tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268830612024-03-13T02:44:50.388-04:00My Bucket of PartsHumor writer extraordinaire. And then some.My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.comBlogger910125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-14814462391378630212024-02-10T14:14:00.006-05:002024-02-10T14:27:47.771-05:00On Albums, EPs, Singles, and Rough Demos<p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Last month, I wanted to engineer a way to help me create/post more art and tell more stories. I love traipsing around in styles and themes; I find it difficult staying in one lane. </span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">After working and practicing for five years, I realized I often circle back to different concepts. Over winter break, I decided that I would do a concept-a-month -- I would have the freedom to create anything, but I would focus and post ONLY that style or concept for the month. I even created the calendar. It was the perfect plan, until it wasn't. It was actually me just painting myself into a corner. And alas, if you look at January, you never did see any robots, did you?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHEeosPApHnpFDrPzgRI0TdkzjDaMcpQmrq_7PBYw5L0v_PWO4Kj8uVPuGV4FH9CGNRWvHDZlvDnMadIOZeYXA0xSlbfqiRELx6hwR16Z9SAhAZ78812QzSsHUZoSH_YZtpPAbvaE7BnJaHCmshEYGZsCaFszgRfAfumn4TSzWpy0GpQXzfc5/s2560/PXL_20240210_183956435.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHEeosPApHnpFDrPzgRI0TdkzjDaMcpQmrq_7PBYw5L0v_PWO4Kj8uVPuGV4FH9CGNRWvHDZlvDnMadIOZeYXA0xSlbfqiRELx6hwR16Z9SAhAZ78812QzSsHUZoSH_YZtpPAbvaE7BnJaHCmshEYGZsCaFszgRfAfumn4TSzWpy0GpQXzfc5/w400-h300/PXL_20240210_183956435.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here's the thing though: I love music. I 🧡 the idea of concept albums. The Demberists's "Hazards of Love," Green Day's "American Idiot," and Anaïs Mitchell's "Hadestown" all come to mind. The obsession with Taylor Swift's "eras" is on point. Each album has a different sound, look and feel. </span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, I thought...how could a non-musican visual artist, like myself, use the idea of albums, of LPs and EPs, of singles, remixes and rough demos? The past couple of weeks, I've been letting this idea spool in my mind -- tangle and untangle. </span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I asked myself: Why can't I create albums? Why can't I drop a new single? Why couldn't I create an LP of art, or do a bunch of remixes and call that an EP? If a polished piece of digital art has been through the studio, who's to say some pencil drawing can't be my rough demo?</span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Often, when I create, I hover over a style or subject for a while and then switch. I add those ideas and practices to my tool box and often revisit them later.</span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">As an artist, I want to be more intentional with those pieces so they're honored. Like a musician, I, too, want to release albums. To drop a single. To remix tried-and-true pieces. To create album artwork and liner notes.</span></p><p><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, as I stand on this stage accepting my Grammy, I'm here to tell you that I've been working on my first album of 2024. It's almost done, and it will be titled "They Know Not What They Do." </span></p>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-8260724101091081112023-01-10T20:02:00.005-05:002023-01-15T18:30:05.310-05:00Those People: Bilford<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b1wAns5JtTpDcVmMv1K6ZRMKsebXUssDnne-uimrqB3Oq-KpVcVwI9TE2xZ2ZrzvfyAoMN0Krow9t4tw4nmVkrl_y03CT_FSYN4b-55IOwICnz1rKqbXYm2qxgM5vvp8EvpP1Vp8-OXy70izlR52MH6gFRJZkmppZnw044LHHEw2VX5jeA/s2240/Ugh%20Those%20People%20Blog.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="2240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b1wAns5JtTpDcVmMv1K6ZRMKsebXUssDnne-uimrqB3Oq-KpVcVwI9TE2xZ2ZrzvfyAoMN0Krow9t4tw4nmVkrl_y03CT_FSYN4b-55IOwICnz1rKqbXYm2qxgM5vvp8EvpP1Vp8-OXy70izlR52MH6gFRJZkmppZnw044LHHEw2VX5jeA/s16000/Ugh%20Those%20People%20Blog.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisu95b3qAMAbsIdMJP1WZtKYYscr-7rjX_wKZe3ovOA8rhkeDCYDjJBoksD4U22nyJs4-cIae35sEPHxmPLk15DiURlF8Uv-GZ0fSHPBECTlow7Kil6uptoiBDR8JVF3XLA9mPMfMDNnLpKM4wDS0rmoa4GoTsw9MIWqKnQz5uwk19XcoH7A/s1200/Bilford.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisu95b3qAMAbsIdMJP1WZtKYYscr-7rjX_wKZe3ovOA8rhkeDCYDjJBoksD4U22nyJs4-cIae35sEPHxmPLk15DiURlF8Uv-GZ0fSHPBECTlow7Kil6uptoiBDR8JVF3XLA9mPMfMDNnLpKM4wDS0rmoa4GoTsw9MIWqKnQz5uwk19XcoH7A/w213-h320/Bilford.png" width="213" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">When Bilford passes by, he knows you're talking about him. He's usually fine with it because he makes more money than you, and he can use that money to get rid of you, but, <i>really</i>, you shouldn't talk about people in hushed whispers because it's just impolite. </div></div></div><p></p><p>Miss Manners would simply roll <i>over </i>in her grave. </p><p>It's not <i>his</i> fault he was born with just one. Single. Giant. Eye. </p><p>His genealogy stems from that of Greek Mythology. You probably didn't catch that episode of "Finding Your Roots" on PBS. </p><p>Throughout life, he's always been depth-of-field-challenged, and although it's all he's ever known, he can drive a Go Cart better than any Mario, Luigi or Toad. </p><p>So, hush. Plus, he's about to enter his ninth year as a NASCAR race car driver. He makes more money than you. You probably already work for him, and you have no eye-dea.</p><p>I mean...idea. </p><p>He'll look the other way at all your eye jokes, except for one: he <i>will</i> tell you that he has his <i>eye</i> on the Daytona 500. </p><p>You better laugh at that. If not, he'll throat punch you. He already won the Indianapolis Brickyard 400. Daytona is next, and <i>so are you. </i></p><p>So, anyway, the holidays have just ended, and people have been flooding to the movies, haven't they? Just...please don't bring up any 3D movies with Bilford. He so desperately wishes he could see 3D movies. </p><p>They're still making them, aren't they? Was "Avatar 2: Bring On the Water Peoples" available in 3D? </p><p>It was. I Google-searched-it-up. That James Cameron...</p><p>Bilford, <i>however, </i>has written quite a few letters to them movie executives in charge of 3D distribution, but it turns out that the people that make 3D movies won't cater to cyclopses (cyclops?).</p><p>I mean...the Dual-Eyed-Impaired. That's what cyclops (cyclposes?) go by these days. They stopped using the term cyclops, like, forever ago. It's just <i>so</i> mythology. I mean, the last person to describe one of Bilford's ancestors was Odysseus. </p><p>And what is <i>he</i> up to these days? Lately, he's been telling his wife, Penelope, that he's on his way home, but apparently he's caught up in a bunch of side quests. </p><p>It's probably just him sitting in a recliner playing D&D VR. </p><p>Bilford would <i>never</i>. Consider Odysseus throat-punched. </p><p>Let's see if Penelope and Bilford match on eHarmony, and if they do, <i>eye</i> will definitely be at their wedding.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-13119557664811594492019-07-18T03:10:00.001-04:002019-07-18T03:10:36.720-04:00Of Monsters and Produce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW_aP1CDCkwg9zupo8zrkugeRnFEwGd4eo6ztF0bWCWSzN277BskPTZEUN3Q8z5vjNKNSF0OkweZ9TFZw40CMHg1Xve1iXSjBKmjKGGMFa6m4kiJxJU2NDglB-KL9oaq4hhfD/s1600/Of+Monsters+and+Produce.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOW_aP1CDCkwg9zupo8zrkugeRnFEwGd4eo6ztF0bWCWSzN277BskPTZEUN3Q8z5vjNKNSF0OkweZ9TFZw40CMHg1Xve1iXSjBKmjKGGMFa6m4kiJxJU2NDglB-KL9oaq4hhfD/s640/Of+Monsters+and+Produce.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
A year ago, I spent the summer consumed with anxiety due to events out of my control. It took all my strength to cope. When I should've lost myself in writing, I ran from it. Writing became another anxiety trigger, but I longed to create. Instead, I just stood still and vibrated at high speeds in one place -- if I did create, it was through design, and not writing. I felt like I was cheating. I should've been writing, right?<br />
<br />
It was miserable -- the type of miserable that takes small bites out of your soul. When the school year began, I was happy to distract myself with work.<br />
<br />
We fast forward a year later to find myself in a very different place. The aforementioned anxiety has been kept at bay, but something new is on the horizon: I'm about to have my first art show/exhibit.<br />
<br />
It's a very different reason to stay awake at night.<br />
<br />
While I am not necessarily whiling away the remaining days of my summer, I have thrown myself in preparation for this so-called show that will happen at the beginning of August. It's not something I ever saw coming, planned to do, even expected, but at the same time, I've been surfing these waves all summer and for the first time in a long time, as a person who longs to create, it feels right.<br />
<br />
Before, I ran screaming from working on my novels-in-progress. It was highly creative work, but it was daunting, lonely, and at the same time, fairly unfun. And while drawing and illustrating parallels writing in that I do it alone, some of the pieces seem daunting, and I've failed more times than I've succeeded, I'm not running from it.<br />
<br />
I keep running back to it.<br />
<br />
