The clouds above

There are endless metaphors to describe life. It's a game, an up hill battle, an endless repetition of change. Today is not the same as yesterday and tomorrow is guaranteed  to be nothing like today. As you look back through what ever struggles you have faced you must take that strength with you as you move forward. The past few months have probably been the toughest challenge that I have ever faced personally. I'm made it through this hard time though; slowly climbing the hill. It is a daunting task but I know I'll reach the hill top at some point. But I also know that I'll face even harder challenges in the future. I just hope the next time around I'm able to climb above the hill top toward the clouds over head.

Until today I could remember the last time I laid in the grass and looked up at the clouds. It was a simple reminder to never take life too seriously and enjoy the little things in life.

Comic Test Pages

So I have the first chapter numbnailed out and decided to draw the first few pages. Im looking for some feed back. I like the style for the most part but I need to invest in a new felt tip pen to ink the pages. I thought I would like the straight pencil look, but I'm not sold on it yet. Also, I feel like I need to add more background to the panels. Thoughts?

Off to night shift

I'm going to night shift in January. I was beyond pissed when I found out. Bu the small light at the end of tunnel is that my job will be a lot less time consuming while actually at work. This will allow me to have more time to work on drawing. My goal is draw up the first chapter of my comic within the first couple months.

I found time!

I'm I'm It feels like forever sense I've posted anything on here. I found some free time over the past couple days and did a few sketches.

I made these pencil drawings after I made the ink sketches below.

I think I like my ink sketches better then may pencil sketches.

My wife had a cake project she was hired todo. I was drafted to make these figures for the top of it. Apparently they are from a game called Five nights at Freddy's.

And finally, this is an older collage I made from newspaper pictures. I added the wording in the middle.

Keeping the flame alive

I had some one at work ask me what I wanted to do when I was in college. My immediate answer was that I wanted to be a professional artist. I wanted to spend my days hidden away in a studio drawing, painting, and sculpting with the hopes that someone would pay me to do just that. But here I am, it's been three years sense I graduated. God I hate myself for how much time I waisted when I was in school. I could have done so much, but I procrastinated and lost focus on that goal. It's as if my years in college never happened, as if they are events from another life time, another universe. To say that this does not sadden me would be a complete and total lie. But that does not mean that I am not happy with where I am. I have invested time into starting a family and found a stable career path to follow. I am blessed by the fact that my new career path will allow me to retire as early as 45. I have to remind myself of this fact because it will allow me to pursue any path I wish at that point. I could go into teaching, create a graphic novel, start a business, I can do anything! But until that point I have to keep the flame of creativity burning. Maybe I can foster a sense of creativity in my son. I look foreword to the future and the endless possibilities that it holds.

Graphic Design Full Time

At least for the next two weeks I will be diving into my first experience with working full time from home. The construction companies I am doing graphic design work have decided to allow me to work full time as I transition from warehouse work to a state job. Right out of the gate there have been a few challenges. I've set my computer up in the living room so that I can keep an eye on mason while jackie does other things around the house. This location of my work space prevents me from being side tracked by Warhammer models (those little buggers have their way of just jumping into your hands). But the added distraction of dirty diapers and feeding time is now a factor. Over all it keeps me accountable for the time I spend working.

The main projects that I have been creating are "Selection Documents" for the different products they offer. Basically they are digital sample boards. The biggest struggle so far has been translating the list their venders supply, with the samples on the vender websites.

The kitchen company actually had me rework their website. It wasn't a "code from scratch" website. They had paid a graphic design company thousands of dollars to make a crapy four page website. In a matter of three weeks I was able to make them a more functional website from one of those drag and drop website builders. It amazes me how small businesses would fork over a large sum of money to a small time firm to build an "original" website, when they could pay something like $100 a year for a site they can build themselves, or have a student organize.

As I move foreword, I hope to continue working with these companies and possibly expand my cliental. I am looking into a couple local companies that are looking to hire graphic designers, but for now I'll stick with the freelance work and the state job.

