Even a single hair casts its shadow

So I drew 36 of my friends' hairstyles :)

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Spaghetti Western

This is so appropriate now that I've just finished a bowl of spaghetti! Well, we had a one week assignment which went like this: using one of the five preselected paintings deemed suitable for this project as a springboard, create a wordless story with 12 images.

We were meant to use the colours from the painting as well, but I didn't follow that part of the brief as closely as I could have I suppose... hmm...

It still needs tweaking... I'd like to draw out the beginning really to show that the cowboy was in the middle of a card game that was interrupted by the Flying Spaghetti Monster's presence before the series of western-style ages-before-anything-happens poses.

I've grown rather attached to this cowboy character... I may well use him again...

And here I shall include the prep work for a few of the pages. See if you can decipher them as they are coded in Nicole-brain-language (not too different from binary really...).

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Chaaaanges

I need easy access to a scanner. That would make updating a lot less annoying/boring for everyone involved really >:/

Soooo, basically recently I've been revising my work and methods and other shabizzle and I've decided that I'm not happy with the way that I work. I'm getting sick of the flowy, delicate way that I do things. But I think that really I just want a change of content more than 'style' -- because (I like to believe) the way I work adapts to the subject matter of a piece. I need to release the raw, gritty, manly stuff (....or somethin....lol). So today I've been drawing other stuff that interests me but that I never draw.

Sit tight! Scans soon to come (I hope!).

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Lula Girl

I think my personal style has changed a lot over the past few months. Well, no. It hasn't changed so much as I've been "exercising my right to express myself through the medium of fashion" to put it in the most pseudo-revolutionary and/or self-empowering-sounding way possible! haha

So, taking a tip from kantieb0, I think I may start drawing(/photographing?) my outfits and such...as I love them all so dearly.
...Does that make me sound shallow?? I don't mean to.. I'm not really... Hmm... Oh well, who cares! It means more art. Surely that's a good thing. All stigmas can be forgotten! HUZZAH!
And I suspect having now found Lula shall only exacerbate the problem...

What can I say? I like fashion. It's true :|

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Reading

I need to do more reading for my Literature Review (which is basically dissertation practice for me as I plan to carry on the subject I'm doing for my Literature Review into my dissertation). I tend get midway through books and then stop reading no matter how interesting the book is. I don't know why. I have at least (literally!!) 10 or so books I need finish... I always get around to it eventually, though..(Speaking of, there are also a few more books I want to start...so maybe I should finish some books before adding to the list of unfinished ones...)
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Alice night

Been working on posters for an Alice night. Overall not too pleased to be honest. I tend to like my sketches more than my finished work, but even more so recently it seems. I may upload more of the sketches later; but here's one I turned straight into a poster proposal.


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postcards!

Well, I got postcards of four selected works printed. How does £2ea. sound? :)

Okay! I know it's been a while and I said that I'd have something to post last week... Well I did have something to post last week (this information about postcards!), but I just never got around to taking pictures and posting... Delinquent, I know! But I'm doing okay if I post at least once every month, right? It could be like the monthly post or something. So, really, I'm pretty on the ball! haha, nono, I'll keep it together and post more regularly.. I just have to get my act together.. get myself to a scanner.. take more photos... do more CG...
Basically, I have to just do!

I'm workin' on it! ;)

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not much to say yet

Okay, first week back complete! I've been reluctant to post any entries as I have nothing to post! I have no pictures, no photos and nothing to say. For this, I sincerely apologise. I can, however, promise you that there shall be things to come shortly (possibly as soon as next week).

In other - non-art-related - news, I bought myself a lovely (but expensive) dress. Its loveliness shall distract me from the price tag...(oh dear!). I don't do things like that often, though. And I'll make up for it by not buying anything else for a while so I figure it's okay.
But I can't say it was exactly an "impulse buy"! I'd been eyein' it up since June and pining for it all summer...hoping against hope that it would be there when I returned and be one of the pieces affected by the "70%off sale" that was going on storewide.. Seriously! Why is it the thing you want most is almost always immune to the sale tags!?? Criminal.

Anyway, these things are far less interesting to you than to me and far more suited to my personal journal than my art blog so I shall be off now and leave you to ponder the goodies I have in store for you in the form of ideas and (at this point, undrawn) pictures! Oouulaa!

