ART IS HARD

I'VE MOVED

2011-09-08T00:34:00.005-04:00

Hey dudes and dudettes,

Here's the deal. I've grown very sick of blogging with Blogspot, and so I've made a Tumblr account. This way, I don't have to spend an eternity formatting both my layout and my posts, only to be unhappy with the outcome. So, if you have Tumblr, and you're still interested in seeing what I'm doing, follow me there!

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JACKIEMUSIAL.TUMBLR.COM

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TAKING IT EEEEASY

2011-07-20T10:13:00.004-04:00

I was so into the idea of completing this a month ago when I drew this out, but then things happened, and I got distracted. WELL, I'm going to try really hard to get this thing started (even though everyone is probably over this drawing challenge business by now)

ROM FISHIES

2011-07-20T10:12:00.001-04:00

I DESERVE SO MANY DETENTIONS FOR MY BLOG TRUANCY

2011-06-15T14:59:00.004-04:00

There have been so many things holding me back from doing anything on my down-time, but I don't want to get into that here. Let's all smile, look at some beer-related doodles, and be merry!

So my wonderful superiors at Team Macho have provided me with a job opportunity re-doing the chalkboard menu and paper menus at The Gem Bar & Grill on Davenport (just West of Ossington) in Toronto. This is great because I have a little bit of a thing for hand-drawn type. Who doesn't enjoy drawing on chalkboards and being paid for it? Exactly.

Just another sketchbook scribble for good measure. This is the rough beginning of something that I plan on drawing on the cover of my next Moleskine. I hate smudgy-finger-touchy sketchbook-browsers.

THINGS YOU'LL FIND IN THE TEAM MACHO STUDIO

2011-05-18T15:31:00.003-04:00

WHOA I'M BAD AT THE INTERNET

2011-05-03T13:17:00.006-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted, and sadly, it's been even longer since I've put pencil to paper. I've been packing up my apartment in preparation for a move to the THRIVING town of... Milton, Ontario. Fortunately, my work placement with Team Macho starts tomorrow afternoon and they'll no doubt whip my butt into art-producing shape. I encourage you to click the link and browse through their online gallery.

Secondly, I urge you to check out the mini-documentary 'A128' that YEAH! Films put together about this year's graduating cohort of Sheridan illustration students. I can't wait until this fall. I'm going to SLEEP in that studio.

In other news, Canada is doomed!

OVERSIZED FIGURE-DRAWING DUMP

2011-04-19T14:50:00.004-04:00

I apologize for the quality of these cellphone pictures. Money's tight; too tight for AA batteries.

Charcoal, pastel, acrylic, and India ink in all-purpose paper

Charcoal, acrylic, and India ink in all-purpose paper

AFTER EFFECTS FINAL

2011-04-17T19:36:00.002-04:00

I am tired and stressed all day, every day. This is a Super Mario-style video game of my life and what runs me down.

Level 1: Critiques with teachers that result in scrapping an entire idea and starting new (starring Harvey Chan)
Level 2: Limited contact with my Toronto-based boyfriend on account of major schedule conflicts
Level 3: My part-time job at H&M and the self-entitled Oakville moms I encounter there

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY POSTER PROCESS MESS

2011-04-04T21:27:00.008-04:00

Tomorrow after class I'll play around with adding text. If that doesn't work out, I'll be printing this as-is. Do you have a favourite?

SKETCHBOOK DUMP

2011-03-31T13:43:00.006-04:00

A bit of a lie since I'm 21 for another month. One day I'll draw someone in that fort. Also, that last one isn't new. I drew a bunch of portraits from Facebook photos two winters ago and this one somehow ended up in the trunk of my car... that I've only owned since the fall. It's a sign; Erin wanted to be shared.

▲ DOPE/HOPE SODA

2011-03-24T15:55:00.008-04:00

For our next graphic design assignment, we are to design two drink drink labels for a fictitious brand (names determined by our professor Jill Dallas) and accompanying posters/promotional material.

Jill's description of the "Dope" / "Hope" Soda drinker:
"Hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20s and 30s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter. Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers, and can often be seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers, and sometimes thick-rimmed glasses. Listens to bands that you have never heard of. Probably tattooed. Reads Black Book, Nylon, and the Styles section of the New York Times. Drinks often. Complains. Always denies being a hipster. Addicted to coffee, cigarettes (Parliaments, Camel Reds, Lucky Strikes, etc.)."

hahahahahahaha
Ohhhh, Jill. This is going to be fun. There are going to be moustaches and tattoos and vintage dresses and thick-rimmed glasses all over this. And obviously bikes. She wants me to wrap the bikes around the label with the logotype placed within the front wheel. There will be some flamboyant characters riding these bikes soon enough. I'll post updated version later once I develop a logotype.

▲ INTERPRETIVE DRAWING AND PAINTING

2011-03-22T12:41:00.003-04:00

My Keds serve multiple purposes:

India ink, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, and collage on all-purpose paper

We have to complete an oversized self portrait for the end of the year. Hopefully it won't be too scarring for my roommates. I will start on the weekend and post my progress.

