This piece was created for an assignment in my Senior Illustration class during the Fall 2005 semester. The assignment was to illustrate a celebrity accompanied by an animal that represents him or her in some way. I chose a rather obscure celebrity to depict, the lead singer of the band Rasputina Melora Creager.

Rasputina has had numerous incarnations, but Melora is its creator and constant member. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this band is that their primary instrument of choice is the cello, which they feature in both its traditional as well as electrified form. Rasputina is also distinguished by its corseted female musicians and its oftentimes bizarre, morbid, and comical lyrics. I tried to draw all of these elements into this illustration.

I chose this hapless fawn to associate with Melora for a number of reasons. For one, the figure of the deer occurs within her lyrics, notably in "Hunter's Kiss," and in addition appears on the cover of The Lost and Found album, and I also just enjoy drawing deer. Since the nature of Rasputina's songs are often dark and distressing, I felt that Melora's little pet required such a twist as well, hence the target lovingly tied to its flank with a bow. This piece also deliberately plays with a homophone - the previously mentioned blue ribbon affixing the target to the fawn is tied with a bow, there is the implication of a bow to accompany the quiver and collection of arrows, and Melora cradles a cello bow in the crook of her arm. Although I cannot assure you that the fawn is free from danger, you may be relieved to know that the arrows are malformed and crooked, and I'm not sure if a cello bow could produce enough tension to adequately shoot an arrow in the first place.

Original size: 12" X 12"
Media: Prismacolor pencils and ink wash on toned paper