I spend hours working on multiple pieces at once, learning how to use acrylic and watercolor paint, figuring out my style with colored pencils and markers, and creating bright new characters of monsters and produce, which which I have based my show.<br />
<br />
My goal this summer was to create art. I feel fulfilled because I have done exactly that. I have more than twenty pieces that will be displayed at my show.<br />
<br />
I have received compliments from what's been seen thus far, and while it's very uplifting, I'm also afraid to showcase some of the pieces I've been working on.<br />
<br />
Because I feel like after the show is done, I have to go back to being where I was before, and while I know that is far from true, I also feel like I'm a fake.<br />
<br />
That I don't deserve the artist label.<br />
<br />
That I'm just some amateur hack.<br />
<br />
And while part of that is true -- within the last six months, you should see my notebook and how far I've come. It's pretty noticeable. I may feel like a fake at times, but I'm not going to let it stop me.<br />
<br />
So, join me at my show: I'll have stickers, smaller printers, larger prints, and just examples of my monsters and produce that I've been obsessing over. It's from 5 to 8 p.m at <a href="https://www.atowncenter.org/" target="_blank">A Town Center</a> on Friday, August 2nd.<br />
<br />
I'll be the one wearing a hat and holding a ceramic cup.My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-70703274762882827082019-06-19T19:16:00.000-04:002019-06-20T18:04:41.329-04:00Some Kind of Journey: Teaching Art Camp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZC5_aS1sJxuzm8c3CGw11v13Evj8G_mvzYnmrzpf6KF7ssL-h_bCqEZxLMgg64hgurHCcKqCQwaYKLZHdO5ijwbV_-1cMGtiTaVLOU5XtH8vl_jewZNLv44bj3kUzGcyZnoT/s1600/Some+Other+Journey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZC5_aS1sJxuzm8c3CGw11v13Evj8G_mvzYnmrzpf6KF7ssL-h_bCqEZxLMgg64hgurHCcKqCQwaYKLZHdO5ijwbV_-1cMGtiTaVLOU5XtH8vl_jewZNLv44bj3kUzGcyZnoT/s1600/Some+Other+Journey.png" /></a></div>
<br />
If my words don't make much sense this fine evening of watered-down, oh-my-gawd-will-this-rain-ever-stop nonsense, it's probably because I am much too tired to complete sentences.<br />
<br />
You see, I've spent the past three mornings (and two more to boot) with elementary school-aged children, leading them through the trappings of an art camp: paint, clay, drawing, zines, clay, more paint, snacks, insanity, ohmigawd clay, paint, and WHY IS YOUR TONGUE RED IS PAINT NON-TOXIC STOP RUNNING AROUND HOW DID YOU GET ALL THAT BLUE PAINT IN YOUR HAIR WE'RE OUT OF PAPER TOWELS HOW IN THE HELL ARE WE ALL STILL ALIVE AFTER THREE HOURS OF THIS CHAOS?<br />
<br />
This art camp, at first, seemed like something so simple.<br />
<br />
"Oh," I said to myself. "I teach middle school (their hormones are the <i>worst)</i>, understand classroom chaos, and love art. I have planned out multiple projects, and I <i>believe</i> I can handle such a task. I know it will not be easy, but I am up for the challenge."<br />
<br />
Three days in: parents of little creatures ...I get it.<br />
<br />
No wonder you look 67 when you are barely 40.<br />
<br />
If I had to spend 52 weeks a year (and not just one), I, too, would not be able to go out with friends on Friday nights. I understand, now, why you <i>cannot</i> get up from that beanbag chair in the corner of the playroom; why you have this mystical event called "pizza and movie night."<br />
<br />
It must be written on the scrolls for any future generation that inhabits the earth: children must feed on the life force of any adult in the room.<br />
<br />
Beware.<br />
<br />
Nap times, quiet times, and Pixar movies aren't enough. Go ahead and wield CBD oils and bedtimes at them, but it is for naught.<br />
<br />
In the end, you will lose.<br />
<br />
Winter has come.<br />
<br />
I understand, now, how these tiny humans can sap your energy. I have learned the Ronin ways of one this week and how she sucks my energy simply by being cute and giving me little hugs. Oh, sure, it seems innocent enough...<br />
<br />
"Large human, I do not understand the boundaries of adult society, so let me wrap my upper appendages around yonder legs to create what is known as a <i>H-U-G.</i>"<br />
<br />
Friends. It is not simply a mere act of affection.<br />
<br />
It is an energy transplant maneuver. I, a human adult man filled with coffee energy, will lose said energy by these <i>H-U-G-S</i> the small human girl is giving. Depletion isn't felt right away, but, once hug six or seven happens, the energy displation is in full effect and the adult male human is now exhausted. By the the time the morning is over, the little elven girl is Hulk-sized, lunges toward the front door, and picks her mother up by the arm. <i>She's</i> taking her mom out to lunch today.<br />
<br />
<i>She </i>is.<br />
<br />
And if she returns, <i>you're</i> next.<br />
<br />
The thing about teaching is this...you will <i>never </i>fully understand what needs to happen in a classroom setting until you've gone through the process a few times. No teacher college or online course or whatever will give you the experience of leading prefrontal-cortex individuals through the mess of learning and doing.<br />
<br />
Your pedagogy can be rock solid, but, girl, you <i>dumb.</i> Ain't no pedagogy goin' to get you through the tumble of real-life, human children.<br />
<br />
That turd that's about to clog the toilet? Did professor <i>what's-his-face</i> tell you how to handle that? He didn't, did he? Go tell that turd how you feel about child development and why kids should call you by your first name.<br />
<br />
You can go through a wonderful multicultural class in college, but it won't prepare you for the moment you must wrap your hand in said toilet paper just so you can <i>push</i> a child's massive bowel movement down the toilet hole.<br />
<br />
One day of painting was enough (clean up was a <i>beast)</i>, but sadly, the kids were losing steam, so we're gonna hafta bring out them paints for another day...<br />
<br />
<i>And for gawd sakes stop hugging me!</i>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-32679101694508824112019-05-05T21:15:00.001-04:002019-06-20T18:04:53.573-04:00"The Magic Order" by Mark Millar and Olivier Coipel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LdSHTj792O6feR2egxq_A4hJ7xbjXDlFg_SszgcvvZ3FEmIzXh98axq2Z4rsIyXNiP5xjHkWtUabWoWlWqdNSYpn6IUW6SU9tIWJGDPlLMqND16TETekx5fqQ9vnnHC8Pcxy/s1600/just+another+book+review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LdSHTj792O6feR2egxq_A4hJ7xbjXDlFg_SszgcvvZ3FEmIzXh98axq2Z4rsIyXNiP5xjHkWtUabWoWlWqdNSYpn6IUW6SU9tIWJGDPlLMqND16TETekx5fqQ9vnnHC8Pcxy/s1600/just+another+book+review.png" /></a></div>
<br />
I forced myself to read yesterday. It was rainy out, and I didn't feel like creating anything -- I had just spent over an hour sketching in my notebook. I didn't want to invest time watching something, so I looked for a graphic novel to pass the time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BVzpc70Xyjf8EdZGLZmIZSyNbeRohlDC0AaQU-1hCxJgzFiWwbo-QBz1TX51YSa6rBiHeT4vpanxE2MOgteAUGm8DZgVS87gsdwhaZIsh4OI2rRrZwJA5tLLJ5FKU1iPCYzs/s1600/The+Magic+Order.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BVzpc70Xyjf8EdZGLZmIZSyNbeRohlDC0AaQU-1hCxJgzFiWwbo-QBz1TX51YSa6rBiHeT4vpanxE2MOgteAUGm8DZgVS87gsdwhaZIsh4OI2rRrZwJA5tLLJ5FKU1iPCYzs/s400/The+Magic+Order.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
Lately, I enjoy comics/graphic novels because you can read so much in such a short time, and the payoff in talent, entertainment, and story are huge.<br />
<br />
I haven't picked anything up of the superhero variety, yet, but look for series that I can read within the realms of digital checkouts through my library. I'm a fan, but I don't want to invest the money in buying endless copies. I have no where to put them.<br />
<br />
I'd rather get all the issues bound together from the library or just read on one of my many devices -- I don't mind reading from a screen.<br />
<br />
I'm glad I found "The Magic Order" when I did, because I didn't have to wait for other issues to come out -- the story arc was complete once I got to the final page. I researched the book after I finished it, wondering if there were more.<br />
<br />
As of now, what I've read is it -- but there's supposedly a sequel in the works.<br />
<br />
The creators wanted to play around with the idea of magic with the secrecy of the mafia. The magicians work ordinary jobs, but they play an important role in keeping the monsters at bay so the rest of humanity can live out their existence peacefully.<br />
<br />
The head of this magic order is the Moonstone family, but the magician leadership starts to get attacked by another sect of magicians. Someone wants to dethrone the Moonstone family from leadership.<br />
<br />
I can't go into much detail without giving spoilers away, but walking into the story knowing <i>nothing</i>, it was a highly satisfying read -- something that recharged me to <i>want</i> to read more.<br />
<br />
And with summer around the corner, I'm going to look for a pile of different graphic novels and comics to keep me entertained.My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-11864622144189923062019-05-04T19:51:00.000-04:002019-05-04T19:51:50.851-04:00In the midst of a personal renaissanceI write this without some invisible force holding me back.<br />
<br />
