MissHarm.com

Looking Back at 2011 - Elevation and Quiet

2012-01-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

I remember being pretty bummed out at the beginning of this year. A lot of lame things were going on. 2010 was a bad year for jobs for me. I had been unemployed for the first few months since I my graphic design gig fizzled at the end of 2009. I did a temp job and a sales job back to back, before ending up at Wells Fargo as a temp at the end of the year. I wasn't terribly optimistic for 2011 for improvement, I really felt like I was just picking pieces back up and trying to get them in order. 2010 was a miserable rollercoaster at times. I really just wanted to get a sense of stability.

And in 2011 I got it.

I enjoyed my temp job at Wells. I indexed account documents, so I was able to listen to audio books and podcasts like there was no tomorrow. I listened to a little over 50 books I don't think I would have read otherwise. My fellow temps were, and still are, amazing people. It was a chill gig until a contact from last year offered me a position at the casino she works at. Which was an amazing opportunity for which I am still grateful she thought of me.

My art health has been better too. I remember in 2010 having a hard time defining why I draw art when now and then it didn't actually make me happy. I don't think I draw as much now, in 2011, but I'm much happier with what I do draw. I'm happy with my spirituality, and how my work flows through me, however slow or fast it happens to be. I was invited to an art show called RAW, which was an amazing event, and I held a table at Animeland Makiba. I already have plans to do conventions more often this year.

I also feel I've become quieter, artwise and speaking. I think there is a pressure to produce produce produce as an artist. To be prolific, and talk a lot about art. "Maintain a presence," they say. "Post art, post sketches, be active on forums, do things all the time," they say. Which lead me to set a lot of unrealistic goals for my art, and make a lot of time consuming commitments to maintaining comments on art sites. Even now I'm doing my best to look at every single art on my devwatch on Deviantart (10,000+ pieces!). I feel I've become wiser by letting those things go. I will speak when I am certain I have something I want to say. And I will draw when I feel I need to finish it. My goals are to make art that's important to me, and share it with people that want to see it - pushing art out harder doesn't make it better. Not for me anyway. There are some pieces I never even posted... It's just not necessary anymore to show everyone everything. I will keep some things for myself. :)

2012
I hope to launch a small comic project. I'll have some bigger paintings brought back to the front burner that I left unfinished. And I want to return to writing regularly. I have a story I still haven't decided if I will leave in novel form, or move to the undertaking that is a graphic novel.

I think this year will be a good one.
I sincerely wish everyone a happy new year.

NaNoWriMo 2011

2011-11-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I tried, but I will not be finishing this month. I had wanted to get finished before the last weekend, but I won't have time to squeeze out another 7k before the end of the month with studying for a test for my job.

It's been fun though! 50k words wasn't enough for my endeavor anyway. :) I'll have to continue it outside of this month.

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Convention - Animeland Makiba

2011-09-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

A little more than a week ago was Animeland Makiba, a small-ish anime convention local to Las Vegas. It was held at Palace Station on Labor Day weekend and I had an artist alley table there.

Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures of the con. I missed most of Friday because I couldn't get the day off, and was supposed to leave early but couldn't because of an emergency. I was there all of Saturday, but pulled out Sunday morning.

I busted my knee BEFORE the dance on Saturday night. I was so fucking mad because I missed Jinnai's DJ set. :( I was so upset because I had to be babied for almost 3 hours because I couldn't walk on my own. My knee just slid out of place and I fell faster than a sack of potatoes.

I want to thank Ray, Brandon and Treiz for bringing me a bandage, ice and water, helping me limp to and fro, and for staying with while I cried and said "fuck" a lot.

I had a lot of fun at the con. I met up with a few friends I hadn't seen in a very long time, and got to talk to some folks I've seen at other cons but never had a real chance to sit down and talk to. I met lots of cool people. There was a cute auction thing that quickly got silly. And I listened a bit to Midnight Shinigami - kick ass cover band - between drinks at the bar before the dance.

I met up with Jin (Katsuhiko Jinnai), who also DJ's and was a doll helping me watch the table and keeping me entertained during slow times. I also met up briefly with Mark and Johnny, who host Video Game Masters on Youtube and reviewed the con. (Thanks for the plug in the video guys!)

I had a great time. I definitely want to attend again, and volunteer if they'll have me!

Tumblr and Con

2011-08-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Couple of things going on!

I've been horsing around with Tumblr a lot lately. Seems it got pretty popular among my friends and artists I like. I have two - Sketches, Sometimes Daily which is the art and sketch blog, and a reblog called Thrifan. Sketches, Sometimes Daily recently posted all the stuff I did for the recent Sketchfest (example to the left!).

I've been gearing up for Animeland Makiba on September 2. Kind of frazzled since some stuff I ordered isn't here yet, but then I did order kind of late. Hopefully I'll have everything I need, but, more importantly, I hope I can sell it. :P I have a new sketchbook to publish.

I've also been kicking around the idea of a weekly comic, though time doesn't really allow for that often. I'm trying to bank a few before actually posting, but that's making me realize how slow I am at putting out comics. Or anything for that matter.

There is some new art coming down the pipes. A lot of stuff is in mid-way progress. Hopefully once the con passes, I'll be able to share some.

RAW Las Vegas: Illuminare - Pictures!

2011-08-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

In this post are pictures of the event that have my work or me in them. For more pictures of the event as a whole, check out the folder on Flickr.

It was a lot of fun. I met lots of cool people like the other artists, such as Pierre Molangi, director Ross Martin, and Mitzie Vita. Food was really good at Tommy Rocker's, and I can never argue with cheap drinks! Ryan, my other half, bought a painting from Mitzie and some jewelry for me there. I wasn't expecting to sell anything really, but did sell some of my books, a few art cards, and some prints!

It was a really inspiring and exciting night. I won't be showing at the RAW show here this month, but I'll certainly be attending! I'm excited to see what other artists will be there!

RAW Las Vegas: Illuminaire

2011-07-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'll be in the RAW Las Vegas Showcase: Illuminaire this Thursday. Come by and say hello!

Information about the event and ticket sales is OVER HERE.

Show and Tell Friday: Hammer and Wheat

2011-05-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, a few weeks ago, I drew this. Then I burned it.

I usually don't take pictures of sacrifices, let alone share them, but I felt like sharing some of what I do to honor my spirituality.

I draw pictures of symbols sacred to the powers I'd like to gain favor with, or show appreciation to. I start the drawings knowing I will be putting them into a fire, so I'm not making something I'd be worried about preserving.

I like watching the art for sacrifice burn. Fire transforms it, taking all the soul of the thing away and putting it into wind and earth. I can think of no better way to send something to another realm of reality. It's leaving my domain and entering the realm to whom I dedicate it to.

