Can't take it

I have to vent, before my art suffers for all of eternity.

We all know that I'm a receptionist. And some would argue that my whole entire job is to answer phones- which in and of itself should be the easiest thing in the world, right?

Ok, well let's put into place- the other part of this "answering phones is your only job" scenario. Technically this "easiest job" only entails me to transfer calls to the corresponding department. I know nothing else, other than the name of the company, our address, our phone number and our fax number...I may even know the office business hours- but I don't know individual's lunch schedules or their specific hours.

I ask you, Joe Q. Public, why you find it necessary to take out all of your anger and frustration and sarcastic remarks on the first person to answer the phone?

Today, I have taken, no less than 26 snotty calls, from either people who refuse to tell me who they are, but demand to speak to someone with in the company who is in a meeting, or ask who just called them- of the 60 employees that work here (how is the receptionist going to know that, unless they themselves, made that phone call?). And the option for voicemail isn't mandatory, but I like to throw that out there to be nice. If I ask you if you would like to leave a voicemail for the unreachable- all you have to do is say yes or no. There is really no need to reply with "well if they aren't available, why would I leave them a message?" to which I would love to reply- because they are waiting for an answer- but don't want to get fired "well this is a place of business, where we do business like things- which means most of the time people you want to get a hold of are going to be in a meeting or working on a project. Maybe you should be doing the same thing, instead of harassing a receptionist."

I mean honestly. When I was a teenager, I worked in several jobs that required me to have some level of customer service. Between people attempting to rip stores off, or the insanity of some shoppers that will scream at the youngest of employees for the smallest thing- I completely understand why today's generation have the "I really don't care what you need" attitude. Because adults and even people my age (26) have made it impossible to be nice to anyone. There's no need for yelling. Being nice will get you much further than screaming at someone. I think this country, as a whole, needs to take one giant anger management class- and start honoring that golden rule "do unto others and you would want others to do unto you". Learn it. Live it. Love it.

With that said. I'm still kind to everyone who calls, to everyone who enters the building. I'll even grit my teeth and try not to leap across my desk, or thru the phone to slap some sense into the next arrogant jerk that says something they should know better than saying. I'll remain nice, when no one else in this world will be nice. However knowing that, please don't call me at work just to see if I'll get angry, because I'll probably just transfer you to the HR Manger...or the IT Manager, who will deal with your attitude way more rudely than I would.

Oh yeah- and my art man...it's just getting angrier and angrier looking- that's why I need to vent, so I can go draw some happy stuff. Harshness makes for dark and depressing lines. Happiness makes me be able to control all of it...

Here's a drawing I did last week...in the more subdued environment with less hatefulness.

My friend and former co-worker Bryan has an adorable daughter named Emily. I decided to swipe the photo up top off of his blog so I could draw her. Although in the process of drawing her, it made me realize I want to draw her full size...on nice paper...that I won't have to rip out of a sketchbook to give to the parents.

So yeah, my sketch...very unfinished. But I still kind of like it.

Completed drawing # 8 million 52

Ok, I really don't know what the exact number of this drawing is. I just really didn't want to say "completed drawing" again for a title.

It's called "Lexi and Snickers". I'm guessing the baby is Lexi and the dog is Snickers. Although I could have that completely backwards. Some people like snickers (the candy bar) enough to name their kids after it- I'm not the judge here(mainly because I'm one of those people who might actually name their first born after a candy-bar...if the mood struck me).

This one is a unique drawing. It's got a poem on it (yeah yeah, you aren't getting the close up of the poem). This is only the second one that I have done with writting on it. The first was a wedding present for a friend that had a poem on it. I don't advertise that I do this style. But this woman, just so happened to be a friend of that friend who got the wedding present- so she knew.

I don't even think I posted a picture of the other drawing. Shame on me, right? Oh well.

This was a fun drawing to work on. Cute Kid, Cute Dog. Sweet Poem. It was fun.

Introductions needed

Daisy May- this is the internet.

Internet Peoples- This is (was) Daisy May.

Yes, this photo is in black and white. I was taking a photography class my senior year and had to use the film. Granted she was a black and white pig. Anyway, this was me sneaking up to the pen where she was located. The other pigs hadn't quite caught on that I was standing at the gate. Daisy did. You can even see her sideways grin there.

I had another dream about pigs the other night. I think I just may have to go ahead and draw her cute little mug before I have any more pig dreams.

I'll post more goodness later.

unrelated- completely

#1. I found an actual photograph of my pig Daisy- I've been meaning to post it for all the world to see. If you were here right now, you could see it because I've taken a picture of the photo with my phone...and she's now my wallpaper. I had a dream last night that I had a pet potbelly pig- but it wasn't really a potbelly pig- she was full size, but she was just a baby with a green harness, and she followed me to work and just waited outside for me until work was done. She was really cute, and oinked a lot. Although my co-workers just kept laughing that I had a pet pig. Strangeness.

