Back Better than Before for 2019 :)

I am not really sure what to start with here, I have been absent off here for awhile. Instagram has been a lot more simple for me to upload new work, so that’s where I’ve been active (at least I’ve been art-alive somewhere). Additionally, I’ve been trying out a new style look as I head into being a new mom of a infant-toddler stage girl who loves her books to bits (as it, of course, she chews on some but she really does flip them and read the pictures).


Here is some new work I’ve done already in the first 1.5 months of the year. I feel like this is quite something compared to last year. Having a cluster-feeding newborn and being confused about babies, I really didn’t do much for a while. It was at least nice to have an excuse to just sit and play through The Last Guardian on my PS4 while she napped on me after nursing. Plus the winter blues.

Over the past few months, I have been contemplating my new art career direction. I had just found a local Illustration meetup group, and it’s helping me feel more inspired and accountable for pushing myself with the real career-orientated setting, having access to field information and seeing what others have been working on.

My goals as an individual have been always leaning towards Environmentalism and Conservation, contributing to but just unsure in which way. As an artist, I feel I am more ready to step into finally walking there. One of the other things that has recently greatly affected me of late, was attending the Artists for Conservation’s art show teaming up with what is called the Ornithology Congress for a big event of bird sciences and art together. I felt like I had a place to belong, kind of, even though I didn’t really meet anyone or talk to people a whole lot. But just being there was something that seemed to remove the self-doubts and the lack of support I’ve been feeling within my own circles. I just feel kind of misunderstood I guess?

Another Chinese New Year theme like my last post it seems
This work here is what I am aiming to do more of besides the cutesy book art :)!
It started out as a challenge to draw sketches of the bird, but I managed to complete even a background. Very inspired by my visit to the Ornithology Congress and Nature Art festival, in addition, the Hornbill I saw at Taipei Zoo for this particular piece. I will make a feature blog for this one soon.

In any case, now that my silly baby is more active, I kind of got the pros and cons of it—I don’t really need to hold her up, but she sure knows how to get my attention with her voice if I’m trying to get other things done, so I have to be realistic with my projects.

Oh, the other reason I am being more pushy towards goals now: I am turning 30 this year! UGH! What have I been doing to make life go so fast? I need to finish writing and start checking off items in my 2019 bucket list.

Remember, life goes so fast!

My Patreon if you wish to support my work:

https://www.patreon.com/Mirrortail

2017 Year of the Fire Rooster

Happy Chinese New Year

 

(And New Year 2017 in general since this is my first post of the year! I’m terrible)

 

There were some problems with my site for a bit, but now it seems to be working. For the new year, I have worked on drawing roosters. Though I cannot say I have mastered them, I can certainly say I can draw a rooster better. This was my theme challenge for this month. Primarily, this consisted of a sketch page filled with rooster studies, and a start on designing a new monster (fire Cockatrice) that I haven’t fully developed into an illustration, rather I’m exploring different methods of the process in creature design.

 

Because I’m currently upgrading my skills with vector, I have a mix of styles going on here as I learn more about what I can do with it in practice. My goal with learning vector further is to be more versatile with my mediums in addition that design software is becoming more expected in the overall job market universe, plus with an existing interest in graphics design and digital styles, It just makes sense to me. I have been a little intimidated to pick it up again (the software basically), but I regret not doing so the more I put it off. 10 years ago I was introduced to Corel Draw, but I put it off for one reason or another. I guess it’s just that I wasn’t taught enough core function how-to basics to keep me going (it was a high school course, I confess).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry if I don’t update often, it’s also that I’m struggling with the normal daily life things (sorry romantic ideas of artists) such as acquiring day jobs, upgrade skills for a better paying day job. Not the kind of thing an artist really wants to admit, but it’s just tough and until my creative path picks up, I have to eat regardless and I have other things I want to do, so I obviously need money somehow. I have an uncle who has been diagnosed sadly with prostate cancer (right now he seems to be doing okay), so I’m planning to head that way after I’m done with this temporary job I’m at to visit for a bit. It’s been awhile since I saw my folks a few provinces away. It is good to know that this uncle and my aunt are now retired, so no matter which direction in life this trouble takes them, they have an opportunity for plenty of quality time together and with the rest of the family.

 

Here’s to wishing a better year.

European Festival and Barriers as a Young Artist

Yikes…..I realized officially there has been no blog posts since 2015, despite swearing I had made one not that long ago. Either way, I’m finally more active here again, right now re-doing the look of the website, some of it seemingly a simple, easy thing, yet refuses to do what I want it too…..(I’m no coder or web developer but like to think I’m at least intermediate at computers).

