Chef to the Mythos
For my 2022 Illustration Senior Thesis, I created a book that featured mythical creatures, baking recipes, and a narrative of cross-country travel. This book was the work of 9 months and culminated in the creation of 15 main illustrations, 1 pattern lining, 22 additional mini illustrations, and 5,000 words for the written portion of the book. Every element of the book was illustrated, designed, and constructed by me during my senior year.
Chef to the Mythos, Art Book.
Displayed above is the video documentation of the final book, and below are the final illustrations for every creature. Focusing on the fictional Dr. Vallerie E. Claire, Chef to the Mythos tells the story of her trip cross-country as she meets a myriad of mythical creatures and how she goes about sharing some food and a chat with them. The book is handbound, with the outer canvas hand-dyed and the inner lining pattern designed digitally and printed on canvas. In the front of the book is the introduction to the story, with a list of gear and a map, and the bulk of the book is centered on the 11 creatures Vallerie meets. At each stop, the spread is comprised of a creature illustration on the right, and the left page has additional mini illustrations that fill out the story, as well as a faux journal entry written in Vallerie’s perspective that describes the trip as it’s happening. In the latter half, I’ve included the recipes mentioned on each stop and a short biography of Vallerie herself. While the book is certainly intended to be a work of fiction, I’ve aimed to ground it by having each stop exist in a real city, like New Orleans, but with fantastical elements.
Process Art Book.
On the left is the video display of the process art book for Chef to the Mythos, where I have assembled a mixture of thumbnails, sketches, linework, and color compositions that lead to the final illustrations. In addition, I’ve displayed the process for the pattern lining and title banner to show how I work through multiple variations before arriving at the final printed work.
Supplementary Illustrations.
In addition to the 11 main creature illustrations, I’ve made several other large and small pieces to fill out the book and expand on the story. Below are a handful of those pieces, including Vallerie’s portrait and the pattern lining. These can also be seen in the Art Book video flip-through.
Chef to the Mythos, Physical Construction.
Chef to the Mythos was my third time bookbinding, and my first time creating a book intended to be displayed. I wanted it to be a culmination of learning and experimentation, combined with the skills I’d been developing in my time in school. I began with a mockup to learn the stitch I’d be using and physically create the layout, then set about making the final with all the embellishments. Printed patterned fabric, hand-dyed canvas, and printed cold-press illustrations were all hand-stitched together and scrapbooked with additional mini illustrations to create the book. Learning new skills and expanding on the digital illustrations by introducing them within a context that elevates them.
Thesis Display: Mockup vs. Gallery Show.
My gallery exhibition was another opportunity to provide a wider context and elevate my work. I started with a digital layout, which I followed as closely as possible, making revisions as I went along. The book was the source material, and I built out and around it, with a complimentary illustrated wood panel banner, a wood shelf with a cast-iron skillet filled with stickers, and even a cookie sheet to hold promotional postcards. The gingham print was a way to signal to viewers the relationship between homemade food and a wood picnic table. The display also allowed me to learn gallery hanging basics, how to use new tools, and most importantly how to bring 2D work out from its page through a display.
