Celestria Crimson, the Wycked

Motion Tweening

2010-09-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

Next project was learning to use the Motion tweening tool and I had had this song running through my head for several days so chose it to use here:

Hoist the Colors High

Shape Tweening Animation

2010-09-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Now learning to shape tween and in honor of International Talk Like A Pirate Day I did this animation.

TLAPD Animation

First Adobe Flash Animation from my class

2010-09-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

This was the second homework assignment but first involving animation. Now this one was done using the frame by frame method. No "shape tweening" or "motion tweening" and no "bone tool". I hadn't learned any of those yet...... of course now that I know them I may go back and redo this animation - or as a friend of myne called it "Dark Side Animation". Aye kind of like that and may have to do a whole series of them..... kinda Edward Gorey gothy inspired.

Dark Side Tombstone Animation

New Future!

2010-09-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that I am scared shitless in counting on my creative side...... the logical not a problem, the creative side a bit vulnerable at the moment........ I am plugging along. I am on the college's art magazine and we send it to print November 23rd this semester and I am excited about some real world experience!!!

Life Changes!!!

2010-09-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

OK, school has started. I am officially a full tyme student with 15 credit in classes at American River College. The goal being an AA in Art New Media. Made a friend that is also just starting on the same path I am and I have a feeling we are gonna be really good friends by the tyme we both get our degrees! I am excited about learning Adobe CS5 InDesign Illustrator and Flash. Amazingling realling liking the 2d animation. Go Figure!

Self Publication and Marketing

2010-05-18T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, spent the weekend at Queen Bess and the Pyrates in Fresno and being a walking billboard of me own designs, it really helps to strike up conversations with others. Nothing like having a little tattoo show and tell first thing in the morning with coffee. But that is how I met one of the vendors and faire and he liked me designs. Turns out it was a good business connection for both of us. I have been getting him information on faires and events he did not know about and I may have a new tattoo client or at least someone to spread word of mouth of my designs.

This event inspired the following events since I got home. I have set up a separate blog for the tattoo design business: Wycked Tortuga's Tattoo Design. And I have set it up it's own business FaceBook page: Wycked Tortuga's Tattoo Design Facebook.

Next is getting the business card design finalized and ordered so I have them to pass out at places like fair. And of course, if they are close enough, I will also be including Chuck's business card as he has been such a great mentor and guide through all of this adventure I have been on.

THE MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

2010-05-08T01:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a momentous week to remember. I have completed my first set of tattoo flash artwork and sold it to me first shop. But then again Chuck at Sins of the Flesh has been a mentor to me and I owe him more than the bottle of Kraken Rum I brought him.

Also got a call from the Census and apparently I be employed there too....... ye be watching all ye pirate crew!!!

Short post but me new ink be itchin and it be distracti'..........

Tattoo Flash Pages!!!

2010-05-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Six pages with a total of 36 designs on flash sheets ready for sale to the tattoo shops. Still working on creating stencils for each design but with the help of friend and some software that shouldn't take too much longer.

I am gonna get scans of each of the sheets as well but my scanner is too small. Also going to scan flash background. I have several ideas on how to use computer software to my advantage as well possibly using it for doing the drawing.

I still need to create a list and route of all tattoo shops in the area. I know I have my first sale already, thanks to Chuck at Sins of the Flesh! who has been so kind in helping me with my current endeavor.

Another pirate mate of myne suggested selling the designs at the next pirate marketplace meet up. I hadn't thought of that before, but it is a possibility. Have separate sheets of designs and stencils available and sell the designs... definite possibility. Owe Pirate a hug for the idea!

10k project update: been doing reading using my Raven Grimassi's Well Worn Path deck. Also have fabric to make bag to hold deck and book as well as cloth to do readings on. Still need to cut out and make both. Thought about doing it on the machine to speed things up, but feel that a more hands on personal touch would suit the project better. I may even add some beads to the bag to make it more me.

