Kirk Lyttle Redux

I've written before about Pioneer Press illustrator Kirk Lyttle. His illo for today's Travel section, accompanying a story called Not Their Parents' Vacation, called out to me to write about him again. The story discusses baby boomers' predilection for "achievement travel" -- searching for adventures off the beaten path, learning something new, and swapping houses, among other trends.

Lyttle's atmospheric use of layers is wonderful, and I particularly like his understated use of color. As always, his depiction of lively and funky body shapes adds interest. The print version of the illustration covers about two-thirds of the Travel front page, with the headline and intro text laid out over the background hill, so overall it makes a very nice package.

Initially I disliked the tiny running figure of a native boy, leading the tourist's burro -- in fact, it pretty much ruined the whole image for me. But then I decided that Lyttle was actually critiquing the boomer tourist who is looking for the "exotic," riding along in relative comfort while the barefoot native child does all the work. This is consistent with the tone of the article in some places: boomers, the author tells us, are interested "in seeking out what's undiscovered -- in their own social circle, at least"; or boomers "see travel as a right and not a privilege. They have high expectations and demands" (the latter quote is from a travel agent source in the story).

I may be wrong about this interpretation, but after looking at Lyttle's work for almost two decades, I think I have a sense of his point of view. So thanks, Kirk, for another great illustration.