 

me with gerdra

On May 28th & 29th I attended the European Festival 2016 here in Metro Vancouver as an artist, which was exciting. Unfortunately on the first day, it was raining like mad, literally, it was the hardest raining day of the entire year so far, the sky decided to just drop it all. I actually did make one sale that day, and thanks to some cheery accordion makers playing their instruments in the next tent, it wasn’t all so down for most of us. The next day it stopped raining with some sunlight yet, and all considering I think I did better than I do at the geek conventions. Possibly because a wider set of audience, but either way, who at a Euro culture fest doesn’t appreciate dragons? ya?

 

Besides finding a resemblance to dragons and Europe, I have grandparents from Norway so it is quite relevant to me….and it is so hard to find anything of real European nature in Vancouver.

Since my last update, I’ve been plugging a lot of older and recent art into being die-cut stickers on my new Redbubble shop:

http://www.redbubble.com/people/mirrortail

Also I gave in to Instagram, not a place I feel I ‘fit in’, but suppose I ought to at least get my art presence there.

More notably, I have a Patreon account, which I seem to update more than my website lately…

https://www.patreon.com/Mirrortail

 

(Above) Me wearing a German-inspired top I bought in Taiwan last year (2015), and my shoulder dragon buddy I haven’t named. Speaking of shoulder buddy, I have the cutest little pet bird who loves to sit on my head. Because I’m either weird, have too much time on my hands or clever, I made him his own Facebook page called “Finchy Life” (it’s really for all 3 of them, but the other 2 are camera-phobic and basically untamed, so getting good photos is almost impossible), because why not? how many girls got a hand-tamed little finches that likes to chase string? not many :D. Do note they are Society Finches, I did not steal them from the park. Anyway, so off topic…

 

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Aside my usual prints, I had  a few test stickers and also some samples of other items from my online Redbubble shop, such as the t-shirt. I was situated in what seemed the Hungary-representative tent next to my table, so I constantly had people asking me for country stamps, much more than those interested in buying artwork really, but I guess it did bring people not looking for artwork by my table as they waited. I’m not exactly an addict of it, but I wanted to get it over with and say “Westeros” and draw some silly stamp thing resembling something in GoT. I do however wish I was Khaleesi with three dragons and my own personal costume maker, but that’s besides the point.

 

 

Some new artwork:

 

Wolf's Paradise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wolf’s Paradise” done with watercolours and ink. 11×14 inches.

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Making the most out of things in my home and seeing trends, decided to try out some new mini-projects with my acrylics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This here is my first project following the adult colouring trend, but sticking closer to home with a Canadian postcard design. I got several printed, but have to finish a set before some shops will take them. So far I do have one local store testing them out in downtown Vancouver at Kim’s Prints. Finding out the hard way that most tourist shops around the area don’t support local work nor help promote local artists…a shame. Because I’m still new in name to the art scene I guess, it is really tough to get past the barriers. Some think I’m too young to have my work shown (I’m not talking about prestigious galleries, either).

 

Below is a link to a Indiegogo funding project to help me complete the postcards (planning for 4-5 more to call it a set…featuring Canadian wildlife).

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/canadian-themed-colouring-postcards/x/13519697#/

 

 

 

 

After talking around about making (and printing, of course) colouring book products, I realized how expensive it can be and wondering how one can compete with the influx of big names pushing them out at increasingly low costs. Since I’m currently working part-time min wage jobs, I have to find creative ways around it, or to just let it go and work on something else without a lot of upfront costs (especially since it is already so hard to get my stuff into shops as it is). Even if I do as much as possible at home without an official print shop, still again, will it actually sell as well as I hope or think it will? certainly as I go along, and have learned many times,  that things often don’t go as planned. Also, sometimes things go better, of course.

 

While I do have more art to show, I’ll hold off for future posts. Most of which are probably already on my Facebook, Patreon or Deviantart. I sound incredibly organized…….but really, it is so much simpler to update on those more regularly, especially since they were more designed for that purpose.

 

 

 

Spring Cleaning for Sanity and Creativity Sake

(Well, it seems more like summer,really,….but anyways.)

I am not sure about you, but over the years of last minute moving and than more moving, I’ve hauled around most of my stuff from middle school to high school and the 4 years after that with me. My first big move with all my things was to Saskatchewan when I was still living at home after I took a class in Vancouver, with little to no time to get rid of things.

