My Patreon: My Last Blog Post

"Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms." - Sherlock Holmes

As October draws to a close, I want to let you all know about the changes happening here for me and on this blog. I have been ruminating awhile on what would be the best course of action for me as a freelance illustrator. It is a thought process that is continually on going, but I've officially decided to divert all my energies to developing myself on Patreon! Many of you have probably already heard of Patreon, a platform that enables artists to be supported directly by their fans and followers! It has something I have been considering for some time now, and I think it would be a good fit for me! I am pretty excited!

With that being said, this means that my blog here is going to be closed down. I will continue to keep it up for you all to peruse past posts and projects, but any future work and analysis is going to be done on my Patreon profile! It is my intention to be able to bring the same quality work that I have done here to my audience directly and to engage my followers in a way that would be more productive and beneficial for everyone; not to mention more fun. It is my hope that I will be seeing you there! ^_^

If you visit my profile, I'll explain all what you can expect from me and there are definitely some awesome awards for my contributors! I can't wait to get started! So, please come follow me on Patreon and I thank you for being a reader on my little blog here. There is nothing I enjoy more than creating and talking about art! Thank you!

Sincerely,
-Danielle Pajak

He has made everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11

Demons

"A famous man once said, "We create our own demons." Who said that? What does that even mean? Didn't matter. I said it 'cause he said it. So now, he was famous and it was basically said by two well-known guys. I don't... uhh... I'm gonna start again." 

Tony Stark.
He's my absolute favorite superhero.

(Well, there is Matt Murdock, but we won't go there. See previous post.)

What I want to do for today's blog post is to outline a few things and showcase a recent art piece I did in light of Captain America: Civil War. The movie itself was AMAZING. It was HEARTBREAKING. But everyone survived, including me, thank goodness. My focus, though, is Tony Stark's character arc and his unique role in CW. I was really fascinated by the direction they took his character and I think it is important to highlight what is exactly is going on and where I see him heading from here.

Recently I rewatched all three Iron Man movies and it was really interesting how all the events shifted a little and revealed new aspects of themselves in light of Avengers 2 and Civil War. I still believe the three Iron Man movies were a complete arc in of themselves, but what they've done since then is fleshed out unfinished threads of Tony's character that I never noticed in my previous viewings. For example, the first Iron Man deals heavily with accountability, the very backbone of what the Accords is about in the CW: "I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero-accountability." Ever since his awakening in the caves, Tony has been struggling with this concept of accountability, and the conflict of that movie happened because of Tony's choice to rise up and stop the machinery of corruption his company had become in his carelessness.

Then we have Iron Man 2, of which we can say is just another variation of Civil War, I would call it a mini-Civil War, as Tony and Rhodes were temporarily pitted against each other for very similar reasons that Steve and Tony were against each other over the Accords. In this, the American military finds it a threat that Tony has sole possession of the suit technology, as they believe there will be dangers (due to the creation of said technology) that Tony alone won't be able to handle. Just as the Accords was about the Avengers being monitored and controlled by a government body (Tony did compare the Avengers to weapons of mass destruction on a couple of occasions in CW, if you remember), so in Iron Man 2, the US government desired to control and monitor Tony's suit, of which Tony only glibly responds, "I have successfully privatized world peace."

It is the same concept. Tony desired to have free possession of his own property, just as Steve desired to have his freedom to make the calls as he saw fit. Then we see in the conclusion of the conflict in Iron Man 2, due to Tony's completely irresponsible behavior, has Rhodes having no choice but to confiscate the suit on the behalf of the military, just as Tony Stark, due to Steve not submitting to the Accords, found himself having no choice but to see his friends locked up in jail!  

I'm not making any moral statements here, just outlining how Tony Stark's story has been building all along towards the conflict of Civil War and why we now see him on the opposition of our heroes. Accountability is a big theme in Tony Stark's story and it goes hand in hand with his legacy, the primary foundation of his character, driving all his motivations even when they go against his own better judgment or desires; and intrinsically connected to these themes is Tony's own nature. This is the main reason why I love Tony Stark so much, because unlike the other superheroes, who, although are dealing with their issues on varying degrees, always have villainous individuals as their main conflicts; Tony's greatest villain is himself. True, in any superhero movie you need some baddies to fight for there to be explosions and stuff, but the real point of conflict here is Tony vs Tony and I find that much more fascinating! Iron Man showed a changed Tony fighting the consequences of his wantonness and carelessness which allowed Obadiah to run amok without restraint. Iron Man 2 showed Tony at odds with his arrogance and pride which made him an easy target for Hammer and Vanko; Vanko, who ended up creating the exact same technology as the Iron Man suit despite Tony's egotistical assurance that no one could. Then Iron Man 3 brought all of this to its head by showing us plainly how Tony Stark "creates his own demons," where through a drunken night stand and a cruel brushing aside, became the catalyst for the creation of Extremis and The Mandarin.

