CRYPTID CONCERT SERIES
Ilyssia Borges
See it On Campus: Level 1
Visitor InfoARTIST STATEMENT
the Cryptid Concert Series is a portfolio exploration of various alternative music genres. with cryptids as a base, Ilyssia analyzed the themes and aesthetics of each genre to imagine each cryptid behind the music, then illustrated and designed album covers and gig posters to match. they used a range of techniques from photography, gouache painting, hand lettering, screen printing, and vector illustration. scroll down to learn more about the process and find playlists for each album!
THE LINEUP
banshee S.H.E. indie rock
banshee is pure raw emotion. the album cover is a delicate and nostalgic gouache painting. a rabbit and silver mirror represent banshee mythology. the poster is meant to capture the power of the banshee’s wail, akin to a 10-minute song full of thrashing vocals and instrumentals.
bigfoot the olympic project band indie folk
an acoustic guitar plucked deep within the forest to the sounds of indie folk. the genre has a strong photographic theme, so a tiny clay Bigfoot can be seen wandering just out of frame on the album. the poster elicits the grandeur of the forest with the vibrancy of music.
jackalope pop punk
the most un-serious, oxymoronic cryptid of all! pop punk aesthetics are bright, playful and cheeky. to have fun with the CD layout, the insert unfolds into a full tabloid poster with plenty of Easter eggs. the poster riffs off the same to make a logo of the mounted jackalope head.
jersey devil BARREN hardcore punk
jersey devil is tuned to the deep, powerful sounds of hardcore punk. this genre’s aesthetics are often straightforward and diy. a simple iconographic album cover and a scanned marker drawing get the message across.
mothman industrial goth
industrial goth is gritty and experimental, which is emulated in the album cover’s layered images and textures. the main photo is an aerial view of the West Virginia Ordinance Works. the poster is more straightforward, a tongue-in-cheek screen print of a broken lantern.
