Any of a Hundred Styles

OMG SHOES!

2012-01-28T11:23:00.000-08:00

AARRRRGGGG I DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS OH WAIT YEAH I DO BAD I’VE BEEN SO UNINSPIRED LATELY THIS TOOK ME OVER A MONTH TO COMPLETE AND I DON’T EVEN LIKE IT THAT MUCH.

TAKE CARE.

Sketchbook party!

2012-01-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

Once a month, my good buddy MC and his lovely wife Mary throw "sketchbook parties." I haven't been able to attend the last few, and the ones before then were met with lackluster results, but this time around, I think I got an ok bunch.

Most of the sketches on the third page were done previously at my cousin's house; the one in the lower right corner was done at MC's.

Take care.

On the mend...

2012-01-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm slowly making this less ugly; still need to resolve the rug problem...

Happy new year!

Take care.

EDIT: Hm, I kind of like the rug...

UGH

2011-12-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

Re-working it again...everything I make these days just seems like crap.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Take care.

Christmas Socks

2011-12-18T02:06:00.000-08:00

Maaaaaan, I’d tell you how long I spent doing just the lineart, but it’s a bummer, so I’ll just say I did it up real quick in between super rad adventures.

I’m trying a more original version of the “Pip, Pip and All That” drawing I did years ago, which was really just copying, so here goes!

Ugh, the color of the pants looks really bad with the color of the rug...

Thanks to anela-sama.

2nd times the charm!

2011-11-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

This one was finished in such a rush that I went insane with the stroke. I think that's the biggest (and possibly only) failure about this poster.

I quite like it. Our second show!

Take care.

The Tillman Entry

2011-10-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Tillman,

Keep being awesome. It seems like it would be an easy thing for you to do.

Take care.

Pay It Forward Again...

2011-10-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

1 - Carlos' Day of the Dead sketch

2 - Chris' Slender Man piece

3 - Melody's pastry painting.

Tale care.

Better hierarchy!

2011-10-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

Real quick here; a small preview of a few of my Pay It Forward 2011 projects...

One on the left is for Carlos; the one on the right is for Melody.

I'll have to take new pictures...both of these are farther along than what you see here. Melody's illustration is actually difficult. I wanted to make her something very pretty but the stuff I usually make is not conventionally pretty. I decided to do a picture of some pastries.

There's one more in progress...I'll get the new photos up soon!

Take care.

Shirtsess...

2011-10-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Possible Jezebelles shirts for the next show. The revolver/lipstick combo is getting a lot of positive feedback.

Take care.

Alan Moore scan...

2011-09-05T21:41:00.001-07:00

I cared enough to go get this scanned. It involved spending money.

...I kind of love how he looks like a Scandinavian troll. Like a Theodore Kittelsen.

Take care.

Mr. Moore, Mr. Moore, etc. Etc.

2011-09-05T15:11:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed the Nick Cave drawing I did, so I tried to re-create the whole pointillism-in-the-facial-features thing (doing the entire illustration like that would take entirely too long). This is a portrait of Alan Moore. I really like it. I caught on how to control the streams of ink a little too late in the illustration, but I think it's still good.

Take care.

Ps-ps-ps-psycho...

2011-08-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

Business card designs for choir! This last one here is the one to be printed (although 1 and 3 are my favorites).

Take care.

Play, my darling, play!

2011-08-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

Things were slow for a while; starting to pick back up again. This was, obviously, a birthday card for one of my friends.

Funny story: he lives about 50 minutes away, and I totally forgot to take the card with me! He got a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black and Children of God by Swans, but I didn't grab the card on my way out.

Ah well...

Take care.

Where would I be without you?

2011-07-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

Give us a wink and make me think of you!

Take care.

RICE BOY

2011-07-09T16:50:00.000-07:00

Have you guys read Rice Boy? WHY THE FUCK NOT?!

GO.

TAKE CARE.

TRY AGAIN

2011-07-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

YEAH, I'M TRYING THIS AGAIN. Digital painting is so difficult for me. But, then again, so is regular painting. I'm not very good...

...but, I feel that this is the closest to the results that I want. I'll get there.

One day.

Take care.

Title goes here...

2011-06-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

So, some penguin illustrations for a freelance project and some previews of the Ninjas vs. Pirates pieces I submitted.

I finally achieved my dream of making companion pieces. The hand pictures are really nice I feel; at least conceptually. I also like how the ninja piece turned out kind of psychedelic while the pirate piece was more macabre.

Ninjas vs. Pirates at the Fullerton Art Walk this Friday!

Take care.

I can feel your heart racing!

2011-06-26T10:32:00.001-07:00

The show was amazing! I made this lovely poster for it; I got quite a lot of positive feedback for it, so that's awesome.

I'm currently busting my ass to get this second water color done for PIRATES VS. NINJAS at Weavver for the Fullerton Art Walk on July 1st.

I've also got some little penguin illustrations that I need to put up...

Take care.

Hello! Hello, hello, hello

2011-05-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

I SWEAR I'M MAKING STUFF! Screencap of that first one as it is a large file.

