8 Texts. Exploring expressive typography through a series of eight variables.
Includes scale, rotation, transparency, and changes in type face. Here we have the project that earned me the Ringling College Design Center internship. The cover is in white iridescent
card stock, it has a sheen that is lovely when you turn it in the
light. The inside was done in light blue linen paper. I hand-crafted the
accordion pull out in the back, pictured above.
Character design for Loot. Save point.
Recently I took up a new commission for Loot. To tell you I am excited about completing this project is an understatement. During my experimentation time I have found a few things out about
myself as an artist: I love symmetry when drawing iteratively. I enjoy
finding places to break the symmetry to give the drawing more character. Every line has a purpose.
I enjoy intricate designs that make the armor seem as if it was
meticulously crafted over by a master blacksmith. Imagining somebody
would need to have amassed a lot of experience crafting weapons out of
different materials to craft a very impressive, deadly weapon. Just as Medieval monarchs would show off their grandeur in their expensive, flashy suits of armor. I adore the unhinged desire to show the world that they are the most elite with their golden or blue thermal suits of armor. I bet the reflection of the world around them at sunrise and golden hour sunset was just the most beautiful yet terrifying sight to behold. The drama of the light hitting the armor as it reflects what is around it... I want to paint that!🎨🎨⭐
Lately I've been cranking away at character design because it brings me joy to breathe life into concepts. I love the feeling of watching something come to life through trial and error. Experimenting is fun. It's not about perfect lines or color, it's more about getting an idea to the closest point of expression as desired with the time allotted. I have always kept my work private because of how precious it is to me, but I have started coming out of that mindset. I want the people I know to experience my creative talents and to let the art speak for itself. What I am sharing is part of my creative thinking process. 🐲🐉
For bygone eras, chapters of our lives that once were and are no longer. What you write today can be erased tomorrow, even if moments are fleeting they can still leave lasting impressions. This is a spread for use with cards or any other divination.
WRITING IN THE SAND
♡What did I take away from this chapter in my life?
♡Did I gain experience I was supposed to?
♡How should I remember it?
♡How my life will change now that this chapter is over?
♡What will be some short term improvements?
♡What will be some long term improvements?
I went through a difficult transition recently and fell out of my body for a few days. My circumstances completely switched up in the span of a week, and while I had seen it coming it arrived early. In troubling times we give off our most positive example and we show those we are about how much they mean to us. Without letting pride get in the way we are free to move forward and continue to seek growth. This change is scary because I lost the stability of my routine and my dream life. I got to enjoy my dream life for a few years, and let me tell you it was really something special. Nothing's perfect, some people focus solely on the negative when others focus solely on the positive. We do what we can to leave those we love with the best impression and with the hope they'll welcome us someday for a pleasant spell and a cup of tea.
I have a lot of steps to take in front of me but I've been laying quiet for months, so I came back tonight to churn out some content for my blog. The truth is I have many things I want to talk about and share, but only so much time to finish all my tasks and responsibilities. When I am on the other side of this transition I aim to be totally focused and ready for the next step of the chapter.
I just got this new purple crystal ball. You'll start to see a new side to me soon.💀
Now here's a real treat! I got to go back to Disneyland and I had the most wonderful time! I really love the park, its history and its attractions. It felt great to forget about my problems for a day and to play with my two most favorite people in the world. My Mom was in town and we did our best to show her to a really good time. It felt nice to be vaccinated (thanks, Blizz!) and to be out in public with less fear. To be honest I don't mind keeping the mask habit as it helps me feel safe.
The magic of illusion and invention can take you to inspiring places.✨
Today I have the joy of reviewing the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot. This deck was entirely hand-painted throughout the course of many years. He used ink and watercolor to create it. The box has accents on it and so do the card backs, which are reversible. The deck is made from and for a new generation embracing diversity. This deck heralds the winds of change for those that need a message. It will speak to them and their personal experiences. I am happy to have a deck that is more inclusive in this way. It will serve me well for my querents. 🔮✨
If you didn't know, I play a lot of World of Warcraft. Usually every day at some point if I can. I had some great times building my character up during the winter. Mørtizia is a LVL 60 Draenei Shadow Priest. What a mouthful! 💖😹 She boasts an iLVL rating of 1.308, which means I am a Key Stone Master. I want to talk about some highlights from all the fun I had. At first Chris would direct me through dungeons and explain mechanics. I was lucky to have an experienced player explaining it to me. Had a lot of laughs and joined an awesome guild. 💣⚡
Every now and then I receive what I call a rockstar tarot deck in the mail. Two this week, I really am a spoiled woman. Today I will be reviewing the Blood Moon Tarot by Sam Guay. I pledged for this deck in 2017, some time before I even met Chris.
