Editorial Illustration: “Healthy Poultry Is Affordable” Concept and Mixed Media Collage #MFADays (3 of 3)
This 3rd and final post for my #MFADays series shares my concepts, process, and final design for a poultry-themed editorial illustration assignment.
The specific theme to illustrate was “healthy chicken is affordable.”
We students were tasked with developing FOUR initial concepts; from there the instructor would then choose which of our four he wanted us to finalize into a full page color illustration.
We were to imagine/pretend that our final illustration would be the featured image for a magazine article with a runners and marathoners readership.
Here were my four starter concepts
My instructor chose the bottom left concept 👇🏽 which he deemed as the strongest of my four:
After our concepts were approved, the instructor encouraged us to create our final illustration in whatever medium we wanted 🙏🏽 and so I chose collage.
Behind the collaging scenes
Here is my initial collage work, in mixed media tatters and in total progress 👇🏽
My collaging supplies included:
- food packaging and assorted cardboards
- fabric scraps
- junk mail
- an old book cover I dry-brush painted with white gesso
- sashes and trims
- vintage handkerchief
- restaurant napkins I inked in forest green
- old book pages I stained with coffee
- old restaurant receipt (from vintage ephemera lot I got off Ebay)
- acrylic paints, “oops paint” from Home Depot, and a red paint marker (from POSCA)
- fabric glue and masking tape
After playing around with composition options for a while, I locked down what I thought could work (on thick mixed media paper) with using large paper clips 👇🏽
At some point, I then had to figure out how to best shape my rooster illustration using my collaging supplies; which materials would work best to create the chicken guy in the dish?? 🤔
I eventually made the rooster figure from:
- old book pages for the main body, wings, and beak
- a scrap of burlap fabric for central area of body
- old book cover for the circle shape of his head
- thick burgundy card stock for the rooster’s wattle
- green-embroidered detail for the rooster’s feet I snipped out from a 1950s handkerchief
- my hand-gesso’d book cover, which I cut into the shape of a plate for rooster to lay on
And as for the red comb on top of the rooster’s head, I used a light yellow trim which I hand-painted using a red POSCA marker 👇🏽
These photos show the SHORT VERSION of my initial process
While there’s a whole lot more assembly and artistic detail I could share beyond these images documenting my collaging starting point,
… the bigger point is that when it comes to mixed media collage, the only limit is one’s imagination!
Well after my starting line and a slew of eventual digital edits, I completed the final collage
And here it is in various color variations 👇🏽
Last but not least
Here’s a magazine mockup displaying my editorial illustration 👇🏽
I think this was the one assignment, more than 2 years after my first mixed media experience, that sealed the mixed media deal for me ❤️
By early 2022, when this assignment was finalized and graded, I was madly in love with mixed media and I just knew that whatever art journey steps awaited me after graduation, that they’d be headed in a mixed media direction.
Today
I’m continue to joyously pursue this vibrant path with no end in immediate sight.
In sum, I’m in it with my whole heart; the latter phrase is borrowed from Van Gogh, who used “whole heart” to describe his own passion and commitment to painting.
Before closing, I hope you’ve enjoyed this #MFADays series and learned a lot. My walk down MFA-memory lane has re-inspired me and I’m excited to share more of my artistic adventures in mixed media as I blog more along.
Until then …
Yours in mixed media,
new designs for 2025 💫👇🏾
exciting and fresh mixed media-inspired designs (with playing cards theme) will soon be available 🙏🏽 designs feature hand-stamped original illustrations and collaged elements.
check back soon 💎
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #mixedmediart #mixedmediacollage #mixedmediaartwork #playingcards #playingcardsart #surfacedesign #downloadableart

new designs for 2025 💫👇🏾
exciting and fresh mixed media-inspired designs (with playing cards theme) will soon be available 🙏🏽 designs feature hand-stamped original illustrations and collaged elements.
check back soon 💎
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #mixedmediart #mixedmediacollage #mixedmediaartwork #playingcards #playingcardsart #surfacedesign #downloadableart
each new year centers around pending change and new beginnings; so i`ve been thinking about how internal and external change(s) impact our sense of art and creativity (interests, styles, intentions & direction) 🤍 how about you? how is pending change or the dawn of a new year influencing your artistic ideas and creative experiences?
#artislife #artislifestyle #creativeminds2024 #changeisgood #changeiscoming #artjournal #artjournaling #creativejournaling #inspiration #journalinginspiration