I don't feel bad burning art created for this purpose because that is the purpose. It's meant to leave this place and go elsewhere. I feel similarly when I draw for someone else as a gift or a trade. That piece is leaving me - once it's out of my hands, I really don't have any control over its fate. Whether the person cares for it, or loses it, is really out of my hands. The fact I gave them the piece, and the fact they enjoyed it, is what's important to me.

Gifts are important in my spirituality. Friendship isn't about owing someone, or keeping tabs, but... more about building a bond through gifts and support. So to completely and entirely give over a gift in sacrifice... to me, that is the highest way I can honor my Lord and Lady.

From the Gods to the Earth to Us,

From Us to the Earth to the Gods,

A Gift for a Gift

Show and Tell Friday: Time Lapse Videos

2011-04-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

I had a barrage of videos on youtube. I have two channels, one for fanart, one for original art.

The fanart channel has been updated with a few recent art cards of Pokemon. Playing the new games has been really fun and rubbing off on me. There are five new videos in there.

See more on my fanart channel.

This is the only recent new video for the original art channel. It is a time lapse of my half of an art card exchange with Nakase.

Besides this, there are four new videos that are actually of older art. They are older because I kept meaning to dub commentary over them but... Well, I hate my own voice too much. Silence is better! Or listen to some smooth jazz or whatever in your own music library.

See more on my original art channel.

Show and Tell Friday: More Books

2011-03-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

More books, more books.

Here are some more I enjoyed.

• Dracula
Original vampires bro.
I mostly just enjoy the way the story is told. It's entirely in the context of letters, diary entries, and notes. Btw, Dracula is soooo not hot.

• Sea Wolf
I hated this book when I had to read it at age... 12? I was too depressed to care about anything that wasn't sparkly at that age. Now that I'm an adult, I can enjoy the finer things in life, like ass kicking. The Sea Wolf kicks all kinds of ass.

•Jim Dale
This is not a book. This is a dude that reads books like woah. Anything he has performed is awesome. All of Harry Potter, Around the World in 80 Days, Alice in Wonderland...! He's an amazing actor.

Show and Tell Friday: Wait and Hope

2011-03-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

By now, everyone's heard about the tragedy in Japan.

I usually don't look at the news because I find a lot to cry and despair over, or get unnecessarily angry over. So I was kind of late finding out about Japan's massive earthquake. I did cry, kind of a lot, over the videos of destruction and some of the heartbreaking news coming out of the country.

While a lot of people are being possitive, praying for Japan and wishing them the best, as well as donating, I've seen a large population of internet folks saying outlandishly hurtful and ignorant things like "serves them right, pearl harbor" or "PRAYING DOES NOTHING!" A group of nice folks on Gaia started a thread to fold cranes in Japan's honor, and immediately folks, both trolls and serious folks, started nay-saying, proclaiming folding cranes is completely useless, and well wishing never helped anyone and.... blah. Only the almighty dollar can help anyone now.

So I thought I'd write about why folding cranes and praying doesn't "do nothing."

First, folks that write off praying and wellwishing as useless seem to assume anyone doing it DOESN'T donate as well. I did contribute to the relief fundraisers, and I'm sure a lot of other folks did.

If folks can't donate, raising awareness of the situation over there, and sharing condolences is a very compassionate thing to do. Donating time may not have a material effect, but the emotional effect is there.

Well wishing is important on its own. Or else no one would send each other "get well soon" cards when someone is sick, or say "my condolences" when someone loses a loved one or suffers tragedy. No it doesn't bring back the dead or cure anyone, but neither will money, and the people of Japan are going to need a lot of emotional support while they wait for the relief to work and rebuild. It is also to help us grieve, because a lot of us are very sad about what happened to a whole lot of people. Japan is going to need more than money to heal... it's going to need time and hope. It will be costly to rebuild, but it'll need a lot of time and hope too.

Earlier this week, I included a small burnt offering of incense and cranes during one of my rituals. It's easy to forget my life is pretty friggin' sweet, and has had few tumultuous times. And my heart, and support when I can spare it, goes out to Japan, Haiti, Egypt and the other countries that are suffering various hardships, where things aren't safe, or where people are killed or dying.

"The sum of all human wisdom will be contained in these two words: Wait and Hope." ~Alexandre Dumas in the Count of Monte Cristo.

Japan Relief Links:

Art for Japan
Red Cross

International Medical Corps

Salvation Army

Convoy of Hope

If you are a user on Gaia like I am, you can buy some doodads for your avatar who's purchase goes to support relief efforts.

Show and Tell Friday: Favorite Three Books

2011-03-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact: It's my anniversary. Ryan and I have been a couple for 6 years.

In other news, I thought of something I wanted to write about. Whee.

I'm listening to books on audio. I've gotten through 42 at the moment. So here are my three all time favorite books. These haven't changed, and probably won't.

3. Dune
I kind of hate the movie. I didn't expect much when I started reading it because of that, but I fell in love with the world, the characters, and the cultures of Arrakis and beyond. The relationships between people and politics are so much more nuanced and refined than they are in the movie. The characters are so much richer, deeper and more dimensional. The book is amazing.

Rewatched the movie since reading it. I don't hate it anymore. It's still kind of bad though.

2. Wuthering Heights
It's probably the most haunting romance ever. I love the writing style. I love the storytelling. And I love that the romance is not sappy and mushy. It's cruel, angry, frustrated love that sounds completely miserable to be in, but at the same time echoes your own feelings if you've ever loved someone you can't imagine being without.

...And I'm a girl. Sometimes.

1. The Count of Monte Cristo
If you saw the movies, you still don't know what the Count of Monte Cristo is. It's a very long book, but so much happens, the landscape constantly changes, and so many characters populate the world, it doesn't feel like a long book to me. I'm meaning to listen to this one again sometime soon.

Sushi Love

2011-03-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

This was going to be for Illustration Friday, Layer, but I goofed up and ended up being too late for it.

I loooove sushi.

This is in marker and pen. Haven't used markers in a while.

The original is available on Etsy.

And goofy stuff is available on Zazzle.

Show and Tell Friday: Tattoo!

2011-01-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I got me a tattoo.

The original design is the last picture in this entry: on the left is my sketch, and the right is the tattoo artist's clean up and streamline version. And, of course, the one on my flesh is the final product! it's on my ankle.

It's the Hammer of Thor, with a stick of wheat and a red jewel to represent his wife, Sif, who has done wonderful things for my life. :) So this is a tribute to my faith and a physical manifestation of my professing.

I've never had a tattoo. I was afraid it would hurt so much I would cry or puke or something. It didn't. He started on the far left, and I thought that wasn't so bad. But when he got towards my ankle bone, that hurt something fierce. And the line art hurts more than the shading I think, because lineart is a million needles in a tiny area. Shading is the same number, but spread out.

So yup. That's my experience. I enjoyed it a lot. I love the result. I think it's beautiful, and I'm already thinking about what will be the next tattoo for the other ankle. :)

2010 Review and 2011 Oath Ring

2011-01-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

Truth be told, 2010 kind of sucked for me.

