Day 28 and 29 - back to visuals and rant on sensationalism

Finally I was able to get my art on.

I think when I'm mid-way though some commissions, I avoid working on them because I'm stuck, but I avoid workin on my own art because I'd feel guilty for not working on the commissions, and then I'm stuck doing pointless things like playing minesweeper and clicking aimlessly through the internet.

Day 29 - I finished the main image for a tarot card commission, did a little aceo and filled some sketch pages. I'll wait to post the tarot image until I've heard back from my patron (and I need to make a border and label for it too)
In the meantime, enjoy these!


2.5" x 3.5" aceo, ink and acrylic - available for $9
somewhat inspired by Dave McKean's style in the "Arkham Asylum" comic book.




sketchbook. Includes a dream about large carpet beetle larvae.

Small rant about public taste, instant gratification and Sensationalism!
- I also saw part of a new show, where people have 30 seconds to impress an audience with their awesome talent. Kinda like 'America's got Talent' only, without the constructive criticism. This is pure instant gratification sensationalism. Lets cut out the art, lets cut to the chase and immediately share the punch line, show the grand finale, and get to the peak of the story. Where is the fun in that? No wonder public taste is horrible - no one knows how to appreciate the process, the building up to, and the gentle art of just being creative. Instead we have people that are immediately judgemental on first appearances and demand constant entertainment from those around them. I'm somewhat horrified, but hey, on a shallow day it could be amusing.
Miscellaneous and Inspirations
--- Quote of the day from work "the more influences you have, the more original your work is"
--- Watching my favorite show on tv - "Fringe" - how can this not be inspiring! fave quote: "after all, we do share 50% of our DNA with a banana." - Walter
--- Watched the movie "UP" - I am reminded of how much the concept of 'nostalgia' makes me cry. a LOT.
--- Watched the first half of "The Fountain" on Netflix - very surreal movie - I remember reading the graphic novel illustrated by one of my favorite artists, Kent Williams. I am interested to see how the story progresses in live action. So far its done very well! very wondrous visuals!
-I was directed to the interesting giant wood weaving work of Patrick Dougherty - Link.
- I was also directed to the performance art of Marina Abramović - some very bawlsy and dangerous work, creepy at times, such as laying out 70 objects for anyone to use on her how they wish while she remained passive for 6 hours- some that could be pleasurable, some that could be painful, including a gun with one bullet. Interesting but batshit crazy way to study the human mind. I Read about it at the Wikipedia link.
Learn more about Marina Abramović on the artsy.net page about her: >>Click here <<
 
I find it wonderful to look in all sorts of places for inspiration. There are even more things I mentally ingested in these 2 days, but I can't share them all!!

Day 25, 26, 27 - lots of rambling

The past 3 days have been full of art but not a lot of visuals to share until I get the ok from finished commissions.
Commissions and Projects
I worked on a portrait and a logo commission
I also worked on a narrative project and spent hours ranting on the difficulty finding the correct references to match my visions. Along with this struggle, I also had the revelation (again) that I need to do more studies... of everything! I sometimes curse my fine art training for not teaching us specifically how to draw cloths, technology, buildings, cars, etc. Granted, they did teach me how to paint from life and how to mix colors like a pro. Technically, if I know how to paint and draw from life, I should be able to draw anything right? Well, sorta. I feel like I am beginning my training from scratch and on my own when it comes to illustrative works.

bat ears
On one of those days, I went home to bury Leo. Dad, Dave and I gave him a proper funeral and I did a little drawing to bury with him. I drew a picture of him with large ears and a pic of me (with long hair) and him eating my hair. I wrote "You always did have bat ears. Love, Always." Leo was a cat that never went in for sappy stuff, so that was appropriate. While dad covered the grave with dirt, I read from the 'good book' (the sketchbook that was in my hand anyway) - I found a random passage about Horace Walpole coining the term 'Serendipity' and creating the quote "The world is a comedy to those that think, and a tragedy to those that feel"

Inspirations
I looked at a cocophony of things to help inspired me...
2 books by Patrick Woodroffe, "Arkham Asylum" comic illustrated by Dave McKean (awesome!), The Etsy site of Sandra Arteaga, a host of people I watch at deviant art (but no specifics this time), PES animations (western spaghetti is my fave, and 'the deep' is pretty awesome too.), Concept art from "The Time Machine" (more recent version movie)

business
worked out my art MILEAGE for my taxes! woohoo!! roughly 4633.2 miles were traveled in the name of art last year. (and only 50 of that is misc stuff I didn't really have a record for)

UNDERWEAR
Who designs this stuff? I will just repost what I said on facebook yesterday:
"Dear Hanes and Fruit of the Loom art department: I find the graphics on walmart napkins more appealing than the horrid designs you put on your women's underwear. Just because they are the cheap packs of underwear does not mean you have to make us feel embarrased to even look at them."
How does one go about designing underwear? I'd like to see some of MY designs on underwear!

Day 24 of art - the rhyming edition

Monday.