each new year centers around pending change and new beginnings; so i`ve been thinking about how internal and external change(s) impact our sense of art and creativity (interests, styles, intentions & direction) 🤍 how about you? how is pending change or the dawn of a new year influencing your artistic ideas and creative experiences?
#artislife #artislifestyle #creativeminds2024 #changeisgood #changeiscoming #artjournal #artjournaling #creativejournaling #inspiration #journalinginspiration
imagination at work ✨
the ability to see a single object beyond what it actually is to what it potentially could be is a core teaching of my new visuality ethos 🙏🏽 this new year, practice expanding and nourishing your own visuality with me! deets after the holidays 💎
#mixedmediaartwork #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #mixedmediaonpapper #imaginationiseverything #artisticlifestyle #coachinglife #coachinginspiration

imagination at work ✨
the ability to see a single object beyond what it actually is to what it potentially could be is a core teaching of my new visuality ethos 🙏🏽 this new year, practice expanding and nourishing your own visuality with me! deets after the holidays 💎
#mixedmediaartwork #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #mixedmediaonpapper #imaginationiseverything #artisticlifestyle #coachinglife #coachinginspiration
#mixingthingsup a bit for 2025 💎🤍
#happyholidays #somethingnew #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #newyear2025

#mixingthingsup a bit for 2025 💎🤍
#happyholidays #somethingnew #mixedmediaart #mixedmediaartist #mixedmediajournal #newyear2025
5 creative space tips 💫👇🏾
The 5 tips (shared in my #igreel 🎥) work even if your #creativeworkspace isn’t related to art at all.
The ultimate goal is this👇🏾
💎 to design a creative space that reflects your:
📌 commitment and
📌 unrelenting passion (for your craft)
… while conveying a sense of
📌 sass,
📌 style,
and soul 🔥
… that motivates and inspires YOU to no friggin’ end 💎
Best of all, these tips help you fire 🔥up your whole flair *without* having to spend a single dime 🙏🏽
… because believe me: you’re already plenty rich 💡💰💡with ideas and imagination … you just have to cultivate your creative assets to yield max returns ✊🏾🙌🏽🙏🏽
LOVED this?
👉🏾 HIT ❤️ like
💫 FOLLOW @mayrayadirstudio for more
👀 SEE my Stories
💌 SIGN UP for email inspo (🔗 in bio)
🎁 SHARE w others
🗣️ DM or comment to continue the convo!
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #creativespace #creativespaces #creativespacestudio #workingspace #tipsforsuccess #workspacedesign #workspaceinspo #artstudiolife #artstudiodesign #artstudiospace #artstudiodecor #artstudiopro

5 creative space tips 💫👇🏾
The 5 tips (shared in my #igreel 🎥) work even if your #creativeworkspace isn’t related to art at all.
The ultimate goal is this👇🏾
💎 to design a creative space that reflects your:
📌 commitment and
📌 unrelenting passion (for your craft)
… while conveying a sense of
📌 sass,
📌 style,
and soul 🔥
… that motivates and inspires YOU to no friggin’ end 💎
Best of all, these tips help you fire 🔥up your whole flair *without* having to spend a single dime 🙏🏽
… because believe me: you’re already plenty rich 💡💰💡with ideas and imagination … you just have to cultivate your creative assets to yield max returns ✊🏾🙌🏽🙏🏽
LOVED this?
👉🏾 HIT ❤️ like
💫 FOLLOW @mayrayadirstudio for more
👀 SEE my Stories
💌 SIGN UP for email inspo (🔗 in bio)
🎁 SHARE w others
🗣️ DM or comment to continue the convo!
#creatorpreneur #creativeentrepreneur #creativespace #creativespaces #creativespacestudio #workingspace #tipsforsuccess #workspacedesign #workspaceinspo #artstudiolife #artstudiodesign #artstudiospace #artstudiodecor #artstudiopro