blog
Framed Artwork
(One of) Mucha's four seasons, framed. This frame was pricey, but it's perfect with it. It looks like peacock feathers.
A couple months ago I finally got an Audrey Kawasaki print, and wanted to frame it to do it justice. I adore her work and have been wanting some art of hers for over a year.
I lightened and sharpened this so you could see the frame better.
Portraiture Class
I took a portraiture class this winter (just finished last week), and I think it helped a lot. Working from models is fun! Here are a few I liked.
I tend, when I'm drawing, not to follow through with many pieces that could develop decently. I focus in on one part too much and get burned out, or move onto the next idea too fast. I thought I'd showcase a few drawings that didn't make it to the finish, but I think had potential.
This was supposed to be the centerpiece of a new layout. I've since moved on.
This concept kept getting trimmed and trimmed. The original idea was for the woman to be wearing a dress lined with ermine pelts, implying that this fellow might lose his head come winter when his fur turned white.
Got lazy, cut out the skirt. Then got ambitious again and tried to get rid of the black outline (e.g. on her face). Too much, gave up.
The bottom image shows my original intent, but I let it sit for a while and decided I didn't like the girl. Again, tried to get rid of the outlines and gave up. Let me tell you, I spent hours working on the gradient for that blue dress. And the fur! Maybe it was the third wolf.
I planned to paint portraits of the main characters in my Nanowrimo 2003 book (still incomplete...). Celeste never got past an outline and sketchy colors. Gee, I wish I owned that blouse though!
This one never made it past a concept sketch. I spent too much time looking for reference pictures and got bored with the idea. I've mostly moved on from drawing pictures of tortured angels.
This drawing features Satan and his wife Persephone. I spent so much time on the outline, doing the frame, pomegranate detailing on the couch, etc, that I didn't have the energy to color it, except a print-out with colored pencils, which doesn't do it justice:
I've been reading a lot lately from this guy that I really agree with: it's time to get down to business and make things. Hey, how many posts in a row is this? Six? Maybe things can change.
This was supposed to be the centerpiece of a new layout. I've since moved on.
This concept kept getting trimmed and trimmed. The original idea was for the woman to be wearing a dress lined with ermine pelts, implying that this fellow might lose his head come winter when his fur turned white.
Got lazy, cut out the skirt. Then got ambitious again and tried to get rid of the black outline (e.g. on her face). Too much, gave up.
The bottom image shows my original intent, but I let it sit for a while and decided I didn't like the girl. Again, tried to get rid of the outlines and gave up. Let me tell you, I spent hours working on the gradient for that blue dress. And the fur! Maybe it was the third wolf.
I planned to paint portraits of the main characters in my Nanowrimo 2003 book (still incomplete...). Celeste never got past an outline and sketchy colors. Gee, I wish I owned that blouse though!
This one never made it past a concept sketch. I spent too much time looking for reference pictures and got bored with the idea. I've mostly moved on from drawing pictures of tortured angels.
This drawing features Satan and his wife Persephone. I spent so much time on the outline, doing the frame, pomegranate detailing on the couch, etc, that I didn't have the energy to color it, except a print-out with colored pencils, which doesn't do it justice:
I've been reading a lot lately from this guy that I really agree with: it's time to get down to business and make things. Hey, how many posts in a row is this? Six? Maybe things can change.
Labels: art, self_improvement
Every year I like to make Solstice cards. This is what I'm working on this year:
I'm being really lazy with this one cause I want to get it out the door, so I'm using a lot of references pretty strictly. Here're the three I've used so far:
I'm being really lazy with this one cause I want to get it out the door, so I'm using a lot of references pretty strictly. Here're the three I've used so far:
Labels: art, in_progress
The (nearly) final incarnation:
Just need to finish designing layout and coloring the metal bits (best for last...)! Only the left side of the picture will show.
Just need to finish designing layout and coloring the metal bits (best for last...)! Only the left side of the picture will show.
