The Key Word

Here is one of my latest projects.
I drew the original portrait about a year and a half ago with my (then new) prismacolor colored pencils.  Instantly in love, I have turned to them as my default ever since this moment.

Anyway, for my senior show, I made the addition of the tie and then converted the entire image into a graphic by transferring the image to photoshop and adding the texture, stripe (because I love stripes! lol) and text, created this piece.

Hopefully it transfers to be the humorous piece that it was designed to be, but who knows...
Thoughts? Comments? Critiques?
...please?

Anyway, this is the VERY LAST piece that I need to get to print correctly (grumble of frustration) and frame for the show! YAY
Everything has to be done by TOMORROW, so it's time to get this piece done, ya know?

Tape It, Attractively

Conversation in the studio today:

Melodie: "This is the bad tape... and it's called 'Tape it', hah!"

Beej: "That's silly, it should at least stick then"

Me: "I'm going to make a tape company one day...
...I'll call it 'Attractive'..."

Melodie: "Attractive...?  Because it is attracted to things! hah, I can promote it for you in all of my classes.  I'll tell my students: 'Just remember, if your tape isn't attractive.... then...?"

Me: "...then your work won't be either"

Watch out people: future career = CEO and Art Director of artist tape company
Catch phrase: "If your tape isn't Attractive®, then your work won't be either"

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Motivation Before the Show

In exactly one week, the show will be hung.  And I will finally be done matting, framing and taking care of it! YAY
If you haven't seen the progress of this experience, you can see the old state of my list here.  After some help from my wonderful hubby-to-be (aka Superman) last week, the daunting to-dos has experienced some progress!  Here is the beloved list in all it's tattered, saturated blue/green ink glory:

The black lines are there because they have begun cutting some of my pieces—I have too many now that there are 4 people in the show :(  It was rather frustrating, but there are now some pieces that I don't need to try and finish, so that's alright with me!

So, so, SO close!!!
I can taste it—let's hurry up and finish!

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Longing For Time...

I have a small idea that I'm brainstorming for a children's book.  An idea that I will likely pass on to my beautiful and talented sister to write, while I enjoy drawing my little character.

Obviously, this little scheme of mine will not be commencing for another few months or so, but it's fun to think about as I avoid studying for my art history exam tomorrow morning... oops

Anyway, here's a page for what I'm thinking...

Thoughts?

Motivation and Postcards

My motivation this week is....! DEADLINES!
Oye, I have 2 exams this week on top of the fact that the show is less than 2 weeks away!  Panic is beginning to set in... But just a little. ... okay, more than a little!

Anyway, here is my postcard design for the show—trying to show off both my graphic design side and my illustration side.  If you don't have a postcard and you want one... well, come to the show! ;)

Opening Reception:
Sunday, March 4 2012 from 2:00 - 4:00
In the gallery at the Arborshire

There are 3 other students with me and there is going to be a lot of great stuff!

John 15:9

So, today is Valentine's day.
Time for the CLASSIC and totally PREDICTABLE post on the annual V-day.
Cue bragging (sorry y'all)
About a week ago, I got a package from my daddy :)  Chocolate covered strawberries!  Yummy :)  I've enjoyed them slowly—sharing... occasionally, lol.  Finished them off today

Today, I completely forgot about Valentine's day, until I stepped out my door on the way to the bathroom (tmi, I know) and sleepily noticed a small note with a chocolate sucker on it from one of my dear housemates :)  very sweet, and the card was darling.
Now, off to class—to find this lovely rose and a note from my forever valentine—I mean JESUS of course ;)  With the help of Melodie, He reminded us how loved we are, making the class period much more enjoyable

 The rest of the day went pretty well—I got a "Happy Valentine's Day" text from my Supermanman after he got out of school :) He later sent me a text to vent about yucky homework, only to call me a few minutes later... to ask where I was...?
"Wait...? Where are YOU?!"
 Yep, Todd came all the way to the Arborshire to see me, and not just that—he brought me an entire vase of CHOCOLATE! And not just any chocolate, Reese chocolate—yummmmmmy

Not at all what I expected to happen today, but it was so great—thank you to everyone who gave me a hug or provided encouragement.
And of course, day was MADE when I got to spend a few hours with my very favorite young man :)  A very, very good day.