#2. I'm getting a lot of requests for drawings lately. Which is fantastic! But I can't help but wonder how this is happening all of a sudden. I mean yeah, I have a website, yeah, I've got window-clings, and jackets, and great friends and family who are spreading the word about the drawings and everything- but I'm so used to hearing "yeah, I'll contact you around Christmas time" that I just assumed I would have to stock pile my vacation time to use between the end of November and the beginning of December to accomidate all of these people. I'm just floored that everyone wants drawings...and NOW...not in 8 months! I'm a little more than excited about all of this, I just don't know how to express that other than blowing up into confetti.

#3. My computer blew up at work yesterday. I was sitting here, minding my own business, checking out TMZ.com attempting to find out if Dave Navarro was kissing a guy or a girl, when I hear a "zzzzzzzapp POP!" and everything quit...then smoke started billowing out of the computer, and I could smell burning electronics.
3a. Burning electronics Stink! The smell kind of made me want to throw up.

#4. So I've had a lot of free time at work (which yes means I should be working on all of those requests I was talking about- but the threat of rain has been every day this week, and I have no way to cover an 11" x 14" drawing tablet to transport from my car to the building, without getting the edges of the paper soaked- so it's been at home- no fear I spend no less than 3 hours a night working on these things- so I'm pretty much getting one drawing done a night), and I've discovered that I'm drawing a mermaid series. My sketchbook is covered with them. I know I said it was those Koi fish- but it's turned into Mermaids. So I think I'm going to have to do that somehow...make a series...digitally painted and post them. We'll see.

#5. I discovered the other day(yeah, I'm behind on the times- go ahead and laugh), that photobucket will print books of your photographs. Ok, I flipped out when I saw that. I'm so excited! What great publicity for ASBTSF, right???!!! Yeah, well- I haven't done it yet. But I thought it would be cool to scan all of my stuff in, or use the photos from my website to put in the book. Then sell them...or give them away (I'm really not even breaking even these days- everything I pay to have done for promotional stuff I give away...one of these days man...)

#6. Freaks and Geeks is quite possibly the best show that has ever been cancelled (2nd only to My So Called Life). I have been 1/2 watching it while drawing the last few nights and it is awesome (Netflix is fantastic, I'm just saying). I think when that was actually on the air I was watching Undeclared on the Fox network- which was also a great show.

#7. I hope my computer never blows up again- not having a computer for an afternoon and all morning makes me turn into a typing demon...and I just so happened to take it out on this blog.

Have a great weekened everyone!

photography anyone?

This weekend, was intense, to say the least. Friday morning I was woken up by my roommate screaming at me and Gonzo to get up "a tree fell on Dave's car!"

We went to see what the commotion was all about. Opening the door we saw a tree. That's pretty much all we could see from the doorway.

Once I actually put shoes on, I ventured to the road to find David's brand new Jetta sporting an awfully large hood ornament. He doesn't really like for me to refer to it as that, seeing as how now the situation isn't all that funny anymore.

Believe me, Friday morning, when we were both tired and our eyes were barely open- laughing was all we could do. We were even getting the people who were driving by and gaulkin at us to make frowny faces- as we would pout to see if they would give us any sympathy.

So while the whole mess, looks really bad (which in all actuality, it is)- we were making the most of it.

The tree seemed to be resting on the car more than anything. So we were like "Ok, it won't be all that bad, it's mostly the branches at the top of the car. No big deal, maybe some scratches and what-not- nothing major"

Yeah, that's not really what we found.

I can't even begin to tell you how
much these pictures don't show. While the car was driveable according to the tow-truck driver, it wasn't drivable for far distances.

Oh yeah, and David's birthday was Saturday. "Happy Birthday" says the tree "I'm taking out your mode of transportation"

So to all of you who emailed between Thursday night and Sunday afternoon- I appologize for not responding to your requests sooner. There was a tree crisis going on in the front yard that had to be dealt with...and quickly.