Good ol' Pencil and Paper

2010-04-28T01:31:00.000-07:00

I know in these days of electronics, computer's and apps, it seemed strange to go to notebooks, calendar and pencils to do my planning and tyme management. But I am a hands on kinda wench and I found that it was easier to grab my little calendar and check it than open up my laptop. If I had a more complex phone I can't say that I wouldn't use it instead but I don't so I am working with what I got. I picked up a messenger bag to carry my calendar, notepads (one for notes and todo lists and the other is going to become an address and contact book), sketch pads (never leave home without them), pens and pencils.There is a place for my wallet and phone and other items so it just became my new "purse". I think this system will work. It's been nice to have the notebook handy to write something down when I think of it.

Then for each day or for the week, will go down todo list and fill in on a day and then make the goal to check each item off. Still gotta work on a daily/weekly schedule so I can include all those things that are done regularly.

Of the things I needed to get done was get the background for my flash sheets copied so I can begin to create some sets. I scanned in all the work completed to date after taking them out of the sketch books. Was totally floored to find I had 35 designs total between 3 sketch books. I had not realized I had that many. So should be more than enough there to put together about 5-6 flash sheets. Then go get them copied again and take them to my tame tattoo artists. (Hi Chuck)

So far so good. I am happy with the progress made thus far.

Life Changes

2010-04-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

Funny how life throws you curve balls. Got one thrown at me Thursday and decided the best way to deal with it was treat myself to a couple of new tattoos of my own work. May consider posting pics once they heal. It was nice doing something for myself. Also talked to a girlfriend and got some perspective on the problem and for once in almost three months my head was clear and my heart not wrapped up in someone else. Ended up calling girlfriend back and thanking her for listening and helping. I will be seeing her Saturday to finish conversation.

When getting tattoos, Chuck had a rock station on and heard some old Pink Floyd, The Wall. I had to go home and add it to my iTunes since my copy is still in vinyl. Listening to the lyrics again - All in all its just another brick in the Wall. This particular person was able to get past my guard towers and I spent three months trying to figure out how!! At first this curve ball was very painful, but now in looking back at it I realize it was just another brick in the wall and it will make me stronger. I hope someday this person may come back into my life but more and likely in a different role.

Working on area to clear it to make it productive, but will be busy tonight and part of tomorrow, also going to Railroad Museum with the Steampunk group. Hoping to hook up with local steampunk people who don't look at you cross-eyed when you start talking about steampunk clothes and music. It is a little slow in getting to my area.

Hopefully next week will be more productive and life will not throw me any more curveballs or if it does I am hoping to be able to hit them out of the park!!!

Too Much Stuff ....... or Just Not Enough Room

2010-04-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

OK - I am not gonna say that Elli and I share a brain...... however, I AM BORROWING it for a while, I promise, Elli, to give it back, hopefully in the only slightly used condition.

It may be fate or just irony that Elli and I seem to have hit similar dilemmas about the same tymes in our lives.

So.... anyway sitting here looking at my work center and thinking I either have way too much stuff or just not enough room (two artists in a small apartment --- scary, really!) While trying to find a solution I remembered something Elli put in her blog: "It’s not, I might add, because I’m dissatisfied with my life. Not by any means. I love my life. I just think, sometimes, that there’s too much Life in my life, and not enough time to BE. And then I remember that if I sit still, I get antsy and start contemplating the best way to clean the ceiling fan or something, and realize that some people just aren’t cut out for BEING as much as DOING, and I go have a cookie."

Then she adds: "Tooth and nail type holding on. It’s a sickness, I’m sure."

Then it hit me (gonna have to start wearing a hard hat if these ideas keep coming at me like this). My problem is very much like Elli's - too much life in my life (in my case it is supplies, projects, books, kits and stuff). Even working at it full tyme for the rest of my life, I could not finish all the projects I have supplies for.

