Wishing

I really wish I had time to post more. I finally got some carpet installed into the studio/office today. And that was with everything still in the office mostly. You see, I made the office in the garage out of 1.5 in blue styrofoam. Why you ask?  Because we are renting this home and I couldn't build anything permanent. So after 5 or so rolls of Duck Tape...a 12x13 studio/office. I had spare chunks of carpet on the floor, but after talking to a friend who had some extra carpet, he gave me exactly a size I needed for the office. I have rearranged it too, but still have final touches to put together, like putting the computer back in there. I had to take it into the kitchen while this mess happened because I still have a lot of work to do. On other notes, I have completely left one of my classes for dead. When we found out the Landlords wanted us to move a month and a half ago...I kinda panicked like most people do. Now, we didn't have to move, but we looked for new places and stressed. Also, the class I am loving, head drawing, is suffering right now. I keep falling behind. So, I really need to finish the adjustments to a job I have tonight, finish the office tomorrow, and then POUNCE on my homework like a cat on a bird. Otherwise, this class will take flight and I will never see it again. I'm reminded of a little kid who gets a helium balloon, and accidentally lets go of it. There is no retrieving that thing! My professor commented on my poor status with the perfect chastisement. I appreciate his directness, honesty, and the reality he laid out, but I ended up feeling the grand scale of life....that it was the balloon and I had just lost it to the skies. Drama, drama, drama, I know. A hundred bucks every day I'm positive and you would be really poor. :) Fortunately for me, my dear wife senses these moments of my life somehow and supports me and reassures me. After all, the sayings about  being close to victory while feeling you've reached a total dead end....well, endure a little more, one more sand dune, and there will be the ocean. Hard work is NEVER a bad idea no matter you circumstance. Just be wise what work you choose to do. :) I'm really hoping a company hires me that I have been doing little spot jobs for. I could really use the stability after all these years of scraping along. If anything, I am just glad that finally I had a day that was not as plagued by my coughing fits that started two weeks ago. Word of advice: avoid sweets late at night. You might wake up with a very sore throat! Then there is the fact that I have had Bronchitis before and have to be careful about that. I think that is why my coughs are so bad sometimes. Well, here is hoping that the forecast of snow tonight doesn't come true. You never know. This is Idaho, and it has to snow at least once every month! :D

Take care everybody.

Private Show

Shaun asked me to post these pictures for him. Not exactly sure what he wants said about them, but here goes. He got a call from an old professor who wanted to put some of Shaun's artwork on display at a local nursing home (The Homestead assisted living on West Main in Rexburg). I'm not sure if the public can come and look at it or not, but it's at the Homestead on Main St. in Rexburg. He placed about 31 images for display. Oh, the painting above the piano is not his.

Dark again?

Well, this is the dark background applied again. Maybe it is the contrast in the lighter one. I could make the overlaying elements less pronounced...what do you all think? :D

Background lightened

So, this is the lightened version of the same background. Now that I see it in a different light, :D I wonder now about the contrast and readability of the text. Anyway, you can see the design much better. :)

Background

A new background? What do you think? Is it too dark? My screen is pretty bright, so let me know if it is too dark and nothing shows up. :D

Will we?

We kind of have the option of signing a 3 month lease...but not a 6 month lease. That is if we "think we can do it" which is interesting. These are easily the best landlords we have ever had, albeit a tad bit overly concerned, and easily the best place we have ever lived. This last year has been a monster to most of the people I know. It has attacked our responsibility and our confidence through unemployment and tight pockets. Foremost in my frustration is the fact that in no way do people have less time than they ever did before...yet as it always happens "time = money" is a broken concept in these times. Time will forever and always end up meaning debt in some way much more strongly than meaning money. Sure it sounds negative and pessimistic...when we forget the part forgiveness plays in life. I'm not suggesting we become lazy and forgive all our debts. I am suggesting we are heavily bound to either some kind of debt far beyond our means, or bound to a system that takes advantage of our debts by compounding them. We have the time...we couldn't have any more (unless we worked together). Why is it compensation for our time is so low when the price for our needs are so high? We don't need compounding penalties to make it harder.

Well, remember folks...I'm an artist. You don't actually need me. I'm not a necessity of life. But the next time you go to the store to buy a product, the next time you go to get your car fixed, when you go on vacation....stop for a moment and imagine a world without the artists touch. This isn't to say that there isn't bad art. lol. I mean simply, that you are surrounded with our effort to make your life more meaningful hopefully. At least for my part. Book covers, tv designs, movies, furniture, phones, computers, clocks, shoes, clothes, glasses, wallets/purses, homes, cars, product packaging, even the dollar bill is designed by an artist. Many of you are artists in some way...its just that some of us do it exclusively and try to make ends meet with it.

Should I have written this? Not sure. Am I the perfect model of what an artist is?  Absolutely not. I may have typical characteristics, but I am unique I'm sure. And so, I may have spent this time and only accrued a debt to you for wasting your time, but I ask only that you forgive me if you disagree or do not understand. Otherwise, Take a moment to reflect on what made sense, and laugh at the rest. :) My latest influence has been in this quote about faith in Christ:
        "If you are helpless, He is not. If you are lost, He is not. If
        you don't know what to do next, He knows. It would take
        a miracle you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not?"
                                                                                                                   -Pres. Boyd K. Packer

The sun rose today beyond the winter clouds. My kids have given me hugs to let me know they love me. My wife has reassured me with the same, and I have a lot of work to do. I wish the best to all of you. I thank all of you who lift me up when I am down.

Bleh

"We're on the Island of Misfit Toys....Here we don't want to stay..."

:(

So....we have to move again. So don't ask me why I have a little black raincloud over my head...you might get struck by lightning.

Drawing and Reference

As you can see, this is an adjustment to the angle of my drawing to the orientation of the photo reference. I drew this tilted on my lap and if you look on the top of the drawing you can see the line I used to level the drawing for consistency. I didn't notice this early on an so just had to maintain consistency as it progressed. There is a great dynamic to the angle of his head, so I goofed up a great aesthetic to the assignment. Oh well, here is right orientation. :D Enjoy.

So, another semester of the Academy of Art University is in progress. Here you can see the second assignment, or module as they call them. The process is simple. From reference, lay in a gesture drawing with very few identifying marks...just get the gesture. No hard defined lines either, just be vague. Then place shadow shapes in of the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and such to get the proportions down. Again, vaguely because they may need to be adjusted. So far only the red charcoal is being used. After that, harden the cast shadow edges further committing the shapes...notice I said shapes and not lines. :)  Leave the form shadows soft and darken in the darks now that proportion and placement is sure. (one could hope)  Once the values from the red charcoal (sanguine is its name) are established change over to the white charcoal to add highlights. The paper itself functions as the middle tone or value between light and dark. The trick is to avoid mixing any white and red charcoal leaving the toned paper to transition between...except for cast shadows. In the cast shadow, white and red can be flush. But again, they cannot blend in any way. :D  Find a happy place and sign your name. My signature is kinda lame this time, but oh well. Proof that I'm not a complete slacker...this is really hard to do, and I took like 6 hours or so (with interruptions throughout the day). My greatest disappointment is that I didn't get to it until today....and it is Sunday. Sorry folks. I'm trying to avoid that this semester from now on.  Well, I hope you enjoy!