fall Thesis Sketches - 4

Morgan, Lenny, and Daniel observing Heather's defense.

Kristen and Tabitha proposing.

Beth proposing.

Sivonna proposing.

Morgaine proposing. Chad observing. Muku blocking the way.

Sketches done during proposals and defenses.

Micron in a moleskin

a beth of beagles

It's been a fairly long day. Well, it was an early day. And early days lead into long feeling days. But it was a great day.

Heather's thesis defense was this morning. She made these beautiful etchings depicting these fables of hers. Morgan said it was the best aquatint he has ever seen at PNCA. Really intricate work. Lots of thought and depth. The panel kinda got into a critique about it, but the conversation was good and long. They actually had to stop it so they could continue onto the next stage. I was looking at some of my past thesis write ups, and they were more extensive than this. Heather is such a talented artist and an amazing, intelligent individual.

Got a way too salty pretzel from Safeway for a snack. Sat with Karen at the first half of Kristen and Tabitha's joint proposal. They started with a video, and launched into their proposal. They went back and forth pretty well. Kristen was nervous and spoke fast. It was a double length proposal, so we left during some of the questions. But they knew ahead of time, and it was probably expected that some would leave.

Beth! What a great thesis. Animal grouping in visual form and what it reflects. It was a packed house also. I got front row right in front of the podium. She was nervous but did really well. Answered the questions well. Borrowed and returned my pen well.

Lunch time! Lasagna! Ate with Madeline, Amanda, Rachel, Amanda, and Jaymee. Chatted about stuff. Showed them how to fold a zine down.

Then scanned some stuff. Chatted with more people.

Eckard was doing a performance where he had a candelabra strapped to his legs that bound them in this raised position (but they were also propped) and he was laying on the floor and dragging himself around this crack on the floor with a little pick and this tube. He cleaned the crack on the floor and blew the dust away. It was odd but then it became just a background detail as I talked to BT about promoting positivity and high fives all day every day.

I went to Sivonna's Muku Mania proposal. I got a sticker from it! Yay! It was a nice proposal. I've already heard it a bunch of times. She lost her voice for about 10 seconds during it, but that passed.

After I talked to Samala, and then Dom, Thom, Jon, and I did a Chinatown loop walk. First to Utrecht. Jon got some paper. Then Everett Street so Dom and Jon could pick up their art from a show. Today was First Thursday. Too bad I made plans. Oh well. Jon went back to school to print. Finally was Floating World Comics. I got an email reminding me of my much neglected box. I gotta show up at least twice a year to get my MAJOR backlog of comics. So I did that. Then we walked back towards the studios. Thom is in town for the next few months again, totally awesome. He is going to teach English in China! Just needs to save for the ticket. Way way cool.

I headed back home after that. Relaxed a bit. Called Rollyn to confirm that we were still on for bowling. Unfortunately the bowling alley at PSU was all reserved for a special deal. So we stayed in, ordered pizza, and watched Goldfinger. Then spent a lot of time comparing what movies we have and haven't seen. I should have taken his bet when he said that Tampopo wasn't in the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die book, because it totally was. It was a nice night.

Tomorrow after the proposals, I will print my shirts. Not participate in the crazy drinking that takes place at Yur's following the finals and instead go and buy fixings for chili! Whoo! And then listen to audio books and clean the apartment. Jon is having a birthday celebration roaming party thing, but that doesn't start till later. I want to focus on cleaning the apartment. Put it into good shape for the Saturday Luncheon.

Tomorrow is the last day of proposals! Morgaine, Josh, Jennifer, and Samala! And then print shirts!

Fall Thesis Sketches - 3

Dominic proposing.

Rachel and Robin proposing.

Mel proposing and Karen defending.

Karen defending. BT observing.

Heather defending.

Sketches done during proposals and defenses.

Micron in a moleskin

another brilliant day in thesis land

I think my hair is totally improving with the better conditioner. Unfortunately I use a lot and it isn't a big container.

Anyway, another day of Focus Week. Relaxing, kicking back, supporting awesome people

First up was Dominic. 201 was crowded. The seats were filled and plenty of people sat. I sat next to Jennifer and Abbie, who was at my proposal and she complimented me again about it. Hurrah! Anyway, back to Dom. Again, another person who did extremely well. Got through his cards. Answered the questions well. Was clear and all that good stuff. He is doing illustrations about neurosis. Should be awesome.

Before Rachel's, I went to Safeway and grabbed a muffin and Perrier and some cash.

Rachel's proposal was also good. Unfortunately the podium light was facing towards me, so I couldn't get a good drawing of her. Still, I tried. Rachel is doing illustrations representative of the visual kei type of Japanese rock..stuff. Uhh. I'm a little unsure of what it is exactly, but it fits her artistic style.

Lunch was sandwiches and salad. It was good. I've had an odd appetite lately. I haven't been able to finish a lot. Not eating in the portions that I once did. Sat with the illustration cronies.

Karen went to a salon to get her hair styled for her thesis. She was also wearing a nice sweater tucked into a black pencil skirt, heels, and tights. She looked GREAT. It's that dressing up for the game/the show/the situation thing that gives one extra confidence. She looked hot. I whistled and Madeline cat called at her. And when she got close I said "yeah baby, I'm so going to objectify you". She seemed pleased with the reaction. I dropped my bike off at the studio (I was running late so I had to park it at school, so I could get to Dom's thesis in time). We chilled in the library.

I went to Robin's. It was a packed room. Stuffed to the gills. Fifty plus. Robin is so sweet, and makes some breath taking works of art. Her thesis is photo graveure prints of contemplative interiors. Lots of light and shadow. Just beautiful. A really complicated process, but it works perfectly for what she is best at. Her proposal was succinct and she handled the suggestions and questions masterfully. Really good.

I claimed a seat at Mel's and went back to talk to Eva, Asha, and Asha's fiancée while waiting for Robin to come out with the meeting with her panel. It is weird. Every now and again I stop and think "I'm here. I have one semester left. That is it. Huh." All these years, all this study, all the work. It is coming together.

I'm really understanding why I do art, and what my goals are, and understanding my unique aesthetic and view point. I'm unarchival, I'm accessible, I'm not terribly picky...but I like friends and portraits and I'd rather achieve a piece that represents a soul than technical beauty alone. Or something like that. I'm still thinking, but I'm on the right road I feel. And it makes me feel so good and so satisfied.

Anyway, Mel blew us away with her thesis. She is designing signs for people that have ugly signs in their store. Sort of giving good design as a gift, and doing it in this last sort of chance before she leaves college and has to make money and stuff. There is a lot more to it than that, and her slide show was brilliant considering it crashed two days ago and she had to start over. It was also a packed room. Lots of people showing their love for Mel. I'm excited for her project to start taking shape. She already did one sign as a practice run, and they put it up. She isn't telling people she is doing the signs for them, just making them and leaving a note card with some info. It is an interesting topic and raised a lot of questions, which she handled very well.

Chatted to Nicolo, a yoga buddy whose name I now finally know!