Now that I have slowly been settling more after moving back to British Columbia and hopping different neighborhoods, I am getting a grip on the stuff after my mother sent the final loads via greyhound for me to go through. If there is anything I’ve learned, is that it sure was fun to collect various things while I had a more stable life during those old grade school years, but after awhile it becomes a burden physically, financially and psychologically. I had already started to toss broken things (many dragon figurines included, sadly) and donate misc items left and right, but now that I live in an even smaller space and with less time (now that I’ve been in a relationship), it’s that real sobering time to truly confront the remainders, even some of the stuff I actually kind of like–but need to just let go of.

I suppose you may wonder why this even matters or is relevant or why one ought to even care, but I can tell you for sure that it is incredibly draining and hard to focus on your projects and keep a stable energy level when you got ‘stuff’ everywhere. I have anxiety and this honestly heightens it and adds indecisiveness, leaving me tired and exhausted, sometimes feeling at a loss as to how to even start the cleaning. At that point I can hardly think of focusing on my work. Even in the background processing of the mind there is the unconscious awareness of your environment, and while you think you are immune, you really are not…and it adds a feeling of panic and hopelessness if you are undergoing any other stress factors.

Also I have this dresser filled with art things: misc supplies, prints, filled sketchbooks and sheets, reference materials, and my general drawer for stuff I consider important or has no other place. Before I went through it, there were a lot of old drawings and just things I stuffed away. It was a bit hard at first, but I tore through some of my oldest sketchbooks and kept only the drawings that had any future usage or I felt was good enough to keep, the rest I tossed into the recycle bin. Now I can happily say it is so much easier to navigate, and the junk is gone.

After you clean up a space it feels so relieving and kind of like you found a new space in your home you almost forgot existed. That feeling of clean, clutterless room that almost instantly inspires you and is like a weight off the shoulders. After experiencing that I really don’t want to put up with the cluttered life anymore, and I plan to unclutter my mind as a result and become more focused and less prone to anxiety of all the unfinished things and crowding (after all, there is more peace at home between house members when less chores need to be done!).

I have proudly donated bags of clothing, misc household goods and other essentials to our local youth center, the Salvation army thrift shop, and things of a certain minimal value or physical condition have listed up on Craigslist (also got my fiance on it too). Some items that were never opened I decided to gift out, and I also recycle as much as possible. From now on, more quality and less quantity, and most of all, more quality of time and mental well being vs holding onto all that stuff. The hardest part is the more nostalgic items and some of my books and video games I hoped to keep for many years (when I was a kid I dreamed of having my own library in the house complete with painted ceilings).

And to put the two topics into more relevance, I recently just dropped off 20 pieces of random older art for Papergirl Vancouver to give away after their mini art show night. A good way to avoid tossing out things you think someone may still like, and declutter your pile of work that will eventually overflow by keeping it.

In summary, while it is fun to collect things, sometimes you need to let go of the idea after a certain point if you don’t own a big house and make your living space more simple and move on so you can focus on new things (certainly not ridding myself of all my video games, of course!). It also feels great to give items to people who have a greater need of it, certainly doing two good things at once—but don’t feel guilty to resell things either of course, I mean, why not re-earn some of your money back and pass it on to somebody else who will use it more often?

 

Since my previous post I completed a colouring page and did some playing around on my shiny new Painter 2015 software. Needless to say, the symmetrical mirror drawing tool is pretty fun. I’ll post some of my experiments soon.

ulamandar sketchHere is a fan art sketch I did for some spontaneous fun , based off a video game called Savage Skies for the Playstation 2..

 

 

Update: Outdoor Painting 2015 Outcome + Photography

 

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Last Sunday, I joined in the Opus Outdoor Painting Challenge 2015. It was said there were 130 adults in the downtown registry, but it didn’t quite look like 130 paintings—but no surprise, I don’t think there is any event where all individuals show. Anyway, it was fairly mellow there, but oh so hard to find the tents. They were on top of a parking garage, with a girl standing by a sign at the front of the entrance to the upstairs parkade on the sidewalk….but it would have helped to have a sign further off to guide folks—especially once the registration was over, as there was no signs out anymore.

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Anyways, I showed up around 12:16 or so, and headed off to Crab Park. I was feeling unsure about the park after reading the area I’d have to walk through, but turns out there was nothing to worry about at the moment, hardly anybody around to attack me at the moment.