▲ CHILDHOOD DRAWINGS

2011-03-17T08:07:00.005-04:00

My parents are downsizing ('cause two people don't need five bedrooms), so my mom and I went through a few bins of my old stuff to condense them down. In the process, I found a box of my childhood artwork. I would have loved to scan every little thing, but once you've seen one big-boobed princess, you've seen 'em all. Here are a few scans of "personal artwork" and "assignments" from kindergarten and grade one.

Oh my, I was so prolific.

Also, this is the hair I have if I don't blow-dry it straight out of the shower:

▲ I DON'T DRAW GUYS

2011-03-16T17:48:00.003-04:00

I suppose this is because I feel like I can't. I got bored of working on my animatic and this little guy appeared out of thin air. He's so angry looking. I wonder why.

▲ SPRING CLEANING

2011-03-15T00:56:00.002-04:00

One of my best pals and classmates Erin McPhee just did it. I think I want to as well.

If you don't know what I mean by "it", and you come in here a few days and all of my old posts are missing, don't be freaked out. I still exist. I just don't know how much I want to look at old posts anymore. I don't want to make a new blog, just rid this one of all of the things that haunt me. I'm not 100% sure yet though.

▲ BECAUSE I NEED A REMINDER

2011-03-09T00:49:00.008-05:00

Jen Collins, the illustrator under the Blogger alias hellojenuine, had the brilliant idea of making a flossing chart to hang in her bathroom. Much like her, it takes more than the dentist scolding me once every six months for me to remember to floss my teeth. Even though I think my gums wouldn't bleed so much if the hygienist didn't insist on pawing at them so aggressively with her many sticks and pokes, I understand that flossing is a necessity. Since I think I look pretty alright with teeth, I've decided to do just as Jen has in order to keep them all spotless and in my head. Maybe I won't go as far as making an entire year's worth of charts (although she organized it beautifully), but definitely a little reminder beside the mirror.

Anyways, I got bored so here's a wee preview. Probably just a "rough" but I had fun with it anyway :)

▲ KEEPING MY HANDS BUSY

2011-03-06T21:40:00.002-05:00

Here are two little time-wasters from this evening. I'm watching Casper and I like Drake so the lyric is appropriate. This polar bear image graces the face of a skateboard deck that hangs above my bed, and now I will use it as an identity here.

▲ DREAMING

2011-03-06T14:10:00.010-05:00

This morning I woke up and felt like making a mess. I didn't know what it was going to turn into, but I think it's pretty for a mess. Also, I have decided that I am no longer making a video about polar bears riding bikes. I want to make a film about dreams. Where I dream about boats floating on a sea of bedsheets... and polar bears riding bikes.

Also, if you're interested in what goes on in my head when I'm sawing logs, visit my dream journal on Tumblr.

∙Click image to view larger∙

▲ 'STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL' ASSIGNMENT

2011-03-02T21:54:00.002-05:00

'STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL' ASSIGNMENT
A series of three images illustrating the process of Nigerian email fraud
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW THE SERIES
24" x 15" print: digital media

▲ I'M RUNNING OUT OF DOG PUNS

2011-03-02T18:19:00.003-05:00

And I can't believe I'm drawing gang-member corgis. Corgies? What is the plural form of corgi? I'm imagining it's corgi but pronounced cor-guy (like fungi). Anyways, this is due today and I will likely be submitting it shortly before midnight. Get a load of the car reference. It will soon be overrrr!

▲ MORE PROCESS

2011-03-01T17:29:00.001-05:00

I need to stop starting assignments a day or two before they are due when they were assigned four weeks ago.

▲ RUFF WORK

2011-02-28T16:08:00.002-05:00

My initial rough work is unintelligible. That beige scribble is a golden retriever BTW.

▲ ELECTRONIC MEDIA: FINAL ASSIGNMENT PROCESS

2011-02-23T18:13:00.002-05:00

It's like two whole degrees in my room. That's warm for Canada this time of year, but not inside of an apartment that you pay rent for in order to NOT (feel like you're) do(ing) your homework outside. Eugh.

In any case, I am working on developing a storyboard for my final After Effects assignment. The animation isn't due until the end of April, but the concept is due this Friday. I like bikes and I like bears so I am going to just go ahead and make a really adorable PSA about doing your part to save the PBs. Keep them cars inside this spring and summer! Put some air in your tires so my favourite animals will be around forever! My notes are juvenile + spelling and grammar are of no importance to me in the creative process. That'll come with the hand-drawn/animated typography I will place over the footage. YOUUUU'LL SEEEEE!

NOTE: PB = polar bear

▲ I GOT BORED

2011-02-23T16:14:00.003-05:00

and I want to buy peach bar tape

▲ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

2011-02-14T20:01:00.005-05:00

Now that the time has come to reveal these things to my boyfriend, here is a little animated valentine I made for my photographer, Hasselblad-loving valentine :)

▲ NEW POST ROUND 2: MIGHTY FROST

2011-02-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

The following is a mock-up start screen for a kill-attacking-bunnies-with-an-ice-cream-catapult game. Yeah!