Early day.

Some aceo play


Dave encouraged me to entwine art with thoughts of Valentine.
(2.5" x 3.5" available at Etsy for $9 each, isn't that a peach?)

While working in the morn,
some sketches not of porn.
(so I'm in a mood to rhyme, you cannot tell me thats not a crime!)


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I must admit a small defeat
The Spectrum deadline I didn't meet
It would have been really keen,
to be included in number eighteen.

Day 22 and 23 - random tidbits and study

Here is the most interesting thing from the last 2 days, visually.


In a sketchbook too large to travel around with, but handy for studies.
Pose found while browsing deviantArt stock - I added the tentacles.

Saturday was spent at the Winter Magic Festival, where I enjoyed a great production involving 6 shows and about 12 magicians, 2 assistants, and lots of fun. Produced by Taylor Martin with the help of Indy Fringe. My guy helped out and I did the logo so we got to see everything!! I didn't do much art, but I did do a quick sketch of Taylor Martin doing a rope trick dressed as his colonial character (first page). Also other random sketchy stuff.



Sunday was spent at home, trying to stay awake and failing ... but at least I got study in (the tentacle character at the top.)

I also sent a query to 'Seawhite of Brighton' brand sketchbooks (jumbo square black cloth binding),asking how many they could send me for under $150. The only sketchbooks I love and they have to be from England. to send one book, the shipping + 17% international tax would be about 4 or 5 times the cost of the book and put me back about $40. Adding more books tends to cheapen the shipping. I can't afford it right now, but I am going through withdraw and I have a few people interested in pitching in. I suppose its cheaper than a plane ticket. >.<
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here, have a hand.

Day 21 - oil study and more focus on hair changes

The day was actually quite productive, but most of it, I'm not sharing yet visually, so here's what I am sharing - an oil study of myself with the new doo. Freshly washed and softly settled onto my head. I do have terribly straight hair.


No, I'm not depressed, I just don't make any facial expressions when doing a self portrait study.
I found some old paper thick paper I had previously painted on, but the texture was going nowhere, so I decided to use it for a study. I already had my oils out for another project.

Ok. Most of the time, my colors are vibrant and drastic. Especially when I work with mixed media on Yupo or something. But when I was learning how to paint at school, I was using oils for the first time, and I was trained to paint from life. I have a very hard taking oils out for a walk in my own recent styles. This was just a study, so I'm not critiquing this little piece as being 'DULL', but it makes me want to try a few more experiments in steering oils toward my own current visual standards. I have tried this a few times, - I've had ~some~ success... but Of course, my training comes in very handy when I need to paint a portrait!

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More sketchbook ponderings


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Other work
*I am finishing up a commission right now - made a few changes and it is looking pretty good.

*Also, I did some work on the ~comic~ thing I'm doing - I watched the movie "Brooklyn's Finest" to get some references on how police outfits are formed, and that was a much better idea than scraping the images from google search. Granted, I also got stuck for 2 hours getting sucked into the movie, and doing random sketches from it for my own good.
Netflix + printscreen is a very useful tool for getting references and ideas for images!
I stuck together drawings, sketches and my own photo references to formulate how I'm going to lay out the panels on a page. This method seems to make me feel less overwhelmed at the prospect. Why am I having such a hard time doing narrative?! its getting easier. I have to put my perfectionist and anxious thoughts aside like "what if people see this and say 'this girl has no idea what a car, or a police outfit or a building really looks like, she sucks!'" OUT DAMN THOUGHTS! that's what study is for!!

Day 20, in memory of the cat

King Leodegrance has frolicked from this world and into the next.
Or rather, Leo. I named him when I was 13 or 14 and felt he needed a grand kingly lion like name.

17 years of life, lived well, and he passed on at home, cared for by my parents.

I did a drawing, dedicated to him, and it is an extension of my doodle from the day before- the idea that my head will float away with short hair - and where does it go? you shall see.




I did the drawing with sumi ink (it could be better but I was just having fun here) and digital coloring and textures from previously scanned in paintings.

Also, I realized that I have a hard time drawing myself as a character with short hair. Ha!

Day 19 of art and self drive

commission work
Further along on the portrait... another snippit!



live changes

Sometimes one needs a little change.
Something to reinvent oneself... and yes it does tend to inspire new ideas.
I got a hair cut.
This may not seem like something so drastic... but it is, sorta.


Sketch inspired by something a friend said.

I have had long hair since I can remember. I had it cut to my chin once in high school, and let it grow out again after that. For many years, it has been about 2 feet long. I was nearly able to sit on my hair. For a long time I considered my long hair such a strong part of my personality, but over the past year I started to tire of it for many reasons. Now, the longest part of my hair is about 3 inches! I don't even regret the loss because I was ready for it to go. I have never been able to run my fingers through my hair and experience the full potential of a head scritchy. And being low maintenance, I don't have to worry about forgetting to brush it. But at the same time, I think I will have fun styling it and choosing a new color and playing with it as it grows. Very new and refreshing.