That's what writing had been like this past year. This: "I need to be a writer because I've been a writer since eighth grade and that's what I need to be doing, but I'm not doing it. What's wrong with me?"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy6-6xgYNqF9zBIYvp3Z_e2n2thFxi6lfFFAZOJ-TDKmazUVgZyvbIugXp31BPUnjMluR4xJPEXXqMEMeOFcpcex_H0OwMRoJV8bIoDU9v4Bv3ZUZNbBaW6h_-x1ZWlHtgI75/s1600/Oak+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="900" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCy6-6xgYNqF9zBIYvp3Z_e2n2thFxi6lfFFAZOJ-TDKmazUVgZyvbIugXp31BPUnjMluR4xJPEXXqMEMeOFcpcex_H0OwMRoJV8bIoDU9v4Bv3ZUZNbBaW6h_-x1ZWlHtgI75/s400/Oak+Tree.jpg" width="400" /></a>Nothing. The idea that I needed to sit with the same transcript over and over and over again perfecting it just lost its gleam. Sure I've written novels, and they're not as polished as they should be, but the idea of re-entering the same room over and over again, rearranging and dusting just stopped me from actually enjoying it.<br />
<br />
I don't want to give up on the stories, but my lack of movement got me too stagnant to create. No offshoots.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXUCsgqiOZRgOf0r9bHCgvG0eZM5qzty4j-0qqbnPeFql-63VRTLRVfUm7EB3A1W77bqimXYbWYwZnwV6aiJtyJ7AtbI4MdPd-LJPLrQnTymswd8zCFv_EAykJPgveBEKC-Y-/s1600/Folly+Pier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="900" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXUCsgqiOZRgOf0r9bHCgvG0eZM5qzty4j-0qqbnPeFql-63VRTLRVfUm7EB3A1W77bqimXYbWYwZnwV6aiJtyJ7AtbI4MdPd-LJPLrQnTymswd8zCFv_EAykJPgveBEKC-Y-/s400/Folly+Pier.jpg" width="400" /></a>Small sketches, vignettes, new characters, and practice have all the movement I desire right now.<br />
<br />
Lately, I've been drawn (no pun) to sketching what it's front of me. I'm not the biggest fan of still life -- probably because I'm not good at it, but I feel like drawing anything in front of me that's not moving can help me with shape and dimension, and if it can look <i>somewhat </i>like <i>that</i> thing, pride swells within me, and I say to myself, "Well, look at <i>that</i>. It's okay that I'm not writing right now because I can kind of do this artist thing."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C0EqCHC8bWXWp-AMcPxPfI3BaPa2w6PjXrjIS1LtLNHnSeyp1lJJr_mQ3E1OUkJcxIs1DThvxe8bOlcDYl-O4ZkHgmpMA1mb09vB5evl-ZHM8Sj9_7QCW1PyE91gAKvADyDn/s1600/Folly+Pier+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="900" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0C0EqCHC8bWXWp-AMcPxPfI3BaPa2w6PjXrjIS1LtLNHnSeyp1lJJr_mQ3E1OUkJcxIs1DThvxe8bOlcDYl-O4ZkHgmpMA1mb09vB5evl-ZHM8Sj9_7QCW1PyE91gAKvADyDn/s400/Folly+Pier+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
During spring break, the <i>only</i> thing I really wanted to do when I visited one of my favorite spots (Battery Park) was sit down and sketch out one of the oak trees. Their branches twist splendidly. Days before, I purchased a set of sketch pencils and I ached to to use the 6B.<br />
<br />
The higher the B, the softer the lead, and the pencil glides like a paintbrush. Swish your palm across the drawings and all those lines smear.<br />
<br />
And so I was able to sit and draw a favorite type of tree, but I also took my notebook and those pencils to beach to see what else I could come up with.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-47875545505857043542019-04-21T11:58:00.001-04:002019-04-21T11:58:18.686-04:00The Pup Commandments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCqecedY1wEQ8z63o4tSfTHSWOgQWXr4-hgP9UnmkwOKX47ai3zXom7Jd5LHEcMC3rlLtDkPE9uNCIPeqWHN7ERWSIUOQrnhv7YT20tVQGj75OOVJ4mW9UTqFkFCvVsB56UxJ/s1600/Puptuals+Blog+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCqecedY1wEQ8z63o4tSfTHSWOgQWXr4-hgP9UnmkwOKX47ai3zXom7Jd5LHEcMC3rlLtDkPE9uNCIPeqWHN7ERWSIUOQrnhv7YT20tVQGj75OOVJ4mW9UTqFkFCvVsB56UxJ/s640/Puptuals+Blog+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Although the "Ten Commandments" takes a fortnite to watch, it's still one of my favorite Easter traditions. I don't always get the chance to watch it because Easter usually coincides with spring break.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNeRouSqwFcviHh__uWZUX9TA3_Z4RTd_9aCroUo4T10WjYJekmEk91EkQ-t187iIXpyjEF1kYBFolsOtjaMmSAYvVhNVaRpCZJvydXr9I7WblTXbF00fEkz2bwo1EICSXIKb/s1600/IMG_20190420_232143_629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNeRouSqwFcviHh__uWZUX9TA3_Z4RTd_9aCroUo4T10WjYJekmEk91EkQ-t187iIXpyjEF1kYBFolsOtjaMmSAYvVhNVaRpCZJvydXr9I7WblTXbF00fEkz2bwo1EICSXIKb/s200/IMG_20190420_232143_629.jpg" width="200" /></a>This year, instead of only watching bits and pieces, I committed myself to the entire thing -- start to finish. My goal, while watching, was to recreate scenes using the Puptuals. During the latter half of the movie, I realized recreation wasn't going to happen within the timeframe I had left, so I settled on assigning characters to each Puptual.<br />
<br />
Based on their personas, it's obvious that Maeve would be Ramses and Nigra would be Moses. The hard part was figuring out who Raible would be. I thought about dressing her up as Nefertari, but all that blue satin and eyeliner didn't seem to fit Raible. She's much too giant and bumbly. Wifefriend suggested that Raible be Moses' sidekick -- which made perfect sense.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBWlC9ol5qJYdyH-dSyaoCGtDV8D-5ZKK1VHpgB2uTeNd6_stwPYuDajLTEAnfhMt4l6Cacx90oy7km4pRyTK2ZAL5dWdnYl1Il4EDPiRKAroP3_D67_L-NX4C2WMou7J4yT/s1600/IMG_Hunter_20190420_225556_processed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBWlC9ol5qJYdyH-dSyaoCGtDV8D-5ZKK1VHpgB2uTeNd6_stwPYuDajLTEAnfhMt4l6Cacx90oy7km4pRyTK2ZAL5dWdnYl1Il4EDPiRKAroP3_D67_L-NX4C2WMou7J4yT/s640/IMG_Hunter_20190420_225556_processed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Raible as Joshua. "God made men. Men made slaves."</b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcqvGm-vHUfQbGbItcr6iWGHl2CrSTOXMZ_k3NmWd8PhT0x8PCk3_aFOJrX2qB2f8e_HMKHVxEAAPyfdYnnKZFNErs0rpcD32eBResLK9PvIGrY3lkR7YSC8M54fjH7ZU86jK/s1600/IMG_20190420_230756_302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcqvGm-vHUfQbGbItcr6iWGHl2CrSTOXMZ_k3NmWd8PhT0x8PCk3_aFOJrX2qB2f8e_HMKHVxEAAPyfdYnnKZFNErs0rpcD32eBResLK9PvIGrY3lkR7YSC8M54fjH7ZU86jK/s640/IMG_20190420_230756_302.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Maeve as Ramses. "So let it be written. So let it be done."</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLgrinzDbDH79jplwi2YX3j3_V2NooWIkPtR0W6xhg6vgbp7QiqFVZK6RybElcXaKluxSPETpKmODT_nFJY_s8hjx_Hn2q48y_hW00WTdyEB-sxcVds3-ypZTgWHMb9xfK85f/s1600/IMG_Hunter_20190420_225715_processed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1341" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLgrinzDbDH79jplwi2YX3j3_V2NooWIkPtR0W6xhg6vgbp7QiqFVZK6RybElcXaKluxSPETpKmODT_nFJY_s8hjx_Hn2q48y_hW00WTdyEB-sxcVds3-ypZTgWHMb9xfK85f/s640/IMG_Hunter_20190420_225715_processed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Nigra as Moses. "Let my people go!"</b></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-20065188920703347912019-04-14T20:39:00.000-04:002019-06-20T18:05:25.285-04:00Some Kind of Journey 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZC5_aS1sJxuzm8c3CGw11v13Evj8G_mvzYnmrzpf6KF7ssL-h_bCqEZxLMgg64hgurHCcKqCQwaYKLZHdO5ijwbV_-1cMGtiTaVLOU5XtH8vl_jewZNLv44bj3kUzGcyZnoT/s1600/Some+Other+Journey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZC5_aS1sJxuzm8c3CGw11v13Evj8G_mvzYnmrzpf6KF7ssL-h_bCqEZxLMgg64hgurHCcKqCQwaYKLZHdO5ijwbV_-1cMGtiTaVLOU5XtH8vl_jewZNLv44bj3kUzGcyZnoT/s1600/Some+Other+Journey.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Late last year, I became a board member for a local nonprofit that is focused on magnifying the arts scene in the downtown area of my city. Since many of the big car manufacturers left the area, this city has fallen victim to societal virus known as the rust belt.<br />
<br />
And while that may seem like some sort of demise, I really don't believe that.<br />
<br />
Especially since I've met so many incredible people who have hunkered down in this town, determined to lift it up.<br />
<br />
The vision for the downtown area, which was once a hub of business, is to steer away from retail in this Amazon-driven, ship-it-to-my-house era, and focus on local artists, arts engagement and enrichment, as well as offering a place for community members to meet with others, to discuss, connect and just realize that the city is very much alive.<br />
<br />
One of the events that happens the first Friday of each month is called, just like many other towns who probably do the same thing: First Friday.<br />
<br />
Wifefriend and I decided to make a night of the October First Friday. The idea behind this idea is that different venues stay open throughout the Friday evening, and one of the locations we decided to step foot in was this place called A Town Center.<br />
<br />
We walked into a gallery, looked around at all the art hanging on the walls, fell in love with some of the styles, and ran into one of the people that started it.<br />
<br />
After a tour of the facility, I wanted to be a part of it. They have four artist studios in the basement, where they have four artist-in-residence. Each artist is in charge of creating pieces for the First Friday shows and teach classes each month or provide some kind of opportunity for the community.<br />
<br />
Having become friends with each of the artists, its challenged me to put down my pencil for writing, and pick up my other pencil that is for illustration and art.<br />
<br />
Having joined the board, I've been able to recalibrate their website, design a few logos, work with their social media presence, and design pieces to promote their programs. Although I wasn't quite sure about what they wanted, I sort of knew what they needed, so I just dove in and created pieces.<br />