▲ M(Y B)IKE & ME

2011-02-03T12:57:00.001-05:00

I'm re-working my "M(Y B)IKE & ME" zine. I've decided. Right now. I'm redrawing it and reworking the layout. I need a way to make some cash and opening my Etsy shop again MIGHT be the answer. Wish me luck! Updates soon :)

▲ RECIPE FOR DISASTER : A RECIPE FOR REGRET

2011-02-02T01:39:00.007-05:00

'RECIPE FOR DISASTER' ASSIGNMENT
A piece illustrating the recipe for tattoo regret with age
Digital drawing
8" x 10"

FONTS: BALLPARK WEINER, BEBAS NUE, TATTOO INK

▲ SAGGY OWLD MAYUN

2011-02-01T18:09:00.004-05:00

Recipe for disaster ingredient number one: getting your boyfriend/girlfriend's name tattooed on your body when your relationship is unstable. This is a play on names! My close friends will understand and laugh.

This is just a preview of an assignment I'm working on right now. I will post the final tonight or tomorrow :)

▲ SOWEE

2011-01-27T12:05:00.009-05:00

I apologize for my inactivity! Assignments are picking up and CO-OP work placements are being posted. That's why this layout is hurtin'. I will be a little neglectful of this blog for the next little while as I work to build and complete my application portfolio.

I will post a link to it once it's ready. I promise! In the mean time, have a moccasin and a close crop of my face?

▲ MIGHTY FROST ICE CREAM

2011-01-20T15:59:00.006-05:00

"Mighty Frost is a major ice cream chain store. As a part of their spring 2011 advertising campaign, they want to release an iPad game loosely based on their products. Together with an interactive media firm, you are pitching a game to Mighty Frost. You have to create a game start page with one or more motion graphics. The animation can be subtle or complex. Your start page illustration will set the tone of the game and convince Mighty Frost to fund the project.

Mighty Frost has the following flavours: Bloody Mary, Coconutty, Rocky Mountain Moose, Electric Spaceship, Frosty Strawberry, Blue Bubble, Forest Fizz.

The client is interested in developing one of the following types of games: puzzle, tower defense, racing or adventure game.

Specifications:

Duration: 30 seconds
1024 X 768 pixels
Export as a movie file
"Start" button can be present
Sound does not have to be incorporated for this project"

▲ I NEED TO GET A DECENT CAMERA

2010-12-26T20:18:00.005-05:00

READ IT AND WEEP
(but by "weep" I mean put it on your calendar [and bring some cash-money 'cause I'll be selling a hand-painted skateboard deck, a few prints, and BUTTONS])

▲ One day I'll own a tablet and this will be less painful

2010-12-12T17:54:00.001-05:00

▲ Final infographic process

2010-12-06T10:28:00.005-05:00

Side A: The negative realities of school lunches in Canada and the result of our lack of a national lunch program
Side B: Positive sustainable lunch options (ie. farm to school, school-grown produce, and proper lunch packing)

▲ "Rush Club" energy drink

2010-12-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

Erin, I propose we relive this tomorrow as a reward for finishing this silly assignment:

The Starbucks part. Not necessarily the Photo Booth massacre. But I'm game for both!

▲ "Rush Club" energy drink process work

2010-11-29T12:31:00.007-05:00

In our interpretive class we are working to design labels for fictional Toronto-based energy drinks. Don't chastise me for the name 'cause I didn't make it up. In any case, here's the beginning of a digital TTC dance party. More to come this week!

▲ Making symbols for the next info assignment

2010-11-24T23:26:00.002-05:00

The colours are by no means set in stone. Just thought I'd get a start on the project that's going to have me wishing death upon myself for the last three weeks before winter break. More soon!

▲ More CD cover roughs

2010-11-24T14:53:00.004-05:00

This is going to be another one of those assignments that never ennnnddddsss...

▲ I drink your milkshake

2010-11-18T11:54:00.006-05:00

Dear second year students who have class in A138 at the end of the day on Wednesdays,

You guys are so unappreciative of the studio space you are given access to. We (all illustration students, years one through four) share this room and you continuously leave it in shambles; water left out on donkeys, paper towel all over the floor, the sink overflowing with un-rinsed containers. You don't think of the people that have to come into the studio after you to clean it. And that people is ME. Person. I am that person.

So, just a heads up: You want to leave your life strewn all over the room? Then it becomes mine. Thank you for all of the bull clips. And you're welcome for not pocketing upwards of three full sets of pastels, multiple pads of paper, illustration board, and paintbrushes. I'm not that shady.

Sincerely,
Jackie

▲ Mapping infographic complete! Sleep is permitted

2010-11-18T11:51:00.002-05:00

OH. MY. GOD. It's over. It's finally over.

I poured so many hours into this assignment that it's not even funny. Although I typically laugh when I recount the evenings spent in front of Arrested Development with Erin.

Click the image to view a larger version! Please ignore all of the spelling and grammatical errors I didn't catch before uploading this.

▲ New Yorker post card

2010-11-18T11:45:00.003-05:00

Eustace Tilley + The Guggenheim Museum
= a mediocre interpretive assignment

▲ More information illustration progress + a laugh

2010-11-10T12:27:00.003-05:00

I still have a few key components to place and a small illustration to create. This assignment is due next Wednesday so keep posted to see the final result! And to see how relieved I am!

On an unrelated note, I checked my blog stats for the first time in a few weeks today (since Blogger wasn't allowing me to see them for a while). I was... pleased to discover that my blog link appeared in a Google search when someone went on a vague hunt for porn (x2):

▲ Reasons why Chris Robertson is my favourite person today

2010-11-05T09:49:00.005-04:00

Sorry these pictures super-suck. I'm always just a little bit too lazy to pull out my digital camera. It's not worth fiddling with the timer when Apple makes it so easy.

