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!