There were plenty of good times. But there were some brand new lows. I was unemployed for more than I'd care to admit. All the employment I did manage to get was temp work. There was a month where I was full time, doing marketing, but the job made me... so so unhappy I quit. I struggled with some health issues that had seemed to have no real cause and had vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared. Another health issue has been following me on and off ALL YEAR, and still remains today. My art output tapered to nothing most months because of the health issues and work (or lack there-of) stress. I lost interest completely in my spirituality for a while, and completely stopped doing exercise. Finally, since I had a difficult financial year, I won't be able to make any of my out-of-state convention trips. 2011 will be the first Further Confusion I miss since 2002. I've gone to that convention every year since high school.

So for this next year, I definitely have points I want to improve upon.

I think a lot of the problems I had was that I was focusing on a goal, rather than better habits to get those goals. I've always had trouble planning things out, even though I kind of do like planning things. Thing is, it's hard to plan things out when there's just... so much that kept changing last year. But whatever change there was, I probably should have changed with it. I let a lot of things that went wrong get to me, and bother me, and completely slow me down. That needs to... not happen anymore. Ha.

In spirituality news...

I made an Oath Ring the last week of 2010 and professed myself to the Aesir and Vanir of the Asatru. I had never professed. I had made a promise in college to study Heathenism, and not pledge until I was certain it was the only path, because to profess is to pledge exclusive loyalty and faith. I have studied and meditated, and I do believe this is the path for me. All the values taught by Asatru resonate with me. I've prayed and sacrificed, and the spirits and gods respond. I know, without a doubt, that many gods and powers live in the world - but these are the gods that walk with me and guide me.

On this Oath Ring I will swear all my sacred promises on - beginning with my most important resolutions for this year. Beginning with revitalize my art, draw my comic projects I've put off, reconnect with my inner self, and exercise my outer self.

Show and Tell Friday: NaNoWriMo

2010-11-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

Scribbling this before we go out to dinner and a show.

So this month I've started National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. Profile here.

It's great spastic fun. I've started a few times in previous years, I finished once in 2008 out of the four or five years I've tried it. I hope I can finish this year.

This year I'm putting down into words the idea for a comic I have. Ideally when it's done, I'll comb it out and refine it so I can use it as a guide and script when I start drawing.

I also want to finish doing this with the 2008 story, which I did start drawing for a time while I was doing the Sequential Endurance Comp.

The beginning of this one, I have tried several times to draw, and I think I've finally settled on how I want it to look. There are a lot of bits of story I want to do, but I'm horrible at connecting them. Hopefully, that's where writing them out will help out.

Cheers to the other folks doing NaNo! LET'S FINISH!

Show and Tell Friday: Blizzcon

2010-10-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

So Blizzcon kicked my ass.

More pictures are on Flickr.

Ryan and I spent last weekend at Blizzcon. Most of the time, we watched the tournaments for Starcraft II, which were REALLY impressive! Day9, Artosis and Tasteless did awesome commentary. I've known of all three commentators before this, so it was really cool to see them broadcasting in person. My favorite Starcraft match was between Boxer and FruitDealer - which wasn't part of the main tournament. My favorite tournament match was definitely Loner and Nextgenius - the final tournament. The two contenders were so evenly matched and precise it was amazing to see them outwit each other.

The Warcraft 3 tournaments were kind of awful though. One went for an hour and a half overtime - it was a slow awful stalemate.

I'm really looking forward to the new custom maps they'll be putting out, especially Starjeweled.

The Blizzcon website has lots of pictures of the events, especially the costume and dance contest.

And Tenacious D was dude, totally awesome.

My car started falling apart a little driving home. The splash guard dragged on the drive all the way back, and a headlight went out. Both of which are fixed now.

The drive also made me realize that LA is not that far away, nor is San Diego. The drive is very tolerable, and doesn't quite eat up the whole day. Maybe some conventions in SoCal are possible. I'd much prefer to drive to a con, able to bring my own shit, rather than fly where I'm limited with bags and charge much more for shipping. And with my hybrid, I can't argue with the $60 round trip cost! Much better than 150 plus baggage, and the ache of being on someone else's resources.

Show and Tell Friday: Lonely Artist Rehab!

2010-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Posting this ahead of time since this friday, I'll be at Blizzcon!

So lately I've been trying to get back into being social. A lot of artsy crap I've been doing is solitary, and subsequently, I get lonely. One of the big chats I used to go to I haven't been engaged in since I work when most of the members are active. I've fallen off every forum I've ever posted, and I even fell off my art communities.

Bad Erika!

I don't know why, but when I browse art, it almost NEVER occurs to me to comment on it. I respond to it in my head, but I realized today I never really give any feedback.

So I added getting more social to the list of shit I want to do. While it's probably a good thing I don't spend lots of time reading threads and looking at fanart, it sucks that I miss the people I've known for upwards of 10 years on the internet. And I want to keep those relationships. And I want my art to have playmates - other people's art - like I did in college.

I finally had a free friday night on the 16th, which happened to be Ellen's Sketchfest, a 24 hour sketch challenge where folks posts prompts, and other folks draw sketches/art based on those prompts. There's a groovy little comment system too. The two pics here are my two sketches for the prompts Lonely Souls and Poison Ivy. It was refreshing to just... draw something. I didn't have to set time aside for it, didn't have to plan it, I just got to DO it. Which is a rare thing for me these days. Seeing other artist's interpretations also was refreshing to my creative guts.

So I hope I can continue with this, mingling, and keep up the spontaneous art and connection with something resembling a community. Time management is my main downfall, but when sometimes... it doesn't have to be.

Day of Remembrance: Leif Erikson

2010-10-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hail the memory of Leif Erikson, explorer of Vinland! :)

Day of Remembrance: Erik the Red

2010-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hail the memory of Erik the Red, founder of Greenland!

Quick speedpaint for today.

Show and Tell Friday: New Art

2010-10-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

So the other day when I was trying to get my shit together, I was looking at the files of recent art. I was surprised to see I hadn't done much new art in the past 4 months. Not just "gee, I hadn't thought about it" surprised but "seriously, shit is missing" surprised.

And I realized, art WAS missing, in so far as I didn't have a scan or a picture of some of them. It wasn't missing in that I knew exactly where they went. So I took a picture, and here it is.

This is where they went - into a fire. This is a small tin I use to burn offerings in. These are the remnants of the recent burning. They are offerings to my path, and the deities I pledge faith to.

For someone that usually archives and re-archives art on an almost obsessive compulsive basis, it was a weird feeling realizing I sort of didn't "back it up" this time.

