Lifestyle of an Emerging Designer

Tumblr

2011-11-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd try something new so I started a tumblr account. To see my new blog, just click here!

Long Beach Comic Con 2011

2011-11-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of attending my first Comic Con over the weekend as an exhibitor at PixelDrip's art booth. I had prints, stickers, and my laser-engraved wooden Game Boys for sale. Dozens of costumed characters strolled past throughout the day and I even talked to a few celebrities (most of whom I did not know were celebrities). Seth Green bought a piece from our booth and I got portfolio advice from Barbara Kesel, who I chatted with throughout the day.

After the convention, I attended the Masquerade Ball with a couple of the artists and friends. Everyone had great costumes and put on a fun performance. Also after the convention, hoards of people gathered for a huge zombie walk through Long Beach and as I left, I saw zombies break dancing and moshing in front of a live DJ. Interesting way to end the evening.

View my full gallery of photos at my flickr set here

Tim Burton at LACMA

2011-06-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Also last weekend, I got to see the Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA. Wow. This guy is so talented in ways I didn't even know. He obviously does art every day and has become a master of pen and ink illustration. I felt a bit inadequate as an artist at the exhibit since I hardly have time to practice, but it ultimately only fueled my drive and inspiration.

Hooligans in Wondaland

2011-06-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had the privilege of going to the Universal City installment of the Hooligans in Wondaland tour. I couldn't really care less about Bruno Mars but I was overly excited to see Janelle Monae, the inspiration for my current digital painting. My inspiration for the piece had been waning in the previous couple of weeks but after seeing her, inspiration returned and now I am devoting every free moment to working on the piece. Most people in the stadium didn't seem to know who she is but by the last amazing performance, people were dancing and cheering! Here are some photos I took at the show.

Wondaland Preview

2011-05-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Now that my statistics class is finished, I'm trying to devote more time to my next piece. This piece builds upon the ambition of my last few big pieces, bringing the level of quality and detail to a whole new level beyond anything I've done before. I don't want to say much about what it is quite yet, but here are some previews of a few components of the piece to spark your interest.

PixelDrip Gallery at Titmouse Animation Studios

2011-05-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

On May 15, Titmouse Animation Studios (the people who brought you Metalocalypse) hosted this month's Comic Book Sunday meetup in Hollywood. CBS is an event where industry people, creative types, and comic book aficionados get together to meet, talk, and exchange comics. PixelDrip held its first monthly pop-up gallery there and I got to participate by showing my newest work.

I had so much fun at the event meeting new people and seeing friends again. I had the pleasure of meeting animators, composers, producers, artists, and more. Even the president of Titmouse was there! It was very inspiring to speak to everyone about their work and how they got to the position in life they are at now.

PixelDrip will have a pop up gallery in conjunction with CBS each month from now on so it's a great opportunity to meet new people, share experiences, and explore new places around the Los Angeles area!

Facebook Page

2011-05-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

I made a facebook page for my work, kind of as a complement and kind of as a substitute for this blog. It's so much easier to compile everything into albums and write short status updates there. We'll see how it goes. I'll update both concurrently.

So click like below to see updates, progress shots, and event photos. Yayyy!

Soleil

2011-05-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a new piece I finished recently, originally for my boyfriend's birthday, but I got too eager and instead made it for our sixteen months together. Here you can see the whole piece and some close ups below.

Inspiration: Janelle Monae

2011-04-19T21:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I could say I was obsessed with something that inspired me greatly, but I've stumbled upon someone I really look up to and whose work I admire: Janelle Monae. She is a singer on the verge of a huge explosion into mainstream popularity. She mixes pop with funk with sci fi and political, social, and humanitarian commentary. Her music is catchy but makes you think. Her albums tell a fictional futuristic story that heavily touch upon today's class and gender inequalities.

I have listened to her albums over and over and I experience something different each time. I further understand her messages and further incorporate them into my own life. The Wondaland Arts Society blog introduces her newest album, The ArchAndroid, as an experience that will make you evaluate life and the current state of the world. Having recently decended into the belief that contemporary pop music is beyond saving and utterly useless, I didn't believe this statement at first, but it has become so true for me that I am shocked.

I hope she becomes the new "it" girl so she can redefine women's roles, what constitutes as "sexy," and bring back the idea that music can have serious meaning, as opposed to a commercial venture attempting to sell a culture of brainlessness, nonstop partying, etc.

It's been years since I had a "celebrity crush" but Monae has inspired me so much that I have begun a digital painting inspired by her music. She has said in an interview that she doesn't need drugs because art and music is her drug. Her music alone has literally put me in a trance-like state full of vivid mental imagery and hallucinations that I want to transfer into a real painting. I had to pick one song as a main theme, so I picked the song "Wondaland." Look for it in the near future, because I want to finish it and send it to her before her June concert in LA that I am attending.

Art Gallery Showing

2011-04-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

April 2nd was the opening of The Hive Gallery's April show and I had two pieces on the PixelDrip wall! This is my first gallery showing that is not tied to school in any way and it was very exciting to be there on opening night. One of my pieces even sold after I had left! The gallery had all kinds of awesome art and I wanted to buy so many pieces.

Before the show, a bunch of the PixelDrip artists got together to do a sketching session at a popular mall in the LA area. We had a table of about 6 or so artists all drawing the people walking by and I noticed a lot of people stealing glances at what we were doing. Quite fun!

I had a talk with Mark, the coordinator of the group, in the car about how being in an art group like this has really helped me in terms of inspiration and encouraging me to create better work more often. Instead of being inspired once or twice a month, I am inspired once or twice a week to delve into long, trance-like states of hyper-creative inspiration. I can even willingly induce these states now. I have multiple projects running at the same time, each a work of art in itself as well as a study for the others. I've become fully accustomed to balancing work, school, art, and a social life so I am more in harmony with what I am doing from day to day. It's amazing and I haven't been this happy as an artist in a while.

Journal Comic

2011-02-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

Why I hadn't updated this blog in forever: I was attempting to create a new blog that told my life in pictures, called a journal comic. I thought it would be a good way to do art on a daily basis, but I couldn't keep up with it because it took time away from my real, serious works like my digital paintings and graphic design. I love the idea but perhaps I will just do one comic every now and then.

Here's a sample:

Shirt Design in Progress

2010-07-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share the thought process of a new shirt design. This new line of shirts I'm working on might be a little too artsy for my company so I'm thinking about releasing the designs to whoever wants them for a royalty rate. We'll see. The idea for this one is to have a dark colored shirt with either black/shimmer or clear ink checkers so they will only show up when you move. Then there is a large, contrasting bright shape breaking the regularity of the checkered pattern. In this case, it's a japanese wave. Here are a couple of versions of it so far:

From the Screen to Reality

2010-06-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

In April/May 2008, I worked with the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER) to design a permanent interpretive sign to be placed at the UCSB lagoon. This project was really special to me since it allowed me to design something that could educate people and bring appreciation to the natural environment. Sadly, I moved before the sign could be produced and installed but I vowed to return some day and see it.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to return and boy, was it great to see all the hard work in physical form! The sign is located at the shore of the lagoon right at the bottom of the hill in back of the UCen. What an honor to have my work at such a central location where so many people can see it.

Take a look!

Of Business and School

2010-06-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, I started to feel as though I hadn't been doing enough in my free time once my political work finished so I decided to pursue a goal of mine that I've had for a few years now: getting a master's degree in business. By the end of my four years in college, I grew sick of school and vowed never to return to the classroom once I graduated. However, I can't deny this insane drive I have to reach the highest potential I possibly can as well as my competitive nature so after seeing my brother get into law school, my friends finishing their first year of med school, and my boyfriend preparing to apply for the best UC the state has to offer, I can't help but want to get started on this goal.

I've signed up to do prerequisites at a local college and then I plan to transfer to a state school. Luckily for me, all the programs I've looked at so far are tailor-made for people working full time and getting their MBA part time, which is exactly what I want to do. It's going to be a lot of work and I will probably lose any social life I currently have, but that's fine with me. Studying for the GMAT exam has proven to be a struggle in itself.

People, especially in the arts/graphic design field, have been asking me, "Why do you need a business degree?" There are all kinds of reasons, some involving deep theories I have about the future of art in this country, but the simplest way I can put it is this: Graphic design, I've realized since joining the workforce, is much more than drawing pretty pictures, much more than knowing how to use Photoshop, and much more than even doing the work yourself. Graphic design is a business and I need to know that side of it in order to reach that highest potential I mentioned earlier.

A Political Direction

2010-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

As of late, I've been exploring a new field of graphic design, one which is in deperate need of designers with an artistic or creative vision: the political field. Isn't that just me: Designing shirts for the Pussycat Dolls one week and working on campaign materials the next. My interests truly span all over the board and my curiosity takes me just about anywhere.

Thanks to a dear friend who decided to switch careers to politics, I've been introduced to a world full of new people, new personalities, new ways of thinking, and new opportunities. I have learned so much about politics and I've begun my first assignment. I am currently working on campaign materials (flyers, business cards, etc) for a Congressional candidate and I am trying my best to incorporate my artistic side into a field that has traditionally had an attitude that seems to say, "Just slap the candidate's name on a red white and blue background in bold font and throw some stars in there and we're good." This could make my job quite simple if the client wants to break out of the box. Then we could easily create some eye-catching designs that stand out from everyone else's Microsoft Word template flyers.

