Wednesday, October 29, 2008

and so it unfolds....

I spent last weekend drawing my heart out...not that this jpeg does it justice, but the overall product came out good. I feel stronger about my two characters and the process is becoming easier. I also am learning stuff about pencil/pen/blue pencil that i did not know. Like how it translates in photoshop and the steps i need to take to get the image ready to be colored.

I am really enjoying it. And the light table i snagged from work is helping too. I like the hard, but porous surface to draw on. Sometimes the table is not enough for the sharp line that i like from my trusty pencil. Me and pencils have a love hate relationship. I want to love and end up changing it all the time once i ink it all in. And inking is a whole other process that is frustrating. I have been using microns for awhile now. They do amazing things on tracing paper over pencil, but the cheap computer paper i have been using (horrible, i know) doesn't want to take the ink. So i end up putting a little ink and erasing the pencil and finishing the inking after. Not the best. I am looking for new pens. I wish i had the balls to use a quill. I know the India ink goes down so much better. But i need more practice with that.

So here is page two. And hopefully there should be a check in the mail soon. I am excited about this book and also excited about the money this book will provide. and getting paid every two pages is going to help, so i can purchase James's computer from him and start the color process at home. So bring on the $$$.

take care
Kai

Friday, October 24, 2008

ever so slightly redundent class....

So i took a screen printing "class" last night. I went into it thinking we were going to be able to make an image on a screen. I was wrong. It was all about how to do this at home. And after being in the screen printing industry for many years, this was a waste of time and money. But i did learn something i had never thought of. You can take your screens off and store them flat to be used again. I guess most of the screens i had delt with were in permanent. And you had to re-claim them to use them with new images. Which becomes more expensive because you have to buy a ton of screen printing cloth. But you can use your images again and again. I like this idea.

So I may invest in some screen printing stuff. But, it may also go to the back burner with my building-a-chair idea, that i was so hyped about last week. My head is so full of great creative things to do. And yet most of them, money is needed to get started. I did figure out that my bookshelf-chair is only gonna cost me about $100 bucks. Which is rad. And to get set up screen printing, its a little more than that. I have also been wanting to make some more stencils. The ones i did make with the fabric spray paint worked pretty good. And to set it all you have to do is dry it. I like that. Maybe i will make gifts for xmas like this. And i was at the goodwill on capital the other day and noticed they have a ton of zip up used hoodies (don't tell) and i can print on those. Most of my friends don't give a shit about used clothes. :)

Also i have been thinking about doing a comic, about people i know. I like the idea of trying to close my eyes and see people that are close to me and try to draw them in a funny way. And then put them all together. Sounds fun. I have been spending what little money i do have on art books to get better at drawing the figure, and i sure with the library had more art books. :(
They tend to be a little more expensive, so i get why they don't have them.

So with the juices flowing, i am off to learn more about how to place ads and design someone's marketing ads. blah.

k

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

drawing & process


I have been up late nights try to get these two characters (son & father) to come to life. Drawing can be very therapeutic. I have this feeling of calmness when i am drawing. and my cat sits on my feet. It feels right. I like to play some music. It chills in the back of my head and makes me feel alive.

Since I started this blog this morning, I have got my first rough sketches approved and the client is excited. And that makes me very happy. I was worried the direction I was going in was going to be wrong. my current work has a retro feel to it and it worried me a little.

but now on to final sketches and COLOR. I am going to re-learn how to color in photo shop. we will see how that goes. I wish i had a fucking computer. this is becoming a problem now. And its time to resolve it. soon. :)

So now i should go back to work and keep doing stupid clipping paths till i cant see anymore. Sometimes work is so just a paycheck. And other times its makes me so happy. I did score a rad chair today. its baby blue and looks like it came from the mental ward.

ciao
k

Friday, October 17, 2008

getting started...again.

hi.

so this is my first blog of my new blog. wtf? I am working on having a site to put up photos of my freelance design work. And getting feedback. I am currently working on two projects and hope for more to come. my job doing production/design for the last 8+ years has been stuffing my creative side...that was patiently waiting for me. I think I have found it. (not that i don't like setting up files and putting boxes with ads in them at .378 from gutter...thanks for TP paying my bills while i can make stuff - i heart you job)

I am going to take care of it. And to start I have set up a good desk for it to be nurtured and caressed. I have moved my music over there and will be investing in some good 'stay at home headphones'. I plan on making all of my Xmas presents this year and now have a spot to do that. As well as paint....something I have been thinking about for awhile now. You know how musicians 'have to play' music to keep their souls alive...well i need to be making stuff. And seeing something accomplished...even if it blows. it feeds my soul and in turn my soul feeds me. so here is the start, of the new Kai. I am going to be writing when i can. I still am on the money trail...and buying a new computer may be in my future. Until then I will be blogging when i can. And i can on my silly blueberry phone, so that may help.

so keep your eyes peeled for new photos and new projects.
here is my short list for now:

new lip gloss recipes
more mini journals for small thoughts
an oil painting
kids books
a comic about alcoholics
light switch covers for everyone


pau.
k