COSMIC AURA
A Zine by Jared Carnesale
ARTIST STATEMENT
Cosmic Aura is a zine inspired by my lifelong love of the Pokémon franchise. As a young kid, I played Pokémon video games on my Nintendo DS, collected cards, and watched the TV show. I have always enjoyed immersing myself in the whimsical world and collecting mystical creatures. Through the creation of this zine, I aimed to capture the childlike wonder I associate with Pokémon.
The franchise features many “types” of Pokémon, from physical elements like Fire and Water to more abstract concepts like Ghost and Dark. My personal favorite type is Psychic, so I decided to highlight this often-overlooked type in my zine. The Psychic type is often associated with concepts such as outer space, dreams, telekinesis, and teleportation. I hoped to convey these themes with a trippy vibe through my use of color and hand drawn patterns. I also wanted the zine to feel like a celebration of the Psychic type, so I included pages that highlight particularly unique Pokémon species, notable trainers, and dazzling battle moves. The goal is for people to feel hooked and excited about the Psychic type as they flip through my zine.
To achieve a childlike feel, I leaned into a DIY style. I wanted each page to feel hand crafted, so I created my illustrations with colored pencils and permanent marker. My process included both digital and physical iteration. I started by designing a basic layout for a page on Adobe Illustrator and then printing out that draft. From there I would tape the printed draft to a window so light could shine through, then trace the Pokémon/trainer outline and heading text with permanent marker onto a separate sheet of paper. I then cut out these drawings and physically constructed the rest of the page with construction paper, tape, composition book pages, colored pencil patterns, and other miscellaneous cutouts when needed. This made each page feel like a unique collage. Next, I scanned each page with the Adobe Scan app and organized my scanned pages for print in Illustrator.
The final prints feel like a homemade passion project, which matches the aesthetic I was going for. Aspects of the creation process evoked feelings of the arts and crafts I created as a child. I hope others see the whimsy and joy I still find in the Pokémon world when they flip through my zine.
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