Labels: art, in_progress
I've been slacking on my html-in' and drawin', plus I've had the same layout for a year and a half now, so I figure it's time for another overhaul, something much more exciting looking. Last time I went for "it's the content that's interesting, I want something that won't detract from it," now I want something that communicates better what this site's about. (What is it about? Don't ask me!)
Here's the header that I'm working on for starters. I'm not great with lighting so I thought I'd challenge myself. CJ says she looks black?
She's supposed to illustrate that my site discusses art, atheism, and science. Can't quite get the adventure in there too. I welcome suggestions!
Here's the header that I'm working on for starters. I'm not great with lighting so I thought I'd challenge myself. CJ says she looks black?
She's supposed to illustrate that my site discusses art, atheism, and science. Can't quite get the adventure in there too. I welcome suggestions!
Labels: art, in_progress
I took an art class at the Seattle School of Visual Concepts over the summer and wanted to show off my last assignment: making a counterfeit bill styled after a particular artist. I of course chose Alphons Mucha. Though I ran out of time to finish drawing and coloring the backside, I still think it looks good.
Both bills mounted on bristol board.
Fortune adorned the backside--Mucha likes to illustrate themes and symbols, so I thought Fortune would be fitting on a bill. Didn't go into the concept as much as I planned. The front side is supposed to be Prosperity / Harvest / Summer, take your pick.
I sketched both girls and concepts for the design with pencil and paper first, elaborated the girls in PS, and laid out the bill and illustrated the swirls in AI. I printed it to size (7 x 4.5 inches) and colored it with colored pencils. We were required to use a color scheme utilizing analogous (?) colors.
Here's my original sketch for Fortune, which I traced in PS about 20 times too big for the bill.
Both bills mounted on bristol board.
Fortune adorned the backside--Mucha likes to illustrate themes and symbols, so I thought Fortune would be fitting on a bill. Didn't go into the concept as much as I planned. The front side is supposed to be Prosperity / Harvest / Summer, take your pick.
I sketched both girls and concepts for the design with pencil and paper first, elaborated the girls in PS, and laid out the bill and illustrated the swirls in AI. I printed it to size (7 x 4.5 inches) and colored it with colored pencils. We were required to use a color scheme utilizing analogous (?) colors.
Here's my original sketch for Fortune, which I traced in PS about 20 times too big for the bill.
Labels: art
Yesterday I went to an Audrey Kawasaki exhibit in Santa Monica and was inspired to draw. (Also, I somehow happily stumbled upon a Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit! That made my night.)
Labels: art
I've felt like drawing a fair bit the past couple days. Maybe it's in preparation for Comic Con, which I am going to! Also I'll get to see Danielle, who I haven't seen in 2 years, and that was for an hour.
A bigger version's in the art section.
Harry Potter has been my life since Thursday evening: Mom and I watched movie 3 on Thursday night. All day Friday day I re-read book 6, then at 9 went to the library, where I, Robin, my mom, and 12 6th graders watched movie 4 then started reading book 7 aloud at midnight. We read out loud for 5 1/2 hours! One boy tried to help us read out loud but couldn't pronounce half the words and had a comment about every third sentence. Later in the evening, he kept dozing off for a minute at a time, then jumping up and yelling, "What'd I miss, what'd I miss?!" After sleeping from 6 to 9, I read from 10 to 2. That evening, I reread the last 150 pages. Tonight, I watched movie 2. Basically: Harry Potter overload!!!
A bigger version's in the art section.
Harry Potter has been my life since Thursday evening: Mom and I watched movie 3 on Thursday night. All day Friday day I re-read book 6, then at 9 went to the library, where I, Robin, my mom, and 12 6th graders watched movie 4 then started reading book 7 aloud at midnight. We read out loud for 5 1/2 hours! One boy tried to help us read out loud but couldn't pronounce half the words and had a comment about every third sentence. Later in the evening, he kept dozing off for a minute at a time, then jumping up and yelling, "What'd I miss, what'd I miss?!" After sleeping from 6 to 9, I read from 10 to 2. That evening, I reread the last 150 pages. Tonight, I watched movie 2. Basically: Harry Potter overload!!!
