100th post, woo-hoo

It was quite the long weekend. I spent most of it in the kitchen cooking. I was either preparing for or working during my father's birthday party. As this is food related, I will deal with it in my other blog http://journeythroughfood.wordpress.com

Yesterday, I worked from 8 to 4 and continued inking the comic I've been working on. I am hoping to have the pages finished for tomorrow so I can drop them off to the penciler. I am enjoying this work immensely and hope to get more of it soon.

Today I have to pick up the sculptures from Adelphi and install them in Bellport for the upcoming show. It will be a busy day, probably a busy week and hopefully a busy month. There are still plenty of professional and personal projects to work on.

It always seems like there is so much to do and so little time...

Work around the house

I pretty much just worked around the house yesterday. I will be doing the same for the most part today, hoping to get some more illustration work done as well.

Aside from that I have very little to write today.

Long Day

I got up yesterday and started doing a little cooking for an upciming party. After that I had to go into the city and do some errands, which inculded picking up a free sample of vodka to review later on in the week.

I got home sooner then I expected so I went to work an hour earlier. While there I was able to finish the first page of the comic I've been inking. That was pretty much it.

Today I'll be working around the house a lot. Also I want to finish up sketches and continue to work on inking.

Sculptures Done

I finished my 2 sculpture for the upcoming show yesterday. Now all I need to do is install them at the location. Aside form that I didn't do much art work until later last night.

I produced and submitted another sketch, hopefully this time I captured the vision correctly.

I also started work on the inks last night, working directly on the boards.

As for today, I plan to continue what I was doing last night. I had an interview scheduled for today, but it got moved back to tomorrow. Unfortunately tomorrow doesn't work for me, so we shall have to see when I have it. Also since it is Tuesday, I have my inking class tonight. Should be a busy day.

A sequestered weekend

As the title suggests I didn't get out much this weekend. I spent the bulk of it downstairs working.

Friday and Saturday were filled with drawing and emailing. I worked on several inking tests and emailed them to the artist to get his feedback. He was quite happy and when he made his choice I did one more just to confirm. According to him it was better then he could have dreamed. That is always nice to hear.

Also I spent the day working on sketches, something that I have to continue working on. My client liked one of them first off, but I am still tweaking another. I need to do another sketch and get it back to him tonight.

Sunday I did work around the house, in between the rain, and started writing up a review. Something else that I need to finish and submit today.

Today there is plenty on the agenda both professionally and personally. I'll be heading to the studio to finish off another sculpture and complete the other jobs I listed above.

Welding yesterday

I spent the bulk of yesterday doing 2 things.

1. Sitting in traffic as the rain poured down.

2. Welding. I have been preparing for an up coming show. The show is out doors, so the pieces I am working on are bigger than usual. I completed one yesterday and have another one I want to finish.

Aside from that I did some more emailing to people and applying for other positions.

Today I have several things planned. Most notably working on some inking tests.

Juggeling

So the day started off with a call from a woman in an HR department. One of the many positions I applied for lst week actually got back to me. I have an interview next week. The position is part time and summer only, but it would allow me to make money for the summer and even put away some of it for the future.

After that I went to work, which was suprisingly busy.

Later that night I started working on some projects and emailing people. For the most part I did a lot of photo reference searching and then some (what I call) photoshop sketching. Basically using photoshop to put together the reference images into a rough image of what I want the illustration to look like. From that I can do an actual sketch and start working on the actual drawing.

Last nights class

I started off the day going to Adelphi. I didn't do much but I was able to cut apart some previous pieces I made that I no longer like. I will use the new pieces for upcoming new sculptures.

Other then that the majority of my professional day was my SVA class. We learned several things: First we learned to correct our inkng. The idea by the instructor was to first get us use to ink and then to learn to correct, so we would feel fearless about inking. I think it worked.

The next thing we worked on was learning to tell a story through inking, or rather enhancing the story. Basically the idea was using the inks to direct the eye through the pictures designating the visual hierarchy. Simply put, what you will look at first, second and third.

Overall it was another good class and I am very happy to be taking it.

My Computer is back

So I finally got my computer back, Yay! As it turns out they had to replace the motherboard, power supply and modem. Apparently this was due to a power surge. It came to around $1,200 worth of work. That is more then I paid for the computer. Luckily though I had that warranty and it covered everything. So it is like I have a new computer for free almost.

Also the didn't have to touch the hard drive, so they didn't need to do the data backup. That means they didn't charge me the $100. That worked out well because at the time I didn't have $100.

