i'm sorry i haven't posted art lately. i have lots of half-written posts and life's been pretty crazy. i'm aiming to do my figure drawings next (they excite me the most)!
between mom having surgery, me working full-time, doing freelance photography, editing photos from that freelance photography, being involved in lots of church things, family stuff, that one boy, good friends, and making tough decisions...i haven't had tons of time to post 'real' stuff.
i promise, i'm trying. good thing is, though, life is awesome. and i'd rather live in the moment than try to document everything while the moment passes me by. i'll catch up. i always do. :)
for now, enjoy this happy video Coldplay released a while ago (december?).
7.23.2009
11 lessons learned from "UP"
i am an avid pixar fan. pixar is kind of what drives me to be an animator sometimes. as i watched their newest film "Up"...4 times...i realized that there are a lot of "grown-up" lessons to be learned.here are some little golden bits of wisdom i took from it:
1. there's something to be said about 'true love'. it's worth waiting for.
2. never stop dreaming.
3. never give up hope in trying to accomplish a goal.
4. i hate squirrels...
5. friends are true no matter what. they don't judge.
6. draw on your walls.
7. sometimes, if you just open your eyes and look for it, you're in the middle of an adventure.
8. POINT!!! (see above image)
9. through disappointments, we can see more clearly.
10. appreciate the past, live in the present, look forward to the future. cherish them all!
11."sometimes, the boring things are the things we remember most."
what did you learn?
7.21.2009
typefaces give us signals
it's another typography post. i'm obsessed. i know.
have you ever thought about this before? it's what typography is all about. i think that typography is a main root of graphic design. we design to portray thoughts/feelings/expressions, to help people think a certain way or see a certain thing. this is why it's so crucial that good designers are good typographers.
Typefaces give us signals from erik spiekermann on Vimeo.
2 addendums:
1) i haven't forgotten about my 'whyit'sawesome' series. stay tuned!
2) thanks to those who commented on my portfolio (and those who will, hint hint). i really honestly love the feedback, especially after working on it for a while before i actually posted it.
have you ever thought about this before? it's what typography is all about. i think that typography is a main root of graphic design. we design to portray thoughts/feelings/expressions, to help people think a certain way or see a certain thing. this is why it's so crucial that good designers are good typographers.
Typefaces give us signals from erik spiekermann on Vimeo.
2 addendums:
1) i haven't forgotten about my 'whyit'sawesome' series. stay tuned!
2) thanks to those who commented on my portfolio (and those who will, hint hint). i really honestly love the feedback, especially after working on it for a while before i actually posted it.
7.17.2009
my online portfolio!
check it out! i've been putting together an online portfolio, mainly so i can force myself to digitize pieces and get ready for 'the real world'.
it's definitely a work in progress, but so fun to do!
find it here.
i would LOVE your feedback, so just write under the 'thoughts' section of this post.
to reward you for reading my blog, you may have seen a lot of the things in there before. however, you may be surprised at others. and others that are already on there are forthcoming blogs...so it's kind of like a sneak peek.
or a box of chocolates.
mmmmmm.....chocolate........
it's definitely a work in progress, but so fun to do!
find it here.
i would LOVE your feedback, so just write under the 'thoughts' section of this post.
to reward you for reading my blog, you may have seen a lot of the things in there before. however, you may be surprised at others. and others that are already on there are forthcoming blogs...so it's kind of like a sneak peek.
or a box of chocolates.
mmmmmm.....chocolate........
antisocial part I: revisited [+ perspective]
remember my 'antisocial' series? remember the first one? i talked about my illustration 1 class. well, for my bfa (bachelor of fine arts) review in april, i revised them! take a gander. it's probably most interesting if you compare them to what they used to be. [the dr. seuss one (2nd one down) still isn't done...but a lot better, i think. the 'jack and the beanstalk' one was photographed weirdly, so i'll probably upload a better image later.]
i have to give a shout-out to brother richard hull, who was my professor, advisor and friend through re-doing these. endless patience, that man...i couldn't (well, i wouldn't) have done these without his direction.
quick religious analogy (i thought of it at institute a while back during the perspectives lesson): working with richard was like us taking direction from Heavenly Father. 'paint it purple!' richard would say. 'but i like orange!' i'd retort (in my mind). 'make that a soft edge!' richard would advise. 'soft edges are hard to make!' i'd think.
nevertheless, i knew that richard was on the committee for choosing who would and would not get into the bfa (you can only try out twice). and i trusted him. so, i bit my lip and did what he said. long, grueling nights. lots of painting. even more re-painting. however in retrospect, i think these look a whole lot better than anything i could have made by myself. i learned techniques and theory about paint, style, narrative, illustration, and patience in general. things i wouldn't have discovered on my own.