Afterwards I grabbed a seat at Karen's. Well I grabbed several seats. Wanted to save one for Madeline, but because of shuffling and stuff and lack of clarity on my part, it ended up not being saved. But she got a seat anyway. Karen's attendance for her defense was seventy plus strong. Bloody amazing! She had pie and sweet tea and a little give away that was most excellent. It really completed her thesis. Anyway, foxy Karen NAAAILLLED IT. Bam bam bam got through all of her points and the importance of looking back and yay America and history and stuff. Really clear. Good viewpoint. One of the panel members said "well, I don't have much to ask" or something like that. She got lots of applause and lots of hoots and cheers. I scanned some stuff, and waited around. Lacey and I escorted her to Yur's when all was done and done. I didn't have anything to drink. Just sat and sketched and chatted and listened. It was a nice crowd jammed in to the booth. BT, Karen, Sandra, Miles, Dom, James, Chris, Jim, Mel, Phil, Patrick, Robin, Diana...well some sat in chairs and others came and went. But it was a good bunch of people, all talking and having a good time. THESIS!!! YEAHH!

I left at 7:45, a bit early compared to the rest of the crew. Met new friend Rollyn at Blue Moon. I was hungry so I had a pint and a grilled cheese. Chatted about movies and school mostly. Not much to say about the evening really. Wouldn't classify it as a date. Ended early, and now I'm set to relax. Tomorrow is a shorter day. Not going to as many things. Heather, Tabitha & Kristen, Beth, lunch, Sivonna and then home I guess. Home to work on animation. I think I'll set the goal of having the backgrounds for the animation done. So I can have a starting point. Been slacking.

Fall Thesis Sketches - 2

Asha proposing.

Jon proposing. Martin observing. Cherish defending.

Cherish defending.

Sketches done during proposals and defenses.

Micron in a moleskin

need more flashion

I fell nicely asleep at nine ish. And unnicely woke up at 3am. I sort of laid about for a few hours, and when I realized I wasn't falling asleep, at 6:20ish I got up and had some tea, did half the dishes, and had some bacon and egg. Then I sat about and relaxed for the next few hours. Didn't go to a morning defense.

Started with Jeff, who unknowingly had spelt his last name wrong. It looked good aesthetically, so I didn't question it. He is doing propaganda posters. Jeff is coming from an interesting point of view, visually, because he came to PNCA as photo, then intermedia, and now illustration. It was a good little proposal.

I helped Karen briefly before Madeline's. Just put paper to dry on the racks.

Madeline's proposal was also very good! She had a great speaking pace, good humor, good art in the show. All around, very nice. She was nervous but did fine. Madeline is writing a children's picture book. The questions were answered well. Then she left to go relax and sleep off the stress.

Lunch was burritos that were perpetually running out. Maybe because each one had to be made, instead of making trays of enchiladas. I sat with Kevin and Sivonna. I lost interest half way through my burrito. I mean, I lost interest in the burrito. Not my company. For the rest of lunch I was in the library helping Dom with his crossword (wasn't that much of help) and chatted with the Illo people.

After lunch was Asha! Her thesis and mine both have a similar axis point with opposite materials and audience/distribution. We are both making something to freely give, and while mine is focused on mantra, hers has a meditation aspect. But where hers will have fine craft with letter press and other printing techniques, mine follows the aesthetic of lacking archival qualities, as well as "anal retentive registration". And while her audience is the unsuspecting who find her hidden pieces, mine will be who I force my posters on. There are a lot of similarities, but some big differences. Quite cool. I hung around a bit after. Got to talk to Morgan about my zine. Got my ego nursed a bit more. Heh heh.

And then I saw this guy who is the male version of me, style wise. I'm glad that I wore my striped sweater and green shirt, because if I had gone gray with black hoodie, we would have been identically dressed. He had black and white sneakers, straight dark jeans, gray shirt (my favorite color for shirts these days) plaid button up layer under a black hoodie layer, and with the topper: a brown leather jacket. I pointed it out to Jon and he agreed that it was the male me.

Somewhere between that point, going to the studio, and going to Jon's thesis, I got a huge blob of white screenprinting ink on my jacket. I must have set it down, and picked it up. I didn't notice it for a while, which was strange. It also meant that I got a lot of it in my hair and on my sleeve and down my jacket. Boo!

Jon gave a pretty good proposal. He probably got some of the most complex questions I've heard at the proposals thus far. More in depth stuff about the importance of the time and format. He had good responses, all though I spaced on the last half of his proposal because that was when I noticed all the ink on me.

Thom May is in town! I gave him one of my few precious remaining zines. And dashed to the print making studio to scrub the ink off my jacket. It came off no problem, all though all the scrubbing and water probably wasn't good for my already beat to hell jacket. When I love a garment, I loooove it and it gets so worn out. I wear the Romeos, even though they have no traction and when its wet I'm one slide away from a banged up knee. I'll figure out how to add traction to them some how. Anyway, cleaned the jacket and then went to Cherish's defense. Saved Karen a seat.

Cherish knocked it out of the park! Almost no notes needed. Just clear about her process and the meaning and how it relates. She did pieces and an installation and distillation about home. Really beautiful work, especially the "book" that she did, that was clips of spaces and written memories on vellum and other precious papers. She also had a snack table with tea and pumpkin roll and rice candy. Yum! Perfect way to end the day. She responded to the questions with intrigue. A really good piece of work.

After that I scanned in my sketches thus far, and then went to the studios. Chilled with BT and Karen for a bit. Then returned to my fair apartment.

I still haven't picked up the animation work that I sorely need to be doing. I figure I'll just be at school non stop after Focus Week, and it will feel like a breeze compared. I just need to draw and scan and sequence. And not get too mad at After Effects. Watched me some Glee and Raising Hope (not as good as some of the other episodes, a little too gimmick heavy).

Tomorrow is Dom, Rachel, Robin, Mel, and then Karen! Then a little bit of a celebration after that I suspect. But I'm having a rendezvous at 8, so I won't get getting down and funky with the whole bunch for much longer after Karen's.

Still haven't been at a proposal that rivaled my attendance amount, I suspect I'll be getting a run for my money tomorrow.

Fall Thesis Sketches - 1

Sandra defending her thesis.

Leo and Danny proposing their thesis.

Karen drawing me at my thesis proposal.

Jeff and Madeline proposing. Gordon observing.

Sketches done during proposals and defenses.

Micron in a moleskin.

best I've felt in ages

I sort of passed out at 9m, and woke up again just now, so thought I would take 30 minutes to blog and then go back to bed.

Waking up at 7am:

Suuucks. One of the hardest morning ever. Had a huge knot in my stomach for about a minute. Crawled out of bed. Showered. Ate tea and toast. Didn't bother with makeup, as I knew I'd be returning home to do it (and finish prep) anyway.

Defenses and Proposals:

Sandra's thesis defense was beautiful. She touched on all the subjects and themes succinctly and in great order. Her project was these illuminated picture boxes depicting a brothers Grimm story about this well. She constructed sets and photographed people in them. It was really nice. I'm doing thesis sketches again. It will be fun to do, because now I can just chill and draw. I have a lot of screen printing to do in the next couple weeks, but I love screen printing. And art. So yay!