I just went to the post office with a parcel notice expecting to pick up some mittens. Instead I was presented with a long box. I'd completely forgotten that I was expecting a few copies of the poster I'd made for Sarah Harmer AND that Chris said he would throw in a few extra goodies for me. I was delighted to find a few rad show posters, including one for the Avett Brothers. I'd like to put up more but I used up my last four pins on this guy.

In any case, Chris rules! Expect mail soon, my friend! Please check out his website! He does amazing things beyond being a printing robot! So many exclamation points!

▲ This is my hell

2010-11-02T16:34:00.003-04:00

And so it continues. I still have so much more work to do on this! EUGHHH

▲ Perfectionist process work

2010-10-27T16:37:00.003-04:00

I'm too lazy to re-draw it, so I'm colouring my rough. Whatever.

I can't decide which composition I prefer (in regards to colour). I'm thinking number one or number two. Do you have a favourite?

▲ Orangutan woman

2010-10-20T23:06:00.004-04:00

I don't think my life drawing is particularly good. At least not as refined as I'd like it to be. Anyways, I figured I'd share some of the things that ruined (and continue to ruin) most of my clothes; in this case, a few gestures and a woman who ended up looking like a primate.

▲ You're a woman, I'm a machine

2010-10-20T13:29:00.004-04:00

A map-making machine. Like a robot. A computer. I'm like that.

▲ Second "perfectionist" rough* (cropped)

2010-10-18T20:58:00.004-04:00

*That is actually 50% rough and 50% refined (because I got really bored of studying for a mid-term exam)

▲ Sarah Harmer

2010-10-18T19:57:00.004-04:00

There are things that I would have done differently if I had the time, but since I don't I will have to let it go. I hope nobody minds a little black and orange in light of the season! I hope to get one of these in my possession after my dear friend Chris at Moniker (Montreal, QC) screenprints every single one of them. That guy! What a guy!

▲ Rough

2010-10-17T19:20:00.005-04:00

Our next interpretive assignment leads us to illustrate our individual interpretations of a "perfectionist". My guess is that everyone and their mother thought of this concept, but my brain is tired and I just felt like drawing a girl with pretty hair. The girl with the pretty hair being the little girl painting on the wall. Definitely not the Mona Lisa.

▲ "You know what they say; laaaaahhve is blaaaahhhnnd"

2010-10-15T15:47:00.008-04:00

Left: my blind contour portrait of Brent / Right: Brent's blind contour portrait of me*

Media: the finest Crayola markers (unscented)

Here's a really shitty drawing I did in about five minutes in Graphic Design this morning for good measure. Eat my shorts, journal assignment. I will dominate you this weekend! Five drawings to go. I really wish I didn't draw Jill in pen. Now she looks like a cartoon character.

*Ten points if you catch the post title reference

▲ Miss McPhee in Heaven*

2010-10-13T10:33:00.001-04:00

*Starbucks

▲ The vulgar beauty wickedly abuses charity voodoo

2010-10-06T18:53:00.010-04:00

I wonder if the people peering over my shoulder think I'm a space-case. This is homework! I promise!

Fonts:

+ Georgia Regular & Italic
+ Futura Medium

▲ Just bear with me

2010-10-04T19:12:00.008-04:00

I've FINALLY, FINALLY finished my information illustration on my polar bear collection and interest! I have made a few changes since this so please ignore the few errors in spelling and punctuation. Oh, and I'm definitely not that tall compared to a real-life PB. Those changes aside, tomorrow I'll attempt to print this sucker. In the mean time, I'm going to continue watching Full House, eat some junk food, and sleep forever (until tomorrow).

Click the image to view a larger version*! Then you can read about how nuts I am.

*There's a white border around the final

▲ Info Illustration preview

2010-10-01T12:14:00.004-04:00

Just a preview to keep you interested. More from me early next week!

▲ BACK TO SCHOOL

2010-09-22T16:09:00.013-04:00

Hello friends!

I am back at school, three weeks into my third year in the illustration program at Sheridan. I apologize for being so absent this past month, and I promise to update more frequently now that I'm back in the swing of working on assignments regularly. Until next time, I will leave you with this provocative rough of an imaginary male's crotch.

▲ S.O.

2010-08-30T22:01:00.010-04:00

Last week my very talented and very self-deprecating boyfriend Brent Goldsmith had the opportunity to cover the world premier of Emerica's Stay Gold video for Color Magazine in Vancouver, BC. For some reason he doesn't realize how friggin' cool this is, and I believe it gives me license to brag. Click below to visit his website, visit Color Magazine online to view coverage of the event, and visit his blog to say sweet things and help him realize his undeniable potential.

W: www.brentgoldsmith.com

B: mattewithborders.blogspot.com

▲ Kitties for cancer

2010-08-11T19:45:00.020-04:00

Graphite and coloured pencil on Moleskine paper

Yesterday I received an encouraging message from Rob instructing me to keep my chin up despite recent events. He told my roommate (fourth-year Sheridan illustration student Jen Prior) and I to do something beautiful together. Something that would make people smile. What's better than doing something to make him smile, right? He's already doing such an awesome job keeping positive, and he certainly doesn't need anymore help with that smile. This would look more like him if the teeth were glimmering... but anyways, this is for him! My roommate drew a portrait as well! I'll post it if she lets me.

