After searching the internet for hours, there was
finally an illustration that stood out to me. One that told a story I could
understand and relate to. The illustration is titled “Great Escapes” by Tavis
Coburn. This illustration was created digitally for use in a magazine. It appeared
in the June 2011 issue of Field and
Stream. In this issue, there was an article on summer fishing escapes. The
picture served as an opening illustration to introduce the topic. Unfortunately,
it is not an article that they posted online, it was only printed and published.
I found a little thumbnail online with the context of how they used it, but it
is to small to read the print. (See picture at the end)
I chose this Illustration because it’s the only one I found that I could connect with. I could easily put myself in his place, as I love to fish. The story this picture tells is one of suspense, but joy. You can tell that he is reeling in a fish by the way the fly-fishing pole is extremely curved over, as well as how he is pulling on the string. By looking at the mans face, you can see happiness and excitement, as well as some suspense as to how big the fish is. The river is not roaring but flowing quite gently. Everything about this drawing makes me want to get out and fish, which is why I believe they used it for this story about fishing adventures. They want people to feel inspired and that they too can catch a fish. The audience is anybody who wants a good fishing adventure.
Tavis Coburn graduated with a BFA in illustration
from Art Center College of Design in
California. Many of his illustrations are created for leading publishing,
advertising and music companies. Two companies that have commissioned him are Dyson and Nike. His unique style is inspired by 1940’s comic books, which was
why Field and Stream came to him for their retro edition. Coburn has received top
honors from the Society of Publication Designers, the Society of Illustrators,
and American Illustration. He now resides in Toronto, Canada.
