Freelance...from work?

So I was thrown some quick freelance from a designer at work who thought she didn't have the time to just pump little paintings out after getting home at the end of the day. It's small, thirty dollar an hour work but right up my alley. I'd say it just gives me an excuse to listen to Buckethead and imagine pigs playing guitar with him. Luckily this guy works out of Cambridge so I can easily meet up with him and chat about the work if need be. He organizes fun and entertaining events across the north shore and typically needs these spot Illustrations completed right away so he provides excellent challenges.

Orchid

Here is a recent tattoo job I completed for a cool friend up in Salem, NH, in memory of her mother who was fond of Orchids. We both found out how useful Paypal is while going about the process too, yay for online money transfers :)

a new start...2011

Have no fear, there are many more works that need documenting! This is what happens when you have no useful photographer nearby...

These paintings reflect some personal interpretations of crescendo's of various musical groups like Jakob, and Collapse Under The Empire to name a couple. The horizontal one was started last December and has since taken a back seat. This will change.

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 :)