If the drawings could talk

At last- my second post! It looks like Thursdays will be my scan days because I don't have a scanner at home (well, my scanner is still in CA believe it or not) and this seems to be a convenient day to stay at work. Thank you everyone for checking this out and posting supportive comments. It means a lot to me :) Aye- such warm feelings during the bitterly cold winter. Okay- enough sappiness ;p

I saw an exhibit on the art of Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride in Tribeca on President's Day. There was some nice conceptual art plus actual maquets which were beautifully done. I'm sure some of you have the Art Of book, but I did take pictures and will post a link once I get them up on the internet for your viewing pleasure.

My friend Kisu who is smarter and funnier than I said this: "Nice art blog. Although, it would be more interesting if all the text were written from the point of view of the artwork. So then it would truly be your art's blog." And I am going to partially steal his idea and pretend that I am just as smart as him! ;p I shall ommit "all" and replace it with "some" so that it reads "some of the text." Give me a moment- I'll get to it.

Backstory: So I signed up for this Conceptual Art and Character Design class at NYU (Continuing Ed). It didn't turn out to be what I expected and was more geared to beginning students than anything. I was very disappointed because it sounded like it could be good and dropped it. For some reason, I'm under the impression that I missed out on something in school because I didn't take animation classes and think there's a class out there that will teach me something that perhaps I missed. But here are some sketches that were kind of for this class but most importantly for myself. More character driven:



This is for a character named Elan, Maker of Peanut Butter. There is a partially finished children's story to go with this that I wrote a bit ago. . .I just have to finish it! So, if art could talk, it would say: "Damn, you'd think she'd make me at least interesting looking. . .different you know? Instead I look like bloody Harry Potter! After a second pass- you think she'd improve?! Heck no! More Harry Potter! Just draw me a damn wand and I'll cast a spell that'll free me from Erin's pencil!"
Yeah. . .I'm sorry- I didn't mean to that. . .but you do kind of look like Harry Potter. I'll work on you some more, I promise.
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The old guy is derived from an idea about a farmer who is not really a farmer at all. Not really developed, so I am not going into it. I like the style- must have been a "good drawing day." The little girl- lunch time sketch at the front table where people were chit chatting about their children while glancing suspiciously over to me wondering whether I was drawing them or not. . .I wasn't! ;p And if art could talk: "What bliss- I came out on a good day. But where's the rest of me?! You gotta get beyond heads girl!" My response: Um yes, I do tend to do a lot of heads and upper bodies. . .gotta get comfortable with drawing the whole thing! Solution: Let's attend some life drawing sessions- I haven't been keeping that up and I know it would help.
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I wanted to see if I could draw anything beyond Dora and the Backyardagains. I really don't know the way I like to draw anymore and whether I want to go more cartoony or realistic. But I think something inbetween is nice. . .and my answer could be found in those I am inspired by. And the art says: "Awe, the cuteness! You know it's not in her blood. She likes to draw ugly and scary things. . .or well at least used to. So she gives me an ugly doll and sneaks it in that way."
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Some sketchbook pages. I'm almost done with my little sketchbook- yay! I can't wait to get a new one.
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I went to the American Museum of Natural History on Saturday to draw and see the Darwin exhibit. Rusty at animal drawing. . .even dead animals! I like the line quality of the Sambar though. Better than my previous attempt. When do parents become so stupid? How many times did an adult say, "What's this, a reindeer?" for the child to go "No, read the sign- it says it's a Sambar!" Very funny how many times you'll hear the same thing over and over as you sit there drawing. Two young kids (maybe ages 7 and 9) sat next to me as I was drawing with their own sketchbooks and their mom was handing them crayons of their request as they were drawing the animals. I was very impressed. I wish I had been encouraged to go sketching at museums when I was little. They seemed to be having fun and I tried to give them some encouragement.

And. . .now that this is the longest blog in history. . .I shall say good bye till next time. I probably won't be so wordy always.

*Erin