American Nomad

This is a vectorized version of a painting I made using posca markers. This is one of a series of paintings/ illustrations that I've created over the last few months that I'm going to be creating digital versions of. Just a good way to keep developing my personal style and pushing myself. A couple rules I gave myself were a limited color pallet and focusing on simplifying the image into basic lines and shapes (of both the animals and the landscapes).

This illustration was inspired by I trip I took back in September with my siblings through Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Loved seeing Zion and Bryce (so high up) and the crazy shapes that the sandstone had either: turned into, eroded or had the layers swirled together in any number of different ways (the north side of Zion reminded me of Rocky Road ice cream, yum). Being from Montana, I was actually quite shocked how much it reminded me of my home state and how ridiculously green it was!

I added the bison because of their enduring spirit, despite the mass attempts made to eradicate their species to starve and demoralize plains tribes during the Removal and Reservation eras in the 1800s. I have always felt that they are a true symbol of indigenous and natures' resilience in America. It just felt right for this project.

Original painting.