He's done!!

YES!!

Right click, view image to enlarge.

I wish I could show you all of him, because he's very detailed, but the file is like 104 MB. Flattened. Yeah, I'm gonna need that external hard drive.

He just needs to be mounted on matboard and he's so finished.

I thought the black background looked pretty good, but the professor said it wasn't working. He said that it would be ok if Disney had some rocket ship and blasted him into outer space and he was floating out there (you'd have to know my professor .. ) SO .. I put him in an environment.

Paul suggested I put him in hell, and I agreed. Because I've worked on it so much I am ready to tell Pooh to go to hell.

But, instead I chose him to sit up against a sponge-painted wall, on a desk.

Like it? =)

I'm happy with it.

White Pumpkins.

These are really cool!

CHICAGO AP - These pumpkins look like something scared THEM. Eerie-looking white pumpkins — naturally white, not painted — are finding their way into more and more homes this Halloween season.

The albinos are called Ghost pumpkins, Snowballs, Luminas or Caspers — presumably a reference to the friendly ghost. And the ones about the size of a baseball? Baby Boos.

Almost Done!!

You might not be able to see a huge difference between the last one and this one, but I did add some things and make some changes.

Right Click, View Image to see more detail.

I'm ready to be done with him! I'm hoping tomorrow to print & mount after I make just some small adjustments around his body outline.

Critique is Wednesday.

HaHa ..

Right click, View Image to enlarge.

Pooh 2

He's getting better I think. Keep in mind this is saved on a really low quality though, so he looks a little fuzzier than he really is.

After showing the stuffed animal to Paul, he showed me how Pooh had a much bigger nose than what I had originally drawn. Although far from perfect I do think this makes his face look better than it did.

Also, after much staring I noticed that Pooh's face is more gold, while his stomach and the insides of his ears were more beige.

I think it helped!

I just need to add more lowlights around his stomach and legs, lighten the fur on his stomach, add more fur to the light parts of his ears, and fix the stroke around "Tigger" on his stomach. Not sure what happened there really .. I didn't change anything.

Pooh: Before and During

I can't quite show an after pic yet because he's not done .. but I can show you how god awful he looked when I first started, and where I am now. Pooh dressed up as Tigger for Halloween 1999, handpainted in Photoshop after a real beanie stuffed animal that I have.

It's due Wednesday.

I'm really happy with his body and hoodie, and his "fur".

I'm really unhappy with how his facial features look so unrealistic.

Anyway, it's getting there. Check them out.

Before:



and During:

A buzzword I'm sick of.

a·ware ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-wâr)
adj.

1. Having knowledge or cognizance: aware of the difference between the two versions; became aware of faint sound.
2. Archaic. Vigilant; watchful.

* * *

A buzzword I've been hearing a lot of lately is the word "awareness."

More than that, it's been all about "creating awareness."

I'm sick to death of hearing it. It's misused and it's overused.

In terms of my job, I interview a lot of people doing a wide array of "awareness creating."

Me: "So, what do you hope to accomplish with this event/gathering/meeting, etc. ?"

Them: "Well, we are just trying to create awareness .. "

Usually, the subject they are trying to "create awareness" about is something that has been pounded into the ground for years, perhaps even decades. In some rare cases, perhaps even centuries!

I don't know about you, but I'm fully aware that there are hungry people in the world. I'm aware that terminally ill folks do not always have proper health care coverage. I'm aware that there are soldiers dying at the rate of one per day in Iraq. I'm aware that destructive hurricanes recently ripped through parts of the U.S. and tore apart lives while taking many others along the way. I am aware that September 11th happened. I'm aware that domestic violence is a serious issue. I'm aware that there is a Black history month, a breast cancer awareness month, I even learned recently that there is a math awareness month.

For those that aren't aware of that last one, it's in April. Mark your calendars.

Yes, I am AWARE.

If I were any more aware of these things, I'm not sure I could stand myself or even be able to sleep at night.

For those of you who use this loathsome buzzword, be aware of what you are really trying to create awareness on. If it's some brand-spanking-new-fresh-on-the-shelves-something that nobody knows about, then by all means, create awareness.

If it isn't, then I might have to create some awareness of my own by telling you to take your awareness and shove it.

By Me.

Original was done in charcoal. Digitalized in Photoshop.

Forgotten Faves.

Have you ever played a song to death because you love it so much, but then forget about it a while?

That happened to me with some of the Prodigy's songs.

Luckily my love for them has been rekindled thanks to Paulie suggesting that I put some of their songs on my cd that I listen to while I walk on the treadmill.

