Author: Jonah Jackson

Ever since I was a toddler, around 2-3 years old, I have always taken an interest in seeing what I could do to produce a visual representation of what I had on my mind, whether that comes in the form of rendered pieces of work, or crude doodles. Illustrations had always fascinated me, and I always wanted to see how I could produce them myself, and also what it was that I could communicate. Currently, I have really enjoyed drawing fictional animals, and now as I think more of character interactions and short stories, I can see myself focusing more on expressing character through design and expression, and maybe with the occasional animation.

The fantasy genre has always stuck out to me in that it represents limitless possibilities. I have always been a fan of spectacle sided with intriguing characters to help make those moments more believable. Believability is a theme I try to keep when making more personal projects, as one cannot be expected to care about subject matter if it is too nonsensical.

Animated Version: https://youtube.com/shorts/Nf_2qtwGwXI?si=Gl7gVeVCgDebJG1j

As I improve my skill, I only see my capacity to create compelling characters and environments to improve and grow beyond what I can currently imagine.

Justin Gerard is a very talented classical and digital illustrator, whose work I admire. His style mostly consists of subject matter that usually has cartoon-like or heavily stylized perspective and proportions, but that also has believable texture and grit. He seems to specialize/have a heavy interest in the fantasy genre, and his works always look as though they are a lot of fun to work on, if not a little tedious. I admire his style mainly for the qualities of it that I just stated, and there is such a fun atmosphere surrounding his works, even if he is depicting something grim or gruesome.

From his choice of colors, to the way his subject matter is proportioned, he has an extremely satisfying way of depicting said subject matter. He is skilled at avoiding having the often complex nature of his texturing and shading negatively “clash” with the way things are depicted in his works.

There is always an aura of whimsicality to his works, and he is great at building and establishing mood and atmosphere. I think the fantasy genre lends itself really well to they types of gritty textures he seems to love to depict, whether it’s scratched metal, or scaly skin.

I hold this artist with high regard, and will continue to be an inspiration to me, even if/when I get to his skill level.

This site is meant to show my portfolio, demonstrate my artistic skill through academic and personal projects, share some info about me, as well as providing contact info. Multimedia is the expression of visual art, be it commercial, political, or just for fun, through multiple mediums with the intent of communicating a message. To me, multimedia represents endless possibilities, as far as visual expression, and is essential in keeping the more mundane aspects of advertising lively, or at least a little more humane.

My name’s Jonah Jackson, and I am currently a current student at Trident Technical College, pursuing my Associates of Applied Science in Commercial Graphics – Animation. I have been gradually building my portfolio, as well as working on personal projects involving illustrations and limited animation. Animation is actually a type of multimedia that, as I’m sure you know, plays image sequences together to create a cohesive visual experience, whether that takes the form of a cartoon, or a more serious commercial about life insurance.

 Multimedia can be used as a great tool to help people understand certain concepts, information, and also, largely, can be used for entertainment. There is a surprising amount to learn and appreciate about multimedia and how it impacts the way we view the world around us.