Week 1
For my first ever inspiration post, I want to show a very wonderful artist named Phobs. I am pretty sure the artist is a female from Russia, because the artist doesn’t have that much information posted about themselves. I love her artwork because of her unique style that keeps you looking at the piece. I especially, though, love the way she shades and colors her artwork. It is sketchy yet well constructed, and the tone of the figures are mixed with hatching and regular shading. Her drawings show so much emotion and beauty, that I can easily say that Phobs is one of my favorite artists of all time. Here is the links to her Deviantart page and her personal blog (the language is Russian just to let you know).
Deviantart: http://phobs.deviantart.com/
Blog: http://www.diary.ru/~phobs/
Another inpirational artist i adore is Hikari Shimoda. She is a female in Japan that usually paints children in strange ways, but at the same time is colorful and nice to look at. This little boy is supposed to be a symbol for the artist. The little boy represents a savior for younger children. I love the colors she uses for the eyes and background of her oil paintings. When I look at her paintings, I feel a strange happiness from the colors, but a sadness because of the expression on the children’s faces.
Her Deviantart: http://hikarishimoda.deviantart.com/
Week 2
Cartoon Network has always been so fun and lighthearted with the cartoons they create. It looks like their hard work pays off by fulfilling their dreams. Their artwork comes alive and brings it to life. This video gives a great look at their work and as to why I want to go into it. To have a job that doesn’t really feel like a real job.
My second inspiration is an animator named Anthony Holden. (Please click to see gif)
His artwork is whimsical, cute, and has a unique style. He mostly makes gifs on his spare time, and usually the subject matter is his family. He illustrates normal events and makes them so interesting to look at. Seeing his artwork brightens my day and makes me hope that someday I will reach my goal of being an animator.
He especially gives great advice for artists wanting to go into the animation field. This is one of the best advice he has given, and I often read it to remind myself to never give up.
Link to his Tumblr Page: http://anthonyholden.tumblr.com
Week 3
One artist that has been helping me with getting better at drawing is Andrew Loomis.
He was an illustrator for magazines and advertisements during the late 40’s and 50’s. He is mostly well known for his instructional art books. The one I am particularly reading and sketching from is Figure Drawing For All It’s Worth.
In the book, he illustrates how to draw a figure in proportion, how to draw it anatomically correct, and how to make the figure have movement and emotion. He also teaches perspective and how to properly use tone on a figure caused from a light source. I still have a far ways to go in this book, but I guess slow and steady wins the race.
Picture links: http://illref.com/reference/Illustrations/Female/Heads/?f=Loomis-Female_Head-02.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514o6QI0eVL.jpg
My second inspirational artist I have only just discovered recently. Her name is Lois van Baarle, and her Deviantart name is loish.
She is so creative and amazing at what she does. I especially like this piece because it just has an empty feeling to it. The colors and the wide open area above the figures gives a sort of boring or simple feeling to it. But at the same time, the couple together gives a sense that even though it isn’t much of a home, they still have each other. All of her artwork is very amazing, so here is another piece. I love this one because it has an old antique painting look to it, plus it is Belle, my favorite Disney Princess.
Her Deviantart: http://loish.deviantart.com/
Week 4
Since this week we have to sketch a superhero, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite comic book artists, Kenneth Rocafort.
Kenneth Rocafort is best known for being one of the comic illustrators for the New 52 DC Comic restart. I like his art the most from other comic artists because of his edgy style. His take on well known characters have a special anatomical style to them. His characters are tall, thin, and the faces he draws on his characters are very attractive to be honest. One of my favorite designs he has done other than this Red Hood one, is his Cyborg Superman.
It is so detailed and complex. He looks very terrifying, with his crazy long arm and his anger glowing stare. The blue and red colors, and also the triangle tipped cape! What an original idea! I definitely look up to this artist for his grasp on character design and his knowledge on anatomy.
Artwork: http://www.comicvine.com/kenneth-rocafort/4040-43123/images/ Cyborg Superman: http://www.rowsdowr.com/2013/05/09/cyborg-superman-by-kenneth-rocafort/
I guess i will go with the comic book artist inspirations. Another great artist that all comic book geeks love is Jim Lee.
He has drawn for all the major comic books and has made his own place in the comic book world. He has been drawing for DC comics since the 90s. He is sort of opposite from Rocafort, because his Superman and Batman look strong and powerful. He makes these well known characters have presence. They stand out and you just can’t stop staring. He captures Batman so well, making him strong, serious, intelligent, and powerful. Just looking at his artwork fascinates me. How someone can draw this detailed and creatively in such a short time is beyond me. He is amazing though, so here is another. You just cant beat ink work before it is edited to be put in a comic book. It was made from his own hand and mind.
