SDC: Day 25

Dough-cake

SDC: Day 24

"This 'Jack' is outta here!"

SDC: Day 23

Cleaning coins to trade in to the bank
(CLR works great for this)

SDC: Day 22

Breeza and Aura from Crystalium
(Civic had done this to me at times)

SCD: Day 21

Red-Eared Slider Turtles at Allan Gardens

SDC: Day 20

Upcoming Stress of Freelancing

SDC: Day 19

Nuke hiding a giant cookie

SDC: Day 18

Text Art

SDC: Day 17

Chimera Animals

I've been wondering for awhile since I started my Sketch a Day Challenge.  Do you, the readers, like reading about my daily entries, even though there aren't always art-related?  As much as I would like to have something artistic to talk about with each daily post, I do get caught up with other things to deal with some days: taking care of my pets' needs or house chores, going out for a long while to shop for essentials or getting my exercise for the day in, cleaning/organizing my workspace/living space (which was the case today since I wasn't up to walking outside in the cold).

My brother advised me once before to keep the entries on just my artwork or freelancing, however I tend to want to talk with others about my day as to... I guess to hear how others think about how to do things.  Getting feedback from just my parents each day gets onerous and static.  If anyone wants to ever comment or leave a titbit of advice, feel free to say anything.  Getting some views/hits a day is fine but I would to be more interactive with my blog rather than just broadcast as on an obscure radio station, hoping that someone is listening.

Maybe for now I'll just post my images up and see if anyone likes to comment on them in the near future.  Leave my thoughts in my laptop diary to mull over.

SCD: Day 16

Barn Animals

Reading my current book, Freelance Design in Practice, I'm feeling the need to revise my business plan for my freelancing business for this year.  After having the hands-on experience of putting myself out there and having done a job and two late last year, it's like I might've not figured out all of my planning as well as I first thought. That's normal though since some changes do occur with the direction you hope to go with your work.  Personally, not having any hands-on practice with what I read about, I tend to forget over time.  My tactual and pictorial memories are normally better than my verbal/reading ones, plus repetition or refreshing your knowledge helps to keep it up to date.

SDC: Day 15

I still have Spring on the brain.  If the weather could just stop bogging back down below freezing as it does, it would make my outdoor walks or cycling more comfortable.  Just waiting for the capability to travel around inexpensively in comfort without using transit fare for outings is aggravating.  Hey, I have more stored energy in me to burn than money in my pockets so using my bike to get around is optimal for my current situation.  Just waiting for the weather to improve. :P

Baby Easter Chick

SDC: Day 14

Occasionally I find discarded items that can be resold for scrap value on my day trips or walks.  My recent find didn't pan out well (get hits & misses depending on materials). I made the most of my remaining trip for walking and coin-scrounging.  I don't necessarily need to keep doing this but it's changed from me needing it for buying essentials to adding to my savings.  I know, it's not the best way to build up savings but it doesn't hurt to collect spare change while I go out for shopping or exercise, especially while waiting for your next deposit.

Dairy Gift Box

Started reading a new book, Freelance Design in Practice by Cathy Fishel.  Looks like a good book if you need to refresh your know-hows.  Also working on two new works; I'll post them up while they're done.

SCD: Day 13

Slow day for me.  Been raining all day so I invested my time toward the indoors.  Still taking care of a lot of backlog from things needing to be dealt with but lacking the necessary materials for them.  As long as I get about 2 to 3 things of my own done a day, even it isn't with my artwork, I feel I've been productive with that time.

My Rabbit Civic (kept moving on me)

SDC: Day 12

Just finished reading "Steal like an Artist" and I feel like reading it again.  However, I'll do that after I buy my own copy (still have other books to read in the meanwhile).

Canadian Goose

In other news, I'd finished another work over a week's time.  This being a canvas I made with sawed lilac branches that been Gorilla-glued and stretched and gessoed with old pants fabric.  Had it lying around for a couple of years, wondering what I could paint onto it one of these days.  Finally decided to go with something as organic as the frame.  Wondered if this was close or similar to how people did canvas painting before they've mass-produced canvas stretchers?

Blue Orchids, 2014

SDC: Day 11

Getting near the end of my current travelling sketchbook.  Apparently started it in August 2012.  I tend to switch between 1 to 2 sketchbooks or single paper sheets at a time; also I tend to focus on my cycling and scrounging while I'm out on most day trips.

Teddy Bear with Cocoa Drink

SDC: Day 10

I've been getting into reading some books related to art practices lately.  The current one right now is called, "Steal like an Artist" by... (grabbing the book to see the author's name) an Austin Kleon.  I'd actually saw this book on one of my recent downtown day trips; found a library copy to read instead before buying one.  It's a good one to check out if you're struggling with a creative block or looking for new ways of thinking, to get new ideas.  When I'm done with the book (and when the Spring weather finally settles in), I buy myself a copy.

