automatism, con drawings, etc

The sun ate my face today, but let me share some art with you.

Lets start with the most recent and work our way back!
Last night I saw "Dismantled" - Industrial band signed by Metropolis -
I was very inspired by their show, - good thing I had my sketchbook with me!
When the show ended, I did some doodling in the bar while the DJ played more industrial.
These 2 images aren't directly related to the band, but rather inspired by the band, and a live industrial setting.


 Both images are black sharpie, the second one was a gift for one of the members, who saw
the first pieces and kindly demanded that I do something for him. *grin* Amused, I complied. 

And now for some drawings done at FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FESTIVAL! (Louisville, KY)
Great show by the way, thanks to those who stopped by!

My favorite first!! A commission to put one of my 'women' related pieces in someone's sketchbook. 



Two sharpie sketches in a brain candy book.


5" x 7" commission for a giraffe related piece.



Book page commission for my booth neighbor's child. 
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Inspirations as of late:
 MURCURY MEN!!
The INVASION has begun!
Really awesome SyFy short series featuring my friend Mark Tierno, about 6 minutes each. 3 episodes so far, I highly recommend it!
Check it out here!

The Butterfly Circus
Very inspirational well filmed 20 minute short film about the Butterfly Circus.
Check it out
A 20 minute short

quick commissions, wip, and filling the spaces

Pluggin along!
infrequent posts due to merely extreme busyness.
:D
I am currently on vacation in Connecticut - but still trying to work on projects while I'm here.
One of my better paying jobs in August didn't pan out due to low enrollment (teaching art appreciation at a tech college) - so, hopefully something else will come along to fill in the gaps. (especially if I want to attend the SPECTRUM LIVE convention that got announced recently! OMG) Thankfully, I now have my downtown studio in Indy, and it gives me something to look forward to coming home!
I need to take a picture of the 2 sweet studio gifts people have given me - a little work of assemblage art and an antique 'murcury' bottle. That can come later!

For now, Let me share some images from the Days of the Dead Convention
*Here is a small drawing in my brain candy book - a photographer wanted a monster portrait of his camera.


*Here is a convention commission- 9" x 12" color. I took it home that evening to finish it. watercolor and Ink. If I thought about it, I could've added white acrylic to highlight certain areas, but it came out pretty sweet I think.
 
... Some of my friends were debating what kind of salad dressing would go good with this conglomeration of organic plant matter. *chuckle*


*A sketchbook commission - someone wanted a hippo related work - so I of course drew a hippo-tree!


*The coolest t-shirt I saw at the Days of the Dead convention. 
It reminded me of Clive Barker's Nightbreed, thematically - all these monsters coming together with different backgrounds and lives and purposes. Easy to discriminate against, but all of them are precious in some way.


*I was able to finally present my Sammy Terry painting and print at Days of the Dead - my painting of him is on the back of the comic book. After acquiring the proper permissions, I now present the 11" x 17" limited first edition print. I have 15 of 30 (Sammy has the other 15)And they are all SIGNED!(They are selling at $50 each)


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And last, here is a sneak peek at part of one of my paintings for a movie project.




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Other News:

I am realizing how much I need to get more Ayreon music. :) I am very inspired by it. We listened to some on the way to Connecticut and I've spun into the beginnings of obsession - so I'm going to keep my eye open (or my ears open?) for opportunities to get some more of their music.
Thats all for now!

My blogging river has run dry, but here are some drawings.

Just like the pile of un-archived reciepts, my blog is waiting to be written, with things to say, and half formed images and ideas, and before I can write those things here, they become stagnant and old news, because by then, everyone on facebook already knows, and I don't feel like writing it again somewhere else online.

Also, I've been working on a lot of projects that are not my own projects, so I do not want to share
them, they are secret!

This was supposed to be a place to share my daily output of practice and art experiments.
A place for myself to improve and have fun.

So perhaps I won't wait for the big update. I won't show ALL my art happenings and special advertisements...I will again make a simple attempt to post experiments, sketches, and works I'm working on for myself.  For the big more occasional important updates, you'll have to sign up for my mailing list. (email lydiaburris@gmail.com and say 'YES' to be on the mailing list)

SO, without further delay, here are the most recent things I did that I felt I can share.
I did these drawings at the last convention I was at: Contamination in St. Louis.



This was a sketch done in a brain candy book - with Sharpies.




Dick Starr and Johnny Bopp drew in my 'book of monsters' and the 2 drawings on brown paper, I did as a thank you. (The book of monsters was originally a 60th birthday gift for mother, but one that I would keep to travel and gather more drawings for her. Something for both of us to share. Now that she is gone, I'm still carrying on the tradition)

This was a watercolor painting I had started before but didn't like. I added ink while sitting at the booth, and faded the background to my liking.


This was a quick 'sketch' I did in someone's sketchbook. I love drawing in sketchbooks. I love the quick braincandy sketches too. My mind works so much faster and I come up with great ideas when I am on a laid back but 'do it now' mindset.

If you stop by 'Days of the Dead' in Indianapolis this weekend, come by and get a sketch.