because richard could see the potential of these pieces (again, i'm not saying they're amazing, but look at the improvement...) he was able to direct me to change them for the better. in the end, i made it into the bfa. i don't think these are the most brilliant art pieces in the world, or the program for that matter, but by being submissive (patient...meek...humble...any scriptures ring a bell?) i was blessed to be teachable and richard realized that. because i was willing to take his criticism and direction and try my best to apply it, he learned that i was a hard worker and i really really wanted to get into the program. and i think that made up for my gaps in artistic skill.
when we allow ourselves to be teachable by the Holy Ghost, and really try hard to apply what he's teaching us in our lives, Heavenly Father and Christ recognize that. if we do our very best with our end goal in mind, though we're not perfect (some edges never did soften in my paintings), we can make it. our desires and attempts will bridge the gaps in our imperfection, along with the ultimate bridge: Christ's Atonement.
just keep painting.
click to enlarge!
i have to give a shout-out to brother richard hull, who was my professor, advisor and friend through re-doing these. endless patience, that man...i couldn't (well, i wouldn't) have done these without his direction.
quick religious analogy (i thought of it at institute a while back during the perspectives lesson): working with richard was like us taking direction from Heavenly Father. 'paint it purple!' richard would say. 'but i like orange!' i'd retort (in my mind). 'make that a soft edge!' richard would advise. 'soft edges are hard to make!' i'd think.
nevertheless, i knew that richard was on the committee for choosing who would and would not get into the bfa (you can only try out twice). and i trusted him. so, i bit my lip and did what he said. long, grueling nights. lots of painting. even more re-painting. however in retrospect, i think these look a whole lot better than anything i could have made by myself. i learned techniques and theory about paint, style, narrative, illustration, and patience in general. things i wouldn't have discovered on my own.
because richard could see the potential of these pieces (again, i'm not saying they're amazing, but look at the improvement...) he was able to direct me to change them for the better. in the end, i made it into the bfa. i don't think these are the most brilliant art pieces in the world, or the program for that matter, but by being submissive (patient...meek...humble...any scriptures ring a bell?) i was blessed to be teachable and richard realized that. because i was willing to take his criticism and direction and try my best to apply it, he learned that i was a hard worker and i really really wanted to get into the program. and i think that made up for my gaps in artistic skill.
when we allow ourselves to be teachable by the Holy Ghost, and really try hard to apply what he's teaching us in our lives, Heavenly Father and Christ recognize that. if we do our very best with our end goal in mind, though we're not perfect (some edges never did soften in my paintings), we can make it. our desires and attempts will bridge the gaps in our imperfection, along with the ultimate bridge: Christ's Atonement.
just keep painting.
7.13.2009
7.09.2009
shoes for africa
30 pairs of shoes.
5 pairs of slippers.
4 pairs of flip-flops.
i really, really like footwear. tendinitis has made me more conscious of what i wear on my feet, and i haven't been wearing a lot of the shoes i own. still, it's hard for me to give them up. so many...memories, i guess. then again, it's hard for me to throw anything away.
tonight, mom showed me a flier that said, "WE DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY, JUST YOUR UNWANTED SHOES". it was an african relief effort and said that "shoes of all sizes and conditions needed!!" (two exclamation marks).
suddenly, i got excited. it was the perfect reason for giving my shoes away. i positioned myself between my 3 shoe racks and got right to work. any time i hesitated in reaching for a pair, thinking, 'i might use these some time' or 'these hold memories' or whatever, the thought hit me: i wear these, what...once? twice a year? and there are people in africa who don't wear shoes. ever. simply because they don't have them. but i do!
with that, i'd grab the shoes and stick them in the bag. i felt pretty happy.
7 pairs later, i had a big white garbage bag filled, and then some. i know 7 isn't a lot, but it's a start.
these specific shoes weren't my cutest (minus one pair) ever, but they were some of the oldest, and brought back good memories. i'd like to introduce you to them, via my favorite memories of each.
a) black flats-- used from 8th grade all the way until college. most remembered for being a part 5 of my 7 years of choir.
b) thick-soled moccasin-looking things. used in various costumes, and learning how to match my shirts with my shoes (a practice that i'm still pretty meticulous about).
c) sturdy hiking-boots- girls camp. memory: we once found a saltwater taffy stuck in a tree along our hiking on some remote trail. i was wearing these. memory #2: jessica barry and i led the hardest hike our last year of camp. all i remember is that it was really really steep. those poor little girls we led.
d) my very first pair of sketchers. once used in my dance-video phase: my sister robin introduced me to her paula abdul dance exercise video and others...these shoes were troopers when i was attempting early 90's dance moves on carpet while busting up laughing every few minutes.
e) my sodas: i liked how they looked when i finally started to find jeans long enough to fit me. started matching brown belts with brown shoes. i guess i like matching.
f) comfy shoes: my roommate steph gave these to me when she was going to throw them out. good for lounging. reminds me of all the good times at cinnamon tree.
of these, my favorites are specimen a: the black flats. i guess my favorite part about them is the fact they were there with me through so many concerts and performances. i really miss singing.
here are other reasons why i liked them so much (besides the square toe):
so i didn't end up going to ghana like i'd planned this summer. but my shoes will go to africa. :)
5 pairs of slippers.