Leo's proposal was full of nerves, but not full of "likes". Lots of pauses instead. Which is good. Better to pause than to use filler words. His thesis is a series of posters about people reacting to a world dominated by technology and their escape from it. His art will be amazing. He's just not the most talkative of fellows.

After that I bought a soda and cradled it preciously as I consumed its delicious caffeine. At this stage I was so tired and out of it and just trying to get nerves to calm down.

Danny's proposal was perfect really. He knew what he was doing (an all picture, no text book for his daughter) and why and the bigger picture of it. He had the art to back it up. His slide show was beautiful. Very dynamic. I can't wait to see his work unfold. We screen printers all offered to show him the ropes, because the printing for his book could be really beautiful if screen printed. White and red on black paper.

Lunch and Prep:

Yay for the school providing lunch. Had my sandwich. Sat with Kristen, Karen, Cherish, Isaiah, Cherish's mom. The latter three left and Terry, Matty, and yoga buddy whose name I keep forgetting joined us. We gabbed about this and that. At 1pm I left to go home to put my war paint on. That is, to put on dramatic makeup to get my mindset into that of a performer and stage presence. I wanted to show up and give my thesis looking awesome. The act of applying the winged eye liner and blush and lipstick and all that calmed my nerves. I also ran through my cards and noted when to switch slides. Got to school at about 2:40. Got my slide show queued up. Got the posters on all the chairs. Printed out the abstract for the panel chairs. Put on my white power boots as well.

And then the room started filling up. People I didn't recognize, people I did...TJ, Matthew Seeley, BT, Cotey, Tippi, Karen, Terry, Matty, Madeline, Michael, Mel, Bryan Columbo, Jon, James J, Dom, Sivonna, Samala, Karen, Rose Bond, Christy, Nicole, Jennifer, Amanda, Rachel, Cameron, Kinoko, Asha, Eva, Robin, Diana, Jim, Tabitha, Petra, Tibby, Heather, uhhm... more people I didn't recognize but are obviously awesome because they came to my thesis. I'm forgetting a ton of people. 10 minutes before I began and it was standing room only. There were chairs enough for 30 people, and I printed 66 posters to hand out. I had set aside six posters for some people. I put one on every chair. Karen and Terry helped pass out the posters to people as they came in. Diana got the last one! There were a couple left over once everyone filed out, but the amount that was given away indicates my thesis proposal was attended by 55-60 people!! How cool is that? Goes to show that enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm and people love free art, just as much as I love giving it out. One of my panel members didn't show, so Rose stepped in. My panel was Martin, Rose, and Kurt. Which was a great panel really. All of them knew me, knew my work, and mainly put forward ideas and suggestions instead of criticism.

The Thesis Proposal:

It went amazingly well! I was soooo nervous, but I got in some good eye contact. I mainly tried to look at Samala and BT and Mel. Try to get the corners and center of the audience when looking out. I was about fifty fifty with notecards and memory, I feel. I relied on them to avoid stumbling, but I tripped over words here and there. But I don't feel bad about it. Really, I don't think it could have gone better. The thesis came. Martin told me to start. So I did. And I went through it. And then I answered questions. It was just so fluid that I didn't really stop to think "wow that was it" till it was over. The questions were tricky, and I don't know how well I answered them. I answered them, sure, but some of the specifics might not have been there. But I left feeling good about it. I didn't spark any controversy. There wasn't a debate about logistics. The crowded room seemed very enthusiastic. And talking to people in the room before hand, people really dug the give away.

After the proposal, we all leave the room while the panel discusses. I got SO MANY high fives and hugs. It was a high five train for a bit. So much human contact. It was great! A few people stayed behind to chat and give me well wishes and more hugs. So awesome. Sucks I am nearly out of posters, but that speaks to the success of my work. The main feedback I received in the 3 on 1 was to think about what defines the success of this project, keeping track of distribution, the bigger picture outside the community and where it goes from here, and something else. I wrote it down. Also some artists to check out. It was a good little session. I answered some more of their questions, which was nice to do without the pressure of responding in the more formal manner.

So yeah, my thesis was approved. Now to spend the next six months doing it! I need to formulate a project time line. Karen mentioned that I could, based on how I work, do more than seven posters. Which I see as a possibility. The harder part will be coming up with the text. The art, no biggie right now. I have ideas. I'm just excited!! Eeee!!

Celebratin'

Did some little book keeping and bragging around school. Then I rode my bike home, obviously after switching out of my power boots. Decided to treat myself to a nice meal. Went to The Ram's Head and got a pint of Terminator Stout and the Ale Battered Fish and Chips. Popped open Packing for Mars and stuffed my face with deliciousness. The rain is back, but it is the delightful pitter patter kind. It was a good Sunday night meal.

Returned to the apartment. Talked to mom a bit. Watched some telly. Then I felt myself passing out, so I let it happen. I'm up again, but will be back in bed soon enough. I just feel really great. All the stress, all the years of build up, and it came and went and now I have something that I love that I can't wait to start doing.

BOOYAAAH

NAILED IT! Tons of people showed up, gave away all of the posters that I had. Standing room only ten minutes before I started. WHOOO!!! Put my game face on, and wore my power boots.

Thesis Proposal

Thesis Proposal from Trillian Spencer on Vimeo.

practice makes...

Home. All cozy like with blankets. Numb to the tension of tomorrow. It is sort of...unreal that the day is tomorrow. It is it. It will come and it will go and...what will happen will happen. This is what the past three years have lead up to and here it is. Just like any other day. Crazy, huh?

The problem with my alarm, is that it is easy to grab and turn off the alarm, and when you turn off the switch, the snooze is useless. So you have to keep up, or you are doomed to doze. I dozed. Not too long, but I didn't get up all that early. Washed my hair. Had some toast and tea.

Worked on my paper. Added sentences here and there. Came up with mock questions. Got out of the house at 4pm. Got some note cards. Got some Quiznos. Scanned some stuff. Printed some stuff. Edited some stuff. Found 815F. Finalized my slide show. It looks good enough, I guess? It is hard to tell because I don't spent a lot of time actually looking at it. I'm looking at my cards and my audience, not my slide show. The room is nice and large. Plenty of room for all my fans. I hope.

Madeline practiced. Dom joined us and practiced. I practiced. Dom practiced. Madeline gave feed back. Israel showed up and practiced. I worked on my note cards. Nine o clock came. Dom and I went to Yur's to chill. I tried out the Laurelwood Red. Delicious beer. Two pints later and I was lounging in the studio drawing stuff on the wall, generally had a good time. Sobered up and went home. Watched me some Walking Dead. Boardwalk Empire is paused while I blog. Going to practice again. Then maybe go to sleep.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Oh my god.

Tomorrow.

36 hours

Trying to figure out the right little sentences in my proposal is difficult. I'm almost there. I think I might drop out View on Color all together. It isn't very relevant anyway beyond "I like faces". Got my comic documentation in. It looks better but not great. Though I think I can settle for "not great". It's only a bit of the whole proposal. Need to draw some more artwork to go in the starter slides. That won't be too difficult. I'll probably do that before I go to sleep.

