There will be no real order and structure to these notes/this blog and will be written in as frequently as I please. These are my notes written to myself and for myself whether it be to inspire to create or to keep track of artistic progress while working on projects, to work out ideas, and/or to encourage productivity, etc.
Here's an updated version of this list that I made moments ago:
I crossed out the ones I was able to make and highlighted in green the pieces I am planning to tackle next.
I've been a bit non-stop. No desire to stop the momentum...
This evening, I'm sitting at a coffee shop catching up on internet stuff; Along from what I crossed off this list I'm looking back at what I've done since July:
Twelve full 14x17 illustrations for a book that will come out next year.
QUANTITY DOES NOT MATTER... but looking back and tallying up... This means that in the last six months I've created 152 pieces of artwork. AND YES the 127 frames for the video very much does indeed count. I'm taken aback at myself (in a good way) and looking forward to 2012.
I'm excited because I'm really learning about my own work and myself while working on pieces. I'm also excited because people are reacting in a good way and people who get what I do, really get it and it touches them.
I have more to say about this, but... eyes are getting tired. I've noticed too that many people who see my artwork on-line, strangers, want to become friends on Facebook because they like what they see. This means so much to me.
Anyway... resting today. Going to shut off the laptop at this coffeeshop, pack up, get my free birthday month meal at The Royal Oak Brewery, then go home and finally watch The Jerk.
Tomorrow, I pick up the pen and ink and watercolors again...
As I had mentioned earlier this week, I've been working non-stop on a commission piece.
A month ago, I was given copy of a script to work off from. During their 13th Annual Event (which was last Tuesday night) Community Legal Resources wanted to have a presentation revealing their new name and logo. Over the last 13 years the company had grown; so the script is a little bit about the history of CLR, the stories underlining what they do, who they are, and their growth as a non-profit organization.
With this script, I created and proposed a storyboard for the way that I would like to creatively illustrate their story and present it in video form. The storyboard was approved and I got to work.
A month's worth of storyboarding, researching reference pics, prep work and sketches, drawing, coloring and painting in, scanning, photoshopping, video editing... etc., etc., etc.
Here is the video I created which was received very well from everyone. I got so many wonderful compliments. It was pretty cool to stand in the room, anonymous, and watching everyone see the what the big reveal was all about. When the logo showed up the the screen, you can tell the room really lit up and everyone liked it. It made me happy, proud of myself, and overall excited for this organization and for the hardworking people and hearts involved:
(Note: The bass is a bit quiet in the beginning. Turn it up a little bit and enjoy. Also, Monday Busque, my older brother, was in charge of putting together the soundtrack for the video. Go Team Busque!)
Very cool video that I'm posting for the sake of inspiration:
I've been working around the clock for the last four weeks on a commission piece that I'll be presenting for Community Legal Resources Annual Event this evening. I'll share the video piece on this blog after the big reveal tonight.
SOME NOTES
I still love video and sound editing. I love the OCD-ness of it. I haven't edited with iMovie since 2007 and I hate the new version of it, I was using it for a short while for this project and hated it; so I switched to Adobe Premiere which I haven't edited with since 2000. Once I figured out the latest version, I was getting a hang of it and remembered how much I love putting images and sound together. (I also felt like I was back in the editing rooms in art school.)
At some point, if I ever get a real paying job again--and I will... one day. Soon. Crossing fingers.--I really need to get a wacom or bamboo tablet and a better computer or laptop. I got a cheap drawing tablet, but didn't have much control, but it got the job done for this project. For my comic I want to get a bamboo tablet, so I can do the handwriting on the computer. I borrowed my brother's computer to do the video editing. I've learned that these are essential tools I need for what I've been doing with my artwork lately. Esp. with my comic book work. This project made me excited for other illustration works to be taken to a different level with video and sound.
Once the illustrations I created for the video were done and scanned in, I really enjoyed going to coffeeshops and doing all my photoshop work zoning out in public with headphones and good, strong tea.
After this, I'm going to fix the formatting and font sizes on my artist and job resume and call it finished. Then onto few personal drawings, another commission--unpaid; But I'm happy to be doing this one--for Movie Mitten Project. I'll be creating the award for the 2011 Film Short of The Year to be presented January 3rd; January and mid-February will be all about finishing my comic in time to turn it in on February 24 for the last Xeric Grant. If I don't win, it's all cool. It will be so good to finally have it finished after over five years in the making. I will also be taking Christian Slade's (of "Korgi") advice and submit my stuff to Top Shelf Productions. I'm still blown away by his statement that I should be sharing my stuff w/Top Shelf; So many of my favorite comic book artists are with this publisher.
Key things that helped me through to see the completion of this project:
Matcha tea. Remember that scene in Karate Kid 2? It's my favorite tea right now. The caffeine release is slow; You don't receive the crash you get from coffee. I feel healthier. I get better sleep at night. I also feel this has been helping me with my energy, stamina, focus. The weather has been the usual crappy mid-west weather; Normally, my lupus body is dragging this time of year and lately I haven't been feeling my usual lupus fatigue. All of this could be because of the matcha tea (which is more potent than most green teas since you're not drinking just the water of the leaves that were steeped, but rather the tea leaves itself in powder form) AND/OR the apple vinegar cider I've been drinking daily. I've also been drinking other Japanese teas: genmaicha and sencha, which I love, but since I've been drinking matcha, it's hard to go back on these two. It's sort of like when you drink a nicer, more expensive beer, like Chimay and then go back to something less, but still good, like Bass. You love them all, but you liked the Chimay better. Sometimes I'll drink Chinese green teas, jasmine and oolong.
Apple cider vinegar. I've been drinking this the beginning of the day, middle of the day, towards the evening. 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed in with a cup or cup and a half of water and sometimes with a little bit of honey.
Big Mama Thorton Pandora Channel.
Nina Simone Pandora Channel.
9.47 Classic Rock radio station.
Matisyahu "Live at Stubb's,""Light," & "Shake Off The Dust... Arise."
Water. With all this drinking of water, green tea, & the apple cider vinegar concoction, my body has been displeased with soda, coffee, and any drinks with sugar lately.
Good snacks. I've been helping myself to clementines, Barbara's whole wheat or multi-grain fig bars, bananas, Trader Joe's whole wheat english muffins w/Sleeping Bear Farms honey creme raspberry spread.
My brother going for a food run at 1 in the morning while I edit.
Quiet workspace. I've been working at my brother's house while him and his family are gone during the day. Much needed for no interruptions.
Social breaks. I didn't want to break away, but it was Thanksgiving and some out of town friends were around. It would be ludicrous not to. Also got to see The Rickety Nelsons play twice. Always good energy.
