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Member Spotlight - Gina Binkley


When the folks at Country Music Television decided to commission an illustrator to create its network identity, they turned to Nashville native Gina Binkley of Altar Ego Design. Binkley designed six different boxes whose concepts included romance, travel and Americana scenes. The boxes, which she also did the backgrounds for, were animated with the type inserted into them.

Binkley defines her style as "collage or assemblage art," explaining: "Back in the 20's, 30's and 40's, this style of art was termed Dada. I don't consider myself a Dada artist, however, I am inspired by that time period. I love arranging things and putting them together."

As with most of Binkley's projects, she begins with one object in mind. After reading the article or manuscript, she decides upon a symbolic representation of the concept. Her attention then centers on finding that object. The search begins in her woodshop filled with boxes and miscellaneous tchotchke from local flea markets. "When I go to the flea market it's an all day event," she says. "I look at everything because you can't submit sketches based on an idea if you don't have all the props."

When Binkley can't find the perfect prop, she makes it. Case in point: Her illustration for Yankee Magazine's story on the conversion of Lizzie Borden's house into a bed and breakfast. The infamous house was the setting for the brutal murder of young Lizzie Borden's parents committed by Lizzie herself. Binkley cooked eggs and bacon, painting the bacon red to resemble fresh kill. She then dribbled egg with an eyedropper to make it look like blood. "I tried to approach it with a little humor," says Binkley. "I included type, 'If you lived here you'd be dead'."

Binkley began her career as an art director which still provided her with valuable insight. "In my process it's really easy for things to get cluttered because there is so much going on in the boxes," she says. "As an art director I learned you have to keep your main focal point simple and graphic." Binkley freelances as a designer who concentrates in the music business. She has traveled extensively to Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama, where she fell in love with the culture and the color, which inspired her first shadow boxes and altars. "I love the whole Latin culture because you have this brightly colored, religiously inspired culture, and you have this grit there, too."

Binkley career shifted when she was commissioned to create concept cover art for a band called Soul Martini. "The photographer for the job knew about my altars, so we got together and conceptualize a piece for the band," she says. "I built it and he photographed it. And that is sort of what started it. Basically, I acted as an illustrator and provided the art. I was not a designer on the piece."

The success of Binkley's transition from designer to illustrator/designer is evidenced in a client list that includes: Bloomberg Personal, Capitol Records, Warner Brothers, Nike, Yankee Magazine, VFR Partners, Norton Publishing, and Discovery Magazine. Altpick.com spoke to Binkley about designing out of the box.

Does Altar Ego Design refer to your first altars?
Well, there were a couple of things. I was torn between being an illustrator and a designer and I found I could do both. I had also been building shadow boxes and altars inspired by altars in Latin America and their primitive art and folk art. Since I was on the fence about doing illustration and design, Altar Ego made sense especially since a-l-t-e-r was already taken.

Do you approach design and illustration in the same way?
It's funny how my illustration and my design styles coincide. They are not similar because with illustration I am working with a lot of three-dimensional objects. But I find that even in my design work I end up using a lot of still life. And I use a lot of objects and textures. The color palettes and the tones from my design work tend to be similar to my illustration work.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
The photography. I do a combination of two lighting techniques. The Polaroid is such a good indicator but is not exact. Every exposure is different. I use a 4 X 5 camera and I am shooting and processing the film. The photograph of each illustration is just as important as the piece itself. The lighting can make or break it. Also, I find the props are like people in that some photograph beautifully while others do not and you can't always tell ahead of time.

Are you ever able to reuse props?
I don't reuse props. I don't like to repeat myself. I'm definitely open to being inspired and working off one of my pieces, or if someone liked a certain idea or format. I would never want to duplicate it though. There are some stock pieces on my Web site, www.grb3-d.com, and I would be more open to doing something like that with a piece that has never been published.

The network identity you created for CMT was animated. Are you interested in moving more in this direction?
That's my next step. I mean I love print. I love working in print and still life but I love the idea of learning Flash. I'm in the midst of learning Flash right now on a couple of animation projects. I love that the props can move and you know, they can have a life. The wheels can turn and the doors can open and things can jump or whatever.



- Contributed by Mary Beth Holland

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