To Rob: If you're here, then you've probably already heard the recording that Jen and I made for you. I bet you laughed!

▲ Every adult should finger-paint

2010-08-10T16:25:00.008-04:00

The other morning I woke up and felt like making a mess, so I plopped myself down at our dining room table and went a little crazy on my newest Moleskine. My mentality is that if I don't try to keep it pristine, I'll feel less pressured to fill it with finished drawings.

▲ iPhones are fun

2010-08-03T21:54:00.005-04:00

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

▲ Sunday night arting with the roommate

2010-08-02T23:36:00.022-04:00

Black ball-point pen on Moleskine paper

I just spent the last two hours planted on the couch in front of the TV watching a. The Graduate, and b. Johanna's 72 dpi face. I promised I'd draw her with antlers but my poor planning left very little room! I suppose I owe her another drawing another time.

Her website / Her blog

Even the cookies looked like mountains

2010-07-31T22:26:00.009-04:00

This is one of four pieces I showed at the Mountains 2 Launch yesterday night at Function 13 in Toronto. Thank you to Brooks for having me, to the venue for accommodating me, to all of the friends and friendly faces for coming and supporting me, and to anyone who took one of my take-away cards that may have led you to this address! I couldn't be happier with the fact that I'm not wearing high heals* anymore (which you may or may not have heard me refer to as my "power bitch" shoes over the course of the evening). I hope everyone picked up the second issue, or at least leafed through it while you were having a time!

I need to get some higher resolution, colour and detail-accurate scans of the pieces, but I didn't want to put off posting anything (regardless of this monumental movie-watching-in-the-dark-while-eating-brownies headache). Until tomorrow, this is merely another teaser.

Mountains gallery: sneak peak

2010-07-21T12:29:00.025-04:00

This is just a preview of a little sign I'm playing around with to post with my work on the 30th (which I need to stop doing because it's nearly 3 AM and I could fiddle with this thing forever). I'm giving you next to nothing so you come to see everything.

MOUNTAINS II LAUNCH

Friday, 30 July 2010
Function 13
156 Augusta Ave
Toronto, ON
7 PM - 11 PM

Gallery featuring the photography & art of:

Brooks Reynolds - www.brooksreynolds.com
Sylvia Waliczek - currently on display at function 13
Tod Ainslie - featured in mountains II
Ryan MacDonald - www.shoutymouths.com
Jess Baumung - www.jessbaumung.com
Jackie Musial - justbearwithme.blogspot.com
Erin McPhee - mcpheee.blogspot.com
Casey Shea - artist gone musician gone artist and musician

And the music of Everlea & San Sebastian

mountainsarecalling.com

Teenage Kicks

2010-07-13T23:45:00.007-04:00

11" x 8.5" hand-drawn flyer for web (colour) and for print (black & white) commissioned by my friends in Teenage Kicks. Who doesn't like music, nachos, and hedgehogs? I recommend you take the time to check them out and give them some plays in anticipation for the release of their 7".

While you're in the mood for checking things out, and if you live in or around Toronto, I've added a new event added to my "upcoming" page!

Everlea; full of hot air

2010-06-19T18:03:00.007-04:00

Just kidding! They're great guys who make great music and hope to make some great money off of some new t shirts. ~~I can't figure out which version I prefer but I feel like I'm leaning toward the second? Actually, that might be a lie, as I am now completely unsure. Ultimately it's their decision, so pipe up boys!~~

While you're lurking my blog, I encourage you to click here to simultaneously visit Everlea's MySpace and swoon over how man-pretty Justin's voice is.

T shirts for friends!

2010-06-18T14:11:00.002-04:00

A work in progress. I really hope that Illustrator doesn't crash on me this weekend. Jackie really needs a new hard drive.

This isn't art: I'm sorry

2010-06-16T15:48:00.005-04:00

I've been absolutely M.I.A. for the past month and I hate myself for it. In retrospect I've done a whole lot of nothing this past month, but it's absolutely what I needed. It's been a month full of naps, leisurely bike rides, seaweed fights, and Marble Slab. Now that I've had more than enough time to recover from last semester, I'm ready to get back into doing something with myself, so here's what I'm up to for the next little while in order of chronological importance:

Tonight I have been invited to join Miss Erin McPhee in Toronto to do some observational drawing in whatever museum will let us in (for free). So long as I am showered and rested by 6, I'll have something to share this evening.

This weekend I am finally going to sit down and crank out a t shirt design for my dear friends in Everlea.

Finally, this summer (and hopefully very soon) I will be preparing work for a Snake Punch show happening this fall in Montreal. I've very little information about the event at the present time, but as soon as I can tell you something, I will. What I DO know... is that I'm really excited.

So, in summary, I am alive and I am doing stuff. I apologize that I don't have anything to share other than a picture of the new addition to my bicycle family, but this thing's going to be a project too! I don't think I can concentrate on what lies ahead with all of that pink bar-tape reflecting the light of the day in my eyes.

