Untitled

Sometimes thinking up a title is more difficult than actually writing the post. So I've decided to be lazy and use the age old trick of titling a piece "Untitled." This is often used by artsy types who want their pieces to seem really profound, but in truth they are just lazy bums.

SO!
I dabble in painting as well as drawing, so I figured I would post a picture of my pictures.

The one in the frame was my first attempt at painting after several years. I think working in colored pencils and markers really allowed me to understand the concept of "layering color." It was hanging in the Lt. Governor's mansion all summer, and was there when the royal couple came to Charlottetown. I'm very proud of it.
The blue face was me trying to use up some excess paint, and it turned out okay, but there are some proportional mistakes that I'll keep an eye out for next time I attempt a picture like that. The bottom one is a step out of my comfort zone with paints, but I really like out it turned out. Originally, it was only going to be done in blue, white, and black. My dad said something along the lines of "It needs another color... maybe yellow?" which I took a bit of offense to, because my ideas are always the best ideas. Yeah... Anyway, after looking at it for two months, I finally gave in and added the yellow to it. Sometimes, you just need another set of eyes to make improvements. Thanks Dad!

Enough of the paintings. Have some fan art stuff!

Zero with some baking ratios. Yup.

X. I really need to remember to put a blank sheet behind the picture I'm scanning...

The trio would not be complete without Axl.

It's a Lovely Day!

The sun is reflecting off of the latest snowfall, giving the light coming in through my window an angelic quality. It is cold out, quite cold, but the snow always seems to make everything a little warmer than it truly is.
I will likely be outside all day, by choice. I just figured I'd share what I'm seeing right now, because days like this make me pity those who have never experienced snow.

... Watch for my change of opinion when the snow is still falling at the end of March. >.<

Here's some more early 2009 pictures:

Axl. I was getting really fed up with orderly things, because my life was in chaos...

Trying different styles. This one didn't last for very long.

My cat Seneca. She was possibly one of the most beautiful cats we've ever owned. We had to put her down weeks before moving to Canada. She was so very, very sick.

I'm heading out! Maybe I'll get a picture of Willie running around in the snow :)

No classes tomorrow...

... because switching into Arts ROCKS! No classes on Wednesdays or Fridays, so I have time to visit Willie and write/draw without sacrificing study time!
I'll probably continue to accumulate the science courses needed for admission to the AVC, but time will tell what my ultimate decision turns out to be.

As of today, I have several pictures on my "to do list" that I will draw ASAP. No worries, my friends!

Here's one of the requests, by the way:
"Hey Artiste!

I've heard you've gotten really good at drawing farm animals. I was hoping you could draw me a pig. Not a regular pig, but a fat disgusting SOB lying on its side in a puddle of mud with its mouth half-open. The perspective I have in my head is looking down on it from its belly and slightly back while its lying on its left side. If you could incorporate hyper-realism that would be awesome. I want to feel physically ill while looking at this thing. Tell me what you think.

Love,

Strange Older Brother"

I have NO idea what he means perspective-wise, but I sent this to him:

Further proof that computers and Artiste do not mix.

Is that a person inside the pig?

...Yeah...

Back to our regular programming!
This sketchbook is probably my least favorite of all time. It was started 20 April 2009, and was completed sometime in the end of June 2009. This was possibly the most stressful period of my life. I don't even like thinking about it.
Anyway, there appears to be a drastic change in style for, in my opinion, the worse. There are very few pages that somewhat redeemed my opinion of this book, but they are few and far between. For the sake of my personal pride, I only scanned in pages that I found acceptable for the "standard" I wish to maintain on this blog. Not that any of it is inappropriate; I just feel that the pictures are not refined enough to post and are, to put it bluntly, stupid.

I'm sure you've had enough of my snooty self analysis.
Moving on!

... How unlady-like.

As you can see, my skills in drawing anatomy went drastically downhill. :/

My cat Tevye sunning herself on the table.

Even my horse drawing skills suffered. I'm still trying to recover.

Another cat. This one is okay, I guess.

There are only about ten more, so this sketchbook will be a short one.

Also, I haven't forgotten about the Aeolus picture. I'm doing an exercise in patience pffft! so I don't make any stupid shading mistakes. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Hey, Now!

Look here! A post done at a decent hour of the day!
Since my mom came home, we've actually gotten things done on time, which means, wonderfully enough, that I actually have time to do what I want during daylight hours! TEARS. TEARS OF JOY.

I think I'm going to take the wee-man for a walk in the snow. Yes. That is a very good idea :3


Also, I encourage you to check out this lovely person's site: http://alysenicholson.blogspot.com/
It's always nice to check out other people's art when you need some inspiration!

