More SPNishness!

It's rather befuddling to me how infatuated I became with this fandom. Why? God only knows, and He's not telling. Maybe I'll save this rumination for my writing blog. Annnnyway, more Supernatural fanart. Okay, so I can't sell it. But it has coaxed me into arting and writing far more passionately than I have in years. Again I say, befuddling.


There is a detail shot at my dA gallery: http://quickreaver.deviantart.com/art/On-a-Clear-Day-detail-252837888

Welcome back to school, kids!

Make a Wish...

Been a while since I updated diddly. I blame summer. And while I'm at it, I'll blame summer for this too:



Don't judge.

Here Comes the Sun, Doot'n Do Do...

Summer is right around the corner, thank gawd! LOVE the heat; I'd far sooner sweat than shiver. Makes me miss Florida. BUT! We'll be heading for the beach in early July, so I fully intend to soak up as much sun and sweat as possible, get sand in places sand was never meant to be, and drink copious amounts of fruited beer. And hopefully, get a little writing and doodling in.

And speaking of doodles, my Supernatural Summer gets a kick-off today. Here's a piece I posted all over DA and LJ, so I figure I'll slap it here too. I tried to be more stylized, less literal. Gotta work on that, honestly. Anywho, enjoy, my babies...paint on!



(For attribution--the lovely monicawoe--and other versions of this image, check out my LJ Supernatural SummerShack: http://quickreaver.livejournal.com/7424.html )

Conglomeration Nation!

I almost forgot about this poor thing! *pets blog*

Haven't been doing much lately except catching up with old client projects but I certainly hope this changes soon.

First con of the season! Con, being CONvention...Conglomeration, specifically. (www.conglomeration.info.com) If you're in the Louisville, KY area this upcoming weekend, stop by! It's seriously inexpensive and low-key, with a little art, a little gaming, a little larping, and shopping. Something for everyone! It always re-energizes me, this wee con.

Okay, off to oggle my prints (courtesy of Ellen Million Graphics) and decide what to frame. Ta!

In praise of giving the Muse full run of the house...

First, my latest bit of Art For Me. Doesn't happen often enough, truly.


(For the full 411, you can read all about it on my DA page.

This was interesting for me on about 19 different fronts. I haven't felt truly joyful doing art in a loooong time. Why? Because it hasn't been my own passion, my own baby. It's been someone else's. You never love someone else's kid as much as your own, right? Art is a conundrum. You get into it to bring your own visions to life, but we all want to get paid to do what we're good at. It's a love/hate relationship. I think I need a little more 'love' in my life.

This was also a tasty opportunity to explore a style/technique I haven't used before, and it was AWE.SOME. I've always loved Drew Struzan's movie posters. He works traditionally but with some cagey PS brushes, I aped his style to decent effect. I'm gonna work this way more often. It was a stone blast, but I never would've tried it had I not been working on my own project.

Most clients don't want Something New. They want More Of The Same. Hate to say it, but it's true. Now, this isn't a bad thing, per se! You know you're doing something right if lots of folks request it, but...still...you know where I'm going with this. An artist stagnates if he does the same thing, over and over and over. He becomes something of an artisan. Bob Ross-ish. Formulaic. A charicature of himself. Static. And stasis is one step away from atrophy. (The previous statement was brought to you by Arrogant Artist Is Arrogant. Feel free to ignore at your own druthers.)

I make the bulk of my money these days at my dayjob, not to mention I get bennies that insure me and my fam. Freelancing is woefully underfunding me. I'm 46. It's time to pursue my own creative yakkity-smack because if not now, when? I know, I know. I've said it all before. It just takes me a loooong time to commit to putting my money where my mouth is. But now is the day. I feel brave and stupid, all at once. Welcome to my world...

Eeesh, falling behind...

...in my bloggery! January is finding me very busy, with older projects, new ones popping up, and personal pieces screaming to find release. I should be a very wealthy woman, for all the work on my plate. But that just isn't the way, for us creatives, is it? Sad but true.

Despite my lack of posts, I have been working. Proof, you say? Here are a few digitally painted images that have made it through the bowels of my imagination to 'publication' (many other covers were photomanips but that's not really what this blog is about.)



Detail:



But wait! There's more!



And another detail:



Looking back at these, I find the experience a blend of "Hey, aspects of these paintings are pretty darned cool!" and "Ugh, Christine, you're such a hack." (But there again, isn't this just the way with us creative types? Annnnyway, back to my self-loathing...) There's this easy, air-brushed banality to my recent paintings that has left me a bit, well, empty. Okay, a LOT empty. Everything has become over-simplified and buffed to appeal to the idealization of the romance/erotic genre. I remember, back in early college, I used to pause by ramshackle abandoned buildings and marvel at their texture, their complexity, their ennui. I love things in distress. The more holey and faded my jeans, the better I like 'em. (Same goes for my men, but that's a tale for another time. Heh.) I don't want my world shiny and new! I want grit and nuance and dark-underbellies. I live in Suburbia; I get White Picket Fence every stinkin' day. But it's not where my muse lies; it's where practicality dwells. (I should give my muse a name someday, as much as I refer to him. Yeah, I've decided it's a 'him'.)

Okay, enough yakkity. Got work to do. But if it's any consolation, I appreciate you being here to share my woe, dear reader! Since you've made it this far, you deserve my sincerest, heartfelt commiseration. And distress.

Bookcoverpaloooooza!

A very cool author contacted me a while ago, and we collaborated on two covers for his self-published e-book. I was jazzed to do some other genres. So cruising through Amazon.com, I found one of 'em:

http://www.amazon.com/CRO-MAGNON-ebook/dp/B0048ELM2Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1291854744&sr=1-2

Robert Stimson kindly threw my name in there too. Nice guy! Sounds like a good read. If an archaeological technothriller is up your alley, give it a whirl. Seacrest out.