Our performance is on June 10th!

Take care.

Far north...

2011-04-27T20:37:00.001-07:00

Take care.

Sumi Practice

2011-04-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

I don't own an actual sumi brush; my local art supply stopped stocking them a few months back, so I did the best with what I've got.

This one turned out surprisingly nice.

Take care.

For the Sake of Revenge

2011-04-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

One million WIP shots of Tyr and Fenrir!

Hm...like always, I think I fell short of what I really wanted from this piece. I came close. I think it's pretty obvious I was going for a sumi kind of look.

To those who don't know the story, here it is (as I understand it): Fenrir was one of Loki's sons; a great wolf that grew in such size and strength that the other gods were fearful of his might. They decided that Fenrir had to be chained. The gods forged a chain and were able to wrap it around Fenrir by challenging his strength. Fenrir easily broke the chain and the gods, once again, made a chain. It was twice as big, twice as strong, twice as heavy. Fenrir, once again, broke the chain with ease.

The gods then turned to the dwarfs. The dwarfs fashioned a silky, thin ribbon. The ribbon was fashioned of six strange elements: the footstep of a cat, the roots of a mountain, a woman's beard, the breath of fishes, the sinews of a bear, and a bird's spittle. It is said that none of these things exist because they were used to make the chain.

Once again, the gods challenged Fenrir's strength, but he was not eager to break such a weak-looking chain. However, the gods kept cajoling him and Fenrir finally agreed. Suspicious of this strange request, Fenrir insisted that one of the gods place his hand in his between his jaws as a sign of faith. Only Tyr was brave enough to do so. Fenrir was chained, and when he realized that he could not break free from the thin ribbon, he bit off Try's right hand in revenge.

Fenrir was chained to a rock, gagged with a sword to keep him from biting, and sent one mile into the earth. He will remain there until Ragnarok; that day, he will kill Odin, but Odin's son Vidar, will avenge his father by slaying Fenrir.

Cool story, man.

I wanted to depict Fenrir as more than just a wolf; usually, he's depicted as just a wolf or maybe an unusually large wolf, but beyond that? Nothing too godly. So, here he is as a chimera of sorts.

Take care.

I lost it...

2011-04-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

I think I've lost some of the subtleties, and that bothers me. But, visually, this is far more interesting.

Take care.

He needs a name...

2011-04-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

Any suggestions?

Working on giving him a fur cape. You know. For a statement.

Take care.

To the Gods of the North...

2011-04-12T22:21:00.000-07:00

...I pray.

I want him to look like maybe he got old too fast. That his face is a bit mangled because it didn't heal properly. Like he has done far more than his fair share of fighting. I want him to look like he is aging.

I'm worried that I've flattened the drawing; I gotta get away from working on his face.

In case anyone is wondering, I've based his looks mostly on the guys in Turisas and Gaahl.

Take care.

No, not Gaulish...

2011-04-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Gaahlish.

Thomas and the Viking.

Take care.

A million blue miles...

2011-04-09T13:23:00.001-07:00

Because I promised.

I think people call him Tom, but I also think he introduced himself to me as Thomas, so I call him Thomas.

His voice is the springtime; that's why I always use green to draw him.

I live with the World's Worst Scanner.

Take care.

Warlord

2011-03-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Piece in progress for an upcoming group show. The theme is Vikings & Marauders. I like the direction this is heading in, but that eye and that hand wrapped around the hilt is making me its bitch.

Take care.

Blurbs...

2011-03-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

1. Celina, Sometimes
Inspired by a friend of mine; the original photo was kind of grainy; it looked like the highlighted parts of her hair were red and the shadows were blue, so I just kind of ran with it. The most important thing about the piece is that it's pretty because Celina is so gorgeous.

2. Doctor Knott
Ha! The title is so obscure. Not much to say about this one; has a lot to do with my usual visual motifs. I really like the idea of a barrier or filter.

3. Papa Har Lov (Papa Has Permission)
Permission to do what? I think you know...
The man in the gas mask is, of course, based on Helga Rise's onstage persona.

4. Stuart
This was, initially, going to be a set of companion pieces (will still be, assuming no one buys it). Have you heard of Barry and Stuart? They're absolutely brilliant.

5. A Story Not Unlike One You've Heard Before
Inspired by...mushrooms and literature, mostly.

6. Gilliamatic 2.0
Definitely has nothing to do with a favorite British comedy show of mine...

Take care!

WAY TOO LONG

2011-03-06T21:36:00.001-08:00

Sorry everyone! That was a huge gap of time; too huge. I apologize... Here are some scraps.

1. Scott, Megan, and a bishop. Bishop looks nice. Can't say much about my figure drawing skills; I suck so much at this

2. Josh playing LoL. Josh is a real specimen; I have a difficult time drawing him, but this is one of those rare occasions where I manage to make it look decent.

3. An eye and a hand; just messing around..

4. The Cauldron Born
Ok, I'm going to give this acrylic thing another try, despite promising myself that I would never do it again...

