Mega Orbital

Watching a marathon of TV via Netflix and aimlessly scrolling through Tumblr, I came across a whimsical illustration of the movie Gravity by Bebosoho and thought it was a good Illustrator exercise. Happy with the result of the line work and overall form.

A Samples-y New Year

Working on a New Year's card design for the year-end wrap-up this afternoon, I had free reign in the office to just let the (internet) radio play and forgot some of the stuff I had queued up. 

Little Silver Ring by the Samples on an album I haven't listened to in probably ten years popped up as I'm closing out the year with the lyric "growing old, watching silver turn to gold." 

In the setting sun of Casco Bay's wintery light, I miss old friends I haven't connected with in far to long and the adventures of a younger self. With a slight smile I wish all my friends and family, from this life and past versions, a happy new year and wishes for a prosperous year ahead; a year of watching a little silver ring turn to gold. 

The Sun Sets on an Interesting Year

And interesting it has been, though you wouldn't know it from the activity (or lack thereof) on this blog. This year has involved an eight month job hunt, a weekend certification in reiki, deep explorations into meditation and the shamanic role of art work, and the beginnings of a freelance illustration and design practice. And the entirety has been capped by a new career opportunity in the field of PR.

It feels odd to be relearning many skills I haven't actively used since I was in the journalism program at Emerson almost 15 years ago. And odder still to reflect that in the heat of collegiate angst, marketing, advertising and public relations were "dirty" in my mind, being concerned more with corporate promotion than with truth. And now, many years later, finding myself embedded in this industry, the irony is not lost on me. 

However, in the course of this year, despite many areas of discovery, there have been a number of areas where I have let things go. This can not be stood for any longer. The wife and I have begun the long road of shaping up for road races and we anticipate beginning a new Whole 30 challenge starting January 1. 

And while in the midst of tonight's "we're taking things back" jag, coupled with my utter disgust and frustration with Instagram's total lack of cooperation with my visual blogging efforts, I resolved to reclaim this space as well. 

So...yeah. Hi. I'll be around a little more now. 

The Watcher Watches

Does the watcher watch? Or is she pondering the fall? Hmmm... 
(digital collage) 

Diving for Dollars (IF - Water)

A recent morning collage incorporating hand-drawn, found and digital elements. Fitting for this week's Illustration Friday theme - Water.

Leap

Leap is a piece I did a while back,  maybe 6 months now. But it's appropos for where I find myself, and perhaps this was a bit of foretelling. Oh, and in case you're scratching your heads, yes, I find myself in the precarious position of leaping into a canyon and onto a passing hovering fish. And a less than ammenable one at that. ...It's all very surrealist. But then maybe that's giving myself too much credit. At the very least, it's all very absurd...

Pope Hugorwar

Another collage from the archives. Playing with composition and subject. You can see my forte is subtlety. If memory serves, when I put this together, I was playing with fast collages and reading the NY Times fairly regularly. I suppose  this could have been more heavy-handed...

PongMonster

PongMonster is a quick collage character sketch I did a while back, highlighting a pimpin' old pong-master in reclusion. I've been revisiting some old(ish) sketchbooks recently and came across some collage I'd almost forgotten about. There'll be more to follow.

Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts

I feel very fortunate to have found my way to this video. Though I was never a fan, per se, of Neil when Sandman was at its height, I find that I'm becoming increasingly more enamored of his work and this certainly boosts him in my esteem. 

His commencement address, if that's what they call it on the other side, is a must-see for anyone pursuing a career of life in the arts or any manner of creative endeavor. Enjoy: 

IF _ Faded

I started work on this piece last week for the "Faded" topic over at Illustration Friday though I obviously missed the deadline. That's OK. I wanted to finish this up before moving on to another illustration. 

This started off as little more than a scribble as I'm spending more time getting used to the tablet interface. The abstract in the background evolved from a couple of preliminary scribbles (I suppose I should call them "sketches" in the interest of conveying the character of a serious drawer, but really, let's be true to the truth...) and the figure in the foreground is a composite of several elements, heavily filtered/effected. The overall result being a semi-surreal depiction of a sun-faded and watchful loiter.

Skully Hat

So I found this great little app on iTunes called Procreate and have to say I love it! I've been looking for a great sketch/paint app that does it all and I have to say, right now, I'm deeply enamored. Layers, great brush customization, full range (well, fullish, anyway) of colors, patterns, plus blending tools...the list goes on. 

I suppose it's too bad that my skill doesn't quite match its range....

Anyhow, this is a sketch I was fooling around with the other night, a take on a figure from a game called Smallworld. I can't say I know, well, really anything about the game, but the cover illustration of it on the issue of Game Trade Magazine I picked up had a version of this guy in it. Looked like some great characters and the gesture and action was great practice, both for my skill, and for my use of the app.