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Plotting...huhuhu

I started this a few days ago, but I don't think I'll be finishing it any time soon.. It was mostly just a relaxing painting exercise anyway.I have some plans for this year.. I still have to wrap up some of yesteryear's dealings, but I've got plans.

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Also, my 12 year old brother catches wild snakes...with his bare hands!

Paintchat

I quite like paintchat, but I haven't done it in years. So yesterday I tried it out again. The tools all feel a bit different from oC and there's no 'undo' button, but you can draw with people, see what other people are drawing and how they work, and do collabs. And chat, of course.
It's weird how my paintchat stuff is always either just sketchy grey outlines or super out-of-character colourfulness haha!
Anyway, if ever you want to join me for a session, I'm either here or here. Or let me know where you usually hang out :)

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Can't draw...so I went to the movies!

ARGH! I can't draw! I only have my A6 sketchbook with me and I usually work in an A4. I didn't realise that I didn't have any sketchbooks at home. And I just happened to have the A6 in my bag when I flew back over here.
It's not just that, though. Even if I did have an A4 with me, I have no ideas in my head. I sort of feel like drawing (but even the will to physically pick up a pencil is fading at the moment). How annoying. I don't know if it's more laziness or lack of confidence, but I won't get into that one. Alls I know is that I'm not producing anything of any worth and this is disconcerting at best.
All of that basically means that my work, for the time being, is all for technical purposes. Mostly exercises in mechanical aspects of what I do rather than any conceptual stuff.

In other news, I saw Inglourious Basterds today with my mum. WOWZA! Good film!! I mean, Bravo, Mr. Tarantino! I highly recommend it. Humorous and suspenseful - if a bit gory! (but that's Tarantino, isn't it?) - and just very well done. Only one complaint (something that isn't a criticism really), but I don't want to be giving away the plot. Just go see it! You won't be disappointed ; )


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21 August

so....it's mah birthday :)
took me a whoppin' 2 decades, but I'm finally 20! hah

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To twit...Or not to twit?

That is the question.

Actually, the question is "What's the point of Twitter?".
I don't understand.. I know virtually nothing about it other than it is the status part of Facebook. Social networking and such is important for artists and all that, but is it worth becoming a Tweeting Twitter Twit? :/

Hmm.. I have my doubts...

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Year1 Final Major Project: Hodgepodge

I love how I'm like super (pseudo-)productive during my birthday month lolz

Hodgepodge: 12pages + title page

I'm proud of myself for getting so much done considering the situation I was in at the time and all that...but the story had to be severely abridged and I'm not happy with that.. I hope I'll go back and fix it later, but I know myself well. And that is unlikely.

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Peepers Peeled!

The heat (32°C/90°F) really is making me lackadaisical (at least that's the excuse we'll use.. haha). Inspiration has mostly left me and I'm searching for energy, but I am working on many somethings. Keep your eyes peeled! ;)

I believe I have a wing-addiction. Surely those wings are too tiny to be of any use...

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trying to get back in the groove

Drawing blanks for subject matter, but I'm trying to see if I can still operate a pencil and tablet pen... hum...

When I get back to Cardiff I want to try messing around with markers/paints (and colour!) a bit more... I just don't like getting messy (such a pansy.. lolz (actually I just don't like cleaning up afterwards....)).

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Laziness Taking Hold?!

OMG! LAZINESS, GO AWAY! I think it's the heat.

I want to work on a short animation this year. I'll do some character profiles and whatnot later to keep myself creatively active (since I've just basically been lounging about lately) and post them later.

Hmm..I've been a little worried about money lately. I really need a job! Ideally, I'd want to do commissions for cash, but I'm kinda not feeling it at the moment. Ugh!

Here's a little something from June.

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Curried Pineapple Banana Bread

HELLO!

It has been a while hasn't it! Well, I'm not going to apologise or explain. I had good reason and those reasons are my own. So there!

. . .

Ahaha! No, just kiddin'! Stuff just got very busy and I moved out of my flat!! I'm now in my own house (yay!) and settling in very well (I love it so much!).
I've got lots to say, but if I do I fear you'll all fall asleep so I'll try to summarise:
I bought a sewing machine and some fabric to try my hand at making my own clothes (eee!) and I'm going to Paris for a few days with some friends (eee!!). I want to really take advantage of (A)being on this side of the world and (B)not needing a Schengen Visa any more(eee!!!)!