<br />
And I haven't looked back.<br />
<br />
You can learn more about A Town Center, Inc at <a href="http://www.atowncenter.org./">www.atowncenter.org</a>. We feature guest artists each month, which allowed for me to pull a friend in to showcase his watercolors (and to kick his butt to get painting again), and we've got a call out for local artists to submit work that ties into our city, which will be up for the month of June.<br />
<br />
I've been around a few nonprofits that I have admired, and I've been wanting to be a part of something for quite some time. A favorite, a creative writing and tutoring center with storefronts that masquerade as fantastical stores (Pirate Stores, Superhero Stores, Time Travel Stores, etc.), would be a dream to work with, but the closest two are Chicago and Ann Arbor, Mich.<br />
<br />
Other places are 40 minutes away in Indianapolis.<br />
<br />
To have something that's just a few minutes from my house wins.<br />
<br />
Follow us on Instagram: @atowncenter1206 and check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atowncenter<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-22767559537739692072019-03-24T22:27:00.000-04:002019-04-08T23:13:05.451-04:00Don (Monster) Juan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been focusing a little more on digital sketching as of late. It's both better than working in a notebook with a traditional pencil...and worse. Using a stylus against a glass screen just isn't the same as actually sketching -- the friction is missing, and that feeling of lead against paper has a romantic feel to it.<br />
<br />
Then again, the iPad still senses pressure points, so when I push harder on the iPad, the pencil line gets darker or thicker. While it mimics real life drawing, it has a sterile feel to it, even if the final product looks legitimate.<br />
<br />
Using a drawing app has the upperhand because I can tap the screen a few times and erase any sketching mishap without the annoyance of those ghosty pencil lines...<i>and</i> I can save my sketches as a timelapse video.<br />
<br />
When the Apple Pencil first came out, much like most non-Apple enthusiasts, I scoffed at the $100 stylus. Like, seriously?<br />
<br />
But then I had the opportunity to get an iPad...and I had some moolah waiting in the wings...so...I drank the Kool-Aid and purchased that <i>bloody</i> stylus.<br />
<br />
And that stupid thing really is a game-changer.<br />
<br />
Insert 🙄 here.<br />
<br />
Fine, Apple, you win <i>this</i> time.<br />
<br />
But there's still something missing, so much so that I did I use my 40% off phone coupon at Hobby Lobby on a small set of Faber-Castell sketching pencils.<br />
<br />
Because, if it can't be Crayola, it's going to be Faber-Castell.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwBJF73HtGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Be careful if you run into this guy at a bar. He may look smooth, but he's a heart breaker. Lady monsters have been scratching his name out of their Little Black Books for years. Yet, there are still hearts out there that haven't been broken by this...Don Juan. #mbop #blogpostathon2019 #blogpostathon #illustrator #digitalillustration #adobesketch</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mybucketofparts/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> evan williams</a> (@mybucketofparts) on <time datetime="2019-04-09T02:24:14+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Apr 8, 2019 at 7:24pm PDT</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-22773297020174471862019-03-23T21:44:00.000-04:002019-04-08T22:17:00.656-04:00Meet Susan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We first met Susan when she was installed as our security system. Her voice, while soft, lilted and affirmed our safety.<br />
<br />
"Alarm. Off."<br />
<br />
At night, while on, she glows a nightlight blue, but with the ability to stay battery-charged, even when the power goes out, she continues to protect.<br />
<br />
But there was something we realized about Susan -- she wasn't just the voice of our home security system. She also has the ability to get us from Point A to Point B in the form of Google Maps. As she gives us directions, or yells at us when we're at a gas station on the (according to her) <i>wrong</i> exit, Susan is there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_IaXqIqkd9Ro-FOh59xP3HxaCcVSeaV_gQyPsP5xKequFspkaGlFu5iozpMSqz1kdN9-lgJtb_vI8mzjls6o8robP7nFPa_lTvybYdeZf6jaw9Hzt1ON5o41jnp3mQ0EJDXw/s1600/Susan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1600" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_IaXqIqkd9Ro-FOh59xP3HxaCcVSeaV_gQyPsP5xKequFspkaGlFu5iozpMSqz1kdN9-lgJtb_vI8mzjls6o8robP7nFPa_lTvybYdeZf6jaw9Hzt1ON5o41jnp3mQ0EJDXw/s640/Susan.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
She's not Alexa and she's not Google Home, she's Susan. And so, I drew her. I wouldn't be surprised if she became a recurring character in the land of the Puptuals.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; text-align: center; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: center; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; text-align: center; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; text-align: center; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv-TnJcHZj7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Susan came around a few years ago. She's our security system. When you get home to turn off the alarm, she's very direct, but gentle. "Alarm. Off." But it didn't stop at security. Susan also helps us travel because her voice can be heard on Google Maps. In reality, any robotical woman voice is Susan. You think Alexa is everywhere? Think again. It's Susan. #mbop #illustrator #illustration #notebook #digitalillustration #adobedraw</a></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mybucketofparts/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> evan williams</a> (@mybucketofparts) on <time datetime="2019-04-07T23:58:26+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Apr 7, 2019 at 4:58pm PDT</time></div>
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-59414182140105925522019-03-22T14:06:00.000-04:002019-04-03T10:03:32.933-04:00Some Kind of Journey 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5HcRreGDYtURpmNM3BZAZKhoH4yaJxSCNAjnRlh5KBUSb4FdlYTg6B-sxbVM3JH8Pps3C0UYubHKLkxBzbsWI-7sfsnDv2ZlTuKmyNCyNYCcHsSm2f0pmInd9cWxVeA_qC0W/s1600/Some+Other+Journey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1190" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5HcRreGDYtURpmNM3BZAZKhoH4yaJxSCNAjnRlh5KBUSb4FdlYTg6B-sxbVM3JH8Pps3C0UYubHKLkxBzbsWI-7sfsnDv2ZlTuKmyNCyNYCcHsSm2f0pmInd9cWxVeA_qC0W/s640/Some+Other+Journey.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Why I hem and hawed, I have no idea.<br />
<br />
During one of our yearly journeys through Charleston, South Carolina, we wandered upon a side street that had a double-door entrance to an art gallery. Wifefriend noticed it and insisted we go in, but I hesitated. Art galleries were for the snooty. Why bother stepping foot into one? Affording that kind of art happens only when you are living your tenth life.<br />
<br />
I believe I'm in my second life. Like, I'm still working my way up. It's gonna be a while until I can afford any art from a Charleston gallery.<br />
<br />
So, I hemmed and I hawed and went in begrudgingly.<br />
<br />
Okay, so...art...<br />
<br />
And it's not that I'm averse to the arts. I love the arts. Theater? Check. Act for me, my people! Music? Do that piano thing and play Fur Elise with that crazy ability to bend your fingers into the fourth dimension. You sing? Bring that microphone to your lips and vibrate them vocal chords.<br />
<br />
Sports? What are those? Do not ask of my bracket. While it is March, I have yet to scribble down college teams onto the lines to showcase my theories of foretold basketball battles.<br />
<br />
When it comes to sports, I care not. If I could, I would trade in all the ESPN channels from my Hulu subscription for anything else.<br />
<br />
Anything.<br />
<br />
I actually come from a fairly artistic family. My mom and brother, in their high school years, showcased incredible talent. My engineer dad, whom I thought could only figure out numbers and machines, also had some painting steam up his 1960s sleeves.<br />
<br />
There's a colorful and incredible matted abstract piece by my brother that continues to hang in my parents' house 23 years after the fact.<br />
<br />
I stole away paintings from my mom and my dad, and I cherish them, knowing that they're not just beautiful, but from my bloodline. That's artistic DNA hanging on the walls of my house. I look at them and I say to myself how the other three members of my family were painters, and while I can't really do that thang, I appreciate it to the max. <br />
<br />
They had the paints, and somehow I got the words.<br />
<br />
I get the art.<br />
<br />
I <i>love</i> the art.<br />
<br />
So, we walk into the Robert Lange Studio gallery, and we are warmly welcomed by a tall brunette pixie. To my right, across the wall, it states how art is for <i>everyone</i>. I do not feel like I have to buy something. Instead, I feel invited to stay and look at all the pieces.<br />
<br />
