REIMAGINING THE VIRGIN MARY:
STICKERS AND COLORING SHEETS
THE BRIEF – I created a suite of illustrations for the International Marian Research Institute, out of the University of Dayton, that re-contextualizes how we see The Virgin Mary. The primary task to be solved focused on how The Virgin Mary is often white-washed and is visualized in very narrow ways. Dr. De Anda of IMRI requested three distinct styles, leaving me two variants to be completely up to my own interpretation. The final illustrations were created for two uses – coloring pages and full-color stickers.
STEP 1
STYLESCAPE
The initial three requested styles included: DC/Comic book, a cartoony style influenced by Kpop and cute pop culture elements, as well as a contrast-heavy Japanese manga style. For the remaining two sticker variants, I decided to include the American Traditional tattoo style, which is categorized by flat lines and limited-color palettes. stylescape had to showcase the four distinct differences between each pair of deliverables. The differences between each illustration style was amplified by color choice.
STEP 2
INITIAL SKETCHES
In order to keep the process smooth, I prioritized showcasing the initial outlines without colors added. Dr. De Anda requested Mary to be in action in some way in the main three variants, which resulted in her preaching boldly. There were minimal edits made to the base of each illustration, which led us quickly into the color phase of the project.
STEP 3
FULL COLOR VARIANTS
Once the color was introduced, a major talking point became her skin tone and her hair textures. Due to Mary often appearing with lighter, straighter hair, and a lighter skin color, the goal was to break away from this common approach. We prioritized showcasing various skin tones, visible makeup, different hair styles, as well as modern characteristics such as glasses, makeup, and jewelry. The inclusion of the Holy Trinity was also necessary throughout to ensure she is not elevated above them or seen as worshipped above them.