I didn't intend to make copies, to share, in the first place - I wanted to give them straight over as soon as I was done drawing them, surrender the piece in immediacy. I burned them in the spirit that they were a private gift, and something I could never go back on. The first time I ever burned a piece, three months ago, it was hard to do. I half wanted to keep it, but it was a promised piece, I pledged it before I started it - and my faith respects pledges as forever binding. But watching it burn was an amazing feeling too. Watching the thin line of the ember crawl across the paper, sucking the color out of it and leaving white ash behind. The art really does transmute under fire. It becomes the shell that carried the soul, and the soul is in it's destination now. It's going to the next realm, to serve new masters - and that is my highest wish for a piece in offering.

I usually look at my archives to remember what I've drawn, so not having a scan of those pieces kind of does feel like a gap in my time line because my headcount is off. But I don't feel bad not "saving" them first - they don't need to be saved, they are exactly where they need to be.

IF - Immovable

2010-08-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Haven't done Illustration Friday (or... anything) in quite some time, so here's some illustrationy goodness.

Largely inspired by my recent comic art... which is hidden for now... :)

A knight is made immovable by time and tree.

Show and Tell Friday: Weekly Walking

2010-08-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

At least once a week, I go on a walk in the evening after work. I haven't gone in about a month now, because I've been having some health complications. I miss my walks, so I found myself writing about them.

There is a Michael's about a mile away, so I walk there and back for a 2-mile walk. Half way between me and Michael's there is a Walgreens, so any extra walking that week I do is just one mile - half a mile to Walgreens, half back.

Ryan thinks I'm out of my mind for walking anywhere in the heat. We moved to the desert. He thinks this sudden walking thing came out of nowhere. Thing is, I've always walked - I've always been active. When I'm not hiking I'm dancing. I've started walking beyond our apartment complex because we finally moved somewhere that I'll have a way back in! We didn't have pedestrian keys at the old place. We were uselessly far away from anything worth walking toward anyway.

I really enjoy where we live now. It's quieter, there are lots of things within walking distance, and I have the pedestrian key for once!!! I really like walking in the heat. It's dry and soothing~ clears my sinuses, gets some endorphins going, stretches those legs. I'm in an office chair all day at work, then at home, SURPRISE I'm in an office chair. After a walk I feel so good, getting the blood moving, move those joints and enjoying some fresh air.

I look at stuff on my walks. Mostly the plants. A Taco Bell pretty much looks the same anywhere in the country, but move to a different climate and you'll see different plants in the landscape for sure. Lots of cactus. Especially the ones that look like giant artichokes. There are these pretty plants I'm not sure what they are, but they are used decoratively pretty much everywhere - they look like grass, but thick, long and leathery. They have vines branching out with pale pink flowers, which... either become or blossom from funky little green pumpkin shapes. Haven't seen anything like those before moving here.

Though I usually have headphones in, I like listening to the insects sometimes too. Every year for a month or two, the cicadas go bananas for their mating season. Most people think they sound annoying, but I think it's AWESOME. When there are a lot of them making their rattling sound, it sounds like a loud rain stick all around. I used to wonder if they weren't cicadas though - since for as loud as they are, I've never actually seen one. They sit in trees, so I know where to look, but when I try to follow the sound to one, it notices I'm there and shuts up before I can find it. They come out and make the most noise in the evening and early night - so even if they kept making noise, I doubt I'd be able to find it.

Show and Tell Friday: Shelter

2010-06-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

I started following the book The Artist's Way. Again. I've started it before several times, each time I come out of an artist block super easy, learn something new, and grow... but I've never finished. I think I will try finishing.

There are a lot of practices in my art that are not healthy for it, haha. I think some amount of self loathing is conducive to growth - I don't think I'd want to improve and become better if I was completely content with myself. But lately it's been getting to a point where I judge my art by what I know are unfair standards. It's kind of crippling - I've convinced myself I can't do certain things, and that other things are a waste of time.

So yeah, none of that anymore.

I hate admitting it, but a lot of what I draw is based on what people respond to. I like making people happy. So I draw a lot for other people, draw things I don't necessarily like, but others do. Every now and then, I freak out because I realize I don't love what I seem to spend the most time on. I don't regret anything, ever - but it makes me want to change how I invest my time.

There are things I've been neglecting, and in the past six months, I let myself do them... and felt like I was rushing them, or that they weren't good enough because it didn't get the response I usually get from other subjects.

The break from posting online for a while really helped me regain a sense of home with my art. I don't HAVE to share. Having a line between private and public is important. I'll never please everyone, and I'll always have to live with myself. I want shelter at the source - beyond that can be whatever it may.

Show and Tell Friday: Shipwrecked

2010-06-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

The month of May was a mess for me. A lot of things got in the way of me and things I want to do.

I was in two car accidents, I moved, I got a new job, had to adjust to a new sleep schedule, I dropped out of the Sequential Endurance Competition at the end of March, I had no internet for about a week and a half, and was without my main comp for longer, and I sort of had a melt down over the fact that the thing I've spent 8 years trying to make a living out of is still nothing more than hobby status.

I felt like I was shipwrecked without a home and without my car, with the pieces of my life scattered around a new place.

I took a vacation from art for the most part. I decorated the new apartment, I built furniture, I watched lots of movies and knitted. I did draw here and there - none of which I felt like sharing. It's really hard for me to draw when I don't have a sense of home in my... home.

But now I'm home. I have my comps, my art stuff, my Ryan. I feel like I can finally rest because we now have a home that is truly just ours.

It's been a circus, a goofy tumultuous circus this month. But except for the car stuff, I feel like this rough patch of my life is finally over, and the sense of home for Ryan and me from now on will be better because of it.

SEC 164

2010-04-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

I barely remembered to comic today. X_x

Next week, gonna resolve to do better. Much better.

SEC 163

2010-04-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Almost totally forgot today's comic.

First part of a storyboard for a possible animation...

SEC 162

2010-04-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm using stupid conversations with Ryan as scripts more and more often.

SEC 161

2010-04-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

True story.
Pigeon was taking refuge on our doorstep. His wings were messed up. Had to walk him away.

Sorry babe, you didn't have to go home, but you couldn't stay here.

Show and Tell Friday: 12 Week Challenge - Week 2

2010-04-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

• Week 2: OGSM

So this week was intimidating for me.

We had to come up with a one page business plan. I had to think about a lot of terms I never thought of, and just realized I don't understand. Revenue stream... Exit strategy... and lots of other concepts I never realized might one day apply to me. If I start my own business, what does that really mean? Could someone buy my business? What would they be buying... me? What stuff of mine is considered owned by the business?

I don't know the answers to these yet. But this week has started what will probably be some serious research.

But what I could still do was write down all my goals and ideas for how I should or shouldn't do things, and build myself a general road map. I've organized my goals and plans for operation into coherent sentences. I've blanked out a couple of things with X's - I'm uneasy about announcing my financial goals in specific terms since I believe that's private information.

