AUSTRA

It's been nearly a year and a half since the release of Austra's album Feel it Break and personally, I'm still spellbound. I totally missed them when they came to my city, Miami, because I was out of town (of course!). Despite that, you can say I'm pretty floored by this band. While my favorite singer on Earth, Björk, is a great example of unpredictable atonal sound, Austra gives us music that's still surprising and bold while rich in melody and harmony. Beyond that, their songs express a broad range of emotional states and their lyrics are quite poetic. You know, anything I'd say just wouldn't capture it. Personally, I think they're awesome and they were worth depicting in a cute cartoony fashion. 

I had originally made sketches for what I believe to be the six important people that comprise Austra, including the two girls and the young man with that amazing long hair that appears in some of the videos. But I wound up with these three because it worked compositionally. Sources say that the band is really comprised of three. I'm not so sure about that. I may still try and use the remaining three for another portrait. 

This piece is dedicated to the song Spellwork, which already has visuals in the form of the video. But it's one of my favorites. For all I know, their all a bunch of devout staunch athiests. But the song has such a mysterious and mystical quality to it.

Anyhow, I've been making a few of my favorite musicians in this style. I'm just putting out creatively whatever and whoever I draw inspiration from. Musicians give us so much it's only fair to reciprocate. Up next: iamamiwhoami

Spellwork

Pencil, Photoshop

October 2012