Time is Money

With a baby on the way, I find my time is better spent working on freelance graphic design work, rather than my painting. Its been quit some time sense I have just picked up a brush to work on anything. This is the unfortunate reality of the real world. My artistic spirit is not dead, nor am I saddened by this reality. I am over joyed about becoming a father. But the fact remains that I must spend my "free time" working on freelance projects. Right now I am only working on selection documents for a remodeling company, but once I get the chance to fully create something original, I will share it on here. That also goes for any paintings I may do. I still hope to sell paintings one day, but for now I must follow the money towards graphic design.

Permanence

Eleven years ago I was uprooted from all that I new, all that was familiar and comfortable to me. My parents had built a house and we had to move away from the town I lived in. This occurred while I was nearing the end of middle school, an unpleasant memory to begin with. I was in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people. 

This new house became my home, my constant. It would be the setting of many happy memories through high school and college. It was the place I could return to and find my center. 

I haven't lived in that house for over a year now. My wife and I have found our own place to call home. But that house was still part of my home. 

My parents have had to move away from that house, much to their dissatisfaction. But life has pushed them in a new direction. I told my mother not to cry, that it is only four walls, that a home is made by those we are with. 

This house was my constant. But it is only four walls, it holds no physical permanence in my life. I feel as though I should cry and weep at the change that has came, but it is only four walls. It shall always be that past constant, but as the days go by I cannot forget that life is always changing that there is no physical permanace for me. This house shall be only a memory.

Chaos or Order

You decide.

Make use of your time

So I have two twenty minute breaks each night at work. I figure I can make use of that time todo some sketching. This is just a rough composition. The story idea is a fantasy type tale (humans vs giants) set in post apocalyptic future. It actually draws from a story idea I came up with while at scout camp a few years ago.

Make use of your time

So I have two twenty minute breaks each night at work. I figure I can make use of that time todo some sketching. This is just a rough composition. The story idea is a fantasy type tale (humans vs giants) set in post apocalyptic future. It actually draws from a story idea I came up with while at scout camp a few years ago.

Busy bee

So I started a new job last month, just more warehouse work for now. But I also started training for a government job. Tack on the course load of two college classes (photoshop and illustrator) and the fact that my wife and I are expecting a child in April of next year. I don't have much time for any personal work right now. But when I do find the time, I've decided to stay away from skulls. I really need to branch out with other subject matter and push myself to expand on my talent.

Long board round three?

So I sanded down my long board a few months ago removing the old design I had painted. Here is the new concept in the works. It's going to just be black lines on the wood. Maybe a little color. Haven't decided yet.

I'm still here

Do not fret, I am still alive and painting. Heres a few projects I've done over the past few weeks.

This is just a simple tattoo design I put together.

Practicing with painting figures. I did not want it to look natural so I used blue for the shadows. 

This is a collage I threw together the other. I'm not sure if I am finished with it yet.

Dreamscape

I had a very vivid dream last night. This room or patio was in it. I thought it was very cool.

I need it all

I've been up for 21 hours, running on 3 hours of sleep. I can't seem to take my eyes away from my computer screen. Times like this, I feel like if I go to sleep I will miss something or not experience something. The fact is, if I don't go to sleep I will miss out on the full potential of tomorrow. But I have a hunger to see everything, I want to ability to watch, read, and experience everything this world has to offer. Maybe this state of mind could be interpreted as a need to experience the world (at least the digital world) so that I can fully understand the human condition.

Deutschland!

Suicide Horn

I found the reference picture for this on reddit. The thoughts it provoked told me that I had to paint it.

The rams horn, constantly growing, pushed straight into the skull, killing the ram. It's rather poeticreallyI, a metaphor of how aspects of one's character can go unchecked until the damage is irreversible. 