She used to be "Prairie Wigwam" in my phone

2010-05-08T01:11:00.002-04:00

Ballpoint pen was a bad choice but we managed to productively waste (oxymoron) close to three hours in a foreign Starbucks. This here is my friend and fellow classmate Erin McPhee. I bet you gathered as much from all the times I wrote Erin McPhee on this piece of paper (which is totally the back of my G road test e-booking confirmation). This is what Erin McPhee looks like when she's drawing me and I am drawing her. Erin McPhee is super talented and you can check out her blog by clicking on any of the Erin McPhees in this post.

Alexander Fairchild

2010-05-07T16:35:00.003-04:00

Brooks Reynolds dusted off his pretty camera and put his film director's cap on, my mother sewed the pretty white period night-gown 'cause those are understandably hard to find in stores now-a-days, and many friends came together to a. be pretty, and b. make sure everyone was looking pretty. What you're looking at is a screen capture from Alexander Fairchild / Nathan Finochio's music video for "Not Gonna Argue". I may have only turned a white font into a font that kind of looks like three-dimensional twigs, but my involvement is unimportant. You must watch this! I'm "not gonna argue" about it! I promise I'll strop trying to make funny jokes if you watch it.

Click here to be redirected to the Alexander Fairchild - Not Gonna Argue website

Click here to be redirected to Alexander Fairchild - Not Gonna Argue on Vimeo

Just in case you didn't know

2010-04-28T20:31:00.005-04:00

News flash: Freedom and boredom strike for the first time in months. Local girl doesn't know what to do with herself; draws from a picture of herself taken at a party after a round of Sharpie tattoos.

I have a lot of wonderful things to share with you after I take the time to sit down and organize my thoughts; a. a poster that I did for the River & Sky Music Festival in Sudbury this summer, and b. an insane amount of work for the insanely talented band The Dear Hunter. Once I make myself write up some form of "biography" and produce some decent personal work I will also take the time to tell you about how excited I am in regards to my involvement with Snakepunch (whose new website launches "soonish").

Don't forget about me because I haven't forgotten about you! I've simply forgotten what it's like to be free of terrifying deadlines and important obligations.

It's ovvverrrrrr

2010-04-26T11:39:00.005-04:00

Year two in illustration complete! Three years of college behind me already with two to go. Today I'm going to nap so hard. Then maybe I'll start thinking about personal artwork that I've been longing to create for months. But don't stop following me yet! Keep posted for some really huge updates in the very near future.

An update: It's almost over!

2010-04-24T23:22:00.004-04:00

Can't find digital camera cable. MacBook photo makes me look angry and masculine. Will proceed tomorrow. Time for yogurt tubes! Nigh-night!

It's been a long time coming

2010-04-15T12:09:00.005-04:00

Remember back in fall/winter of '09 when I talked and talked and talked about painting a giant polar bear on my bedroom wall? I finally got around to scanning some polaroids and wanted to share this one with the world.

Check out Chris Robertson and his real artworks! You will not be disappointed.

The dirty beginnings of a painting final

2010-04-11T15:15:00.010-04:00

As if my allergies aren't bad enough this time of year, I got to spend the last half hour* on an intimate date with willow charcoal; I played footsies with the fallen dust.

*I've redrawn my mouth five times and I'm still not happy with it but I'm taking a Kraft Dinner break

Casual Oakville Cyclists Organization

2010-03-31T16:08:00.002-04:00

This afternoon I gave my bike a much needed bath. Its new, sparkling appearance inspired me to take a photo. The photo inspired me to ride. The ride inspired me to form a group. The group('s lack of representation) inspired me to make an illustration. If you're located in Oakville and enjoy slow, squeaky convoys to the local ice cream shop, feel free to join the Casual Oakville Cyclists Organization (COCO) on Facebook! With summer comes frequent rides.

Here I am!

2010-03-30T18:22:00.010-04:00

I'm still alive! Although barely. With only three and a half weeks left in the semester, and while balancing a mountain of commission work for (a) a wonderful band and (b) a design group in Sudbury, my brains are spaghetti. I just wanted to say HELLO and I'LL BE BACK SOON. So many people have been messaging me, asking me to post post post post! I have so much that I want to share but I have so little time and patience for this technical business right now. To instill some faith in you, I leave you with a charcoal figure study from a few weeks ago.

Sidenote: The small sketch above will soon be a digital spot for a HOW magazine mock article, and the wheat-paste paper will soon be digitally filled with my face. Update to come!

I'm perfect for Kit-Kat bar commercials

2010-03-14T13:23:00.010-04:00

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Dear followers,

I am currently working on a wonderful commission project that -- along with schoolwork -- will be consuming my life until the very end of March. Above are some reference images I've collected in order to get the ball rolling with some initial proposals. Surprisingly enough, it takes a lot of effort to maintain this blog and I'm going to have to put the internet on the back-burner for the next two weeks. I promise to return with a ton of (hopefully) beautiful work to share with the conclusion of this very exciting project. Until that final day I'm going to be super secretive!

If you have any questions that won't take too long to answer, I can still be contacted by email. Formspring is pretty fun too!

Happy March, friends!

A whole bunch of things

2010-03-08T23:12:00.011-05:00

Today was my first day back to classes after a wonderful week off. Now I'm kicking myself for not having started my art history essay sooner. C'est la vie.