Nothing gets your ass moving like a stirring rendition of "Smack my Bitch Up."

* * *

Want to see some interesting photography?

Shelby Lee Adams, who hails from Hazard, Kentucky has work worth seeing. It ranges from modern day Appalachia photos to some .. other stuff.

Definitely different.

Visit here and here.

Giggity, Giggity, Giggity ..

This picture made me laugh. I used to have a variation of it as my profile pic on another blog, so when I saw it with the bunny ears it just struck me as funny.

Today was .. ok, I guess. I had some stressful moments. I felt pretty physically drained all day , I guess from donating blood yesterday, but I feel better now.

It's getting so near the end of the quarter. This quarter FLEW by, and now it's nearly time to choose our classes for next quarter. I'll be taking my last english, my next-to-last math, and two art classes, one digital and one more hands on. I always schedule that way, so I can have to classes where I use my left brain and two where I use my right. It just seems to even out better that way.

I considered starting on my sciences, histories, or even ethics and getting them out of the way, but I really think I will save them for last. They were always the hard ones in high school, other than math. Lots of memorization and stuff. I'm not ready for that yet. Plus I heard that some, especially ethics, are really tough.

However, what is tough for some may be a breeze for me. I try not to put too much weight into believing what someone else says about a class until I take it myself.

What the .. ?

What's *really* wrong with people?

I ask that just about everyday .. sometimes multiple times per day.

But this ..

this just takes the proverbial cake (for this week, anyway .. so far!)

Click image above to visit this lovely, lovely website.

Even a dollar would help.

I'm participating in CropWalk this year which raises money for food pantries, soup kitchens, and disaster relief efforts locally as well as all over the world.

I have a website where donations can be made.

I realize it is short notice, because the 3.5 mile walk is this Sunday.

Please visit my donation site by clicking here and consider giving to this cause ..

thank you in advance!

15 Needs & a list of Wants.

Just more blog fodder because I'm too lazy to think up or search for anything original to post.

I saw this idea on some random blog .. feel free to play along on your own.

The idea is to write down 15 things you think you need.

So ..

1) FluentSap needs Paulie, first and foremost!
2) FluentSap needs a second part-time job that isn't too draining.
3) FluentSap needs more time to read materials other than what's required for college.
4) FluentSap needs to pass two more math classes before she's done with it completely.
5) FluentSap needs to know why some things and some people are how they are.
6) FluentSap needs to watch more movies, and will when she's with Paulie.
7) FluentSap needs to not worry about things that are out of her control.
8) FluentSap needs a haircut, and maybe some color.
9) FluentSap needs more long-sleeved tshirts in her clothing collection.
10) FluentSap needs to start on her banned book research paper - PRONTO.
11) FluentSap needs to get over her irrational fears, like of frogs, and dentists.
12) FluentSap needs to stop biting her fingernails and the surrounding areas of thumb. It's ugly.
13) FluentSap needs to keep improving on her layout designs.
14) FluentSap needs caffeine in the mornings, and decent sleep on the weekends.
15) FluentSap needs .. something. Don't we all always need something?

* * *

I don't know what that proved.

I don't usually feel like I *need* anything really .. other than Paul, and air to breathe, and to treat people the way I want to be treated, stuff like that. Other than that, my needs are pretty slim.

Maybe I'll go back and read it after I've attained some of these things, and see what has changed, and what I think I *need* at that point.

* * *

On another note, my aunt writes down a list of things she wants. It can be anything, from the major to the very small. She says if you write things down that you want, eventually they will come your way. She had things on her list like New vehicle (she recently bought one), laptop computer (one was given to her), and then little things like, a red tank top (still hadn't gotten that last time I checked.)

So, here's my list. It can't hurt, right?

1) Long sleeved tshirts
2) Intriguing books
3) new tennis shoes
4) an external hard drive
5) a Wacom

That's all I can think of for now. I'm not very needy or grabby when it comes to wanting material things. I can go for a long time without new shoes, until the ones I have start falling apart (as I've noticed the stitching is beginning to fray), I have clothes in my closet that I've had for years and wouldn't give up now, and the books I just always seem to acquire.

The external hard drive and Wacom would just be added bonus toys that will come in handy for school, but still .. they aren't really needs.

Ah well, maybe I'm reading too far into it.

We'll see what happens!

Conference

The gaming conference was a success, and I had fun there.

I only wish Paul had been with me, because I think he would have really enjoyed it too, but there will be others in the future.

