Solitary Monster

Another quick sketch-note for a future personal project...my "Solitary Monster". Maybe "Self Portrait as Dragon"? Just add pink -- ha! If or when I actually do develop this further, I'll have to get some reference for those wings...and fix that hidden hand.

Some of my friends don't quite understand that I actually enjoy my own company -- I like to spend time with me, myself and I. My immediate family knows that about me very well. heh. Having the occasional solitary weekend helps me relax. Drawing, studying, reading, doing chores. I admit that I'm not much for shopping or going out or doing alot of "blah, blah" on the phone, either. Erk. On the other hand, it also makes me a little happier about going to the office to be a little social with the other artists and my co-workers once again once the weekend is done. :) Over the years I've found that I actually do prefer working with a team of artists that I get along with and appreciate, even if we're all working on separate projects individually. You get critiques, a chance to learn from your peers, and a bit of creative chatter. For me at least, it is much better than working completely on my own, even if it meant I could be in my own home studio. I think if I ever went back to 100% freelancing, I would try to get space in a shared artists' studio.

My younger brother asked about doing some web design work for a new site he's wanting to develop. Unfortunately, now is not a good time. I'll see what we can work out. My mom left me a voicemail today to let me know she was up in northern Germany with the Tante's. It sounds like she had a good trip up from Austria. This week is my stepsister's birthday. I'm sending out a card tomorrow...and sending my other siblings a reminder to do the same. ;) You're reminded!

A couple of articles I read the other day about military brats provide some interesting explanations about some typical reactions to certain situations that I hadn't really considered...and gave me some additional insight in part as to why I rejected going into the military myself although that was certainly an option with the scholarship I was offered to West Point when I graduated from high school years ago. There is also a book and a series of online articles by the publisher about military brats that seems to resonate with those that have read it. I may have to check out the book myself. If it's good I'll be sure to recommend it to my brothers and sisters...

Putting it all together...

Today's quick sketch -- designing a personal flying machine. Hey, why not? Great for summer flights of fancy! Having a bit of fun concepting a kind of "one-man band" contraption that has all the bells and whistles for flying. I wonder if I could get it to work...hmm. With all of the "continuing education" experience with my I.D. textbooks, you never know. Yeah, all that studying is making my brain hurt.

This week will have to be my last push to wrap up some of my personal concept projects for my portfolio. It's supposed to be a bit rainy still, so hopefully I will get everything wrapped up like I've got scheduled. This weekend required some at home time on a set of illustrations for work, so I didn't spend the time I'd originally planned for portfolio updates. Ah, well. Also, I have some more freelance illustration work starting in the next couple of weeks for more textbooks, so I really need to get my latest personal stuff finished and everything updated for my portfolio like I've been wanting to for the past few months. Ok, it's been quite a bit longer than that. sigh. I probably will pause the daily mini-sketches for a while so that I can use that 30 minutes or hour (maybe 2) after work to squeeze in time on my book projects again. As it is, I've stopped watching tv except for morning and evening news....

And no games. D'oh!

Hello, Summer

Not the first day of summer just yet, but it's certainly getting hot enough to feel like it. 20 minute quick sketch after a rather long day of busy.

Almost Ready to Fly

Bah, I should just forget about setting deadlines for my own work...I rarely meet them as something always interferes...even if it's only me doing the interfering. ha.

Busy at work, busy at home.

At work, I'm really an elf and it's always Christmas, fa la la la laaaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHCK...! Not really. I'm just a bit off my production schedule but I should catch up again this week since my new projects are slowing down just a bit at last. But, I'm still busy. Looks like my department is getting an intern or two for the summer after all. I'm not sure what changed since I was told repeatedly that we weren't having any interns in my department at all this year, which was a disappointment -- imagine my surprise when I found out a week or so ago that we were having interns after all.

Interesting. Yup.

At home I'm squeezing in a couple of new environment drawings and light studies since I don't have very many new ones to pick from...most of my usual daily work (home studio work as opposed to "office work") I could probably better define as being mostly about character development. Except for the illustration work generally, since that's more of capturing a moment which may or may not have backgrounds but definitely has a character or two. In any case, I can use and re-use the new environments in a couple of my other personal projects. I've posted some progress shots of the various bits. I find it very relaxing when I'm drawing with a pencil...can spend hours just making rocks. Silly me. The rough sketches include the two environment layouts I'm developing.... You can see where I've layed out lines for the buildings that I want to sketch at the proper perspective. Part of my reference is from a photo I took during one of my trips to Europe. The rest is all my imagination.

I've also scanned in the rough layout sketch I'm working from for my "revealed" or unmasked sketch. That's the 2nd rough at the top. If I had more time for development in my home studio (wasn't moving, etc.), I think I'd do it all traditional. Since I don't, I'll do the pencil detail work on paper, and all of the coloring in Photoshop and Painter.

Wheee....

I decided to move at July's end. Haven't decided where just yet. I hate moving, but I enjoy starting out in a new place: arranging furniture, unpacking and sorting, putting up and organizing my library, hanging up pictures, making a home. I may just put everything in storage. Or maybe not. In any case, I may have to postpone my trip to Europe again for another year.

Sigh.