Design and Illustration

Over Thanksgiving break, I went treasure hunting in my own house - a chest in my front hall, as it turns out, holds many treasures. Though I found everything from old love letters of my grandmother's, to a spiked collar mum must have hid from me in middle school - I found one awesome thing out of many I've been taking advantage of.

My grandfather's Chemistry Lab notebook from his term in 1948-9 surfaced, with only a few pages written on. The old paper is unlined, and has been yellowed with age, and provides a great backdrop for drawings. I've been working in pen and marker for the first time in years, inspired by several illustrators and designers. I am envious of the line work illustrators oftenincorporate, as well as the stylistic qualities. It takes an imaginative mind, and seems to be a completely different world from the one I am in. I wanted to experiment with a few techniques and designs, so here were the first few pages I've done since finding the notebook:

Thanksgiving brings Photoshoots

Since I've been deprived since August, I finally had time upon this break to shoot once more. Before she went away, Rachel took time to drive out to a field with me and dress up for one last chance at an outdoor shoot. Out in the great swamp area, she'd spotted this one last grassy clearing that no one had cut down yet.

We drove right into the field and tramped around in sundresses in the November cold, each prepared with three different costumes and outfits. It may be the last time I can stand to shoot outside in such light clothing, but it will only make me look forward to shooting times outside in winter clothes, or over spring break somewhere warm.

My favorite shots were the few dark edits I completed at the end, and though the shoot produced many awesome images, I'll just post a few favorites here.

More here.

Hope you are enjoying the break and time with family; cheers!

Fashion 11.23.10

New shots coming soon to LB and LV of some of my new favorite looks and purchases!

Finally had time to shoot these recent pieces - so there's a preview from the session. Cheers!

PF Magazine's 31st Annual College Photography Contest

Enter before tomorrow, everyone!

I just entered, and am hoping to get something out of the contest! With open subject matter and only a 4.95 entry fee for each photograph, I submitted my pieces on Friday night. I wanted to share my five entries with you all, some seen before, others not. The prizes are fantastic, so if you've got something laying around and you're a college or high school student, I encourage you to enter!

Here's what I submitted:

Cheers!

Art in Books

Starting this month, our library is running an interesting project with several old books I have chosen to be a part of. At any given time, you have three books to choose from, and you can pick one to take out for three days, and do anything you want in it. Most people draw or collage, highlight, and even paint.

I chose the largest book simply just to have space to draw - however, it ended up being a hilarious choice. It was an old dictionary of euphemisms, and many of them were written in such a humorous way I ended up reading more of it than drawing in it.

However, I managed to do two pages. Since I did them in my little time, I only did some quick inks - but I had fun.

My first page I chose to draw was where C started; for "Call-girl". Essentially, it was an excuse to draw something sexy! Though I was planning on doing a full body, I didn't quite get there. However, I was happy with the profile.

The second definition I chose was "Arse". It started somewhere along the lines of, "What people say instead of ass when they are trying to be cute". So, taking this in mind, I drew this:

Overall I had a lot of fun! I want to check them out again, but have little time in the upcoming week before Thanksgiving Break. Since there's no set deadline, I'm hoping I'll be able to do more when I return :] So if you ever get the chance, find an old book and make it your sketchbook! It's a fun project.

Lake Placid in November

This weekend was the first weekend I was able to go somewhere other than the mall or the movies for a few hours - so, I took a night alone in Lake Placid. I drove up Friday afternoon, and back this evening. It was much too short of a visit, but I will be back.

Being there was like a sigh of relief; a breath of fresh air. On the drive up I passed the cascade lakes, with the rock faces of the mountains next to them lit up in bright orange afternoon light. The birches in the shadows were a dusky blue, and as the sun went down I arrived home to look out my window and see Whiteface a pinkish golden hue, spread out like a pair of broad shoulders.

I felt like I was truly home.

(Sorry for the poor saturation of these photos, they look much more colorful on other sites.)

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

Several weeks ago, my friend forwarded me an email from her father (a jeweler) which contained an article about an interesting figure named J. Fred Woell. Last summer, I bought and was given several scrap pieces from my him to use in my own jewelry, since he did not need most of those pieces. This same man, he pointed out, "recycles" things as well.

After reading the article about the award Woell was given, I looked up a bit more about him. In curiosity, I discovered much about how he became who he is today, and what his craft is about, as well as many of his motives and ideas behind his pieces. His admiration came from a similar place mine did - the fascination of other's so called "junk". Beginning to design with pieces others had thrown out, he made work using found objects.

Because he uses pieces that our society has used and then thrown away, they often have cultural or political connotations and meanings. Everyone is likely to at least recognize pieces included in his artwork, and even have their own connection to it based on the familiar subject matter. Though he often changes and disfigures the pieces to make them more than what they looked like in a commercial state, he likes the idea behind reusing things.

Another connection I had to him was this very quote;

Embarking on a new piece, Woell often does not know ahead of time what he will use—he sorts and studies, and soon "things add up."

I am often like this. I collect pieces I like and would use in the future, but do not necessarily know how they will work with other pieces in the end, or what I will put it with. I may have compartments of chains and boxes of rings, pieces of old earrings and charms galore - but I never know how to put it all together until I lay them all out and choose what goes with what.

Since his beginning many years ago, he now teaches, and has been featured in several museums and galleries. In an attempt to push art over the troubles of American human nature, he stresses to show art as a passion and an emotional past time that is more than just spending time at the local mall. In the like, he says:

"We're certainly not living in a society where art is paramount in its interests," Woell remarks; "We're a lot more interested in sports and war and shopping at WalMart."

Being a college student, I may divulge in Walmart a little too often, and I have seen those fight over sports and war, but despite this, there are those of us who enjoy his craft, appreciate art, and like finding junk (much like myself). To finally show off some pieces, there are some as follows. Sorry for the small pictures, but examples of good digital quality seemed sparse.

Though I haven't had much time to create jewelry of my own, I'm glad to appreciate looking at others! Cheers, hope everyone had a good halloween!

Further reading / sources / cool articles:

Junk-to-Jewelry

Moments of Recognition