Day 13!

Today is a late post due to actual paid work! Yay!

Yesterday (the 13th of January) I finished up the Sketchbook Project sketchbook and sent it off today.






I did a few more quick painted pages to finish it off, but all I need to post here is the front cover (previously done) the intro page, one more inside page, and the back cover.

Everything else was documented and saved and I'm glad its done. Fun project to be a part of but I'm not in a hurry to participate again.

distractions:
more minesweeper. bah!

ART DAY SIX

DAY 6 of ART

Almost forgot to post what art happened yesterday.
First of all, it was my bf's birthday. I made a sign that said "HAPPY 14th BDAY", cutting each letter from printer paper and puttin the '14' inside a cut heart. (the 14 is um... I was having a dyslexic moment) Also, for his amusement, I provided a silly lesson on color mixing.


(Remember children, blue and yellow make GREEN!)

More Art:
I put some more quick creations in the sketchbook for the sketchbook project. I have to postmark it by the 15th for it to go on tour. And with the loose theme "Science Project Gone Wrong". My opinions on this project below the images.






My Thoughts on 'The Sketchbook Project".
Ok. I'm a huge fan of sketchbooks as art. I love the fact that someone is putting together a library of sketchbooks. The joy of hand done art that people can enjoy in person and touch the pages is extremely exciting. The problems with this project are that I feel hesitant to just give all this work away for free. (or rather paying to give it away, as there was a cost to participate - I understand this however, and my complaint doesn't lie there. They need $ to take it on tour and buy/send out the sketchbooks) Also, because of the theme and time constraints, the work is less like the organically developed sketchbooks I keep, and more like a desperate race to the finish line, resulting in sub-par work and nonsense as I try to make these creations bend (loosely) to the theme. Also, the paper is the thinnest paper I've ever had the ... ~joy~ of working with. But, I don't want to turn back now, and I don't want to waste my money, so I'm going to finish it dag-nabbit, and hopefully there will be a few visual gems inside to make flipping through it worth while.

INSPIRATIONS:
I started watching the movie "Klimt" - a drama about the artist Klimt played by John Malkovich. I loved the art nouveau movement, and the movie even has some very nicely done surreal moments that reflect those ideas. Also, beautiful naked women wandering several scenes surrounded by colorful silks and elongated patterns can't help but be inspiring.

On the 4th day of art...
I made some sloppy expressons in the sketchbook-project sketchbook and took some creative photos.






The text on the hand says "I am forced to wear ambiguous labels and fit into limiting CATEGORIES."

I also painted D's belly before he got in the shower, but I don't need to include a photo here. ;)

The rest of the day was dedicated to magic.
Every first Tuesday Dave and I attend a magic show on Theatre on the Square. I've been doing the programs for over a year now. Its a layed back gig and I get to experiment with my graphic design skills. I showed the latest one on the blog yesterday.
This one had a special guest couple doing magic and face painting in the lobby. I got my face painted - she did a beautiful simple red shading with black white and orange streaks around my eyes and addd glitter- but I forgot to get a photo!

Afterwards, we went to the Old Point Tavern. Never far from my camera, I decided to take a few creative shots - I am always fascinated by the red wash of color you get in the corner area by the neon lights.


I took this photo covertly - I always feel a bit strange taking photos of strangers but I wanted a photo of the colors, and she fit in perfectly. I would have asked her permission but people look so much more natural when they don't know their photo is being taken.


This is Pat Smith. He will be performing at next month's Indy Magic Monthly - Excellent magician, and wonderful to have as a friend. I find the mood here quite ambiguous. At first I thought the red wash made him look like a dangerous person, but now it feels more contemplative.

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More Inspiration:
At he end of the day, I read a bit of Clive Barker's "Great and Secret Show".
In it, there is a special 'island' that gets described - like a dream place cathedral building, but more vast, complicated and strange than anything in reality - in a place where physics doesnt matter, and you can have 'towers as thin as reeds' etc. The full description isn't as wonderful as the images my mind was conjuring as I read. I would't be surprised if you start seeing more bizarre structures appearing. I could FEEL the images pasting themselves to my brain.

random creations day 3

After attending work at 8 am only to realize that my work starts NEXT WEEK, I had some extra time. So, when I came home I started looking at a library book for the Chelsea Awards (fantasy art) -But someone must have laced my book with a sedative, because I passed out for a few hours. So much for an early start to my day!

Next, I watched my boyfriend be tortured by the dentist. While I was there I did some sketchbook drawings. (These are for "The Sketchbook Project" - when I finish it in a few days, it will be sent off to be at a Brooklyn Sketchbook Library - Interesting idea, more opinions on it later)


(The text on the 3rd image says "The dental tools gained sentience and began to worship the sun". Also you can see the inspiration of teeth on the first image)

Next on the agenda (after some more 'inspiration' from a hidden object game from 'big fish games') I did the program design for Taylor Martin's "Indy Magic Monthly"

This is the front and back page (front page on the right) - I also did the inside and an insert. If you want to see the rest, you'll have to come to the show! Every first Tuesday at Theatre on the Square - Indianapolis, IN. Check the website link for more info. Doors at 7:00. Show up at 6:30 for extra stuff in the lobby!



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I stayed up even later, and did one last minute sketch with color in the book:

The text in red pen on the left side of the page - something that just popped into my head. "She cut off a tiny sliver of her skin, to experiment with, to test, to gain power." "That was part of it. Blood, life, pain, + power." Wonder if I've been reading too much Clive Barker lately. heh. That mixed with the predetermined theme sent to me for this book 'Science project gone wrong'.
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Thank you to everyone who left comments and/or critiques on the "G / GRIM" drawing!

BANG!!

Now that I have your attention...

I just haven't updated for a while and felt it was TIME.
(also, copied from my dA account)

New work is on the way, as I have been busy in my NEW!!(or rather renewed) Leaky Basement Studio!... as I am no longer in the Stutz (my year of free studio ended, and I am not rich enough to afford an external space yet, although I'd like to go back as having a downtown studio provided some awesome opportunities I do not have now, like using it as a professional meeting place in which to show strangers my work.)

My brain keeps going back to stop motion action... maybe I'll have time to work on it one of these days.

I cannot wait for the Horror con shows in November.

SKETCHBOOKS
I have ordered a sketchbook from Art House Co-Op for the SKETCHBOOK PROJECT.
http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects
I finally gave in. I like the idea of it, even though I'm basically giving away free art for it. I am still in 2 minds about it, and not sure how my brain will conform to the idea of doing a 'sketchbook' with a specific theme vs. the random shit I throw in my sketchbook normally. At least most of my art goes along with the theme 'science project gone wrong' - also... I am torn between doing something really kickass and creative, or saving my super duper creative kickass-ness for something more ... sellable. I think I'll just put some crazy 'wrong-science' doodles in and send it in. I have till January.
BUT I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE regardless, I am a huge advocate of Sketchbooks as art. So, I consider it my donation to the world of sketchbook art ... PLUS it will be in their permanent sketchbook library collection, with a library code and everything. ^^
Tho, speaking of sketchbooks, I am inspired to start carrying a smaller mole-skine like sketchbook in which to do awesome work in for myself.

One of my inspirations for this is Nomi Chi - Her sketchbook work is Epic and awesome. Her art is kickass too, but I really really drool over the sketches.

COMICS
**I was included in an article about Comic Artists -
I may not really be doing 'comics' yet, but I slid in under the umbrella! Thanks to Stuart Sayger for leading the writer to me!

EVENTS
ART vs ART main event is this FRIDAY at the Vogue!!!

That is all for now!