Hybrid Body

Jade Smith

Hybrid Project Blog

November 27, 2017

I chose to draw a hybrid of a hummingbird and a human being because my spirit animal is a hummingbird, which suits me perfectly because I tend to seek out the good in life and the beauty in everyone and everything just as they say the hummingbird seeks out the sweetest nectar.  I’m especially drawn to the wings of the hummingbird because they flutter in a pattern that is similar to the infinity symbol, which represents eternity, continuity, and infinity.  I decided to use the collage elements in the background of the works to bring in a different texture and dimension into the pieces. I chose watercolor and watercolor pencils as my medium because they are softer and it make me feel calm and comfortable.  I found inspiration for my hybrid work from artists such as Ryohei Hase, Abby Diamond, Nunzio Paci, Lucien Rudaux, and Nicholas Di Genova.  The works of Ryohei Hase, a freelance illustrator and artist from Tokyo, Japan, especially blew me away. His work has been featured on CD covers, magazines, games, and movies.  Ryohei’s paintings evoke both darkness and strength.  I was mesmerized with his beautiful creations because they are believable and they express so much emotion.  The background and the subjects are extremely detailed.  Abby Diamond is an illustrator from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania whose work features imaginative creatures and beasts in ink and paint.  I was able to draw from her beautiful watercolor birds done in pen, waterproof ink, watercolor paint and dye.  Nunzio Paci (1977) is an Italian artist whose graphite and oil paintings combine nature and anatomy.  He draws inspiration from issues related to science and the environment and he is especially concerned with anatomy and the relationship between man and nature.  His work blends fantasy with reality and most often features animals and plants while other pieces depict the body with several mutations.  Lucien Rudaux (1874-1947) was a French artist and astronomer who is infamous for his paintings of space themes in the 1920s and 1930s; however, some of his work features futuristic beings.  I specifically like the colors and nostalgic feel of his bizarre illustrations that feature creatures that are part human, part animal.  Nicholas Di Genova (1981) is an artist who lives and works in Toronto who finds inspiration from anime, comic books, and animal bodies.  His work done in ink and animation paints on Mylar is extremely detailed and powerful.  I enjoyed this project because I feel most comfortable drawing and painting animals because I connect with animals on a spiritual level.

Ryohei Hase:

 

Abby Diamond:

Nunzio Paci: 

Lucian Rudaux:

Nicholas Di Genova: