Sophie Lancaster

Thought I would share with you guys this short. I'm not sure if any of you read, but last year in Lancashire, England a 22-year-old woman was viciously beaten to death in a park essentially just for being goth. Her boyfriend was also beaten, but survived.
Yesterday would have been Sophie's 23rd birthday, and in her memory this animated short was created and was broadcasted on a 24-hour loop yesterday in Manchester's Cathedral Garden. It's really beautifully done.

Website up!

Hey dudes and dudettes,

I just made a website.

It's quite simple, and it's quite simply the first one I've ever made.

www.coleswavely.com

Any feedback is welcome, as I'm trying to improve it!

And also Happy Thanksgiving! (27 minutes too late)

home stretch

please click for full image

Barnaby Ward

Holy hell this guy rules.

Amazing Blog

Hey dudes and dudettes,

This blog was posted on Drawn.ca:

http://nathanfowkes.blogspot.com/

This guy is absolutely amazing at rendering and color, and there's a TON of work up on it. I highly recommend everyone take a look at it. I've never seen someone draw a face so well but make it look so easy.

join us join us

I haven't posted anything on this blog for a while now, so here is new stuff:

an etching and a screen print, both with trees and houses.
Also, is there a member of this blog that still goes to MassArt and has a studio on the 9th floor? If this is you, perhaps it would be good to invite other illustration majors to join! Put up a flyer or something! Have them email Micah because he's the admin. Cheers!

If nobody new joins this blog then it'll be just alumni, and that's not the point, right?

Hope everyone is having a lovely fall,

-Mary

I DONT WANT TO GO BACK TO CLASS.

THAT BEING SAID:


second degree project WIP

Pet Gazette!

Everyone Remember the Pet Gazette project? Well I just found out my artwork made the cover this month! It was a real surprise, since I was told at the time it was finished that it was too saturated for the cover. Cool Beans!


http://www.petgazette.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=59

Birthday Card Designs

I just finished up these Birthday Card designs. I hope they scream Happy Birthday! Along with these designs I also did a similiar pattern for giftwrap and paper tableware. So much fun!

Painting #4 : Cover Art "MWFLS"

Cover art for "The Man Who Fell in Love with the Sun" :) I got the colors just right in this one, although the scan is a little off. I'll be adding a cover mock-up with text soon. It's going to be an interesting challenge getting text to show up on that bright patterned background. I accept the challenge! :)

some new things...

mixed media, ink etc

Abstracts and Astronauts

I lied, the second drawing is a cosmonaut.

Ha

http://blog30x30.blogspot.com/2009/06/which-student-are-you.html

I found this somewhere off of the Drawn.ca blog. It's got some really funny drawings in it... most of them have some pretty stereotypical stuff, but it's not all cynical and some of them made me laugh pretty hard.

Which one do you think you are?

New Work

Frogs, oil on masonite, 9" x 12", 2009

PS

PS, im moving my blog, i'll still work with this one, but not as much. im moving to wordpress. its a good place, everyone should check it out!
http://alexcarlson.wordpress.com/

i like skulls and stuff.

pen and ink in mah moleskin.
i enjoy skulls, if you didnt notice.

happy end of semester to everyone! good luck in reviews if you have them and congrats to the graduation seniors!!

new website

Hi everyone,

I have updated my website: www.marylundquist.com

Check it out if you have the time and inclination!

-Mary

Design = good, Music = Gooder

This show is tonight. Go SEE it
(assignment from illustration III, event poster. its also a real show)

good resource

Hey everyone,

I found this very helpful blog. It has loads of advise and information about being a working illustrator, so check it out!

http://illustrationindustry.blogspot.com/

-Mary

shirt No. 5 with dizzy shirt No. 5

Hi Everyone,

I've been taking a printmaking class and thought that I'd share one of my new prints. They are from the same drypoint card but the one on the left was put through the press twice.

  It was always my intention to take a print class at MassArt, but it never happened. A real shame that actually relates to the point Cole has made, in a certain way. The illustration department at MassArt is so separated from the other 'fine art' students. During my time on the Ninth Floor I felt very different from the painting majors (which is where I started out, in fact). My whole life I wanted to be a painter, but that department wasn't fun! I loved the pressure to draw from observation that the illustration teachers put on us, as well as the challenge to come up with strong conceptual elements. They have grouped illustration in with the design, which is why I think it suffers. I always wished to be closer with the faculty, but it never happened. They are chalk-full full of things I wanted to know, but the classes where too big and not condusive to building relationships. It seemed like they spent the most of the time talking about the elements of design and  other important though dry things. What has been said about the critiques is so true, they were often mind-numbing-ly boring and had no point at all. You really must teach yourself, everyday for the rest of your life.

Now, having graduated and spent my school-free time in galleries and museums, I have remembered the excitement of art, the unbelievable skill of some people, and the energy that I used to have to be a fine artist myself. Liverpool (where I live at the moment) has many good places to see old and new art, but I hope to live in an even more thriving art community some day. 

Anway, I'm trying to say several things here. I'm trying to say that I am working towards that productive way of life, that I'm looking at the history of art as well as what people are making today all around the world (It is so much!). And that MassArt is so tiny, but it taught me a thing or two. Don't be discouraged, get your degree and run with it!

The Real Thing

If your work can't make me want to throw up, then I don't want to see it.

Illustration has become masturbation.

Very few people know what they're doing with themselves. They all know how to paint, how to draw, how to build an image or convey an idea.But they don't know why they're doing it.

I don't know if I feel comfortable in this place anymore. I'm sitting here at my desk working at semi-abstract images, dealing with raw emotions and heavy imagery, and all I get are awkward chuckles and confused looks. I'm pouring my heart and soul into work that's some of the most important artwork I've ever made. I'm putting myself out there, and the only reaction I get is a laugh when someone doesn't get it. Even more than that -- they don't want to get it. It doesn't punch them in the face with its meaning, so it's not worth looking at. People ask what it's about, but I don't like to talk about it because no one understands it or even cares to.

"The mass hovering above the trench is a physical manifestation of the emotion of hopelessness. It is endless in it's blackness, it's shadow. The trench is empty, any remaining vestige of humanity would simply be redundant. The humanity is implied, the figures suffering in hell. The hopelessness is so heavy, yet it is not falling -- it is held aloft by the hope of the humanity in the trench. The indomitable will to survive when faced by unimaginable horror. "

I dare someone to talk about their work that way in Illustration 3, or in Word and Image, and not draw a whole bunch of stares and awkward laughs, and that bothers me. People can talk about their work, but only on such a physical level. There needs to be more positive space. That anatomy is wrong. I like the light and shading effects you have done.

But what do you get out of the image? Why is it good? Why am I sitting here looking at it? Should I even be here looking at it?

Tell me why you made it, what it means to you, and then maybe I'll care. I look at good art and illustration and it makes me feel like puking. Not because it's bad, not because it's disgusting, but because it MOVES me. Because I'm jealous. Because I'm witnessing a moment of pure artistic vision. I'm seeing someone get something perfect.

And I'm not there yet.



So if you're going to sit in the studio and complain about some banal, trite homework assignment instead of changing it and making it something you enjoy, then you need to take a few minutes and think about why you're here.

I'm doing this. And I'm sick of being pulled down by those who aren't.

All School Show submission picks

PIECES CHOSEN FOR THE 2009 ILLUSTRATION
ALL SCHOOL SHOW

IF YOU ARE ON THIS LIST, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR CHOSEN PIECE(S) MOUNTED OR FRAMED BY FRIDAY, 3/20/09. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Lindsay Small: Business Card piece, Cut Paper piece, Daft Punk poster
Joe Feinsilver: Mermaid piece
Kacie McLean: Cloning piece
Greg Miller: Turtle
Dena Bach: Dream Job
Alex Carlson: Reflection Eternal, Zombies, Cardboard cutout (big guy), Monsters City
Katia Wish: Snowman, Foxes
Alycia Garcia: Skulls (3)
Laura McCarthy: Peacock Box
Dave DiAngelis: Bear on a Bicycle
Jared Friedman: Cheese & Pineapple
Julie Lyon: Reflection Pool painting
Juana Sierra: Bunny in a Pink Room, Woman bathing
Jill Caturano: Sewing Machine
Allison Bamcat: Zeppelin Clown, Teacup Clown, Tumbling Clown
Dina S.: Sewing Machine Book, Bug Portrait
Michelle Daigle: Thom Yorke
Abe Tena: Dream Job
Kevin Burney: Cupcakes piece (Air Budd was close, but no cigar)
Dave Stringi: 2nd comic page (with mail truck), Stipple portrait
Sarah Kim: Medusa, Isis
Tanya Feydon: Banknote
Cece Laung: Lizard
Brandon Gorsky - Robot Sequence #2
Alicia Garcia - All 3 Skulls
Cole Swavley - Horse color piece, giant radial horse piece
Massi - Rockwell
Lindsay Small - Daft Punk
Scott Dessert - Grey monkey
Brenton Barnes - Bear Girl
Gavin Peterson - brown paper monster with white smile
Will Jeffries - Whales
Luc Mahmel - Tamino
Ross T - Girl portrait
Dave Wentworth - Lizard Study
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED, AND THANKS FOR HELPING MAKE EVERYTHING RUN SO SMOOTHLY. WE HAD A FANTASTIC TURNOUT, AND I KNOW THE GALLERY IS GOING TO LOOK GREAT.

