I was commissioned by the University of Iowa Magazine to create an illustration for one of their alumni, Tuma Basa, a hip-hop trendsetter and executive who was going to be interviewed by the publication.
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/cd663f149695369.62ebde2ba79d6.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/b78991149695369.62ebde2ba81c4.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/ac3f58149695369.62ebde2ba89cb.png)
We started with a round of sketches and the vibe was supposed to be very 80s hip-hop with a twist of digital players elements like "pause and play" buttons. I really wanted to capture the intensity of the music scene as well as give it a really dynamic feel.
![80s 90s collage collage art Digital Art hip hop hip-hop ILLUSTRATION music vintage](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/f5e94a149695369.62ebde2d9a43c.png)
The client chose the first sketch and we made some refinements. We changed the placement of his name and brought the mixtape to the forefront.
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/1ade7a149695369.62ebde2c773d9.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/ea0c9d149695369.62ebde2c77dbf.png)
For the next round we worked with a rough color placement to get a sense of what the final piece would look like. The client asked for a 80s-90s hip-hop color palette and I had a lot of fun diving into old CD covers to come up with the colors. At this point we also had to decide if we wanted the illustration to have a black outline or not.
![80s 90s collage collage art Digital Art hip hop hip-hop ILLUSTRATION music vintage](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/a7588f149695369.62ebde2d99af2.png)
And here's the final piece. The client chose the outlined version and I added more details and texture to the piece. I'm super happy with how this one turned out :)
![80s 90s collage collage art Digital Art hip hop hip-hop ILLUSTRATION music vintage](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/6ace11149695369.62ebde2d990c6.jpg)