Robby the Robot is Fun to Paint

Been awhile since I posted...figured I should, what with the possibility of being booted out of art school and all. Okay, that's not entirely true, but all the Jr.s had to submit a portfolio to be judged. The fine artists had to have a crit, with things said directly to them about their work. Illustration majors don't get that. We just drop them off and listen to the rumors and stress out until we come back from break (the 9th of January). That's a long time to stress about being riped to shreds under the guise of a helpful critique. I'm not saying most of us don't need a kick in the pants to really hanker down and care about our art, but I'm just not looking forward to 6 of my best and favorite pieces being deemed as trash.

One of the things we're hearing is that we are all terrible editors. None of us picked our best pieces and some of us put in too many (6-8, but some of the 2 there apparently sucked and dragged down the whole portfolio). Um. I only submitted 6. What does that mean for me? Probably nothing good, that's what. And those were my best. If I have to resubmit a portfolio I don't know what I can show...those are my best, I didn't not include anything. So I'm screwed. Oh, except for one watercolor painting, which wasn't finished in time to put in the portfolio:


It was the final for my illustration class, the genre being 1940s Sci-Fi. (weird flash on this photo, btw) I grew up with these movies (so I didn't need extensive research and re-watching of these films in the limited time we were given to do this painting combined with all the other classes that a certain teacher seems to think doesn't exist, take that Fowler!) Sorry. The man irritates me extensively.

I told myself I wasn't going to think about the portfolio review over break, but what with the nightmares and all it's kinda hard. Anyway. On to other things. I'm getting 40 hours at work this week, yay. Today I have a day off and I have plans after 6:00 today, but for now I think I want to work on some of my unfinished watercolor pieces (some featured in one of my previous blogs). Like the Frodo one. Hm. More coffee and I think I'll get on that...

Oh yeah! Saw the Golden Compass. Not sure what to think. It was pretty and all the actors seemed to fit. I thought the girl who played Lyra did wonderfully. But the script for the movie seems to be making all the characters black or white...but really a lot of them are a mix of good and evil. Like Lord Asriel. They ended the movie before you could see a major character twist. He's not a good guy, he just happens to be on the "good" side in the pursuit of knowledge...But it's his obsession, he'll do anything to achieve his goal...and they ended it before we get to see the fate of Roger. Which makes me wonder if they're just not going to make the characters have any real depth, besides Ms Coulter and Lyra. Like the Master of Jordan College. They didn't have him being the one to try and poison Asriel, because he's one the "good guys". Well that just makes it kinda boring doesn't it? The world is full of gray, and especially in a movie based on such a controversial book series about sin and free will, you'd think the characters wouldn't be so plain. I just hope the next one follows the book just as much, but includes the depth and meaning.

Press save to cancel this relationship

Mm. Been a bit since I posted, since I was doing it pretty regularly. Homework is crashing down on all of us in waves, all the teachers seem to want to swamp us before we escape for Thanksgiving Break. Not much of a break anyway. I'll be working, and then maybe 2 days with my parents and grandparents and then more work and then school. Yeah. Sigh.

On Wednesday November 7th Jason and I broke up. It was mutual, and had been in the works for awhile. We were together a year. "Press save to cancel this relationship" is what Facebook says when you change your relationship status. I find the phrase hysterically ironic. We're still friends and still have fun together, but it's definitely not the same. I feel pretty empty. I think I'm more distressed then I admit, according to the drawing I made during Anime club, while everyone else was playing video games:



My sister came up this weekend, so I was distracted from my issues by taking her out to eat, and giving her her birthday presents which she enjoyed very much. On Sunday we went to Jason's and she played her new game and I worked on my comic class layout. It was okay, not too awkward. But she went home yesterday. Katie and I are heading to the mall after class, and I think I'll get my hair cut. Then she's sleeping over, so I'll have more distraction. This week is full, I have so much work to do. Hopefully I'll be able to concentrate on it. One more emo sketch before I go:

Tuna Subs are Yummy

My Dæmon had changed a bit, it went to a wolf and then a bobcat-like creature, and now it's back to an ermine. I don't know who or how many people keep taking the quiz and changing the animal. But it's interesting.

