Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy Tomorrow!

So. I was thinking about this as I was trying to sleep the night before. Which, I couldn't.

Everyone celebrates the new year.

I think, all over the world the new year is a time for reminiscing, preparing, and celebrating. 

The Chinese have their own. Why does America celebrate? How do they celebrate?

We huddle together in crowds or groups counting down to the next year. 

Why are we counting down?

We're counting down to the next time I blog.







Thursday, December 25, 2008

Some helpful advice from a deviant

By deviant, I mean DeviantArt friend.

He goes by the name E-9 (e-9.deviantart.com) and the main reason I followed him was because of his treatment of ink. Or maybe the way he uses his brush with ink. 

I never really thought to ask about his technique until recently, whjen I saw this image created by him:


The various nuances and variations in the linework throughout the page really motivated me to ask him about how he works with ink and the whole process of "inking".

bandit-revolver: I'm really admiring the quality of your inking.

When you approach it, what's in your mind? I guess in terms of the process, because when I see my work sometimes, it's kind of like tracing. 

But what's the real goal? Intensifying the work? And if you're inking someone else's work, is there the risk of covering it up with your own style?

This is a long comment.

E-9: I dig long comments that actually require me to analyze myself and my work. So no worries there :) 

Uhm... well initially when I ink my own stuff I normally don't even finish the linework first because I know what Im going to do with it and I know what HAS to be there before I grab the brush. I try to think about depth of field and shadows as far as where the lines fall on the paper that way if Im given something to ink it doesnt come off too flat. 

Now, when Im given the "go ahead" to just have fun with little no zero guidelines or anything I grab 3 or 4 "custom" brushes so that I don't have 100% control as to what the line will look like when I drag it across the paper. It makes the whole "experience" more therapeutic than a chore or a job to finish. Custom meaning a 01 or 02 "liner" that ill cut up with scissors, yank bristles out of and more than likely NEVER clean. With sumi ink, the dried ink kind of dissolves a little anyway so it doesnt get TOO disgusting.

This particular "style" or "technique"(or lack thereof) works best with organic shapes and forms. Such as folds, people's skin, hair or elements like water or fire. You'll see me not taking half as many liberties or risks when it comes to doing buildings or cars or mechs and junk.

Inking as if you're making a whole new piece of art versus just darkening in whats there DEF makes the outcome for of a visceral experience/ eye work out type of thingthing. Straight up tracing is a skill within its own, but its not HALF as fun/rewarding :D

But at the same time, im over-looked/passed up on a lot of projects/make art directors VERY nervous this way. I probably COULD "trace"... but it'd drive me insane doing a whole book like that.

So, I drew a lot of inspiration from what E-9 had to say. Mostly from the parts when he described working with ink as if "making a whole new piece of art versus just darkening in" and "visceral experience". I'm trying to implement those factors into my work, because, I guess it's how I want it to be.

G'nna be a long way there, though. 


Sunday, November 16, 2008

Not the dig.

Not digging all this other stuff I have to do.

Not digging all this money I require to live.



I would like to just draw all day. Or a week. Everyday. I'd like to have time to create.

You know, get better and faster at getting the idea down.

Not inspired by the oppression of work and school.

Not at all.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

We comes backs.




Decided that I miss blogging.

So! I'm going to start blogging again! This is perfect timing, considering that I just recently got internet in my place again. So yay.

While I will start blogging again, there will be a considerable difference in the way I blog.

Plainly said, there will be more of my artwork, among the rants and such.

So here we go.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

I've abandoned my blogs.

I have very good reasons for it (I was lazy). Many an event have passed through the times you (my very invisible viewers) have shared together. It's hard to find a point to start discussing the myriad of happenings from blockbuster-comic-book-adaptations-that-may-or-may-not-satisfy to some of the lackluster (I'm talking to you E3) and spectacular (Thank you, SDCC) conventions of the summer. I suppose it's better to take these one at a time, and make sure you poke and prod every little fault until it cries in it's sleep.

Let's take a wild pick.

Video game special edition t-shirts!

Really. Take a look (if evil-mega-corp GameStop hasn't removed the posters already) at Soul Calibur IV. Namco offered special items only if one reserved the software. There was the regular edition, which was the game and a neat little keychain (if you can squeeze it between the seven Batman keyrings you dangle everywhere); then there was the Limited Edition which included several items including a metal case, art book, a tournament card, and a XL T-shirt.

Most of these extra items are fine (if you like unnecessary junk) except for the T-shirt.

There are some logical reasons to supplying ALL reservations with an XL T-shirt, but, come on, Namco, you're not helping us destroy the stereotype of the gamer. Or nerd. Geek. You know.

There's also the thing about all this fluff in the Limited Edition of Soul Calibur IV. I have bought special/limited editions of games in the past, don't get me wrong. I just don't agree with the practice of packaging a video game with objects that are non-essential or don't enrich the video game's experience. What I believe to be a "healthy" limited edition was Mass Effect's release. It came in the standard metal case, behind-the-scenes DVD, artbook, and a booklet containing histories of certain alien races in the game. It had something for everyone.

I have an idea to improve this whole special edition mess. Include downloadable content cards that can be used to redeem a purchase of one DLC.

That's all I've got.




...What?


If you must know which was the most useless special edition I bought, it was none other than Soul Calibur II on Nintendo GameCube. Limited Edition (printed) painting of Link and an XL T-shirt.

I have not seen those items since the game was released.

Hey! It was an Ivy shirt.

She's got breasts.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Saturday, April 12, 2008

So...that Orphan Works Bill.

This concerns artists dealing with visual imagery in communications. Like film, animation, illustrators, graphic artists, etc. It might have to do with you, too, if you enjoy film, animation, illustrations, graphic art, and such.

