30 Day Art Challenge - Beginning August 1st.

Since I started my job as a full-time graphic designer, I feel I've neglected my illustration and fine art practice. Now is the time to challenge myself, to loosen those elbows and really work at some new techniques. 

I'm going in this with three main goals:

1) To make art-making a daily practice, moreso than it already is.

2) To broaden my colour pallette.

3) To improve my composition by not neglecting background elements.

I will try to post my results every day. Can I do it? Will I manage? I suppose we'll see!

If you care to join this challenge, do the same, and post a link to your progress in the comments.

The Proof Days Are Over, and the Husband is Ill

The proof days felt successful enough, though I have to wait until tomorrow to hear the results. What an awesome atmosphere that place has, though. High ceilings, big windows, a cappuccino maker, cool colleagues... I'm tied up in knots from the suspense of it all. If I don't get the job, I worry that I will crumble into a pile of sad-looking dust. 

Something like this guy:

Yes, that's my poor, sick husband, curled up on the couch in front of an episode of "Arrow". Not only is the show bad, the temperature never feels right, the tea is too hot, and every part of his body is aching. The biggest downside of spring is the inevitable bout of bronchitis. Thankfully, it does mean that he stays still long enough for me to do some studies. 

Oh, Bukowski.

Sam Dillemans - Charles Bukowski

Working Out

Van Gogh cut off his ear
gave it to a
prostitute
who flung it away in
extreme
disgust.
Van, whores don't want
ears
they want
money.
I guess that's why you were
such a great
painter: you
didn't understand
much
else.

Operation Figure Yourself Out (FYO)

I may be making a major life decision within the next two weeks, and I am a little stunned at the 180 degree turn it might end up being. I will expand on this a great deal more once the decision is made, but for the meantime expect a wide-eyed look of shocked silence from me.