I should post some Halloween party pics, but I'm too lazy right now, and I'm on my lunch break eating in the classroom, like a loser. So only one for now:




We're still working on the gender project in my anatomy class. Guy-Me still looks like a monkey. Sigh. I hate it.



At least the one of girl-me looks better now. Have much coloring to do still.

I've been going through something lately. It's still ongoing and is causing some inner turmoil, and might have tainted Halloween for me (though that's not really when it all started). Fun times, but I'm not going into details. I skipped class yesterday because I didn't get enough sleep the night before because of it, and I felt horrible when I woke up at 6 AM and couldn't go back to sleep no matter how many times I switched positions on my bed. So I finished my homework (color comps) and emailed them in. Later that day Katie came over and I had my coffee. Then Sam came and we talked about my cat, and we discovered he has fleas. Oh joy. So Katie and Sam skipped out early from class and we went to Pets mart and I spent around $40 on my cat. I'm going to try to take him to the vet on Monday before my classes. Sigh. I am going to be very poor.

Today is November's First Friday, and also the start of Diplocon (at F&M College). I'm working. But Jason and I may stop in at the con after I get out of work, or at least before I start work on Saturday. There's an artist coming to the school today to talk about her gallery showing, and I really hope she doesn't run over, since I need to get out early and go get my work uniform and then catch the bus. Busy busy busy.

Of Dæmons and Halloween

I took this quiz on The Golden Compass Myspace page. It first told me my Dæmon was a crow, but there's this quiz thing where friends can answer and then your animal changes according to what they said. So mine has changed to either a ferret or ermine-type creature. Cool. That's what Pan's favorite form is in the books. I can't wait for the movie, though I am worried that they will screw it up by making it a kid's movie. Or worse, trying to keep the original theme but dumbing it down so it's a weird mix. So they either have to kiddify it, or keep it as close as possible to the book. The actors all look like they can pull of the part, but if the girl playing Lyra can't act then we have a big problem.



The PCA&D Halloween party is tonight, and I'm almost ready. Still need a boa, and maybe a sparkle-y purple pin to put in my hat. There will be many pictures, as my roommates are going as Bob Ross and the Prince (from Katamari Damacy). Katie is going as something she hobbled together, but she won't tell me what it is, so I'll have to wait and see. She's very excited about it, so I bet it's pretty nifty. Jason waited till now to figure out he can't afford the V costume he wanted (he was going as V, but the apron and oven mitts version, when he's making the eggies in a basket) so we're going to try to get some Ninja stuff together for him. He already has the cowl.

Wow it got cold. Definitely going to have to wear my winter coat around more.

Alone with the Light Table (& Registration)

Usually on a Tuesday I spend about 3 hours at my college. Today I spent about 8. Registration was today, 1-5. I got there at 11:40-something and was the third person to pick non-sucky classes. Yay. Yes, it is necessary to get there frickin' early. Then I had my 3 hour studio class, where we did an under painting in acrylic. Bleh. I like how the skull is so far though:



And then I got the light table closet key from the Dean and spent the next 3 1/2 hours working on my "rotating name" animation. 16 drawings never took me so long. -_- Perspective and 3D letters are not fun. For me anyway. If they float your boat, great for you (you freak). But it's done, which means I have all day tomorrow to shoot them and then fiddle in Flash to make it run smoothly.



I finished my comic layout over the weekend, and that's due tomorrow. Hmm, only thing I have to look at some more for tomorrow is info on the picture book "Tuesday" which is what I chose to do my picture-book speech on, for Children's Lit. And for Thursday my New Yorker cover is finished and Jason ran me to Kinko's last night, so now I have the digital print with the font to turn in, as well as the original piece. Lookit:



Whew. I'm tired. This semester has been crazy with work, and because I'm insane (or just wanting as much as I can get in college, considering I'm paying for it and loans will eat my soul once I graduate) I signed up for several studio electives, meaning next semester I'll be on the 18 credit instead of the normal 15. So even more work to do, and probably less social time, since I can't skimp on my actually part time job. God. I'm going to be busy.