5. Andrew sitting, Teddy crouching.

Blurbs on the illustrations next!

Take care.

Finished products

2011-02-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Here they all are! Details and commentary to follow.

Sorry the updates were naught. I ended up starting over. On everything. Except the Doctor. I can't find quality illustration board in this town!

Please, if you can, come by and see the show:

INFO HERE!

Take care.

The Doctor! NO, not that Doctor!

2011-01-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

Long time, no post! Sorry about that, campers. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

First of all: full-time employment is a wonderful, beautiful thing.

Second of all: I'm getting ready for a local, small group show! Here's a few process photos of my first piece.

Take care.

GO, BIG JOE!

2010-12-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

YES! He looks awesome! Here's Big Joe; I really want to do a comic book-y piece...

Any tips for digital inking? I did Joe up in Illustrator, which was easy due to his geometric nature, but what do I do when I ink something more organic?

Take care.

Orange bomb!

2010-12-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

Whatever.

Take care.

NANODRAWMO 2010

2010-11-07T21:13:00.000-08:00

Hi all. My NaNoDrawMo attempt can be found here: Jannison vs. NaNoDrawMo.

I'm taking on the challenge with my friend Jann. LET'S DO THIS!

Take care.

Model Friends...

2010-10-26T21:13:00.000-07:00

I have really beautiful friends. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of trying to sketch with the Uni-ball roller. The ink flow is nice and smooth.

Too nice and smooth.

With cheap pens, I'm usually able to turn the nib on its side to better control the flow of ink, but these pens don't let me do it, so these sketches really lack subtlety and anything vaguely redeeming. Jann doesn't wear make-up; it's hard for me to draw how pretty she is without implying that maybe she does. Josh is very good-looking too, despite (or because of) being the Face of Evil.

Take care.

That's when I stole you...

2010-10-17T16:27:00.001-07:00

...I'm curious to see where I'm going with this.

Take care.

Failure?

2010-10-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Yeah, maybe. I didn't mean for it to look this...morbid and scary, but I still like it.

:)

Take care.

Influence Map

2010-10-13T19:02:00.001-07:00

I should make at least one more of these; I didn't get everyone that I wanted in there. Obviously, there's no way I can put in absolutely everyone, but I think I didn't even finish some of the big ones.

1. Samuli Ponismaa - He's actually a guitar player, but he also does all the art work for the band Finntroll. I love his smooth, fuzzy shading and the way he renders his mythological creatures. I also love how unabashedly strong the folk/Scandinavian influence is in his work.

2. Edward Gorey - His line control is unparalleled and I love his gruesome tales. He really brings in an antiquated feel, despite being a rather modern illustrator. He is able to convey some pretty complicated shading and texture with just the use of ink.

3. Salvador Dali - I love it when things get a little strange...

4. Space Coyote aka Nina Matsumoto - I will admit that she is among one of the first artists that I tried super fucking hard to ape. Until I had seen her comic stuff, I had been watching shoujo stuff and I got tired of all the fluffy roundness that has to offer. Her angular, somewhat sketchy work blew me away.

5. Quentin Blake - The first illustrator whose work I recognized. I grew up reading the books he illustrated and there's such a friendly, fun quality about his work.

6. Arborwin - Arborwin was another early influence, on par with Space Coyote. I love the flow of her digital work; it's almost impressionistic and it's so emotional and ethereal. Gorgeous.

7. Leonardo Da Vinci - He's an Illustration Hero. The poetry of line, the flow, the sensitivity, the accuracy, the dedication, the love...it all shows through his brilliant work. He was a workaholic and a vegetarian and insatiably curious.

8. Ralph Steadman - Never have I seen more beautiful work. When I think of rock 'n roll, I think of him. No one is better.

9. H.R. Giger - I think we're all familiar with him. I really love how tightly rendered everything is and I do love the gloom. When I look at his stuff, I get this "skin and bones" feeling, like all my flesh and organs suddenly disappeared. It's stark and screams of impending doom. Gorgeous.

Look out for more.

Make your own: http://fox-orian.deviantart.com/art/Influence-Map-Template-174550753

Take care.

Again?

2010-10-09T00:05:00.001-07:00

Better? I kind of like it; needs a bit more. Don't know what.

Take care.

Booze 'n booze...

2010-10-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

This is just me messing around; I'm doing work for my voice teacher and I threw this together. He hasn't seen it yet, so I don't know if he likes it or not. But, I really like it, so I took the screencap with lines and my name all over it to discourage stealing.

I will gladly design your band's logo.

Take care.

I wanna be sedated...

2010-10-06T13:09:00.001-07:00

1. Sir Steinfranken of the Suits by my good friend MC Griffin. Expect more Suits stuff; I really love this little series and I hope there will be more. Still trying to get used to digital coloring. Obviously, this wasn't meant to be a masterpiece; I think I spent maybe 15 minutes on the color.

Steinfranken is my favorite because he's mad all the time. I love him!

2. John.

3. Take care.

He's too young...

