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

Kitchen Tin Cup Utensil Holder

It's been a long time since I've posted anything substantial, and I'm trying to remedy that. I've had a lot of changes in my life, and most are good, and making me evolve into a better human. Thank goodness! One of those changes is a re-shaping of my spiritual knowledge. I feel like we are supposed to be creators, and to that end, I want to keep using this blog to feature other creators, artists, repurposers, gamers (creators of imagination) and the like!

So, without further delay, I'd like to feature my creation in the realm of repurposing, for the month of September!

I've seen quite a bit on Pinterest (please, excuse my addiction) about re-using tin cans. It intrigued me, and I had a whole tote of them waiting for the creative bug to bite. They got in the way, they were shuffled around, moved from one apartment to another, etc. Until, eureka! I found what they were meant to be.

I decided to take the old door to a set of shelves, and create a vertical storage in my kitchen for utensils.

Here's what I started with, only with 4 cans:

First, I painted my board and my cans to reflect my kitchen colors. (Please, excuse my crummy camera shots in the beginning.):

Secondly, I drilled holes to mount the cans, and some cup hooks to hang other utensils from:

Lastly, I put the hanging assembly together. For this, I needed wire that was sturdy, looked nice, and would be able to handle being tied. I have several sets of ear buds, and so I snipped some old ones apart, and used that white-coated copper wiring to hang the piece:

What it looks like finished:

What it looks like filled with stuff!:

The only pieces that were not repurposed from somewhere were the screws used to hang and assemble the pieces! I'm super stoked!

This is my first repurposing project, and I'm glad it was so painless!

Some of my repurposing inspiration comes from Fab Rehab Creations. This repurposer goes some amazing furniture work, while being a stay at home mom to three boys. I love the idea that her kids are learning from example to reclaim things that will be able to serve a purpose even longer with a little work and creativity! Got check out her blog and see what creating she's doing!

On a totally unrelated note, my next project will be a graphite drawing, so keep a look out for that, and don't forget to vote for next months graphite drawing! That will be what you see me create for the month of October!

That's all for this week!

-Me

The Next Piece: You Choose!

Lack of Inspiration?

There has been a decided lack of inspiration to draw since I started playing an awesome game: Skyrim.

Now, before you tell me that I'm behind the times, understand that I am NOT a competitive gamer AT ALL. I enjoy my games on my time and terms. This game just seems to have terms that involve taking all the free time I have. Ever.

Because I'm not competitive, I didn't pick this game up for months after its release, and technically, I'm simply playing someone else's copy.

However, I can safely say that I'm feeling inspired to not only create art, but I'm also on a repurposing kick. So be prepared to see posts regarding that.

-Me.