Tomorrow is a practice day. And a redo note cards day. And a finish abstract day. I'll go to school. Scan and color the new slide art. Put it into the slide show. Find 815F. Call Madeline. Write notecards. Practice. Practice. Go home. Practice some more. Decide my outfit/makeup for tomorrow. I will be wearing white boots and war paint (aka probably heavy black eye makeup, for impact).

Cut my bangs. Now my eyebrows are visible. Cut them a little bit high. But my hair grows fast.

Oh right, I started my day at home in Seabeck. They made Dutch Baby for breakfast, but I don't eat that. Had some bacon and a sandwich instead. Ma made the sandwich. It was good. It was warm! Warmer than 40! Hurrah! No hot tub. I just packed and Nathan drove me to the train station. We talked about Top Gear and TSA mostly.

Oh, there was also a bomb threat in Portland. CIA had it under control and the explosives were a dud. Still, jeeze.

We got to the station right as the train was pulling it. I got a seat to myself. Nice and empty train car. Watched the end of True Grit and Red Riding: In The Year of Our Lord 1978 (part of a trilogy, there is a 1980 and 1982 movie as well). Ride went fast. Thankfully, while dark, it wasn't raining. Hauled up Hoyt and then over to Johnson for the walk home. Passed a gorgeous yellow Rolls Royce. Got back at 6pm. Chilled for a bit (literally, I was quite sweaty from the walk).

Pulled up thesis stuff. Looked at it. Ate some macaroni cheese. Wrote some thesis stuff. Took out the View on Color influence, as it wasn't that great of an influence and I didn't have much to say about it. Right now my mind is in "this can be done tomorrow" mode. And I think I'll let it win. Just tomorrow has to be an early day.

As it is 3, I don't think I'll be able to get to drawing tonight. Tomorrow I'll have a small breakfast. Than I'll draw. Then I'll eat a scramble and call Madeline. Then I'll go to school and scan and edit. Get some note cards. Then practice! I should be all squared away, or nearly squared away.

I also need to take note of potential questions I could get asked. Will I get asked to explain the relevance of mantra? Why is this important? Hmm. Long stressful day tomorrow. And then OH MY GOD I PROPOSE!

I PROPOSE MY THESIS!

THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW!

getting tense, here it comes

Less than 72 hours till I've proposed. Eeek. I'm starting to feel the tension. Next two days will take a lot of work. Kurt sent me a good message about an artist to look into and that he likes my idea. Kurt is one of my panel members and a mainstay of the illustration faculty. Nice guy, he was part of the summer pre-college intensive program that I took part in in 2006.

Anyway, got up before noon! Whoo! Had a cinnamon roll and poached egg with melted cheese on toast. Yum!

Nathan and Ma returned, and we decided to go get a Christmas Tree from Kunie's! It probably took longer to get ready for the trip than it did to find the tree. It was about the fourth one we looked at, and it was quite good. Also, the day broke 40 degrees and it rained so nothing was icy and a lot of the snow was gone. Hurray!

The tree was perfectly in between lots of branches and space between branches for ornaments to hang. Dad sawed the bottom and I pulled on it so that the saw wouldn't pinch.

When we got back, we had a reprise turkey luncheon. As the typical modern family, we watched stuff on Youtube for a while. Then we started decorating the tree. Next year we need to get another strand of lights. Two is not enough. We crammed so many ornaments on. it is magnificent! Ma queued up Community for Nathan to watch. Great show.

After ornaments, we got in the hot tub! Whoo! Then we decided to catch the 9:25 showing of Harry Potter. But first: Bananagrams! A game. I won. Whoo!

It was probably one of the best Harry Potters. Great filming, great acting. I don't remember much of the book (besides the fact that the forest traveling was booooring) so it wasn't stale. The animated story telling bit was beautiful. It was good. I can't believe that after so many years and all the fandom, there is only one Harry Potter film left.

Late night drive home. I quickly documented my comic.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention last night was that we were playing "I Spy With My Little Eye..." and Nathan said he spied something that began with H. Which ended up being "Hybrid". After 15 minutes of us guessing and Nate acting like we were fools, he remembered we were in the Contour. Not the Prius. There fore he did not spy a hybrid. Not at all.

Return to Portland tomorrow. Eeeek.

thankful for love

Just because I post at 11:35 pm, doesn't mean I go to bed exactly at that time. Just means I wanted to get on with my writing before I got to the queue of stuff to watch. Like Misfits, Terriers, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Anyway. Stayed up watching the first half of True Grit. It is interesting how much just simple filming and shots have changed in films. Now we take our queues from scene set ups to understand the meaning of what is being depicted, instead of reading into a scene. The original True Grit isn't overbearingly shot and sound tracked, so it encourages less enthusiasm from the audience.

Slept in, as per usual. Ma and Pa did the cooking. I got up. Had some bacon and eggs. Then hot tubbed. It was a great morning (see: afternoon) to relax in a 103 degree tub of water. It was very brisk and there was still snow. Ahhh Seabeck.

Then we started hauling the food into the Ford Contour, and off we went. Picked up Rubie. It was a Mats Mats Thanksgiving. We supplied most of the meal, with Grandma and Grandpa providing pre-dinner snacks and drinks. Martinelli's galore!

Turkey was moist, the bread was warm, the salad had delicious avocado and shrimp, the broccoli couldn't decide if it wanted to be raw or cooked, and the gravy as delicious on the potatoes. I didn't have everything on the table, but I had enough for me. We didn't say what we were thankful for. But I'm thankful for my wonderful friends and supportive family. There is so much love, and I'm thankful for that.

I laid up on the couch while everyone else enjoyed berry pie (I don't like berry pie) and ice cream. I laid up some more and skipped out on being generally helpful. Watched the tail end of Goldeneye and the start of The World is Not Enough. I helped marginally to put stuff away and then we said our goodbyes.

It had started to warm up, so the roads were better. We dropped off Rubie. Went home. Snacked on stuff and watched Top Gear clips. Then ma and pa tucked in. And now I'm tucking in. But that doesn't mean I'm going to bed.

Don't know what we'll do tomorrow. Maybe get a Christmas tree. I have to practice my proposal. Finish up my slideshow. Work. Bleh. Don't like work. But in just a few very soon days, I'll be proposing. It is inevitable.

two wagons hitched to one horse

Got the space heater running at the bottom of the futon, got my laptop atop my lap, and the anticipation for the hot tub tomorrow is brewing. Ahhh it is good to be home, if only for a little bit.

Had some toast and propel for breakfast. Mmm. A reasonable start to the day. In class we looked at some animation shorts and stuff from previous classes. Ambitious but reasonable projects. Only about ten people were in, probably due to holiday travel and the weather.

I had lunch with Daniel and Heather at Barista. We gabbed. I bragged about my zine. I had steamed milk and a muffin. Afterwards I helped Dom a little bit with his crossword puzzle. It was more difficult this time around. The rest of class as a brief discussion of our projects and then we were free to go. So I did.

