Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
A LIttle Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
"How
important are the visual arts in our society? I feel strongly
that the visual arts are of vast and incalculable importance.
Of course I could be prejudiced. I am a visual art. " ~ Kermit the Frog
I completed and shipped another set of 25 blocks to ArtOMat - Artists in Cellophane. As always it's a mixed bagged but I did make a Wild Flower series in this set.
The entire 12 Chinese zodiac series is completed. In this work, I
created a digital collage. I compiled this work into a 2013 calendar
which is available for sale in my Zazzle store.
I'm officially a certified Graphic Designer having completed the certificate program at Sessions College Online. Below are snips of my work:
The psychedelic collage work inspired me to make the Chinese animals montage. Thanks to Sessions for the leap of inspiration.
This work is a mock up for product labels.
Jester's Cap is a mixed media abstract art experiment. The original work started out as a pencil, pen and mark drawing. I digitally enhanced the work to make what is shown here.
The study in graphic design helped opened the door to the works shown here.
I completed and shipped another set of 25 blocks to ArtOMat - Artists in Cellophane. As always it's a mixed bagged but I did make a Wild Flower series in this set.
 |
| Freshly picked for ArtOMat |
I'm officially a certified Graphic Designer having completed the certificate program at Sessions College Online. Below are snips of my work:
 | ||
| A psychedelic art journey |
 | |||
| Mock Up Label Design |
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| Mock Up CD Label Design |
 | ||||
| Jester's Cap |
Jester's Cap is a mixed media abstract art experiment. The original work started out as a pencil, pen and mark drawing. I digitally enhanced the work to make what is shown here.
The study in graphic design helped opened the door to the works shown here.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Green Crossing
“Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see.”
~ Thomas Jefferson
I support the legalization of Cannabis Sativa. It's a naturally occurring herb that offers many benefits for mind, body and soul. One benefit that interests me the most as an artist, is the planet's psychoactive properties that opens gateways to creativity. As an individual, I should be allowed without restriction to experiment as just another tool for my creative process in the same way I take in the world for inspiration.
"It really puzzles me to see marijuana connected with narcotics . . . dope and all that crap. It's a thousand times better than whiskey - it's an assistant - a friend." ~ Louis Armstrong
I support the legalization of Cannabis Sativa. It's a naturally occurring herb that offers many benefits for mind, body and soul. One benefit that interests me the most as an artist, is the planet's psychoactive properties that opens gateways to creativity. As an individual, I should be allowed without restriction to experiment as just another tool for my creative process in the same way I take in the world for inspiration.
Green Crossing, ink & markers on vellum
"It really puzzles me to see marijuana connected with narcotics . . . dope and all that crap. It's a thousand times better than whiskey - it's an assistant - a friend." ~ Louis Armstrong
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Exploring New Skills and Social Awareness Messages
I've been in a graphic design program over the past 7 months. It's coming along and I've been getting good grades on my projects. It has been a challenge which helps to stretch my creativity as well as help me grow professionally. It's not easy coming up with creative ideas but lately, I'm drawn (no pun intended) to concerns that mean a great deal to me.
I'm very active in things related to social awareness and humanitarian concerns. It takes up a great deal of my energy in my thoughts so it's only a natural progression for it to impact my artistic work. I want to create artworks that are meaningful - to me and what I think matters in the world. I see myself as wanting to take my art and adding messages to it but not in a contrived manner. For me, it really needs to come from my heart. I find that sometimes, I'm just waiting to be inspired as if I'm holding my breathe waiting for the spark. It helps when I write my ideas down or doddle or both.
My newest work is all in graphic design. I didn't pick up the pencil on these but rather jumped into illustrator for these social awareness message pieces. I've often found it's easier for me to create via my keyboard instead of thumbnails to the larger project. The approach helps me collect my thoughts and make modifications with relative ease.