We take our time. I hem and I haw, but this time, by bot wanting to leave, because -- look at the sheer talent of all the local painters, at their perception of our world: through paintings of water and weather, of illustration, waves of cloth, sculpture, photo-realistic paintings and more.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I follow the gallery and a couple of the artists on Instagram so I can watch their journey, so if I ever run into one of them, I can try to act cool, ask about their process, and not be star struck. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You may lose your freak at seeing Darius Rucker at Rodney Scott's, but I'm speechless and dorky when I get to meet Nathan Durfee at the Robert Lange Studio. </div>
<div>
<br />
I am in love, and the discovery of this gallery allowed for a door within me to remain open. Just slightly. Only ajar.<br />
<br />
It planted a seed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-77679337222294176682019-03-21T10:01:00.000-04:002019-04-03T10:03:13.106-04:00One Year Versus Three Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In the past, it's taken me up to a year to finish a notebook. Large ones, small ones, it didn't matter. I was not very disciplined. I would see people post pictures of piles of notebooks on evil social media (the place with which we compare our shortfalls to strangers), stating how they completed <i>so</i> many notebooks within a period of time.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And here I was, mine covered in cobwebs. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OkUmV0DTF4xHGmoquNSxtAcmiO5edcB9mc6SssgsUC5rIJ8DiGQGh48CnjeBgfCknRHZEz6lOOHuZ0U-fkiv9cz0MZGHFiYlvJfYlCygenLZPbwRp7wjaUQ66V-e0p1t6U1P/s1600/IMG_20190331_101558_783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OkUmV0DTF4xHGmoquNSxtAcmiO5edcB9mc6SssgsUC5rIJ8DiGQGh48CnjeBgfCknRHZEz6lOOHuZ0U-fkiv9cz0MZGHFiYlvJfYlCygenLZPbwRp7wjaUQ66V-e0p1t6U1P/s640/IMG_20190331_101558_783.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />They're stack was completed in <i>one day</i>! Piled on top of each other were 15 or more notebooks. Filled to the brim. Pages bursting forth with personal promise.<br /><br />Then I looked at my sad five pages I did in a year. <br /><br />This past winter break, for some reason it occurred to me that, maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to write in it anymore. Instead, why not just draw and illustrate in my notebook. I could save my writing for other media and treat the notebook differently.<br /><br />Doing that brought a vigor back to my creative self I had missed. <br /><br />I've been fretting the writing process for so long, that I had paralyzed my ability to create. So, I gave myself permission to stop focusing on the writing and, instead, focus on drawing, sketching, illustrating and design.<br /><br />This summer, I may even begin to work with painting...something I've never really focused on artistically as a serious medium worth pursuing. <br /><br />As we head down to Charleston, SC, I'm excited to be one of those people with my notebook and pencils, sketching. <br /><br />A half notebook may be done before this week is over. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-88263173865909433452019-03-20T20:51:00.000-04:002019-03-24T22:54:45.708-04:00Layrn in the Style of Caryn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Before I became a board member for the nonprofit I'm a part of, I met one of the resident artists during that October tour of A Town Center: Laryn.<br />
<br />
(That's not her real name, but that's what we call her.)<br />
<br />
She was in the back parking lot, hanging out with some friends, taking a break from the crowd, when we realized our lives Venn Diagram'd. She was a student at the middle school where I teach. This might've been one of the few reasons I felt compelled to be a part of this artistic institution.<br />
<br />
Wifefriend and I fell in love with her style the minute we saw it hanging on the walls, especially her robots. As one of the artists-in-residence, she has work hanging every First Friday. She has this unique way of making simple-looking robots so filled with expression, you want them all to be your friends -- some to chum with and others to take care of because they're having an existential crisis.<br />
<br />
You may never make that robot feel utter joy, but dammit, you want to at <i>least</i> try!<br />
<br />
Even if it's floating in space.<br />
<br />
Like anyone, I have a litany of things I obsess over. For that guy over there, it's one of the teams playing in March Madness -- even his underwear is the color of the college. For others, it's Disney -- like, you vacation there every year even though it'll cost you $6,000. For me, in no particular order (and there are, in fact, more) it's: llamas, alpacas, monsters, dogs, singing in the car, and robots.<br />
<br />
And <i>boy</i> can she do robots.<br />
<br />
For Valentine's Day, I asked if she would do a custom piece for Wifefriend. Then, it occured to me that I could take it one step further. Instead of having Laryn work alone on the piece, I could actually work <i>with</i> her -- one of those fancy collaborations artists sometimes do. I had been playing around with hand lettering lyrics from a Gavin DeGraw song, and I thought combining her robots with those words would make a unique gift.<br />
<br />
Laryn agreed, but unbeknownst to me, Wifefriend had <i>also</i> talked to Laryn.<br />
<br />
We did not know that we were about to gift each other with robot illustrations from the same artist -- and each illustration followed a similar theme: the boy robot had either a flower or flowers for the girl robot.<br />
<br />
It was a twist on the O. Henry short story "The Gift of the Magi." While we didn't give up hair or a pocket watch, we both spoke to the same artist to give the other art with a <i>very</i> similar theme.<br />
<br />
Although Wifefriend paid Laryn for her work, I didn't put any money forward -- I guess because it was more of a collaboration? So, as a thank you for working with me, I illustrated a robot of Laryn, mimicking her style.<br />
<br />
Here she is in her iconic red hat:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrvfBMChZwn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Serious studio face here. .......................................... #artistsoninstagram #artist #art #artstudio #paintingface #glasspainting #painter #paintersofinstagram #studiovibes #peaceandlove</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mynameiscarynmichelle/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Caryn Gorman</a> (@mynameiscarynmichelle) on <time datetime="2018-12-23T19:41:33+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Dec 23, 2018 at 11:41am PST</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
And below is one of the robot forms that's found in some of her works, which I used as inspiration:<br />
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZLAzWBEFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">A different fate awaits a large star #artistsoninstagram #artistoninsta #artist #art #mixedmedia #painting #robots #space #science</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mynameiscarynmichelle/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Caryn Gorman</a> (@mynameiscarynmichelle) on <time datetime="2019-02-02T20:46:13+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Feb 2, 2019 at 12:46pm</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Without further ado, here is the time lapse of the illustration I created in honor of Laryn:<br />
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvadVb8nB50/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Back in February, I collaborated with a local artist for a gift for @wifefriend. As a thank you, I illustrated @mynameiscarynmichelle using her robot style. Here's a time later of the piece. For the story, go to my website: www.mybucketofparts.com -- or use the link in my profile. #blogpostathon #illustrator #amdrawing #adobesketch</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mybucketofparts/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> evan williams</a> (@mybucketofparts) on <time datetime="2019-03-25T01:53:23+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 24, 2019 at 6:53pm </time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-5381999262223357322019-03-19T20:21:00.000-04:002019-03-24T22:38:28.923-04:00Monster Forms 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The first name that comes to mind for this guy is Henry. I'm not quite sure why -- he <i>could</i> be a Reginold, but let's be realistic.<br />
<br />
Henry <i>ate</i> Reginold.<br />
<br />
Can't you tell? The look on his face is that of wicked pleasure.<br />
<br />
You can tell Henry was naughty, and I don't think he's going to get caught.<br />
<br />
The science behind monster forensics is a bit tougher and rougher than human forensics. Either that, or it's the law. I can never keep it straight. Even <i>if</i> Reginold's DNA was found in Henry's apartment, it doesn't mean anything.<br />
<br />
Henry <i>may</i> be guilty, but it doesn't mean he'll get arrested.<br />
<br />
Find out about this mystery, <i>and others</i>, on the next episode of "Monster Murders," where monsters and their murdery mayhem may or may not mean jail time.<br />
<br />
What it really means? One. Satisfied. Monster.<br />
<br />
