Desk Organization Update!

So, let's just start with "I thought I was going to have a lot more time this month!" However, I was able to get some BIG CHANGES to my desk, even though it's far from complete.

The biggest changes came in an increase in space in my home. I now have my art "studio" in my bedroom, freeing up my desk for more academic pursuits, and (gasp) displaying of the photos of family and friends that I've been meaning to put up. I was also able to bring out my DVDs, which have somehow multiplied in spite of my greatest efforts. I was also excited that I could move my repurposing things into a spot in my room as well. This clears a tremendous weight from my desk!

Check out the top of the hutch? HUGE DIFFERENCE!

The bottom, not AS much of a difference, though there are some good changes.

I'm not posting a photo of the bottom of the desk because it's still a disaster zone! 

Normally, I would take a moment to promote another blog (in this case, having to do with organization), however.... I'm sure it's pretty clear that I haven't really been researching organization...

What? -sheepish look-

What I HAVE been researching, you might ask?

Herbal holistic information, how to make my own beauty care products, and other awesome home created things that I might be able to use to start a bartering system! Yay! 

I know, I know, "bartering system, M? Isn't that called money?" Yeah, yeah, so call me a little nutty, but if I can save money by trading stuff I already make for stuff that I would normally buy, wouldn't that be awesome? Am I the only one who's totally geeked out about this? C'mon guys! This is cool!

So, I have been looking at my favorite growing online herbal company, http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/ and I'm eagerly awaiting my new, awesome, incense supplies! Check out their blog here! They're a company who specializes in lowering their footprint on the planet, AND providing high quality organic and non-organic herbs for folks just like me and my mom.

Okay, enough about my favorite herbal company. Let me share with you the newest recipe I came across for spoiling oneself in the bath. :)

Posted by Be Beautiful (another pretty awesome blog in the 'sphere), I bring you, DIY Lavender and Chamomile Bath Melts.

And if you're allergic to either ingredient, or just need some change, Be Beautiful points out,

"Feel free to adapt this recipe to suit your own personal preference and tastes. Other great combinations include lemon and orange with grated lemon zest or shredded rose petals and geranium essential oil."

I'm excited to give it a shot. If you beat me to it, feel free to leave me a comment on how they turn out. Any tips and tricks as well.

Well, that's all I have for now. Off to work. Hi-Ho!

-Me

Artist Review: Todd Lockwood

As an up and coming artist, you draw inspiration from many different sources. My first was my mom. She was able to capture the world in art, and that was a fascinating concept to me. I wanted to do the same: to create a physical memory of something that didn't require camera or film. She showed me my first taste of professional fantasy art in the form of the Hildebrandt Brothers, whom I will be reviewing at a later date.

When I started tabletop roleplaying at around 11, my own art grew out of the need to give a visual representation of the characters I was making. They had personality, histories, and stories, but no visual reference. I knew that fantasy art existed in my games, but it was a sort of periphery experience. The Brothers, and my mom were really still the only influences as I began bumbling my way through learning anatomy.

I began playing D&D in earnest in 1995 with some buddies in high school. They had actual D&D books, and suddenly, the monsters were illustrated, the races were comparable. With the advent of D&D version 3.0 and 3.5 in 2000 and 2003 I began noticing one artist above the rest. I began developing a "favorite".

How could he not be my favorite after this?

What totally drew me in about Lockwood's art is his ability to capture light. It excites me in a way that makes me want to TYPE EVERYTHING LIKE THIS!!!

Especially in acrylic medium, I am very challenged by capturing light, and yet his art seems to glow! It absolutely fascinates me. Most of what I see shows me that light capturing talent, and it's amazing to me.

In addition to capturing light, Lockwood has a tremendous talent for grasping the conceived anatomies of animals and creatures that .... well ... don't exist. How do you know what a dragon looks like? You don't. So to make it believable, to bring it into the realm of possible, you have to make it appear like it might actually work. That's a talent in an of itself.

A little bit of info on Todd: He's about the same age as my mom, and went to school for art at the Art Institute of Colorado (which is partially owned by Goldman Sachs, but I'll forgive Lockwood for that.. :) ). He graduated and was doing art for some mediocre companies before he finally started building his fantasy art portfolio. 

From there, he was eventually hired on at TSR, which became Wizards of the Coast, and he's been propelled into the fantasy art genre ever since.

Thank you, Todd, for being amazing, and inspiring. He works on book covers, roleplaying tabletop game as well as roleplaying card games.

Here is his website. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and just allow yourself to enjoy his rich colours, shades, and the grasp on the surreal that he has: http://www.toddlockwood.com/

He's also got a blog! Yay! http://www.tolo.biz/

I'll leave you with an awesome last piece of his, an oil painting. Look at the shades and light!!

-Me

WICKED!!

I'm just going to leave this here...

So, take a wild stab at what I FINALLY got to see last night?? Holy. Freakin'. Crap!

