Brrrr So Unpleasant

If you're tired of illustration posts, I'm sorry . . . actually, I'm not, because they make me really happy. The reason you've been seeing so many recently is because I've entered Frankie's Sketchbook Showcase, where they send you some Field Notes books to draw, doodle, sketch, scribble, paste and stitch in! Those chosen will be featured in the magazine.

I most likely won't be chosen . . . not only is my body of work online pretty minimal, but I live in the U.S., which I doubt the Australian magazine will bother shipping to since I think the showcase is time sensitive. That, and it's not like my work is spectacular. But they're into quirky sketchy stuff, so what do I have to lose?

From the Sketch Book

image via: me!

I've been experimenting with new styles lately to try and find *my* style when it comes to illustration. Some of my inspiration can be found here: Danny Roberts, Caitlin Shearer, Catherine Campbell, Chrissy Lau. I'm having the hardest time trying to master pesky hands and feet!

Matthew Lyons had a funny quote this morning on finding your style:

After adding milk to cereal I can not be distracted. Must eat cereal before it turns into soggy cereal. I know of humans who put their cereal with milk in the microwave to make it purposely soggy cereal. Everyone is good at drawing it just depends on your inspiration. Your taste is what directs the work and knowing the range of different ideas to steal and mush together so no one knows is the secret. I have to trust my taste. Cereal should not be soggy.

Le Artiste

Seve got me some watercolors and new brushes, and I couldn't be happier.

My attempt at drawing hands based on Love, Sweet Love by Caitlin Shearer. Not very successful!


 For some reason I draw veeery tiny; this last drawing was near microscopic.

Little bird, little girl

I haven't put a pen to paper in a very long time. I'm a "typist" at heart and my handwriting is no more than chicken scratch. But drawing is something I used to do everyday, years ago, so I thought I'd share some recent doodles on behalf of my resolution to draw more.

The last one is a peek at a little project I'm working on, shh . . .

p.s. NPR is hosting its sixth round of Three-Minute Fiction! At a requirement of merely 600 words, it seems silly not to enter (hint hint).

I made this today

In the bat's mouth

I love this print by Francesca Montanari. I originally wanted to get it for myself as a personal pat on the back for finishing the NaNoWriMo (especially since I listened to a lot of Bat For Lashes during the process), but now I think it will just be a Christmas present "from Seve." He already knows what I got him, haha. A tight budget where we're both privy to who bought what, where, and when kind of kills the surprise of gift giving for us. But maybe I'll manage to sneak in a nice anniversary gift that'll knock his socks off. Hmm . . .

This helps me write my wolf book

Sh*t my coworker says

So so busy. Work + NaNo have me writing writing writing. I shouldn't even be taking this blog break. I love this Barnaby Ward sketch as it's a good reflection of my mind right now. Just busy and cluttered. But I'm getting everything done! That's what counts. Seve's incredibly busy too. Read: TWO PLAYS AT THE SAME TIME. Plus school. Crazy.

Oh, and we're officially going to Florida for Christmas! Didn't think it would be possible, but my Mum and Bum-in-law have very generously secured the trip for us. Trying to think of how on earth I can ever repay them for their kindness.

Also, I was daydreaming about how funny it'd be to have a "fashion blog" dedicated to people in pajamas and sweatpants, but in really sexy poses and pretty photo shoot settings. They'd act like it's real fashion, and list where they got each item. Winnie the Pooh onesie - $15 - Walmart.

And OH YES Halloween was fantastic! Though Seve's "Proud to be an American" t-shirt drew a fine line between Garth and Joe Dirt. Luckily, Trent scrawled "Aerosmith" over it.

k TIME TO WRITE MORE bai.

Oh it's a skull that's neat

Oh, hey guys! Hope you had a Happy Halloween. I've just been busy noveling and such with the NaNoWriMo. So far so good! Oh, and I did a little redesigning here on the ol' bloggy. Anyway, more blog stuffs later, time to novel again.

On All Fours

Well, I think ya'll know by now how much I love this wolf by Rosie Music. While procrastinating plot outlining I made this little cover for my NaNoWriMo novel. Seve thinks my title suggests an innuendo; my friend Daniel said if I wanted an innuendo I should have named it Doggy Style.

Well, I'm here to say that I hope my cover and title alike suggest a werewolf novel without silly full moons, silver bullets, or innuendos; but rather awesome Buddy Holly references and book smart wolves.

But, you know, without being all hipster-pretentious. Actually, this cover doesn't really convey my story at all, I just thought it was cute. Maybe too cute. Because there's scary stuff in the novel too, like getting your hand ripped off, accidentally eating your favorite horse, and whatnot.

Little List: Artsy Internet Crap Roundup

Enjoy: via, via, via, and via. And yeah, those are earrings. And that video came out 2 years ago, not 25. Happy Friday!!

Did you see the words?

These are only a handful of the bajillion shots we had taken a few months ago by Tiana Godfrey. Thanks Liz & Jacob for turning us on to her!

I liked it so I put a ring on it

Ya'll know I ain't crafty, but I did take Book Arts. My favorite was the envelope book (because it was the, er, easiest). For Panache Packages, I made this little diddy for Darcy.

I also gave her some magnet frames and a funky matchbox I got at an antique store. I regret not getting a photo of it; it was done up fancy like this.

Carrie drew my name, and sent me this journal of creative destruction! I don't have photos of her package to me because A) she gave me Reese's, which I promptly devoured, B) she gave me Hello Kitty stickers, which I put all over my bike (pictures later?) and C) she gave me nail polish, which I'll probably highlight in a future post where I discuss why nail polish has brought more meaning to my life, i.e. Why Glitter Matters. Or something like that. Thanks Carrie!

Little List: Snapshot

My life at this very moment:

-Listening to Yeasayer's Odd Blood (everyone click here)
-Reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Umbridge . . . Umbridge!)
-Wearing my new coat (remember?)
-Finding this song for Seve (HA! Middle school, right? Maybe elementary for you? Preschool? Am I old?)
-Watched Who's That Girl? last night. So silly.
-Loving Stina Persson, whose lovely art is responsible for my new header.

Oh, and visit Panache if you haven't already for a cool giveaway! Need.

My dear childhood

When I was in kindergarten, my mother was called in for a parent-teacher conference to discuss my lack of smarts. During an art activity, all the students had been given shapes to cut out and design a picture with. A few made ice cream cones, but almost everyone had turned their scene into a teepee on a hill. Except me.

My teepee was randomly flying high in the sky. My worried teacher showed this picture to my mother, telling her I clearly didn't understand the activity. My mother tearfully brought the picture home to ask me why my teepee was defying gravity, to which I replied that it wasn't a teepee, but a boomerang.

My kindergarten teacher can SUCK IT.

ON UR WALL LOLZ

My new favorite print by Lilly Piri.

Is summer really almost over?

I wish I had a cloud for a best friend.

More via Michael Casker.

Do svidaniya

Should have found and posted this the day I left Russia. So fitting.

до свидания

via

Little List: 10 Stupid Internet Pictures I Love

Most of them involving cats.

Like if our world was what Jules Verne imagined it to be.

Anyone else a fan of steampunk?

It's this new thing Seve and I are into. Well, new to us, anyway.