resonate

I haven't posted sketchbook stuff in a while. These are from the past few weeks, from precollege forward. Sketchbooks have been kind of frustrating for me lately.


bayou 2



busts at the Ringling museum. sometimes I draw in pencil :O







the first weekend of precollege, the students got together and drew each other portrait night style. They were all really into it








Other than sketchbooks and a few watercolors, I've mostly been working on the children's book job I've had for some time now. I feel like the end is in sight though, and even though it took a while to get going on the final work, I'm pretty happy at how things are turning out. I'll probably post the whole book when I finish the watercolors, and you can all see the extent of my cute bunny abilities.
For the remainder of summer, Drew and I are going hiking/rafting/painting/bear fighting up in Georgia in the mountains in the northeast part of the state.
And then, holycrapwe'reseniors

i want yo skullz

Carmine
watercolor

Also posted on Girls who Draw.

Precollege finished up a week ago, all in all being Head TA was a really good experience, I feel like I learned more about teaching and class control and all of that stuff. I organized a little mini demo week, doing some watercolor demos for the kids, having Jane do an oil painting demo, and Miguel do a digital painting demo. All were well attended and well received. It's cool to be around kids who are really still excited about coming to Ringling. I think by your senior year we get a bit jaded, and you start taking things for granted. Precollege always serves as a humbling experience, and reminds me to stay passionate about what I'm doing. Because if I don't, there's a whole generation of young artists who would be happy to surpass me in a few years

I also changed my blog, I wanted something wintery to remind me that it will not always be in the upper 90's outside. :)

In the precollege graphic design workshop, the students had to do a poster about a "famous first" or guinness record. I thought it would be cool to do a recently set record, about the longest chinese dancing dragon. I'm not much of a dragon-drawin-type of gal, but this was fun nonetheless, to work with different imagery and force myself to deal with design. Jeff and Sara were kind enough to guide me on the type.
This year went quickly for precollege, one week left!

hundred years

Woman King
watercolor and ink on Arches cold press
nitpicky touch ups in photoshop

I had been wanting to do an illustration for Iron and Wine's "woman king" for a while now, and though I had fun with this one, I think I could do an entire series of images on the song and still not capture it as I'd intended. The entire woman king ep is one of my favorite albums, actually. I always find it very soothing/invigorating to listen to when I work late at night. A lot of the aesthetic for this one came from Annie Leibovitz's photography, which I've been looking more into lately.

Precollege is in full swing now. I'd forgotten how much I like teaching. Working in design classes is a lesson in itself. I really like working with Jeff Bleitz, it makes me wish the majors worked together more. We really do have a lot to teach each other.

Blackbird claw, raven wing Under the red sunlight Long clothesline, two shirtsleeves Waving as we go by Hundred years, hundred more Someday we may see A woman king Wristwatch time Slowin' as she goes to sleep Black horsefly, lemonade Jar on the red anthill Garden worm, cigarette Ash on the windowsill Hundred years, hundred more Someday we may see A woman king Sword in hand Swing at some evil and bleed Black hoof mare, broken leg Eye on the shotgun shell Age old dog, hornet nest Built in the big church bell Hundred years, hundred more Someday we may see A woman king Bloodshot eye Thumb down and starting to weep

doubledutch

My focus lately has been more on experimenting with some more media, different ways of using watercolor and gouache to create a different range of moods. I've still got a bit of "brooding girl in the middle of the composition" syndrome, but eh, excercises don't have to be fireworks right?
Also I could use some new music. Recommendations welcome.

Precollege makes me sleepy.

falafel

Summer sketchbook pages!



Big storm moved in last week, I still have trouble getting cool looking clouds.


These two above are some experiments for cards I'm going to paint for my aunt's gallery. Doing mindless flowers is kinda therapeutic.

This one is actually a little old by now, it was during my ongoing slew of doctor's visits. PS I'm healthy now!

This is the mahaffey theater in st. pete, I went to see Maya Angelou with my mom. She was pretty funny, I enjoyed it more than I expected.

I start work at Precollege again in a week. I'll be happy to have a change of pace, being at home allows me tons of time to read though, I finished The Double Bind and started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, both of which seem to be good reads. Double bind was pretty creepy, it would make a good movie.