Fear not tree lovers- the trunk of the tree, and some of the branches will be crafted into some fine vases, bowls, and pens...perhaps some other crafty stuff- courtesy of my dad and the Hunt County Wood turners, who came to pick up the pieces of tree on Sunday.

something else entirely

Here's what I was going to blog about earlier:

My jackets came in!!!!Actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I really mentioned it before. I'm trying to be all...business- get the word out- savvy here. So I ordered up some memo pads, and pens, and window clings for my car, I've even got business cards. But hey, I thought "wouldn't it be great if I can promote myself with clothing?" When I first looked into doing this, it was a lot colder, and I'm cold natured anyway- so I always have a jacket or sweater on. So I ordered jackets to have the name of my company embroidered on them.The end result:I'm actually really shocked by how awesome these are. I think the flash on my camera made them look a little too shiny here. They are this great soft track jacket, made by American Apparel. But I didn't actually buy them from American Apparel. I got them from http://www.brokenarrowwear.com/ These guys are great. And based out of Des Moines Iowa, on a street that's one exit south of the greatest food you'll ever eat in your life (Machine Shed!)
Honestly though, I didn't know that's where they were located when I began looking into getting them done. But yeah. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these jackets.
The logo looks fantabulous! (Ok, that's not my logo, I haven't yet figured out how to make my logo work with embroidery, so it's just the name for now.) I was pretty worried that these were going to come back all whonkie because the sample image of what their embroidery looks like has all of these gaps and things...but they don't have any gaps! They look fantastic!
So if you happen to be Tania, my mom, my dad, David, Rena or myself you will be the proud new owners of a jacket that looks like this :) (as soon as I see you next) If you aren't one of the above mentioned, but have an interest in promoting my business by way of your clothing, shoot me an email and we can discuss.
I am looking into getting some t-shirts printed up. They will probably be unisex though, just so I can get the most bang for my buck. Although I can already hear my heart breaking because they have some really cute shirts online...I might attempt some prototypes first with iron on transfers...we'll see. (those might end up for sale on my website- stay tuned)
One last look before I go:

this little piggie went to market, this little piggie...

I don't know how many people read my blog, and so for that matter, I don't know how many people know where I'm from.

So let me start with that.I grew up in Southern Wisconsin, on a pig farm. I'm actually quiet proud of that fact. Growing up on a farm was possibly the best experience I think anyone can have.

(where am I going with this? You'll get it in a moment)

I had 2 pet pigs growing up. One, when I was in elementary school, was named Nosey. Quite frankly I've forgotten what this pig looked like, except for his nose. He (although I think "he" might have been a "she"...) was a curious pig. Instead of running to the back of the pin with the rest of the scared pigs, she would just hang out in the front, waiting to see if someone had something for her. It was great! The other, who I will explain in a minute, was named Daisy. I want to take this time to let you know that, although I grew up on a pig farm, I was terrified of any size pig that was bigger than 1 month old. They would get out of the pin's all the time and just start trotting up to anyone, or away from anyone (depending on temperment)- so for me to have a pet pig...was kind of crazy(I always thought they would bite or trample me to death...silly me). Nosey, was a baby, I'm talking maybe weighed in at 25lbs. Maybe. I lost sight of that pig somewhere in a barn shuffle (baby pigs being moved to bigger pins to finish out there time on the farm...sad ending, I'm not going there), and I missed the pig until the barn cats had a litter of kittens, so I went to stake my claim to a newborn kitten.

After the heartache of losing a dear friend (Nosey), it was a long time before I wanted a new pig for a pet.

Then, when I was a Senior in High School, along came a deformed pig that my dad and uncle couldn't sell at market! To me, she didn't look deformed at all. She had a beautiful upturned nose and sweet as could be eyes. She was perfect (the nose was what was deformed...for that bread anyway). I went out to the barn, almost everyday, to pet her, and show her attention. The other pigs were always scared of me. I should have been scared of her, because she was a pretty big pig. Granted a runt for that barn, but she was way bigger than Nosey. I named her Daisy...not because of the smell...but because she was as beautiful as a daisy in spring time. She was probably the most gentle pig I have ever known. One day I came home from school and went to pet Daisy and she wasn't there. I didn't have to ask what happened, I knew. But I went ahead and asked anyway. There was enough room on the truck that was going to market, that they needed 1 more pig to fill it...so they took Daisy.

Crushed by that, and still to this day, missing my pet pig Daisy- I often times go places and see figurines of pigs, or stuffed pig animals and get all excited because of my memories of my sweet Daisy.

So I went ahead an asked an artist that I know to make me a pig sculpture. She's extremely talented and listed in my links as "Deanna". She's great, and says she has an idea for the sculpture. I can't wait to see what it looks like!

And so, in honor of her saying that she would make a pig sculpture for me, I was sitting here at work, feeling the need to draw a pig:

Of course this looks nothing like either of my 2 pet pigs...but it's cute non-the-less.
I actually wanted to post about something else entirely, but I don't have the pictures with me to post...so it'll have to wait until another time.

Have you seen my sock?

Like I said, I've been creating some "sock creatures" So I feel the need to post it...because I went home on my lunch break and took these photos:

This here is Tyrone. He was the first one I ever did. You can probably tell that...or not. I would like to go back and give him some better eyes, but whatever.
From the side you can see that he's got 2 horn/pig tail things, and a tail...