So, I won't go into a lengthy review. Many have already done that. Even reviews for the specific touring company that I saw perform it last night. I will say that it was more than I even though it was going to be. I was so impressed by the colors, the staging, the sets, the music, the dancing. It was AMAZING. The whole experience was surreal for someone who's been listening to the soundtrack since 2007, read the book, collected the calendar and posters, and feels, probably like many other women, like they relate to the protagonist.

I WILL, however, tell you how awesome THIS place is.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas is a hub of culture in a city of tacky stage shows that are put together by (no doubt) talented performers, but for the benefit of the tourist machine here in the city. In order to catch these shows, you have to tolerate crowds, traffic, sometimes even the show itself.

In this troubled landscape of quick stage shows, having an actual hall where the Las Vegas Philharmonic orchestra is able to perform, a place where jazz and Broadway are celebrated and not just marketed, is a true mark that the city is growing to become an actual urban hub, and not just a flashy, loud light show. 

If you can see ANY show in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, DON'T turn it down! The place is breathtaking! Huge! We had "nose bleed" seats, and were still able to enjoy the show just fine! I was so impressed. :) (There's no way you could tell that, could you?)

This was all due to my dad. He managed to find tickets to this show, and even though he couldn't go because he wasn't feeling well, he was able to really spoil the shit out of me!

That is all. I'm cranking up my soundtrack and in a sort of green bliss...

-Me

Desk of Doom!

So, I didn't take the time with my update of my graphite piece of Laura Roslin to do a proper update!

I actually have an ongoing, month-long project. Now that there's more room to wiggle in my house, I'm working on trimming down the clutter on my desk. Now, I know, we all think our desks are the Mos Eisley of the house (No more wretched hive of scum and villainy), but I want to take a moment to impress upon you the monstrous project ahead of me for the month of September.

My desk has a basic open bottom, and a hutch. On top of the hutch, I've placed two smaller corner shelves on either end, and crammed stuff in the middle.

Example:

I originally numbered these photos with the idea that I would list off all my massive amounts of junk. However, I think that it speaks for itself. Just the highlights? 2: my printer/scanner, 6: my craft box, 7: my office supplies, 11: my repurposing stuff, and 12, 5, 15, 17, and 19? All art supplies.

That was my hutch and above. THIS is my actual desktop. You know, my "working space". Notable features include a stack of binders, by XBox 360, my monitor (computer is behind it), and ... you guessed it ... more art supplies.

Lastly, as if I didn't have enough shit, this is what is under my desk. An old monitor, some boots, my trash can, and my corded drill, just to name a few things.

I'm sure, now, you get an idea of why this is a MONTH LONG project for me. Whew!

In other news, I will be working on my Laura Roslin some more, and along the lines of awesome black and white work, swing on by http://artwithapencil.blogspot.com/ to take a look at some awesome pieces!

ALSO!!! Don't forget to vote! This is the last week to have a say in what I draw in October! Head over to here to vote: http://artsytude.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-next-piece-you-choose.html

Thank you!

-Me

Graphite - Laura Roslin

Hey all!

Hope your week has been cool. I know a lot of people were getting their miniature humans settled in the schooling routine this week. In my house, not so much that, though there was adjustment, chaos, and evolution! I know, vague, right? But I'm not going to write it all out! This isn't Facebook, silly!

What I DID get done was some work on a piece that I've been wanting to start for a LONG TIME NOW.

If you're unsure, I'm a geek. Figured I'd clarify. And one of my favorite geek institutions is the show Battlestar Galactica! Not the one from the 80's. Sadly, I couldn't watch that with a straight face, even though I DID have a crush on Noah Hathaway as a child.

 Not THIS Noah!

 As a child, THIS Noah. How many preteen girls can really appreciate a bare chest... c'mon!

There we go... Much improved with time.

...But I digress.

Because of my near-obsession with Battlestar Galactica of now, I've already drawn Starbuck, and I really wanted to capture the characters Laura Roslin and William Adama. Preferably in the same piece. I love the dynamic between these two, and I really enjoy how those actors pulled those characters off! Their tension and respect are palpable, and by the end of the show (no spoilers) I was bawling like a 4 year old without a nap!

I began my Piece with Roslin, in hopes to have a message of her looking directly at the viewer, and Adama looking away. This is in contrast to current marketing in ads that usually has the woman looking away, and the man looking at the viewer. 

Unfortunately... my lack of spatial perception led to Roslin taking up the whole paper. D'oh. So this will end up as two complimentary pieces, side by side.

For now, the work in progress:

I'm working with this source:

I'm not sure how I feel about it quite yet. I'm not truly comfortable with how my eyes turned out. However, I'm not sure if they'll shape up once the hair is in. Thoughts? Opinions? Let me know! Comment here, and I will definitely appreciate the criticism.

-Me

Reminder!

Hey all,

Just a gentle reminder that there's a poll open regarding what piece I will draw for next month.

The choices are:

Gaius Baltar, the character from Battlestar Galactica, as played by James Callis

(I may not pick this exact pose)

Or

Jared Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, actor, director and producer

(Again, I may not pick this exact pose)

Here's where you cast your vote!

http://artsytude.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-next-piece-you-choose.html

Let me know! So far I only have one vote in!!

-Me