4 pairs of flip-flops.
i really, really like footwear. tendinitis has made me more conscious of what i wear on my feet, and i haven't been wearing a lot of the shoes i own. still, it's hard for me to give them up. so many...memories, i guess. then again, it's hard for me to throw anything away.
tonight, mom showed me a flier that said, "WE DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY, JUST YOUR UNWANTED SHOES". it was an african relief effort and said that "shoes of all sizes and conditions needed!!" (two exclamation marks).
suddenly, i got excited. it was the perfect reason for giving my shoes away. i positioned myself between my 3 shoe racks and got right to work. any time i hesitated in reaching for a pair, thinking, 'i might use these some time' or 'these hold memories' or whatever, the thought hit me: i wear these, what...once? twice a year? and there are people in africa who don't wear shoes. ever. simply because they don't have them. but i do!
with that, i'd grab the shoes and stick them in the bag. i felt pretty happy.
7 pairs later, i had a big white garbage bag filled, and then some. i know 7 isn't a lot, but it's a start.
these specific shoes weren't my cutest (minus one pair) ever, but they were some of the oldest, and brought back good memories. i'd like to introduce you to them, via my favorite memories of each.
a) black flats-- used from 8th grade all the way until college. most remembered for being a part 5 of my 7 years of choir.
b) thick-soled moccasin-looking things. used in various costumes, and learning how to match my shirts with my shoes (a practice that i'm still pretty meticulous about).
c) sturdy hiking-boots- girls camp. memory: we once found a saltwater taffy stuck in a tree along our hiking on some remote trail. i was wearing these. memory #2: jessica barry and i led the hardest hike our last year of camp. all i remember is that it was really really steep. those poor little girls we led.
d) my very first pair of sketchers. once used in my dance-video phase: my sister robin introduced me to her paula abdul dance exercise video and others...these shoes were troopers when i was attempting early 90's dance moves on carpet while busting up laughing every few minutes.
e) my sodas: i liked how they looked when i finally started to find jeans long enough to fit me. started matching brown belts with brown shoes. i guess i like matching.
f) comfy shoes: my roommate steph gave these to me when she was going to throw them out. good for lounging. reminds me of all the good times at cinnamon tree.
of these, my favorites are specimen a: the black flats. i guess my favorite part about them is the fact they were there with me through so many concerts and performances. i really miss singing.
here are other reasons why i liked them so much (besides the square toe):i really loved making spiral shapes when i'd walk through a puddle or snow to a performance
i loved the fact that i had everyone fooled by re-applying sharpie marker on the tips to keep the warn-out ends looking black
i loved the pink stitching
and here was its vice: the end had come unsewn. an easy fix for someone in the shoe-making business, i'm sure.
i loved the fact that i had everyone fooled by re-applying sharpie marker on the tips to keep the warn-out ends looking black
i loved the pink stitching
and here was its vice: the end had come unsewn. an easy fix for someone in the shoe-making business, i'm sure.
so i didn't end up going to ghana like i'd planned this summer. but my shoes will go to africa. :)
7.02.2009
runners, until the race is won
oh man.the sunshine. the rain. early mornings. late nights. good music. water. sprinklers. breathing hard. same stride. seeing people doing it...running.
all these things make me want to do it, too.
i only ran a season of track, my senior year in high school. i've been hoooked on it ever since. almost exactly one year ago, after i took a jazz dance class for spring term and was running consistently, i found out i have achilles tendinitis.
the cure? don't run.
i almost cried when i found out. i still find myself with excess energy, pacing around during stressful times...just trying to find a replacement...but nothing beats that feeling [for me] of doing something requiring no aid -- no bike, no car, no longboard. these things i enjoy as well, and a few years ago i discovered a love for motorcycles (with safe drivers) and that helped...but is still unobtainable to me. and it's not running.
to parallel running, i'm a dancer at heart. i don't profess to be a "real dancer" because i have little training or technique, but it's another passion that was prematurely halted by tendinitis.
i know i have so many blessings, and i shouldn't ever even complain. i guess i want to write this so that when i can run and dance again, i'll remember to be grateful for it. i injured my foot again tonight. not a huge deal, but it put me in a bit of pain, making my goal seem miles away. just made me think of it.
my brother kevin and especially sister-in-law debbie run lots of races. races for good causes. gives a purpose to running. this saturday i'm babysitting their adorable kids while they do the freedom run in provo. i love-love-love their kids, but this time, i want to join them.
someday.
7.01.2009
periodic table of typefaces
remember how i adore typography?
yeah. me too.
i just found this site as i've been searching for design inspiration. enjoy!
this is now my new desktop background:
i didn't create this, but i wish i would have.
yeah. me too.
i just found this site as i've been searching for design inspiration. enjoy!
this is now my new desktop background:
i didn't create this, but i wish i would have.
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