frances.designs

Gossip*kitty

2007-02-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

I keep an index card sized sketchbook with me most of the times -- just in case i'm left bored somewhere for any reason. Sometimes i'll just randomly sketch little things. This was the latest addition.... and yes... its true. The all-knowing gossip kitty loves you..... unless you have no gossip

Orgullo

2006-06-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is a little number I created for Mothers Day 06.

Click on image to enlarge

Lonely Bed

2006-06-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have a note/sketch book I bought a few months ago. It contains 50 sheets of paper, each sheet is divided : half sketchbook, half notebook paper. I was intrigued by the concept and of course made the purchase. Months later it collected dust in my basement-- forgotten. Last night I was wide awake and bored out of my gore. I've been wanting to find a sketchbook in which I do nothing but random doodles with page after page consisting of 100% me. Not that my other sketchbooks arent me; they're merely extensions of me and rough drafts of future art to come. I need a doodle book.... a palpable extension of my brain .... thats where this particular notebook comes into play.... Of course theres writing that goes with the bottom half of this page but I cropped it out in order to spare the viewer the agony of which is my handwriting....

-click for larger image-

Edit: I used to sleep with every last one of these things on my bed. The mother hated it, for me it was merely my artdesk/bed. Eventually I got things situated and designed my little corner to be more functional and now everything has a place on a shelf just above my bed. Except for the teddy scare. He still sleeps with me.

Asian Inspired

2006-06-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

asian inspired line art.

first paintings

2006-06-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

the first painting i ever did was about 13 years ago. it was of a whale jumping out of water. basic shapes, basic colors, not much in details nor shadowing. It was mediocre at best. I never again picked up a paintbrush. Today I come to learn: Art is more than just a reproduction of what lies in front of the eye. I was looking at things through too analytical of an eye. Rather than be ashamed that my work wasn't in the same ballpark as the best of my classmates, it was still MY art. Naturally with time and effort perhaps I can pick up a better, cleaner technique of painting. I simply need to give it time. That said, these next two pieces are the first two I've done since the whale in the water long ago:

What I've learned:
Perhaps 5x7 is a little small for me to practice on.
Perhaps i need a bigger array of paintbrush sizes.
Perhaps I've lived my life being too hard on myself.

Updated: July 21, 2006 I've since added touches of gold marker to both of these paintings trying to clean and dazzle them up a bit. The first I've botched, the second i've improved slightly.. i have yet to scan the new copies in though. Back to the drawing board.

Illustration Friday- JUNGLE

2006-06-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time coming up with my depcition of a jungle. Sitting by my bed last night, I was doodling on my sketchbook when my hair suddenly kept falling unto my face. I got up to get a barrette and jokingly thought "My hair is a damn jungle"....... and voila... suddenly I had something to work with. Even took it back old school style to the bright plastic barrettes my mother used to use in my hair as a child. Ah, the memories.

test.run

2006-06-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

testing for a new art blog. I love the idea of Illustration Friday -- Now if i can just get the hang of things..........