Pizza and Guy-Me

I'm currently at Jason's place, but as he just managed to fix his computer (new processor) and is doing all his online homework right now, I am bored. So figured I'd update. I'm making a freezer-to-oven pizza, and I hope it's almost ready because I'm starving. Damn Papa John's server being down and me being too lazy to actually interact with someone on the phone.

In school news all students have to enter a "What is Beauty?" contest/thing. No guidelines besides the size, really. It was just an open thing, but then they made it mandatory for the Fine Art majors, and then for the rest of the school too. :/ Besides the bitterness of an extra homework assignment-

Pizza!

Okay. I'm back, with a full stomach and a burn blister. Bah. Anyway, besides that and the fact that we have less time to do the thing, I think it could be kinda fun, it will give me a chance to do something less illustration-y. I have some ideas which I kinda sketched out in thumbnails. Need to do some better sketches though.

In Anatomy we have to draw a self portrait and ourselves as the opposite gender...I normally handle self portraits very well but ever since the end of freshmen year when my face thinned out I've had a hard time with it. I think I see the problem now that I'm posting this crappy pic of what I have so far up:



They eyes and noses are off placement wise. Bah! I mean, it looks like me, but too cute. Ick. And Guy-Me is harder to do then you'd think, even with the help of a beard. I don't have a brother to base the assignment off of, and my dad's features aren't helping much. Guy-Me looks like a monkey. -_- Sigh.

Because I'm bored and Jason is currently playing video games I sneak-attacked him with my cell camera. Mwahaa!



Nice expression, eh? I like how it caught the movement.

I finished the New Yorker project, but I'll wait till I scan it in and put the font on it before showing it here. I have to find time to get to Kinko's and print out a digital copy too before Thursday. Time is going to be scarce this week, and I still don't have all the things I need for the Halloween party at PCA&D. I'm going to be a flapper, and I have the hat, necklace and shirt for it, and I just bought a cigarette holder and some fake cigarettes. Still need to adjust the hat and find shoes. So much to do...

Oh, For A Light Table...

I've figured out why it took so long for the weather to get colder. Persephone and Hades are having a marital spat, and she didn't want to leave her mother. :/

Well the critique of George Rocking Out went well. First time in a long while where I thought I got a positive critique. No glowing adorations (except from Matt, who is a Fine Artist and lives upstairs, and likes guitars: "Is that a guitar? Cool. Is that freaking George Washington!?!"), but I got the sense it was liked, and did get some good feedback from my classmates on how to perfect it, like by adding details to the guitar, and white to the spot lights. So yay. Will do that.

So this Materials and Techniques class was going well, we've just been using watercolors and every class I finished the assignment ahead of time. But now we're moving onto oil glazes. I hate glazes. We have to do an acrylic under painting and then use oil on top, of a celebrity and a pet. Not an animal that looks like them, but of one that has some characteristics of the person. Like powerful, or sly...like that. So my one idea is of Meg Ryan and a Platinum Pearl Cockatiel. Ryan makes me think of something small and perky. And sometimes loud and obnoxious, as Sam described it when I told her about my animal and celebrity pick. Here's the sketch:



I wish I had a light table. :( I could actully do my homework at home instead of freaking out about when I'll have the time to go to school while it's still open and get the key to the closet where they are kept. I didn't finish my work today, even with a full 3 hours spent on it. You wouldn't think animating my name would take so freaking long. It's hard to do. Perspective is my enemy, and 3D letters are not my thing. So most of the drawings I did today had to be thrown away, because something was always wrong with them. Sigh.

I should probably be doing something productive with my time right now, as I have no homework due tomorrow, I finished it in class last week. Hmm. Maybe I'll clean my room...