For example:
1. there are wood items that need painting including all the paint and supplies
2. there are boxes of quilt fabrics to be turned into quilts which I have never chosen a design yet - not to mention the stack of partially completed quilts that just need binding, quilting, etc
3. dozens and dozens of cross stitch charts and patterns
4. three different Hawaiian quilting projects in progress
5. six different current knitting works in progress plus three boxes of yarn and stacks of books and patterns
6. kumihimo braiding books and supplies
7. tatting shuttles, thread, and pattern books
8. bobbin laces pillows, bobbins to be spangled, thread and pattern books, three works in progress
9. the polymer clay supplies with no real plans for at the moment
10. three recently acquired art bins for my newest passion with pens, sketch pads and art cards.
11. ohhh not to mention the spinning fiber and the two projects - one on each wheel
12. oh oh oh and the 100 lbs of glass beads or so I have waiting for inspiration to hit
13. and not to mention the number of pieces to be made into tribal belly dance belts
14. AND there's the new clock and watch parts collection recently started for my fore-ray into steampunk
15. AND AND the stash of leather hides, feathers, and cow horns.
16, don't know if this counts but also have a knitting machine getting pretty dusty
17. oh AND the piano keyboard's not dusty only because I built it a case, but the case.... well just sayin'

This is where writing this stuff out is gonna help. In having to create the list above ----- it's no wonder my creative life and work space is feeling really SCHIZOPHRENIC. Could be because IT IS!!!

Looks like this and next week's projects will be to destash and determine which projects I really love and really see myself doing in the next 5 years or less. I need to pick some of my skills, keep those projects in my work area and pack the rest away..... Like I have tatted in a couple of years, that stuff can be put away or scaled back to the shuttles I really love and get rid of the thread for now. I see an Etsy store sale!

Same oh so much with the fabric and the quilting stuff, haven't made a quilt since my son was two..... He's almost 9 now... just sayin'

I am gonna go through my stuff with a totally different eye and say "Am I passionate about this, do I LOVE it and Will I get it done.

Elli said she had too much Life in her Life - I think my trouble is I have too many WIPs in my life (Work In Progress). Coffee mug logo once saw said "Everything I ever let go of had scratch marks all over it" Goes back to that tooth and nail sickness.... Tyme to start lightening the load of this ship before she sinks!

Grimoire

2010-04-20T03:56:00.000-07:00

A grimoire is a also better known as a book of shadows. I prefer the word grimoire though as it simply means a book of magick. Grimoires are very personal items. I have been trying for years to create one both hardcopy and electronic and every single tyme it has fought back. But now with the new book made special for me and getting more in touch with my artwork, I think it will be a good marriage. Typical things that would be found in it would be rituals, spells, the Rede, invocations, sabbat and esbat information and ritual and correspondences for stones, colors, candles, etc. I will be putting much of those items in my grimoire but am not going to limit it to just those things. I may include drawings or other items like poems that inspire or maybe even song lyrics.

So for a start date: I have already done a couple of pages of text, no artwork yet. I need to get a few other things organized like my work area and I like the idea of schedule for the day. So I am setting a start date of May 1, May Day.... seems appropriate.

10k Hours Project

2010-04-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

Elli from Lime 'n Violet famed podcast is also changing things in her life. Her blog posts have been very inspirational and I LOVE the way her brain thinks. New beginnings for me will include going back to school to get a Degree in Art New Media, tackling designing AND selling my own tattoo flash sheets to local shops and online, and creating my Grimoire. The last item there am considering making my 10k project. Spirituality in my life has very lacking of late and may be part of the cause for the scrambled brains. There is so much to learn, do and practice that it should easily fill those hours. I created a tattoo for a friend in Australia and in return he made me the most beautiful hand bound book. As this was a personal gift hand made by someone special it is the perfect book for this purpose and I will be able to add my own embellishments to the pages with my own artwork. It also be red - so perfect.

For more information on what and how the 10k project came about, see Elli's Blog:
10k hours - Junebug on a String

New Beginnings

2010-04-20T02:57:00.000-07:00

The seas have not been calm for me these past few days. Me brain's been a bit scrambled as this ship rocks to and fro. I've been letting this boat steer me instead of steering it, I think. And now I think it be high tyme to take it back. It's gonna mean some changes and a lot of discipline on my part. But I think its tyme. Can't stay on the current course without self-destructing.

So here's to finding calmer seas!