Hutchmoot Countdown: Part III of III

Something that is becoming very clear to me is that I am struggling with all of these emotions with my art for a reason.  One, it's important.  Art matters to me because it's important.  So.  The struggle, while painful, is necessary because if I can push through it to the conclusion - whatever that might be - I'll have changed and learned something important and that in turn will add new depth to my art.

Sometimes that's hard to hold onto when you're in the middle of it though.

Which leads to two, which is that my art is worth fighting for.  I am worth fighting for.  The truths that are forming in me are forming in me are real and deep and lasting.  I want and need to pursue them because they have been given to me to steward.

I have been dog sick this past weekend.  I am exhausted, but I can't sleep because I cannot breathe.  I've been coughing so much that it feels like my brain is going to come out my ears.  Yuck.  I very rarely get sick, but when I do it hits me like a sledgehammer.

So I spent most of the weekend in bed.  Website - yeah, not really "up" per se.  I threw something together with Go Daddy's website builder.  I have the cards, though, that's good, right?

My big worry is homework for Eric.  I have to send him a final sketch (that was due on Monday) by Thursday 5:30 EST.  I think I can manage.  Oh, digital camera and Internet, how I love thee, let me count the ways . . .

Above is where I got last night in between packing and laundry and stuff.  Which is why this post is kinda late.  I was using Photoshop as a kind of light-box to try and solve some of my design issues.  I thought it worked really well, but I am going to be on the road all night (eek) and I still have a ways to go.

The face is where I am still trying to solve problems.  I know what I want to feel when I see the face - I just don't know what that looks like necessarily.

The white is the boundaries of the final painting.  I think the anvil needs to be a little bigger, but I don't want it to take away from the final image.  We'll see.  The fire is turning into more of a problem than I anticipated.  I need to design it out so that it directs the eye around the piece, but I think that's going to take a few more tries to find.

Anyway.  Sorry this is so short, and so late.  I will try and be on time for next week so that I can share the awesome of this weekend with you ASAP.

Tootles!

Hutchmoot Countdown: Part II of III

Two of my "refined" sketches for SmArt School.

After the watercolor fiasco of last weekend I was feeling rather discouraged. Frustrated with myself and art and etc.  I'm feeling rather inadequate on almost every front and it's a very hard feeling for me to fight.

If only I could translate what I know about drawing - straight black and white value and drawing - to paint, we'd be good!

After the class with Eric and Rebecca I was feeling a little more encouraged.  I felt very conscious of the deficiencies in my portfolio, but I was also motivated to push on through and get better.

Also, I need to find a broadsword. Or something similar.

I have found a new (for me at least) illustrator.  He's Russian Bulgarian and lives in Greece, I think.  Of course none of his books are available in the US.  Why I don't know because his illustration is top-notch!  His name is Svetlin Vassilev.  From the very limited amount of info available about him, I think he's working in watercolor and acrylics.

New art always makes me feel better for some reason.  

Hutchmoot Countdown: Part I of III

Ugh.  I have less than three weeks to throw a website together.

I've decided to do this one step at a time.  Start small.  No need to kill myself trying to do the epic one all in one go.  You can see the banner that I am going to use (for now) above - what do you think?  I've applied it to all the sites I have here on the Internet for continuity.  I like continuity.

I am almost ready to give all the pieces to my sister for her to work her magic upon.  Heehee, delegation is good, too.

I'm just kidding, Daniella, I love you, and I am VERY APPRECIATIVE of your magnificence and expertise.

When it goes up, it will be a temporary holding site.  Nothing fancy.  I will keep you updated as the "real thing" comes into being.  Maybe this isn't the best way to do things, but it's the only way I can see of getting all of it done, so.  I can say is that the temp site will be up until the real site is finished.

As far as Hutchmoot goes, my two friends and I who will be embarking on this epic adventure together have sent in our preferences as far as what sessions we will be attending.  I have this mad idea that we will document our trip with a kind of steampunk flair . . . or not.  I haven't actually run that by them yet . . . so.  Heads up, guys!

Oh, OH! OR maybe we can make up our own story along the way - Iain McCaig style . . . oooooooohhhh, that has possibilities . . . . I'm gonna have to think about that one . . .

Here are some watercolor studies I did over the weekend.  2.5"x3.5" on Strathmore Illustration Board.  I still hate scanners.  And editing.  The originals look so much better and I can't figure out how to get close to that with editing.

Original scan.

Edited Scan.

I'm still working on the face.  I got to noodling with the color and details too much and I don't know if I am going to be able to save it, but . . . we'll see.  I might just sound the retreat and try again another day.  Here's some quick shots of the WIP.  Little better.

Also, I just recieved our first assignment from Eric.  SO EXCITED!

Hutchmoot Countdown

Ugh.  The craziness hasn't ended.  Washington was just the beginning.  September starts a whole new gauntlet of personal deadlines - and some "real" ones, too.  I have a post I am still working on about the Washington trip and workshop - but it's not finished.  And this one is.

First off, I am taking an online class with illustrator Eric Fortune, part of the lovely Rebecca Guay's program SmArt School  which is kind of an extension of her Illustration Master Class.  Anyway, I am in it for the long haul - at least until the end of the year.  I am now in a constant state of being super excited and super nervous and also super stressed.  Which one is currently at the level of "super-SUPER" is entirely dependent on whether or not I am caffeinated.

Secondly is Hutchmoot.  I cannot express the level of excitement that is building in me for this conference.  It's an extension of the Rabbit Room, an online site for creative community.  It's awesome.  Just go check it out.  Anyway, Hutchmoot is their yearly meeting; this year it sold out in SEVEN minutes - I was sitting at my computer half an hour before-hand with my mouse hovering over the refresh button, waiting for the tickets to go on sale.  Justin Gerard is going to be there (super-Super-SUPER excited), as well as Phil Vischer, N.D. Wilson, S.D. Smith, Lanier Ivestor, singer/songwriters galore, and oh-my-gosh, have I told you yet that I am really excited?

Now, because of all the awesomeness that is to come, I have a lot to do.  I have made a list:

1. New Website
2. Promotional Pieces and Hand-outs
3. Business Cards
4. UPDATE PORTFOLIO

Website

Ugh. SO overdue.  I still have the domain name (thank you, God), but the actual process of getting it up is an entirely different matter.  Hopefully, my amazingly brilliant designer sister can help me with that . . .

I want the site to be memorable - not as far as complexity of design goes, but the way the work is portrayed and the design itself.  I want it to be story-centered.  Anyway, the idea is there, I'm not quite sure how to express it or if it will even work, but we'll see.  

Promo Pieces/Business Cards

Kind of self explanatory - I have lots of (old) post cards, but there's something about specially designed or handmade promo pieces that's just . . . cool.  But of course ALL of this is dependent upon the . . . . 

UPDATED PORTFOLIO

I'm starting to sound like a broken record (to myself at least).  I'm thinking about it consciously about 20-40% of the time, and subconsciously about 378% of the time (Yes, that is physically possible, you and your logic and your maths can just . . . leave).  And that's just my hours of consciousness.  I'm not even going to start on what my mind has been doing while I'm asleep.  Not that that's been happening a lot.