Now that it is back I can pick up working on certain projects, namely my new animation video. That being said, I have grown accustomed to working from my mom's laptop. I like being upstairs and working on it focuses me. So I am going to continue working form it on certain tasks.

As for today, it look like it will be an art day. the plan is two-fold. 1) To work on sculpture at Adelphi. 2) I have my class at SVA tonight.

Everybodies working for the weekend, well I know I did

Well as the title suggested and as I told some friends I spent my weekend working. I opened the gym on Saturday at 7 and stayed till 10.

Then I drove out to Long Island City and had 2 meeting meeting. One was with an artist who I met at Comic Con and have been in contact with for a couple of months. This is the same artist I met with a couple of weekes ago for that large meet up. He has a seperate project he wants me to ink, and will be paying me to do so. This is very exciting and I will be attacking the project hopefully starting tonight.

After that I went to a CAG meeting, which is the Comics Artist Guild. Several topics were discussed and I found out a little more about the group. So this is a new area for me to network and get involved. I like surrounding myself with like minded creators and illustrators, I find it inspires me and motivates me. Also it lets me know that I am not the only one who has this as a life goal.

Finally on Saturday I came home and typed up 3 articles and published them on helium.com. You can read them here:

Thoughts on robotics
http://www.helium.com/items/1481888-robots-machines-terminator-dune-the-matrix-battle-star-galactica-blade-runner

Food: What we live for
http://www.helium.com/items/1481926-food-sex-pleasure-mario-batali-anthony-bourdain

Bruce Lee's one-inch punch: Theory and execution
http://www.helium.com/items/1481952-bruce-lee-one-inch-punch-jeet-kun-do-martial-arts

Sunday was a little quieter...sort of. I opened and closed the gym that day. I did this because I thought it would be easier for me then getting there at noon like I normally do. Sunday was the LI Pride Parade. However, the parking lot was already closed off and so my plan was for not. After work I came home and typed up a beer review. Then went outside and did some yard work.

Finally today looks to be busy with a mox of professional and personal projects. There is yard work to be done, I have to pick up my computer which is finally fixed and I have at least 3 art projects I need to start working on.

Busy, thank God

It is interesting how life works. I am not a particularly spiritual or religious person, but I do categorize myself as Agnostic. I believe that there is something greater in the universe. For awhile now I have been putting it out there that I need more work and that I have other goals that I want to achieve.

Now it looks like these desires and goals are finally coming to fruition. More work is coming my way, last night at NCC, tonight at another job. Aside from that I have more projects coming to me as well, both in illustration and in sculpture. What is really exciting is that some of these projects are of a comic book inking variety.

Having hooked up with a penciler at comic con i am now going to be inking his comic, for pay...Awesome! Also I recently got an email from a Marvel editor telling me that he will be sending me pencil samples shortly, which is also cool. Combine that with the inking class I am taking at SVA I feel like I am moving close to my life long goal finally.

As a sculptor I currently have my work in one show and I am preparing for another one in July. Also there is a job I will hopefully be doing for a local restaurant. So things are getting very busy, this weekend I will be working, going to meetings and working on personal projects. I like being busy.

metal and clay

Yesterday after work I went to Adelphi to find out when it would be best for me to come by to makde some sculpture. As it turns out mornings and early afternoon are best. So today I will be heading to the studio to do some welding.

I got call yesterday as well changing the day that I would be covering at NCC to tonight. So after working at Adelphi I'll be headed over to NCC. It will be a long day, but hopefully a good day.

Work work work

A couple of days ago I was called and asked to cover tonight at NCC. So today after my shift at the gym, I'll be heading to NCC tonight. This will be my first time covering a shift during summer sessions. I am sure there won't be much of a difference, if any, as always though it is good to be working.

Last night was my second class at SVA. We worked live from a model using nothing but ink and rush. It has been some time since I did life drawing, and I have never used just ink and brush before. At first it was a rough start, but as usual by the end of the night I had gotten into a rythm just in time for the end of the class.

The idea was to get full ink immersion and to work on line sensitivty. Next week we will work on correcting. The idea being that if we know how to correct our mistakes, we will be bold enough not to be afraid of making them.

Rough night

Yesterday was a simple day. I did some work and ran some errands. At around 6 I got an email from the illustrator I freelance for. He was unhappy with the work I had done. This led to a phone conversation and a loose idea to meet later this week to discuss further.

Needless to say I have a lot on my mind and I am not in the best of moods.

I have plenty of things to do today and I have my class at SVA tonight. Hopefully today will be better then yesterday.

An OK weekend

As the title siggests this past weekend was ok.

