FTPs and Scanned HBs

Guys, can I tell you how pooped I am? I can? Excellent.

I'm pooped.*

It's the computer. It's a marginal excuse, I know. But can I just say "FTP" is now a permanent fixture in my vocabulary? I fought with the Great-Kahuna-Internet and I won. The only problem now is letting go of my little pet project and giving someone else the reins.

I wish all of my sketchbooks would look like this. Not dark, shiny and kind of hard to tell what it is, but more what it looks like in real life. Like I care. Because I do. It's just sometimes hard to tell. I'm telling you. I need a scanner.


*I don't actually like the word, "pooped" because it brings up images in my mind I would rather leave un-thought. Something like leaving bags of flaming fecal matter on doorsteps on Halloween only instead of laying there inconspicuously they're flying through the air toward my head. I'm going to venture a guess and say this was too much information.

Productivity?! Sob.

I'm distracted, I'm procrastinating, I'm wide awake, tired, lazy and missed perfect setup to flirt with a cute guy today. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! Hhh, I know. I haven't had my second cup of coffee today.

I had the whole day yesterday to work and all managed to do was a bit of half hearted doodling:

See the part I'm covering up? That part was more half-hearted than others.

Oh, I forgot to tell you: the guitar came in the mail the other day. Just about the only really productive thing I've done lately is start to teach myself how to play. I never imagined it would be so fantastic. I can play about 6 chords. I'm ready for a band. Sign me up.

Ignore the crazed, disheveled look.

Why does it happen all at once?

Me:

EDIT: I need a scanner.

Graceful? No.

I rue the day I ever heard this song. Why? Let me tell you. For approximately one year I have tried to play it on the piano. It's not overly complicated. It's a fairly simple song. It's pretty. But measure 30 and 32 have signed a pact with the devil to destroy my confidence and my self esteem. My thumb refuses to find the right spot when coming out of that grace note.

I needed a good angry rant and as an only child this is my outlet.

Thank you for listening.

This is my canvas. It has taken me 3 days to make it look like a monkey splattered poo on it. Although, I have to say, I'm much prouder of this poo than its previous incarnation: a Pepto Bismol colored cloth hanging over a crooked easel. I decided to start again from square one and just paint the background.

I thought about a title for 5 minutes. No luck.

So, here's some artwork.

I'm using this one for an intaglio print in my printmaking class. I hope, hope, hope it turns out well.

Here's the rendering I did for the coffee shop. Ignore the Fred Flintstone car in the front. That is one thing I don't believe I have ever drawn in. my. life. It was sort of an "I haven't slept for a week and I have pencil shavings in my hair" situation so you've got to cut me some slack.

Neighbour is up here this weekend and today was entirely dedicated to "Twilight." Yes. It's true. I'm openly and freely admitting it to be immortalized on the Internet. Don't judge me. I thought it was a passing phase until the movie was just recently released and all of these confusing emotions started flooding in again. I am now re-reading the books and obsessively watching all the behind the scenes and special features. This will be the last I speak of this ever. Unless of course I meet and fall in love with Robert Pattinson in which case you will never hear the end.

As repayment for getting me hooked on...certain things (see above) and leaving too early today, I'm sipping more of neighbour's chai tea she left in my refrigerator. I do not. feel. guilty.

Now, I'm off to finish watching "The Mask of Zorro" and apply for some scholarships.

[Witty Title]

Tuesdays and Thursdays are becoming a little less painful.



Ever since that Ringling thing happened yesterday I've been thinking/dreaming/doing art just about 100% of the time. I. Love. It.

Tuesdays are for Painting

I will beat painting down with a blunt stick. A BLUNT STICK.

Tick

My professor picks up the painting and pretends one side weighs a lot. She points to the offending element, "Ashely," she says, "It's really heavy."
"But Marisa," I say, "I'm breaking the rules of composition." Hhh, clearly.
She sort of rolls her eyes and gives me a look, "Well, yeah, but the point is to make it work."

Thank you for your honesty.

Composition aside, I'm getting better, no? I feel kind of like I'm ready to get serious about painting.



My mom and I are sitting silently in the living room, waiting for our totally awesome new pendulum clock to chime. The first minute of ticking was kind of peaceful. Like a heartbeat. The longer I sit here though...tick tick, tick tick, tick tick, TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICKTICKTIKCK!!!!!!!

I'm afraid when I inherit this clock, it will be going somewhere far away from my bedroom.

Grump.

I've been in a horrible mood all day. I feel sort of like kicking a baby.* If I said something mean to you today I won't feel sorry about it until tomorrow. But don't worry, it'll happen. It always happens.

Today is Friday. I'm going to gorge myself on pizza, get high off of some instant coffee and read Persuasion which is shaping up to be one of the best books I have ever read REGARDLESS of the fact that I have seen the 1995 version of the movie more times than I can count and every day for the past week and a half.

I'm feeling the collage vibe lately. This one's in progress.


*clearly, I would never kick a baby. I do not kick babies. I do not kick babies, puppies, or bunnies. I might kick your cat though. Because he deserves it.

Six Degrees

I'm bouncing (read: stumbling, crawling) back from a fantastic, fabulous, friend-filled, four day weekend. (I hate myself for that sentence.) I spent my free days gorging myself on Jane Austen and Chinese food. Man. If only every weekend was so perfect.