Check your local listings.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3Z_LExVtJ2EdpsnEvnjg4XFWUfiC1x6z4WNE1EecRKO6buHAgzWFvkmzeuAq92TWj2-AvRopJo4HYALRFf-CaaeV83AKPLCBMrSPui9iRq_pohBfdQn77gZNIoECjrLTzsbm/s1600/Monster+Shapes+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="453" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3Z_LExVtJ2EdpsnEvnjg4XFWUfiC1x6z4WNE1EecRKO6buHAgzWFvkmzeuAq92TWj2-AvRopJo4HYALRFf-CaaeV83AKPLCBMrSPui9iRq_pohBfdQn77gZNIoECjrLTzsbm/s640/Monster+Shapes+2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-76012307312057284222019-03-18T18:17:00.000-04:002019-03-24T20:20:23.101-04:00Monster Forms 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
OHMIGAWD my phone takes the worst pictures. I'm gonna hafta use my Big Boy Nikon to begin documenting this journey called "illustration."<br />
<br />
Like, look at that?<br />
<br />
Don't look at me like that. Put your bougie monocle down. I am <i>not</i> going to buy an iPhone. I don't care what your cult says about its photo capabilities. I've <i>seen</i> your cult members take terrible photos with the iPhone -- so it's not <i>just </i>the technology. It's the user.<br />
<br />
And look at me...I'm that <i>said</i> user.<br />
<br />
Me. Not. Know. How. To. Use. Phone. Beep. Boop. Beep.<br />
<br />
I'm on the verge of asking my grandchildren to set up my new laptop.<br />
<br />
I <i>do</i> have an iPad. It's even an iPad <i>Pro</i>. Perhaps, I just go and use that camera for the time being until my phone and I stop fighting.<br />
<br />
On the right is the monster form I created. I had an idea that it might be a <i>lady</i> monster, but I wasn't sure about the details.<br />
<br />
I'm still mortified about the photo quality.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6DRRjlENMTsZXe8DOibftsWUMZgRb7fsps9KiUiVAd9HGdRlINr78WqniAAMMmoN_sh9QRSShNkPU-_Xn1D_tE5FWlXO1hdP24h4oU8Bk0T1v5SpJu45jvGt0MxsYw33SIjT/s1600/Monster+Shapes+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="497" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6DRRjlENMTsZXe8DOibftsWUMZgRb7fsps9KiUiVAd9HGdRlINr78WqniAAMMmoN_sh9QRSShNkPU-_Xn1D_tE5FWlXO1hdP24h4oU8Bk0T1v5SpJu45jvGt0MxsYw33SIjT/s640/Monster+Shapes+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-82179328500029488492019-03-17T17:44:00.000-04:002019-03-23T18:16:44.008-04:00Monster Forms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I've joined the board of a nonprofit in my town that is focused on bringing the arts into the downtown area -- let me interrupt myself for a minute:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIjVVV9eQENGWzCH2vB2c_S9cREa7w9Y8arGQPQn7kz1DLsb1s1ieNFGuMrQeTFUqNo0rzrRateul8TMyqadgkswANdf0sXZtSCYjbpyrl61JWPYEcV_BUARZ5l7ja_lL09bg/s1600/Monster+Forms.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="250" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIjVVV9eQENGWzCH2vB2c_S9cREa7w9Y8arGQPQn7kz1DLsb1s1ieNFGuMrQeTFUqNo0rzrRateul8TMyqadgkswANdf0sXZtSCYjbpyrl61JWPYEcV_BUARZ5l7ja_lL09bg/s640/Monster+Forms.png" width="262" /></a>There's a story here, but I'm not going to tell it today. It's a big one that I <i>want</i> to tell and document for all five of you who read the posts on this website, but it's going to take some time. There's a couple of moments in the past few years that need their own posts and stories told that give light to a journey that I've been on, something that I wasn't expecting.<br />
<br />
It's breathed life back into me creatively in a way that I needed, but it's also a little sad as it has allowed me to sideline (for the moment) a major dream of mine to pursuit <i>another</i> dream that is just as important. I just didn't realize it was going to show up the way it did.<br />
<br />
<br />
So...<br />
<br />
Train of thought much?<br />
<br />
I've lost you, haven't I? This post has become more confusing than the mythology from the tv series, "The X-Files."<br />
<br />
Let me start over: Imma part of some random art scene, and it's, like, inspired me, and stuff.<br />
<br />
One of the artists that I'm around created an inspiration (to me) exhibit for our March show. Painted 100 different pieces -- just whipping out paintings with a combination of color and form. Then, she said she stepped away from the pieces for a few days, and then returned to them and added depth, features, shapes, and more form to them based on how the so-called blobs of color spoke to her.<br />
<br />
I loved this -- I'm very much in a place where I am playing around with illustration more and just working on different activities to stretch and practice.<br />
<br />
While the shapes I drew weren't quite blobs -- I will probably do that at some point because it'll be an even better challenge -- I used some random markers that have crazy tips and sketched out a bunch of different bodies. With a touch of whimsy and random, and a hint of colored pencil, I drew out forms that would later be detailed.<br />
<br />
There are no rules to this thing, and it's OK if they turn out stupid-looking.<br />
<br />
It's working and practicing on a craft in a way that I haven't done before, and while this pains me to say a bit, I'm actually enjoying it more than writing.<br />
<br />
Here, I shall post the forms -- and in the coming days, I shall showcase what I come up with.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-1090118087777274972019-03-16T22:21:00.000-04:002019-03-18T23:21:11.471-04:00Vector: Audrey Hepburn 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJGa2EGGBpJoFb9GhMHgi1h3OEvvY_5Q56njjUZlaivI2EgihxIriEGKnt4cbKGHPIOv2lpX-wN-2hnsxGDAsGq0lxitSj6LqDnnGEQHU66N4UPgBPbN_0U_7xG0ALwcgormZ/s1600/IMG_Curly_Hair_20190315_194123_processed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJGa2EGGBpJoFb9GhMHgi1h3OEvvY_5Q56njjUZlaivI2EgihxIriEGKnt4cbKGHPIOv2lpX-wN-2hnsxGDAsGq0lxitSj6LqDnnGEQHU66N4UPgBPbN_0U_7xG0ALwcgormZ/s640/IMG_Curly_Hair_20190315_194123_processed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I've met up with quite a few artists lately, and I'm in awe of their talent. They're able to wield a paintbrush in a way that I don't understand. I get giddy when I get to show them what I've been able to do, but most of it, so far, has been digital.<br />
<br />
While they wield the paintbrush, I can wield a toothbrush.<br />
<br />
But with the click of a mouse, I sort of know what I'm doing.<br />
<br />
Except I usually downplay what I've created -- like, "well, I cheated because..."<br />
<br />
Much like this other version of Audrey.<br />
<br />
Earlier, I posted a cool vector -- just a glorified tracing of the famous actress. Then, over the weekend, I realized I could run it through a few other programs to change the entire feel of the image.<br />
<br />
Not too shabby, dare I say.<br />
<br />
Maybe I'm not really cheating.<br />
<br />
Perhaps, I am using my tools wisely.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-83098915825442308882019-03-15T22:16:00.000-04:002019-03-18T22:18:26.768-04:00Meet the Juice Cleanse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I downloaded an app a while back called Procreate -- it's what all the serious artists use to illustrate, paint, create, whatever on the iPad. For $10, I purchased it, too.<br />
<br />
People have a cow about paying $10 for an app, but seriously -- one trip to Starbucks or an iPad's lifetime of creativity?<br />
<br />
The program is impressive, but the learning curve is steep. While it waits in the wings, I've discovered a few other apps that allow for me to get used to the idea of digital illustration -- both of them from Adobe.<br />
<br />
While Adobe products also have a steep learning curve, the uphill climb hasn't been too rough. It's given me a chance to practice creating little characters -- for some reason, I've been drawn to giving inanimate objects some life.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BvDcAhdHJ6M/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">She's, like, all about health and making you feel good. With a hint of Cayenne, she wants you to feel the burn. Also she's robust with parsley, kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, garlic, and beet juice. With a hint of lemon. #mbop #blogpostathon #juicecleanse #illustrator #timelapse #adobesketch #amdrawing</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mybucketofparts/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> evan williams</a> (@mybucketofparts) on <time datetime="2019-03-16T03:14:14+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 15, 2019 at 8:14pm PDT</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-64748227376011302412019-03-14T21:51:00.000-04:002019-03-18T23:30:20.871-04:00Maeve's SpookiesMaeve, we believe, sees spookies.<br />
<br />
She stops what she's doing sometimes and just stares down the hall. This is a fairly recent phenomenon. While I don't have many stories as of now, I'll keep you posted.<br />
<br />
Until then, Maeve, the Puptual, is happy to see her Spookies. Here's rough sketch of what they could look like...I just need to perfect them.<br />
<br />