Friday I did some work, had a meeting with my freelance boss and got some more from him. That is always a good things. After that I went to the opening at Mather Hospital. It was rainy and the turn out was not as good as I hoped, but it was still nice. It's always a good time being able to go to an openign that you are involved in. Finally, that night I went to the dance studio and did a final practice and hung out for awhile.

Speaking of dancing the showcazse went very well. I was told that my cha-cha was excellent, and everyone kept raving about the tango routiene. It was a very nice night. My parents nerver thought I could move like that, which was a very cool thing to hear.

Sunday I went to work and then came home and did things around the house. Later last night I worked on the job I was given on Friday.

Today I got up and finished off the job. Aside from that I have my general every day work that I do along with some other tasks.

Tomorrow I have my second inking class and I am looking forward to that, as well as generaly less stressful week.

A day of meetings

So yesterday was the day where I had 3 art meeting.

The first was at a local TGI Fridays. The manager of the restaurant got in contact with me. She was looking for basically a set piece to put in front of a three step stairway to the bar area. It is part of a "bar Olympics" she told me. The budget is modest, but I think I will do it, if for no other reason that a lot of people will see it.

The next meeting was in the city with a woman who was looking for someone to do 20 sketches at $25 a sketch. It sounded like a good pay day, but when we were supposed to meet, she never showed. I waited for half an hour, but then had to get moving to another meeting. I found her number and called her, it turns out she was sick and at the doctor. My question is, if you are sick enough to go to the doctor, that means that you were sick earlier in the day and the day before. Therefore you could have sent an email letting me know you couldn't make the meeting. Anyway it has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I have to think if i want to work with this person now.

My last meeting of the day was with a group of comic book creators. It was a good meeting. I always enjoy meeting with other illustrators, because it feels me with enthusiasm and hope. It looks like at some point I will be getting some inking work in, which will help me build a portfolio, and the really cool part is that the work will be printed. So this could lead to an excellent marketing tool for me as well as meeting up with a great group of people.

Meetings, meetings, meetings...

So today is the day of all the meetings. At 2:30/3 I am going to a TGI Fridays to meet with the restaurant manager. She is looking to create, what would be called an installation, with a space ship theme. This I am sure will be an interesting meeting.

After that I am hopping on a train going to the city and meeting someone dowtown. This person needs 20 sketches done. They are paying a fair amount, so I am intersted in this meeting.

Then at around 7 I am going uptown for another meeting involving comic book creators. This is something that I have been hoping for ever since Comic Con and the networking meeting I attended.

It should be a busy day, I am looking forward to it.

SVA, today and tomorrow

Last night was my first class in my inking comics course. It was a good class. We showed our work, did a little drawing, reviewed the syllabus, went over the basics of inking and wrapped up the class by looking at comics and seeing the different styles of inking. It looks to be like an actual art class, where we will be doing work and making art in class. I haven't had a drawing class like this in years. Often in the past I would work independently for a class and then have the work reviews.

Even the last class I took at SVA was basically a portfolio review based class. After the portfolio's were reviewed we discussed the business and took notes, which was great, but still there was no drawing in class. So I am excited about this class and can't wait to get immersed in it.

Today is a simple day of me going to work and probably just cooking dinner tonight. I'll probably do some writing and other things at work.

Tomorrow I have a bunch of meetings. The one I am looking forward too the most is the one I am sure I have been discussing here for some time. At the comic con I got a bunch of names and numbers to collaborate with, well tomorrow I get to meet up with some of these people and get to see what's going on. Hopefully this will lead to something, someday.

Back to SVA

I am a bit excited today. Tonight I have my first class in inking at SVA. This is a class that I have been wating to take almost all my life. Not that I knew that SVA had it, just that I always wanted to know more about how to ink comics. It was what I always wanted to do since I learned about the position when I was a kid.

The next thing that I am looking forward too are a bunch of meetings I have on Thursday, including one with several other comics creators. Which will be helpful to me for the class as well, good timing.

The weekend that passed

It was a busy weekend. Saturday at 10:30 am I had an eye check up. Things look good, my prescription only needs a slight change. all the other tests look good as well and my ocular nerve looks healthy so that is always good news.

After that my dad and I started to do some work outside and opened our pool. my friend came by and lent a had as well which was very helpful. Then I went over to his house and moved a couch out to a guest house.

Sunday I worked and then came home and put the pump for the pool together and did a bunch of online work and some typing.

Today it looks like I will be running errands: getting pool hoses, going to the bank, Home Depot and picking out new frames for my glasses. Then the rest of the week will be filled with meeting and trips to the city. culminating with the Saturday showcase at the Ballroom.

It is going to be a long week.