Frank Costantino?s artistic hands and ability to envision the feel of buildings not yet erected have taken him into Saudi Arabian palaces and beyond.
After illustrating designs for more than 35 years and exhibiting his depictions nationally and internationally, about two dozen of Costantino?s engrossing renderings come to Ellicott City‘s Still Life Gallery during its three-man exhibit, “Architecture Into Art.”
In graphite pencil, pen and ink, color pencils and watercolors, he’s illustrated the volume, space and beauty of skyscrapers, museums, concert halls, aquariums and other major buildings around the world.
Costantino is the co-founder of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators and the 2008/09recipient of the world’s most prestigious award for architectural illustrators, the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize.
What is an architectural illustrator?
It?s a specialized artist that creates perspective drawings of architecture yet to be built. By perspective, I mean primarily three-dimensional illustrations from an elevated, aerial or eye-level view … I interpret designs and help the public, donors, board of directions visualize them. They need to have some imagery to support the commission’s message.
Is there a project that best describes the challenges of your work?
The image for Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin is the synthesis of subtlety and dramatic effect. The view is quite complicated. It?s eye-level and has a deep blue sky, saturated in watercolors, a surrounding streetscape and then light coming out of the building onto the streets and figures. Light within the building [shows] various levels of illumination so that the eye goes to the principle element off to the left rather than the center.
How has technology changed architectural illustrators? practice?
The climate has changed drastically over the past 10 to 15 years because of the prevalence of rendering programs and digital illustrators. It?s a whole different process, more labor intensive and requires multiple individuals working on various stages. As opposed to work I and my colleagues would do ? their hands are what bring the style and visual effect to the work. I?ve been called in to illustrate after high-end, detailed digital illustrations were produced.
IF YOU GO
“Architecture Into Art”
WHERE: Still Life Gallery
8173 Main Street, Ellicott City
WHEN: Through May 31, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
INFO: 410-461-1616