Art updates, Motor City Nightmares con, and more art. art art art.

This month is too crazy to update. Working 3 part time jobs at 3 separate universities, attending conventions,trying to keep up with my own art and commissions and projects, along with saving time for family and other stuff... But I can't complain. I love all of my part time jobs, and the stuff in between, and somehow I'm able to save time to watch old episodes of BONES. (I think its my sanity saver right now)

Motor City Nightmare's convention
This past weekend I took my arty wares to Motor City Nightmares convention in Novi, MI. We had a blast, hung out with friends ~ new and old, and made a lot of connections. Funny, I ended up making 6 little book page paintings while at the con - the four I did at my booth sold, and two I did at the after party on Saturday were given as a thank you for good food, drinks and conversation.
I was invited to help judge a tattoo contest. Awesome except for the very sore looser who told us we all sucked after stealing the mic even though I tried telling him his tattoo was awesome, it just didn't happen to win. {rant removed}. I traded a sketchbook drawing with another artist known as 'Saint', discussed awesome
movies with Marv Blauvelt of " Muscle Wolf Productions I had Alex of "
Metal Artisan Studios" manipulate my jacket (photo at bottom), Ate dinner one night with Artist Tony Steele and his wife Kay Steele,awesome people whom I know from previous conventions, and another dinner with long time friend Barrett - who happens to live in MI., I ate a really awesome chocolate cake-pop, made by last year's Miss Motor City Nightmares, Alloy Metallic. (I wanted to buy some but time slipped by too fast). I forgot to go chat with Kyle
Gas from Tenacious D (my one regret that weekend), I participated in Skullibration (a page full of skull drawings to be raffled), and so much more.
Photos can be seen on my Motor City Nightmares facebook album.

Here are a few drawings I made while there:

2 of the 6 book page paintings


2 sharpie drawings in the back of my brain candy books

They smiled as they fell, taking flight at the same time...

SCALES!
Had my jacket manipulated - scales added, and gold studs at Alex's suggestion.


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And now for 2 more text page drawings I did.
I'm on a roll!
I am not sure if I am making them available yet, I might want to submit one to a call for artists thingy.

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What else art progress related? Got the go-ahead for a fairly large commission project, finishing up projects still hanging in the air, still organizing the stuff in mothers studio - I condensed the interesting objects into one bin... well, the interesting metal and industrial objects anyway..., still need to grade art appreciation papers, scanning in works, updating/posting things on Etsy, getting inspired others's art, still looking for an affordable studio downtown and I'm going to stop right there!
Except, one more thing. Thanks to D for making a lovely yummy manwich dinner on our Month-aversary! (YES, its art related can't create without food!)

Big Weekend - Gencon and Fringe Lightbox

This PAST weekend was, to put it simply, Awesome.

I had an art table at GenCon, and it was the best yet in presentation and in sales.
Photos can be found on my Facebook page.
Our 'weekend' Started on Wednesday - we set up in the afternoon, I went to work for a few hours, and then we went to the first night of the Dark Mardi Gras gencon club night, run by friend Rony. (I also did the flyers) Xiting the Systm played - their music was great, and they had an awesome lightshow. I bought a CD.

Thursday was the start of the show. D was my helper, and our table neighbor was David Wong, friend and unofficial business adviser. (lol) One of my heads "Rotted Screaming Bad" sold, and that made my day!
That night we went home briefly and back downtown for another Dark Mardi Gras after party. Bottoms Up Burlesque showed, along with Fire Dancer Neris and Molly WyldFyre.

Friday was a big day - The show went pretty well - We had a LOT more prints this time. Especially more choices for 11" x 17" prints. (Available prints can also be seen on my facebook page HERE - Although I do plan on making a page for them on my website that will make them easier to pay automatically, with paypal buttons and everything. Maybe in a week or 2.

FRIDAY EVENING - Over to the historic Firestation - on the side of which is a 29 ft across lightbox - This year, it features my artwork done for and inspired by the IndyFringe Festival!
Friday night was the unveiling of the new art!
A Small article on the Nuvo Site explains it briefly: HERE.

We pulled some people from GenCon, dad showed up and several others. To celebrate the new art, Fringe organized snacks and a firedancer troup! It was awesome.
Thank you to everyone that came out and to all the supporters out there!

Now, onto Saturday, and the rest of this post will be quick and brief - as I had this drafted for about a week and I want to get it posted. (I'm behind on social networking, lol)
- Pretty good day at the con.
- Get to have sushi in the evening with some very good buddies - good food and good stories and good business advice!
- After food, got over to the Hyatt to hang out with more art and convention buddies.
- drove home late, passed out.

SUNDAY:
- another great day at the con, sad to see it end, but ready for it to be over. It was very busy and the most successful con yet!
- After packing up, we head over to a huge art party at the Spaghetti factory - the traditional gencon ending, complete with food play and food sculpture.
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I'm sure there is more, but that is all for now.

The latest news was that D took me on a Gondola ride for my 30th birthday. Hurrah! What fun!