Tax Reform: Reduce and share the burden

For the final week of my economics course we were asked to examine tax reform:
In 2012, The governor of New Mexico, Garry Johnson made run for the presidency as a third party candidate from the Libertarian Party. This political party stands firmly behind the idea of a consumption tax. It their belief that such a tax system would create a more equal tax burden across the board; everyone would pay a flat sales tax close to 23% rather than have 23% of their income with held. A consumption tax ("Fair Tax" as they say) would remove all corporate corruption and lobbyist efforts, as corporations would no longer be able to battle for tax cuts and benefits. Now it could be argued that such a tax system would reduce revenue for the federal government. One of the externalities of taxing consumption is the Internal Revenue Service would become obsolete, reducing federal spending. Others would try to argue that taxing consumption would only further harm the lower class and those below the poverty line. Mr. Johnson suggested that a "probate" would be implemented to make those living in poverty exempt from having to pay a certain allowance of taxes. This article asked Mr. Johnson how a "fair tax" would impact social security. Simply put individuals would only be able to get back in social security what they paid into the system, there would be no account for inflation. Ultimately, the Libertarian party would fully support the abolishment of social security as they believe it is the responsibility of the individual to plan for their future, rather than rely on the government to save you money and provide for you. 
The second article I found, addressed the recent topic of raising minimum wage and how this would not solve income inequality within this country. Glenn Hubbard, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors to President George W. Bush, believes that raising the minimum wage ignores two critical steps; economic inclusion and the ability to work and earn. Tax reform focused on dynamism (opportunity for commercially viable innovation) and inclusion (mass prosperity) would better address this social issue. The current tax code does not promote the growth in human capital within our economy and raising the minimum wage out right ignores this option. Mr. Hubbard suggests that the government should provide education vouchers for low income families, including their children. He also believes that the Earned-Income Tax Credit should be altered such that families without children should be getting back just as much as those with children. This credit is meant to reward families for their hard work to provide for themselves, and short changing families without children does not promote growth. 
Both stances provide some solid options for improving the issue of income inequality. A consumption tax is such a drastic change that I believe it could cause a chaotic shock to the economy of the United states. Such a program could not smoothly begin operating out of nowhere. A gradual transition of sorts would need to be implemented in order for this new tax system to be effective. I believe such a system would be best started at the state level. Once states remove their income tax programs and begin charging higher sales taxes, a federal transition could begin (add sales tax a little each year and reduce the income tax each year until the income tax is no more). As far as Mr. Hubbard's plan is concerned, I see two flaws. the first is that creating new programs such as education vouchers simply creates more paper work, more bureaucracy. Secondly, he states that "Greater support for inclusion through training and worker or employment subsidies must be financed, of course." Of course, such programs would require research and more federal spending, which only creates a further tax burden. His ideas only create further government involvement within the lives of US citizens, not something many of us would want. I believe that through continued debate and diligence, a solution to the troubled tax system of this great nation will be found. Ultimately I am in support of a consumption tax and reduced government spending. Such a system would hold individuals and corporations accountable for their share of the tax burden. The reduction of the IRS and reduced federal spending would reduce the tax burden for each individual.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/29/5-questions-for-libertarian-presidential-candidate-gary-johnson-on-tax-and-entitlement-reform/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/tax-reform-is-the-best-way-to-tackle-income-inequality/2014/01/10/112710ea-68ca-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html

Squiggles

I spent about an hour outside yesterday spraying a few canvases. This is by far the easiest step in my painting process, but also the most enjoyable. It's easy to loose yourself in the moment and gestures as you run the spray can from side to side. In the past I used wooden board as my canvas. The different textures it provided, created very interesting details within the pieces. Lately however, I found the texture to be more cumbersome. So I have decided to try a few paintings on canvas.

Instead of laying down a flat colored area, I just kept painting lines, building up the layers until I could no longer see the white canvas.

Start with a few simple lines...

Then a TON of orange

Primary colors

Ready for content