J. Jeanes Illustrated

I am Jasper Jeanes (they/them), a Canadian illustrator and graphic designer.

[jjeanes]

Hozier 2014, Album Cover

It was an interesting exercise to try and distill a whole album and art series into one central image. I think I was pretty successful and like how this one turned out. One day if I ever get around to it this will sit in the center of the polyptych of tracks. What do you think, should I draw the bonus tracks? Did you have a favourite illustration in the series?

Pen and ink on paper

[Image Description: Black ink drawing representing a person dressed in a white hooded robe sitting and playing guitar. Their eyes are closed, their head slightly bent down, above them a Halo shines with the words HOZIER 2014 written on it. Their third hand is palm up above their shoulder with an eye just above it. On the background, on each side of the halo are two white snakes on a black starry sky.]

[jjeanes]

13. Cherry Wine The subject matter in this song was really tough for me to tackle. I felt like there was a lot of compassion in the lyrics for how we get trapped in the most unhealthy relationship dynamics. That dangerous mix of really wanting something that hurts us profoundly. The way you’ll swear up and down that the relationship is good even when it’s a field of red flags. That’s a really hard spot to be in and a very human. It doesn’t make you a bad person, but it does leave you in a bad place.

This is the last track on the album! Stay tuned for a cover and if we’re all very lucky, bonus tracks.

Pen and ink on paper

Her eyes and words are so icy Oh but she burns Like rum on the fire Hot and fast and angry as she can be I walk my days on a wire… But I want it It's a crime That she's not around most of the time.

Lyrics by Hozier

"Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person with their arms crossed over their chest in a protective stance, one hand palm facing outward and the other into a fist. Flames are rising from their head which is entirely coloured in black ink. Image 2 is a close crop of the first image."

[jjeanes]

12. Foreigner's God With this one I wanted to capture the moment when grief overtakes you and you just can’t hold it in any longer. It crashes like a wave and rushes out.

I’m really happy with how this turned out.

Pen and ink on paper

"Screaming the name of a foreigner's God The purest expression of grief Wondering who I copy Mustering some tender charm She feels no control of her body She feels no safety in my arms"

Lyrics by Hozier

"Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person with a hole in the center of their belly, a fish swimming through. Their hand on their chest, they seem to be suffocating...We can distinguish their skeleton below the skin of their face and their throat. Bubbles comes out of their mouth and a dozen of tiny fish swim around the person's head, like a halo. " Image 2 is a close crop of the first image"

[jjeanes]

11. It will come back

You gotta be careful what kind of people you let into your circle. If you feed them, they will come back. What do you think about this many legged beastie? Would you let them in? Sometimes I think we assume that we’re not good enough for other people when really it’s up to them to make that decision.

Pen and ink on paper

"I know who I am when I'm alone I'm something else when I see you You don't understand, you should never know How easy you are to need Don't let me in with no intention to keep me Jesus Christ, don't be kind to me Honey, don't feed me, I will come back"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a long-haired person opening a door in their chest. Light comes out from the open door and a horned creature, like a small dragon with multiple legs is trying to reach the door" Image 2 is is a close crop of the first image."

[jjeanes]

10. Like Real People Do

I found the idea of being pulled from the earth and into a relationship pretty interesting, especially since back on track 3 we buried all the versions of ourselves in the yard outside. I also liked the way the lyrics seem to be about recognizing some dark fragment that in each other that you connect to without speaking. Two people in need of healing leaning into each other to feel real again.

Pen and ink on paper

"I had a thought, dear However scary About that night The bugs and the dirt Why were you digging? What did you bury Before those hands pulled me From the earth? … Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person lying over the ground split opened revealing a similar person buried under the ground, eyes closed, hands over the chest, head lifted facing the person above, two dark hands from the ground are holding them tightly... Image 2 is a close crop of the first image.]

[jjeanes]

9. Work Song This is one of my favourite songs off of this album. I find myself singing it while I’m doing the dishes or going for a walk or just doodling alone in my apartment. Because of that I found it kind of hard to capture as a drawing so I hope I did it some justice.