I'm feeling very artsy right now.. But more tactile artsy than my usual drawing self..hmm
I have a lot of ideas in my head at the moment.. (Hopefully that means I'll post regularly!)

Oh yeh, my final major project! I finished it in time (although it had to be seriously abridged!...hm...). I ended up with 12 pages of Hodgepodge comic and I hope to do more with that shortly ;)

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I feel the need to bake!

Final Major Project

So I'm meant to be working on my first year FMP now! I've decided to do a comic (Hodgepodge) for it. It will be on CD and (here's where it gets interesting?/complicated perhaps) I want both animated chapters and still page chapters.. Does anyone know any programs that could make the CD contents look really funky? A dreamweaver sort of thing for CD-making.....Anyone??
And I'd want to design a funky CD case, extra bits and bobs and everything (which I've done before.. not just the regular jewelled-case thing where you slip the paper in; it was proper origami style, man! haha)! I'm actually pretty excited.

Although, if I get about 25/30pages done (which is sort of my aim...), I would like to make a perfect bound book as well (using lulu.com).. My only problem, I think, is getting ideas together for it all and deciding how the animated parts will be done (stylistically)...

In other news, I'm having a really funky week!

:D YES!

Hopefully I'm not biting off more than I can chew...Well, I've got 5weeks left to do it in; let's give it a good go!

♥

UPDATE: Side B: The Music Lover's Anthology

I've been so all over the place lately! Arg!

Well, lots of good things have been happening with Side B: The Music Lover's Anthology.

http://www.poseurink.com/sideb/

There was talk about pre-order codes and stuff. Unfortunately, with my being away from things for a bit, I've been negligent with supplying information about all that..

Format: Trade Paperback, 232 pages
Pre-order: Diamond Order Code APR090973*
In Stores: June 3rd, 2009
Price: $22.99 USD
ISBN: 978-0-615-22080-2
*use this code at your local comic shop to pre-order the book! (Click here to find your local comic shop)

Check it out! Check it out! Check it out!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Also, I made an 8 page book out of the Maggie Milly Molly May project using Lulu.com. I like the way it looks in print, but I still really love the way it looks on a big screen as a slideshow... I'll have to consider all that for the upcoming NARRATIVE project. hmmm...

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Making Meaning: Complete Myths: MMMM

The module isn't like.. someone enjoying food ("mmmm" lol) it's just an acronym (Maggie and Milly and Molly and May). I've got lots of work I'm supposed to be doing so let's get right too it! (comment with any questions)

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

maggie and milly and molly and may

current project: Making Meaning & Complete Myths:
illustrating the E. E. Cummings poem "maggie and milly and molly and may" for an adult audience. +incorporate The Idea of Logical Proof

I'm still not positive how I'll incorporate the Idea of Logical Proof.. Not so much because it's difficult to do, but I just haven't thought much about it yet.

Here are a few of the first preliminary/brainstorming sketches (before we were given our "Idea"s):

There's A Madhouse In My Head

sketches from one of our current projects (Making Meaning/Complete Myths)

When I can't think of anything to do for a project, I just scribble stuff with my beloved dip pen and usually something usable comes out. This page has actually been particularly helpful to me, so I'm sharing it :)

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Side B: The Music Lover's Anthology

Last year I submitted a short comic to Poseur Ink's "Side B: The Music Lover's Comic Anthology" and the book should be available in stores on June 3rd(!) so check it out:

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Animation tests

ANIMATION TESTS! testing the equipment and timing and....and mostly just messin about really! haha
There were more but two of them never got animated.

Splodge (animatic/animated storyboard)


random/unplanned animation (lol)


Look kids! It's the MAGICAL JUMPING FILING CABINET! hahaha (even though it's incredibly short and pointless, I actually rather like this one)


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Robots: cut-out animation

Animation project: Robots

I have to fix the timing and figure out how to add sound!!

Wish I had more to post. I'll have to remember to get all my drawn-animation clips from the computer at uni at some point.
edit: added the sound!!

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