Many people have criticized Iron Man 3 because of its villain reveal, but Tony's conflicts always lead back to him. It is the crux of what his character story is all about! So, going from Iron Man 3 where Tony Stark inadvertently creates his own demons, to Avengers 2 where Tony literally creates his own demons with Ultron, we see how events are just becoming bigger and bigger manifestations of what has been happening with Tony the whole time; so that, in Civil War, fueled by all this guilt, Tony, once again, creates even more demons, but this time amongst people whom he has called his friends! Now here is where things are getting pretty dark for Tony. Through this self-destructive cycle, he is now straddling villain territory! Say what you will about the Accords, Tony Stark's decisions are looking eerily like a villain's. He keeps Wanda imprisoned, basically, for what he deems as for her or other's "good." He manipulates a sixteen year old into fighting for him without question. He stands by as all his friends are considered criminals and aids in their imprisonment. As actor Tom Hiddleston said "Every villain is a hero in his own mind.” Tony Stark thinks he is doing the right thing, pursuing accountability, and assuaging his guilt, but he is really just falling further and further into darkness and isolation, as Civil War finds Tony alienated from pretty much everyone by the end of it, even Pepper (SOB!). Tony Stark is falling apart at the seams like one of his iron man suits! However, there is still hope. Steve did send him his love letter, Rhodey is still by his side, and there is Peter Parker, whom I really believe will be the final and lasting redemption for Tony Stark in the end. 

You see, the Iron Man suit takes on duel symbolism in all of this. There is the part I've been talking about, the accountability, his legacy, and self-destruction, all wrapped up into the suit as it represents what Tony Stark can do and has done, the only thing he knows how to do: he "tinkers". Yet for all his tinkering he only has continually made things worse for himself, making bigger and bigger monsters to defeat. However, there is the other aspect of the suit, where it represents his salvation and transformation, but there is a catch! The only time Tony's "tinkering" became a means of redemption is when others were involved. Tony's life was saved by Yinsen's work in the cave, not his own. Yinsen was the one who put the arc reactor in his body and gave him the inspiration and the means to carry on. In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark was literally going to go out of the world through drunkenness and donuts, telling no one about it! Yet through Nick Fury and Natasha's intervention and the love of his father, Tony Stark was able to find the means of his salvation once again. In Iron Man 3, overcome by anxiety and PTSD, Stark is only able to find the means to save the day with the help a young boy, Harley, and perhaps even that crazed fanboy guy in the van! Even at the very end, it is Pepper who delivers the final killing blow to Killian, not Tony. Of course, we cannot say enough of all that Pepper has done for him and means to him, Rhodey too. Tony Stark only succeeds when he allows others in.

Now we see the road block in Tony's psyche that keeps him on this self-destructive path: he tries to do everything alone. I love the imagery in both Iron Man 2 and in Captain America:Civil War, where both have opening scenes of Tony Stark going out on stage and presenting one face to the world, but then showing us quite a different Tony backstage. It is such a nice visual element that represents all that he is. It is the Tony Stark who, when asked in CW by Natasha "You alright?" answers "Always." We see time and time again, Tony Stark pushing away his friends, those who love him and care for him, as he isolates himself in his room of toys and ego. It only makes sense, then, that in order for Tony Stark to break free of his own nature, he will need the humbling help of another. I'm pretty sure this is what we are going to see in Spiderman Homecoming! Or at least the beginnings of it. I could do a whole other post about how Tony Stark seems to develop these relationships with young people more easily and what the could mean in regards to his relationship with his father! I only briefly mentioned Tony's legacy being the primary part of his character, and that is directly related to Howard Stark. For now, this post is already getting too long! Maybe next time. Tony Stark is a pretty complex guy.

I now give you my art piece which is my thinking about all these themes and ideas!