Objectives: The overall mission & vision
    •    I want to earn enough income doing what I love to support both myself and my art comfortably. What I love involves drawing and painting mythical, spiritual, cosmic and fantasy themed artwork that will connect with viewers through spiritual identity, intriguing and unique visual language, and charismatic characters (read: cuteness!). My art is usually very personal as well, sharing my beliefs and feelings for something with the viewer.
    •    Once I can take care of myself with my work, my next objective would be to bring other artists on board with me through collaborative efforts. I want to bring diverse creative visions together through common themes and subjects, bringing hidden talent to an audience seeking spiritual and fantastic visions they can find new relations to.

Goals: Translation of vision into specific goals
    •    Income goal for the remainder of this year: $XXk (about Xk per month)
    •    Income goal by 2013: $XXk gross income annually
    •    Income goal by 2020: $XXk gross income annually
    •    Markets include: comic conventions, fantasy conventions, local galleries, various online venues
    •    Online channels: galleries, competitive events, forums, social networks, blogs, e-zines
    •    Offline channels: art shows, conventions, local venues, magazines

Strategies: Choices to be made to achieve the goals
    •    I will focus on creating a solid line of original art that will be for sale, while I will also explore licensing and merchandising of the art
    •    I will be focusing on the audiences I seem to have the most access to - convention goers, anime fans, fantasy fans, local art scenes, local boutiques and cafes, possibly comic book shops, art directors of publications in the field
    •    I will offer private art commissions, various types of illustration, licensing, prints and merchandise
    •    I want to also provide functional items - stationary, holiday cards, bags, shirts, etc. with my artwork/designs on them
    •    Many items will be delivered by a third party. Prints, for example, are handled through third party printing companies that handle the printing and shipping, for which I would receive a royalty for each print sold. Hand crafted items will always be created and delivered personally, unless I can find a good way to place items on consignment.

Measures: Specific milestones to track progress
    •    Art director mailings yield fruitful responses
    •    Have a monthly volume of prints sales
    •    Cease small income jobs from individual parties ($XX or less)
    •    Successfully sell 100/yr of an e-publishing project
    •    Successfully sell 50/yr of a book project
    •    Average 1 illustration job per month
    •    Gross $Xk/yr from art show sales
    •    Successfully organize and sell collaborative project between 5 or more artists

SEC 160

2010-04-16T18:09:00.001-07:00

We have a "system."

SEC 159 - Monk Song

2010-04-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

The whole page with the new panels.

SEC 158

2010-04-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Kind of gonna cheap out a little and break the next Monk Song into two posts.

Here's the top row of panels. The bottom two big panels will be tomorrow in the full page. I hope.

SEC 157

2010-04-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty good at losing shit...

The cat might have walked off with it after it fell out of my pocket, but it isn't with his toys. It can only mean one thing.... gremlins.

SEC 156

2010-04-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

my day today.

SEC 155

2010-04-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Show and Tell Friday: 12 Week Challenge - Week 1

2010-04-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

• Week 1 of the 12 Week Challenge: What do you want to illustrate?

This week's challenge is to define what vein of illustration the artist wants to do, which would determine henceforth the portfolio, the art directors contacted, and all sorts of other things.

I had struggled for a long time (and probably still do) with defining a specific thing I want to do. There are a lot of things I can do, some I enjoy more than others, and some are simply not as commercially viable as others. Comics are fun, but I'm terrible at them. Sci-fi is amazingly fun, but I'm not terribly creative with coming up with content. Editorial illustration is a strange and largely mysterious to me. And the realistic painting style that seems to be most artists' bread and butter does not make me happy at all for the time I spend on them.

After Wondercon and Furcon, I really got a chance to put some things together. I saw what sold well for certain audiences, and what didn't. I saw which subjects I liked that got attention, which ones that didn't.

Given all this, I feel I can confidently say I want to do whimsical fantasy illustration for a living.

Whimsical fantasy fits all my bills:
• I'm relatively good at it
• I like what I do with it
• I am deeply spiritual, which I relate to "mythical" figures I draw
• It's flexible- spanning many sub-genres
• My style of naturalism is accepted
• It's collectible
• This is the audience I know best
• Of my work, this type of work sells the best

All the other things I do I'm still so untrained in that I feel inadequate - for sci-fi I'm not good at tech, comics I'm still learning composition and lettering, I don't have the attention span for super realism, and I'm sick to death of hyper cartoony characters. I feel like whimsical fantasy and mythology is my sweet spot. I've spent all my life studying animals, people and ancient cultures, legends, spirituality, etc. No one is ever done learning anything, but in this area above others, I know what I'm doing most of the time. For the first time I realize I'm comfortable here.

I will always explore my other avenues - comics, sci-fi, graphic design, etc. - but I've come to realize my base genre is, and has always been, whimsical fantasy.

If I could paint and draw cats with wings, faeries, dragons and elves all day, I think I'd be content.

SEC 154

2010-04-08T22:55:00.000-07:00

I have been a tremendous lazy ass this week.

I realize this isn't home anymore.

SEC 153

2010-04-07T23:31:00.003-07:00

Visiting my family kind of makes me feel like I'm in high school again.

Also, I'm out of practice on DDR.

SEC 152

2010-04-06T23:57:00.000-07:00

One day I'll start drawing a minute too late.

SEC 151

2010-04-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

DERRRP

SEC 150

2010-04-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Totally wiped out from the convention. I gave blood too.

No new Monk Song page since I'm dead tired, and my laptop can't handle it. Next week will probaby be bullshit strips too.

Show and Tell Friday: Lists

2010-04-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

I like lists. I like crossing off things and deleting items until there are a few or none left. Then you get yourself a reward for finishing. Maybe that's why I like World of Warcraft so much. :) Breaking down goals into simple itemized lists really makes them much more manageable for me. This blog post is about a few list things that are fun or helpful.

• Day Zero
This is a cool thing one of the hosts on Freelance Radio linked a while back. You make a list of 101 things to do over the next 1001 days. They can be silly things, small things, major life goal things, or stupid things - just plan to do them in the next 3 and a third years. My list so far is here - it's not done yet, but I'm working on it. I never realized thinking 101 things would be hard to do!

• Gmail Calendar
If you have Gmail, you have access to the Gmail calendar function - here you can set events, set them to repeat daily, weekly, etc, and even set them to email a reminder notice to your email any length of time before the event. You can add multiple reminders as well for benchmark deadlines. So much awesome that I didn't know about.

• Wise Guides
Of all the things on this list of... lists, this is the only one that costs money. This is an Etsy shop with PDF tutorials and articles on Etsy-related marketing and business. I have two favorites: The Daily Social Networking Kit, which itemizes things for you to do to maximize your social networking while containing the time it actually uses. And The Insider's Guide to DIY Publicity Kit - which explains a lot of things about marketing and publicity that rarely crosses my mind. I highly recommend these if they are in stock.

From here on, the post is relevant only to Mac users.