-BAMCAT
allison.bamcat@gmail.com

AGAIN, WINNING PIECES MUST BE FRAMED/MOUNTED/READY TO HANG BY FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH, 2009. NO SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS!

ILLUSTRATION ALL SCHOOL SHOW SUBMISSIONS

Important information!!!!

DROP OFFS FOR THE ILLUSTRATION ALL SCHOOL SHOW ARE DUE BY 3PM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5th TO ALLISON BAMCAT'S STUDIO. (15)

JUDGING WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH, AND YOU MAY PICK UP YOUR WORK AFTER 5PM ON FRIDAY AT STEPHEN HAMILTON'S STUDIO. (the one with all the giant paintings - he'll be there.)

BRING:
-actual, physical pieces you'd like to enter (they don't have to be hung for the judging)
-contact information/labels for each piece (on the back is fine)
-CD WITH IMAGES ALONG WITH DIMENSIONS OF EACH PIECE - DO NOT HAVE TO BE HI RES IMAGES (one of our judges can't make it to the school, but we still want her feedback!)


If you have any questions, you can contact Bamcat at allison.bamcat@gmail.com or give her a ringy ding ding at (781)351-9699.

Society of Illustrators

I got a piece into the Society of Illustrators student competition, specifically the W. Burroughs portrait above. Holy crap!
Congrats to Lindsay and Will, who also got pieces in!

UPDATE: I've received a Society of Illustrators Education Committee Award! I've never been so honored.

All School Show Submissions

Illustrators, get your work up in a show!

ALUMNI: We're looking for judges for the 6th! Email me if you're interested at allison.bamcat@gmail.com.

Corey (Rey) Lewis

As of right now one of my main influences is Corey Lewis.(nicknamed Rey)  He's done work for UDON doing Street Fighter covers to Transformers toy boxes, basically any geeky commercial properties.  What really drew me to him is his original work: Sharknife.  Most of his artwork is based around super stylized characters, which is something I really want to do with illustration.  He has a couple comics planned for publishing, but thus far Sharknife has been the only one 100% completed and on shelves.  Sharknife's design alone is awesome, but on top of that the ridiculous action scenes and video game references thrown in for good measure make for a pretty fun comic.  Only the first volume is out right now, with number 2 hopefully out soon.(it'll be out sometime in 2009)

I actually really want to see some of his observational stuff and I hope he posts it online at some point.

Oh yeah, did I mention he's only about 5 years older than us?

PAUL POPE

Another great illustrator that I love: Paul Pope. Pope is a mainly a comic book guy, but he has done illustrations for all sorts of people. He was illustrating a japanese manga before he even graduated college(he is american) the he went on to create Batman 100 and Heavy Liquid. Anyone who is interested in ink should check this guy out. He has a fluidity to his work that is really unique and amazing. He also has an erotica book out!

ken

Here's another illustrator that I can't resist mentioning. His name is Ken Garduno and his style is amazing. The sense of space in each piece is warped, though understandable and intriquing. I also love the sometimes covert humor of the situations that his characters find themselves in. There are many many more images on his site http://www.kengarduno.com/home.html

Below: this is a petition that I recieved from a friend of mine back in Massachusetts. The point is to create a "secretary of the arts" in the United States. It sounds like a good idea to me!

www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html

Who do you love?

I <3 Emmanuel Malin


Emmanuel Malin is an insane Parisian painter with gorgeous design sense and a powerful, decorative style. Some pieces almost suffer from being too decorative, but most are jaw dropping, explosive stuff. Kaboom.
emmanuelmalin.com

james jean

you probably already know this guy, but I just wanted to share the work of james jean with you all. He is an extremely successful illustrator but has also done a lot of "fine art". He recently had a show in NYC, and the work he made for it is AMAZING. I urge you all to go check it out at jamesjean.com. He is a great example of an illustrator who's work is fueled by limitless imagination.

who do you love?

I thought it would be cool to post an image from an illustrator whose work I have been looking at recently. Then I thought, if everyone did this, we could all see things that perhaps we never would have otherwise. It's also a way to get people more involved in this blog!

How about it? Show us all an illustration or any work of art that you find great. 

This is a painting called Lavers by an illustrator called Andrew Hem. His work is filled with movement, dynamic figures, colors that make me want to paint, and a cerain percision that I hope to someday have. All of his work is emotionally charged and I admire his craftsmanship.

http://andrewhem.com

Check him out and show us another!

i know it has nothing to with art, but as a member of the ninth floor, i know this effects quite a few of us who share the space...



rest in peace, el pelon. i hope you come back along with all the fenway places!