I would never call myself an actual "gamer" but I have played my share of games. I learned a lot today, such as I didn't know the gaming industry made more money than Hollywood. And it's not just a little, it's by a landslide if you figure the amounts. I don't remember the actual number they gave today, but it was monstrous, Google-worthy if you are interested. I'm just too lazy to look it up right now.

And I didn't know that 42% of gamers are women (In 2004, anyway), and that the average gamer is 30 years old. Which means that those of us who grew up with games are still playing.

I didn't know that there have been studies done on the game Dance Dance Revolution which prove that playing the game has helped raise a student's math scores. I didn't know that some schools use the game in their physical education classes to help kids stay active or lose weight.

I didn't know a lot of what I was told today or what I saw and heard in lectures. It was interesting and I'm glad my school can offer majors in gaming development and simulation.

It seems like what was once laughed at as a fad is now anything but.

Have ticket, will travel.

I'm going to see Paulie next month!

We purchased my ticket today =)

The countdown begins!

I'm very excited .. can't wait to see him again!

* * *

Tomorrow I'm going to be taking pictures at a gaming convention. There will be people from all over the United States there, speaking about Playstation, Nintendo, pc, and mac games they have created.

Might be fun.

Hilarity.

This is just too hysterical.

This and more can be found at loljesus.com.

Some are crude as hell. If you don't think it's humourous, I'd advise you not to click.

Flashback.

I cut another minute off my nightly 1.5 mile walk, and I'm pretty sure that's due to a cd mix of fast songs that I put together, with the help of Paulie.

Some of those songs I hadn't listened to for a very long time, since he and I first started hanging out or when we first got together.

Like 'Toca's Miracle' by Fragma, 'Push Up' by FreeStylers, 'Girls' and 'Breathe' by the Prodigy ..

It was really awesome to hear them again =) Brought back really great memories.

Slap your Co-Worker Day!

Who else thinks it's *really* annoying when a co-worker tells you what kind of week you're going to have?

For example, your week is going along great so far for a Tuesday, and suddenly the irritating co-worker pipes up and says what a long week it's going to be for everybody. That happened this morning and it really got on my nerves. Who was she to tell me I wasn't going to have a great, speedy, problem-free week?

The NERVE.

I guess it's too damn bad it wasn't Slap Your Co-Worker Day.

Some days ..

Some days it kinda feels that way, doesn't it?

Those days where you keep your head down, your mouth shut and just try to blend in .. haha .. I like that picture! How'd he get in there anyway?

Today wasn't one of those days for me, thankfully.

My math test went well (Thanks Paulie!), my critique went well (Thanks again Paulie .. and thanks to Kandi for giving me pointers and advice about my asshole teacher!), and after both of them were done I found a penny heads up on the ground. I thought it was funny. I don't believe in stuff like that but it was ironic that I found it *after* the fact.

And yes, I did pick it up! I may not believe in superstitions, but I am pretty greedy when it comes to collecting change.

My interview went well also, and I got quite a bit written at work.

If I can get through my English test tomorrow, things will be good =)

Oh yeah, and pray for rain or bad weather. Our drawing teacher has planned another outing for tomorrow and I really don't want to go.

* * *

Here's something I wasn't expecting.

Who knew my thoughts of "As Simple as Snow" would be published on the book's website?

It's all really great reviews, and then you get to mine at the bottom and I bash it in one sentence. One poorly written sentence for that matter. If I had known it would be posted on the website, I would have taken a little more time to perfect it =)

I wouldn't advise anyone not to read it, it just wasn't for me. I didn't understand the riddles and codes, I didn't understand why the male main character remained nameless, and I thought the search for Anna was slow and drawn out. On a positive note, her bedroom sounded cool, her parents were quirky, and she had a knack for giving interesting gifts.

I also admit to reading it in bed at late hours when I was half dead from tiredness .. and I do give a round of applause to anyone who becomes a published author, because that takes some work. No, I'm not ass kissing either. I'm just telling it like it is. Now that my job is to write press releases, I know how good it feels just to get an article published on a website or in the town newspaper.

Everyone's a critic. Bad publicity is STILL publicity.

Gotta love a critique.

Tomorrow is my first critique of the quarter in my digital class.

We will critique each other's Garfield tracings that we did with Adobe Illustrator.

I'm *not* looking forward to it ..

Why can't students have Columbus Day off anyway?

At least I could prepare and postpone it until Wednesday that way.

But, might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Asian Pears.

I'm not a big fruit fan, and normally I hate pears.

But these are good .. they are more like apples but with a million times the crunch and juicyness. They aren't as pliable and mushy gushy as european pears.

Not bad. Not bad at all. Just don't forget your napkin, because they drip like mad.