It was intentional that I chose to emulate Rembrandt for this piece. I love Rembrandt's work; his dramatic use of light, the hushed, somber ambiance, the warm, intimate tones, and I wanted to create that same feeling here. The shadowy, enclosed atmosphere with the light and color limited only on Tony shows how isolated and alone he has made himself. It calls to mind a low burning candle about to be snuffed out. It is introspective and morose, as Tony contemplates all that he has become. I have him enmeshed in wires, clinging to him, as if he is being held captive there. The demon-like, broken down robots hanging in the corner further emphasizes the self-destructive nature that has laid hold of him and is always waiting there in the deepest parts, ready to undo him. There is, of course, the cracked shield, which represents that this will be his legacy if he keeps going down this same route: broken friendships and loss. I also purposefully made his Iron Man suit blend in and become a part of him, as if it were showing his muscles and sinews. I prefer drawing his suit this way, showing how he and the suit are one, and all the symbolism that comes with that idea; except in this case, it is breaking off and showing his vulnerabilities and wounds. It is a depressing piece, but it is where we find our hero. I thought I would end this analysis by posting some lyrics from a song that plays during Iron Man. I think it perfectly encapsulates everything I've been discussing here and the reasoning behind my art piece.
Thank you for reading!

"Sometimes I try to do things and it just doesn't work out the way I wanted to. 

I get real frustrated and I try hard to do it and I take my time 

and it doesn't work out the way I wanted to. 

It's like I concentrate real hard and it doesn't work out. 

Everything I do and everything I try never turns out. 

It's like I need time to figure these things out. 

But there's always someone there going. 

Hey Mike: 

You know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately. 

You know, maybe you should get away and maybe you should talk about it, maybe you'll feel a lot better 

And I go: 

No it's okay, you know I'll figure it out, just leave me alone I'll figure it out. 

You know I'll just work by myself. 

And they go: 

Well you know if you want to talk about it I'll be here you know and you'll probably feel a lot better if you talk about it. 

And I go: 

No I don't want to I'm okay, I'll figure it out myself and they just keep bugging me and they just keep bugging me and it builds up inside and it builds up inside..."  

- Institutionalized by Suicide Tendencies.
Played the first time we are introduced to Tony Stark in his element! 

He makes everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11

Theon Greyjoy

"In the godswood the snow was still dissolving as it touched the earth. Steam rose off the hot pools, fragrant with the smell of moss and mud and decay. A warm fog hung in the air, turning the trees into sentinels, tall soldiers shrouded in cloaks of gloom. During daylight hours, the steamy wood was often full of northmen come to pray to the old gods, but at this hour Theon Greyjoy found he had it all to himself.

And in the heart of the wood the weirwood waited with its knowing red eyes. Theon stopped by the edge of the pool and bowed his head before its carved red face. Even here he could hear the drumming, boom DOOM boom DOOM boom DOOM boom DOOM. Like distant thunder, the sound seemed to come from everywhere at once.

The night was windless, the snow drifting straight down out of a cold black sky, yet the leaves of the heart tree were rustling his name. “Theon,” they seemed to whisper, “Theon.”

The old gods, he thought. They know me. They know my name. I was Theon of House Greyjoy. I was a ward of Eddard Stark, a friend and brother to his children.

 “Please.” He fell to his knees. “A sword, that’s all I ask. Let me die as Theon, not as Reek.”

Tears trickled down his cheeks, impossibly warm. “I was ironborn. A son … a son of Pyke, of the islands.”

A leaf drifted down from above, brushed his brow, and landed in the pool. It floated on the water, red, five-fingered, like a bloody hand. . ."

Excerpt from A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
He makes everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11

Black Sky

"I know now what it feels. . . to be good. 

 Does it always hurt that much?"

"Yeah, it always hurts that much." 

***MAJOR DAREDEVIL SEASON TWO SPOILERS AHEAD***

Okay, so no surprise, I'm a huge Daredevil fan! I am obsessed with all things Marvel, basically MCU trash on all accounts, so I'll watch pretty much anything they churn out. It goes without saying, though, that Daredevil is exceptional, and it is my favorite part of the MCU. It is just amazing on every level: characters, story, dialogue, themes, cinematography, acting, everything! It's all incredible, and I love every angst-filled, gothic-aesthetic moment of it! It is so beautiful and Season 2 didn't disappoint! It was someone on Twitter that said that you don't watch Daredevil, you experience Daredevil, and I think that is so true. I'm into a lot of shows and movies, but Daredevil is truly an unique experience. The kind where you can be up at 3 am binge-watching and having internal freak outs because of all the pain and awesomeness going on and you seriously just can't even with any of it. I love it!