Pen and ink on paper

"There's nothing sweeter than my baby I'd never want once from the cherry tree 'Cause my baby's sweet as can be She give me toothaches just from kissin' me

When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person buried in the ground up to their shoulders. Below the ground their body is a skeleton. Above ground their body seems to be made of wood. One of their hand is gently resting on the chest of another wooden statue facing them. On the foreground and above their heads, a few branches of cherry blossom flowers are hanging. Image 2 is a close crop of the first image]

[jjeanes]

8. Sedated

Growing up there used to be a patch of poppies in my parent’s yard and making this illustration made me a little nostalgic for them. The pandemic has emphasized for me, more than ever, how easy it is to just check out of life when the pain is too much. To chase the relief into all sorts of dark corners and unhelpful coping mechanisms. I tried to capture a little bit of the way we are enchanted by and hold onto things that harm us.

Pen and ink on paper

You and I nursing on a poison that never stung Our teeth and lungs are lined with the scum of it Somewhere for this, death and guns We are deaf, we are numb Free and young and we can feel none of it

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person hanging upside down, a stem winds around their body up to their neck, a large poppy flower open above their face. Image 2 is a close crop of image 1]

[jjeanes]

Hey there! I just wanted to say that your series re: Hozier’s first album is really incredible. It’s clear that you’ve put so much thought into each design and I think you’ve captured each song’s message brilliantly so far. You’re doing amazing work! If you have/will have any prints available when its complete, I would love the opportunity to buy a set! Keep up the amazing work!

Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like it and that it's reaching folks who also enjoy his work. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. As for prints, I'll be sure to post here if I ever get around to producing them.

[jjeanes]

6- From Eden This is a reworking of the “Slither” piece I did for last year’s inktober and it’s actually the illustration that sparked this project. It was interesting to try and remake an existing drawing into a different narrower composition.

Pen and ink on paper

"Babe, there's something wretched about this Something so precious about this Oh what a sin To the strand a picnic plan for you and me A rope in hand for your other man to hang from a tree Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a faceless being, looking into a hand mirror while holding a sword. A serpent hangs down from the ceiling, coiling around the figure’s hand. Image 2 is a close crop of the first Image]

[jjeanes]

5. To be Alone This is one of my favourite songs off this album. There’s such a sense of loneliness and isolation. It conjures up the way that hurt and pain make it so hard to connect and so easy lean into whatever escape we can find.

Pen and ink on paper

"Never feel too good in crowds With folks around When they're playing The anthems of rape culture loud Crude and proud Creatures baying … But you don't know what hell you put me through To have someone kiss the skin that crawls from you To feel your weight in arms I'd never use It's the god that heroin prays to"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a a person standing, arms crossed over their chest. Their eyes are closed, their head slightly bowed with a frowning expression on the face. They are surrounded by flame-like hands reaching up and a sea of disembodied eyes in the background. The shadow of a gothic arched window illuminate the person's face. Image 2 is a close crop of Image 1]

[jjeanes]

🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride everyone! I hope whether you're protesting or celebrating you have a safe and fierce pride. This is a relief print patch I made. I was testing out block printing on fabric and I'm pretty happy with the results! And of course I had to sew it onto my pride jacket :)

[Image Description: this is a photo of a print on a black piece of fabric representing a white dagger, and a banner winding around with the words "Protect, Trans, Youth" Image 2 is the photo of a denim jacket with the print sewn on it. Image 3 is a picture of printing process, we can see the print block, the fabric and some printing tools ]

[jjeanes]

🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride everyone! I hope whether you're protesting or celebrating you have a safe and fierce pride. This is a relief print patch I made. I was testing out block printing on fabric and I'm pretty happy with the results! And of course I had to sew it onto my pride jacket :)

[Image Description: this is a photo of a print on a black piece of fabric representing a white dagger, and a banner winding around with the words "Protect, Trans, Youth" Image 2 is the photo of a denim jacket with the print sewn on it. Image 3 is a picture of printing process, we can see the print block, the fabric and some printing tools ]

[jjeanes]

4. Someone New

When I was working on this piece I thought a lot about the way medieval paintings use the size of a figure to denote importance and how it can create this weird perspective-less crowd scene. I might definitely do some things differently if I were redoing this piece but almost always finished is better than perfect.