Below is Mortimer. I use that name a lot, I don't know why, but I like it. I call this guy "Mort" for short. He actually has a conjoined twin on his back:

(The one with the long ears) Trudy is her name. Her face just happens to be Mortimer's butt...or is his face her butt? Ok, I don't know. All I know is this was a complete accident. It wasn't supposed to be 2 in one, but crazy things happen people. Maybe if the sock circus comes to town these 2 will join...we'll see.

(Below) Stubbs. I think. I had a name for this guy, and I can't for the life of me remember what it was. So I'm calling him Stubbs right now. Maybe it was Stumpy...Ah well.

I love this one. Maybe it's the small hands and small feet and goofy smile. I don't know, but it's my favorite (shhh don't tell the others- I don't need them leading a revolt in my living room)

Below, is "No Nonsense Nancy". I wish I had taken a picture of her back...between her ears it actually says, in pink, "No Nonsense"- it was the brand of socks I used. But yeah, she didn't actually have a name until yesterday. I've had her for about 3 months and she's just been sitting there...so lonely and feeling unimportant without a name. Now she has one.

And so brings me to what I did yesterday. Actually I guess it began on Saturday. While out furniture shopping with my mom, we couldn't resist going into Joann's fabrics. (Put me in a craft/hobby store and I won't come out for at least 2 hours) At checkout time, they have a wall of books and magazines, which I usually skip, but my mom gravitates to. While she's standing there I see this sticking out of the rack of books:

I flipped out when I saw it. I was so excited! Plus there are some super cute patterns for making your own sock creatures...one in particular intrigued me to no end, so I had to make it yesterday:

I dubbed her "Suzy" I said her rap name could be "sock strippy stripes"...but I think I changed her name at lunch to "Suzy Stripes". I like her because she's got 4 legs (although you really can't see them all...) and 4 arms. Plus, she's got bows in her hair...how badass is that?

But yeah.

I have another one. One which my boyfriend loves...I'll post pictures once I have finished the ensemble of the entire sock...thing.

If I make any more of these guys I'll definitly try to remember to post pictures.

Completed yet not completed

Ok, so the back 1/2 of the dog you saw earlier, is now a full dog. All the fur detail is done, but as you can see, the nose is darker than everything else.

Soooo....I'm going back and darkening up the rest of the body and parts of the eyes- just to make the whole thing pop.

Once it's finished I may post it up again...or you can go to my website's gallery to see it: www.ashadebetterthanstickfigures.com

Anyway, I expect that later today I may have some pictures of the sock creatures I've done. I hadn't realized I have neither posted pictures, or taken any pictures of them. I'm an idiot! Due to a request from a friend to see pictures, I have to go take pictures to show her, so I better post them here. I may or may not start selling them on my website. There is a garage sale my boyfriends family is going to be having in 2 weeks that I might attempt to sell them at. I don't know though. I'll need feedback on them to see if anyone would be interested.

A little of this...a little of that...

Last week, on Friday, I was in a spirited mood. It wasn't a shabby Friday- so I was drawing. This drawing (left) was a little something I began drawing in my sketchbook, because #1. I couldn't get the Cindy Lauper song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" out of my head (I heard it on the 80's lunch hour on the radio that afternoon.) and #2. Because I'm such a wanna be- I had been looking thru the titles on drawergeeks.com for ideas to draw...one of them happened to be "Ragidy Ann and Andy". So yeah. That's what resulted.

And the other picture up there (right), is what I have done so far on the dog drawing I mentioned last week (11" x 14" paper). I plan on working on it today, depending on how much work they give me.

Sorry for the dark square in the bottom corner of "Girls just wanna have fun"...I don't carry a scanner with me to work, so I've been taking pictures with my camera and downloading them to my computer for fast results.

The Eyes are on you...but not in a creepy way

Yesterday, while working (because that and drawing are all that I really do)- I drew an eye in my sketchbook.

If you know me, or have worked with me- you know that I tend to draw just one, single eye, on a sticky note and hang it in my cubicle- whereever that may be. I know, a little weird, but it's what I do. I don't even understand why I do it, so really- don't ask me "why?". But here, as the receptionist, my desk is slightly weird (meaning no real place to hang a post-it to where it's only facing me and not everyone who walks in), plus everyday someone different relieves me for lunch (think of all the "why?" questions)- so I DON'T have that one eye on a sticky note just hanging out...here (meaning I'm at work typing this...ssssshhhh, don't tell my boss. Who am I kidding, my boss just walked by and saw me on here...I love this place!)