Besides the routine portfolio that we are required to hand in, the self portrait to the right and the three following portraits make up my mid-term figure drawing assignment. I made the trek to Toronto twice to complete half of this assignment (Derek in the plaid shirt and Kyle in the tattoo bodysuit). The point of the assignment was to convey something about the subject through the use of the media and the composition. I'm not going to go into detail on what I was trying to achieve with each portrait because I'm still recovering from that essay I mentioned earlier. That and I cropped them to show areas of interest so now they're little more than pretty things to look at.

The watercolour painting was an in-class assignment I completed before the break. It was my first time experimenting with opaque and translucent watercolour on toned paper. I don't love it but I don't absolutely hate it either, as with most pieces I complete for school.

Storyboard roughs

2010-02-20T15:47:00.007-05:00

I'm making very slow progress on my tonal roughs for my Midsummer Night's Dream narrative illustration storyboard. These should have been completed for yesterday and I'll be pumping out colour roughs for Tuesday. Fairies are just about the last thing I want to be drawing ever. On the bright side, I get to draw a man with an animal head a whole bunch of times and comfortably say "ass" in front of my prof.

I've never been so happy to have found a pad of newsprint

2010-02-17T11:29:00.005-05:00

I thought this pad was long lost. Luckily it was just hanging out at the back of my locker full of garbage supplies and garbage assignments.

These drawings were completed earlier in the term when we spent a lot of our time on drapery. We continue to focus on hands and feet; hands to come next week with the portfolio deadline drawing near. I apologize in advance if you have any problems with feet. I actually think these are some pretty alright-looking ones! And this is the first time I've ever been happy with a drawing of the bottom of a foot.

Portraiture

2010-02-16T18:56:00.003-05:00

These past couple weeks we've completed many studies of the head and face, striving to achieve a likeness and conquer facial expression. I'm absolutely not used to doing 30 second gestures of the face (bottom right) but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

We kicked off the term with drapery studies. So, when I find them... I'll post some of those as well.

Drool

2010-02-10T10:52:00.007-05:00

You know those commercials where everyday people claim that Windows 7 was their idea? Last year Erin and I often discussed how wonderful it would be if Moleskine released a standard sized sketchbook. Finally, a 8.5" x 11.5" sketchbook with paper made of dreams and angel hearts graces the shelves of vendors everywhere. You can go ahead and thank us now for our incessant whining and wishful thinking.

I really dig white paint markers

2010-02-06T04:15:00.011-05:00

I just spent a good hour and a half tracing what you can clearly see is a really rough, rough page of roughs to create my friend Kyle's photography watermark. I did this in illustrator because my hands just don't have the ability to make such calculated, even lines like my computer's brain does. After doing this, I kind of want to make one for myself with the help of the pen tool, but I'll save that for another 4:30 AM.

I'm leaning towards the simple outline. I still have to incorporate his URL into the design somehow, but this is the creative part/all I'm sharing here. Well this and obviously a friendly, promotional link to Kyle's blog! He wants to own like, a bazillion cameras, so I bet he'll have about a bazillion pleasing photos to share soon.

Changes

2010-02-04T17:38:00.015-05:00

This drawing is old news but this layout is new news! Please just bear with me while I get the sidebar up to snuff. I've got a lot of things on my plate right now so I probably picked the worst time to make major visual and functional changes here. Just keeping up with the trend of being absolutely frazzled! Please note that every post following this one is going to look super weird based on technical changes to the width of my entries.

And to answer your question; yes, I totally ripped off Indexhibit because I don't have the money to purchase a domain. Actually I crafted this layout out of a really hideous premade.

Erin loves my apartment's dryer smoke

2010-02-01T01:58:00.008-05:00

I am by no means a photographer but for our current Electronic Media project we have to start collecting images to create a short, aesthetically pleasing book of spreads that blend photography with illustration. Erin and I went downtown last Thursday evening, braving the cold to get some shots of lake landscapes and surrounding textures. We ultimately only spent 15-20 minutes doing this because we'd lost feeling in our feet, fingers, and faces, but at least we've made a small dent in preparing for this assignment. Hopefully I can make something of these. My camera is about as basic as it gets.

Portfolio time

2010-01-21T23:58:00.007-05:00

With Sheridan's illustration & animation portfolio reviews just around the bend, I recall the time I spent attempting to complete the requirements while balancing my school work and social life on the other hand. The bad hand. My left hand is really stupid, you guys.

Anyways, I was cleaning out my hard drive and came across scans of some of my application pieces. I didn't get to post them here when they were new, exciting, and when I thought they ruled because I made this blog in the summer following submission. So, without further adieu, some stuff that I made circa January/February '08.

Something you should see

2010-01-14T23:14:00.003-05:00

because one-take music videos are so pleasing and I listened to OK Go in middle school.

You probably want to be my pen pal

2010-01-12T02:23:00.004-05:00

And this summer I probably want to be yours.

I just spent the last two hours writing a pretty great letter that I will mail out tomorrow. I can't give away too much! I'm wide awake so here are some funny previews of what my friend will soon receive.

Mission commissions

2010-01-11T22:10:00.003-05:00

I can't release much as this is a commission that's still in the works! I hadn't posted in a few days and found it necessary to update with something. Today was the first day back after Christmas break and I'm trying to free myself of all the money-making work and preparing for no-funny work.

Stay tuned for more when this particular project is finished! And drawings of cake! But actually.

