This week's I.A. theme is Alphabet-- my interpretation spells out words, instead of having a single letter or varied letter as my submission.
This is a poster I was commissioned to do for an L.A. County's high school's recital that was Jazz themed. It was fun to create the silhouetted atmosphere, the moon in the background, and to add the piano keys to the top letters.
There were also black tee shirts with this image printed on it (in white) for the recital, and I have one of these shirts-- sadly, I do not know where my shirt is, or I'd have posted a picture of it. too. But I like the white and black in this version, and makes me think of pianos, so ... methinks it works.
Been wanting to work on Patterns for a while-- and now, that it's a prompt for "Creative Tuesdays," I've finally forced myself to do it!
I actually use a lot of patterns (swirls, repeating dots, etcetera) in my drawings, paintings, and greeting cards-- but I really like more repetitive, illustration-y, almost graphic patterns, as well.
So, that's what I've done above-- my first time doing this kind of a pattern. I've taken an original drawing, clipped a character from it, and repeated it over and over as a pattern. This pattern has a bit more diversity to it than the others I'm posting-. The animals in the pattern are not all facing the exact same direction. And thus, although I am including other versions of patterns, this one is my actual submission for "Creative Tuesdays!"
I thought, what better way to create a repetitive pattern than by using a multiplying marsupial?
Not sure I've ever mentioned it on "Creative Tuesdays," but I have a little stuffed Koala whom I have had for a long time, and who ends up in my drawings a lot. I think he's very cool (and I love toys), and he's kind of taken on a life of his own. As I said, I draw him a lot, and (at a friend's urging during one late night sleepover full of laughing and madness), I made him a Facebook page two years ago. He updates, leaves comments on people's walls, etcetera. Very silly, but all in good harmless fun.
In any case, he is who inspired the above pattern that I've submitted. This was very fun to create for "Creative Tuesdays," and it has inspired me to keep doing more patterns in this realm. And even to do ones like the Russian Artist who Mister Toast linked to on the original challenge post, whose swirls and black and white ink work were incredible.
To submit to "Creative Tuesdays," submit by February Seventh for the "Patterns" challenge, and please go to the most recent link on the site when you do: http://creativetuesdays.blogspot.com/
Below, I hope you all enjoy the other versions of the Fuzzles pattern, in different colors-- they do not feature him in as many positions as my actual submission (just him sitting facing one way), but I still think they fit the bill of being simple, repetitive, and fairly clean for a pattern (-:
Actually, I'd be curious for feedback, in case people have a preferred color of all the ones posted (if it's a different color than the blue actual submission), and/or if they prefer the submission pattern which has a variation, or the below patterns which do not.
Thanks for reading, and well wishes to all <3
Gray Fuzzles
Black (Swan... just kidding) Fuzzles
Red Fuzzles
Blue Fuzzles (same Blue as the submission, without the turn variation)
“Too many people grow up. That’s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don’t remember what it’s like to be 12 years old. They patronize, they treat children as inferiors. Well I won’t do that.”
First I.A. post of the year (-: The last themes were wonderful and looking at everyone's work was a lot of fun. Finally, I seem to be getting my act together in terms of submitting something! The paper doll challenge was especially beautiful, and while I missed the deadline on that, I have been inspired to perhaps create some!
The theme this time around is "butterflies," and below is a new greeting card of mine for the theme.
As the fairy sitting in the background flower has little red butterfly wings peeking out, that's one reference to the theme. However, it's mostly that the foreground girl has a little butterfly nestling in her hair and adorning it. Wonder how long she's making him pose there for?
Lots of rambling to come, probably less coherence, but here we go. Saw "Beauty and the Beast," re-released in 3D. It was beautiful, and actually, I think the animation worked better than the 3D version of "Lion King" that I saw in September (although both were stunning). I love "Beauty and the Beast," Belle is awesome, and there's a lot of the film that's hilarious, inspiring, romantic, and full of many light, uplifting things.
Of course, it's also super dark, and I'd forgotten some of the choicer portions of the film. Actually, I didn't comprehend some of it at all as a child.
Case in point: the scene where Gaston pays off the head of the local mental hospital, to commit Maurice (Belle's Dad) unless she consents to marry him...
What?!
I'd remembered him being jealous .
I'd remembered the lynch mob he threw together, and the storming of the Castle.
And, I'd remembered him going after the Beast, solely because he couldn't comprehend not being chosen by Belle.
