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,

2025 🍾 let's do this

2025 🍾 let`s do this ...

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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
...

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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
...

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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
...

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