Pen and ink on paper

"There's an art to life's distractions To somehow escape the burning weight, the art of scraping through Some like to imagine The dark caress of someone else, I guess any thrill will do Would things be easier if there was a right way? Honey there is no right way And so I fall in love just a little ol' little bit Every day with someone new"

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a person dressed in a robe, standing and smiling, eyes closed, head surrounded by a halo. This person has 6 hands. In each of their hands is a human heart. Next to each heart is a small animal-looking being, reaching to or holding carefully the heart handed to them. Image 2 is a crop of the artwork focusing on the three figures at the bottom.]

[jjeanes]

3. Jackie and Wilson

This song makes me think of two things. First is that there’s something deeply human about meeting someone new and hoping they’ll fix all of your problems. Second is the way we craft versions of ourselves. The image of “all the other versions of me dead and buried in the yard outside” and then later in the song having to go back to them when it doesn’t work out really hit home.

Pen and ink on paper

"She blows outta nowhere, roman candle of the wild Laughing away through my feeble disguise No other version of me I would rather be tonight. And, Lord, she found me just in time … Cut clean from the dream at night, let my mind reset Looking up from a cigarette, and she's already left I start digging up the yard for what's left of me and our little vignette For whatever poor soul is coming next."

Lyrics by Hozier

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a faceless being digging into the ground. Below the surface, on a black background lies a person with a white mask on their face. A pair of hands is grabbing this mask, while 5 other masks seem to be floating up to the surface. Image 2 is a close crop of the first image showing just the masks]

[jjeanes]

2. Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene

I am really happy with how this one turned out. This song brings to mind a beautiful veneer on something ugly and destructive. Something seductive and hungry but hollow enough to swallow you whole.

Pen and ink on paper

"Feeling more human and hooked on her flesh I Lay my heart down with the rest at her feet Fresh from the fields, all fetor and fertile Bloody and raw, but I swear it is sweet With her sweetened breath, and her tongue so mean She's the angel of small death and the codeine scene With her straw-blonde hair, her arms hard and lean She's the angel of small death and the codeine scene."

Lyrics by @hozier

"Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a being with a veil and a halo above their head. Their face is a white skull. There is a human heart within a white halo, inside their belly. Two of their hands are joined over their skeleton rib cage, palms together in a prayer position, while another pair of hands is delicately holding the heart. Image 2 is a close crop of the artwork showing the hands holding the heart "

[jjeanes]

1. Take Me To Church. The first full piece in the series where I draw an illustration for every track on Hozier’s self titled 2014 album! I spent a lot of time in university learning about European and Christian art history traditions and you’re going to see a lot of that woven into these illustrations. The lyrics of this song make me think of how love between two people can trip into the divine. That really powerful pull to cede yourself into belonging with or to someone.

Pen and ink on paper

"If I'm a pagan of the good times My lover's the sunlight To keep the Goddess on my side She demands a sacrifice Drain the whole sea Get something shiny Something meaty for the main course That's a fine-looking high horse What you got in the stable? We've a lot of starving faithful That looks tasty That looks plenty This is hungry work Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife Offer me my deathless death Good God, let me give you my life"

[Image Description: Black ink drawing inside a gothic arch frame, depicting a being with a halo above their head and 4 hands. A woman is kneeling before them, they are holding her head up with two hands, she looks peaceful, her eyes are closed and her palms are up. With a gentle smile on their face, the being's third hand is pressing a knife on the woman's throat, drawing a drop of blood, while making sign above her head with their remaining hand. Image 2 is a close crop of image one, focused on the kneeling woman’s face]

[jjeanes]

31. Risk Last one! Boy, are my hands tired. Sometimes when you go to soothe a difficult emotion there’s a risk it will bite back. Sometimes you just have to lean in without fear anyways.

Pen and ink on paper. [Image Description: Black ink drawing of a being holding a snarling wolf in her three arms. She is petting the wolf's head calmly while blood is dripping from the bite the wolf inflicted on one of her arms.]