Week 5
I am almost running out of artists that draw actual artwork for my inspirations! But that’s okay, because it actually makes me look at more artwork and see the different styles and ways they create their art. This artist mainly uses watercolor and their work looks wonderful. Her name is Cynthia and her Deviantart name is Koyamori.
I love her art because it so colorful, imaginative, and happy. She puts her characters in a fantasy world and it just captures my imagination. Her use of watercolor brings out her ideas and gives it more of a soft feel. I can’t really give a great explanation, but I mostly love how she creates little monsters and creatures that interact and take the human characters on adventures.
Her Deviantart: http://koyamori.deviantart.com
I guess since I am on the watercolor art subject, I’ll talk about one of the best in the business, Lora Zombie.
She applies watercolor that just drips all over the place. Each piece she creates is pretty much a rainbow explosion of paint. Her pieces often include children and the subject of war. Lora has strong opinions on how children are treated and how destructive war is to them. It makes the viewer think about these things, and also enjoy how she presents it.
These artists make me happy. 🙂
Her Deviantart: http://lora-zombie.deviantart.com
Week 6
I have recently seen in the Daily Lobo newspaper for the college that they are looking for a cartoonist. It sounds like a great opportunity and will definitely get me drawing more and help me to improve. The only problem is though is that I have not had a job yet, other than baby sitting and cleaning houses for family. But I feel like I will try anyway!
So to go with the whole comic strip feeling, I am going to talk about my main favorites. Of course my most favorite would have to be Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes.
Bill Watterson is one of the most amazing comic cartoonists ever. His character, Calvin, is a little boy who pretty much does what little boys really do. Dream about dinosaurs, crash their red wagon into trees, and hang out with their imaginary friend. His best friend is a stuffed animal tiger named Hobbes, who I believe actually exists, but the minds of adults cannot see him for what he really is.
Calvin and Hobbes captures childhood and the feeling of being free to do what you want to do. When the best thing that can happen is recess, getting out of school, or wanting your pet tiger to eat the bully at school. I love Calvin and Hobbes very much, and the stories and the childhood Watterson captures is a real inspiration for me.
Comics: http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/12/07#.UkMEMo71CWo
Another comic strip that is hilarious is The Far Side created by Gary Larson.
First Image: http://www.lechatnoirboutique.com/proddetail.php?prod=FSJNRG
Second: http://boingboing.net/2007/11/27/2007-new-yorker-cart.html
Gary Larson’s comics are so funny that I can not really explain it. They relate to daily life so well and anyone reading it can understand what the character in the comic is going through. He executes the story so well, that sometimes the character does not say a single word, or maybe barely a sentence, and he just does a great job. The Far side is great and I will always read it when I am hating life! 😀
Week 7
I have currently been really connected with The Legend of Korra showing new episodes every Friday. The second season has only currently came out, and I am already having high hopes for it. The creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are great storytellers, that have people like me who were attached to Avatar: The Last Airbender, come back to this new generation of the story many years later. They are great artists with great imaginations.
I love a lot of animators and they are all inspiring to me. Another show that has just came out is Wander Over Yonder created by Craig McCracken. He has created The Powerpuff Girls and Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends. He has also worked on Dexter’s Laboratory and Chowder. His style in artwork is so cute and happy. His stories also all are a little random. Small girls fighting a villain wearing high heel boots and has claws, but is named HIM? Oh yeah, that is definitely random, but wonderful. Craig McCracken inspires me to be creative and to not be afraid to have a weird imagination, even if people do not understand it.
Week 8
I recently bought the book Making Comics by Scott McCloud, and I really enjoy it. The whole book is a comic in itself and he explains everything simple enough for anyone to understand. His way of looking at comics really inspires me to think deeper about what I want to show in my artwork, and also work towards the cartoonist job at UNM (if the job has not been taken yet.) So Scott McCloud is my most recent inspiration for wanting to draw comics or even put emotions into characters.
Images: http://cms.mit.edu/news/upload/2006/09/makingcomics.jpg http://www.hazelfoster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/makingcomics3.gif
I have just finished reading a book called Art and Fear Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking written by David Bayles and Ted Orland.. I am always afraid to start drawing and for some reason I have procrastinated so much that it has ruined me for many years. I have a very low self esteem and put myself down way more than I should. I have ruined my life with this way of thinking and I am trying to find out how to change my life to be more positive.