Went home. Ate some macaroni and cheese. Packed my bag. Went to Trader Joe's and got some snacks for the parents. Mark and Kristen gave me a ride to the train station, which was awesome as it continues to hover around freezing. The line in the station looped around itself. It took a while just to find the end, but find it I did! I sat next to a lady but we didn't talk. I grabbed a hot dog. Took a nap. Read my book. Got lost in thought. Then I was in Tacoma!

Ma and Pa were there with the truck, which had a few inches of snow in the bed. It was a relatively uneventful ride home. No black ice. No skidding. No snow. I talked about my thesis, but didn't go through the practice.

Since I have my big bed in Portland, I know have a little futon for when I return home. It isn't so bad. I'd rather have a big bed in Portland and a small bed here, than the other way around. Got the space heater cranked. It's quite cold. But can't complain. Tomorrow is turkey day!!

I inspired Morgan!!!

Listening to Odd Owl's The Way Home searching for inspiration. COME ON INSPIRATION!!! I'm so stuck. I have the purpose, not the idea.

Anyway. Woke up at 8am, and decided to go back to sleep till 10ish. Made myself a giant sustaining scramble. Worked on transcribing my essay. It is cold in Portland. But not unmanageable. It didn't snow really at all (glorified frost) and ice is only in the corners where it is frequently damp.

Went to class. It was another practice day, but pretty much only for those willing to practice. I worked on finishing up my essay and editing it and helping Dominic with his crossword and wishing Madeline a belated happy birthday and working more on proposal. It is fine tuning and adding touches here and there. It is coming along. I'm looking forward to working on it on the train ride. Practice practice! Class went by fast.

Printed out my train ticket thing. Printed out some recipes from Brynne.

Yoga was a small class. I had my yoga pants over my long johns. It was cozy. And confining.

Made some frozen microwave Trader Joe's basmati rice and chicken for dinner. I also popped open my special apple juice. SO DELICIOUS! So rich. I shared with Kristen and Mark and they were floored by how good it is. It is the pure stuff yo.

Watched Raising Hope. Then Glee. Now I'm trying to get some inspiration.

Oh! Remember that Focus Week Zine I made last semester? I gave one to my teacher Morgan, and now I've heard from some of the people in his classes (the figure and history of printmaking) that he is asking them to make thesis zines! Instead of his usual list of who you attend. How awesome is that? My little project inspired a shift in assignment! And my work stuck in the mind of a professor. Niiice.

Now if only I can find my mp3 player charger. It fell somewhere.

No idea what sort of structure I want to do for my animation. I should go to bed and just sit in class and draw.

Also...

How great are these shoes? http://www.zappos.com/ariat-fatbaby-tan-rebel-pink I like them in brown omber and Earth/Bone...

it's like we have never seen snow before

Well, I checked most of the list off.

I slept in more than I should have. Had a little breakfast. Recorded my practice. Got showered and dressed in thicker jeans, a shirt, and a sweater. A preppy blue ensemble. I walked down to Trader Joe's. Got some meat, and vegetables, and eggs, and sweets. Damn you TJ's and your awesome holiday treats!

Came back and made myself a huge scramble. Beef, onion, egg, and cheese. It was a good thing that I made it too, because once I went to school I was there for a while. That meal (and a chocolate orange) sustained me.

So I went to school. Worked on writing out the text of my thesis give away. A lot of slow and steady lettering. Dom practiced. He does a lot more heavy editing. It is coming along though. Jon went. His is also good. It was a lot of discussion. Josh came in with his and Janessa's dog Baker. Sweet dog. I scanned and edited my text and at around 7:45 I bid adieu. Went to the print lab. Emulsified my screen. Printed out my image, oiled that up. Ate some chocolate. Listened to audio book. Chatted to print people. Pimped my thesis. Exposed screen. Washed it out. Let it dry. Then I printed up a storm. 66 prints! And they look great. Exactly what I want them to be. Can't wait to start giving them out. Mel came in to print and we chatted and I folded and editioned the prints. Mel is doing some cool sign design stuff. She is so good with type and letters and making them look good. My friends have really grown into their skills in the past years. It is great.

Left the studio at 11:20ish. Talked to Karen. Got home at 11:45. It snowed today. But it didn't really stick on anything but cars, and even then it was over glorified frost. People were freaking out though on Facebook. SNOW SNOW SNOW they all cried. Some places did have more, but it isn't much.

Tomorrow I just have my comic documentation planned before class. But I'm behind on my essay, so I'll transcribe that in the morning. Pretty much on task.

I'm so glad my heating is included in rent. Warm apartment. Mmm.

I may be double sided, but I'm not a double crosser

It's getting cold. Lots of surrounding areas are getting snow. I'm just at rain right now. Since our heating bill doesn't bounce, our space heater keeps the apartment very snug. Kristen is even in shorts, it is so warm. I'm in long johns, jeans, and a shirt. It is comfy.

Printing! Hurray! Had my breakfast and left. Printed out my images to print. Emulsified the screens. I was unable to print some teeshirts because the ink in the studio discourages use on fabric. I'll borrow some from Dominic.

But I got my two color poster side printed! Just a little 8 1/2x14 image. Compact. Easy. Printed in no time at all. Just piled them up next to me on the desk. The best part of being non archival, non edition, and non picky is that if something gets smudged: it isn't the end of the world! My thesis may not end up being the most perfect rendered thing, but it will have heart and enthusiasm.

Anyway, listened to Girl Who Played with Fire while doing all that. Pimped my proposal. Explained Karen's scratch board process to Israel.

It was pretty much dark by the time I was finished, but it gets dark at 4 it seems. Still snug, I showed off my mini posters. Talked to Karen and Dom and Jon. Then went home. Fried up some bacon and an egg.

Then decided to add another layer and go see 127 Hours! It wasn't a bad bike ride, but I was wearing three layers....the movie was INTENSE! It was great. Franco as Aron, the canyoneer who gets trapped when his hand is wedged and crushed by a boulder, was a brilliant performance. For being mostly one guy in one place throughout, it never lost intrigue. Danny Boyle has a great sense of shot composure. I loved it. I did have to cover my eyes when it got to the part where he CUT HIS ARM OFF WITH A DULL KNIFE AND IT WAS GORY AND SOUND EFFECTY AND OOHHH MY GOOOD INTENSE. True story about the canyoneer. Kinda made me want to road trip a bit. The title refers to the amount of time he spent trapped, before cutting off his arm. Good performance, good movie.

Went back home. Had some macaroni and cheese. Queued up my night tellie. I took out a big sheet of paper and planned the next eight days. Because in eight days, I'll have completed my thesis proposal.

Eight.

Days.

AHHHHH!!

But no, I feel like I'm in a really good place. It is touching up. It is practice. It is memorizing. It is getting words down. I'm half way done with the other side of the free giveaway poster. Not sure what I want to put in the fine print.