2010-10-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, Optimus.

Take care.

Hey Piggy...

2010-10-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

This was fun to work on, but...the person that inked this really didn't...I don't know; a lot of the digital ink looks so abstract. FYI, I did NOT draw Optimus that poorly.

Take care.

I care a lot...

2010-09-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

...about Transformers cuz it's more than meets the eye.

I didn't ink this. I sketched it and I'm starting work on the color. It's the beginnings of a vehicle wrap.

I wanna work on Johnny. >:(

Ah, but money is so nice...

Take care.

Jai Guru Deva De Los Muertos

2010-09-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

I had my doubts...but this is looking ok.

Take care.

I'm in pieces...

2010-09-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Since you left me and you said 'goodbye'
(I'm in pieces, bits and pieces)
All I do is sit and cry...

I felt bad about not updating. I am making this now. It's not just anyone, but I don't think it looks like him.

Take care.

Apologies

2010-09-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

I realize that neither this blog nor the website updates very often.

I'm sorry. I hate this.

Full time employment + confidentiality agreements = not a lot of art.

I'm sorry.

Please take care.

Secret shows...

2010-08-27T00:14:00.001-07:00

Ok, he's looking good, but he's also looking like a twelve year old. How do I fix this?

Take care.

Day-Glow

2010-08-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

So, nerimon comes to life. I think the pictures don't do the drawing justice; the contrast is ridiculous. I really should take these photos during the day time, when there's light.

As you can see, a lot of progress has been made; I've been working on this for about...maybe 30 hours? I know you can't tell, but I've done his eyes...at least eight times. I'm proud that I've brought him around to looking sort of like a real person from a fucked up version of Peter Pan. I need to make his hair fluffier.

But, I need to speak about the piece, thematically. During the summer months, I don't know what comes over me, but I always want to draw celebrities. Usually, it's a singer of some sort (Stiv was one of these; I've also done Sly Stone, Jimmy Page, Grace Slick, and Sammy Yaffa). But, this time, I did an internet celebrity; someone whose work I truly admire. Right now, nerimon is in Zambia, doing work for World Vision. Way cool!

Take care.

Low brow...

2010-08-17T16:24:00.001-07:00

Here are some doodles I did with my students (5-8 years) this summer.

Take care.

It seems like years...

2010-08-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

HOW DID I EVEN MANAGE TO DO THIS???!!

I really fucking hope I get that job...

Take care.

I can see what you want...

2010-08-07T20:49:00.001-07:00

The interview process for this job has been a bit rough. My assignment is to design some sample pages of the upcoming catalog.

The big challenge here is organizing the information; there is a LOT of text. I've done catalog work before, but the most I had to type were sizes and rag numbers. As you can see, these uniforms have a lot to them and all that info must be included. It clutters the page, which is the standard 8.5 x 11. The sheer amount of text makes space very difficult to organize and navigate; it's hard to keep the eye interested.

I want to bust out a few more designs by Monday. Wish me luck?

Take care.

Another road block...

2010-07-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

I have sustained a rather serious injury to my drawing hand so, I'll be out of the game for some time yet.

Thanks for all your support.

Take care.

I once was a king...

2010-06-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

So, that update never really came and for that I apologize. I've been extremely busy house-hunting, packing, singing, and entertaining our foreign exchange student.

The GOOD news is that I've got 4 new illustrations for you to look at. Well, they're new in the sense that they're new to the website; they are actually 4 of the 6 pieces I did for my senior thesis. The 4 that I actually feel comfortable showing off.

Take a look in the illustrations section.

And I am, once again, teaching youth art summer camps. First up is introduction to anime and manga drawing. I'm always excited to see what the kids draw; they're so great!

Take care.

Ugh, waking up...

2010-05-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I just graduated. I will post the final pieces soon.

Sleep now.

Take care.

No rewards for the wicked...

2010-04-24T20:38:00.001-07:00

Even now, these are slightly outdated; absolutely everything must be turned in by May 4th at 10:00 AM. I have to sharpen everything up, add text. Did I mention I haven't even started on the sixth piece?

Oh boy.

Take care.

Crappy piano music...

2010-03-31T00:10:00.000-07:00

Well, one day, that green blob on her head will read as a hat.

Take care.

All eyes led in evil...

2010-03-28T01:04:00.001-07:00

This is turning into a surprisingly sentimental/emotional piece. I wanted it to be really sensitive and delicate, but this is how it is developing and it kind of came out of nowhere.

The basic visual concept here is the x-ray. The writing that was meant to accompany this had to do with science as art, and I tried to combine the concepts. Obvious, but it makes for a beautiful visual metaphor, I think.

In the tradition of my entire senior project, there is another glaring error on this piece but...I'll let you figure it out.

Hint: it has nothing to do with the anatomy.

Take care.

Something rare...

2010-03-24T01:55:00.000-07:00

Here's some typography I whipped up for my book design. Original writing.

I haven't done considered typography in years and I really like these. Those experts will probably say mean things about it.

Take care.

Hodge podge a lodge...