For my drawing issues, this book explains every fear that an artist has when starting, continuing, or finishing a piece of art. It says the only true way to become a better artist is to just keep going, because no one else will do it for you. You can only get better if you keep working, no matter how terrible it may look. You must focus on your own progress and what works for you, rather than compare yourself to other artists that are completely different from you.
I love this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is very depressed about their art abilities.
Week 9
One theme of artwork and stories I have enjoyed is fantasy. Especially if the stories take place in forests that have strange animals and monsters living in them. The very first story that had sparked my inspiration for monsters is Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are.
Everyone at least one time in their life has read or at least heard of this story. It is about a boy named Max dressed in monster pajamas that gets sent to his room for being a bad kid. His room then grows foliage and a whole new world appears. He finds an ocean with a boat and sails to a land where monsters live and he becomes their king. They have fun until he gets homesick, and he leaves while the monsters wave goodbye and saying that they love him so much that they would eat him. Then he finally sails back to his room, where food made by his mom is waiting for him and it is still warm.
I love this story so much because of the illustrations and the imagination involved in it. I actually like the video adaptation of the book, because it made it seem more strange and fantastic. It’s a whole new world that you wish for. A place where the world is mysterious and full of surprises.
Images: http://nmbdesigner.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/where-the-wild-things-are-2.jpeg http://0.tqn.com/d/kidstvmovies/1/0/S/P/WTWTA002.jpg
Another book movie combo I love is The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins goes on a crazy adventure of danger with Gandlaf and the 13 dwarfs of the Lonely Mountain. They have to get rid of Smaug the dragon and get their treasure and home back. The movie did a wonderful job at sticking with the book. They added a few things, but did not take anything out.
I love the story because of the vast world of Middle Earth and the creatures that live there. There are mountains, forests, and kingdoms. Plus, hobbits are very cute!
Here is the trailer for the first movie out of the trilogy.
And here is the trailer for the new movie coming out this December. I am very excited for this!
Week 10
One cartoon I love is The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Thanks to the power of Facebook, I am a friend of Maxwell Atoms, the creator of the cartoon. He is such a weird guy that I think is great because his humor was dark but yet so hilarious that you forget that death is literally a huge subject in the show.
The Grim Reaper, or Grim for short, had became Mandy and Billy’s best friend through a limbo game, and he can never escape. Mandy is this evil girl that never smiles. She does once for a play, but it alters the space time continuum and they enter another dimension as the Powerpuff girls. Billy is the dumb one that is random and eats his boogers all day. The show is full of crazy dark characters like Haas Delgato, a monster slayer, Dracula, a sassy rude old man vampire, and Pudd’n, some dumb kid that always ends up getting hurt or dying.
Maxwell Atoms inspires me because his cartoons are so unique and leave me rolling on the floor laughing. On Reddit, he was answering questions, and I asked him for advice on becoming an animator. I’m happy he replied 🙂
His Facebook! : https://www.facebook.com/maxwell.atoms?fref=ts
Image links: http://www.watchcartoononline.com/thumbs/The-Grim-Adventures-Of-Billy-and-Mandy-Episode-1–Meet-the-Reaper.jpg
http://www.listal.com/viewimage/4158336
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcilgq2IV21qkmus5o1_500.gif
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkuptwAGRs1qg636ko1_500.jpg
Since I am on the Facebook animator friend subject, I am also inspired by Thurop van Orman, the creator of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.
This show was not as funny as The Grim Adventures, but it was very fun to watch and very creative. The cartoon had different mediums of artwork, such as the watercolor sky, paper waved sea, and an actual human Neptune. The cartoon is about a young boy sailor named Flapjack who wants to be an adventurer and someday go to Candied Island. He goes on these adventures with K’nuckles and his whale Bubbie.
Since I am friends with Thurop on Facebook, I get to see how he is in his personal life. He has cute kids that look like Flapjack, and he goes on real adventures with them. He is just has a wonderful personality and imagination that I look up to.
His Facebook! : https://www.facebook.com/thurop?fref=ts
Image Links: http://ilarge.listal.com/image/713232/936full-the-marvelous-misadventures-of-flapjack-screenshot.jpg
http://geek-news.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/geek/2013/05/top-10-animated-moms-9.jpg
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120818193819/flapjack/images/3/3b/CandiedIsland.jpg
http://cdn.static.ovimg.com/episode/932061.jpg
Week 11
I stumbled upon this amazing animated short named Le Royaume. It inspires me because the animation is cute and so fluid. Plus, I love 2d animation because it has a human touch to it. I also really like it because the landscape and forest is just beautiful!
