Jon Foster

This evening, I went to a program hosted by the Illustration Department at BYU by fantasy/sci-fi illustrator Jon Foster.

It was fascinating that although highly proficient with computer software for his work, he doesn’t seem set on any one medium, process, or combination of media. Sometimes entirely computer-rendered, though sometimes he’s combining or entirely using gouache, sometimes oil, occasionally rough and loose, while other pieces are detailed and finely rendered. That odd evolution of pieces and styles while maintaining a consistent steampunk flavor was particularly intriguing.

Where Jon mentioned being focused on figure work (which i can identify with), I was noting that the background elements are often silhouettes.

From the beginning of his program, he was remarking that he had had to move past the caring about outside rating and comparing of his work to that of others’, judging it a wasteful and inhibiting endeavor.

I found it interesting that he not only uses himself as a model, but does so frequently. I always remember that being one of the cardinal rules of scrap—to never use yourself as a model. Even when using other models, he’s drawing from the same small group, but he’s able to make it work and adapt it for the piece.