• Using Mac's Blog: Free To-Do List Managers
While I was looking for list apps, I found Using Mac's list of some of the more interesting applications for Mac. I'm currently trying these all out (except iGTD - which has been discontinued). DeskBox requires purchase after the 15 day demo, CheckOff requires purchase after a 10 item demo. I like CheckOff for the folders and the way it checks off items. For free things, I like Do It, which has a cool prioritization function, and Anxiety with it's similar functionality (but no folders) and the transparent floating windows.

• DoBeDo (Mac Widget)
Another artist, Char Reed, posted this to her twitter - She was looking for a To-Do list function that wouldn't obstruct her work space. DoBeDo displays your To Do list from iCal as a widget in your Dashboard.

SEC 149

2010-04-01T23:28:00.001-07:00

This is how I spent my yesterday. Flying and leaving my boyfriend. Tiring.

SEC 148

2010-03-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

I saw Vampire Girl versus Frankenstein Girl...

I liked it at the time, but... gotta be honest, it's stupid as hell.

SEC 147 - Monk Song

2010-03-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

It's not an omelette in there...

SEC 146 - Monk Song

2010-03-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Don't drop it... :)

SEC 145

2010-03-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

Don't talk to strangers.

I really don't know what drug dealers look like.
I don't know why I thought he'd look like Dick Tracy.

SEC 144

2010-03-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

You can learn anything on Youtube...

SEC 143

2010-03-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm trying out this fancy Blogger-LJ linking thing - so it should update both Blogger and LJ with the same thing.

Finger painting shaman comic doodle.

SEC 142

2010-03-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

What witchcraft is THIS???

I gotta try that.

SEC 141

2010-03-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'll keep a secret.

SEC 140

2010-03-19T23:27:00.000-07:00

Ryan gives me stupid heroes to draw.

Show and Tell Friday: Things that Help Me

2010-03-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Time for another written blog post. These are things I use when I draw that don't actually do any drawing.

- Color pallete generator
Sometimes when I draw digitally, I have a specific palette I want to use from a picture that's already existing. Rather than eyedrop a bunch of points into my palette library, I go to this cool little thing. Upload your inspiration pic and it'll spit out a generalization of the colors. You can save the color pallete for use in Photoshop by clicking "Save as Photoshop swatches..." and moving the file to this folder:
Photoshop>Presets>Color Swatches.

- Paper trimmer
I thought of this post because I was at Michael's getting replacement blades for my paper trimmer. I use it so often, and I really should have gotten replacements sooner. I cut badges, art cards business cards, flyers and all kinds of crap ALL THE TIME, so I'm constantly pulling my trimmer out.

- Masking fluid
I barely use any watercolor, but I do treat markers like watercolors in some ways. Markers will bleed under masking fluid a little if you're heavy handed, but otherwise, it does protect paper from unwanted marker marks. If you have a big area to fill in and a small area you want to protect, masking fluid is probably the best way to keep your markers where you want them.

- Crappy brushes
I never threw away my old brushes from when I used to paint. Crappy old and frayed brushes can still serve a purpose. You don't have to worry about ruining them if you forget to clean them after laying down masking fluid. I also use them to spread various glazes around that otherwise I'd be afraid to brush onto something. Old bristly brushes can speckle masking fluid onto a piece in a cool texture.

- Circle and elipse templates
This is one of Those Things I have that I wonder why I don't use more often... I'm awful at drawing geometric shapes, my hands are very unsteady.

- Paper smudge stumps
I was reading another artist's comments about blending markers, and she said she used her fingers to blend the ink. That kind of blew my mind. I thought it might be doable with smudge stumps, which worked quite well. Put down your marker, and if it's still a little wet, you can scratch it around into the colors or paper around it.

SEC 139

2010-03-18T23:56:00.001-07:00

I'm sooo geeky right now.

SEC 138

2010-03-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

Source: Wikipedia.

Comic:I had had one of these cysts in the same place once before. I knew it was from my wrists in bad form at my old job. It healed quickly. This one lingered for so long - fixing my posture was not enough and came too late. It had gotten too big to just "leave alone" - so I manned up. HADOUUUKEN.... Should have done it a month ago - all that pressure is gone, it's not painful anymore... and.. yay!!! Thanks wall!

I'm going to get one of those "carpule tunnel" braces to keep my wrist from doing the poise I've been doing for like 6 months now - hoping that helps it not come back since the bad angle has been the culprit twice now.

Wikipedia disclaims that "doctors don't approve of this" well SOME don't approve of it, and will aspire the cyst with a needle, or say to leave it alone. But some doctors WILL tell you to try a book.

Also, have some lady sketch.

SEC 137

2010-03-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

Coheed was noisy today. :)

Also, sketched Sawyer while watching LOST.

SEC 136

2010-03-15T23:44:00.001-07:00

SEC 135

2010-03-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

SEC 134

2010-03-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

Cats make terrible models.

SEC 133

2010-03-10T01:00:00.001-08:00

It was better in pencil, imho...

SEC 132

2010-03-09T23:19:00.001-08:00

Today was kind of awful...

SEC 131

2010-03-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

I drew this earlier today, and it ended spawning a page.

SEC 130

2010-03-05T23:05:00.000-08:00

This is what I wish I did today - go back to sleep after waking up.

Show and Tell Friday: Art Podcasts

2010-03-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

Anywho, have some art history, contemporary art and culture. I'm sure everyone knows all the "cool" stuff to listen to already like Ninja Mountain - so here's the stuff that makes you feel like you're in college again, without paying for it. Whee!

National Gallery of Art London Podcast
I LOVE this podcast - Miranda Hinkley visits the art and architecture of the National Gallery London.
Slide show of photos of the art and people plays along with the audio.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Special Exhibition Podcast Podcasts
K, longest name ever. Lectures and discussions on pieces and exhibits.
No video or slides, so you'd have to look up the work on topic if you're not familiar with it.

Whitney Focus Video Podcast
As the title says, it's all video! This podcast views exhibitions of contemporary artists at the Whitney.
Very nicely produced, and usually has commentary from the aritists themselves.

MOCA Los Angeles
The Musem of Contemporary Art will periodically post lectures, audio tours, and video samples of their exhibitions. More videos can also be found on their Vimeo gallery. They seem to update once or twice every month or two.

So there's lecture material. Your papers on Rauschenberg and Fuseli are due next month. :P

SEC 129

2010-03-04T23:21:00.000-08:00

May be a little TMI but... yeah, period stopped, took a million tests, went to a doctor and everything says I'm not pregnant.

I enjoy being not-pregnant. No room in my life for that kind of nonsense, no sir.

SEC 128

2010-03-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

Yaaay I'm a tree again! Wait...

Back on WoW, for better or worse.

SEC 127 - LOST

2010-03-02T23:41:00.000-08:00

SAYID IS MY FAVORITE.

KATE IS NOT.

SEC 126

2010-03-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

I put hazlenut half-and-half into hot cocoa.

Holy shit it's like drinking liquified mauna loa!!!

SEC 125

2010-02-26T23:21:00.000-08:00

Today, I fell alseep while watching anime... and learned my life is not good source material.