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Senior Art Show—Advertising

*Drum roll, please*

[Just in case you did not catch on from previous posts]
I am officially having a senior show!  The art show is the goal of art students at Spring Arbor University, but it has been an especially difficult run for me because I have two different concentrations (not to say that it doesn't happen, but within a 4 year block, it is difficult).

Along with two other students, I will be filling a portion of the gallery (somewhere between 35 and 40 pieces) and preparing for the opening reception to take place on March 4th, 2012.  Before the opening, I will have to tweak and complete, mat, frame and hang each piece individually.  Needless to say, it has been a stressful few weeks (since I did not know I was going to have a show until the 30th of January!)

Along with getting those pieces together, I also needed to create a poster and postcard design to advertise the show, as well as keep up on other homework, work related things, write an artist statement and sleep—not to mention my delightful blog.  It has been a very busy time!

Anyway, here is my poster design :)  I don't have a single piece that really sums up my show because of my two concentrations (not to mention, graphic design being so broad in and of itself), so I came up with this idea to translate both emphasis for me.
Sometimes the poster will be hung in one direction: (emphasizing my graphic design)

And sometimes, in the other: (emphasizing my illustrations)

Thus allowing both of my strengths to be displayed, and hopefully to create some real interest :) We'll see how well they work!  Thoughts? (unfortunately I posted one of the older ones—in the final addition, the typographic portrait read better on the left side, but my flash drive is on the other side of the room and I'm honestly too lazy to go get it right now!)

The opening reception is fast approaching—I hope to see you all there!

Oh, and remember me and my craziness in your prayers when you get a chance :) Thanks all!

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Doodles in Chapel

We had a pretty good chapel speaker today.  Really challenged us to get out of our comfort zones, and to get the idea that the "mission field" is only in the wilderness out of our head—Urban ministries is a mission field that is just as noble.  Christians are constantly on the mission field.  This is not our home, and we should seek to share with people whenever there is an opportunity!  We should live intentionally, and be open to what God can do in our lives—He's a tricky one :)

Anyway, he had a very interesting face... kinda sad and... old :)  I loved it, so I drew him 3 times (caricatures each time), haha
Not that he wasn't good, I actually really enjoyed listening, he had a good sense of humor and  some great stuff to say—but he also had a great face.

Obviously, I drew this one over my sketches on type layouts for my art show poster... oops!  Enjoy

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Art Show Progress

If you don't know that I'm a list person... then, you don't know me very well! lol
So I have a master list for the art show and all the craziness that comes with it—it is my key to survival over the next few weeks.
Everything is white/gray when it is unfinished, yellow when printed, and green/blue when I finally finish it (so a random blue square could mean that I have the frame or the glass, but nothing else, an entire blue/green line means a piece is completely done!)

Here is a picture of my list about a week ago:

And here is my list TODAY:

YAY for progress!  I wore blue today in honor of all the blue highlighter going around! haha Hopefully I can kick out these last pieces and start working on my new projects :D
(and catching up on all the homework I haven't done while matting and framing... :/

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Motivational Monday... on Tuesday!

oops, forgot my Monday post...

okay, so I kinda decided that video-chatting with Superman and comparing ring-tones would be much more educational and beneficial for me.

So if you haven't seen the College for Creative Studies new posters, check them OUT!
Super funny!

It's alright mom and dad, you tried ;)

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Progress

Cell phone photo, but you can still see some of my mock ups!  Here are the book covers that are going to be in my show :D  I just printed the last one yesterday and it's super cool :)  After seeing them on the computer for so long, it's really neat to have it look like a REAL BOOK!

Now I just need to finish my other mock ups and all of the mating/framing that i need to do :/
But it's coming along nicely—and I have wonderful friends and family who help out a lot!  Mom is bringing me glass and mat board (because the store here is out of black! And has been for three weeks! RUDE), and Beej is helping me to frame later today so that it won't take me as long :) YAY

God is good, and has blessed me so much :}

ps. Super Awesome Fiancee surprised me and came to visit yesterday, even though he was in a hurry to get from SCS work to SBC work, and I am out of the way :)  All because the day before had been yuck for me
Double yay!

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