During the pandemic, I had the opportunity to illustrate a piece for The Washington Post titled “The Food Critic Gets Critiqued: What Tom Sietsema Learned in a Year of Pandemic Home Cooking.” The article delves into Sietsema's experiences transitioning from critiquing restaurants to navigating his own kitchen, highlighting the challenges and humorous moments that ensued.
In approaching this project, I aimed to capture the essence of Sietsema's journey with a touch of warmth and humor. My illustrations feature bold shapes, a limited color palette, and expressive characters, drawing inspiration from mid-century design and screen printing techniques. This style allowed me to convey the relatable and often amusing aspects of home cooking, especially from the perspective of someone more accustomed to dining out.
Through these visuals, I sought to complement the narrative by adding a layer of visual storytelling that resonates with readers who have found themselves in similar situations during the pandemic.