Illustration Friday - Propagate

2010-02-25T21:38:00.000-08:00

It's a shark egg, also called a mermaid's purse. :)

Because sharks propagate in styyyyle.

SEC 124 - That jerk...

2010-02-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

I don't even know.

SEC 123

2010-02-24T23:32:00.001-08:00

This is how I've felt with comics lately.

SEC 122

2010-02-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

I think the end is near. Again.

SEC 121

2010-02-22T23:12:00.000-08:00

SEC 120

2010-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

Cats like to mess things up.

Show and Tell Friday: American Virgin

2010-02-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

I suppose I should say that Show and Tell is going to be pretty random. It's basically "Something Erika finds interesting" hour.

So here's a little thing that I like.

American Virgin
American Virgin is a comic book about Adam, a born-again Christian that preaches abstinence, and his adventures with... not... abstinent people.

It's challenging on both sides, amazingly written, unpredictable, and has gorgeous art. I just... love everything about it except it's abrupt end due to cancellation. (Author's comments on AV's cancelation)

Not many folks I know like it, or know what it is. I think they give up on it prematurely.

Especially when their response is "I don't know, the tongue cover kind of grosses me out", though if a tongue grosses you out, you probably won't enjoy some of the brutal honesty of the sexual situations. :P

Illustration Friday - Adrift

2010-02-18T22:54:00.000-08:00

Looks like it's gonna go for a ride...

SEC 119

2010-02-18T20:10:00.001-08:00

SHAZAM!

SEC 118

2010-02-17T23:37:00.000-08:00

The instance this is based on is Petrova from the first season of Project Runway Australia, but it happens with other designers ALL THE TIME.

"Here's a thing to fix."

"I like it the way it is!"

Judges will ALWAYS ask "what's up with that?"

I adored Petrova, aside from that one instant of stuborn... ness. :)

Soul's Rust

2010-02-16T23:28:00.000-08:00

I finished this a few days ago, drawn for the Art Order challenge:Rust that went live yesterday:

Drawn in photoshop. I like it enough to want to try it for the next Expose - though I might keep making adjustments over the next few days. Here are some pics of progress:

SEC 117 - Jump

2010-02-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

Maybe a little bit inspired by Blood+...

SEC 116

2010-02-15T23:50:00.000-08:00

I LOVE PROJECT RUNWAY... But I'd be awful at it.

SEC 115 - Gambler

2010-02-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

All or nothing.

Illustration Friday - Muddy

2010-02-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

IF's theme this week was muddy.

It's what I remember my bike being when I was small.

SEC 114

2010-02-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

I drew this yesterday, forgetting I already drew a comic for it the day before while watching LOST.

Sometimes it feels like my art is the "other man" - our room is so small for two people that I can't leave stuff around - gotta clean it all up so Ryan can have his chair and his side of the bed back! there's only room for one at a time.

SEC 113

2010-02-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

He's the ONE cat I like better when sleeping.

SEC 112

2010-02-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

Get out of the way, Coheed! I want to see Jack's and Sayid's dreamy faces!

SEC 111

2010-02-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Comp crashed while drawing something I really liked.

Well... that's what I get for drawing at 600 dpi and having two adobe programs open I GUESS LOL

SEC 110 - Drink

2010-02-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

What is happening now.

Show and Tell Friday: Con Badges

2010-02-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

This article was originally run in EMG-Zine last year.

Con Badges
(Convention Badges)

Introduction

If you've never heard of a con badge, you're missing out on some fun art exchange! This is a brief rundown of what a con badge is and why they are interesting. This is based mostly on my personal experience with them at fantasy art conventions, so any trends are probably just my own bias.

What is a Con Badge?

A con badge is portable piece of art that depicts your portrait or the portrait of a character that you identify with, and displays your preferred name. You wear this art like a badge to identify yourself, usually at art conventions or similar gatherings. It can have your name on it, but often it has your online handle or username that you use in forums or role playing. These badges are especially popular at conventions where role play or other kinds fictitious characters are popular, where folks might prefer to be referred to by their username, pen name or a specific character.

Con Badge Variety

There are two ways to get a con badge: Commission or trade one from an artist, or make it yourself! Let's look at what we can make for ourselves, or what we can possibly get from artists that offer this sort of thing. All the badge image examples below are badges I've made.

The most popular form of con badge seems to be 3x4 inch cards in plastic sleeves, attached to you by either a clip or an elastic string necklace. These are popular because the badges that allow you entry to events issued by conventions usually come in that size, usually with generic art. The first chance I get I pop that generic art out and slide my own drawing in, or get someone else to draw something for me! The format is common even when you're commissioning art with it's own holder since the plastic sleeves for that size are easy to buy and not too expensive. It's also a good size that isn't so big it's cumbersome, nor so small important details are lost.

This is my convention-issued generic badge from Further Confusion 2005. I use this for example because that year, my art was chosen for one of the choices for the free generic inserts. It's nice and shows the theme of the convention, but it doesn't tell us much about who or what "Tundra" is, does it? And there are probably a million other people with that same picture now. Boring!

Now we got some individualism going on! Now we know Tundra is a cat creature of some sort, with some anime influence in there. This badge also gives me something to show other artists if I want to commission or trade for more badges. This badge isn't well executed though - I didn't take into consideration the sticker on the plastic sleeve when I drew it! I later put it in its own badge holder.

There are a lot of alternatives to this style though! For example, some artists like to cut the character out from the paper and laminate it, giving the badge a unique and more interesting shape.

Here are two unusually shaped badges that haven't been laminated yet. The first one is cut to shape from the white paper, pasted to black paper and cut to shape there as well. The second one is on an unusually long piece of extra paper I had around. I will probably wear it at the next convention I attend, but for now, it doubles as a bookmark!

Something else I've seen get popular recently is the production of what folks seem to like calling "ghetto badges," but I'd prefer to call them "sketch badges." These are usually very quick to draw and cheap to make. They are fast sketches on cheap card stock or scrap paper, sometimes even lined note cards or the backs of business cards. Usually these won't have their own badge holders or clips of their own if someone draws them for you, so you might stick it in back of your "main" badge, or get a badge holder yourself.

A sampling of sketch badges I've done.

Badges can be crafty too. I bought a badge that was made out of a bottle cap once. Another badge I have is a very small laminated piece of paper that I put chainmaille on. I've seen artists make tiny sculptures out of clay and place them on key chains for badges, or to decorate badges one might already have. There are probably lots of crafty possibilities that haven't been thought up yet - so go think them up!

Collecting Con Badges

Con badges are also a form of art collecting. Folks attending conventions will usually try to get badges done by their favorite artists first. Artists sometimes trade each other badges.

