Why I Cant Cook*

You know when you get those waking dream ideas that you think are just THE BEST IDEAS EVER and when you finally make it into consciousness you have no idea why you thought them so great? Well this is one of those circumstances...

I came up with this during a time (4am) I was mulling over creating a romantic Mortal Kombat style love card (which totally works). I wanted to make a fighting game about different chef types that beat the crap out of each other (my other pretend job is a game programmer, right?). Well, its not exactly brilliant but, like I said, it seems better half-conscious and snuggly warm in a mind-softening bed (plus, I went to art school).

Anyway, I sketched some of the characters...

Get it? She's a breadmaker (puns!) But "pain" is "pain" pronounced the Uhmerican way...not French for bread-OKI'llstopexplaining

Uh...I don't know why he has a whisk. I thought it would be funny to beat someone with a whisk, but it really has nothing to do with his character. Awareness counts!

Anyway, that's as far as I got because I have the attention span of

* this has nothing to do with why I cant cook

New cards today! Awkward must flow!

 Pack of 6 winter love

And Love Possum!!!

This thing of darkness

And now for something completely different...

Winter is coming, and it has been a strange week. Thought I should share something dark and twisty...

There Be Dragons..But No Turkeys

My next addition to the bestiary drawings! I am excited to have finally finished this. It took a ton of more research than the Unicorn, that's for sure. I've been updating a bunch this week, trying to get into shape for the holidays, but there is always so much more I want to do. This Black Friday to Cyber Monday I will be hosting a bunch of specials and sales! Check me out this weekend and see for yourself :)

In other news, we finally have Fall in San Francisco! Leaves scatter the sidewalks, there is brisk air and the smell of fire (that we will go ahead and assume are burning houses or Muni buses...) Maybe all the other falls I have experienced here were too crammed with finals and projects to notice, but generally our seasons are "sunny" or "rain."

I'm excited for my first Thanksgiving here. The tofurkey is in limbo but we have four types of root vegetables.

Totes prepared

Greetings and Cheer

This November, I have thrown myself deep into the world of holiday retail. Not only working consumer retail, but also by chugging away in my personal sweatshop, making earrings and buckles and prints and cards galore! I want to make this season rock, so here are a few of my new things, fresh off the press!

On another note, last night way the "Future Sound" benefit event which I got to be a vendor. It was a super cool setup at Mighty here in SF, and all the proceeds went to the SF Food Bank! I got to meet some really awesome people, despite it being a day filled with FAIL. Through some table renting issues, Square technical difficulties and sitting by a speaker the size of a Mac truck, I realize that perhaps, I am getting old. It was bound to happen anyway. Thanks to everyone who came out!

Stay tuned for my next mythic bestiary anatomy print! It's gonna be awesome!!!

lovelovelove

Happy Halloween!!!

In the Works

Here are some upcoming cards! I have a few more on the way, but depending on my laziness, I might just print these to get them out before the world ends...

Aftermath

APE SUCCESS: I had a great time at my first con, making friends and seeing all the fantastic stuff and people that came out this year! It wouldn't have been the same without our alley of lovely ladies as seen above. Next adventure I'll have a banner to fill that menacing void behind me (a BIG one...and it'll have sparklers and one of those terrifying wavy arm guys...)
Until then!

Pemberly Debut

APE is tomorrow! Naturally, I made a few last minute things (...today) and in celebration of the weekend, I am posting my Pride and Prejudice tribute (guilty pleasure). This will not be seen on Etsy until after the expo (you lucky APE-goers, you)!

I have my tape, a 5 hour energy shot, three different methods of cutting something, a whole lotta markers and some clothespins (for some reason I have yet to find out). This doesn't mean I wont forget my prints tomorrow...

Countdown! Kaz & Awkward Affections vs. THE PUBLIC

The countdown to APE is here! In only 6 days I will be lost among an ocean of humans, tables and talent, frantically vying for attention (while consequently suppressing the urge to claw my way under the table and shake). I cant wait to see it this year- I just hope you like me SF!

I've been playing around with the table setup...I'm pretty sure what actually happens will look nothing like this:

Light and Shadow

I promised less yapping in this post...so here you  have it.

Must Have Experience

I know, I know, it has been a few months and I am a terrible, awful blogger. Even though I've had plenty to post, this summer was a whirlwind with finishing up my thesis and graduating (needless to say I had little time for wit and verbal thought processes). Now that school is over, I have been expanding my Etsy business full force (chalkpads, belt buckles, Unicorn anatomy, "Awkward Affection" greeting cards, new prints etc), and preparing for the Alternative Press Expo in October (table 206 baby!).