They are so cute! And lethal.

My absolute favorite thing of this season (besides all of it), though, was the relationship they've built between Matt and Elektra. I wasn't expecting to get so involved in their story, but I did and it was amazing. It was so perfect, horrible, and tragic! My favorite kind of romances are ones that are antagonistic and complicated, and Matt and Elektra are certainly that, taken up a notch! We have the troubled Elektra who really is all about wrestling with her identity. She has this incredible darkness within her heart, the antithesis to empathy as you could get, and in fact, she gets this orgasmic thrill from killing. She is all about the sensations, the rush, and she lives her life in reckless abandonment. She abhors boredom, and being a spoiled rich girl doesn't help matters much. It doesn't matter if she has all she could ever want at her fingertips, she wants more. She wants excitement, the adrenaline rush at whatever cost. She's like this beautiful storm destroying all in her path, and regretting none of it. Or so it seems.

Enter Matt Murdock, who also struggles with his own kind of darkness, but Matt has convictions, his Catholicism and his values, and he doesn't waver from them. Elektra and Matt are like forces of intense gravity as they pull each other towards the other. At first it seems it is because they are both dangerous, both loving to dance with the dark side and living wild. The force of their personalities threatens to fuse into this black hole of destruction, and there is this incredible and intense electricity that happens between the two of them. I love how this plays out in the scenes together, where Elektra does things like cutting cheese on Matt's chest with a huge knife, or when they start breaking expensive glassware together. The inclusion of these sharp, cutting, shattering objects in their scenes exemplifies this on edge feeling of who they are together: destructive, disturbing and out of control.

Solving mysteries together! Like dweebs.

However, though it may seem like they bring the worst out of each other, it goes so much deeper than that, and this is where I really appreciate the writing. Elektra tried to convince herself that she loved Matt because of his darkness, and became distraught when he condemned her actions and wouldn't join her in her killing, but it was really the light she saw him that drew her to him. In Matt, Elektra found a fixed point, a foundation for the whirlwind of her soul; and in Elektra, Matt found a place to be alive, to be free. And what I love most of all is that Matt's love transformed Elektra, it showed her a better part of herself, and that it was possible to choose that part. Going back to Matt's Catholicism, which is such a prevalent though subtle theme in this show, I see Matt as exemplifying Christ in a lot of ways to Elektra. In his faith, he chooses to be something more than himself, and this is his light, the justice and goodness that guards his heart, and this is what Elektra recognizes. So, like Christ, who comes into the darkness of our souls and shows us a better way, and not only shows us, but transforms us, this is who Matt is to Elektra. And a very important distinction is that although Matt believed Elektra could be more than she was, he loved her just as she was. He met her where she was at and simply loved her. Where all the people in Elektra's life saw her as an object to covet, control, or destroy, Matt saw her as person to cherish. And here is where the Christ-like symbolism of Matt comes to its head. In my favorite moment ever, where at the season climax when the two of them face almost certain death from the Hand, Matt expresses his love to Elektra in the most beautiful and exquisite way possible. He tells her he would give up everything, everyone, he would cast everything off for her sake. He would live free with her and only her because she was his body and his soul. *cue internal gross sobbing*

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:5-8

Their romance is tragic, but it also transcends, and that is what I love about them. So, in my art piece I wanted to take the idea of Elektra being the "Black Sky", this prophesied embodiment of war and conquering which I see as being symbolic of Elektra's identity struggle with herself and her own darkness. Elektra believes that this person of destruction is her only identity, that she shouldn't fight it, that she might as well accept it as who she is and let it consume her. This is represented with how she is blending into the surroundings and the night sky. Her color scheme is also colorless to show the loss of her humanity and identity in becoming the Black Sky. Yet, it is Matt who embodies the idea that this isn't who she has to be, that she can change. This is represented by the signature Daredevil red, the color of life and passion, as it invades and challenges Elektra, infusing itself into her. I wanted the red to be vivid, with strips of it tearing its way into Elektra's blackness, to show the unveiling of her true self. The movement of the piece also helps in conveying this as it sweeps towards and into Elektra, only resting at the focal point where Matt is looking into her eyes tenderly. For although Matt is blind, he sees her more truly than anyone else. This is why I chose to have him with no mask. Matt is completely open with her, his hands and face bare, showing the intimacy he has with her, how forthcoming, and that he is a fixed and pervasive force in her path who will always love her. ^_^

Well, I hope you enjoyed this piece, and Season 2 of Daredevil! I am interested to see what will happen with Elektra now that the Hand has got a hold of her. If it is going to be Elektra vs Daredevil at some point, that will just be awful. Probably lots more internal sobbing at 3 am.