Other than that, rentin movies paintin pictures bakin cakes not a bad way to be.

mandarin

self portrait, photoshop

I guess if I were to make a list of what I like to draw when I'm in default mode, it would be something like "girls, buildings, old men, and gadgetry." maybe that can be my thesis. I really hate my default mode (i kinda hate everyone's default mode). It's the stuff you draw when you have no new ideas or real inspiration. But sometimes it's good to get bored with your work, with yourself. Thinking you're always ahead of the game is a dangerous place to be, I would think.

I just finished reading Prodigal Summer by barbara kingsolver, it was a nice start to some summer reading and really made me miss camping and going outside more. Nature really does trump any human effort at beauty.

yogurt

Sickness didn't slow me down too much. Going in soon for more chest x-rays. I pretty much coughed and slept through all of the month of May. But, aside from reading a ton of Hellboy and renting a ton of movies, I spent my time in quarantine doing a few watercolors and photoshop stuffs.


Rooftops
ink & water color


party dresses
watercolor. Kind of overworked this one, but I like the faces okay. the rest... ehhh, I should be using reference.

and a work in progress-

photoshop. The figure is still pretty unrendered, and a lot of things I want to tighten up, but it's been fun to force myself to deal with an environment and different lighting situations.

I think Ringling painting classes depend way too much on studio lighting, which, combined with Floridian models who have pretty orange-y tan skin anyway, we kind of end up with ugly orange-burnt sienna flesh tones that don't really occur outside the studio. Maybe that's why so many of us are drawn to Richard Schmid, Sargeant, etc etc who really use cool north light to great effect.

My attitude about this summer has changed a lot. I really need to relax and do some artwork for fun, before that stops being an option. I look forward to seeing what everyone in the academy is working on.

pneumonia!

I uploaded an in-progress new design for my website. Looking at Jay Ryan for color and type.

I would have tried to finish it, but I got pneumonia (and bronchitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis) at the end of finals week. I still have pneumonia (plus all the other junk as far as I know), but at least I'm home and I can rest a lot. This is probably the sickest I've ever been, being as I've never let myself get this run down before. Not sleeping enough, or eating right, Ringling wreaked havoc on my immune system. I think I have learned my lesson. Next year will be different.

Still, lots to look forward to for this summer. Just have to get myself back together first.

finality

Ink and wash, and painter

portrait night

This year just will never end! One more week and every day feels longer. I can't wait to sleep and see something other than Ringling. Good god I've never needed a break so badly before.

cranberry bogs

For fun, and because I think some part of me goes crazy if I don't do any watercolor for a while


Painter still life assignment. I don't think I really pushed myself, just kind of played around with the program. It's fun, I'd like to play around with my watercolors in there.

I'm pretty sure my brain has been gone for weeks. But now that it really is almost over, I'm scared of how much stuff I have left to do.
I'm ready for a break from this place.

cinnamon

Sometimes reference is really fun. I got a neat camera for christmas and it really has made me enjoy the photography process again. I think reference in general is pretty interesting at our school. We have a lot of people at our disposal, and we find ourselves in some funny reference situations. I think i've been like 3 dead girls, beauty from beauty in the beast, thumbelina, and lots of old ladies
Some fun shots from the past few months


jane helped me shoot reference for self portrait stuff. not using this one, but I like the light. She made the point that most pictures of me, if you stuck on some type like "anxious? worried?" would make great antidepressant ads. awesome.


for an illustration due friday about a girl who hasn't seen the sun for like 5 years, and is locked in a closet when it finally does come out. Caterislegs :)


I use Adam a lot for reference because you can turn him into a lot of different people easily. This was some of the reference for the bamboo man illustration.


Over winter break, when I had first gotten my camera, I got my sister to pose outside on a really cold stormy day. I liked this shirt she had, but she wasn't crazy about wearing it in the 30 degree weather. Probably the funniest photo shoot ever for me. I like natural light, but it is so rare we get to reference in it.


Reference for Drew's painting. I think reference wise, we put Watts through the most hell

I'd love to see everyone elses reference from the past semester. I'd also like to get a lot of reference for the break, so that we can have lots to paint from.

Also, no luck on American Greetings or Hallmark, so I'll be returning to Precollege. I'm kind of relieved in a way, and I'm excited to make some other plans (san diego comic-con, boston) to hopefully have this be a fun summer.

little miss bikeweek

George Pratt had us design wine labels. These are probably not quite done, but I had fun nonetheless. I did drunk writers (hunter s. thompson, hemingway, fitzgerald) for mine. Apologies to Mr. Dalluhn for messing up the good doctor.


