Bunch of illustrations for Rhode Island Monthly's State Food Guide A to Z

Food, glorious food! One of my favourite subjects to draw. So I was psyched to draw a bunch of Rhode Island's most delicious and representative tasty bits. 

That first illustration is kind of like those classic exploded technical drawings of toasters and such, the ones in the manuals that shows all the parts that make up the toaster. Rhode Islanders call submarine sandwiches (subs) "grinders". I love learning regional stuff like that.

Rhode Islanders also love their chowder and clam cakes!

Their main drag has a bunch of restaurants so I finally got to make one of those map-type illustrations I see in magazines!

I also learned about "kawfee milk" made from coffee syrup. Why haven't I heard of coffee syrup before?

4x milk and 4x sugar in coffee is called the "Xtra Xtra"!

And here are the illustrations that are meant to go around the hed and dek (headline and sort of sub-headline writing)! Clockwise from top left: Ravioli, some type of slushy lemonade that comes with a pretzel stick, calamari, and a zeppoli (a type of pastry that sounds pretty awesome). 

It's fun making a series of illustrations like this -- A unified collection that shares a harmonious colour palette. Nice to do it when given the chance!

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Candy Corn Princess

Another candy-themed Asian-type princess. Because I can draw whatever I want!!1! I'm proudest of her "Batman and Robin" Poison Ivy vaguely candy corn shaped hair buns. 

Also another Japanese crest design, this time using candy corn. I don't actually like candy corn. Or licorice allsorts, for that matter.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Sketch:

-- Julia
Portfolio site

Licorice Lady Candy Princess

I love Japanese family crests and drawing colourful candy and princesses and kimonos. So I combined all of those things. I designed a licorice allsorts crest for the background!

I repurposed this licorice pattern I made for the kimono:

Sketch:

Happy Hallowe'en!

-- Julia

Portfolio site

Locust Bean Gum -- Hydrocolloid Series part 4

Hydrocolloids are wondrous substances that can be found in beans, fruits, seaweed, hooves, and the bladders of some fish. They wiggle and gel and can impart those properties on food, lotions, sauces, just about anything!

The fourth of my Hydrocolloid series is Locust Bean Gum, aka Carob Gum. Primarily grown in the Mediterranean, it's used in cream cheese, pastry fillings, ice cream, and lotion to impart a creamy texture. It also acts as a thickener in sauces, soups, pet food, and salad dressings. Ancient Egyptians used a resin made from the beans of this tree as an adhesive for mummy wrappings. Dried carob beans have such a uniform weight (0.015g) that they were used by gold merchants as a standard of measurement!

Here are the others of the series (click the links to visit the blog entries!):

Pectin

Agar 

Gelatin

-- Julia

Portfolio site

Pectin Priestess complete! -- Hydrocolloid Pantheon

Third of my personally developed series of jiggly deities: Hydrocolloid Pantheon. Just in time for summer!

Pectin is a fruit-derived hydrocolloid most often found in jams, jellies, and marmalades. Citrus fruits (particularly dried orange peels) and apple pomace are common sources. Common jam-related treats include thumbprint cookies, jammy dodgers, fruit tarts, fruit tarts, and jelly rolls.

Here's my attempt at doing a more painterly style. Something that'll require some more experimentation on my part :).

And here are the other two for the series:

Gelatin:

Agar:

Next up... Gum Arabic! The first one unrelated to food :P.

-- Julia

Portfolio site