Title: PowerGirl
Size: 8.5 x 11.5″
Medium: Sketchbook
Time: 2 hours
Status: WIP

A quickish one.  I have an inappropriate crush on Power Girl. I am not sure why. I know virtually nothing about her. So I’m convinced its an aesthetic thing.  I’m sure its because on most days, she looks like a porn star.  She really just cracks me up.  And she’s probably the only character in the Superman universe that is even remotely interesting to me.  Plus, if I can do drawings of W’s favourite Marvel girls, then my DC girls deserve some love too!

And between you and I, I think PG is probably my best one yet, which pleases me because it means I am improving. Woot! And I didn’t even make her boobs as big as I could have!   Though, her right hand (artist left) is kind of weak.  But an improvement over the hands I have done in the past.  So I will take what I can get.

I’m probably going to colour her when I have a chance. Doing the Dark Phoenix drawing reminded me how much I miss the Prismas.  Prismas are awesome.

I think I like doing these little sketches.  They are completely fun.  They are also helping to keep me in the game until Thrill The World and my current class is over because let’s face it, I haven’t touched my self-portrait in weeks.  I suspect I won’t until November.  Once things finally calm down around here. Och.  I am quite finished with the last couple of months kicking my ass, thankyewverymuch.

Title: 001
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Smooth
Time: 12 hours
Status: WIP

Ugh. Super busy. Almost have no time to blog.  Really angry that I am so busy.  I will save you from the details and rage.  But I managed to force some work on this. Result?  Nose is pissing me off.

Title: 001
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Smooth
Time: 9.5 hours
Status: WIP

Ugh, its been since June 24th since I posted any work or works in progress here. Crazy. I needed to take the summer off, I suppose.  At any rate, I’m back at the self-portrait.  I’ve probably put about three or so hours into it since picking my pencil back up.  I’m pleased with the progress.  And I am still in love with my lead holders.

I have been seriously neglecting this blog. But, in my own defense, I have been busy. My manager was recently let go, so work has been a bit insane. A good insane, but insane nonetheless. There have been many projects and process improvements that had been stalled because of managerial roadblocks. So with those roadblocks removed, I have been tasked to get a lot of shit done in a very short time frame. Still, once in place, they will make my life MUCH easier.

Beyond work, TTW Calgary has been keeping me pretty busy. Along with the poster design, I also did much of the web design for the site*. Go look! It is very, very similar to the poster design because CG and I figured it would be smart to keep our brand consistent. It’s kinda basic, but I love it in ways that are sick and wrong. Hee.

As for the event itself, we are about a nano-second away from announcing the location (as well as a possible – completely awesome – sponsor). CG has a meeting with the potential sponsor and the location folks on Friday to talk logistics. The location is perfect and would probably hold a lot of dancing zombies if our numbers were high. With any luck, by the end of the weekend, we can finally start advertising the event. We only have two months left  (!!!!) so getting a handle on the advertising is key at this point. And ya know, maybe learning the dance. Oi.

And for anyone in Calgary, you should really participate in this event. DANCING ZOMBIES! FUNS! Also, if you are so inclined, we could use a couple volunteers. Details on the website!

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While I await the delivery of my fabulous new art books, I have been doing a bit of introspection.  Ok, that’s not true. I’m always doing some sort of introspection. Anyone who has read this blog in any type of way could tell you that.  I’m an self-flagellating introspective girl, always have been.  Anyway, in recent days, I have been trying to put my finger on what my problem is lately. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I have been producing jackshit.  I could sugarcoat it with postulations about how I am trying to get my current series just right, but the fact is…

Jack meet shit.

Part of me wants to blame my Dad’s death on the whole thing. But that would be the easy route.  A cop out almost.  And really, I think it started before that.  Since before I even finished the Colin piece, my productivity has been tanking.  I mean, it took almost four months to finish that drawing.  That’s slow even for me.  Another clue about my meager productivity is this blog. If you look back through the archives (don’t, its boring), there is more text than update images lately.   That’s pretty telling because frankly, I don’t think people give a rat’s ass about anything I might say. I just don’t.  And looking at an image is easy and faster, especially in this instant gratification era.

I’d like to be able to blame the messiness of my studio. But I haven’t really used my studio (as a studio) since we moved in November.  So that would be yet another cop out.

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Title: 001
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Smooth
Time: 6.5 hours
Status: WIP

I had an update yesterday with a photo and everything. Only when I went to grab the photo off my SD card, I discovered that my internal card reader on my computer seemed to be borked.  The SD card still worked in my camera. And thankfully, my nanosecond of card reading panic didn’t last very long as I managed to pick up a new external card reader at Best Buy. So voila, photo update!

I think I have made a decision about the skin texture. I’m not going to mirror the reference image.  And while maybe that sounds like I am being lazy (and let’s face it, that probably is partly true), my primary reason for not replicating it as realistically as I probably could is because I am so anal and so tight with my drawing as it is and I just don’t wanna add yet another layer of that shit.

In the last few years, I have become so tight when I draw that it is very, very difficult to step outside the box. I struggle with it a lot.  I think this is probably why I also struggle with sketching for the sake of sketching.  There was a time when I used to be able to veer off the road a bit and explore my creativity in a less restrictive way, but now I am firmly planted on the road. From a creativity and artistic standpoint, it can be limiting and frustrating.  I think I need to remember what it was like to be more creativity. I just really don’t know how to do that.

I’ve considered working my way through The Artist’s Way.  I have it. I have had it for about two years. I just never found the time to work through it.  Mostly because I was awful at the daily commitment aspect (and I need to wrap my head around the author’s use of the word, God – but that is really neither here nor there).  But, I dunno. Maybe the book/program is something I need?! I like to think I have a daily commitment, but let’s face facts, my daily commitment is sketchy at best.  Since I am not currently in school, it would probably be helpful to have some sort of structure. Even at this level.

Anyone work through The Artist’s Way? If so, what have your experiences been like? Would you recommend it?

Title: 001
Size: 11 x 14″
Medium: Graphite on Bristol Smooth
Time: 4.45 hours
Status: WIP

I’ve done a few more hours on this baby. It’s been particularly challenging. The reference image is deliberately tight and close in on my face and as such, I can see every little pore and imperfection of my skin. While kind of distracting on a personal, self-conscious level, I am considering capturing the texture as much as I can. I know this will mean that the drawing will take even longer to complete, but I think it might be a rewarding challenge.

I’m also not as unhappy with the size of the eyes as I have been. Now that I am laying down the value, the eyes are starting to look a little less beady, and a little more accurate. So this pleases me.

What does not please me is that my work ethic has not yet improved. I am still only working on my lunch break, which is entirely too lame to talk about. I desperately need to start “scheduling time”. Things would go much faster if I actually worked on the drawing.

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