Tomorrow's schedule:

-record myself proposing

-transcribe the oral proposal into a new essay

-edit that essay

-finish text

-practice at school at 5:30

-print poster

-print shirts

-go home

-work on animation

-fold posters

And that is it. I don't like to over schedule and try to get everything done in one day. Tuesday is redocumentation of my comic. And class. And yoga. And maybe helping Karen some more. And Raising Hope. And animation. Wednesday is animation. And then going home. Thursday is turkey day. Friday is redo note cards (which I might end up doing tomorrow and then redoing friday and maybe redoing Sunday) and practice and working on the abstract. Saturday is back to Portland. Sunday is practice. Monday is thesis.

And that is my next week. A lot of stuff, but a far from impossible schedule. You know what would be an impossible schedule? If I was full time! I don't get how people can do it. Well, they probably sleep less than I tend to. I'm getting fairly regular full nights rests.

Walking Dead was great. I don't know who had the bright idea that it should only have a six episode first season. Only two episodes left now! Boardwalk Empire is phenomenal! Fantastic hats everywhere! Dexter was okay.

I'll probably do some shopping early tomorrow. Food stuffs. Get some beef for hearty breakfast scrambles. And eggs. And apples.

task mastered

Waking up is such a drag. Anyway, washed my hair. I am noticing improvements with the new conditioner. I kinda wanna get a haircut though, just to trim out some of the split ends. It's at the point where it can take an inch off and still be long. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow. After I'm done at school, I'll go to Bishops and get a cut. All though that means spending money. I keep thinking up ways to spend money. No! My hair can grow a little longer. I need to buy groceries. Food!

Anyway, I kept my eye on Karen's schedule and we started printing at 11am. Like I said, she wanted to do 2pm. But I insisted we do it earlier. In no time at all Pecos Bill was complete! Two colors. Done. Zip. Whoo. Yeah. And it was good that I encouraged her to be at school, because her sister, husband, niece, and family friend came into town for a surprise! The niece is an adorable widdle baby. Karen finished up, I went to the computer lab and finished my digital editing.

At 3:15ish Dom, Morgaine, Jon, and Sivonna showed up to practice. I ran through mine. Got some good feedback from Morgaine. Dom went, his was more flushed out and good. Morgaine's is very interesting and has such a wealth of art in the slide show. Jon's was very concise. Sivonna's charm is showing through. A good little practice run. The next step is to record myself talking about the thesis and then writing down what I say and working on that. I need to reconstruct the essay based around what I know. It is really coming along.

After that, I did some more digital stuff and scanning. I was planning to print but the library was closed, and so I couldn't print off the images needed to print. So I went home. Ate food. Watched some stuff. Listed what I need to accomplish (slide show, animation, printing). Did two loads of laundry.

Tomorrow I am going to go print the two color miniposter for my thesis. And my Pride and Prejudice teeshirt. Then I'll probably cave and treat myself to a haircut or something. Or maybe I'll be good and go home and do grocery shopping. Work on my essay. Then go see 127 Hours, the new Danny Boyle movie. Yeah. I'd rather do that than get a haircut. I can let it grow.

But yeah, printing. Practicing. Animating.

Congrats to Cherish and Isaiah! Them be engaged now! Eeee! They are a great couple.

poster portraits

Digital collage and color.

Micron pen & photoshop.

portrait sketches 3

First two images drawn from photo reference. The latter three drawn from life.

Micron in sketchbook.

early and done with

I still feel really tired, even though I got a good amount of sleep. My energy levels are all out of whack.

Bacon, eggs, tea.

Anyway, turned in my mentor and panel forms. Karen was a bit behind in her printing, so I mostly sat and talked to BT and needle felted till yoga started. Good old yoga. Lots of long poses and stretching and breathing.

I exposed Karen's screens when I came back and she and BT took a food break and she treated me to a beer. Tomorrow we are meeting at 11, and I'll hound her and we'll print print print. She was trying to say 2pm, but as I said "if you start early, you'll finish early, and you won't be working late". BT agreed and Karen agreed to start earlier. Hurrah! Sat with Cherish, Isaiah, and Sandra at Yur's. At 6:45 I left, hopped on my bike, and went to see Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest at Cinema 21.

The theater was pretty crowded, which is a nice feeling. Nice because it is full of movie enthusiasts who enjoy film. As for the film, it was a perfect wrap up to the trilogy. It wasn't as emotionally gripping or tense as the first or second film. It wrapped stuff up, but I wouldn't call it stand alone. It was mostly political and court drama type stuff. Nice filming, sure. It just never had the feeling that things wouldn't come out all right. Which they did. Spooooiilllers: all the bad guys got arrested or are in jail. So it was good, an end to the series, just not phenomenal.

Now I'm home. About to make a list of things to accomplish and in what order. Writing early, so I'm not writing late. Plus I'm tired, and as I'm forcing Karen into action tomorrow and then later, at 3pm, getting together with my illustration homies to practice....yeah. An early night might serve my body better.

Oh, the rough draft of Focus Week came out. I am proposing on Monday. At 3pm. The "get it out of the way" day. Which I'm pretty happy with. It keeps me on top of things NOW instead of later. Robin, Madeline, and Amanda are in the same spot though, which sucks. At least I'll be able to spend most of the week relaxing and cheering on my friends. And working on animation.

tv good

Thursday. Designated "sleep in and recalculate" day. Booyah.

Slept in. Had some toast and tea.

Watched Terriers. Later on watched Misfits. The weather continued to be horrible. So bad that the reception on television was cutting in and out. A real hassle to watch Community (which was hilarious! And today really is Latvian Independence Day, so keep that in mind when watching the episode).

Harry Potter comes out tonight. I think I'll catch a matinée on Sunday or something. Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest comes out tomorrow! Whoo! I'm going to help Karen catch paper, go to yoga, help her catch some more, and then go see movie. Saturday I need to print my double sided poster. First I need to figure out the text.

Oh crap, I just remembered I have to put the thesis mentor forms in teacher boxes tomorrow. I already have a good write up of what my thesis will be. So I just need to edit it into essay form and all is good.

I should make a list...meh. Tomorrow. I'll do it tomorrow.

Did my nails.

Think I'll read something. I really want some chocolate, but I don't have any.

I'm tired. But I think that is because I've been tired all week. Mmm rest.

Don't have much else to say right now.

stuffffzzzz....

Decided to go ahead and get a ticket home for Thanksgiving. The pressure is piling up, and a break would be nice. I feel like I'm in a good spot right now. Got the late train on Wednesday and I'm going back Saturday afternoon. It will be good to have a whole day before focus week to gnaw on my fingernails and freak out.

My final animation project will be a mini animated video for Odd Owl! Hurrah!

By the way, a ton of storm drains in my area are clogged (some day the new pavers covered it up by accident, which is stupid. Covering it up I mean). So when it ran furiously, and I mean real horrible ran all day long, soaking the poor art students, the streets were steeped in water. Sucked.

We looked at some complicated video tricks before lunch. McClaren. This person's film

...

So cool.

Lunch! I scanned stuff and then wrote up and printed stuff. Then I had 10 minutes to grab lunch, so I got some flavorless Safeway sushi and perrier and nutrigrain bars. Lunch of lazy people. We had more AfterEffects, except this time I got it! Made stuff spin. Batched stuff. Then we met with the teacher to present our final projects. Then it was work time.

