A photo of my graphic novel, True Colors: Book One. It features the four main characters (Iro, Kit, Ben, and Sonia) walking away from their college dorm on a sunny day, talking animatedly. Iro is a friendly and optimistic GNC biracial individual with long blonde hair who is wearing a tanktop with a blue feather on it. Kit is a snarky and hot-tempered white woman with brown hair in a high ponytail, and she is wearing a shirt with a magenta sun on it. Ben is a nerdy and down to earth black man with locs holding a robot, and he is wearing a green hoodie with a skull gear on it. Sonia is a sweet but shy white woman with shoulder-length black hair, and she is wearing a purple top with flowing sleeves that has waves on it.
Behind them is their dorm, where their RAs are watching the residents leave; Kit waves cheerfully but Carlos looks suspicious. In the background is a mysterious Man in Black standing in the shadow of a tree. The front cover text reads “True Colors: Book One” at the top with my name, “Tripp Gustin”, at the bottom. The back reads "The first day of college is a big step. Don't let the past trip you up! It's the first day of freshman orientation at Trueman University, and Iro, Kit, Ben, and Sonia are all looking forward to fresh starts. But when a room assignment mix-up throws their plans into disarray, they're forced to reexamine their relationships, confront their pasts, and dig more deeply into who they want to be for the next stage of their lives. Their dorm's R.A. is eager to help whether they like it or not. At least there's free pizza! Included in Book One: Chapter 1, Interlude Iro, Chapter 2, Interlude Kit, Bonus Story (FreshFiction)"
A sample of my illustration work. A horned silver dragonborn druid named Caelux examines a strange stone in a wintry tundra. Above him his draconic starry form looms, its outlines glowing and peppered with constellations.
A stylized digital illustration. In it are two black towers on a red background, each with its own pale yellow circle behind a red eye. The leftmost tower is the tower of Sauron from Lord of the Rings, with the flaming eye of Sauron overhead. It is surrounded by curling mist and has the One Ring at the base of the tower. The rightmost tower is the Dark Tower from Steven King's novels of the same name, with the dripping red eye of the Crimson King overhead. It is surrounded by thorny vines and has a bunch of red roses at the base of the tower. Between the two towers, suspended in the air, are Frodo's sword Sting in white and the Gunslinger's revolver in black, each pointed at the eye of their respective foes.
You Are What You Eat: an image of a book cover illustration and print layout designed by me. The title reads “You Are What You Eat” and the author’s name is “Lynn Faiola”, with both written in a delicate serifed font. The cover illustration features a green dragon claw reaching out for a strawberry cake. The dragon claw is green and scaly with sharp white claws and a ridged crest on the arm. The strawberry cake has fluffy yellow cake, light pink frosting, and strawberries decorating the top and the middle. The cake sits on a floating wooden platform with a delicate doily in the center, and is surrounded by pink and white sparkles. The background has pink magical clouds on a yellow background.
The back details the plot and has the following text:
“William Wright has a dream. A big, scaly dream: he wants to be a dragon. As a cook in a small café, he spends his days cooking delicious food and his nights making experimental desserts with illegal ingredients from magical creatures. Mama always told him you are what you eat.
After a success that tastes like pixie dust, tiramisu and a hangover, a mysterious stranger offers a shady proposition with the promise of a dragon scale. William now faces a tantalizing choice: embrace the stability of his life as a cook or indulge in the exhilarating life of a dragon. Will he savor the sweet taste of freedom or stick to the recipe of normalcy?
See that smoke rising in the distance? LYNN FAIOLA has, once again, burned dinner & accidentally set something on fire. They reside somewhere in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with their two dogs, partner, & progeny, away from well-populated areas.”
Hey #PortfolioDay! I'm Tripp, a trip(p)le threat in #graphicdesign, #illustration & #comics. I'm currently looking for contract work in commercial illustration, comics, book covers, motion design, & logos! Also new art friends :)
🌐 trippgustin.com
💬 trueniverse.com
✉️ trippgustincreative@gmail.com