Speaking of Jane Austen. I've been on a binge of chick flicks lately. It started with "Sleepless in Seattle" which of course reminded me of "An Affair to Remember." Then it was...well. Here. I'll draw you a diagram. Also, it will give me a chance to show off my tech-savvy skillz.

So clearly, I am either 1) becoming more obsessive compulsive in my advancing age, 2) Have absolutely no life and need to get a constructive hobby or 3) cooler than you.

I'm going to go with 3).

I want to see how far I can keep this going. I'm not going to limit myself to just chick flicks either. My own little six degrees project. I predict that I can get to "Jurassic Park III" through 6 movies. But I have to watch them all in order to get there. Hhhh...I change my vote: 2).

And in a desperate attempt to keep my Drawing a Day(ish) alive:

This is the finished version of the "Frustration" painting. It's keeping the name.


I made my poor friend Katelyn pose for me yesterday. I didn't want to stare at her too long at one time because it was awkward so I'm going to go stalk her on Facebook to finish it.

Relaxation...

You know those times you try really hard with all the good intentions but just end up failing in the end? That's the way I look today.

It snowed! Well, actually, it snowed about 2 minutes up the road...in the same town! It hasn't snowed this low in years.

It's a 4 day weekend and it came not a moment too soon. I need a break. We've only been in school for a few weeks but seriously, guys. Srlsy. I'm already feeling rejuvenated. I have some friend-dates scheduled this weekend, all of which I am completely looking forward to.

See that squiggley on the right? I call it "frustration." Luckily, we'll be working on it more in class.

Painting #3

Something's wrong with my skills.

Superbow XXIIVKJDSMTQ

Ah...Superbowl Sunday. To be completely honest, I had no idea it was today until I realized there were about twice as many people in the first service at church. No one wanted to miss the all-important 5 hour pre-game show.

My mom and I are having a last minute Super Bowl Commercial party. We have to take advantage of this day. It's one of only a handful of days in the year when you can eat like a slob and no one even looks at you sideways. BBQ chicken? Salt and vinegar chips? Yes. Please.

Second Painting Eva!

So, remember when I said I would post good work and bad work for drawings? Well. I'm exercising that clause. Here are paintings #2.1 and #2.2. Posted here, the hand, at least, doesn't look so bad, but let me tell you: in real life...be afraid. Be horribly afraid.

I'm not discouraged. I'm going to pull up my socks and start again on Tuesday.


Yes, I am wearing a scarf in my own house.

Mix Tape

In lieu of a drawing, here's my very first painting ever. EVA. Actually, that's a blatant lie. I took watercolor last semester, after all, but this is my first painting painting. In a medium I'm excited about (acrylic). Excited enough to practice at home on these cute, tiny little canvases.

Something else I'm excited about: I have a friend at school who just gave me a giant mix tape currently drumming in my ears, hence the headphones in painting picture. I trust this friend's taste in music because she works at Dimple Records and as everyone knows, people who work at record stores are decidedly cooler than the average citizen.

If you're interested, I'll update on my favorites.

Duty Calls

The man on the left is the superior court judge for our county and I just got a jury summons that may or may not be postponed. Heh. I'm sure this is significant, though I can't figure out why exactly.

Looks like Back of the Head Sunday is inadvertently reinstated. I'm watching "The Importance of Being Ernest" and my vocabulary is somewhat altered by their peculiar way of carrying on conversations.

Weekend Curiosities

I'm re-discovering some Andrea Bocelli. When I was in my pre-teens and everyone else was sobbing over the gorgeousness of N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys, I was listening to Andrea Bocelli on my Walkman tape player. His new stuff just isn't the same.

A peculiar artificial lemon scent has followed me around today. It was on my right jacket sleeve, my mom's left thumb and my uncle's hand. All are were so overpowering it was starting to make us a little nauseous. No word yet on the source of this anomaly.

I'm spending this weekend in my pjs, knitting and eating brownies and garlic bread. I. Love. It.

It's also raining, key ingredient in knitting mood. Stay dry my little bloglings.

New Mediums, New Horizons.

HAHAH. Creepy.

Neighbour finally got a new MacBook (courtesy of the best in-laws in the world. I only hope I'm so lucky) and we have explored the world of video iChat. Actually, right now. It's very cool but mostly just awkward. I have to be really careful I don't accidentally do something embarassing because I forget someone is watching me.

I have officially gone to all of my classes this semester and let me tell you: I'm going to be the well rounded art queen of the world. This may be an exaggeration but the fact still remains that I will be learning so many new techniques and mediums this semester I'm not sure I will be able to contain myself. Spring 2009 here I come!

A Drawing A Day #1

So about 7:00 when I started drawing, I was mentally kicking myself for this brilliant idea hatched by someone who was surely not me. Drawing? Every day? Even when all I want to do is knit? Well, yes.

Once I started going though, I got a little excited. I re-explored posemaniacs.com. It's the most fantastic site for an art student in the whole. wide. world.

The point: this is forcing me to draw when I desperately don't want to. Which, after all, is when I need to draw the most.

Also: I need to make it known that garlic bread is the #2 best food in the world (behind mashed potatoes). I practically ate it for dinner tonight.