circles, squares and triangles

November 30, 2004 6:55 AM

It appears to be so simple, but as Fred Astaire once said "they'll never know how hard I work to let the strings show."
Kirsten Ulve started out as a Graphic Designer and later turned to Illustration. You've seen her work on things like Uno Cards, Nick at Night and TV Land. She is a master at caricatures and even has a freaky cool gallery to view as well.
posted by Hands of Manos (21 comments total)

I think I'm in love! Thanks Hands of Manos, this is a real treat. I hope Kirsten Ulve makes buckets and buckets of money and enjoys making art as much as I enjoyed looking at it.
posted by pomegranate at 7:22 AM on November 30, 2004

I'm afraid she already has buckets. She's already done some art shows and her digital prints sold for big bucks. It gives the rest of us digi-artists some glimmer of hope :)

glad you liked :)
posted by Hands of Manos at 7:24 AM on November 30, 2004

I LOVED it.

I just loved everything about the site, the artwork, everything.

There are a few of those I wanted pretty bad, but someone else has them, I am sure.

Wow. Thank you!
posted by erratic frog at 7:31 AM on November 30, 2004

Wonderful stuff! I always enjoyed her caricatures in Entertainment Weekly. Ridiculously self-assured, comically graceful. Good to see the whole gallery of non-caricature stuff.

But be careful now, Hands. Remember, the quickest way to get a label you'll never be able to shake here is to, um... well, I forget the rest of the quote, but for God's sake, just be careful!
posted by soyjoy at 7:35 AM on November 30, 2004

what? for posting cool artists? I want to make sure not to do that, but I mean, well, it's better than Iraq posts right?
posted by Hands of Manos at 7:36 AM on November 30, 2004

I think soyjoy meant posting on a too-regular basis, but all of us jaded, thousand-post stare vets need to remember there are people brimming over with saved-up posts.

Thanks.
posted by yerfatma at 8:28 AM on November 30, 2004

Her stuff reminds me a bit of Samurai Jack (my favorite cartoon *ever*)--it's simple and uninflated, but it's bursting with style.

Or maybe Samurai Jack should remind me of her. Whatever.
posted by jeremy at 8:29 AM on November 30, 2004

Good post! =)
posted by RemusLupin at 8:57 AM on November 30, 2004

great post, thanks. These are wonderful.



/busts out illustrator
posted by cmyr at 9:18 AM on November 30, 2004

oh good. shoo! I didn't want to come off as a rabid poster, it's just that I've got several links I'd like to share. I think I've literally wanted to be a member since 2001 but never caught the open membership.

But, for good measure, I won't be posting anything for at least 5 days as I'll be in Meh-hee-ko.

cmyr = bust out illustrator, then familiarize yourself with the Pathfinder tools, basic primitive shapes and the bezier tool...then you'll be on your way :) . Just by knowing Illustrator so well, I know that Ulve uses the star tool and the blend tool...a lot. It's influenced me on how I do my work as well in Illustrator as well.
posted by Hands of Manos at 10:21 AM on November 30, 2004

Nice stuff! Reminds me of Tim Biskup in some ways, though not as organic. Tim is an animator and that fills into his style a lot.

Illustrator rocks once you figure it out. Think "paper cutouts" and it gets easier conceptually. I've been using it for years, even do comics in it (though I'll not be so crass as to self-link).
posted by zoogleplex at 11:15 AM on November 30, 2004

Hands - just to be explicit here, I was only referring to the two FPPs in two days about fantastic female illustrator/artists. (And, come to think of it, your only other one was on a commercial artist whose content seems to be almost all females.) I only meant you'd pigeonhole yourself. But even that was tongue-in-cheek. If you have good links, please don't hold back on them on my account.
posted by soyjoy at 12:55 PM on November 30, 2004

i work (well not right now - it's slow season) for an SF packaging company. we just used some of her art on a (this kills me) can of champagne.

her work reminds me of shag (i think someone posted about him in another thread recently), although he is (i think) a traditional, analog artist.

manos - she uses lots and lots and lots of clipping masks, too. i've been using illustrator, and the like, for about 15 years.
posted by zombiejesus at 1:01 PM on November 30, 2004

"You boys like Mex-HEE-KOH?"
</SuperTroopers>
posted by yerfatma at 1:10 PM on November 30, 2004 [1 favorite]

One of us will have to post your website, Manos. (Your work is a highlight at the Drawing Board.)