However, they are high in sugar content and only South Beach friendly for Phase 3 of the diet.

I just learned that after the fact.

Oops.

I'll know better next time.

* * *

I cut two minutes off my walk time today and moved up to starting out with a fast walk, then a light jog, and finishing up again with the fast walk before cool down.

I've made it up to a mile and a half a day (well, almost everyday, depending upon homework and how tired I am.)

I'm slowly working up to 4.5 mph for the entire 30 minutes. I don't know how good or bad that is ... some power walking websites call that a fast walk and one to make a goal of, I would call it jogging ... and one to make a goal of.

Interesting interviews & getting things done.

I interviewed a very cool professor today at my school.

I knew after the interview that I wanted to see more of her work.

I'm glad I did.

Go visit her website.

Her photography is amazing.

I can't begin to go into everything she discussed, and I've yet to go back and replay my tape and listen to the interview. But one thing that really struck me was when she talked about how sometimes photographs can dull a memory of a time.

It reminded me of some of the pictures I have of Amsterdam and Holland, and even some that Paul and I took this summer. The pictures may be beautiful, but it's not nearly as grand and amazing as what I remember it to be in my mind.

* * *

In other news, and thanks to the amazing help Paulie gives me, I finished my take-home math test which is due Monday. I glued down my Garfield project and he will be out of my life come Monday. I wrote a rough draft of my english paper that's due Tuesday.

All I have left to do this weekend is 20 sketches of structures, math homework, and study for an English test on Tuesday.

Yeah, that's *all* I have to do. But really, it's a load off my mind to get Garfield done, and the paper, and the math test. That was my main focus.

Thank you again so much for helping me Paulie! I know I've said it 5 thousand times, but still ..

* * *

My school's women's forum will be creating a women's edition of a publication where students, faculty, staff, and the general public may submit artwork, short stories, etc.

My supervisor thinks that the 3 of us in our office should submit something.

I was unsure of what to submit, but with the help of Paulie I've decided to submit the project I did as my final for my color class I had last quarter. I'm probably going to work with it a little though, tone it down and get rid of the red so it's not so angry, and maybe even cut out the text.

Here it is in it's red, angry form, haha .. :

Self-Portrait, Mixed Media: by Me.

* * *

I don't know. I've looked at last year's edition and I think this might be a little too much for them, even if I change the color or not. But I'm going to submit it anyway.

Virtual Pumpkin Carver

Since it's almost Halloween and all, better get in the mood.

Cleveland in Rain.

Paulie took this picture while he was visiting this summer. It was taken from the mezzanine level of Cleveland Indians baseball stadium. They were playing the Chicago White Sox, and the game had started out with the weather being nice and sunny, and then turned into this.

I was in a mood to make some artistic pics in Photoshop this evening, and I tried to make something with this one, but soon realized that it needs no work done to it to make it look cool.

It's perfect as it is.

Argh.

Well, I *thought* I was almost done with Garfield but noticed some major problems on it today at class. The mean teacher didn't notice however, so I was safe. He didn't go and undo any of my work and I fixed everything on my own when I got home tonight.

So, here's the again *almost* finished project .. I need to do some minor changes on his ears, and fix some pointy places on his person, then soon it will need to be printed out and mounted because it's due Monday. Wish me luck!

Click image to enlarge ..

Practice Safe Sun.

I'm so almost done with the Garfield tracing project! It's not due til next Monday, but here's a *small* sneak peak anyway. It's tiny, but you can click to enlarge.

I've decided I don't really like Adobe Illustrator, but I love Photoshop, so I'm hoping for the next project I'll feel a little more comfortable, having used Photoshop a lot and Illustrator, NEVER. Can't say I'd ever have a need to use it again either .. except maybe for future school projects.

* * *

I have an english paper due soon, on the topic of the question about human exposure to sun.

I've decided to write about how the sun rays can be dangerous, but can also be beneficial if not abused.

I'm going to title it "Practice Safe Sun."

I thought it was clever.



That is all.

That's my shit, that's my shit ..

To quote Gwen Stefani, YES .. this is mine!

The picture circled is a watercolor I did for a class last quarter where we studied color. I turned it into a digital piece to glamourize Blythe dolls, those freaky big-headed, big-eyed, little bodied plastic works of art that are decades old but now popular in Japan, as Neo-Blythes.

Click image to see the site! My painting and other amazing works of art can be found under the gallery section.

If you are interested in buying any of my prints such as this one, or the ones in my Flickr gallery, drop me a line at purepixel@gmail.com and I will provide you with pricing information.

=)