The box is matte with gold foil details on all four sides. The cards are matte, slick together and crunchy. They remind me of the Bohemian Gothic Tarot 2nd Edition with that unyielding crunch. The gilding is sharp and shiny, a perfect warm contrast to the muted earthly tones. This tarot deck makes a brilliant first impression right when you pick up the box. This deck is based off Sam Guay's personal mythologies, and the cards take you to a second nature fantasy world where dreams and nightmares manifest. 💜🔮🔮
I have been having a lot of fun drawing with this new technique. I thought I'd post today's dinosaur studies and caricatures. All of the drawings in this entry are early sketches showcasing my process going from detailed portrayal of reality to simplified or exaggerated drawings. Occasionally you will find experimental drawings as well as range of expressions.
This piece is a homage to a very unique retro video game fusing '40s
animation with run-and-gun adventure story. Studio MDHR had the graphics
and animations drawn entirely by hand. A nod to Fleischer Studios, Walt
Disney Animation Studios, Gunstar Heroes, and many more. 🎮✨💣
Tom Oreb study, They Drew As They Pleased Vol. 4 |
This fever started last week when I received They Drew As They
Pleased Vol 4: The Hidden Art of Disney's Mid-Century Era. As I was
going through the book I was responding to the artwork and being moved
by it. I pulled my sketchbook out and I started studying the
illustrations that stood out to me the most the first few times I looked
through the book. I was so delighted with how my illustration turned
out that I went down this rabbit hole of researching Mid-Century Modern
illustration from the greats. I made a series of studies. My favorite from that night was this gentleman rabbit inspired by Tom Oreb's drawings.
Recently I enrolled in Aaron Blaise's Character Design class, which has been life-changing. The way I build characters has changed, and the fundamentals are so strong that the subjects I draw are coming to life even before they have their pupils drawn in. The minimal details and flow of character stylization have inspired me to look for different shapes in my compositions. I am very excited watching as my drawings come alive. I'm sharing some coursework or what I'd usually call class notes behind the jump. 📕🖋🎨✨
I first found out about the existence Paulina Cassidy's Tarot deck sometime in 2009. My college room mate had it, and she asked me to read for her with it. I was enchanted by the art, and thought it would compliment my practice. In 2010 I bought my own copy. It was the 6th tarot deck I had come to own. I was extremely drawn in by it, and used my first copy until the edges had worn and feathered out. It was looking pretty used around the time I decided to trim it of its borders. I already knew which card was which by heart so I trimmed the edges and titles off the cards. Doing this in 2015 immediately opened my eyes to the cards in a new way and made it much more easy for me to slip in and out of the cards, finding new ways to read them and new signs I had not seen before. It set the art from this tarot deck free for me. This workhorse deck has since been worn down to edges that are feathering. I have used it for endless personal and professional readings which yield great results. I love this deck. The deck pictured is a brand new copy which will no doubt suffer the same fate of being used until it is battered. That is the mark of a well-loved deck. 🔮✨✨
In 2010 I had the privilege of picking up some work for what was then known as the Puerto Rico Children's Hospital.
I felt I had a great achievement at the time as I am a huge endorser of
science, medicine and mental health. Despite being very early on in my
career I felt I was making my own contribution to an institution I
admired. I think this is some of my best work!
World of Warcraft was not my introduction to the realm of MMORPGs, but it certainly is my favorite one. I first checked it out sometime in 2005, the game was still brand new and was said to become the next best thing. In college I was exposed to it again as many of my friends were devout fans of the Horde faction, which was also the one I favored. I joined again as Tharja in the Ghostlands server, and now I've got a few characters scattered through other servers. My main is a Draenei Shadow Priest that I like to alternate to Holy Priest. My favorite toon is called Gloom and she is in the Skullcrusher server, but I also have a void elf called Mortizia in Emerald Dream and she is a Death Knight.
Here is another embodiment of the Year In Review reading that I usually carry out but don't share online. Virtually the same thing but through the eyes of the Lenormand. The deck used here is Alexander Daniloff's Lenormand deck. I got it at the start of 2020 but haven't yet had the chance to review it. My copy has survived the bending of a few cards without any creasing, though, so I endorse it for its sturdiness against the many perils of my work desk. I never store it in a drawer, this deck stays where I can see it.
2021 may offer more new chapters than I am currently aware of, simply because I am seeking a change that will encourage the exploration of new horizons. I spent my late 20s dreading the idea that my lifestyle was going to change radically because I didn't yet have my license or even a body of work to show for myself... but all the old skeletons in my closet have since gone. I achieved much of what I put off for years because I didn't want the direction my life was going in to change. I finally came to a crossroads and understood that it was time to make the jump. Whenever I find myself in this position, I step forward with assurance even when the path I leave behind crumbles and dissipates. As much as we can be attached to the circumstances that keep us safe, those circumstances are temporary. We need to accept change in order to grow. 💀💀✨
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