Thanks for reading!

He makes everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11

Nevermore: A Graphic Novel

I am excited to announce my finished graphic novel project, Nevermore! (Yay!) As many of you may know already through my blog posts or Facebook, I was part of a team of filmmakers who put together a web series called The Sting Chronicles. Told through a vlog (video journaling) format, the story regales the escapades of a young man who gets stung by a scorpion and believes himself to be in possession of super powers from the encounter. It is a little satire, a little comedy woven through a coming-of-age story of this young man and his path to greatness as a superhero in his home town. We filmed it locally here in Phoenix, Arizona, and it was a passion project for all involved. It spans two seasons, 14 episodes each, and we finished it off properly in a grand fashion through a short film! It was one-of-a-kind experience, and I certainly loved being a part of it. Now that it has been about a year since we finished the project, we decided to bring one last exciting chapter from our mini-superhero universe to life! If you have been following the story*, then you know through Ethan Harper's adventures that he runs into his nemesis, the enigmatic, Poe-inian, and perhaps psychotic, villain, The Raven. The Raven has had a history, as all good villains do, and I'm excited to be able to share it with you now through the pages of this graphic novel! I'm certainly a huge fan of the character (being the President of The Raven Fanclub, after all), and this was definitely a labor of love. I have enjoyed the character, and I hope you do as well! So, without further ado, I give you Nevermore!

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream. . .

*If you have not watched the series, you can still enjoy this graphic novel, but watching the show will certainly fill in crucial information and have it make sense since it is based on events that occured in the show. ^_^


He makes everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11

Boot Camp: Week 1

"My mind rebels at stagnation.
Give me problems, give me work [...]!"

Hello, my friends and readers. I'm going to be trying something a bit different here in this blog post, as I want to talk about something a little more personal. Lately, I've been rather hard-pressed on what to do with myself as an artist. Self promotion is definitely not easy, and at times seems downright impossible within the void of the Internet. It has been a difficult learning process to say the least. On top of that, and probably most importantly, I also have been feeling under challenged as an artist. True, I'm constantly being challenged by deadlines and the projects I'm currently working on at the moment, which I never seem to have enough time for, but I really do need more than that. I need more than just the constant juggle of prioritizing and time budgeting, which can get pretty monotonous. That is pretty much the word I would use to describe how I have been feeling lately, monotonous. I feel like I hit a wall with the progress of my art, that I'm not thinking of anything new, that I'm not growing in my abilities. It is like I've just become an assembly line for churning out work. I don't want that! I want to feel as if I am improving in my work, being challenged mentally and creatively, so as to reach a new summit in my artistic ability. I've definitely realized that I need this due to the new sci fi graphic novel I've taken on, Infinity's End. The vision I have for this graphic novel is somewhat above the level I can currently achieve, or at least the work I'm currently creating isn't reflecting the vision I have for that project. It is going to take a new approach from me, and I really don't know what that is quite yet. :-/

Spongebob Squarepants is always applicable...

Enter Art Camp, or as I like to think of it as, Art Boot Camp. I follow a variety of freelance artists whose work I admire on Twitter, and one of them is Noah Bradley. His work is exceptional, superbly crafted, provocative, and full of intensity and deep sobriety. I especially love his Sin of Man series, which you'll find on his website as well. Through his tweets, I became curious by his online art courses which make up his Art Camp regimen, and decided to check it out. What I read there about the material, the reasons why he started it and what he wanted to achieve with it really resonated with me, and it seemed exactly the sort of thing that I needed! Not only would I be learning from experts who are actually in the field that I want to be in, but I would be given material that I can really chew on and use to help expand myself, exploring new creative avenues. The course I'm currently going through is one that is taught by concept artist, Titus Lunter, who is partnered with Mr. Bradley, and it is on the topic of Environment Concept Design. Just from the first video alone for week 1, I found myself instantly inspired and it jump-started my brain into deep thought. I began to analyze myself as an artist, putting together the puzzle pieces of what I've been wanting to achieve through my work, but hadn't put a name to yet. It wasn't as if the things expounded upon were new to me, the different artist habits he outlined were things I already do on a consistent basis, but it gave me the means of an outlet and helped me to realign my thought process. I think it was also inspiring to hear someone else talking about things I feel are important as an artist, and hearing them from a fellow concept artist at that. It was really encouraging. Of course, I'm not out of the woods yet, but I feel like I am getting the mental and creative instruction necessary to push myself forward as an artist. I'm on the right path.