Okay, pictures:

This was done in oil pastel. I don't use oils pastels very often, but I find them to be fairly versatile when trying different coloring styles!

If you ignore the doodles underneath the paint, this is an interesting composition. Maybe I'll do a version 2 someday...

A sketch of the minis I used to take to nursing homes.  I was originally going to color this, but once my sketchbook is closed, I don't touch anything in it.

I like this character. I don't think I ever named her, but the design is clean and simple. Job description? "Master Badass."

This is the last picture of the sketchbook. I really really love this one. There is very little that I could pick on, and the style is so... stylish? Crap, I ran out of words! Ha-

Speaking of job descriptions, I've had a number of unofficial jobs, but my two favorites were being a pet therapist, which involved taking miniature horses to nursing homes and rehab centers, and being a freight elevator operator for Western Ave. Studios in Lowell. They were fun and interesting jobs, and even though the elevator got stuck between floors* every freakin' time so often, I had a good time and learned a lot about who I was as a person.

This was the end of my 2008 sketchbook (15 year old self, btw). The next sketchbook I've been considering skipping altogether, but I want to share how my "art cycle" goes. There is very little in it that I think merits scanning, but I think struggling artists need to see what they have pulled themselves out of in order to keep moving forward. (RNN, I'm looking at you!)
So here we go.
Big hint: it's really bad.
>. >


*Seriously, people. Do not open the doors without the operator's permission. That's why there are signs everywhere. GAH.

In progress

Aeolus. I'll scan in the finished product, but for now, enjoy a webcam picture in poor lighting!

I'M BAAAAACK!

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*Ahem* 

Anyway, I come bearing gifts!

A Shire horse, one of my favorite heavy-horses. I have no beef with this picture, so it gets the STAMP of approval :D

You know that STAMP I mentioned above? Yeah, this one does not deserve it. (This was practice using a brush-pen, btw)

This horse is cute, but has terrible conformation. Still up there in my favorites, though.

Axl! Drew this in class and taped the looseleaf into my sketchbook. Very unrefined, but hey.

Julius Caesar. The proportions are off*, but seeing as this was for a Latin project, I don't really care. So there p:

I should draw cats more. They are probably the most difficult animal for me to draw, and I spend all of my free time with them :/

I really like the background (done with a sponge, no less). Ignore the horse, and the picture is quite pleasant.

See those cool yellow circles? I did that by using the stopper from my yellow India ink bottle to place a whack of ink dots on the page. When they dried around the edges, I took a sponge and swept the color across the page. Pretty cool, huh?

 

Blue horse, because being realistic all the time was getting boring...

*I am going to share some pro-tips for drawing faces with y'all.

1st: A face is 3 foreheads long. If you want to trip someone up, mess with those proportions a bit.

2nd: Human ears generally go from the eyebrow line down to the lip line.

3rd: There is one "eye space" between your eyes.

4th: When drawing teeth in a smile, do not outline each individual tooth (unless you are going for the gap-toothed look).

Simply draw the bottom of the teeth and the top along the gums, and your eyes will do the rest.

New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! I've been studying all vacation for my biology exam, but I figured I'd make some time to update my blog for this special occasion. It's actually been pleasant visiting the relatives this year. Just now, I finished watching the 3 Stooges marathon with my 94 year-old grandfather. For some reason, and completely contrary to what I was expecting, the Stooges are even funnier now than they were when I was younger.
Now, for a word from my wise grandfather on this New Year's day:
"Happy birthday! Ho ho ho!"
... He's a pretty awesome dude.

I had a very enjoyable Christmas with my family. I didn't ask for much, but I had the forethought to make my mom a "picture list" so she would know what exactly it was that I wanted. Her memory isn't very good, so she really appreciated being able to see the items that I wanted. As a result, I got clothes that actually fit and books that I will read, and I am a happy monkey. Yay!

I also finally bought myself a new helmet. You see, I had no idea that you were supposed to replace your helmet every five years and every time you fall. Well, 8 years, 10+ falls, one "toss through (yes "through") a wooden fence," one "emergency eject off of a speeding pony cart " and one "getting crushed by a 1600 lbs horse*" later, I realized that a new helmet would be a very good idea. A good idea, indeed.

I visited my aunts and uncles and cousins and had a very good time, which, coming from the person who used to try to hide from people at family gatherings, is a good improvement. Hooray for learning not to be a stick in the mud!

I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year's day!

[I will start regularly updating again once I return to PEI.]


*I was wearing a skull cap-style helmet, as opposed to my normal helmet, for that one. I blacked out for a few seconds, and it's no wonder I did, as the back of the helmet was completely crushed in. I would be SO dead. There's a lesson here, folks.