Blue City

Hey dudes!

This is a pattern I created for the launch of Repeat-X Repeat-Y, a repeating patterns site! It has some really great stuff if you're into such things. I really love making these patterns so I jumped right on that. Thanks Matt!!

The site launches tomorrow so be sure to check it out!

Zine

Cool art pal Dustin Williams made a zine! My art is featured in it, along with a bunch of other cool cats like Jeff, Shannon, Mike and Joe! It was really fun to collaborate with them. I hope to do it again soon!

Personal influence

 

I'm a girl, so this might make more sense knowing that it's from a female point of view, if you're into that kind of thing. 

In my process of trying to grow and develop myself as an artist, and picking up bits and pieces of knowledge throughout the internet, I've learned that really laying everything out that you like can really impact your visual ideas in regards to what you like to draw. (I say this loosely, because you could like to draw EVERYTHING and dress like a nun, or whatever.)

For example, I love really clean basic things, with owls, repeat patterns, typography and simple design, with a lot of organic elements like fur and weaves mixed in. It's interesting to see these kinds of interested reflected in the things I wear everyday, AND in the things that I draw.

It's also just really fun to throw all the stuff you mess with on a daily basis without really seeing it into one pile and notice it all. Since you wear it or are surrounded by it, you don't really notice it anymore.

I did this at Polyvore. It's crazy fun.

Also, here's a really cool link some people might be interested in. Mark McDonnell's Warmup Gesture Sketching.

Some people find it really hard to do sketches because they get super neat and controlled and feel like they've failed a drawing, but it's really inspiring to watch him just sketch loosely.

Hi

I worked for three weeks straight and I went on a little vacation this week so art is kind of scarce.
I did attend a session of watercolor earlier this week and visited some kindred spirits...Super thanks to Joe, Jeff, Candace, Mike and Dustin for giving me a really great start to the week. Being around other artists is always so refreshing and inspiring. I love seeing other people's work and being around people who love to create like I do. (And being humbled by seeing other people's pieces!)

I do have a couple of awesome artists that I picked out of my reader today that I want to share...
Nathan Fowkes Landscape Sketches
He does incredible little color studies of landscapes. Fast and simplified is not one of my strong suits so I can really learn a lot from looking at his work.
Asnee Tasna (flickr), Asnee's blog
A great pick from Urban Sketchers, his sketches are a dream to look at. I love his intricate linework and I love how he can make otherwise boring buildings look fresh and alive. 

Happy Saturday!

Hi April

Reposted from Drawn!

Creative Workspaces and Offices.

I love seeing other people's workspaces. :o

There's more on flickr too;
Art Studio
Show Your Art Studio

Some beautiful journals

Just browsing through youtube some more and coming across some beautiful visual journals. My favorite part of these is that they don't have to be filled with beautiful sketches and paintings from a seasoned artist vacationing in Europe, but they are ordinary people who choose to write and draw about their lives in an extraordinary way.

One
Two (I absolutely love how thick and lovely her journal is, and her pages are amazing. She sells them on Etsy.)
Three (Mini Mole!!)
Four
Five (Beautiful notetaking!)
Six; an in-progress journal spread (there are tons of these on youtube if you keep looking.)

I love looking through people's books not because I seek better art than my own to be inspired (I find enough of that without looking), but I see people who record their lives, parts I don't see, parts nobody else sees, recorded in their own way. I love seeing other people's drawings, even if they've never drawn before in their lives, because it's the most honest representation of their lives. The more techniques and skills you learn, the more you learn to fake things and falsify things and not be true to yourself and just continue creating what other people ooh and ahh over (or as some people say "make ballerinas look realistic")

Mmmmm, Sierra Mist quenches my thirst in ways that cannot be described. ♥

New Years

I had a fantastic birthday! I got to spend it with amazing people, see amazing things and make wonderful memories. I finally saw Wall-E and The Tale of Despereaux and they are both wonderfully cute movies. I also picked up a copy of An Illustrated Life, which is an amazing read if you're into journaling. I got a new sketchbook from someone who is quite incredible and I can't wait to ring in the new year by using it.

My list of New Year's Resolutions!

• Travel travel travel.
• Explore everything.
• Never feel guilty or afraid.
• Be a better person, artist, sister, daughter, mommy, friend, girlfriend, coworker, student and consumer.
• Plan better.
• Learn to write backwards.
• Draw every single day.
• Lose restrictions and regain control.
• Make an amazing portfolio.
  
• Redesign my blog and my website.
• Create a shop and begin my freelancing career.
• Make more lists.
• Collect more art books.
• Make more stuff.
  
• LOVE LOVE LOVE!

The watercolor is a random Ipod nano spot I did out of boredom. (I got one for Christmas. It's Red. His name is Geddy.)

Also, a Cool Link! http://kirino.if.tv/. Some cute and spirited little watercolors.

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Polyvore

If you're interested in fashion and that jazz, Polyvore lets you put together outfits with accessories. This is what I wear on a daily basis (paint on me and all.) It's fun for those people who like generators and drag/drop things like me.