2010-03-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a bunch of little pieces I've done recently (when I should have been doing senior thesis stuff).

1. "I f***ing want to tear you apart."
Special/custom bookmark for JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye (which i am currently reading; first time I've read fiction in about a year)

2. "Deliver us from whackness!"
I really loved Freaknik: The Musical. Here's a couple of my favorite characters. The Tall Gangsta (unnamed, Snoop Dogg) and Trap Jesus (Lil' Wayne). I don't know anything about rap, its culture, or Freaknik, but that was a great cartoon.

3. "Quit acting gay."
My favorite characters from Hark! A Vagrant: the mystery solving teens. They show up a few times, give the comic a good read through.

Take care.

I could wait forever...

2010-03-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

To say that progress has been slow would be a great understatement. I'm tired of this.

Take care.

My brain hurts!

2010-03-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

Here's the beginning of the phrenology piece. I had to cut the skulls out of the original paper because the composition went too far to the edge.

*sigh* Very little of the thesis work is going the way I want it to.

Take care.

Art vomit...

2010-02-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

The beginnings of my senior thesis. It started out as the skull drawing (see previous entry). I did the text in InDesign; it's basically the beginnings of an essay (proper citations are given). It discusses the concept of creativity as it relates to science. I drew the screw picture in sepia ink on washi paper (which is what the text is printed on). I used the process of chine coleé to put the elements together. However, the washi paper did not go on as transparently as I would have liked, so I drew over it to bring the skull back into the equation.

That disgusting glob spewing over the paper is glue. I used far too much and ruined the picture. Except no one thinks its ruined. It really bothers me, but since everyone seems to think it adds to the concept and composition, I guess I'll leave it there. I wanted to start over.

Take care.

The Evolution of Skull

2010-02-15T23:22:00.000-08:00

So, there you have it. The next step is to press the washi paper on top and make the collage.

Take care.

Back seat...

2010-02-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Al on the Planet is going to have to take a backseat as I enter into the normal swing of things again. I have to get my screen printing stuff together, work on my thesis, do some research about chaos theory (no joke), clean up the apartment...

Happy Valentine's Day. I made some black and white red velvet cookies using a recipe I found here. Delicious!

Take care.

You wagered...

2010-02-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

...suck it Da Vinci. That was a slight SNL reference. And me being a jackass towards the greatest man who ever lived.

So, here's the beginnings of one of my senior show pieces. My thesis has a lot to do with the science of creativity, so there's a lot of head/skull/brain imagery. This is meant to recall Da Vinci's beautiful sketches. But, I'm going to add some text and a Rush reference. You wish I was joking!

Pastel pencil and conte crayon on paper.

Take care.

I care a lot...

2010-02-13T02:05:00.000-08:00

A lot of people get down about Valentine's Day, but I like it. Mainly because of all the sweets. Anyway, I wanted to do a Valentine's piece (for whatever reason) and I came up with this very self indulgent image. My capacity to love isn't what it used to be, but it still exists for certain things and people.

There's references to The Little Prince, Lou Reed, and Doctor Who. Maybe even some Gorey. These are all things and people to love.

ENJOY MY SELF INDULGENT CRAP! ENJOY IT!

None of my work habits should be mimicked.

Take care.

And you wagered...

2010-02-10T23:32:00.001-08:00

Go Al-Da Vinci! Here's the beginning of one of my senior show pieces. My thesis has a lot to do with the science and psychology of creative thinking, so there's a lot of head/brain/skull imagery. This one will be...nice, I think.

Pastel pencil and conte crayon on paper.

Take care.

The 2010 Survey

2010-02-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

I don't usually do this here, but my good friend at 52 Faces did it, and I want to be like her. :)

