Process: Panda Bear

Not too long ago I read a Rolling Stone review of Tomboy, a beautiful album from Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear, member of the critically-acclaimed Animal Collective. In the review, there are several analogies to water, not including his own song titles, Last Night at the Jetty and Surfer's Hymn. The main point of the view is that Panda's choirboy tenor layered into beautiful billowing harmonies is the star of the album.
I decided to make a conceptual portrait that was very watery, yet, also kind of spiritual, evoking the choirboy vocals.

In the thumbnail, I place the sunlight coming through the surface of the water behind him, to give him halo-like spiritual ring around his head.

Final pencils on Arches cold press 140lb (highly recommend this paper!). I changed the direction of the waves at the surface of the water to give it a more rounded shape.


The final. Voila!

I was really happy with how this turned out because I feel like the illustration looks like his music sounds. To get a taste, check out the Rolling Stone review. Listen to the song and look at my illustration at the same time. I dare you!

To go along with this process post, I also have a special announcement. Starting this fall, I will be attending The Art Department (TAD), a new alternative art school that is specifically career-driven. It is created and lead by legends of the ConceptArt.org community and the Illustration Academy. I will be part of the Career Mentorship program, with my own studio space down at the Richmond, VA headquarters at Rockett's Landing, lead by the great Sterling Hundley. I'm super excited for this new chapter in my illustration career and can't wait to be encouraged and inspired by like-minded creatives. Everyone that has supported me so far, I'm super grateful and humbled and hopefully you will continue to follow me. This is just the beginning.