Planning, its a good thing.

Today... well I suppose yesterday at this point, was the first day of the 2008 MCBA Fall Con at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Its a good show, lots of creators and a comfortable community. It was great with the exception of the fact that I lacked books to hand out and sell. So no money or contacts for Ali.
Now here I sit, 2am looking down at the pile of beautiful printed comic books.
Only to realize that I have no stapler.
Life is a cruel mistress.

Color inspiration from nature.

I just wanted to take a moment to link to a really amazing design article I found. On Nudibranch.

Just look at this color palette!
You can read the full article here.





Sometimes as a computer artist I can get so caught up in the technical stuff that I can forget to take the time to just look outside my studio window.
There is so much inspiration just waiting out there. So many amazing creatures and shapes.
I just set up a new studio with my room mate in the porch of our apartment, it looks great and so far its a perfect working space... assuming the fans are on full blast. Its hot here.

Finals

Difficult to report anything but work. Caught up in the midst of finals I have a thousand and one things going on but no brain cells to talk about them.

A friend of mine at MCAD has just recently set herself up with a website and I would highly recommend checking her stuff out. She has great illustrations and amazing tone work.

Nicole Vanche

Buses

Well, as the internet at my house was out this post is a few days late.

The early morning sun is always something glorious to behold. Especially for an art student, we don't get to see it often.

Yesterday I rode to work on the Minneapolis Bus System. I really do feel that this system could be improved, it leaves much to be desired. The arrival times should be right to within a minute or two of the times posted on their website and I don't know who came up with the same number, different letters idea for naming their buses but its greatly lacking in practical functionality, it sucks. Buses named 21A, B, and C all take slightly different routes or only go so far to my destination. I don't know how many times I've ended up only halfway to where I want to go with no other bus in sight.

However the buses do give me an opportunity to really brush up my drawing skills. Its so convenient to be surrounded by people who all sit perfectly still. Most are asleep or believe that it is terribly impolite to address strangers on the bus. No one talks to me or looks over my shoulder while I draw and can't really say anything if they seem me drawing them. As I said, it's convenient.

I really do get some of my best ideas while I'm on the bus, looking out the window and watching the world go by. Even walking to the bus stop that morning was fun.

I walked down the sidewalk watching my feet treading on the cracks and falling back into childhood wondering if I'd be falling a breaking my back. Then laying on the sidewalk in front of me was an extremely large earthworm, it twitched. It was dying and already two large centipedes had attached themselves to its body to consume it.

I looked at them and felt sadness, empathy for a worm, and also comfort, it reminded me of the natural order. It reminded me that the cycle of life, in all its horrifying realities, it continues and it changes.

I wanted to remember those thoughts so I pulled out my camera phone, I felt like an intruder, so I snapped a picture and continued on my way.

Dragon Problems

This is a sketch I did in my sketchbook over a month ago that I am still struggling with how to color. I love the drawing to pieces and I want to do it justice but I just don't quite know how.

I've tried a few different versions but nothing comes out just right. I'm thinking I might just go with simple generic dragon colors.

In truth I'm only contemplating this now because its 2 am on a Friday night and I'm locked away in my little apartment trying to get homework done that I don't really want to do anymore. My hands hurt from drawing panels.

I've discovered however that I have found myself with a growing interest in the discussion of life and death. Its not like I'm looking for a particular religion, I'm an admitted agnostic unless I'm feeling particularly religiously oppressed that day. But I look forward to all the ideas that have come out of religion to explain those unknown moments before we're born and after we die. I have my own ideas about what might be on the other side but those are really for another day.

I just bring this up because I was noticing that all of my comic projects on my plate at the moment have to do with life and death. I have my comic that I've almost completed titled, Life, about the meeting of mother and daughter in the tunnel as the daughter is born into the world and her mother passes from it. Its sad and heartening at the same time. I've also just finished the script for a story about two brothers dealing with the death of their father and their discussion as they leave the cometary. My other project is my senior project which would take much more time than I have now to explain and is still in the experiment stage but let me assure you it is all about death and the decisions we make and how they effect us.

The Beginning

Hello to all.


This blog is here for me to share my ideas, my thoughts, my mistakes, and my dreams with my fellow human beings and I will welcome your feedback. I accept that you may not like all that I have to say and I may not like everything you have to tell me in return. But I would like to think that in the end, with the input of others, I will come out of this experience a better person and artist and perhaps inspire a few people along the way.