All of which show spectacular douchebaggery in their own rights, but the thing with Maurice was seriously in a class by itself. Nothing says romance like extortion and forcibly committing your (theoretical) paramour's parent without cause. And then, he throws said paramour in the hospital carriage (I guess France's Equivalent at the time of a corrupt 5150 ordered ambulance?), when it's revealed she feels for someone else-- classy! I know some people think he's a sexy cartoon character, but I don't get it. If he existed IRL and had gone out for that VH1 show from a few years back, "Tool Academy," I think he might even have been too low to pass that bar. I am being snarky, but, damn.
Gaston was hilarious in his audacity, for most of the film, but that whole plot to force Belle to be with him (while hurting Maurice the process) was too much. He and Frollo from Disney's "Hunchback from Notre Dame" should get together for coffee while sharing romantic tips. Gaston, Gaston, Gaston. As a kid, and now, he induced eyerolls and cringing along with smirks and laughter at his expense. But I am rambling, and, Gaston and his ilk hold no interest for me,. So, onward. I found a clip on Youtube of one of the saddest scenes in the movie, between the Beast and Belle.
I think the concept of letting a person go because it's better for that person (but it may destroy you) is noble but infinitely depressing. I think it's even more depressing if that letting go is done in a family situation, and not a romantic one. I don't have much more to say on the matter, at least, that I wish to say at this present time, and in this cryptic jumble of words.
Being shaken by emotional scenes shown in movies (or in theatre) does not always help a person keep their composure. And since those are all public activities, not everyone wants to put such private thoughts and feelings on display for everyone.
For those who tend to repress things, there is always the "Black Swan," slash, theatre person way of keeping on. "The show must go on," and all that. Pull together your facade, and don't let anyone else see everything shaking and cracking and avalanching that's behind it. If you're crying or devastated, once you're done shivering and remembering and feeling what it is like to be broken, you take a couple of deep breaths. Lift up your chin. And even out your base so it's perfect for your next scene.
The clip I posted below is a HUGE "Black Swan" spoiler (as well as very sad), but I did not post it because of the darkest portion of it. More how she is resilient in spite of it, and Gaga style, decides to "Marry the Night" and ignore how she physically and emotionally feels. Perhaps not the best decision, but it shows determination. In any case, a similar determination can come through when forcing one's self to calm down, get over it, and not break down in front of anyone.
Or, in other words... I think I'll quote a passage written by Jacob Clifton (of TelevisionWithoutPity), from a Season 2 "Gossip Girl Recap." Only to demonstrate what I speak of with all these cryptic comments about something bothering or hurting you, only to force yourself to not be so hurt or so bothered. Video not embeddable by request, but it's 1:30-2:22 I refer to, and that his words refer to as well:
"Now, everybody thinks I enjoy these moments of total horror ... the truth is: I have not gotten this far in life by paying a single gram of attention to my own personal dark shit.
I firmly believe in pushing those feelings down, down, down, to a place they can never get between me and success.
In this way, feelings are just like carbohydrates, and I like them that way, and I will write about them until I am blue in the face, but never mistake that for enjoyment.
Feelings never got you anywhere except the Land of More Fucking Feelings, and much like ... any other cult, that's a journey of a thousand miles that starts with a single step. No thank you, sir or madam, I prefer life here on this side of the line...
So when I say that Miss Blair is headed upstairs to pull a serious Allie Sheedy on herself, I don't expect you to understand... This is how you grow up and become an adult, no matter how young you are or how much love you deserve, no matter how much the rest of the world is throwing themselves on the road to prove that you are enough, you will always be enough, exactly who you are is enough:
First you look yourself in the eye, and you just command yourself not to feel... Give yourself into tears, but never let them fall. Watch yourself in the mirror, having the memory of feeling, the dry and tearless echo of a fear and a pain and a heartbreak.
Good: you're shaking, your body says it's sobbing. But your eyes are dry.
Give into it -- not too much, not too little, not enough -- and when you're done rehearsing what you would feel if you could feel, you stare that wooden thing in the mirror down, and choose a face, and live there.
I command myself to be stronger than I thought I could be.
"Were you going to tell me you love me again?" he said; "Were you going to tell me you love me again?" he said.
I command myself to be stronger than my weakness.
Watch your skin go cold...
If you can never be enough, then you don't have to try at all.
Be nothing at all; beyond the burlesque is the place of the naked, and beyond that place is everything there ever was.
Become a blank slate... Shudder and gasp for air and become something new.
This veered largely off course. Started with my love for a childhood film being re-exposed to me, then went around into repression and pushing down feelings because of said film evoking sadness, and then ended with me quoting a writer whose work I love, and whose work I only know because of poignant and hilarious television recaps.
To end this on a light note, I'll include a funny video I saw a few months ago: what happens when Belle is even fiercer than usual, and having to suffer through her provincial existence. "Hey girl --!!" "I told you it was a wiiiiiiiig!" "Nice try, ho!" And, so forth.