The first one is Global Citizen:
In the next design, I modified the artwork with a similar yet different message. Both hold the meaning I was aiming for while creating the work:
These ideas are meaningful to me and in my mind, holds a great deal of importance. I actually apply these principles as I see myself as part of the larger picture on this planet. And, although I'm not a capitalist in the sense of the word, I do need to make some sort of living in the confines of the monetary system in which we all live. With that being said, I've made these designs available in my Zazzle store on cool products.
Global Citizen Onesie by sunfluer
I'm very active in things related to social awareness and humanitarian concerns. It takes up a great deal of my energy in my thoughts so it's only a natural progression for it to impact my artistic work. I want to create artworks that are meaningful - to me and what I think matters in the world. I see myself as wanting to take my art and adding messages to it but not in a contrived manner. For me, it really needs to come from my heart. I find that sometimes, I'm just waiting to be inspired as if I'm holding my breathe waiting for the spark. It helps when I write my ideas down or doddle or both.
My newest work is all in graphic design. I didn't pick up the pencil on these but rather jumped into illustrator for these social awareness message pieces. I've often found it's easier for me to create via my keyboard instead of thumbnails to the larger project. The approach helps me collect my thoughts and make modifications with relative ease.
“Culture of the mind must be subservient to the heart.” ~M. Gandhi
The first one is Global Citizen:
In the next design, I modified the artwork with a similar yet different message. Both hold the meaning I was aiming for while creating the work:
Global Citizen Onesie by sunfluer
Thanks for stopping by. Namaste.
"A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.” ~ M. Gandhi
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Fruit Salad
One holiday observation I find to be very interesting is Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead. This day of remembrance honoring ancestors, dearly departed and friends is celebrated throughout Mexico. It is also celebrated in various ways around the world often known as All Saints Day or All Souls Day.
The artwork depicting Dia de los Muertos often uses skulls designed in many colorful expressions. I've been working on a graphical representation as a way to practice new acquired skills through the Graphic Design course I'm currently pursuing. I wanted something very colorful with images of flowers surrounding the skull.
Hey there! You can call me "Fruit Salad".
Fruit Salad as I've decidedly refer to it, was created using Illustrator and InDesign. Working with a variety of shapes, colors and layering techniques, I was able to generate this festive skull. Instead of coins on the eyes for the ferryman, I used flowers. Hopefully, Charon will accept it as payment for safe crossing to the other side. ;))
The artwork depicting Dia de los Muertos often uses skulls designed in many colorful expressions. I've been working on a graphical representation as a way to practice new acquired skills through the Graphic Design course I'm currently pursuing. I wanted something very colorful with images of flowers surrounding the skull.
Fruit Salad as I've decidedly refer to it, was created using Illustrator and InDesign. Working with a variety of shapes, colors and layering techniques, I was able to generate this festive skull. Instead of coins on the eyes for the ferryman, I used flowers. Hopefully, Charon will accept it as payment for safe crossing to the other side. ;))
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Eye Read
The graphic design course I'm studying is progressing at a steady pace. I'm managing to complete a project a week. I've gone through Photoshop, Illustrator and currently working in InDesign. All of these are within the Adobe suite. I love Illustrator due to the ease at which I can manipulate objects. I work however, interchangeably within the entire suite. Although still in a learning curve, I've acquired quite a bit of knowledge in a relatively short time. It takes my work to an all new level.
I continue to practice my drawing skills using the traditional pencil and paper approach. I love working with pencils and the level of control, detail I can achieve with the medium. Yesterday, I got an idea to create a piece that represents love for reading. I read every single day. Life would be far less interesting without my books and access to doing research.
The piece started out with a pencil drawing of 'my' eye. Yes, I used my own eye as a model. I took a close up image of my eye using my cellphone. Using the photo as reference, I created an 'eye' drawing.
Hello - I see you. I worked with 2B, 4B, 7B, 8B, 9B pencils to create this drawing.
Using my Photoshop app, I flipped the image to create a "left" eye. This function is basic but fun to do nonetheless.
I opened the Illustrator app to create the typography elements for the artwork. Putting it all together, is a piece expressing an interest in reading.