Danielle, you maggot!
Give me fifty more!

Now, one of the things the video went over was allowing yourself to be free to explore the canvas, to not be worried about composition or concepts just yet, but merely do free-form creating, seeing what you can come up with, playing with brushes and images, finding what looks right, and what you like/dislike about shapes and structure. This is something I'm actually not particularly good at doing, since I am an artist who always knows what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I always have a set vision of what I want to create inside my head, and I merely transfer that vision from my head to the canvas, making it fit closely as I can to the original. Spontaneity and improvisation do not come easily to me, as I find myself hesitant and uncertain if I don't have clear idea of where I'm going. However, I do see the value in pushing myself in this area, because I might be able to find something new and different that I haven't done before. So, as part of the homework assignment, I decided to put this into practice. I'll never be able to achieve full on stream of consciousness creating, because it just isn't my nature, but I tried to keep myself from fully interpreting the images in my head, but allowing them to just be on the canvas. Or as much as I was able, at any rate. Fifteen thumbnails were the requirement, so I started the first set with some pencil sketch thumbnails. No matter how much Photoshop I use in my work, pencil will always be my treasured medium. There is nothing that compares to the feeling of tangible paper and graphite. It is lovely. ^_^ Here are the first eight thumbnails, where I also outlined the goals I wanted to achieve for this entire assignment exercise:

I felt pretty excited and confident about what I was coming up with here, even if it looked like some weird abstract art. It wasn't about making sense, though, but about allowing myself to work with the visual concepts in my head and getting them to come out organically on the page. After doing that, I moved on to the second set of thumbnails, this time using only Photoshop paint brushes. I experimented with different brushes that I have, and just continued doing what I was doing, hoping something cool happened:

Again, I enjoyed and was happy with what I was coming up with, even though it isn't the end goal of what I want to achieve just yet. I believe I'm heading in the right direction at least. For the last three thumbnails of the set, I decided to do them a little bigger and do a combination of pencil and Photoshop. This is usually my preferred art style, combining pencil and Photoshop, so I thought I would try it it out. I also was a little more intentional with them, taking ideas from both sets of the above thumbnails, and seeing what I could come up with. They didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but I did feel like I got somewhere with them, so it wasn't a total loss:

Thumbnail 13 

Thumbnail 14

Thumbnail 15

Well, that is the end of week 1 for me and some of my thoughts on the whole process and what has been going on with me. I do hope to be able to find what I am searching for, as well as see a marked improvement in my art. I'll be posting about this as I go, but seeing as I do have many projects and that this is a self-paced online course, it isn't going to be too rigid. It is a twelve week course, but I probably will be taking longer to go through it. Making it too rigid will defeat the purpose of what I'm trying to achieve, which is free-flowing creativity and allowing myself to explore. These things take time. However, I do hope to be consistent, so there will be updates!

Oh! And before I end my post, as part of the homework assignment for week 1, you are supposed to take a picture of your creative space, seeing as it is all part of the introspection of the self as an artist. I decided to post that picture here, since it might be fun to share it with my followers, in case any of you were ever curious:

What my creative space normally looks like. ;-)

Yes, there it is. (Do you think I need more Sherlock Holmes wall art?) It is WAY cleaner than it normally is on a day to day basis, but I had to straighten it up for this photo. You don't need or want to see that. But I enjoy my creative space, my sanctum sanctorum as Sherlock Holmes would have called it. (I may have a little obsession here.) I love my desk especially, which is a drafting table that I turned into a desk. I use it as both now, taking my compy, whose name is Holmes, (I need haaaalp!) and other electronics off whenever I want to do some sketching. It works really well and it has a great industrial style! I <3 it! And yes, that's a legit octopus glass table down there. I <3 that as well! I love octopi as an aesthetic design motif! ^_^

Thanks for reading, my friends! I hope you enjoyed my angsty artist babblings!


He makes everything beautiful in its time . . . Ecclesiastes 3:11