I love the way Ulve uses colour. I wish I were that brave.
posted by digifox at 2:28 PM on November 30, 2004

What's stoppin' ya digifox? It's only art. Splash some color in there, it won't hurt!

Besides, you can always draw it again, and better.

:)
posted by zoogleplex at 2:59 PM on November 30, 2004

Ya know, going with what I was saying in the Celia Calle thread...

There's something interesting I see here in Kristen's work. Take a look at this one; and then check out this one.

Clearly, one is a paid "Illustration" of someone else's requested idea (illo for Cosmo); the other one sure looks like an expression of the artist's frustration with the previous job - or maybe just having a bit of personal fun with the subject in her own expressive way - therefore qualifying it to me as "Fine Art," even though it uses very much the same techniques, composition, etc. The "Other Side," if you will.

Hee hee hee... and I like it. Perfect example of my position on Fine Art vs. Illustration.
posted by zoogleplex at 3:25 PM on November 30, 2004

Hey Manos, have we met somewhere before? (Check out my profile link).
posted by zoogleplex at 3:29 PM on November 30, 2004

zoogle = Tim is an animator? I thought just an illustrator with the fortunate luck of getting to do tons and tons and tons of toys. He has a SWEET picture of Sam Jack with all the monsters he's fought. Have we met before? perhaps, maybe. Ever been to DragonCon in ATL? I go there from time to time. Also, I used to do the comics scene a long time ago. I used to swap links out with Kurtz and the PA Boys. Jerry commissioned me out for a piece once....a loooong time ago.

soyjoy = good. I've been chomping at the bit for at least 1.5 years to be a mefi member and have been lurking it longer than that. It's good to finally get to have a voice...so I want to voice it!

zombieJ = mmm...canned champagne. You know, next time you guys want to do a new lable....forget Ulve...pick some talent...me! [/sarcasm]

yerfatma = Shannanigans

digifox = well I won't turn it down but as long as it's made explicitly that I'm NOT fishing for a link to my site. Oh, also, pick up this book: isbn 1-58180-236-6 (Colorindex) <--great book for learning how colors work together.

zoogle2 = While driving today, I thought of the fine art vs commercial (or pop). My brain almost fried thinking of two definitives.
posted by Hands of Manos at 5:06 PM on November 30, 2004

zoogleplex - When I'm working in Illustrator, I always play with zany colours, but I always end up going back to "normal". How boring. I'll be thinking of you during my next illustration though. Maybe you've given me courage!

Manos - Of course! And thank you for the book recommendation. I'll have to look out for it.
posted by digifox at 5:34 PM on November 30, 2004

*hugs digifox* You've given me my "reasons it's good to be alive" moment today, for saying I may have given you courage. :) I needed that, thanks!

And hey, it's an Illustrator file, fox - do one with wacko colors, then SAVE AS and THEN do it with "normal"! What the hell, it's not like you have to paint it from scratch again... ;) Make as many versions as you want, at breakneck speed, even!

Yeah Manos, I think we mighta met at San Diego or some other comics thing, or interacted on a message board somewhere. I'm acquainted with Kurtz and Mike & Jerry, so we've moved in similar orbits from time to time, methinks! :) In any event, welcome to the Blue!

Sorry you almost fried your brain... I just look at fine art not as being a particular style or technique or medium, but as a meaningful emotional expression, no matter what the medium. Cartoons can be fine art, too, I think, if they are the artist turning his or her insides out in some fashion on the page.
posted by zoogleplex at 5:45 PM on November 30, 2004