Sleep Tight!

Beginning next month I will be taking a class in Flash animation. In preparation I've been working on ways to simplify my art style drastically, so as not to go entirely crazy when I have to do a whole bunch of drawings of the same subject. %} Here's one of my efforts, which is actually part of a quasi-animation test I did in Photoshop. Unfortunately, every time I try to export/render to video, it crashes my computer! So, for now, the still will have to do. (You're not missing much, I promise.)

I did the initial sketch in ink & white gouache on toned paper, then changed the color & added the background (scanned from an acrylic painting) in Photoshop.

Part of me really really wants to refine this, but I'm trying as hard as I can to let go of my obsessive tweaking since I know I won't have time for that in my class.

I do hope this creepy crawly fellow doesn't disturb your dreams.

Running Out of Ink

As much as I crave novelty in some things, in other ways, I'm extremely old-fashioned-- especially when it comes to pens. Nothing feels as right as a dip pen in my hand, & when I'm at home I write nearly everything (down to checks & shopping lists) with my trusty Hunt 108.

Back in the day, all my professional calligraphy was also done with ink on paper. But inevitably I've found the ability to move things around & change them on the computer to be a huge time-saver, & more & more of my lettering work ends up being pixel or vector based. There's a lot to like about doing professional work on the computer. But I will never love the physicality of it it the way I love the feeling of a nicely-inked pen on good paper!

This piece is a "curiollage" I did a few years back when I was feeling conflicted about the whole digital direction of my work. It's acrylic on Sculpey, found objects & paper sewn down on the back of a stretched 9x12" canvas. Most of the paper elements are from a great antique office supply catalog.