Maria Castlen Art 399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Maria CastlenFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-16-2024

Artist Statement

Often, I find myself following the mindset of “go, go, go”. I get caught up in the rush and chaos of the world. The bold, stimulating designs that are prevalent today further feed into the need to constantly to keep busy. To counter this, I like to bring a little bit of the past into my designs. I see it as a throwback to a time when things were simpler. Whether it be through the font, color palette, or illustration style, I embrace the chance to use a blast from the past.

I create designs that find the medium between modern enough for the high-paced world we live in yet still incorporating vintage charm that many designs of today lack. Serifs and monospace typefaces are favorites of mine as well as using a subdued color palette to recapture the quaint aesthetic. When used in the right way, these elements can harken back to the past. Digital illustration has also been a method I use to fuse the old and new. This is shown in my social media advertisement using antonyms for the ice skate brand, Edea. I illustrated the skates and structured the type to mimic a vintage advertisement of the 1930s. Branding allows me to utilize the styles I admire and combine graphic design and embroidery. Joining these allows me to create a brand which honors the roots of embroidery and draw in the modern viewer. For example, the “lazy daisies” used in the motif for my brand, Needles & Knots, are one of the first embroidery stitches learned when learning embroidery. They convey a simple style that embroidery can be done in that is not usually seen in by the mainstream audience.

Everything about Louise Fili’s designs are the direction I want to take my design work in. She and her team create elegant and simple, yet eye-catching designs. Upon stumbling into Ella Phillips Embroidery on Instagram, I knew that this was a brand to follow. She has a range of designs while still staying true to her overall aesthetic. Helen Green’s illustration style is something I continue to admire. The simplicity in which she draws her subjects is something I wish to achieve.

Advisor/Mentor

Gregory S. Cook; Mike Martin

Description

The pieces in my portfolio, although they start as physical sketches, are all digital on completion. It includes a range of graphic design projects including, but not limited to, user interface/experience and illustration.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Castlen, Maria, "Maria Castlen Art 399 Portfolio" (2024). Professional Practices (ART 399). 173.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/173