Hello 2012

Hi all,

It's been too long! I should make it a new year resolution to update my blog more often!

I've been pretty busy. I've learnt how to do 3d animation now and I'm working on webisodes for Polly Pocket. It's a lot more fun than I thought it would be. :) And it's nice to be on a series, I get to do heaps of character animation; my favourite type!

Also, I've updated my show reel with my Sydney work and other 2d stuff, go check it out, there's a link to the side of this page. No 3d in it yet, I have to wait for the episodes to air.

My spare time's been pretty busy, too. I've been doing heaps of quillings, I'm preparing for the Brisbane Suitcase Rummage in Febuary: http://suitcase-rummage.blogspot.com/

Come along and buy some quillings! I also have some for sale in my Etsy, (there's a link on the side of this page) and I take commissions.

Here are some quillings and some recent art:

Thanks for reading,
Lex

PS. I've also been learning the ukulele. It's pretty much the best instrument ever.

Happy Halloween

My halloween pumpkin for this year:

Okay, so last year, I carved my very first pumpkin. I found a picture of Ruby Gloom and told my skeptical beau that I was going to recreate it, pumpkin style. I didn't do too bad a job, either.

So this year, I carved Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer onto a pumpkin. Because I love them so damn much and they've both inspired me and brought SO much joy into my life. That, and I really like the promotional art for 'An Evening with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer', and I thought it would be perfect to carve onto a pumpkin.

I even bought some proper tools this year! Last year I just used a kitchen knife and a screwdriver. :P

I posted a photo to Amanda Palmer's wall and Neil Gaiman's wall. On Neil Gaiman's wall, it was in the section made up of fan posts. Then he put it up in the section made up of his posts. And more than a thousand people like it. O_O

Wow. Seriously. I am so amazed and thrilled that so many people like it. Best of all, Neil Gaiman likes it! I hope Amanda Palmer likes it too. :)

(I cannot simply refer to them as 'Neil' or 'Amanda', even if I were to write their names a million times over in this post. They are simply too awesome.)

Anyway, it really made my day, I am so happy! :D

Lex

P.S. Last year's pumpkin:

Bats and Birds

Oh man, it has been far too long since I updated my blog. I fail at blogging.

My excuse is that I've been busy working. Really, I've just been neglectful. :P I went and worked at Mighty Nice in Sydney, then I've been back at Liquid again. But my contract is about to run out, so I'll have all the time in the world to blog. Well, until I find another job.

Mighty Nice was pretty great! I had a really good time working there, I'd love to do some more work with them. Although I did get pretty homesick. But it was only for five weeks, so not too bad.

Check out this animatic I made in 2009? 2010?
Click here!

Also! I got another tattoo! :D

The design is based off work by William Morris. I love love love bats and have since I was about seven, I think. Long time. This took about two and a half, three hours and really hurt. :P Although not as much as my back tattoo. We ran out of time to finish it, so it'll be getting coloured in two weeks from now. I can't wait! My beau came with me, held my hand and read Harry Potter to me the whole time. <3

Okay, that's all for now, I'll update with some art soon!

Lex

Drawing

Greetings internet!

Before I start, I'd like to say that my honours film is now online. There's a link on the side of this page, just click on Viola. Burn the Witch was my third year film, feel free to check that out also.

I've been getting so much done lately! I'm currently without work and instead of wasting my time, I am using it so, so well. How am I using it well? You ask. By drawing all day. Oh yeah!

I've mostly been working on my graphic novel. It all gets inked by hand on A3 pages, then scanned and altered in Photoshop. That's wear I put in the red. Check out a page:

I don't have a scanner big enough for A3, but I found on Facebook a free creative space for the young people of Brisbane, called Visible Ink. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/visibleink It's a pretty great place and I had a rather enjoyable afternoon drawing there.

I've also been working on some pre production for an idea that I have for a short animation. I'm pursuing funding for this, because I really want to make it.

Check out the main characters, Faye in the stripes and Marina with the long hair.