I continue to practice my drawing skills using the traditional pencil and paper approach. I love working with pencils and the level of control, detail I can achieve with the medium. Yesterday, I got an idea to create a piece that represents love for reading. I read every single day. Life would be far less interesting without my books and access to doing research.
The piece started out with a pencil drawing of 'my' eye. Yes, I used my own eye as a model. I took a close up image of my eye using my cellphone. Using the photo as reference, I created an 'eye' drawing.
I opened the Illustrator app to create the typography elements for the artwork. Putting it all together, is a piece expressing an interest in reading.
"Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books." ~ Bell Hooks
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
On Connections and Reciprocation
The other day, I received an email from Natalie Appleton a Canadian writer in Vernon, BC. Natalie asked if she could use my image, Chinese Year of the Snake on her blog. Of course, I was delighted to share my work with another artist. The way I see it, it's a collaborative effort of sharing our individual passions. Natalie features my work on her blog and I get to tell you about it and share her blog with you. It's a loop and a supportive effort.
Natalie is a non-fiction writer. She has written articles for publications such as the NY Times, Vancouver Sun and Bangkok Post. Right now, Natalie is working on a new book about how she met her spouse in Bangkok who happens to be a Canadian. Visit Natalie's blog to learn more about her work.
Thank you, Natalie for highlighting my work on your blog. I very much appreciate it.
“If you have a candle, the light won't glow any dimmer if I light yours off of mine.” ~ Steven Tyler
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Chinese Astrology Dog
The dog years are as follows:
1910*1922*1934*1946*1958*1970*1982*1994*2006*2018
If you were born in the year of the dog, you share the characteristics of being compassionate, reliable, pessimistic, anxious, honest, nosy and overwhelming.
Other Chinese dog facts are:
Eleventh in order, Chinese name—GOU, sign of fidelity
Hour—7pm-8:59pm
Month—October Western Counterpart—Libra
Although this is the 10th drawing, I haven't created this series in succession in the Chinese zodiac wheel. My entire Chinese animal series can be purchased on great products in my Zazzle stores and prints from Fine Art America.
Eleventh in order, Chinese name—GOU, sign of fidelity
Hour—7pm-8:59pm
Month—October Western Counterpart—Libra
Although this is the 10th drawing, I haven't created this series in succession in the Chinese zodiac wheel. My entire Chinese animal series can be purchased on great products in my Zazzle stores and prints from Fine Art America.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Chinese Zodiac Monkey
The monkey is #8 in the series of Chinese astrology animals. The drawing is created on 7" x 7" Bristol with archival ink pens and markers.
"Monkeys can run circles
around other people with ease. They are curious and clever people who
catch on quickly to most anything. Monkey people generally can accomplish
any given task. They appreciate difficult or challenging work as it stimulates
them and makes them think."
Years
of the Monkey
"Monkey Years are ninth
in the cycle following the Sheep Years, and recur every twelfth year.
The Chinese New Year does not fall on a specific date, so it is essential
to check the calendar to find the exact date on which each Monkey Year
actually begins.1908*1920*1932*1944*1956*1968*1980*1992*2004*2016"
Monday, March 12, 2012
Steam Punk Robot Owl
I created this new design using Adobe Illustrator. All the elements in the Steam Punk Owl to create the artwork was done using the shape tools in Illustrator. It is my own unique design inspired by an assignment for the Graphic Design course I'm taking online.
I've submitted this design for scoring on Threadless. If I receive a high enough score, it will be a chance to earn a place on Threadless. Please stop over to add your score on my design.
Score this design: "Steam Punk Robot Owl," to help it get printed on Threadless!
Gratitude ~ 8))
I've submitted this design for scoring on Threadless. If I receive a high enough score, it will be a chance to earn a place on Threadless. Please stop over to add your score on my design.
Score this design: "Steam Punk Robot Owl," to help it get printed on Threadless!
Gratitude ~ 8))
Friday, March 9, 2012
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