But mainly, I have been applying for jobs. Being an MFA student, I had little expectation of finding a job with ease. I was fully prepared to toil a few months, fully prepared to beg on my knees and whore out my portfolio to anyone that so much as glances in my direction. What I didn't expect was how hard it is to find ANY job. I have written at least eight different cover letters this month for jobs that once were reserved for high schoolers and entry levelers alike - the jobs that you built your experience on, not needed experience to attain. Jobs like "office cleaner," "bakery cashier," generic retail and even Target anything (though I probably just failed that personality test). These jobs now require college level education and 3 years of specific experience. The cashier job at the hobby and toy store down on Market wants two letters of reference and  and "the ability to soothe the sometimes complex communication skills of weary shoppers." A chocolate shop requires a cover letter + resume and desires career oriented applicants. Like...in the chocolate field? Because I am essentially career oriented, and even chocolate oriented, but I also really just want to pay my rent. And those are just from this morning.

But mostly, I want a rejection letter. I want something tangible (internet tangible) that I can hold onto like the creepy girl who asks out the linebacker with a note that says "Do you like me? Check box yes or no" and it comes back "NO" but she saves that piece of paper anyway because it means he touched it and for one whole second thought about her. Yes, I am that mouth breathing, unwashed, straggly haired girl with the mustard stains on her Keds. And without that piece of paper I'll never know if my internet is broken, or if my e-mails secretly aren't sending. I mean, what if I died three months ago and I think I'm living this job applying lifestyle but instead I'm stuck in the same day, doomed to edit cover letters and resume keywords forever? Maybe this sounds crazy, but you'd understand if you only window shop for "help wanted" signs. 

And that brings me to piggy. 

Because this is life. And I think it is time to give up Word documents and go back to my portfolio. 

I'll post some of that next time - and I promise* that the next post will have less words and more pictures!

* I do not promise this

Fae (Distractions)

This is only the exact opposite of what I should be working on, but I needed a change of pace. It's kind of a woodland fae/nymph/Artemis inspired mind blip that I'll finish someday, but now I have to go back to doing real work now. Really...

Desmira

Desmira is the last character to my project. She's not a villain but makes things kind of difficult for Gen while they hide out in the brothel. Fun times.

Myriel- Environment

Some environment sketches of my haven village Myriel.

Harry Potter Time

I've been nerding out lately and working on a whole lotta things that aren't for my thesis. This is my homage to Harry- the audiobooks have

Catching Up With Aliens

Ok, so I needed to fall off the planet for a few weeks there. I'm back to work now but here are a few things I haven't yet been able to post.

Here is a leftover from last month. Gen loses control and sort of destroys the top of the tower. You can see the aftermath on the board of my previous post (but I'm not yet finished with that one).

I also did some art based on the super-fun story How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon. (Though I might forever be making changes to this) meet Ace and Alex!

Finals

They might kick me out if I try to take this class again, but it was definitely one of the best I've had in grad school (or you know...school). Here is everything from the semester!

Opening

Here the story begins! Gen running from the Blood militia.

The Tower

Characters

Finally, some characters sketches!

Fire: part 1

I will be editing this after some consideration and feedback. At any rate, this is part 1 in progress!

Master copy

For my digital class we had this master copy exercise. Although these assignments are often considered tedious, it really is a great way to learn, no matter how grumpy you are about it. I chose Sargent's Rosina so I could practice with texture and different brushes. I absolutely love her character (which is often a rare element in classical portraiture).

Thumbnails and Props

So this is some of the stuff I've been working on for my thesis lately. Pre-pre-production honestly, but sometimes it's interesting to watch a work process. Maybe I'll post some color thumbs next!

Harry Potter: Page to Screen Review

A few weeks ago I decided to hide my shameless addiction to concept books behind the guise of public service: and now I'm actually making good on my threats. My first review will be on my most recent acquisition Harry Potter: Page to Screen. I am usually hesitant to buy concept books for live action films because in past experiences, many of these books are often filled with set pictures of actors, stills from the movie and very few detail shots or concept drawings. While this is well and good, that kind of book serves mostly for quelling rabid fan lust and offers very little reference material for a concept artist.

However, thus is not the case in Harry Potter: Page to Screen (and being 531 pages I would certainly hope not). There was a lot more art in this book than I expected, whether painted or detailed from the set. Every room and interior from the movie has it's own page- and there are a lot of details that are easily missed while watching the films (book covers, wand handles, room clutter etc). This book is fantastic if you are looking for prop, creature and environment design reference, as the Harry Potter world is extremely detailed and rich. Every environment is a character in itself and is laden with history and personality, which is the most necessary and often difficult aspect of designing an environment. Even if you aren't a fan, there is still a lot to gain from this book, but it is definitely more exciting to see the details you missed. As for character design, being a live action film there isn't much to be seen, however, there are a few costume pages and character sketches. Overall, this book is a thumbs up for props, creatures and environments.

 *Forgive me: this book is huge and I am not yet an expert page flipper.