But yeah, that one eye, turned into a crap-ton of eyes- to which I added even more to today...and then began to shade them in, with my trusty 2b pencil. It's no where close to finished, and as you can tell...from 8am until 1:24pm if all I've accomplished is 14 completed eyes, then I am actually doing some work at some point in time...

I'll post it again once it's finished.

On another drawing note, I received in some pictures for a commissioned drawing last night. It's a dog! I'm excited. This weekend will be full of fur drawing madness! (well after furniture shopping with my mom on saturday...then it will be all the fur my hand can whip out!)

I'm eagerly awaiting some other photos for another drawing of a Grandma in Heaven with her 2 granddaughters. The story is really touching and sad, and really reminds me of my grandma who passed away in the fall of 2006. Similar circumstances as to timing of when someone died and when someone was born.

Anyway, I did have a digital picture of the outline of the dog...what I've drawn on it so far, but it's so light you can't see it on here. I'll have to wait until more fur is in place to post on it.

Oye! So glad it's Friday!!!

sketches for the bored

I just had a smathering of junk typed up here...and I've deleted it now. So you can't read it.
But I do have some sketches from my sketchbook to show you. I'm pretty sure that I've mentioned I've been keeping a sketchbook, to draw in, daily-if it so pleases me. That's exactly what I've been doing- everyday at work...pretty much.
Here are just a few:

These are my goldfish friends, who keep popping up probably every other page.

I did this one, and decided that it would look nice painted in photoshop. I've yet to get it there. But once I drew this, I did decide to start painting a group of 3 Koi in acrylic on canvas.

I know I mentioned that already, but it's worth repeating (if for nothing else, than to remind myself that I really need to get back to working on that, and stop goofing off after work.)
The other day, when I was leaving the house to go to work, as I was driving down the driveway, I thought I saw an old woman hunched over like this in front of a house across the street. Granted I was looking over my right shoulder checking for cars, and I saw it out of the very corner of my eye. It turned out to be some weird shrub outside of the neighbors front door...So I thought I would bring the old lady to life. Shortly there-after I almost hit a cat that was lazily walking across the street, in the exact location where I hit a squirrel last week. I'm still sad about hitting the squirrel. But the stupid thing ran under my car as I was doing 35mph. And when I say "ran under my car" I mean he waited, until my back tire was ontop of him to attempt to sprint. The cat however didn't meet such an unfortunate fate, I slowed and let him pass. Stupid cat. Walking all nonchalantly across the stupid street.

As I said earlier, I draw at work, and I tend to call it "doodeling" when co-workers ask me "what are you drawing"...to keep their prying eyes out of my business. So the other day, saying "oh, I'm just doodeling", didn't work so well with one of my nosy co-workers. He still wanted to see what I was drawing. It just so happened to be my exhausted princess, chilling out on a lounge chair. You know, I added the rug because I wasn't doing anything else productive at work. She doesn't have any eyebrows, which really bothers me, and I'm not quite sure why...


Have you noticed an aquatic theme here? I don't know what's up with all the Koi and mermaids lately, but they won't leave. Not that I want them to. If they want to swim around whenever I put my pencil down, that's fantastic!

But yeah, this one I like to think of a mermaid not being happy with sea-life, and just wanting to take off...she's got a baby mermaid too, I haven't decided if it's her baby, or if she stole it. There really could be a whole story here- I just don't want it to get all "Little Mermaid" on me, because every time I think of mermaids, that's what I think of.

Oh yeah, in case you can't tell, that's a fisherman's net full of fish she's holding on to. And those are bubbles, not drops of water. It just dawned on me that it looks like water droplets, instead of bubbles....dang it! Maybe I'll photoshop this one a little...or re-do it in some sort of sweet painting style...we'll see, my list of photoshop drawings is growing faster than I have time to crank them out.

I have more to share, but due to the sensitivity of their nature, I can't post them. Ok, that's not entirely true. I'm greedy, and don't yet want to share some of them with you- because...well...I'm working on a story, and they just so happen to be possibly characters. Once I get more comfortable with having them out there...for all of the web to see, then I'll see about posting them. But not until then. (or if I run out of stuff to draw and post....you know, cause that might happen)

Because I like to Taunt you...

hahahahaha. Oh yes. I have no pictures today. Just a note about what I am currently working on, to purhaps spark an interest in anyone who is reading.
That back-flipping mermaid from 3 posts ago, is now appearing in photoshop. She's getting some color added to her grey graphic outline. No promise as to when you can expect to see that up here, but I am working on it.
A few nights ago I began an acrylic painting of some Koi fish. Much like the 3 pictured 3 posts ago. So far, only the background color has been painted. But rest assured, it's sitting on my drawing table, starring me in the face every day- so I'm not going to forget to go back to it.
I'm also awaiting the arrival of some photos for a commissioned piece- of a dog. That one won't take as long as these other ones- because we all know money talks.
That sounded bad.
I do love to do art work. However, when it's for my own enjoyment (back-flipping mermaid, and painted-Koi), I tend to take awhile, because...well...I don't like finishing my stuff. I like to always feel like something needs to be done. Whereas, the commissioned pieces- people want their stuff, and I've got deadlines I've promised. So those go out, lickedy-split.
I do need to scan some of the images in from my sketchbook, so you can see, that I have been drawing every weekday since the last week of March.