You know you are a boring person when you ask for a ledger for Christmas.
:D
I think soon if time allows I will do a Moleskine review.

Holday Fair Wrapup

The Holiday Fair was a successful venture! I sold most of everything and had enough left over to give to friends. My wares were a pretty big hit with people, it was nice to interact with shoppers and get feedback, especially to the people I sold things to. It was nice to see where my things were going :)

I made about 50-some charms and painted them all (that's them hanging on the right- lucky for me I have an automated drying system under my bed!) It was a long grueling process but I enjoyed it. I like doing things with my hands, creating things and tinkering with things.

I wish I'd taken more pictures of the stuffies I'd made, but sadly only the picture of the yeti exists. He's the only one I didn't sell, either- but I'm going to use him for a portfolio piece, so it's all good. :) It was all a very good experience and very much worth the time I spent making them. I plan on experimenting more with stuffies, refining my pattern and jazzing them up a bit. :)
I wish I'd had some paintings to sell, since I got a lot of feedback on those from my business cards. Might have to do that next year. :)

Next on the agenda...MUNNY and the greeting card industry!!

Also: DesignWorkLife's Link List.
Thanks Megan!!

Quiet

Just a quiet moment in the studio. The lights didn't need to be on, there was no background noise except for the leaves hitting the window, and I was able to get a moment of rest. This area is a comforting place for me. I painted for the first time in a little while; no restraints, no assignments, just paint.

The weather recently is nice, although I wish it would warm up a little.
I have so much to do, but it's nice to keep busy- it gets my blood flowing :)
I have a huge project going for my capstone class that I don't have a lot of details for, yet, but I will post again on it soon.
I also plan on having a table at the school's winter holiday fair. I'm going to be selling handmade plush pieces, clay charms and artwork. I'm working on business cards to hand out as well (been meaning to make these for awhile, anyway.)
I'm planning on doing more talks about journals in the spring :)
There's so much to do, and I can only do a little bit at a time. But I'm really excited for all that I'm doing.

A special day is coming up...I don't think I can accurately put into words how I feel, but it's warm-fuzzy. I feel beyond lucky to be able to have this experience with someone who has become so special to me, to be learning new things about the world and myself, learning more about the person who I want to become. I love that joy and drive of wanting to be a better person, and having the best brought out in me.
I find so much hatred and cruelty in the world and it all seems a bit different now that I have someone at my side to be my anchor, my safety net, my reassurance.
The feeling of knowing there is love in the world and I get to have a piece of that is a feeling I will never want to give up for anything and that I will stake my life on protecting, because the world needs more love, the world needs more kindness and joy and simple pleasures.
But there is love out there, and I am honored to be able to share in that.

Why is my cameraphone a better quality shot than my actual camera.

Cool link: Zhu Zhu paintings.

Proofs

Proofs for my 3rd screenprint (my second one didn't come out as well as I'd hoped...)
Trying a different technique for this one. I might eventually put lines on this one but i'm trying the unlined approach in order to save time and my sanity.

Something i've been watching lately;
http://www.youtube.com/user/suziblutube

I gave a talk the other day about journaling. :) I'm really excited about it. I would like to keep doing that kind of thing, or maybe start up a workshop or something like that. I think it'd be fun.

I can hear the rain. :) It's nice to get some rainy weather once in awhile.

printing

Keeping on keeping on. Some images of my screenprinting setup- pulling begins on Friday if things go well.

I also picked up another sketchbook- a spiralbound Cachet. (its brown :D) I keep trying to find a new Derwent but there is not a place that exists yet that will ship it to me for under 10 dollars.

I think the new Ipods are really cute.
And they come in red!!!

Also this made me laugh.
ITS JUST A BACKGROUND SO YOU CAN SEE THE EDGE OF THE WHITE CARD
WHAT KIND OF BACKGROUND DO I NEED TO USE SO THAT I WONT HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS
UNICORNS? TURTLES?
maybe i should just pass out bark.


Cool link: 50 inspiring gig posters.

102

Some 6 am musings:
As human beings we are gluttons for punishment. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. This means we have to create it for ourselves but in the same sense it can always be absent as well. Alfred D Souza's quote claims that it is life itself that is the obstacle of being happy. It's a difficult concept to grasp because ultimately we still climb for it as a goal- oh, later. Exactly. Even as I type I still have things to do- and maybe THEN I will feel happy.
But I shouldn't wait. There is no better time than now.
"Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching."

I don't want to lose your faith
I don't want to let you down
My ultimate downfall is always wanting the best for everyone and in short stifling myself, but I am working on this.
I can't afford not to.
If I don't, I don't know how I will be able to live with myself.
If I lose what I've worked so hard to obtain, I don't think I could live with myself.
Take out the skeletons in your closet and dance with them, but don't let them kill you.

cool artist: Jared Shear

And for a little humor!

hizzacked: dude where do you get an eel anyway
baneofaxel: bait shop sells em cheap
hizzacked: hey look an eel store lets get some and funnel them into your colon
baneofaxel: NORMAL PEOPLE USE THEM FOR FISHING

Eggs again

Just to show that I am not sitting on my ass watching youtube in my papasan all day, although this is a very comfortable pasttime that I could get used to. There is much art begging to be made.
A little bit toned down compared to the others. I used some gouache to make it more saturated. It's interesting to work with.

