Monday, June 2, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Friday night drawing workshop
Whenever workshop night comes around, I always have a big inner debate over whether to go or not. Expense/time versus getting more assigned work done. Also, who the model is, what live musicians play that night and whether anyone I know or not shows up all play a big part into whether going is worth it or not. In short, I overthink this way too much. I should just go draw with other artists, in a beautiful old building, while listening to free live music, whether I initially feel like it or not. Because, afterwards, I'm always glad I went.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
III Jornadas Profesionales Para Ilustradores
Went to this year's illustrator/designer conference at the Feria del Libro here in Buenos Aires. I thought I might as well just to see if there would be any work possibilities for an artist from the U.S like me. Though I felt somewhat strange about it, as if other illustrators there must be wondering why is she looking for work here--work which should rightly go to an Argentinian? But whenever that thought would pop up I would simply remind myself how they would only be too happy to work with U.S. publishers if they could. No barriers, no borders no more.
Except, maybe, for the barrier of language. My Spanish is still at the most basic level and I had to fully listen and concentrate, during the lectures, to grasp what the speaker was saying. Even so, exchanging notes later with my friend, Andrea, it was frustrating to see how much I had missed.
So when we all got the chance to sit down and share our portfolios with industry veterans (in my case, the owner of an animation studio) I was really nervous. What if he/she spoke no english? What if they asked me something that went beyond what my meagre Spanish skills could answer?
(Talk by Brazilian author and illustrator Ziraldo)
Luckily, the person I sat down with not only spoke excellent English but seemed to really like my work. She asked about my animation, as well, but at this point in my career (though I still dream up ideas for animated shorts) I would rather do concepts or paint backgrounds.
One huge drawback about living here, by the way, is the cost of books. I got one paperback, at the feria, for a whopping $225AR (about $21 US). And all the gorgeous art books on this table averaged at $750AR. But, I suppose, at least this inhibits impulse buying.
The cult of Evita.
One of the best things about attending the conference was getting to browse the entire feria without the crowds.
Overall, I was really glad to meet and see the work of so many up and coming illustrators. They strike me as completely dedicated and hungry to succeed. I'm sure some future superstars are among them.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Artist Field Trip
Some artist friends and I (Andrea Toledo, Jesica Cichero, David Pugliese) visited with animation BG painter and illustrator Nestor Taylor in his studio in Bernal, Buenos Aires.
Jesica Cichero - http://swingingcreature.blogspot.com.ar/
David Pugliese - http://www.davidpugliese.com
Andrea Toledo - http://andi-caricaturas.blogspot.com.ar
Hernan Flores - http://www.hernanfloresilustraciones.com/galeria-de-imagenes
Nestor Taylor - http://fondosdeanimacion.blogspot.com.ar/
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Some works in progress from my current book project.
From the third, and alas, final DemiChat mystery -
Thursday, February 6, 2014
New work, new series
I'm working on a new set of character designs inspired by remarkable women from U.S. history.
The idea for it was sparked by an upcoming group show I will be participating in here in Buenos Aires, at the Alliance Francaise in which the theme is women.
That being such a big, broad theme, I began to wonder, hmm, what do I want to say about women?
For a start, what has been happening to women's rights around the world really bothers me. And, if nothing else, I would like to remind as many people as I can how bravely women have worked to advance women's rights. And it can be terrifying and infuriating to see how some people will do anything to squeeze us back into their confining little boxes in order to feel safe in what religion, politicians and mainstream media keep telling us is an unsafe world.
And, though we've been taught to always expect a progressive march forward. If you look through history, for example the rise of the merchant class and the increase in women's rights that accompanied it (following the Black Death around 1348 - 1350) during middle ages, and then the depressing slide backwards when the powers that be said, Hey, this is all wrong! one sees how it is quite possible for a powerful minority to force society back to what they consider a more comfortable status quo.
I don't know what will happen. And, the pessimistic side of me thinks, I'm just one artist. Also, what's the point of signing petitions, or protesting, or voting, for that matter? What difference does any of it make?
But, consider when our collective No Way To War in Syria actually prevented us from going into yet another useless war? Contrast that to 2001 right before we invaded Iraq. When the majority of us still believed mainstream media.
It does make a difference though it's effectiveness can be hard to gage. Alone, my artwork, my viewpoints have no impact. But in reaching out and sharing, who knows? Skies the limit.
It does make a difference though it's effectiveness can be hard to gage. Alone, my artwork, my viewpoints have no impact. But in reaching out and sharing, who knows? Skies the limit.
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