Props to my Pops

Last weekend I went to visit my parents. I've got to give it to them, my crafty side comes from a combination of the two of them. My mom used to draw when she was younger, she can knit, crochet, and sew...currently she's a member of some quilting circle, and keeps showing me neat tricks for sewing (I'll post up some of that stuff later). But my dad...man, he's crazy! He carves wood. He's a member of the Hunt County Wood Turners, every weekend it seems, he's out carving pens somewhere for something. He makes a lot of really sweet looking stuff (not just pens, but bowls, potpouri holders, candle holders, bottle stoppers, etc. etc. If you can think of it, I'm sure he would attempt it. He's even made beer tap handles for my boyfriends work). So whenever he shows me a new creation, it's really no big surprise that he could come up with it, he's just that talented.
But last weekend...he shocked me. He once built me a 2D Animation Table (like that but no legs...and no black around the circle) while I was going to The Art Institute. This really shouldn't have shocked me I guess, but it did.
I saw THIS laying in the floor, next to all of my moms craft stuff, and I was like "did your scanner break?"
"Nope, look in it" they replied.
I opened the lid. In it was THIS. I just stared at it. GENIOUS!
Basically, my dad took all the guts out of the scanner and placing a light inside, because yes, the scanner did crap out when they moved to Texas. So with there really not being any electronic use for the thing, why not make it into a light box?
I've seen posts on various forums talking about taking the glass from a scanner out to make a light box...but this is an all in one. Only junk the bad part...not the whole thing. Plus, with the closing lid, you can keep the glass clean in between uses. OMG! Genious I tell you!!!

So if any of you out there, need a quick way to make an animation table get you one of these- glue it to the glass, or even part of the scanner under the lid, replace the inside of the scanner with a light- and you're good to go! I think it may work a little better as a light box...not an animation table, but hey! You work with what you can afford, right?

The Greatest Person EVER!

I just want to take the time, in this post- to Personally thank Tania. She is one of the greatest friends I know. She took it upon herself to figure out what was wrong with my website, and find out how to fix it, for me...Way to be pro-active!

She's fantastic! (I know I thanked you already in person...but a blog just sums it up more)

Seriously girl, that was really badass of you! Now I can view it at work, you can view it at work, heck, even my mom can view it at work! I'm so thrilled! You have no idea!!! I think if it hadn't been for you doing all of the leg work, my site would be doomed to only being viewable at peoples homes. It's great.

Now I can find things wrong with it at work, and go home and fix it :) (much like the watermarking issues that you pointed out).

THANK YOU TANIA! You are the greatest friend on the planet! You ROCK!

Oh yeah- The site...because I haven't mentioned it enough... www.ashadebetterthanstickfigures.com BooYah!

happy dance, happy dance!!!

sketches, oh sketches

Back flipping Mermaid-
I'm on a fish kick...or maybe it's a zero gravity kick...I really don't know.

I don't even know if you can really tell that this is a back flipping mermaid or not. I'm going to paint it in photoshop so that should help it out a bit.





See what I'm saying about being on a fish kick?

This was the second drawing I did last week that had fins in it. The mermaid was the 3rd.

I think this all spawned from seeing a friends' cell phone charm. She has a Koi fish made of metal or something that she had with her when we went to Houston and I just kept thinking how pretty Koi are, and how much I haven't thought of them as a subject for a drawing because I'm completely oblivious.

Sorry Mr. D- I've done you wrong. BE OBSERVANT he always said. And he wasn't kidding. I need to be more observant. These fish are out of my head, I didn't look at anything to draw them...so...well, they all remind me of the 3 eyed fish from The Simpsons.

And here's the first one that started it all.
I started a sketchbook journal. I actually found the one that I started back in 2005, and just started drawing where I left off. I guess in 2005 I had made a New Years Resolution to draw everyday. I drew 2 days in a row...then didn't draw for 4 days, then drew one day...then I didn't have anything. It's great to see that I failed. I'm not holding myself to everyday.

As long as I draw, when I feel the need, then I don't see it as failing. I usually draw when I feel the need to write something. So it happened like everyday last week. I didn't post them all, because some of them were just in blue pencil and my scanner didn't pick it up. So you get the ones that at least have an outline.