1. What is your occupation right now?
English tutor. I mainly work with ESL students.
2. What color are your socks right now?
White
3. What are you listening to right now?
I'm watching Persepolis; a beautiful film. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Irish inspired rock and folk music
4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Oddly enough, I also had mango salsa. And tortilla chips :3
5. Can you drive a stick shift?
No
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone:
Uhhh...probably the folks
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Of course! She's so nice.
8 . How old are you today?
22; I can hardly believe it
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Uh...fencing, when I can catch it
10. What is your favorite drink?
Chocolate milk, hands down
11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
I used to highlight it red in high school; nowadays, I've been growing out to donate
12. Favorite food?
I gave up meat in mid July. As a vegetarian, I love aloo gobi and naan! Broccoli was, is, and always will be a favorite of mine.
13. What is the last movie you watched?
TMNT. I liked it, for what it was
14. Favorite day of the year?
Any day I don't have school and can fence
15. How do you vent anger?
Hm, getting beat up is always good; laughing can solve any anger problem
16. What was your favorite toy as a Child?
I really loved my stuffed animals; I've had Blizzard (white wolf) since I was 9. I still have my security blanket (Kiki); I've had him my entire life. I still have stuffed animals: Zander (pink puppy), Killer Rabbit (from Monty Python and the Holy Grail), Jackie (Jack Skelington), Rory (Rorschach doll), and Oz (wolf cub)
17. What is your favorite season?
I like 'em all
18. Cherries or Blueberries?
Cherries
18. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back?
Like, in general? Yeah
19. Who is the most likely to respond?
?
20. Who is least likely to respond?
N/A
21. Living arrangements?
Crapshack apartment with my good friend and roomie Corrie
22. When was the last time you cried?
Sunday night; talking to my mother is the hardest thing I've ever done. It usually doesn't end well
23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Boxes and bags
24. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are tagging/sending this to?
No one, I guess
25. What did you do last night?
Watch movies and fall asleep. I know, I know; I need to slow down
26. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?
Garden burger, please
27. What are you most afraid of?
Not being able to move on
28. What is your favorite kind of dog?
Big, fuzzy, drooly fellas! My dream, once I graduate, is to get a puppy. I tend to gravitate towards the livestock guarding breeds. Newfie pup, here I come!
29. Favorite day of the week?
Nowadays, it's Friday. No class means I can make the trip home and fence! :D
30. Diamonds or Pearls?
Diamonds
31. What is your favorite flower?
Hm...I really like African daisies. Poppies. Tulips. Magnolias. Fire lilies. Anything, really; flowers are so beautiful
32. What is your favorite blog to read and why?
Ah, there are many. Ecoillustration is a good one. I'm also particularly fond of thriftshophorrors and A Dog A Day. Ecoillustration is run by my former classmate Romina (she's graduated now); the art is beautiful and she tells you, the viewer, how to make green art projects. Hers always look beautiful, I have no idea how they would look if I tried. Thriftshophorros is always fun; definitely good for a laugh. A Dog A Day is about one of my favorite subjects and it is, literally, updated every day because Mr. JT is crazy. He's one of my former teachers and has been a big help and inspiration to me

Take care.

16 months...

2010-01-30T21:46:00.001-08:00

I'm a little surprised that this has gone as far as it has. I usually stop working on personal pieces when school is in session. Well, school be damned, because here's Almost Done Austin.

Take care.

I need direction to perfection...

2010-01-26T17:23:00.001-08:00

So help me out, yeah? What do you think?

This one abandons the textbook approach. I think I want to introduce hand drawn and cut out elements to these, but I would have to actually draw or cut something. This is good for a jumping off point.

This time, the lovely text comes from this essay.

Take care.

Mock up...

2010-01-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

This is a sort of "sketch" for my senior thesis. I want to do pieces about creativity in the brain; innovation as a physiological process. My instructors seem to understand what I want to communicate, but they have trouble visualizing it. I made this as a sort of example.

I don't plan on making all the images like textbook formats, but I do want to use photomanipulations and concrete research. The text in this image comes from this lovely essay.

What do you think?

Take care.

Saving throw...

2010-01-21T22:18:00.000-08:00

As you know by now, dear reader, I have a lot of trouble with digital painting. But, I wanted to do more with this. As I said earlier, it doesn't look a whole lot like him. However, as a dear friend told me, it captures a certain amount of his spirit and personality.

I find that I often have trouble with likeness. I like to think a lot of artists do. Technical skills take me only so far, but at some point, I think the drawing becomes alive in a certain way. I can't draw a picture that looks exactly like someone, especially if I have an emotional connection to that someone. Maybe I don't want to draw just their face?

I don't know.

Take care.

Inkinkinkinkink...

2010-01-21T01:16:00.001-08:00

This is the first time I've inked a drawing like this, so it looks kind of...not too sharp in some places, but overall I like the look. I'll get better. Give me time.

Take care.

Hello, my ghost...

2010-01-12T00:40:00.001-08:00

Behold! The stone, it gleams like gold.
Austin. I'm not super satisfied with this; it resembles him, certainly, but I don't know that it really looks like him. This sketch was interesting. It felt like it took on a life of its own early on; I don't think I was ever in total control of it. Turned out more cartoon-y than Zac's. I like to think it wanted to be that way.

I'm an owl on the sill in the evening.
My son. The reference for this sketch was an old photo; he was sleeping in the car (leaning against the window) on the way to a fencing tournament, so I caught him at a rare strange expression-free moment. It's a beautiful photo. The sketch isn't too bad either.

Check out their misdeeds here.

Back from vacation.

Take care.

Help me out...

2009-12-17T14:24:00.001-08:00

Get me out of here.

Take care.

Bed Time Rhyme

2009-12-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

I first read this rhyme over at Hark! A Vagrant (http://harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=222) and I quickly decided it was one of the most beautiful things I ever read, so I took it on. I'm obviously referencing Gorey here.

Dip pen and black ink and illustration board and nothing else.

P.S. I am, in fact, aware that I spelled that word wrong. But, baby, please understand. It's a final project for school (one of many). I'm so overworked and tired. I had to slip up somewhere.

Take care.

Noble

2009-12-02T23:16:00.001-08:00

I'm not so great at digital painting, but this one's ok. It's actually a drawing (charcoal pencil) with the digital paint on top, so there are some weird texture shifts.