Cool artist: Alberto Cerriteno. I love his style and especially his use of rich colors.

Also Lowell Hess has a website!! Wonderful classic illustration.

And these are cool, although people wonder why I hate swimming and knowing that these are possibly in the water is a big reason why.

Just being here

I picked up a pen and my book for the first time in a few days- God, I miss it. I've been sporadically cleaning things so my painting table is totally covered in crap. I've tripped over my canvases stacked on the floor about 10 times already, though, so that has inspired me to paint over them.

Some neat things.
Charmagne Coe. Some really beautiful abstract watercolors.
Chelsea Lewyta. Amazing illustration work!
Mike Rohde's sketchnotes. Really interesting note-taking methods.
Russ Mills. Kick ass stuff. (got a blog too!)

I did pick up some Faber-Castell Pitt pens at Virgin when I was in France, so I'm hoping to really mess around with those soon.

Also been catching up on my Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I don't care if my brain melts!

Today

A life drawing self portrait that I am rather proud of.

Holy crap it's only Monday! (yesterday, at least)
For about 3 hours today I had myself convinced it was a Tuesday.
I've taken to pacing around in the life drawing room lately. It's a nice quiet place to think. I like the sound of my shoes on the wood floor.
You know that feeling where everything is in check and you're feeling solid and safe?
I feel like I've left that region entirely and am now sitting on the floor stupidly with the rest of the world flying around wildly around me in 16 million colors.

Cool artist: Parskid

Acrylic, modeling paste and tissue paper. Its a little washed out. Also, there's supposed to be some text in the red balloons, but I kind of like it better without.

Oh, and:
Ian Francis

I lost his name last week and all I had were two little printouts of his work. I found it again on some random advertisement on a random website I clicked on by accident.

Also!
I may be extremely late on this boat, but James Jean put his sketchbooks up on his website. And quite frankly, they're awesome.

Happy Monday

It'll be okay! Monday will be over soon!



Then everything will be a'ight.

Sorry for the cat only post (images gleaned from Cute Overload)
I didn't get to say goodbye to mine when I left this weekend. :'C
He's quite the hider.

I also just realized my computer clock is 5 minutes fast. Hmm.

Some things

I don't know when I thought of it, but awhile back I made a list of all the random characters I made for some reason or another, and it topped at about 20- and those are just the ones I can remember. So I decided to go through and see if I could draw them all. This was the earliest character I can remember entirely- Angela. She actually had chartreuse bangs at first creation, which makes these nasty purple bangs a bit more tolerable.

Some interesting things;

Ultimate Rejection Letter
Oil Painting Demo
Ultimate Flash Face holy shit this one is a lot of fun.
ansiform - an ambient music netlabel
Transparent Image Tape Transfer I picked this one especially for all my fellow majors since we were discussing it a few weeks ago.
Darkcopy- full screen text editing. Write with no distractions.
Play NES games online for free!!
HOLY SHIT BATTLETOADS.

I would easily kill someone for a bit of watermelon, right now.

Also there is this current stink about Orphan Works legislation. I don't know exactly what is going on here, but according to this interview with Brad Holland, if this legistlation passes, we are going to lose our copyrights, and will have to pay out the ass for other people not to lose it. I know tons of people will be like "psh, artists, who cares what happens to their stuff" but this applies to people's photos and videos of their family. You don't even have to be an artist to affected by this law. Anything you do can be just taken and used by someone else and used for their own profit. You get no rights on that photo of your baby or the picture of your late cat. Booyah!
I remember hearing about this before, and I don't know what caused this to flare up again, but I hope it doesn't pass, not purely for my own gain (hey, I guess I'm ok with having a part time job and just painting in my basement, unbeknownst to anybody but me or my cat), but because that's not cool to just have anything of yours be used by anybody, LEGALLY hands free. I can see companies and businesses failing on a country wide scale. Our economy is already in the shitter, why on earth is this even coming up as an issue. Why BOTHER?

ETA: I found a helpful article that debunks a lot of the scary myths surrounding this thing.

Hello

A lot has happened since last month! Things happened, friendships grew, I ate custard and I just passed a kidney stone last week! That was a dark time, a lot of it was spent being a baby on the couch and watching Astro Boy.

I found this gem: Le Papillon. I love the animation! It reminds me of Okami.

On the art side of things I've been kind of lame. I have a Tegaki but I sure as heck haven't used it yet!

Also have to share some RvB love because it's the only other thing I've really been doing alongside catching up with Eyeshield 21.

And, uh, watching Astro Boy.
Which is oddly addictive.
Yeah.

ETA: SHEIILLLA!