Niki's Toronto
Illustration
Illustration-based art piece serving as a collection of personal memories to help Niki remember the city of Toronto, by using a cliché with a transformative twist.
When Niki asked me to help make a print that she can bring with her when she leaves Toronto, she said "Anything but the skyline please!". Niki wanted something that would remind her of the many memories she's made in Toronto. After a few brainstorming sessions with Niki to crystallize the meaning behind this art piece, together we decided on what key elements to include and which stories to tell. While I steered the art direction and execution of this piece, Niki's input was essential in making this print uniquely hers. Eventually, a mosaic-style digital painting filled with personal stories was born.
From asking Niki to highlight her fondest memories of Toronto, I began to build objects and shapes in my head that would string together seamlessly into one painting. One big challenge was to find the one thing that could tie every scattered pieces of memory together without it being seem forced, or worse, arbitrary.
Then, it suddenly dawned on me. Toronto has its iconic Toronto sign in front of City Hall. Every tourist knows it and inevitably has a photo of it or a selfie with it. So yes, instead of a cheesy skyline, I opted for an even cheesier symbol. However, I managed to turn it into a tasteful and subtle nod to Toronto. It was the perfect solution, and from that point, the piece unfolded beautifully like a puzzle on the verge of solving itself.
Using deliberate lines and creative collaboration, this piece became a beautiful celebration of Toronto using a cliché with a transformative twist.
With black and white lines and shapes, detailed textures, and a combination of typography and illustration, I was able to create this cohesive illustration with a story hidden in every inch of the painting. Some are obvious, some more obscure, which perhaps only Niki can appreciate.