Another inspiring animation is the new cartoon coming out on November 4th is Steven Universe. I have just gotten the first episode for free on Itunes and I have to say, it is absolutely wonderful! Steven is so cute and the gems are so tough and awesome, even though they are girls. I will watch this show every week when it comes out!
Image link: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/steven-universe/pictures/steven-universe-picture-1/index.html
Week 12
I decided to post what has inspired me for this final project we are going to create in IFDM. To summarize it, it will be a box that has a touch screen sort of operation on the outside. A kid or adult can come up to it, draw on the box with a stylus, and the box will create a stuffed animal based on their drawing. There will also be a preset feature to it for kids who do not have confidence in their drawing skills or just want a regular stuffed animal with nothing special.
The main audience to me is children 4+ that do not have a lot of money to afford toys for themselves. I imagine a foster home or children’s hospital purchasing our product, and it will create toys for the kids. I based off my drawing becoming a stuffed animal idea from the creative Wendy Tsao’s Child’s Own Studio.
Wendy has children send her their favorite drawings that they want to be made into their own special stuffed animal. I think this is very original and creative, because children drawings are so special. She captures the children’s artwork well.
Her Flickr: http://www.childsown.com/gallery/
I am going to stick to on the children/childhood subject and talk about one inspirational movie that made my childhood enjoyable, and that was Disney’s Peter Pan.
I remember watching the VHS tape over and over, wishing I was Wendy. I wanted to fly to a whole new world and never grow up (admittedly, I secretly still do). I would wish on stars and hope it was Neverland and that Peter Pan would come and take me on grand adventures. I still own the VHS tape and probably will for the rest of my life.
Since VHS was one tape, the extras for the movie would show after the credits. In the extras, Walt Disney rings a bell you cannot hear and says that it is a tinker bell. Then the fairy animation of Tinker Bell the fairy comes and spends time with him. There is also music and concept art made before the production of the movie, and I thought the artwork was beautiful.
Animation has had a deep impact on my life, and I would not have it any other way.
Image links:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jn1JR4mwa48/UOiOLF-L_2I/AAAAAAAAAA0/F3ksZSJyPgM/s1600/Peter-Pan-Wallpaper-peter-pan-6584197-1024-768.jpg http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2009/12/30/mary-blair-concept-art-showcased-in-walt-disney-s-peter-pan.aspx#.Unxv6XCTiSo
Week 13
I have been holding off mentioning this studio because it is the best one, but after watching Monster’s University, I just had to talk about them. One of the biggest inspirations for me is the greatest animation studio in the entire world, Pixar.
Aw man…Pixar…where do I begin? I have loved Pixar as far back as their first movie. I remember watching Toy Story over and over on VHS and never getting tired of it. Then came A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2. I watched them until my family could not stand it anymore. I actually have watched every single movie and short they have created more than 20 times at least! My sister and I would even ask for toys from Toy Story and Monsters Inc. I still have my Sully stuffed animal that holds a scream can that lights up.
Every movie they have created has made me love their characters. I would laugh and cry and wish for the movie to keep on going even when it ended. I especially cried during the ending of Toy Story 3. AW MAN I cried so bad! I STILL cry just seeing Andy leave them with Bonnie! I have cried at the beginning of Up and smiled seeing Wall-E try so hard to show Eve how much he cared for her.
But that’s why Pixar is amazing. Their stories pull you in and really make you fall in love with every moment they create. Their animation is absolutely breathtaking. Every leaf on the trees, every movement the characters make are just stunning. I have mentioned this before in a past post, but the short La Luna before Brave actually brought tears to my eyes from how beautiful the colors were.
Pixar will always inspire me. They are like gods in the animation world, and for good reason. They have made me have a deep love for animation and I hope that someday I will fulfill the dream of being an animator or character designer. I want to be a part of creating a movie or cartoon that just makes someone’s life better.
Images: http://blacksheepreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/pixar_films__1995___2013__wallpaper_by_darthvibbert-d610ciq.jpg http://c.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/fastcompany/poster/2013/09/3018559-poster-p-pixar-lessons.jpg
Sorry for the emotional stuff! I should talk about my second inspiration for the week, and it has to match up to Pixar somehow! So I have unsurprisingly chosen Disney.
Walt Disney movies have been a part of almost every person’s childhood, so there is no need to explain how much it has effected mine. The movies that have inspired me most has been Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Tangled, and Wreck It Ralph.