Portraits of people I know

2010-01-05T00:49:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I get ultra creepy and use Facebook photos as reference material for portraiture. This is one of those times.

Tonight I got into two drawings and tomorrow I'll hopefully do another three or four. Some of you have asked me to draw you, while others will simply stumble upon your own face and be momentarily freaked out. I apologize in advance! I also apologize for the quality of these scans. The drawings aren't all that large and I cropped in pretty close. I wish, I wish, I wish you could see them in person!

We really like bikes

2010-01-04T20:44:00.003-05:00

There are 8 if you want to count the scooter

Hi. Remember me?

2010-01-04T03:09:00.008-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted. This is because I've been enjoying my freedom since my swift escape from classes and deadlines in December. The only thing I've been able to bring myself to do is change my layout; new year, new layout sort of deal. However, tomorrow I will be making the trek to Curry's in my parka and the wrong shoes to get some toned paper and a few new pencils. I'd like to do a bit of personal artwork before heading back to Sheridan on the 11th.

Until I have something to show (which is soon, I hope), I leave you with eye candy by Toronto based painter Kris Knight, whose work I discovered while perusing Booooooom in this mad fit of insomnia. This artist makes me want to pick up a paintbrush on my own time and not a lot of things do.

Winter break

2009-12-28T01:28:00.002-05:00

I'm so bored. I'm so bored, you guys.

Hey Erin, if you want to make sitting in front of your computer for an embarrassing amount of time a little more pleasant, I can hook you up with this background I just spent a painstaking ten minutes making.

Silver bells / wedding bells

2009-12-20T15:32:00.006-05:00

It's finally over! The semester has come to an end and I am happy to say that I am finally free of all school-related stress. I will however be returning to Sheridan on Tuesday morning to clean studios for money (and free found art supplies).

Anyways, I spent my first day out of classes working start to finish on this commission piece to be used for wedding invitations. I worked from a photograph that I was provided and added a hand-drawn antique oval frame around the illustration. Click on the photo above to enlarge and view with and without the frame! This was a really fun and relaxing piece to work on so I didn't mind doing it on a Friday night. I had enough licorice and chocolate to get me through.

I just did a massive cleanup of the bedroom that I'd been neglecting over the course of the week. I can see my floor now that my entire wardrobe is no longer strewn all over it. Today I'll be working on my brother's Christmas present which is no secret; a painting on this wooden canvas of Kenny and Spenny (obviously from Kenny vs Spenny) wearing dog shock collars. Not my subject matter of choice but I'm going to go for it and make it awesome because I was supposed to do it for his birthday... which was in January. I owe him an 18th Birthday/Chistmas present, I guess.

And yes, those are mittens fashioned as kittens. The creator can be seen to the immediate left, along with some of my other favorite photos from Mountains magazine (by Brooks Reynolds). I've wanted to brag about these mittens on here for quite some time and now I have the chance to.

1 more sleep!

2009-12-16T16:35:00.006-05:00

I just put together my end of semester figure drawing portfolio. I found this inside of my mid-term portfolio; one of the more jolly Sheridan models. I think he could pull off Santa if he were clothed properly, or at all.

In an hour or so I will force myself to finish up my life drawing "sketchbook". After that I'll finally be free! Tomorrow at 11 am I will run out of Sheridan like they do in the movies; you know, like the bell rings and students come pouring out the front doors of their high school, papers flying everywhere, the football players doing cartwheels and Herkies down the front steps. I'll do all of that!

Then, after a night of outdoor skating, I'll settle down and get into fun stuff (ie. a commission piece for a wedding invitation and my brother's Christmas portraits of Kenny and Spenny). I'll be much more eager to post fun stuff over the break. I'm sure you've all noticed the negative attitude I've had towards a lot of the stuff I've been sharing lately. But, but, but... THREE WEEKS OFF!

Suck suck suck

2009-12-16T11:02:00.002-05:00

H8 H8 H8

OH goodie

2009-12-15T19:24:00.015-05:00

I can't wait for this to be the ugliest thing I've ever painted!

Plan of action:

1. Block in composition
2. Do one life drawing for the sketchbook assignment due Thursday morning
3. Paint some more
4. Eat some cookies
5. Bathe (oooooh I'm excited for this part!!!)
6. Package zine to be mailed tomorrow
7. Do another life drawing to have completed six of nine
8. Stare at painting and wallow in self pity
9. "Sleep"
10. "Wake up"
11. Paint some more
12. Give up
13. Go to class and hand in whatever I have tomorrow at noon

-------- "GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE."

SWOON

2009-12-14T13:40:00.005-05:00

So, in my previous post I shared a music video for Slight Figure of Speech by the Avett Brothers. In my search for a band Myspace in order check out more music from their latest album I and Love and You, I casually stumbled upon Scott Avett's website. As it turns out he's not only an attractive banjo player with exceptional facial hair, but a pretty accomplished artist.

Check out the band here, check out more of Scott's artwork here, and check out more Scott here.
hahahahahahaha I'm such a girl.

Things you should hear/see

2009-12-11T16:39:00.005-05:00

I won't make music play automatically but I can still make suggestions...

It's overrrrrrr!

2009-12-09T19:32:00.003-05:00

A section of my single page illustration that I don't hate:

Had I not uploaded these pictures on tinypic, the second is named heysuckitihateyou.jpeg :)