I wonder if everyone here knows about that Orphan Works Legislation that died around two years ago? I didn't know about it then, but I recently read that the Orphan Works Legislation is up and running again. An orphan work is a copyrighted work where it is difficult or impossible to contact the copyright holder. The bill essentially takes orphaned works and puts them into the public domain, leaving it prey to theft, misused, and such.

There's no art associated with this post, but I just thought it was important for everyone to know.
If you do know about it, then you should probably try to do something about it because it threatens everyone in the illustration, animation, photography---pretty much most artists.

There's a couple of links and stuff if you're interested.

Animation World Magazine.

orphanworks.blogspot.com
Orphan Works|Public Knowledge

You could always just google it yourself, too.

One way you could prevent this from happening is by contacting your senator or something.











GET TO IT!

seacrest out.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

So, maybe this time I'll be able to see Conan.

Unless someone kills the Mighty Conando.

I've really been eager to see his show again. It's been a couple of years, and maybe I can actually get decent guests this time!

Woo.

Art Game. Art Game. Well, it's being maintained. A lot more than say, last semester or the one before. I don't know if many people know about Ben Jones retiring next semester. Is he really going to do it? I think I've heard something somewhere that he always says he's going to retire, but it might be it this time. G'nna have to take Drawing Comp II in the fall. Sigh. I miss him anyway. He's been gone for almost two years, right? A retrospective doesn't mean that you have much farther to go, either.

Did I word that right?

I'm going to start an iPod fund.

I just emptied out my Super Smash Bros. Brawl savings today. Next Sunday, I will be an official Brawler. (That sounds so odd.) I've been saving up since January, I guess. If you want to smirk and sneer, I'll tell you that my method's better than dumping a quarter or a fifteenth of two week's pay in a day (depending on how many days I'm wage-slaving).

I was sitting on Wolverine this whole time.

My brother's eighth birthday was yesterday. He got many a gift. Including a complete X-Men set, a 12' General Grievious, and a Marvel Legends Dr. Strange action figure from Rai. Stephanie gave him a set of super-heroes and such and a sword and shield set. Very durable and smart.

I think I'd also like to point out that my eight-year-old brother could have been a leap-year child. Which would have been fun, I guess, aside from the every four year "real" birthday.

I don't know if I would have let it happen or held the child in another day.
Thank the skies I'll never know what that feels like. ba-dum-bum.

Anyway.

Last week, I accidentally read about Daniel Joseph Martinez. I found him to be a genuinely interesting artist. Really taking risks, and attempting to put a spin on what the people think.

The one piece he made that I thought was really amazing and riveting was one he did on the campus of Cornell University called The Castle is Burning. The artwork took the form of an eight-foot-tall, tar covered passageway between administration buildings and classrooms. The roof of the structure would be covered by saying like: "In the rich man's house, the only place to spit is on his face." This, in turn, sparked, not only responses, but racist epithets like "White Pride" and swastikas. The amazing part about Martinez's piece is the result of minority students marching and demonstrating in front of the administration buildings and holding sit-ins until negotiations were formed.

A Cornell Review opinion piece said this: "Mr. Martinez: we have a special message for you. You snot-brained fiend, you flighty, warbling, gallivanting, strutting, little twit. You whining, moaning, kvetching, sniggering, paste-and-construction-paper excuse for an artist. You puerile non-entity, you prattling babe in the woods, you slobbering lapdog of the putrid international art establishment. You've ruined our campus."

It may seem like something bad to the most of us, but that's just what Martinez wanted. To rigorously and violently wake up the people of Cornell University and the rest of the world to the evil uglies beneath our everyday events. This is essentially why I find his installations so amusing and interesting.

First of all, Martinez acts as his work is part of guerilla warfare, tricking or searching for loopholes in agreements for his installations to be present in an area. The smartest thing I've heard of really. Especially if you know that your work is likely to offend most or all of the people who view it. There's the select few who will be inspired greatly by it, and that's where you win. However, for Martinez, his pride takes place when the masses are enraged by his work.

Maybe they're angry because it's true.

The only part about Martinez that's kind of vague is whether or not he is doing this for the shock value, which can only go so far. I believe that he is sincerely doing work like "The Castle is Burning" to MAKE people THINK. His topics are important, and not cheap like Jesus slaying vampires. (Which is not a bad idea, totally.)

Seacrest out.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Spun.

Spun. Like shat. I guess. I'm not really sure if spun actually is a word.


I've been doubting my vocabulary or my ability to compose interesting sentences. Either one. I try to read as much as I can, whether it's Harry Potter and Dark Tower or AVA and Invisibile Monsters. I like reading. The problem is I like reading on the bus or on the Lightrail or train. You know. Motion sickness doesn't occur until you're aware that you're moving and not keeping track of the motion. Is that how sea-sickness works?


---
I'm trying to keep optimistic about this semester. Optimistic and busy. For example, with 3D Design and Media in American Society, there's a bit of reading and response involved, so I'm trying to keep up by remembering to read a little each day. That way, I don't mess myself.

Last semester was a sure disaster. At least, yeah, I think it was. Literature and Film was an interesting class and many interesting ideas were discussed and debated, but between that Contemporary Art, Painting Fundamentals, Creative Cartooning and Comics, and Illustration I---I barely made it through. I'm extremely thankful for cool professors and my good papers. I hope they were good. I never get back the final papers. I never know what I get on them, or any opinions the professors have on them. I have no idea as to what they think about my ideas. I'd like to know, because I like writing essays (in doses).

Something like that.
I shouldn't be blogging. Though, I do enjoy it (when people respond).

Seacrest out.