Badges are usually fairly inexpensive, while at the same time highly personalized, making them very desirable to fans of artists. While an artist's original full-sized artwork maybe thousands of dollars. While this kind of art is forever out of price range for the common con-goer, badges have a much lower price range, I would estimate between $10 and $50, a much more affordable and personal piece for an avid fan to get a hold of. There are some badges that are significantly less or more, depending on materials used and time spent, but by and large - badges are a very nice compromise for folks that would like personalized art without having to save up for a full-sized illustration.

There's enormous variety in what artists can do in the small space of a badge. Since badges are usually easy to acquire price-wise, folks will often collect more than one to see their characters in different styles. Artists will often draw badges for each other in trade as well to get to know different styles and character types. It's also a great way to make some friends! Bored or shy at a convention? Go check out the creator's lounge (or anything else where the convention designates a place to go and draw with other artists), and offer to draw a badge for someone in trade for a badge from them. Or sit down and draw a badge for yourself, maybe someone will look at what you're doing and ask about it.

The Prettiest Business Cards

If you're on the selling end of con badges, and you get good at doing them, it is not uncommon for folks you draw badges for to drag their friends over for a possible badge. This has happened to me a couple of times, and I'm amazed each time it happens. Sometimes someone likes what you do so much that they HAVE to show their room mate or something. It's really sweet!

In this way, badges can be like business cards, giving folks a sense of what kind of art you do and putting your art and name in a place it might not normally go (like anywhere at the con you don't happen to be!). Since con badges are such personalized visual things, folks will appreciate styles that they like that much more. If you draw a totally awesome badge of someone's dragon character and other folks really like that style, chances are they'll ask who drew it. Con badges also give folks a sense of what you can do in your non-badge art. Someone that sees one of your badges might come by to browse prints or ask about commissions. It might inspire someone to look up what else you do after the convention too.

Any way you look at it, con badges have the potential to bring folks you never met by your table or website. For the love of beans, please put your name or email or something on the back of the badge, or insert an actual business card in there with it! It's not pretentious to sign such a small piece of art, and to want folks to remember who drew it. I have some badges from some lovely artists that didn't sign them, and now I have NO idea who drew them anymore. It is such a bummer if someone likes the badge I'm wearing and I can't even tell them who drew it for me, nor can I say if the rest of the artist's art is just as awesome. Folks might not commission you again, but at least we'll know who you are be able to bookmark your site, so sign that art!

Closing

Folks that get badges will generally stick to one character, but some folks have more characters and collect art for each of them. Wearing them lets folks know what character or name you want to be identified with. I mainly collect badges from my friends and favorite artists, and usually have at least one new badge for each convention I visit. They make extremely fun personalized mementos and there's enormous variety in what artists can do in such a small piece. I'm sure there's a badge out there for everyone. Now, get trading!

Links:

Further Confusion
Active Con Badges Communities on Livejournal:
- http://community.livejournal.com/con_badges/
- http://community.livejournal.com/badgeaholics/
- http://community.livejournal.com/themedconbadges/
- http://community.livejournal.com/conbadges/

SEC 109 - Growth

2010-02-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

SEC 108

2010-02-03T23:50:00.000-08:00

experimenting with trying to get digital to behalf like watercolor... not working.

Liked it more in bw too.

SEC 107

2010-02-02T23:51:00.000-08:00

SEC 106 - Searching for Nothing

2010-02-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

Based on an old sketch I found that was about something that happened in my jewelry class two years ago.

Finals week, I was getting a pile of wax pieces casted into the final metal piece. The first two batches failed - the liquid metal didn't travel down the sprues, so when I dumped the plaster into the cold water, the metal pieces weren't there when I sifted through.

It's a weird feeling, plaster sliding around when you keep expecting to hit something sharp and solid.

And kind of upsetting when your finals are due and they've basically vaporized.

Also, whee Illustrator.

SEC 105 - Walk On the Ocean

2010-01-29T23:34:00.001-08:00

SEC 104

2010-01-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

Somewhat inspired by Genius Party and Fantasia.

Just when I think I'm dry and can't do much more, I find something else to keep me occupied.

SEC 103

2010-01-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

I was talking to Umuntu Furcon this year, and we were talking about some folks we know that were trying to get married but they were all in different countries from their fiances.

He told me about this couple that raised all this money just so they could legally be married, so one of them could get their green card, and one of them had to support both of them for three months while the other waited for their green card and... it just sounds so awful how expensive and difficult the process is.

Somewhat not related, ever since Ryan and I saw the movie Basquiat, we'd say "You could go to Russia for that!" in a gay voice when we think a price is expensive.
There's a part in the movie where Basquiat asks Andy Warhol, "Hey Andy, can I get $3000 for this caviar?" Andy says, "Sure... You could go to Russia for that."

SEC 102 - So I Hear...

2010-01-26T23:48:00.000-08:00

I was visited by Carmine and he saw my axolotls art. Super awesome!

SEC 101

2010-01-25T06:09:00.000-08:00

Really starting to feel the end is near for my run in SEC.

Show and Tell Friday: Dances with Wolves

2010-01-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

This is pre-written since I'm away at Further Confusion 2010.

So last year, I danced with wolves.

And an okapi, a Klingon, Solid Snake, two cheetahs and a red panda.

I should note that when I did this, I was at a furry convention, Further Confusion.

I'm not really going to talk about the convention itself, or the art I did or didn't do there. Let's talk about the dancing!

I love dancing. I love going to clubs and dancing by myself, with other people, and watching people dance. It's fun, it's good for you, and it's liberating. I am convinced EVERYONE looks good dancing. Even if you look stupid, it still looks good. I'm one with the universe when I'm in a groove, though I'm sure not everyone feels that way.

I particularly enjoy dances at furry, science fiction and fantasy conventions because of a certain demographic of people that is rarely seen dancing outside of a convention. There are people there dancing that probably didn't even dance at their own high school prom (I barely did - if you can call hugging two friends and swaying a dance). They haven't danced before or since. They're terrified to dance or go to real clubs out in the real world, because they would be laughed at or made fun of. It's just "not their crowd" or they "have no coordination.

But get them in a storm trooper uniform or put ears and a tail on them, and put them in a dark room with 50 people wearing similar attire and looking more or less as silly or cool, and all the inhibitions go out the window. And we're not even drinking yet.

And they look better dancing than any one that dances at a night club and "knows what they're doing." Because they're just plain having fun moving around to the beat. It shows. There's pure, unadulterated entertainment in wholesome jumping around.

You can just feel the energy in the air when everyone gets together, leaves all fear of self image at the door, and gets lost in the music.

A lot of us spend a lot of time in chairs at home, the office, in front of computers and TVs. It's easy to think "I can't dance" or "I look stupid," putting down our physical self image when we've been building these incorporeal identities online for a very long time.

As of writing this, I'm really looking forward to this year. Whether or not I make much money on the art business end of things, I'm looking forward to the catharsis of dancing and being with my very good friends that I only see at the con.

Have a good weekend everyone, I'm sure I will. Give me a holler if you'll be at FC too.