Ahem. Reintroducing.. Me.

"What's that? Oh Hi! Yes it is me with brown hair" (That's the play I was re-enacting in my wee montage here.)

well well. we all know how I love to change my hair drastically. I tried to talk my new hair dresser into drastic brown, like nelly furtado brown (it makes blue eyes pop), but she wanted to be more subtle. So anywho, here it is, reintroducing me. I've had brown hair before, and my own best friend didn't even recognize me, so when I went into work today, nobody recognized me either. It's me!

No work lately. Well, I drew this bee for a client, but it never got used so.. here's a lovely bee.

Oh ps. I leave for the south island soon, so I'll see you all in a month or so!! xoxo. m

There's new law in town.

Sorry, one last posting tonight. This is my latest character, he's Sheriff Chappy. He's got a moostache and he rarely backs down from a fight. He doesn't like to hang out with my other dudes, he feels they are beneathe - THE LAW. So. He mostly struts around my apartment making people and plants feel inadequate. He will be on sale soon, with a few other dudes.
Plus he comes with a sheriff's badge, wearable to the purchaser. (Hopefully someone who is about 5 years old. But, any 28 year old guy could pull it off too.)

Yee haw. (It says on the back of his pants.)

Bulls + Rams

Ok, so digging through my computer, I finally found these scans. I remember ending up not liking the photoshop colours I did on the bull, so I'll have to go back. I still have quite a few of these characters to scan in.

But. It's 2am and I am getting tired so, I'll leave you all in suspense.

Monster Mash.

well. I have this idea for another children's book. haha, actually I have several ideas stewing away, but this is the first of the many sketches to come. I'm sort of behind on the whole posting, scanning lately. Since teaching photoshop, I am trying to warm up to it. I still really love Illustrator, and can't really seem to part ways with the lovely lass. I am experimenting in photoshop, but.. I'm not really liking the results.

I'm doing a few freelance jobs at the mo, so that's alright. Except for the fact that I have yet to obtain a full time job, and am about to embark on a wee tour of the islands with my old's. SO... where will that money come from... ?? Santa Money Claus?

Anywho. so here are my sketches... wee. I like them. Although, I always seem to sketch in ballpoint pen, and just love the results of them. When I try to colour them, I get hugely disappointed. I've coloured a few of these, I'll up load them later.

Well, I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, I went to see a friend's band, Tahuna Breaks on Saturday, and they weren't fab, they were SUPER FAB. It's true. We had a good boogie down, and some fantastically expensive sangria. Oh and I got hit on by some old guy. One thing I have noticed in NZ compared to Canada, boys don't feel you up as you walk around in bars. I like that. It's respectful, and way less dirty. Why are Canadian boys such horn dogs? Anyone remember the Thunderdome? I used to have to walk with my back alongside the walls so the bikers wouldn't feel me up.

mm... sorry this children's book story blog morphed into feel ups. You know me. I love a good feel up. Ask Carmen.

Lefthanded Vampire Sherriff*

So I've been having arm problems lately. I was in a car accident a few years ago, and sometimes my old war injury seems to act up. So, Anywhoodle. I've starting training my lefthand to illustrate. I mean, I can write with both hands, why can't I illustrate with both hands. So here' s my lefthanded illustration.

I think it's awesome.

life lesson learned.

I seem to be saying that a lot lately. I seem to be learning heaps lately.
You go through experiences and you learn. You probably learn the hard way, and get stung. I have been stung. Many many times it seems. But. It's a learning curve and hopefully I don't make the same mistakes twice. Designers, illustrators, artists, and anyone else in the world, can be abused. People think they can use you, walk all over you. We need to stand up for ourselves, believe in ourselves, believe in our talents and believe that we aren't just a bunch of monkeys. You gotta fight for your right....etc... So. That's my big thing at the mo really. Just, covering all the bases, making sure that just because people want my work, it doesn't mean they get "mates rates", it doesn't mean I can be taken advantage of, and it doesn't mean I am going to let myself be abused in that manner. It is unprofessional, on both parts.

So. "Buck up" as I tell myself. Get solid contracts that support my rights as an artist. Otherwise, there are some dodgies out there that will take you for everything you're worth. (and maybe more for some people.)

M.

Vance Stole my Youth and my Playstation.

A quote by one of my favorite people on earth. I'm not saying Vance stole my youth, but I am saying that in my "late twenties" (which I offically turned last year) I have realized that the internet and television has really damaged my creativity.
I wouldn't even say damaged so much has made my brain completely lazy. I'm trying brand the hardest client. Me. Oye. What the heck do I want? I dunno. No idea.

So. Let's get back to it! Pencils, pens, matrix's and not beginning every design on the computer! Hoorah!!