To colour the outlines I followed a tutorial by one of my favourite artists, Katie Hanahan. Check out the tutorial: http://ktshy.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d3aaii7 and her blog: http://ktshy.blogspot.com/

ALSO. I got a kindle and it is the best thing ever. EVER.

Well, it's time for some 'breakfast' and drawing.

Lex

Arts and Music

Oh man, I have been neglecting my blog! I am pretty lame that way.

I have been kinda busy though, working at Liquid Animation again. It's been fun! I quite enjoyed the project, which involved cut out 2d animation and hand rawn animation, which I love. I certainly know ToonBoom pretty intimately now, a lot better than I knew it before. Also, working on a Cintiq was SO GOOD. I should really get one, I would do a lot more digital art if I had one.

But my contract is about to end and I'm not sure if there is enough 2d work to keep me there for the moment. But it's not all bad! I had started learning 3d before I was working there again, so I'm going to continue with that. As well as doing my own art, of course. Because I am feeling pretty damn inspired lately!

This weekend will (hopefully) be a weekend dedicated to working on my graphic novel. I inked up the first page and it is looking might fine. I need a bigger scanner though, so that I can scan it in and fix it up. I'm going to be making Polina's hair red in Photoshop, rather than during the inking stage.

My scanner may not be big enough, but here are a couple of photos to give you a peek:

(My apologies, I really am the worst photographer.)

And here are a couple of train sketches from my trip home today:

(I really need to draw from life more often.)

And a work in progress picture inspired by my new favourite thing to listen to:

The album is Nighty Night by 8in8. Download it here for only a dollar (or more): http://music.amandapalmer.net/releases

It's Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman (he actually sings on this), Ben Folds and Damian Kulash. Their goal was to create eight songs in eight hours. They made six in twelve, which is still incredible and they sound AMAZING. Seriously, pay the dollar, listen to the shit and you won't regret it.

Anyway, I have things to do, so I shall go off and do them!

Also, I have an idea for a short animation...more to come on that later...

Paintings and a Shoe

It's been a while since I updated...oops!

So here are some paintings I created for Queeriosity:

They're meant to hang from left to right, not from top to bottom like this. But oh well! Anyway, Queeriosity was a festival that a friend of mine was helping to organise, and he suggested that I submit some art. So I created some new paintings and also submitted a really big mixed media/oil pastel drawing that I created in highschool.

These paintings are each based on fairy tales. Can you guess which ones?

I also made an entry for the Footlocker Art Prize:

Click on the link and have a look!

Bats! By: alexisdraws

Also, I've been coating my quillings and they are on the verge of being sell-able! So close! Soon you will be able to buy them on Etsy. :D

Also again, I have a job again (as an animator, hurrah!) so I am really going to have to be more disceplined with my spare time, so that I can keep making my art and witchcrafts. Here's hoping I use my time well!

Okay, that's all for now.

Lex

More Quillings

Hello internet people!

I should really do some drawing or painting, this latest batch of art is all quilling. But fear not, once I'm done typing today's blogpost I'm going to paint!

So here's a suggestion from my friend Karlyne:

It's Disney's Stitch! He looks a lot like a bulldog, but I think I like it.

I wanted to quill the CatBus from Totoro, but I didn't have anymore dark brown paper. So instead I quilled a whole bunch of little cute things. My favourites are the apple and the teapot.

Also, this Friday (when I get money again) I'm going to get my hands on some resin and test some of these out. Well, I'll make a throw away test first before risking any of my nice quillings. The point is, these all might be wearable soon! And once they are, they'll be for sale. I'm thinking that I'll sell them as pendants and the people who buy them can supply their own necklace. That way it's cheaper and easier for everyone. :)

Hm, what else do I have to say? Well, I just finished listening to every episode (so far) of the podcast Kiss and Tell. It is so damn good. And it kinda makes me want to do a podcast. Although I don't know who I'd do it with or what we would talk about.

-Lex