various sizes, in various states of readiness. Whatever the assignment, though, his work is always highly original and strikingly recognizable. With a sense of that watery world he was fighting against looming in the background, his drawings force a sweeping pocket of strangely comforting completion-an aesthetic brace that lets us refocus our attention, however temporarily.

What made you choose Illustration?
I've always enjoyed drawing, ever since I can remember, and I have found that art is an efficient way for me to communicate my thought and feelings. Illustration seemed like a natural way for me to turn me passion for creating art into a career.

Who has inspired you the most in your career?
It's hard to say... because so many people inspire me from day to day. If I had to pick one person pertaining to art, I would have to say Ralph Steadman, who greatly influenced my decision to pursue illustration.

In your day to day life, what inspires you?
Besides my three cats... who are harsh critics mind you, I would have to say my fiance who is truly the backbone of everything I do. I also find inspiration in movies as well as my ever expanding music collection.

What role does digital media play in your art?
It depends, for the most part I don't like to use computers for illustration, but sometimes a nice clean graphic look is required. I enjoy having something tangible; I can hold in my hands and say I created... I think it has something to do with the inner caveman screaming to get out.

It seems you do a lot of work for music magazines, any reason?
For me illustration and Music are two of the same. Without music I don't see how I could illustrate. I really enjoy the challenge of communicating another person's musical expression through a visual art form. Plus free CD's that send you when illustrating a band doesn't hurt.


What's in store for the future?
It's hard to say, Illustration is such a broad field, with so many possibilities. I would like to do children's books. I have also considered teaching. I am also interested in dabbling with Animation... like I said it's a bread field. One goal I do have it to get an agent to make the business side of illustration a little easier.

Humm children's books? Do you have any plans?
Nothing published yet, although I do have something brewing in the infantile stages. Sort of a cross between Edward Gorey and Shel Silverstein.

Any advice for people starting out in illustration?
I don't know that I'm in a position to be giving advice, but all I know it that it's a labor of love and it takes a lot of self motivation.


- Contributed by Jen Armstrong & Katherine Chapman.

>> See more work from Aaron McKinney

>> See other member spotlights on the member spotlight index

>> Find out more on how to become an altpick.com member

 

 
Find an Artist
    
 

       Advanced Search >>  
Just Updated