When class was over, I worked on my promotional mailer. Then it turned out sketches were not even due! Now I'm ahead with a good idea though. We had this guy Garth teach us instead, from Nemo design. Cool guy. He showed us his work and talked extensively about various design projects (maybe a little too extensive). Then we broke for class and I got the train tickets. Back in class he continued, showing us and talking through promotional materials. Got some good ideas. I think I'll silk screen a mailer onto chipboard. A quick little design. Could have some potential.

Despite the rain, Karen, Kristen, Beth, Leo, Danny and I went to Yur's. Gabbed about Harry Potter and thesis and asked what questions might be asked. Kristen drew some great drawings of us all. I ordered some tots. It was still raining on the way back home. Streets have so much water on them. It is ridiculous. Got back. Chilled. Now I am feeling like I'm going to pass out now I am really really tired.

changed my mind

portrait sketches 2

First image (Evan and BT) drawn from life. The latter four drawn from photo references.

Micron in sketchbook.

rocked it out

Only one more day to wake up early for. I've done it like, three times now!

Needle felting has totally done in my thumb and fore finger. I've jabbed them so many times. Need to let them heal. Which is good, because I've felted most of my felt now.

Got up. Ate scrambled eggs and bacon and tea. Very groggy start. I think I actually grunted when I crawled out of bed.

It was a slow start. I tidied up my note cards. I practiced from the notes. With bumbling, I got past 10 minutes! The influences section is lacking. I also want to expand the start. I feel like it is good, but it isn't very definitive about any aspects or goals. I feel like I repeat myself. "for my peers" "friendship is important to consider" "art should be accessible". I don't think I'm talking the same talks my classmates are, and I'm not sure if that is fine or if I'm off base. I wrote up my proposal before Martin wrote up a little helpful guideline for us.

Anyway, worked on my slide show. Got some better images in. I really need to print that poster. That is my next week goal: print the poster. It won't take that long, I just need to resolve the text. Went to school at 2:30. Chatted with Madeline. Inputted color into the spot images in my slide show to make it pop a little more. Then we went to the other lab to do our thesis thing.

I was first last week, and last this week. We ran late, so I went at 6:15. Finished my animation instead of doing yoga. It was easier to edit the individual images and line them up to the existing sync than to manipulate the separate images and copy and paste. But I know how to reimport sequences, so no biggie. Got a burrito because I hadn't eaten anything substantial since breakfast. Yum. Got home in time for Raising Hope! Loaded Glee. Great episode. Paltrow was another great guest star. I ate half the burrito before animation, and then half while watching my stories. Then I got back into the homework thing. Just gotta do an animation project proposal! Hmmmn.

Oh, my thesis practice went pretty good. Stumbled through cards, but that is better than being straight from an essay. Flow is good. Martin didn't have any major negative comments. I asked if I should talk about research and he told me not to force anything, but didn't disagree when I commented about expanding the start. So yeah, totally awesome. I didn't volunteer, and I sort of figured I would go last because last week went fairly well. Why put someone who was well last week in the earlier, less time restricted slot? Not that I was mad or anything. I could have volunteered any time.

Everyone who has been nervous, has pretty good written proposals. Dominic's was great. Madeline's is concise. Nicole's great sense of humor is back. All in all, a pretty solid batch. There are some overlaps too, which is interesting. Jeff is the only one doing posters, but they are different from my sort of posters.

Okay, there is another set of bathrooms in the 815 area! We didn't know about them! Nice ones too! They are through a fire door, and through a classroom. I always wondered why people go in and out of there, now I know: really nice bathrooms!

Pretty successful day. Need to do those posters now. And do a lot of solidifying of the proposal.

I'm getting itchy again. Hmm.

Also I did my hair up in heidi braids. You know, with the braids looped over the top and pinned. I dig the look. I need to do it more often. It is perfect for the days when my hair is gross but not gross enough to justify the trouble of washing it.

When I'm done with college, I want to do something. Travel for a while maybe. Step away from seven years of college and really do something. I don't know what.

needle felting! ouch my thumb

I tacked on a shirt order onto BT's shirt order. So there will be some Christmas shirts! Three bucks for 10 is much better than 4-5 bucks for miscellaneous second hand ones.

Bacon and eggs for breakfast! Yumm!

Still trying to get my gel liner to be fluid. This time tried microwaving it (internet totally said this as fine to do) and it became really soft, but by that time, my eyeliner brush was gunked up. Still did a dramatic eye, but not the look I wanted to attempt. Boo.

At school there was this life skills thing going on in the commons. Tutorials in hair extensions, making your own cheese, forming a band, identifying passive aggressive speech patterns, needle felting, planned parenthood, and much more! I went to Taryn's passive aggressive one and Kami's needle felting. Needle felting is pretty much just stabbing wool with a barbed needle until it knots and tangles into a form. I found the process very rewarding and therapeutic. We were allowed to take wool samples.

Before the workshops, I scanned in my portrait sketches and Pride and Prejudice drawings. After the workshops, I met Samala in the computer lab and we both practiced our proposals. Neither of us knew what the other was exactly doing, so we got a good fresh take and gave feedback to one another. Samala is making an animation about our dependence on technology. It is looking pretty cool. She is at 7 minutes. I am at 9. I'm now switching over to cards. I think with cards, I should slow down. I also need to edit my slide show now that the format is changing.

I worked on my give away poster layout. I just remembered I have a bunch of tan paper in my studio that I can use for the poster. Whoo, don't have to buy! It will be a bit smaller, but it is more a format example than a piece to include in my thesis. Anyway, worked on photoshop. At five Dominic showed up and Sivonna, Jon, and I listened to his proposal. Dom has switched to doing art about neurosis. It is late in the game to change, so he is doing a lot of catch up work. But it ill come together and be awesome.

At 6:15 I went to find Knit/Purl and got some needles and wool to needle felt with. As I said, very therapeutic. Even if my left thumb and pointer finger are totally chewed up by the needle. It is fun to just construct abstract 3D shapes that are totally the opposite of what I do.

House was fairly good, Lie to Me was good enough, and Weeds has gone through some great character development.

I'm going to finish writing up my note cards. Write out some mantras. And go to sleep. Because I'm tired. And getting up early on Tuesday has been working out really well for me.

Wearing dramatic makeup, or a showy piece like white boots or a funky patterned shirt, gives me some sort of self confidence. Maybe if I feel like I am putting on a show, I feel more confident speaking. Being fabulous brings out courage.

I posted all the portraits I have done thus far on Facebook, and three people changed their profile pictures to my art work. Got some good positive responses, and these are just sketches! I can't wait to really experience portraiture.

I also can't wait to come home for Christmas and quilt some more and listen to audio books all day. I like crafty things, though I don't stick with them for long periods of time. I have all the good quilting gear, it just never seems like a "time" to quilt.

I also registered for class. Writing with Handwerg, Advanced Studio 2 with Kristin, Thesis whatever. Remember when registering was a big deal? Actually...this is my last time ever to register at PNCA. I'm done after this. I'm done with college after this(till I get a MFA, if that ever happens). I will have a degree. I will have a career. Seven long years of college are coming to an end next year.

