Kristina Micotti’s sharp skills

Kristina Micotti

This week’s cover art, “Captain Hook,” is an illustration by Kristina Micotti, who graduated earlier this month from Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in graphic design. In May, the San Diego AIGA—the local chapter of the American Institute for Graphic Arts—awarded Micotti with the 2012 Best of Illustration honor in its 16th annual Student Portfolio Exhibition. The award is based on the two major projects in Micotti’s body of work: Birds of the Tijuana Estuary and Folk Heroes.

Micotti says her illustrations start as a pencil sketch before she adds color, either in Photoshop or with watercolors. She describes her work as dreamlike and zoological, inspired by animals and nonsensical matters. Her work is of various textures, achieved by intricate detailing—take, for instance, Captain Hook’s literally sharp beard.

The artist freelances for Manor House Quarterly, an art-and-literature publication featured in May 30’s Seen Local column, and also for the Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company.

“I’ll be illustrating posters, playbills and mailers for the 2013 and 2014 shows,” she says. “I’d like to keep freelancing, and I’m already busy even though I just graduated two weeks ago. I’m lucky.”

Amy blogs at saysgranite.com and you can follow her on Twitter @saysgranite.