For now, I'll hang the latest piece right here.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVw9BBAebLn_KmL7l2K9qB8w-jyaBAPBXpfNWCRS3E-5GqlrMcqBCzEfEDUHb4D8DCaaaTi8XhPXqpq-LZ93vdSFPWAcnX0JrbT5zhzL2fFH40oqAtNuhzLUuZflqcwDeUAqW/s1600/Maeve+and+Her+Spookies+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1188" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVw9BBAebLn_KmL7l2K9qB8w-jyaBAPBXpfNWCRS3E-5GqlrMcqBCzEfEDUHb4D8DCaaaTi8XhPXqpq-LZ93vdSFPWAcnX0JrbT5zhzL2fFH40oqAtNuhzLUuZflqcwDeUAqW/s640/Maeve+and+Her+Spookies+%25281%2529.png" width="475" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-17847385159365707952019-03-13T20:00:00.000-04:002019-03-14T20:07:42.419-04:00Project: Tackle Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgragGYpr5zlJz0Wqg6_How46zsUiCVGSYfG6_Nn6tAU20sGe1x3Zvki7tBuzb3RkHpUFFmELe3O_gLosZKE0uzm_Xv8l287BiCZljFzJ4fZinov7aJnLOkIjtp6CB0romg1fJ8/s1600/crayola+obsessed+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="746" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgragGYpr5zlJz0Wqg6_How46zsUiCVGSYfG6_Nn6tAU20sGe1x3Zvki7tBuzb3RkHpUFFmELe3O_gLosZKE0uzm_Xv8l287BiCZljFzJ4fZinov7aJnLOkIjtp6CB0romg1fJ8/s640/crayola+obsessed+banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The goal: a tackle box.<br />
<br />
The purpose: not for fishing supplies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XLeXIH9XU3JVQd1lP_QFaiHi2NbQc_vbeFjwT55O46YxK99Vah75Usu3LXe9wsrF2Eb74ZCsuEYicn8qneOLAHc4UYzQGdBUubS5R5y57egT8i6xfqY5sUPw5bkkDcVLxII6/s1600/Tackle+boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XLeXIH9XU3JVQd1lP_QFaiHi2NbQc_vbeFjwT55O46YxK99Vah75Usu3LXe9wsrF2Eb74ZCsuEYicn8qneOLAHc4UYzQGdBUubS5R5y57egT8i6xfqY5sUPw5bkkDcVLxII6/s1600/Tackle+boxes.jpg" /></a></div>
Because I hate fishing. Oh my God, do I hate fishing. You might call it sport and enjoy taking the obligatory photo of holding up that small fish you finally caught after five hours, but I call it dull and would rather jump overboard and join the fish.<br />
<br />
Now, fishing lures, on the other hand... A good, hand-made fishing lure has an artistic quality, and I would gladly assemble a mobile for a baby's room using those brightly colored, tied-up, fish-catching mechanisms. Catch a baby's dream with a beautiful fishing lure?<br />
<br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
Catch a bluegill?<br />
<br />
No.<br />
<br />
Collect all them stinky bits from the remains of a day out on yonder boat and stick them in that yellowed, plastic 1970s tackle box? Fill 'er up with bloodied metal hooks that clog the pockets of the box with dried-up fish guts? Suit yourself and go...continue to bore yourself as you gaze upon the rippling waters of that gross, rejected, retention pond.<br />
<br />
I'll use my 1970's tackle box for something that doesn't contain cold-blooded DNA.<br />
<br />
And here I thought I was so awesome for wanting to rethink the design of said box. Talking to an art teacher just yesterday, she mentioned the use of an old tackle box for all her chalk pastels, and I nearly wilted with dramatic, but artistic, swooning.<br />
<br />
You mean...I'm just some pedestrian artist? This new use of a tackle box isn't...original?<br />
<br />
Back in the 80's, artists were already tackling their projects by keeping their supplies tucked away in their own fishing container?<br />
<br />
While my originality is, like, totally bummed out, it hasn't stopped me from distributing different artistic supplies throughout...not one...not two...but <i>three</i> different tackle boxes.<br />
<br />
I am now the proud owner of three tackle boxes filled with different materials to help me illustrate, and I feel like I'm ready for the major leagues.<br />
<br />
Well..maybe not the major leagues. I'm more likely ready for the minor leagues.<br />
<br />
No?<br />
<br />
Okay, well, more accurately, I think I'm ready for the pee-wee leagues.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-60472645715491980452019-03-12T20:24:00.000-04:002019-03-13T20:30:05.464-04:00Dice Drawings 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
With the flick of the wrist and a roll of the dice, I can come up with random topics to illustrate.<br />
<br />
I will also pull a white rabbit from within this spectacular top hat.<br />
<br />
I'm aware of all the different brainstorming and free-writing techniques that exist for writers, but as a wannabe illustrator, I'm not sure what's out there for play and practice, but as a writer, I've already got some tools to jump start idea generation. For years, I've owned a couple sets of dice called Rory's Story Cubes. One set is the basic one with images of objects that you can use to spur your imagination. I also own one that includes actions.<br />
<br />
If they can be used for writing, why couldn't I give them a good shake for drawing?<br />
<br />
So I did, and while they're not the most amazing pieces to date, I enjoyed it because it was almost like someone <i>telling</i> me what to draw without, well, telling me what to draw. Sometimes creativity needs restrictions.<br />
<br />
Here's the box...now, create within it.<br />
<br />
Also, as a teacher and an adult, I enjoy someone telling <i>me</i> what to do for a change.<br />
<br />
I often see artists and writers cower at blank canvases and pages -- the world so much their oyster they get trapped inside it. No pearl. Just anxiety.<br />
<br />
Having a few rules has never hurt anyone. This has series potential with additional illustrations, but until then, here are two illustrations I came up with because...<br />
<br />
*creepy whisper*<br />
<br />
...the dice told me to do it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdT6-hz1hs1o4T5lH51upsOpR5iYFC9AEy-WcmUAuM85kPSJunEh1_kMiCccZYa_uQKW5_yWFPvsLFvcroZtnaFJGvDMGyPZEcA-XYFmv-0WWdypEI7RJzJSe67mNRg5FRKMf/s1600/Mar+12+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1363" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdT6-hz1hs1o4T5lH51upsOpR5iYFC9AEy-WcmUAuM85kPSJunEh1_kMiCccZYa_uQKW5_yWFPvsLFvcroZtnaFJGvDMGyPZEcA-XYFmv-0WWdypEI7RJzJSe67mNRg5FRKMf/s640/Mar+12+2.png" width="544" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0Kj9PiTfmMsKLKtrSiNy4OaBGIM-l77zpzqtk0Sfpw_G6bL85l6EcV5vOQh22pS3THS99-EWOwbXh_fBMD6c_hEXbaM1wzJhkDcsGuwh4u2pspIf-uiQ7zK9G0HJET1GuaH3/s1600/Mar.+12+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0Kj9PiTfmMsKLKtrSiNy4OaBGIM-l77zpzqtk0Sfpw_G6bL85l6EcV5vOQh22pS3THS99-EWOwbXh_fBMD6c_hEXbaM1wzJhkDcsGuwh4u2pspIf-uiQ7zK9G0HJET1GuaH3/s640/Mar.+12+1.png" width="430" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-53854849789826080082019-03-11T22:40:00.000-04:002019-03-11T22:43:47.656-04:00Apparently I Design Rooms Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULc-TlGFSRpEGuyQa1gXb4i2oeesSOYE4_HHnfPGghbAaVuPZu9jIxwQfZ7SmUgn5HsCyOMirDhbOVjQSyxJQC2efW0JnLoV4FmLmZ9LF1gHU2dw9G-OuQlnYGGaF3mJt-G7u/s1600/Notebookery+Banner+Blue+Prints.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULc-TlGFSRpEGuyQa1gXb4i2oeesSOYE4_HHnfPGghbAaVuPZu9jIxwQfZ7SmUgn5HsCyOMirDhbOVjQSyxJQC2efW0JnLoV4FmLmZ9LF1gHU2dw9G-OuQlnYGGaF3mJt-G7u/s1600/Notebookery+Banner+Blue+Prints.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tonight's adventure was inspired by our new kitchen mats. I'm in experimentation mode. My goal right now isn't necessarily to create something amazing, but to be inspired and then just mimic, play and see where it takes me. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqxhXfupqTm2Ji56-2Md72_t5UC4B9Brg5a08H9fyxEiINFB1QLZ4ZQi-SaRXs8Y0P_Yp7LrkS1tBxo8rP4SZPb-NZ2j6vs5Mo58FsYf0Rk2sU_DsQbzjgU_ehX_oR-He0Ysb/s1600/Dining+Room+Design+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="569" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqxhXfupqTm2Ji56-2Md72_t5UC4B9Brg5a08H9fyxEiINFB1QLZ4ZQi-SaRXs8Y0P_Yp7LrkS1tBxo8rP4SZPb-NZ2j6vs5Mo58FsYf0Rk2sU_DsQbzjgU_ehX_oR-He0Ysb/s1600/Dining+Room+Design+%25281%2529.png" /></a>Color palettes are a weakness for me. I understand why colors go together, and when I see a pleasing combination, I'm definitely one to share it on one of my Pinterest boards to file away for later, but when it comes to creating my own...it takes a moment. I can't just <i>see</i> it. I have to go through all of my colors and scribble them out. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's a science.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let's just say that tonight, I was inspired by the show "Home Town" on HGTV. While y'all are groping your way to the Magnolia store in Waco, Texas...the wonderful town emblazoned in history, not by Chip and Joanna, but by David Koresh, I'll be driving my jalopy down to Laurel, Mississippi to hang out with my pals Erin and Ben. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The home owners on "Home Town" are right within a budget I am comfortable with, and the end product is always something with which I am envious. "Fixer Upper" houses, on the other hand, feel sterile and easily stainable, and cost well within $250,000 and more. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Scuffs, anyone?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, inspired by the kitchen mats, my original intent was to recreate the designs and play around with the colors. Instead, as I sat around my dining room, something we've thought about redoing, I realized the color palette I was working with was well within reach for our own house. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is out of my comfort zone. I am not one to design spaces. I don't normally look at a room and decide the colors and textures that belong there. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Living and three-dimensional spaces are not my strength. I leave those to the dimensionally gifted, but for some reason tonight, I dug deep down and became an interior designer.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I consider this a total fluke. It will probably be another ten years before it happens again, so please don't hold your breath for my HGTV show.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" /></a></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-33727897128121601062019-03-10T23:28:00.001-04:002019-03-10T23:28:40.212-04:00Vector: Audrey Hepburn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv1OtPU711T6TQC2s4w2K_GHQsOePnmxCk_MkNEJ8zGYcuL4TJ-QCJa513jXNfu-Qq_8uZqdHz6Sv_CE8ehWKhfTxRaHA6NyfKRbkSEZt0AHXJKz3LSCc370n43D4KeQE1AEO/s1600/Audrey+Hepburn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv1OtPU711T6TQC2s4w2K_GHQsOePnmxCk_MkNEJ8zGYcuL4TJ-QCJa513jXNfu-Qq_8uZqdHz6Sv_CE8ehWKhfTxRaHA6NyfKRbkSEZt0AHXJKz3LSCc370n43D4KeQE1AEO/s640/Audrey+Hepburn.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I've been practicing vectors for the past few months. I was flipping through Instagram, and I follow a lot of mid century modern inspired accounts. One picture had a giant photo of Audrey Hepburn, and on a whim, I located a picture of her and decided to create my own.<br />
