Dad asked me to bring out my paintings to show the neighbors and their kids the other day, and me not having anything to do at the moment agreed.
Oh my god their reactions were adorable.
They were wowed by everything I pulled out and so polite when I asked if they wanted one of the extra prints I had from Fresh Meat back in April. The girl went for my ballerina peaking through the curtains, and the boy wanted flowers so he took my nightingale in the blossoming tree. Then their mom was all “show Michelle what you can do” and they proceeded to run into their house and give me some of their drawings in a little art trade and oh god it was just so precious.
There’s something immensely satisfying about being able to reach your target audience with success.
I have mixed feelings regarding fanart. On one hand it’s inspiring, the results can be exceedingly beautiful and if you’re really lucky even land you a job… and on the other it can be ridiculously time consuming and drown out your own creative world.
Frivolous meandering rambles below:
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First time staying up to 2am painting since I graduated. I forgot how good it feels.
Guess this means I can kiss the hopes for a normal sleep schedule after art school goodbye…
First and foremost: I passed. No big surprised there but still, it must be said.
For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, if you’re an illustrator, at the end of your senior year in my school you have a really important portfolio review with the department head. Thing is, the head of illustration is generally regarded as a sort of boogeyman with a horrible temper. He scares people, a lot.
He was really nice.
I mean, in reality, he’s always a pretty chill dude. Rather blunt with his critiques, but never outright mean unless you’ve done something really stupid to deserve it.
(Edit: At least that I’ve personally witnessed, I will admit to hearing stories though. A classmate I have this year had hell with him last year.)
His critique of my work was really helpful. He pointed out what was wrong with some of the aspects of my drawing in one, said I should make sure to put the dialogue onto the pages of my mini children’s book to help pull them together and suggested I make sure to take off the signature on one piece. I’d never actually given heavy thought about how my signature affects a piece before.
He also complimented my ability to utilize the sheer vibrancy that you can get out of watercolor, which is always nice to hear I must say.
Sooo… yeah. I had a good review, the department head liked my work and now I have to write two essays by Tuesday, fix my website for Wednesday and paint roughly three more pictures for Thursday. Oy vey… out of the frying pan into the fire. Ah well, this is why artist’s don’t sleep.
One of the two George O’Connor graphic novels I picked up as a birthday gift to myself was signed with a sketch. I guess the story I’d heard about O’Connor randomly going into comic shops and signing copies of his books was true… Just never expected to find one. I didn’t even know it was signed until I started reading it on the ride home.
Also I unintentionally wound up trolling my friend with compliments that earned her several new followers this mourning.
My birthday this year has so far been too amusing for words.