They have recently gone the CGI way of animating and I think it’s great! I especially love how beautiful the lanterns looked in Tangled and how colorful the world of Sugar Rush was in Wreck It Ralph. I can also tell that their storytelling has really gotten better. Back in the day,Disney was a LOT different. I do love 2d animation, but they have definitely gotten better. I will love Disney forever :3
Images: http://cdn.hitfix.com/photos/2436659/Disney-positions-itself-as-the-new-tentpole-power-house.jpg http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md3tcyWsuF1rrfpfjo5_1280.jpg http://i-7.vcimg.com/65fe9faf55b25146b814b86ccc2e0e2a113767/origin.jpg
Week 14
The 1st semester of the year is almost over, and I am looking forward to being free. I chose these inspirations because their artwork really makes me happy, and makes me look forward to the winter break.
My favorite type of photography is landscape photography, especially when it contains beautiful forests and green hills. Thomas Hanks, a very young photographer in the UK captures this nature so beautifully.
Thomas’s photos are dreamlike and just pull me in because of his choice of filters. I can imagine him travelling around and capturing these beautiful sites. His photos make me want to run away from home and live in these places forever.
His Website: http://www.thomashanks-photography.co.uk/
I am looking forward to travelling, sleeping in, drawing, and finishing books I need to read. I especially need to finish The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien. I also want to read the Hunger Games series over, and read Harry Potter for the first time.
I know, if someone is reading this they are probably asking, “YOU HAVEN’T READ THE HARRY POTTER SEIRES?!” No, I haven’t. My childhood consisted of the Redwall and The Series of Unfortunate Events books, plus my mom did not allow me to read them because she had ill feelings about them. but now that I am 20 years old, I will read the whole series and hopefully they will make me cry.
Fiction books inspire me and expand my imagination. LOTR is an amazing adventure and The Hunger Games are just so violent and crazy, that I just love them (the movie didn’t give the books justice, sorry). So, this break will be very great!
Images: http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780618640157_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG http://beautyandbrainsblogger.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/the-hunger-games-books-1-3.jpg http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/harry-potter-book-series.jpg
Week 15
This is my last inspirational post for the school semester on this blog! I have gone through so many inspirational artists, books, and people, and I almost have run out! But, during this semester I have discovered more and more amazing artists and people that have inspired me to keep on going for my dream, or had just made the road more bearable. 😉
This year, I have asked artists for advice as to how to better my artwork. I have posted a while back a response from Maxwell Atoms, the creator of the Grim Adventures cartoon, and have received another response from an artist here in Albuquerque named Lisa Casaus.
Here is her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LMCIllustration?hc_location=timeline
These sort of things give me hope! I have a low self esteem and put myself down more than what is normal 
So, reading these things helps me to keep on going! Here is a motivational piece of art made by Colleen Butters on Tumblr. I certainly love this one because it makes a lot of sense! Plus, the person wanting to give up is almost exactly like me! D:
I must keep on going to achieve my dreams!!! ToT
Her Tumblr: http://solar-citrus.tumblr.com/
Now, I am happy to talk about a band whose music has brightened up my day, no matter how rainy and cloudy it may have been. A band whose music makes my heart sing and my life just a little bit happier. And that band is Mumford and Sons.
Goodness, I have a deep love for this band. Their music is so beautiful and so full of emotion. Each band member compliments the other with their instruments, harmonizing voices, and all around good personalities. I know every song by heart and I have seen them in Taos, New Mexico and Guthrie, Oklahoma during their Stopover Tour. I discovered them just over a year ago, and I fell in love with them instantly. 
Truthfully, I cannot explain how amazing their music is to me. Marcus’s acoustic guitar, mandolin, drum playing,and vocals…Ben’s piano, Ted’s contrabass, and Winston’s banjo playing just wrap up into a wonderful band that just makes the world much brighter. Along with their amazing music, they also are kind to others and care for everyone in the music community. In Taos, there are native indians who live there, and they got to know one in town and invited him to play his flute during the concert and play along with their song Awake My Soul. Then during I Will Wait, he danced and spinned along with their music, and they laughed with how great it all was. They loved his flute playing and hugged him as a thank you for joining them. I will forever remember that because they cared enough to invite someone to play with them, all for the love of music. Mumford and Sons will always have a special place in my heart, and they help me keep on going along my artistic journey.
Here is the music video of my favorite song, Winter Winds 🙂
Images: http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/2012MumfordAndSons02AWH080812.jpg http://i.huffpost.com/gen/784296/thumbs/o-MUMFORD-AND-SONS-SNL-facebook.jpg
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