Tryit

We've all heard "try it, you'll like it" before, generally as kids, usually in some relation to vegetables. So parents and babysitters everywhere should be ecstatic when they see Tryit coming. Tryit is a character devised for the packaging of Try It, You'll Like It, a new spice rub from Peter Dockendorf, mixed specifically for the vegetable-stubborn child in mind. For anyone unfamiliar with Pete, he's a retired chef and up and coming blogger who also happens to make the best general purpose hot sauce on the planet, Nogginflogger. I'm not sure what the long-term plans are for Try It, but you'll want to look for this character on the shelves. 

Incidentally, this piece also happens to fit with this week's Illustration Friday theme, "Jump". (Those wings don't give Tryit real flight, but more of an extended hop. Think of a chicken rather than a dove.) 

Diogi - a dragon-headed boy; plus Many Happy Returns

Good evening all. I'm back. Again. I realize how long it's been since last posting, as well as how often I've written these words, or eerily similar words, in any case. So, in realizing this, I'm going to choose to not justify my absence or make false promises about more regular posting (wow. that almost sounded like bowel humor, didn't it?). Instead, I think this would be a perfect time to embrace the title of an episode from one of my all time favorite television shows. Though The Prisoner epsiode, Many Happy Returns, is a darkly sarcastic turn on the phrase, I'll choose to evoke it here as a new mantra in the upkeep of this channel of media. In other words, I intend to fall off and pick up as the whim takes me. Perhaps some of you who are left will return with me.

And I will say, if you're unfamiliar with The Prisoner, specifically the good version from the late 60s starring Patrick McGoohan as opposed to the god-awful remake AMC tried to do last year, I suggest you run, don't walk to your nearest video rental worth its salt (for me, that would be the unequalled Videoport down in the Old Port) and pick up a couple episodes and strap in. 

Moving right along, this evening's post is a quick concept piece I did up the other night to get a character out of head. His name's Diogi, and yes, that's a dragon's head he's sporting. Diogi and his pal Eekay (keep an eye out for him soon-ish) are an idea for a story that's been mulling about for a few months and neither one of them have let up. 

So here's Diogi: 

If you've been hanging around, waiting for me to say something, I thank you and appreciate your patience. 


I hope you'll hang out a little longer, and perhaps even find something worth looking at enough that you'll be moved to share with your friends, family, colleagues, whoever. 


Signing off, 
rocketfuelsushi

Surreal Composite with Girl in Taffeta

Another photo manipulation, the result of a series of tutorials and a composite featuring elements taken from found images, put together in a collage. Not the end result I was hoping for, not quite as clean or seamless in some areas as I would have liked, but I think I've exhausted my patience with this piece. 


...at least for today. 

Dyslexic Readers

Newly designed typeface could help dyslexic readers - CTV News

Dyslexie Font 


I saw this story in the feeds this morning and thought it was worth noting. First off, it should appeal to all you type geeks out there. I found it particularly interesting looking at the thought that went into why some of the choices were made. 

But it should also be noted that there was a study done on this font, showing slight improvement on reading accuracy with people with dyslexia. Although "slight" may not be a promising descriptor, I imagine any improvement would be welcome. 

IF _ Gesture

"I worship an elephant-headed god." - King Mob

The first in a series of applied skills taken from tutorials and demonstrations. I used a small image of a brass choki Ganesha to create this image for Illustration Friday. The font was ready-made and all effects were custom generated.

Newt Gingrinch Confirms Presidential Candidacy (via brandchannel)

Has it really come to this? As horrifying as the thought of Newt as President is, perhaps this is good news for the incumbent from a campaign strategy standpoint. I know Gingrich is a popular pundit with the other side (it took a massive effort not to state that as "wrong" side, by the way, but I'm trying to be at least marginally respectful...) but I have to wonder how much pull he has with the entire Conservative voting public. I feel that there's a certain prurient fascination with his stances in the media, but I have to wonder if that translates into real votes. As much as the left likes to lump Conservatives all together and view them as Palin-ites and zealots, there is still a pretty wide spectrum of loyalty to the party line among the voting public.

I'll be fascinated to see how this unfolds.

Google vs. Martha Graham (via Drawn Blog)

Google - Martha Graham from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

I think from an illustration and animation standpoint, Google's animated logo doodle for Martha Graham's birthday (that would be yesterday, May 11) is worth pointing out, in case you missed it. Animated by Ryan Woodward, the gorgeous animation was a tribute to Ms. Graham's birthday and lasting legacy in dance.

And for those of you still on Microsoft Explorer that may have had your systems crash as a result of the animation and MSE's inability to handle it, well.... don't hate the player.

Rabbit Rabbit!

Rabbit rabbit ... although I realize it 's a little late. 

But figured this rough I've been working on was appropriate for the time of year and the beginning of the month and all. 

I was actually working this rough up as an element for the pre-Easter, but it didn't make it through. Keep an eye out for our friend here in the future, though. I think this one is worth working up further.  

Chocolate Pushpins?

Saw this brief post from the folks over at Design Sponge (http://designspongeonline.com) and initially misread it. I thought it said "Chocolate Pushpins" and thought, "Wow. That's a little twisted in an awesome kinda way isn't it? Push pin-shaped, candy-covered chocolate candies." Awesome and gut wrenching all at the same time, right? Too bad I misread this. They would've been much more awesomer my way...