This field presents an enormous opportunity: to design something that actually makes a difference. A few years ago, all of my freelance projects revolved around environmental conservation. This was an amazing period in my career, in which I was able to use my favorite style of art/design (the organic look), be as artistic as I wanted, and my work actually had a direct influence on the improvement of the environment. For a long time, I have been extremely skeptical and critical of government and politicians (believe it or not, I have strong political opinions), but after meeting the people I have over the last few weeks, I have renewed optimism because I have enjoyed the company and intellect of pretty much everyone I've met so far.

More Shirt Designs Done

2010-04-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

Submitted a design for Pussycat Dolls merch to the buyer a few days ago and just finished a design to be submitted to The Flamingo Las Vegas. Here's to hoping they get produced!

Now onto my other five designs...The ideas are never-ending. Haha!

Website Work

2010-03-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

What has been occupying the majority of my time lately? Well, besides overtime at work? I've been working feverishly on a portfolio website for a client over the last couple of weeks in an attempt to improve my PHP skills. The job has helped immensely in the PHP department as well as improving my time management skills and learning when to compromise and how to push through to results instead of thinking too much. I may have had to skip over the visual design aspect of the site in order to make more time for coding, but nevertheless I am extremely proud of the work I've done and the things I have learned along the way.

Hmmm...maybe my own portfolio is due for an overhaul.

Shirt Designs Produced

2010-03-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, I thought I was "busy," what with being a full-time student and having at least two part-time jobs at the same time. Little did I realize that I would experience these last few weeks of my life. I have been so busy I can't believe it. I've been working my regular job with overtime as well as freelance work like websites, illustrations, and, as I'll explain here, t-shirt designs.

I have already gotten two designs accepted into the catalog for the clothing line called Coastal Classics, which sells customized designs to shops all over the United States. My designs are in the Summer 2010 Mountain catalog and one has already sold its first order to a bike shop in Moab, Utah.

I am now currently working on surf designs for 2011.

Sadly I don't yet have any superb photos but let me share what I do have so far. Bodies have been decapitated to protect identities. Click on the images to see larger detailed versions.

"Geared Up"

"Hook Line and Sinker"

"Jump Trick"
Sadly, this design did not make the cut into the catalog, but I am so proud of it that I really want to share it here.

Comics and ME

2009-10-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

I've started a comic strip series on the Games and Me website in hopes of being able to practice drawing and attempting some jokes and plot (I don't find myself to be particularly funny so any chance to practice is welcome). I'll upload the comics here as they appear on the site. Enjoy!

Photographer for a Photographer

2009-08-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

How does one find a wedding photographer for a wedding photographer?

So I recently got engaged (I still feel like a kid, though!) and I figured I'd get a head start by looking for a photographer far, far in advance. Ever since high school, I knew that this would be the most difficult part of planning my wedding, considering I was an assistant wedding photographer for a while so I have incredible standards, but not much money.

Balancing great photos with a low price tag is proving to be nearly impossible, for I originally thought I would just find the cheapest person possible and direct my own posed photographs. I had this idea that I'd hire a student, rent the equipment for him, and then direct how to place the lights and what settings to use. He'd just have to press the button and make sure it looks okay. Then the candid shots would be left to the disposable cameras I would give to everyone at the reception.

However, after categorizing all the photographers I could find in the LA area into "cheap," "unaffordable but awesome," and "Inquire about price even though I know it's too much," I'm beginning to see the ordeal in a whole different light. The best photographers don't showcase their posed photos at all. The best photographers describe themselves as "photojournalists" and declare that in order to work with them, you must allow them to shoot their artistic vision. I'm starting to not give a damn about posed photos and realize that the candid shots are what I really want. I may just have to save up all my money to hire one of these amazing photographers, tell them to just do their thing, and leave the posed photos to the camera timer.

New Projects and Focus

2009-07-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

It's been one heck of a last couple of months, full of new projects and a complete refocusing of my short and long term goals.

I have been devoting a lot of time to freelance work with a definite emphasis on web design. First, I have been working on a singular page for Next Level Videogames, which you can see a preview of below:

Much of my time has also been diverted to an in-depth multi-page web site for Games and Me, of which you can see a preview here:

I have also been working on the Games and Me shows in depth because the company has really taken off and we are being taken quite seriously in the industry. We recently attended E3 at the LA Convention Center under the press pass badge. We had private meetings with several publishing companies and received many press assets as well as guarantees of review copies of games. One thing I am thrilled to be learning about via this and my current day job is the great insight into business management that comes with working for small companies.

In case anyone is interested in the life of an ambitious young designer, my days consist of waking up, commuting to work, coming home after work, and designing on my own or working on shows until I go to bed. I haven't had any time to cook in about a month but man, is it worth it!