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I saw a few other artists in the park, and plenty of dogs running around unleashed. Since I am more into animals than buildings as my own subjects, I decided catching the dog’s day was fit for my expression of “catching the day”. Also, the dog is catching a frisbee…

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Since I had about 2.5 hours, I worked at getting it finished instead of perfect, and all you can really do is hope the people chosen to judge the entries think your work goes with what they think fits the theme anyways.

Opus Outdoor Challenge 2015

Though I overall enjoyed the event (free snacks  included from PureBreads, yummy), my impressions based on the choices for the prizes would conclude that skill and small detail level was in fact more relevant than what I recall reading, as the folks who won were primarily working with painting the building structures downtown, with small details and less activity expression. Even the child’s category paid favors to buildings, regardless if another kid’s actually seemed more relevant to catching a live being in a moment.

There was also about 15-20 random draw prize winners for products or gift cards given out. I tried to ensure I was telling myself not to expect anything, but who wouldn’t want to win free good quality supplies?.

The thing that bothered me, since there were rules to be physically present during this name draw, was that 2 kids(both of them siblings) who were in fact sleeping in a car were considered valid winners of this random draw, simply because their other sibling or parent was present, in addition to another I believe. Can’t the kids share? What of the other people? either good luck, or it was set up to have duplicate entries, perhaps? Ah, what can I do?

I decided to visit the park again after dropping my things at home, but this time for photos (especially of dogs, I have no dog to take photos of), I later went back with my better camera. I realized I have biked past it before but never explored it.

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The overhead road to the park.

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Two of the dogs playing around.

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That basically concludes the art part of my day. I had the unfortunate event of having a bird lay droppings on my sun hat as I walked back quickly, um….good thing for the hat. Somehow also got myself into a situation of being verbally bullied for being a Caucasian on my cell phone. They were very rowdy and the guy accuses me of being “unable” to handle them. Awkward.

Anyway, I left soon after that. Back to my other works.

The dog painting is up on my Etsy shop:

 

 

 

OPUS Outdoor Painting Challenge 2015

Uh…..well, I was browsing the Opus site regarding a little workshop I clicked on a couple days ago, and I saw a shiny banner advertising about this outdoor challenge. How could I not?
Anyway, so it will be taking place this Sunday, May 10th, 2015.

The locations vary depending on your town and area in which the store you sign up for is located. I went for downtown Vancouver since it should be less crowded than Granville Island (I think) and since it is easier to get to without the extra bus (who knows if it will be full?). If you ever been to Granville Island on Canada Day out of curiousity or another crazy weekend, you would know what I’m talking about.

Event page: http://opusartsupplies.com/opc

I have never taken part in one of these, since I certainly imagine a huge crowd and that seems like it wouldn’t allow me to concentrate (I also have social anxiety, so that doesn’t help). However, the rewards seem good enough to at least try for, and I have thought previously of this sort of thing before. There was one about an hour away from where I live I wanted to do before, but of course I didn’t make it that far. Even without the crowd I’m all nervous!

Gee….I haven’t even used my acrylic paint set for at least 1 year, if not 3 years, since I’ve moved around various times and really don’t want to stain anybody’s floors or walls by accident–an angry roommate doesn’t seem like a fun idea. I am not really sure there is a safe place to paint outside the parent’s home (uh, wait,…never mind…). Well, I certainly don’t have money for my own studio, so….this is the time to see what happens, I guess. No excuses for this one. It seems the theme simply is “mood of the day”, probably regarding weather and, I suppose the immediate environment.

If anything, I plan to run to the nearest park for a spot (what is this, hunger games?) and hope to find a bird-or maybe I’ll take some reference photos with me. Probably should get there early…it seems there is a “limited” supply of provided canvases….I sure hope all are given out to those who chose to use one…or else, I have to run back home and see if I even have a 9″x11″ canvas in my pile of dusty acrylic supplies I bought on discounts.

Other upcoming events of interest this week:
The Vancouver Public Library is hosting a few art and ecology related displays this week, so I’ll be taking a look at those. I am most interested in the Artists for Conservation display (eh? I had no notion they were showing here via the places I signed up with them..) and the Peace of Mind exhibit regarding mental health and art expression. As usual, I had not found this until it was to late to submit myself, so I am adding it to the list for next year and a possible September display they say will happen.

Stanley Park Ecology Society has an info session and visual panel for architects and designers to learn about working with using bird-friendly project designs to celebrate Bird Week (May2-9) (more windows kill birds than house cats, I recall). Even if I don’t attend simply to see how it goes, I am interested in how it turns out and if it will encourage change for the best.

Events at the lower mainland libraries: https://vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/search/index