I do intend to paint all of these in Photoshop...or perhaps I'll do larger versions on canvas and paint in acrylic. We'll see how it goes.

Scanning adventures

Ok, so this actually happened 2 days ago, but I'm going to pretend like it happened last night, since I said I was going to scan some stuff in, according to my post from last night anyway.

So for years, I have been a Microsoft/Windows girl. (ok, well in all honesty, in High School I thought computers were cheating, and shouldn't be touched with a 10 foot pole- I have since grown up and gotten with the program) My first computer was a Sony Viao laptop (I don't even know if I spelled that right, that's how long it's been)- and it wasn't even capable of handling any kind of internet that went faster than dial up (you know, pre 2000 dial up). While I was at the Art Institute, I purchased a rediculously expensive Gateway computer, that was supposed to be able to support any and every program known to man...and the sales man (never trust them) promised me it wouldn't be inferrior to anything else that came out for the next 5 years. The next month Gateway closed all of it's stores, and they had an even more badass computer sitting at Best Buy. Yeah, I'm a genious.
After getting...oh I don't know...50 or so viruses on my Gateway, I had had enough. So I recently purchased a Mac Book Pro. I'm not a mac girl. Well I am now, but purchasing it, I wasn't. Mac's are for all those hip kids that know what they're doing (or the simple minded, take your pick). The interface is so easy to use, that I find myself over-thinking things- and when I try to install a program, when it says "drag the icon to the desk top" I assume there are 10 steps after that to make sure the program is installed- so you can imagine my shock when the icon is on the desktop- AND IT ACTUALLY OPENS THE PROGRAM.

This leads me to "last night". (read first paragraph for explination of the use of " and ") I have a printer, that I've had for the last 2 years or so. It's been nicely attached to my virus eaten desktop (gateway- you suck!)- it is so new, that just by plugging the USB cord into my USB port on my mac- allows me to print. Just THAT EASY! So I assumed that my scanner would do the same thing.

Yeah not so much. (how do we spell assume???)

My computer wouldn't even recognize that anything was plugged in. Me of course living with an IT guy, felt that I should know some IT stuff, because if I'm sharing space with the IT guy, osmosis should take effect, right? Plus, I'm dating a guy who is also IT savey. (ok, the truth is, I ask those 2 for way too much help with my electronics, surely I can figure out how to get my scanner working, without buying a new one)

So I'm sitting there, just me, my laptop, and my scanner. I know David (boyfriend IT) has mentioned before about downloading drivers to get things to work. So I went searching on the glorious thing we call the internet. I found one. FANTASTIC! So I download it. I install it. I plug the scanner in. IT MAKES THE CALIBRATING SOUND!!! I was over joyed. But then I was like "um, wait- there should be a program opening with this". I can't just hit the scan button on the scanner...because it doesn't do anything.

So now I make a mad dash around my living area (keep in mind, I've lived at this place for 14 months now and STILL have boxes full of crap from when I moved), I'm going thru boxes left and right, then finally I find the label that I had stuck to my "computer, CDs, and other electronic crap" box. I found the label, not the box. So I had to attempt to find the unlabeled box.

Found it. Burried in the bottom is a CD for the scanner (keep in mind I've had 3 of these scanners, so I had to deduce that this was the correct scanner installer CD)

So I go to load it, and it loads. Everything loads and installs. I started doing a happy dance. I'M A GENIOUS!!! Then, I plugged in the scanner. ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! An Error message pops up, telling me that a driver is incorrect or missing. Happy dance ends.

I sit there, thinking- and actually saying outloud to no one-"I knew I should have waited for David, or at the very least Greg" (Greg=IT roommate) I felt like a failure. That's what I get for buying a Mac. They make you feel so smart, and then you go and ruin the computer.

Ok, well all was not lost, and I had everything figured out in my head by the time David got there, who then just did exactly what I said- and POOF- it worked (you know, the whole installing the updated driver before installing the actual software does cause problems there amber...maybe you should have done that in reverse order...so much for my genious status). I'm beginning to think my High School self had it right. Computers are cheating. My work computer cheats at Solitaire every day. Then again, it is a Windows machine.

So you should have more pretty sketches to look at before the end of the weekend. I say should, because if the scanner is working, the only things that will prevent me from posting them is my laziness, or if I decide to flee town for the weekend. Hopefully neither occurs.

new drawing

Hopefully this actually shows up...I just finished this.
A co-worker commissioned me to draw this portrait...and 2 others previously.
I think of the 3 that I've done, this one is the best so far.

I've got some sketches that I need to scan and post up. Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend to get an appropriate update in...as I won't be leaving town. Not that I know of so far.

The Naked Post

HA! Had to start you off slow here. . .

