Steven released this Spotlight in November, 2000
It's been awhile since an artist has been "Spotlighted", so Katie Cook is in this short, but direct "Spotlight" for November.
The first thing I saw when looking at her artwork was the influence of Japanese anime. The vast majority of her 'Daria' characters have big eyes and small noses, and are very lean and tall, though she has done the shorter and stubbier 'chibi' style as well in some of her work. Katie's drawn the Fashion Club as (What else?) fashion models, Brittany, also as a model, in a Versace swimsuit, and Monique in a Roberto Cavalli outfit. All have the tall, lean look.
Katie's artistic take on Daria and Co. looks quite different than say, Liliane Grenier's, Diana Morgan's, or Kemical Reaxion's. Katie's seems to add a bit of an exaggerated look to her work. It's almost radical, yet realistic in it's nature. Most of the pictures I found of her's were on Kemical Reaxion's site, and a few other sites as well.
For some reason, I sometimes readily identify a certain established 'Daria' artist's work with a certain fanfic writing, though there can certainly be exceptions. I see: John Berry-mostly comedy (check out "Restoration", though, and Martin Pollard's "Sins of the Past"), Diana Morgan-drama, and Liliane Grenier-generally both, though mostly canon-type comedy. Katie Cook's artwork looks mostly like it can be matched with a comedy fic (IMHO). I then saw her recent artwork in one of Diane Long's stories.
In "Restoration" (on Diane's site), Katie had drawn a black-eyed, bruised, and somewhat angry Daria pointing off to her left, showing Dominic the door. Katie captures the moment very well, even placing Daria's cracked glasses at her feet. "This" Daria was obviously angry, but looked determined as well. Notice the commanding presence she registered as Daria had had enough. Notice the lean, thin features of "this" Daria, and the short-short blue dress she basically was forced to wear by Dominic. Heady stuff.
Katie's drawings to me take quite an imagination to "make" them look like OH and Co. (hence the "different" look), but they are most certainly passable as 'Daria' artwork. Check out her work yourselves and judge.
In closing, Katie Cook is a "different-look" 'Daria' artist, with what appears to be a strong anime influence. What do YOU (and the artist herself) think? Thanks.
Guy Payne
Great choice, Steven! I've always loved Katie's style, clean lines, dynamic postures, and anime-like caricatures that capture the essence of a character even when displaying them off-canon. Congratulations, Katie, if you're out there lurking. A well deservend spotlight.
Robert Nowall
Being a writer rather than an artist (should have worked harder in high school art class), I haven't paid as much attention to this side of the Daria community. Now I'm just going to have to seek this work out to take a look...
Milo Minderbender
I love the stylistic approach to her art. I admire the courage of anyone to move from simply replicating these MTV characters, to enhancing them, and adding a little of themselves.
Congrats!
Kemical Reaxion
Excellent choice, Steven!!! I love seeing a fellow artist (especially such a deserving one) getting credit where it's due!
I've loved Katie's style ever since I first saw her work (I believe it was on OD). Her depiction of "The Blair Witch Project" is amazing, and probably one of my all-time favorite works of fanart. Not only is she brave enough to draw the Daria characters in her own unique style, but she also does it very well and makes HER version of the characters very real and believable. It's nice to see someone with the guts to take Glenn's characters and totally reshape them into something completely different...while adding a touch of humor (and sometimes drama) to the work in the process.
So, congratulations, Katie!! A very well-deserved spotlight!!
Artist's Response
*blush* oh my! thank you so much! it's nice for someone to give me an ego boost like that... especially with my finals at art college coming up ;)
thank you soooooo much!