Take care.

A rhyme...

2009-11-30T23:17:00.000-08:00

...in varying degrees of completion.

Take care.

Walking with the Angels...

2009-11-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

...running from the Devil.

SUPER MESSY sketch that I did for Mr. TWulf's (http://twulf.deviantart.com/) sketch trade. I did a sketch of his same character, 99, for him some time ago. At the time I did it, I thought it was pretty awesome. Now, I look at it in shame. Let it be known that I'm a lot better at drawing.

There's only one way to draw her, really. And that's to draw her as a badass. So, I did the most badass thing I could: I put her in heavy metal/biker clothes and added a cello. Her makeup kind of reminds me of Doro and, oddly enough, Perttu Kivilaakso, so I kind of threw the two together.

Uhhhh, what else? No one will ask me to design jewelry for them any time soon. Hands are a little funky. But, whatever! I really like this. It's definitely an improvement on the last one, that's fo' sho!

That cello gave me ~~cancer~~ A MILLION PROBLEMS. It's still really weird. I may do a little more shading and update this later.

The Monsters!

2009-11-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

Just something cute from my notebook. A revisited self portrait and all of my bedfellows. Yes, I still sleep with dolls and stuffed animals.

And, in case you're wondering, yes, I also have an imaginary friend.

Take care.

Maskineri

2009-11-11T00:36:00.001-08:00

Here he is! Constructed with nothing but Dio-era Black Sabbath playing on my iPod. Then, I turned around too quickly and my iPod fell on the floor and now it's broken and I'm irritable all day. I just got all this Norwegian rock that I wanna listen to...

ANYWAY, this piece is very precious to me for a number of reasons, but the one I'll share with you is this is the first piece I've made that I signed "Allison 1710;" a nickname inspired by my coach. It's who I am.

The final composition was patched together in Photoshop because it's too big for the scanner, so ignore any messy little bits where I tried my best to hide my shame.

Uhhhhh...how did this go? Pencils, spray fixative, acrylic, watercolor, and ink.

Take care.

The Last One...

2009-11-02T22:22:00.001-08:00

A proper scan. This is his final stage before getting a thin, THIN coat of sepia washes and probably some splatter texture that I am so fond of.

Love him well!

Take care.

6 Feet Under

2009-10-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

Every couple of weeks, I send my parents a hand-written letter. I draw them a picture and say a couple things about my week. The picture usually has something to do with my week, and last Saturday I went to the Dios de los Muertos Festival at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. That space and the people related to it are now my new obsession. Obviously, the photo was taken before I wrote my letter. Yeah, like I'm gonna let you see what I wrote!

The Omen: trucking on. I think he looks absolutely beautiful!

Since this blog is dedicated to The Creative Process (or Some Shit), I thought I'd talk a little bit about how I work. It is rather unconventional and I do not recommend it at all. Usually, us image-makers work at a desk/table, in a chair, sitting up. I don't do any of those. Except sitting up. I've been drawing all my life, and as a result, I've developed these bad work postures. I used to lay down on the floor, or curl up between my bed and the wall. Now, I can't shake the habit. I'm usually scrunched up in a corner (or my closet doorway), hovered over my board, working on my knees. It's not healthy, but I'm very uncomfortable (mentally, because it's definitely uncomfortable physically) working any other way.

Take care!

I can't leave you alone...

2009-10-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

...for I love you so.

EVEN THOUGH THE BACKGROUND LOOKS LIKE SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT. It's always hard to keep going past the beginning stages. Usually, nothing looks good.

Take care.

Pip pip and all that...

2009-10-21T18:31:00.000-07:00

So, I'm totally aping the cover of one of my favorite books, but I knew the image would look great with the texture here. I think there are some very elegant and beautiful moments in this piece; a great deviation from my usual work and goals.

Our class had to draw something for the "Senior Parents Gala" and our teacher provided this shiny, textured, patterned paper. I was really stumped as to what I was going to draw; the elements were very hard to work with.

The scan looks kind of gross, but this absolutely one of my favorite pieces, and some lucky parent is going to get it (maybe not even mine). I stole some of the paper, so I can always make another, but still...it won't be the same.

I love it!

Take care.

Don't speak...

2009-10-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

1. Jævel Av En Tango

2. More of my self portrait. I'm purposely only showing this little bit. The rest will be a surprise! :D

GODDAMN, ALLISON, UPDATE ONCE A WEEK, YOU LOSER!

Take care.

I would visit you a lot...

2009-10-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

Pages one and three of Tales From The Pit. It was tons of fun, stress, and a mess all in one. I really enjoyed doing these pieces. It started out as a Ralph Steadman-inspired idea and it evolved into a Ralph Steadman/Eddie Mize/Patti Smith adventure. The hardest part, hands down, was figuring out how to get these pages to read while retaining the incredible energy and immediacy of the textures. It took forever, but the result is beautiful.

I'll be completing the book, hopefully, before Christmas break.

My teacher told me he was proud of me, so that made everything worth it. I got an A with these bad boys!

