Lilian Zepeda
Make funky art!
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Animation: Baltimore HonFest
For this assignment, I was tasked with creating an animation that listed themed items related to Baltimore, this could include the city’s food, landmarks, notable figures, or cultural moments. As a Maryland native who had just relocated to Baltimore for school, I took this opportunity to dive deeper into the city’s local culture through research. That exploration led me to HonFest.
HonFest was an annual celebration held in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, honoring the city’s iconic “hon” culture. A term of endearment rooted in working-class charm. The festival embraces the style and spirit of the 1950s–60s Baltimore woman, complete with beehive hairstyles, cat-eye glasses, vintage dresses, and big personality. At the end there would a pagent for the “Best Hon”. My animation highlights this vibrant tradition, bringing the festival’s bold energy and nostalgic flair to life through playful visuals and rhythmic motion.
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For each sequence, I really wanted to highlight the little details each “hon” would bring to the festival: big hair, fun accessories, bold outfits. All leading up to the crowned Hon at the end. Around this stage, I had a good sense of the color palette. I knew I wanted vibrant pinks to tie everything together and give it that playful, retro feel.
Originally, I planned to use a hand-drawn font and animate it so it would morph into each Hon’s signature item, but eventually I found a typeface that captured the vibe perfectly and kept things flowing visually.