Edea helping Squit

Got a little more enthusiastic in my sketch today, with my own characters.  Watching on Youtube a Let's play of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (a joint RPG with Studio Ghibli and Level-5) while sketching.  John Lasseter is right, watching Studio Ghibli's works does get the creative juices flowing.  Seeing any good works would probably do.

SDC: Day 9

Whoops!  Got caught up with other things that I almost forgot my sketch today.  Here's a otter girl character.

Otter Girl

SDC: Day 8

We seem to be going thru a roller coaster ride with the weather: sunny Spring the one day, chilly Winter the next.  Well, in about another month it won't be so jumpy the temperature and all this snow and ice will have thaw away completely.  I'm looking forward to get on with several outdoor things, both art and health-wise.

Mom's Orchid

SDC: Day 7

I'm going to start abbreviating my Sketch a Day Challenge title on my posts, with SDC for short.  Didn't do much artwork as I did woodwork.  I took some found wood that used to be part of some drawer to make 2 display easels.  "Why not just buy some easels?" some of you might ask; they cost at least $30 for a natural wood one in art stores, which I want natural wood, not metal or plastic.  With having more time than money, along with my dad's tools and some Weldbond Glue I bought, this was a better choice for me.

The 2 display easels

Couldn't think of anything witty for my sketch today; going to need to buy some bread tomorrow though.

Half Bread Loaf

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 6

It's kinda aggravating that just when you believe that something you don't want had run its course, it comes back tenfold.  That's what happened with the weather today after having such a nice Spring-like day, only to then get a massive snowstorm the day after.  I think mother nature is toying with us in Southern Ontario here.  Other than putting me thru another elongated exercise session, it did inspired me to draw this.

Snow Heart

For anyone who unfortunately must shovel off this snow, take it easy:  take breaks as you need them (especially if you have a heart condition), work in teams if you can, keep warm and dry and as a personal tip, take a hot shower/bath afterwards to warm yourself up and to relax faster.  Stay safe.

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 5

Whoa, had an evening nap after riding my bike for the first time this year.  Getting a spring-weather day in Toronto made me want to go riding, although I still need to get my regular muscles for cycling back in shape.

Anyway, what I've sketched today is a local thing to see in Toronto lately.  An artist, Matthew Del Degan had developed the "LoveBot" as part of a global movement to tell stories of love and kindness.    (Truthfully, I first thought that they were part of some display for Aboveground Art Supplies, since their locations were where I kept seeing them at only, until today's ride).

For anyone interested, here are some links connecting to these concrete sculptures and the stories that others had sent in to this movement:

LoveBot Blog: lovebot.com
Matthew Del Degan's Website: www.matthewdeldegan.com

LoveBot

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 4

Had a hard time getting inspired to sketch so I've looked to the internet for news updates.  Had the idea about what the Vancouver's Port Metro's truckers could do for making a picket line in their strike.  

Striking Truckers

Off-topic, I've googled my own name and found that my oldest gallery account at Elfwood was at the top of the list (other than another Jennie McMillen's website and Facebook listing being next to it).  Unless you put 'Illustrator' before my name, the only other listing that comes up my blog is my thesis gallery page from OCADU's Illustration display.  I need to work harder to get it where just my name alone will be at No. 1 in Google and in the other web searches like Bing, Yahoo, etc.  That is if I can start conceptualizing better.

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 3

I'm feeling the need for Spring!  It'll get here soon enough (it'll make my walks more comfortable for one).

Random Flower

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 2

Was getting a bit late with posting it.  Lately I've been craving for sushi rolls and been getting the means of making them (recipe from the internet, sushi bamboo mat and scoping where in the local walking distance from my house to buy the ingredients).  I like them more than I do of pizza.

Sushi Sketch, Mar 8/14

I've also painted a canvas board picture yesterday that's now framed and I hope with several more works to come to try to sell them at an art fair this summer.  Just a thought to make more money locally this year.

Easter Bunnies, 2014
(Acrylic paint on Canvas Board)

P.S. - Don't forget to set your clocks ahead 1 hour tonight; Daylight Savings Time starts tomorrow.  Morning starts later but daytime last longer for the evenings.  I'm happy for Spring to be coming soon.

Sketch a Day Challenge: Day 1

As much as I'm trying to push myself forward into the art field, I have to admit that I don't have the best time-management skills to stay on top of everything.  Especially when others want my labour on a last minute basis.  I need to be more active with my artwork (also my health but that isn't the topic here) and so I decided to give myself a challenge based off a school assignment routine from my art classes.

Starting today, for each day for this year, I'm going to start doing a sketch a day.  These sketches can be as plain as still-life or anything off the top of my head; maybe they'll get made into final illustrations some day.  The point is to get myself back into the routine of drawing and conceptualizing everyday like I'm doing daily walks again now that Spring is starting to show in order to strength my muscles and burn calories (again different topic but still a good thing to do).  I'm likely to post them in the evenings.  So to finish off, here's my first sketch:

Nuke (future Crystalium character) happily in an ice cream bowl.

The next post will be less wordy with the exception of explaining the sketch's content.