Ron Swanson: An Iconic Man
The idea was to create a unique but cohesive set of icons that would be instantly recognized by Parks & Recreation fans and capture the fun tone of the show. They are intended to capture key moments of the show's over arching plot as well as connect with the fans on an emotional level.
When there's a will, there's a sketch.
I learned three key things while sketching. The first is that I could sketch for hours with all the ideas I had so it was hard to narrow down to certain ideas, second was that I had a couple of directions with the style that I wasn't sure about until I created them digitally and the third was that I can't sketch a horse to save my life. See below.
Round One Digital Drafts
In the beginning I went in the direction of just a head and a more realistic shape I created with the pen tool and the blob brush. I thought they looked too cartoon-ish and not unified enough. I wasn't happy with them so I tried a different direction I had gone in my sketches, the square heads, to create the feeling of cohesion.
Round Two Digital Drafts
I immediately felt more drawn to the square faces. It seemed to have that "fun" feel I was looking for. The rounded edges worked well because human faces don't have any sharp points; even a nose has a rounded point. But I still wasn't happy with them. The only one that really stood out was Ron's face.
The Beginning of the Swanson Journey
From here I decided to focus on Ron. Most people think of Ron first when Parks & Recreation is mentioned, because he's so iconic to the show. But I wasn't sure how to make 6 different versions of Ron. At first he was a bit bland.
After a few rounds of drafting and receiving feedback I created a few different of Ron's most memorable looks and his most memorable emotions.
With that I was able to capture Ron in a way that shows how fun the show is, how diverse his character is and his integral part in the funniest moments of the show.
Eggs and Bacon
"When I eat, it is the food that is scared." - Ron Swanson
The first thing I thought of to represent Ron and Parks & Recreation was food. It plays a large role in a lot of the driving plot of the show. I rounded the edges of everything to match the style of the faces. There's a lot of browns, red and tans to match most of what Ron owns and likes in the show.
Ron Swanson: A Man's Man.
Every icon in my set is carefully crafted to show Ron's iconic personality and to convey how hilariously silly and ridiculous Parks & Recreation can be.
The corn rows and ruined mustache conveys the craziness of the Tammy 2 episodes, the waffle brings to mind his love for Leslie and JJ's diner, Lil' Sebastian is the second time Ron ever cried. All are important to the show, to Ron and to the fans of Parks & Rec. I chose to make the icons with rounded edges to convey the lightheartedness of the show. The simpleness of the faces allow the audience to focus more on the accessories and his facial expressions, that create an emotional connection with that moment in the show.