And a few of the more finished sketchbook pages lately
I've been working a lot in my sketchbook, but it has become more academic than expressive. This year, I think my favorite sketchbook was actually the one I started over the summer. It was small, maybe 4x6, and had that brown recycled paper. I could fit it in my pocket or purse pretty easily, and I feel like the stuff I did in there was a lot more fun and honest. Smaller sketchbooks feel more personal for me, I guess, since I can get down a lot of information quickly.

During our whole time at ringling, it seems there has been too much emphasis on sketchbooks, and on having cool sketchbooks. So many professionals don't even think about it I bet, trying to make cool sketchbook pages. It's probably just "a place to draw" for them, and in some respects, that's what it needs to be. I think James Jean's sketchbooks, and all the other cool sketchbook artists, created a kind of benchmark that everyone is kind of mistakenly takes as "how your sketchbook should look". The result usually ends up being just a completely self aware attempt at making james jean style sketchbooks. Maybe?

Maybe not. Either way, I like drawing. I like seeing my friends' drawings. I don't mind doing bad drawings, if it means that some of them will be better in the future. Too much emphasis on the perfect sketchbook, or too many "hey can I see your sketchbook"s and everyone will be scared of doing bad drawings. And that would be a shame. Bad drawings can be pretty fun too.

adieu

glowy bits

For my digital illustration class. I had to illustrate an old japanese folktale about a bamboo cutter who finds a little fairy thing in bamboo and brings her home because he always wanted a daughter or somesuch.

More later! End of year makes me sleepy.

edamame

These were for Pratt's book assignment, I did Renaissance Instruments.


that's what I ate in New York


sketching outside the met

Weird how much this year has felt like senior year. I don't like thinking that if I don't get the perfect internship that my career is over before it's begun. It's amazing to travel and see the wide range of opportunities for artists, and the wide range of careers that come out of this school. And maybe a little bit, to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that if I work hard I will get employed. I probably come across as pessimistic with some things, but I'm actually really excited about my career. Just like I'm excited to make art. Only then, I'd be making art and getting paid, and not having to take math class. That sounds like a nice life to me, so I'll be fine even if internships don't work out this summer.

But really an internship would be nice, please!

trapeeze

This was the better of my character designs for digital illustrations. I did a redesign of Frey, the viking god of fertility and harvest and stuff. This was fun, but photoshop is frustrating just in that you can keep on rendering and rendering your brains out and never be done, if you want. Very unlike a watercolor you can finish in one sitting.

I had a nice snowy spring break in Manhattan, and will post sketches soon.

everydurr

beatrice


recent sketchbook stuff, laid out how it will appear in my hallmark/AG portfolio

somewhat old, from the zoo last month.

Good golly it's midterm and it's spring break! I leave tuesday for Manhattan with some friends. We have some cool stuff planned, society of illustrators, illustration house, maybe blue man group, and other stuff. I have a lot to do but I'm happy to be producing work again. Updates after break I imagine :)

amalgamation

fiona

My blog was all messed up for a week or so, if you hadn't noticed. Blogger thought I was a spam blog (splog, as it were) and so disabled it, sending me back to December. I emailed them frantically and all was repaired and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally getting a chance to get some new work done. I need to mix up my subject matter a bit I think, but really, this is what I like drawing most to relax. I also have some comic pages done, I'll get some up when I have something more substantial. The comics class has been going really well.

Here's a sample panel edited to reflect Thiel's comment that one of my characters looked like an artsy cat stevens wannabe, and so we turned it into Matt Dalluhn with a giant butter knife? (Out of respect and admiration I assure you.)

I'm busy as heck! I leave for NYC in one week precisely. I've never been there and will no doubt be lookin up at all dem buildins while someone swipes my camera. I'm really excited. Part of me has always felt like I should live in a big city. I'm very attracted to the idea of public transit, and actual art scene and having late night dining options other than... applebees or taco bell.

Gotta work!

Megacon!

Lunch with the Ringling crew on the last day

Megacon was awesome. I'm still getting reorganized and getting ready for the art sale this Saturday, but soon I will have more megacon work up. I had a great time, I found it pretty inspiring and educational, to say the least.

Lots to do!