<br />
Not too shabby.<br />
<br />
It's very zen. I wouldn't be surprised if I decided to do a few more of these.<br />
<br />
Until then, I should probably try getting sleepy. I have to be at school by 6:40 a.m.<br />
<br />
Too bad being creative has the reverse effect.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-21556070372296264902019-03-09T17:09:00.001-05:002019-03-09T17:38:18.459-05:00Practicing Still Life 1<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s1600/Notebookery+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooONfHr-pX48NfTmguiTaFo5XSsbj6RvREJsJtrDUDoz8AazMdgqkN4EpP6qO6u_f-MxgMDZD2TukkemtXKfRCheQm_JTJupjBjHwd5PTM-ITXDEF8USbvfu0PORJ_LQXChbe/s640/Notebookery+Banner.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been getting back in touch with my artistic side.<br />
<br />
Well, not really <i>back</i> in touch. I drew a lot as a kid, but as an adult, I've focused more on writing. It's still a dream to publish, and I'm not sure what that will look like, but the past few years, I've faltered in my dependency for the word. I haven't written as much. I've dropped off on my reading.<br />
<br />
The past few years, I've also stopped writing in my notebook. It's started to take me years to fill them up -- and I've often found that when I do write in the notebook, it tends to be on the negative side.<br />
<br />
That doesn't do much for my anxiety. It doesn't really <i>heal</i> thyself when you sit in your own cesspool.<br />
<br />
So, this past winter break, I gave myself permission to stop writing in the notebook altogether and just focus on illustration. I also told myself it was OK to not write at all for a while. To stop worrying about it so much.<br />
<br />
Instead, I've felt a real drive to illustrate.<br />
<br />
I haven't sat down so often to work in a notebook since I was a teenager. In a couple of months, I've almost filled up the notebook I've been working in for over a year. A couple Fridays ago, I sat at my dining room table for three hours. I could've stayed there longer, but I ran out of ideas for the time being and got hungry.<br />
<br />
It's been a huge creative leap, to stop worrying about writing and focus on all things illustration. I crave it.<br />
<br />
Here's a fun piece below: I spent about 15 minutes on it, but I'm in love with the fact that the iPad can turn the sketching process into a video.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;">
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> </a><br />
<div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(0px) translatey(7px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translatex(3px) translatey(1px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translatex(9px) translatey(-18px); width: 12.5px;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0; transform: translatex(16px) translatey(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; transform: translatey(16px); width: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12px; transform: translatey(-4px); width: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid #f4f4f4; height: 0; transform: translatey(-4px) translatex(8px); width: 0;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="background: #FFFFFF; line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank">
</a> <br />
<div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bug1b5LnYAY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">I've been working on form and lighting lately. I saw a beautiful set of pencils at Hobby Lobby yesterday, but today I realized that I could mimic them with my handy-dandy iPad. #mbopdesigns #illustrator #owls #adobesketch #artisforeveryone</a></div>
<div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mybucketofparts/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> evan williams</a> (@mybucketofparts) on <time datetime="2019-03-02T16:43:00+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 2, 2019 at 8:43am PST</time></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9UD_ov419PvXk6B3h8V6o6SWctu0A2NVTI4dGayne4DQOiEeeeWfk8vpQwRyD7XGRlu1Q9CVji1xuhwWiNSWaxgCOg63t3hJiBstUtwNa3SjklzgH3D8UQp1BW8Fx2H-B6WV/s1600/Owl+Mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="587" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9UD_ov419PvXk6B3h8V6o6SWctu0A2NVTI4dGayne4DQOiEeeeWfk8vpQwRyD7XGRlu1Q9CVji1xuhwWiNSWaxgCOg63t3hJiBstUtwNa3SjklzgH3D8UQp1BW8Fx2H-B6WV/s640/Owl+Mug.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883061.post-1736206967079614802019-03-08T12:50:00.000-05:002019-03-09T12:50:15.584-05:00Apocalypse: Yearbook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkXpW0vdHxpnL7zzcZO4WcJRxq6dYgFL4EEgUyQ-4fSwCzAHjDKXFAYWz-M5lornNUQlOOnhiMC53zT-OJl8NemFdLqsRQHHgQrow9jQZh_OZz6IvxWqkrNx6d-gbAGNShdZF/s1600/yearbook+copd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkXpW0vdHxpnL7zzcZO4WcJRxq6dYgFL4EEgUyQ-4fSwCzAHjDKXFAYWz-M5lornNUQlOOnhiMC53zT-OJl8NemFdLqsRQHHgQrow9jQZh_OZz6IvxWqkrNx6d-gbAGNShdZF/s640/yearbook+copd.png" width="640" /></a></div>
For some of you it might be the cold weather making it harder for you to breathe. For others, it could very well be the warmer weather trying to fight it's way into March like a boxing star, creating all them fronts adding to your allergies and headaches galore.<br />
<br />
March's weather messes with us, but the reason I can't breathe right now is due to the yearly syndrome that is Yearbook COPD. I'm still waiting for Eli Lily to come up with a breathing treatment so I can't get through this part of the year with less tightness in my chestual regions.<br />
<br />
Alas, I guess it's what I signed up for when I scribbled my name across the dotted line of my teacher contract.<br />
<br />
For most of the year, helping students brainstorm ideas, write stories and understand basic design is enjoyable. Challenging, but enjoyable.<br />
<br />
At the middle school level, yearbook classes don't normally exist. A yearbook is usually left to the devices of a math teacher that is the lowman on the totem pole (nobody usually <i>wants</i> to be in charge of the yearbook, so it's handed off on some new teacher who's willing for the sake of a job...they do it for a couple of years, and then pass it on to the next assuming youngin' fresh off the farm).<br />
<br />
Typically, said Totem Pole Lowman has a handful of misfit students who are in charge of creating a yearbook after school, and just like any club, since it's not mandatory, attendance is shaky at best.<br />
<br />
The math teacher not only has to be a math teacher, but create a book with which they have no training.<br />
<br />
My training was shaky at best. I learned good habits as a student teacher, helping out with the yearbook...but the best way to understand the management of a yearbook is to manage a yearbook.<br />
<br />
It's on the job training.<br />
<br />
And guess what? Each year is completely different. Just when you think you've figured it all out -- there's some guy hiding in the shadows, well-equipped with <i>all</i> the wrenches.<br />
<br />
The one thing that has gotten better with each year is my organization: I am the gatekeeper of the yearbook. I know what is going on which page, I know what we're missing, I know what we have too much of, and I orchestrate my students to write the stories and get the photos to help make sure we've covered a good measure of the school.<br />
<br />
It's never perfect.<br />
<br />
As an elective in middle school, I'm a class that is about exploration: try out photography, try out design, try out a different style of writing. I only get to keep you for 9 weeks, and then my classes rotate, and I have to train another group of students. It's all I've ever known, so it makes sense to me.<br />
<br />
At this point in the year, with a looming deadline, it's all about sitting down and editing pages, making sure they're as perfect as can be, and submitting them to the publisher. This is the hard part because the book is technically in my hands. It's up to me.<br />
<br />
What makes it hard to breathe this year is all the other things I need to do, too. I still need to write lessons, I still need to grade, I still need to teach class.<br />
<br />
So, as per usual, I will continue to beware my own Ides of March.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s1600/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1600" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuobN-4PPFanZNn63X31SmrDDf7CsplLTGv_UjBLjIOlvGEeOx5cK0QY2ej1xxf73kj1JClmb94rP8TU1-GfXW_T4ok64KQyS5UHcgPbiyR9HdL7u9YdBdMFZbwPM8mp1-9m2x/s640/Blogpostathon+2019+Post+Footer.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />My Bucket of partshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17709700379304794434noreply@blogger.com0