Jackson Tatge
Graphic Design Portfolio
Studio Art
This collection contains a variety of mixed-media. It includes work from personalized projects as well as work from a variety of Michigan State University’s studio art classes.
Pen-Killer Series
These pieces were created using black ink on standard sketching paper. The concept was only to sketch when Jackson found an abandoned pen out in the world. For each piece, he would draw with the found pen until it ran out of ink, signifying the end of the piece.
Collage & Composition
This piece was creating using only pencil and paper. To begin, Jackson constructed a collage using multiple images. The goal of this assignment was to then translate this collage into a drawing, and to ensure that the composition had depth and felt as though everything belonged (strong composition).
Wire Shoe & Orthographic Drawings
For this project, the goal was to translate a shoe into a wire structure using a combination of well-planned positive and negative space. Orthographic drawings were completed in order to analyze which lines would be recreated using wire, as well as to track the overall size of the object.
After weeks of patient work, the above photos reflect the final composition. This piece excelled in comparison to other renditions of shoes. The form, realism, and choice of how to represent different sections of the shoe allowed for this project to be successful.
Various Etching Projects
These projects were completed using a variety of mediums, ranging from UV light etching using photography, carving into plexiglass plates, and soft-ground/hard-ground texturing.
A Dose of Reflection
“Losing a loved one can do one of two things; it can break you, or it can inspire you to do something great (most often it is a mix of both). In the Summer of 2020, my close friend passed away following an overdose. In his honor, I constructed a pill bottle roughly about three and a half feet tall. Inside, there were multi-colored pills containing stories and lessons I gained throughout knowing and losing him. I hope this project resonates with anyone who has ever suffered a loss, and I hope it encourages viewers to treasure memory and experience.” - Jackson Tatge
The intention of this project was to create an unconventional “boat” carrying something of “value.” Both of these terms were loosely interpretable. This project began with constructing the form using carefully-manipulated cardboard, followed by paper-mache layering and several coats of spray-paint. A mock prescription briefly describing the reasoning behind the project was attached to the side of the bottle. Additionally, two sets of 6 pills were made from cut and sanded wood. These pills were painted blue and green, and descriptions of different memories and lessons are detailed on each pill using a white paint pen.
This project was deemed “Best in Show” by the peers of the class.
Portrait Work
The above collections of portraits were taken with the intention of capturing the personality of the individual using environments pointing to their individual characteristics.
Edward Weston: Pepper
This project takes inspiration from the work of Edward Weston, specifically in his use of dramatic lighting and close-up, high definition shots of natural forms. I borrowed this technique, setting my lens to maximum or close-to-maximum aperture, shooting purely natural forms. More specifically, I drew inspiration from Weston’s “Pepper” photograph. Through this lense, I learned that anything can make a good photograph if framed well, lit well, and shot from intentionally interesting vantage points. The first set of photographs makes use of any natural form, whereas the second set is a more direct homage to Weston’s “Pepper.”