H.F.C.S

Still unsure as to how I can make this into a full bodied Illustration. Maybe It's fine the way it is?

a couple things

First one is a dud, but I expect a couple of them this week. It's satisfying to flex my color theory knowledge a bit and test out some new areas of exploration for where Illustrations will come next. More scans to come Saturday for ideas I have in development. Let me know thoughts if you feel inclined to share them, always very open to criticism of any kind.

Lamentations

Exchange = Compromise
Compromise = Humility

*Humility = Integrity
Integrity = Respect

*Humility in the sense of rejecting ego when it threatens reason;
Cosmic Humility, a thirst for seeing factors as they are rather than
as how we wish them to be.

Fall Update

Needing to photograph more portfolio work has become so difficult without proper equipment so I'm leaving out a couple of proud, finished pieces for now and revealing some works:

A couple character concepts, and revisiting a piece(originally from Vermont) that I never chose to tackle while in school.

I've been transitioning departments at Rue into the Imaging Specialists area which has kept me happily going with experience, and I continue to toss my work out into the market with many reply's for work...just nothing satisfyingly profitable. The interview at Maxim Toys(think Lincoln Logs and magnetic connected wood trains when you were little)went well even though I wasn't offered the spot due to lack of a years worth of packaging experience that the second candidate happened to have over me. I received an email less then 5 days after meeting with the Art Director and VP stating these details, including tons of positive feedback regarding my ethics, conceptual aesthetics, and portfolio of traditional and digital art.

From Roderick the Art Director, I was told that paying my dues is still important no matter how strong or versatile a portfolio is and that an extra year of time can actually matter throughout the entire learning experience. He told me a story that came as a surprised in the end of the email too; Roderick's first Illustration positions for hire within large companies were primarily from his sketchbook ideas that evolved throughout numerous pages. Thing's like notes, quotes, readings, simple forms or even color studies and plain gibberish give light to a quickly evolving sketch process which builds fresh and engaging ideas.

Rod was pretty insightful with this feedback and it's awesome how he took the time to write back in as much detail as he had. I was grateful to say the least and somewhat surprised as well.

A sketchbook (or sketch process) is truly the backbone of any communication artists content and I know I can carry this experience with me far into the future.

oh, and guys....Keep your sketchbooks at your side when out on a walk :)

it's been to long

As my strenuous packaging details keep stacking up, this requires more work to be finished. This one NEEDED to be finished and it's nearly there, just have to put in the more obvious mid-tones and highlights.

more summer progress

these will be finished by the end of the week once I've moved to a new room. downstairs in my building haha. Any and all feedback is helpful.

Awareness of and participation in the meta-dynamics of human interaction is the highest form of self actualization.



That is to say, if you’re not gaming the system, you’re not in control of your destiny, someone else is.

-Devin Azad Nasar.

Almost forgot...

This is what happens when you go through many culture bashing conversations with friends. The finish will be loaded with more wonderful convenient store oriented goodies.

out of the ordinary

...Yes, I did make this. A small commission for a friend in need of some extra promotion :)

My Own Accord

My Own Accord, "Through the Madness"

ALBUM COVER

One of my dream jobs prior to school....check!

This is album cover art for a good friend on lead guitar from Berkley. Compared to most digital matte finishers out there it isn't anything of to grand a scale, but when it gets fully rendered out of it's fuzzy state I'm sure it will appear as if cut from the same clothe. With more permissions I can put up the finished product this week.

Breast's of the Beast

Violently howling are the breasts of the beast...

just because

a little diddy

Forgot to post this from a few weeks back sitting with Ben and the g/f by the shore in Beverly. The feeling of summer coming is like a warm blanket covering my back, 2 gallery shows and a Children's-Book commission. One can never be truly bored, only intentionally leaving himself without something to accomplish...

done

so close

The blue jays progress will be up this evening when the blogger uploading device decides not to go apesh!t on me here at RCI. All 3 are so close to their final stage so I will make a frame shop trip down the street today to get the measurements done. April 24th is the deadline so I feel fine about the amount of time it will take to come up with business cards, prints, etc. I also have another summer show coming up at Peter Coe's Gallery www.petercoesgallery.com , where my older senior work will be on display for sale in Barnstable where business is blooming during springs/summer. There will also be another Children's Book commission going on this summer that I just received from another person looking to self publish. The job will range from 3000+ dollars and another contract for royalties, as it will be a series of book's with 30 or more pages. thanks to all of my friends who have given feedback on the paintings!

A series near it's end

Feet still need rendering, and backgrounds need cleaning up but these are the forms being taken from the birds. The amount of time these require is daunting to say the least but well worth the stress. Through recent discovery, they are becoming easier with the application of an environment suitable to each birds aesthetic appeal. A goal I had been so afraid of for the longest time was bringing a fluid and expressive background into my images that, still through careful planning, can project an ethereal type of mood.

All 3 renderings will be posted next week(basically done) and will reflect a cohesive melding of both strict attention of detail and an environment that is strikingly full of life.

UNIPLAY

So this evening I was paid the kill fee for the sketch progress of the iphone game application which I was thrilled about, although afterward Andre and his company UNIPLAY changed their mind for something less detailed. Initially, Andre said he loved the graphic and thought it was finished to his specs, but the content didn't pass by his higher-up's as well. As Many of you know, less detailed is a challenge to overcome; one that sometimes means I don't meet the criteria well enough and unfortunately redoing the project is what must be done. Simply another learning experience for a young Illustrator along the great road so this is what I leave you with. It may not be the most unique in terms of minimal cartooning and stylizing, but it fit the modern look of today's urban motifs they were searching for. Just to much detail.

http://www.tatepublishing.com/tpnic/gallery2010/#

In other news, the front cover of the Children's Book made it into Tate Publishing's 2010 National Illustration Competition so it can get some decent exposure there amongst the ranks thankfully. I am proud to be amongst other hard working image-makers such as Corinne Reid and Erin Miller back at Montserrat, huge congrats to them! 2 spots ahead on me, well done!

2 more weeks will mark the near finishes for all 3 new bird renderings and an older, more expressive painting to pop up and surprise many. Stay tuned folks...

Nevermore

First of all, I would like all fellow friends to acknowledge Danielle Smith for winning 500$ and having a piece of hers chosen for the 2010 Society of Illustrators student catalog. The image is a wonderful mock-up of what Beetle Juice 2!! might have been like. I myself am ( jealous) and overjoyed for her to be apart of such a prestigious competition.

Second..here is finally some progress for the upcoming bird show located at Elissa Della-pianna's Gallery in North Wenham this May. Have no fear, the blue jay will NOT be nearly that saturated.

presents

Christmas presents for the g/f's family. I wrote "katy" right die up intentionally :)