Design is so neat because so much of it happens in the background.

I opened a kinder surprise toy over Christmas, it was a paper balloon frog. Whose job was it to figure out how to fold that huge thing into a tiny kinder egg? I can just imagine them sitting at a desk with a pile of prototypes folding, folding, refolding.

Who designs the patterns on toilet paper? I bet that job is much more complicated than it seems - there are so many limitations. In my experience, simple and conservative patterns are the hardest to work with. They need to be unique enough so that the powers that be feel satisfied that they're new but they can't be too unique or too different or they're no longer conservative. There's very little wiggle room!

Thought I'd post this study while I'm at it! This time using a softer brush and trying out a bit more blending.

This is one of two pieces that are part of a group show called Spectrum Week at House of Energy in Toronto. If you're in the area, come see them in person!

This is a drawing from August that I just came across again tonight. I was just heading to bed but now I suddenly want to draw with markers..

Just playing around. I can't believe how much grey skin has! Also, this is apparently the facial expression I make when I'm concentrating really hard.

My octopus obsession continues! This is one of two pieces that are part of a group show called Spectrum Week at House of Energy in Toronto. If you're in the area, come see them in person (also pick up some tea - who knew dried leaves in hot water could be so delicious?!)

Alexis Barattin Idler Interview

Alexis Barattin was interviewed by Rosemary Van Deuren over at the Idler: Peeps to Watch Out For. Thank you, Rosemary!

I have two drawings that I'm itching to show but they're in their pencil stages and everyone knows it's bad juju to show your pencils before your final. I have been working really hard this week on some new pieces that will be hanging on some perty store walls in the near future. More on that later!

Unrelated: I've noticed that historical Canadian politicians have become popular lately, what's with that?

A drawing from last week that may turn into something this week!

Sketches

Recent gesture sketches!

A sketch from class:

Warmup sketch from this morning:

I thought I'd post a couple of full pages from my sketchbook because they look all fun and crazy. These are anatomy studies from this evening! Today has been very productive.

Some gesture sketches from this morning!

I was playing around with this sketch the other week. For some reason I keep feeling like I should draw a horse. Will this drawing ever be finished? Only time will tell!



Click for BIG!

Tonight is one of those nights where I'm like 'draw more... or look at pictures of italian greyhounds on the internet?" GUESS WHICH ONE I'M DOING RIGHT NOW?!

I was daydreaming about the perfect pen - the perfect pen that will never run out of ink; it's a pen and a friend at the same time! Could this be the next big THING in stationary? I think so!

Seriously, all I want to do is draw tentacles.

I had the amazing fortune this week to attend a lecture by Leif Peng at Nook. Leif is the illustrator/designer/teacher/general-awesome-person behind Today’s Inspiration, a blog about mid-century illustration. He is a very talented speaker, the lecture was a smart analysis of the illustration industry today cleverly disguised as a series of really fun stories about Lyendecker, Al Parker and Naiad and Walter Einsel – I see what you did there! The entire lecture was recorded and you can check it out online at Nook’s blog.

Nook deserves a paragraph of its own! It’s a collective studio/events space geared towards illustrators and other commercial artists. There seems to be a lot of learning opportunities going on all up in there: businesses classes, group art jams, computer classes, it sounds really exciting! There are some really smart and talented people involved in Nook, including Julia Breckenreid, Kathryn Adams, Shelley van Benschop, Katy Dockrill, Aaron Leighton and Sandra Dionisi.

Some ink studies from this weekend, done while flipping through some fashion mags.





I just realized I have an accidental double..it's like a little game of spot the pair! I would fix it but for some reason these two files gave me a lot of backsass and now I don't want to mess with them. That's some bad hoodoo right there.

I just discovered today that you can take out audiobooks from the library over the internet!

Right now it's dark and chilly out and I'm listening to my favourite horror series while doing some ink studies. Best friday night ever or best friday night ever?

Seriously, that wasn't even sarcasm, this is the best.

The other day I did some concepting exercises based on the phrase "balancing tasks". Tonight I sketched up one of the ideas:



Fun Fact! When I was little I had one of those paddleball things and it had to be taken away from me because I found it so infuriating.

Rapid fire gesture studies with my favourite pen..





And some faces for your amusement!

A drawing of beautiful Audrey

'

And two thirty second sketches of my kitty. Built for looks, definitely not for brains.

Even more recent noodlings.



loosely ref'd from some fashion mags I was looking at.

Some recent goodies from sketchbookland!

I'll be part of a group show called Full of Art at Full of Beans on October 6, 2011, 6:00pm curated by Pink & Brown Studios.

My super talented friend Mina Sewell Mancuso will also be showing her strange-and-beautiful occult embroidery pieces.

And grab a coffee while you're there because the owner, Lori, has an antique coffee roaster that runs with a belt. How cool is that?



Poster by the lovely folks at Pink and Brown Studios.

Some expression studies from today.

Did you know ink could get mouldy? Because I sure didn't! I was having all this trouble drawing with ink and I thought it was just me or maybe the paper but it turns out the ink was just mouldy.

Tatsuro Kiuchi is one seriously talented illustrator. I could go on and on (andonandonandon) but instead I'll just post a sampling of his amazing, simple and perfect illustrations:











Siigh.

I was recently interviewed over at The Artfuls! Thank you, Tony.

With fall coming at us at a crantastic speed, this piece is about that last summer bike ride. You know what I'm talking about!

I have been playing around with nibs lately and wanted to try to develop a piece with nib and brush. Gotta say, I really like the level of control I can get with these babies! Also trying a more direct approach to painting which I rather like.

I keep being like 'oh man I should scan some stuff in' but then I think 'or I could draw!' and guess which one wins out?

Some recent ink shenanigans - I forgot how much I love a good nib! (also: did you know you could spellcheck the word "shenanigans"?)









See larger versions on my flickr stream!

A quick portrait from life drawing. See big size here!

I have some new things to post but before I do, here is a small cache of experimental sketchbook drawings I found on my hardrive:







I love to draw like this in my sketchbook but find it really hard to blend this type of drawing with my portfolio style. Although I really like both styles the two seem to be at odds.

"failure is just the beginning" - Miranda July

I'm working on another big drawing: Bikes! Houses! Flying! It's very exciting.



Big here!

While I was drawing this I was thinking "gee I think Mina will like this one".

And here are some gesture drawings from the very recent past.



Big here!

Gesture sketches from the last two days, various refs. I can't wait for life drawing tomorrow!





See big here!