Take care.

P.S. I didn't get hurt that bad. There is some truth to the injuries, but more than anything (well, aside from the artwork), the purpose of this is to tell an entertaining story.

The Pied Piper

2009-10-06T02:01:00.000-07:00

Just finished a work session on this WIP. It's Eugene Hütz! Those are the lyrics to Sally. I'm hoping to make this more visually complex.

Ink, water color, gesso, etc.

Take care.

Don't stop believing!

2009-10-02T21:07:00.001-07:00

Sloooooooooooooowly making progress. This is a personal project, so it kind of takes a back seat to all my school progress. I hope to integrate watercolors with the colored pencil. Not too sure how the water will take to the paper...

Take care.

Big Art Adventure!

2009-09-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I finally worked up the courage to try out some (Ralph) Steadman-esque pieces. I went home and set up my inks and water and paper on a garbage bag in the front yard and just threw stuff on paper. This is the basis for a texture; I'm going to draw and paint on top of these.

Oh ho! Another self portrait! The one thing about my own art that I genuinely find intriguing is how I depict myself. Selfish, yes, but I never claimed to be anything other than! There's usually a great emphasis on the glasses or the eyes and I'm not sure why I do that. Freckles too. I try not to depict myself too far removed from reality; that is to say slender and graceful and whatnot. That's not me!

Take care.

A return to n00dz...

2009-09-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's been SUPER long since I've done any model drawing. I felt this one turned out pretty nice, save the raised hand and her leg. This is, in fact, a master copy of a sketch by someone-famous-I'm-sure. Sorry, my teacher didn't include the artist and I don't recognize it. Maybe a Ruben, from the look of her. I think she had a lot of emotion in her face, so I took a close up of that.

Pastel pencils and some minor 2B work on newsprint.

Take care.

ONE HUNDRED POSTS!

2009-09-02T19:52:00.001-07:00

ONE HUNDRED POSTS! AKJFNAKEHRQI!!

With that in mind, I'm sorry this entry isn't so fabulous. :/ Sorry guys...

Thanks for watching! Expect more from me real soon!

Take care.

EDIT: Funny story involving the final stage here. A teacher walked by when I was working on him and asked me who it was a picture of. I told him and he said he didn't know the name, which is not surprising. He looked at my desktop wallpaper (a Rolling Stone cover depicting George Harrison) and asked me if he (the sketch) was from the Rolling Stones. It was super awkward, but what really baffles me is that he didn't know the magazine and he thought George Harrison was part of the Rolling Stones.

In living color!

2009-08-31T01:40:00.000-07:00

http://3Jacks.deviantart.com/art/Proto-Psycho-Soul-135382579

Go check it out!

Take care.

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

2009-08-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

There is a blue one who can't accept the green one
For living with a fat one trying to be a skinny one
And different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee
Oh sha sha - we got to live together
I am no better and neither are you

I really love Sly Stone. I admire his courage; his band was in their hey day in not-so-integrated times, but he wasn't afraid to call his mixed band his family. Also, he rocks.

I invented a lot on this one; the original ref photo was of him holding a knife to his face. His hair took forever and I'm not too sure I'm pleased with the end result, but I really do love this sketch.

Take care.

Though my mind wants to cry out loud!

2009-08-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all

Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits, and you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah-smoking caterpillar has given you the call

Recall Alice, when she was just small

When the men on the chessboard get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom, and your mind is moving low

Go ask Alice, I think she'll know

When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
And the white knight is talking backwards
And the red queen's "Off with her head"
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head, feed your head

One of the greatest singers of all time: Grace Slick.

I wanted this one to be free; obviously, I was getting experimental with the colors. I didn't want to take this to a finished stage. I like the sketchiness.

Much to my dismay, she resembles Zooey Deschanel a great deal. I am not a fan of hers.

Take care.

Feed your head.

I'm suffering from a personality crisis!

2009-08-24T22:42:00.001-07:00

Personality Crisis you got it while it was hot
Frustration and heartache is all you got, don't you worry
Personality Crisis please don't cry
It's just a Personality Crisis, please don't stop

Sami Yaffa in various states of completion. I know him as the bassist for the reformed New York Dolls, but he's probably better known as the former bassist from Hanoi Rocks.

I'm trying to inject a little bit of age into him, especially around his mouth and eyes. He's not young anymore. Still amazing.

Take care.

He's my Sunshine Superman!

2009-08-23T23:17:00.001-07:00

I think my best drawings are on notebook paper, or on the back of some important document. I also think that my most interesting work comes out of my head when I should be doing something important/else. This was yet another doodle done during my tutor training workshops.

Inspired by ELO's Mr. Blue Sky.

It's not the first time I've drawn this fellow; he may make other appearances.

SCHOOL STARTS IN ONE WEEK DO NOT WANT AHHHHHH BUT THIS BLOG SHOULD BE UPDATED MORE FREQUENTLY NOW THAT I'M BEING FORCED TO DRAWWWWWW!!!

Take care.