All of these drawings were done while I was attending The Art Institute of Dallas.
This first one, of the sleeping guy- yeah, he was fully naked, but lets just say after he plopped down in a chair facing me, spread eagle, I changed the position of my drawing tablet and proceeded to just draw his face.
I think I probably turned 8 shades of embarrassed when he sat down.

Drawing class was always interesting, and actually really fun. I learned alot from those classes.





This guy was naked for all of our drawing classes. I have sketches of him- more naked, but none that were that great looking- so I'm posting this instead.

The class for this one, was done outside of the building, so the guy wasn't naked, he was fully clothed, and it was cold and windy outside...hence his jacket, and wind-blown hair. He was a great model. Very personable, and never made the artists feel weird.

I think he still models at AID, I'm not sure though. I used to see him when I worked at The Angelika movie theater, and that was always a little awkward.








This is one of 2 female models that were in the classes. She's the only one I have any really good drawings of.


The teacher for this class had a Scottish accent and was full of himself. He was rather irritating, but it turned out I've worked with a lot of people like him, which is really sad, because their always the people at the top of the companies.





And here she is again. She complained about this drawing when she took a break from sitting.

In my defense- models move...they don't stay in one place, so sometimes it's really hard to get the proportions of everything correct.


This girl was extremely pretty, and one of the guys in my class, I remember, had the hugest crush on her, and he refused to draw her body- out of respect to her, so he would sit there for 3 hours and just draw her face. The same day she told me she didn't like this drawing, she also told that guy that she didn't look anything like his drawing, and she was offended that he wasn't drawing her correctly. He was so upset, I think he actually ended up dropping that class.




I honestly don't remember drawing this one. I think it might have been the first one I did. I just remember the guys in that first drawing class being all giggly and retarded about it. "Oh my god, a naked chick!"...and then when the next class was a naked guy they would all flip out and couldn't figure out what part of the model they could draw without feeling weird.

I actually kind of miss the Life Drawing classes. It was always entertaining, and I learned a crap ton about proportion, and a lot about the human anatomy. It's fun to learn how muscles work.

Drawing group anyone???

So, between phone calls, entering in invoices and what not- I surf the web...while at work. Lately I've been wanting to join at "group"- you know, for social interaction, and to make a few new good friends. I thought about joining a knitting group, but then realized most of the women that attend those meetings (minus the badass, but never could quite get it together, group at DNA during lunch hours), will all some how resemble my mom- or have 10 kids, and want to share pictures. No offense people with kids, or older females...I really want to learn how to knit with people my own age. (I know I can learn a lot from older people- but it's something of a "bonding" thing that I'm craving- a need for new friends...my age!- or at least a few years younger and up to 10 years older...I don't have a whole lot in common with 50 year olds...other than knitting.)

And then I thought- "Hey, I should join a drawing group"...so I looked on google, and most of the groups that were listed have all since been disbanded, or don't meet anymore. FANTASTIC! Then I looked up "sketch artist DFW area" (because I've also been toying with the idea of looking into becoming a sketch artist for a police department...because, well...some of those sketched portraits that have been shown on the news lately are appalling, and are beginning to look more and more like aliens from outer space), and up pops this group, that I know people from. http://www.dallassketchgroup.blogspot.com/ Holy crap! I went to college with at least 2 of these people! So I'm thinking "sweet!" But then I read the blurb at the top and I'm like "damn it!", it says industry people and students, which currently I am neither. It's great to see that I'm such a dissappointment to my college degree!!!

So basically, I feel like an idiot trying to join up with a group that's industry people and students. It's not even the fact that I'm not in the industry doing "something" with my degree. I just feel like I'd be stepping on toes and they'd be all like "hey, your that girl from AID...so...drawing huh?" I don't know, the whole awkwardness of it all just makes my skin crawl. But it's people I know, so it should be comfortable, right?

It's just a difficult decision. I want some new friends. Friends who share the same interests that I do. I think I have one good friend who has almost everything in common with me, and then a whole bunch of my boyfriends friends...who are cool, don't get me wrong- but they're his friends, so no need to go stepping on those toes. Maybe I should start my own group...

I have no idea where we could meet. But I provide some great company, and I'm totally cool if you need to cancel (because let's face it, I've been cancelling on some of my friends for the last 6 months...because I'm a loner). In fact, I need to cancel this weeks meeting, because...well..just because.

No seriously, If anyone is out there, anywhere, who wants to join a drawing group, let me know- even if it has to be a blog posting (like a weekly art posting), then fine- it's something. It's interaction, and motivation. Crafters are welcome to share their knowledge...and you know what, it doesn't matter what age, if you're able to create something...BRING IT ON! Comment, or send me an email: ASBTSF@gmail.com

Thanks for reading.