2011. It is right there. Waiting for me.

I really, really hope it will be better than 2010. Though that won't be a hard thing to accomplish.

Still.

I'm ready for 2010 to be over. I looked back to what my first post was of this year and it is titled "this is going to be a good year". It was a big year, but I don't think I'd call it a good one. I don't talk about some of the more intense emotional things that happen in my life here. Some things are private, especially when they involve other people. But enough people who are reading these words, and they know what this year has entailed for me. So I thank you for your love and kindness.

portrait sketches

Drawn from life.

Pen in sketchbook.

I'm more of a teal beret

Went to William Temple House to see what their winter layers were like. Got a shirt, a London Fog brand suede jacket with removable lining (a girl needs more than two winter coats), and this sweet beret for eighteen bucks. All together I mean. I think I'll remove the pin and put in a pin that is more "me" and less...army.

Turns out Samala never got my message about meeting up. But I did get up early and all that jazz. Didn't really do much though. Went down to the studios. Wrote Jay a letter. Went to Yur's with Karen. Worked on the letter. Chatted girl talk. Listened to these four CRAZY WOMEN who were very loud and crazy. They were not credits to the species, I tell you what. Went back to the studios. Jon came over from his side and we talked and drew.

And now, nearing midnight, my mind has gone into "work on art" mode. Fff stupid. Should have been more productive. Tomorrow has stuff planned and lined up. Solid plans keep me working. Without them, I meander through the day till it gets to the "well, too late to slack any more" stage. All though I still have yet to pull an all nighter. I still am on top of things a bit.

Also I joined Mint.com. I like their bar graph. Helps me keep track of things. It's pretty cool, I must say.

Had some egg salad sandwich for late lunch. Should eat something more soon. Keep my energy going.

options breed impulse

Trying to check my bank balance online. Dumb site won't fully load. LAAME.

Anyway, another restful night of sleep. Sort of a slow start to the day. Oatmeal and tea. The usual. Today's plans were to go to Fred Meyers for toiletries and other things that Trader Joe's does not typically offer. The pros of TJ's is that the selection remains about the same and realizing "oh I don't have that, I should get it" doesn't happen all that often. You get what you come for, you spend less than you were expecting, and all is good. The cons are it doesn't have variety or price competition. Things like bacon cost more, and they only have one type of conditioner, and if you want a good conditioner or skin care than isn't 50% patchouli, then you have to go to a larger store. Then you wind up at Fred Meyer's and you get your hair stuff and your skin stuff and your makeup remover because it is time to stop mooching your roommates and your bacon and your eggs and your incense and so on. Fred Meyers really gets you with that "and so on". Oh well. Now I have good conditioner. Going to make my hair soft and luscious. I got a special deep moisturizing kind. See how it goes. Just gotta avoid "a little shopping trip" there for a while.

Dang, I really wish Kitsap Credit Union would let me in to see my statement!

Started listening to The Girl Who Played with Fire. Good listen thus far. When I walked to Freddie's I way undershot it. It is on 20th, not 16th. Oops. But it was a nice walk. Had the last bit of macaroni and cheese for late lunch, and a salad, and powdered propel.

Then I worked on rewriting my proposal. It is better than editing because rewriting helps solidify statements in my mind. What I write that comes naturally is superior because I am not copying. It also allows me to rethink order, to group things better (the format discussion is streamlined, as opposed to being all over the place). And to get rid of more vague areas.

Tomorrow Samala and I are going to meet up and practice. I need to work on my process art work. Also need to redocument my comic. I just realized I have no idea where my comics are! In a portfolio I assume, but which one?

I might be going in on some bulk shirts, so I can print up some of my Pride and Prejudice/my face shirts for holiday art sale/gift giving.

Now the time to be productive starts. Hurrah! So yeah, go to school. Scan. Practice. Edit. Animation stuff. Go home, stay up late watching my stories and feeling good about being productive. Monday: more proposal practice. More animation stuff? Slide show editing. That is all it is now. Slide show slide show slide show. Oh also there is a life skills for adults workshop at school on Monday. Skills like needle felting, how to make mozzarella cheese, and more! So that will be fun.

Look pa: it is before 10pm and I have written my days post! Ha!

Right now I don't quite know how to add some of the concepts Martin is asking us about. I need to think about them a little more. Such as cultural context of our work, why it is important for us to do it, broader concepts...stuff like that.

pride & prejudice & portraits

My gel eye liner has dried up, but an online tutorial says that if you soak the contained in hot water, it revives the condition of the gel. So I tried it out and it works again! I tried out this makeup tutorial for a dramatic eye, which you can see in the video I posted below. Quite dramatic indeed, but fun. It's smeared a little bit but that is nothing a q-tip can't fix.

Slept in again. Had some toast and tea. Revived my eyeliner. Put on a little bit.

Yoga had some good stretches. Though my knee is acting up. I just can't do the full frog pose. Hurts too much. It's odd how slow breathing yin type yoga moves a lot faster than the more active Thursday class.

Went home. Had some mac and cheese (left overs, one box makes three servings!). I did the full eyeliner look. Lotsa fun. Kristen and Mark came back with some new fish for the tank! There was four when I moved in, then three died, now four more have been added. Hurrah!

Karen picked me up at 7:20ish for her regular Get Stuff Done night. Evan and BT were working on mustache stuff. They were watching Pride and Prejudice. The six part Colin Firth kind. Haven't seen it in aaaages. I drew Evan and BT and then on the back of one of BT's reject "Measure Twice Cut Once" prints, I drew characters from Pride and Prejudice. Drew Darcy and Elizabeth and Lydia and Jane and Mr. Collins and that Billingsly girl. Whatever her name is. The picture of her turned out excellent and I think I'm going to turn it into a teeshirt. Best Pride and Prejudice shirt EVER. It was good portrait practice though. Drawing from moving, inconsistent reference. BT also drew Mr. Collins and his soppy floppy hair. We also watched an episode of Mighty Boosh. Dom came over a little before 10. It was a nice little time. Can't wait to scan the drawings. Karen drove me home. She said she would buy the paper if I made a print of one of my Pride and Prejudice drawings.

I think I'll do a 365 project next year. 365 Portraits. I should start making lists now of people. Theme months. "British Month" "Action Star Month" etc. Just so that I don't get to August and go "crap, now what?" The only problem is that I don't have a scanner readily available. And my computer doesn't have any technology on it that could edit scanned images and make them nice. But if I scanned in batches, just so long as I kept enough drawings that there wouldn't be huge gaps on a blog. You can also preprogram blog posts. So that I could input 10 days worth of posts and have it set up to post one of those 10 a day. So that if I kept a queue, then the scanner problems might not be so bad.

Anyway, semi productive day. Tomorrow I shall write up some stuff about things. Need to tweak my animation a bit more. Also come up with a proposal for final project. Advanced Illustration...shoot what is due in that again? Hmmmn.

vlog - proposal practice

thesis proposal (abbreviated) from Trillian Spencer on Vimeo.