Games and Me Shirts Produced

2009-01-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

I finished designing and printing the shirts a while back but only now presented them, photographed them, and processed them. I only made enough for the team so far but we're thinking about selling them on the site in the future. They were such a hit while I was printing them that people passing by actually asked if I could print some for them on their blank garments!

Artie & Me

2009-01-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

I just finished listening to the audiobook for Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan. It took me over six months to listen to the whole thing, not because it was a bad book, but because I knew how it would end and I wasn't ready to hear it. I thought I was completely over my dog, who died a little over a year ago. This book, though, tore that wound right open and made me laugh and cry just like I did so many months ago. The book is so good and the author reads it so sincerely and his story is so strikingly similar to mine that it really meant a lot to me.

He first got Marley as a puppy and lived almost in the same place I did. I understood completely his description of where he lived and how he lived. His dog was misbehaved, ill-mannered, dumb, and yet surprisingly smart, just like mine (albeit Marley was more extreme than Artie). He later moved to a location in the country somewhat like I did. Our dogs aged and even passed away in a similar manner.

Now I can't help but remember all the sad memories of Artie but also all the hilarious moments. I want to return to writing about him, like I tried to do before but couldn't stop shedding tears. I want to do it before I forget all these memories.

A very rare photo of Artie.

I remember the times when he would bring home coconuts we found on the ground during our walks. He would rip the husks until there were thick bristles sticking out. Then he would grab those bristles with his teeth and roll the coconut around the room, chasing it.

I remember the day we almost lost him when he ran away. We searched for an hour, everyone in my family splitting up, yelling for him in desperation. Eventually we all returned to the house empty handed, on the verge of crying. My dad took the car out to search farther wand wider and eventually found him many blocks down, happily following his favorite mail lady.

I remember the time everyone in the house was busy making dinner and Artie was left alone in the dining room. I walked in with dishes to set the table and found him standing on top of the table, face-first in the lasagna.

Looking particularly guilty.

I remember the nights he woke me up as a puppy, crying because he was too small to get out of his bed. I would let him out to use the restroom and then he would insist on playing with his squeaky hamburger until we both fell asleep on the floor.

I remember when he woke me up in the middle of the last night I ever saw him. I let him out to to use the restroom and he begged me to follow him onto the deck to sit and watch over the yard. After avoiding me for years, not wanting me to pet him or hug him (he hated being "mushy"), he sat right next to me and we watched the stars for an hour, silently enjoying each other's company.

2-3 years old

9 years old, last photo taken of him.
Best dog ever!

Late to the Holiday Party

2009-01-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a great time. I've been dying to post my holiday photoshoot but according to contest rules, I couldn't give any hint as to who the photographer was until voting ended and winners were announced. Finally!! Winners were announced last night and I won 2nd place! Woot! Sadly 2nd place isn't good enough to win the grand prize but I did get a runner up prize because they said the votes were so close that they wanted to give me something. Aww, how nice of them!

Anyway, looking forward to the new year and all the cool stuff I want to do. How about you?

To see shots of the studio set up and how I did my shots (I hardly ever share that kind of info), take a look at my other blog.

New Blog

2008-12-07T10:21:00.000-08:00

In an effort to not fill up my entire blog with object portrait/doll photos, I made a new blog devoted specifically to dolls/photography/doll art. I'll probably still post the centerpiece photo of each photoshoot here and I'll link to the post that contains the rest of the photos.

In other news, I have a lot of shirt designs under way, in various stages of completion. I'll show you when each of them get done. I'm also working on my first design under Solid Coated, which is about 1/3 done. Here's a preview of it. I'm not quite sure what to do with the background so if you have any ideas, let me know!

Object Portraits and a New Art Group!

2008-11-15T22:14:00.000-08:00

There is so much going on right now, it's ridiculous. Between work, traffic, about 15 new games to review, and everyday life, I somehow have been making time for art.

First of all I am super excited to introduce a new art group/circle called Solid Coated, which is a grouping and collaboration between me and two other artists. We're working on a collaborative tshirt design right now and have another design in the works, for which we will each make our own version. We plan to exhibit at next year's Alternative Press Expo (an offshoot of Comic Con) and are generally just enjoying the inspiration and motivation we give each other to get off our butts and make stuff. Here are some previous examples of each of our styles to give you an idea of what's to come:

Amy

Dylan

Me

APE
I'm already working on a big illustration and I can't wait to see what else comes out of our group.

Also, I've been experimenting with poses for Hazy and should have some interesting new outfits made at the end of November but for now, here are some shots I did of a kimono I commissioned for her (I made the skirt).

Lastly, I've been trying to play and review so many games for Games and Me that I'm beginning to think it's impossible. Fable 2, Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, Fallout 3, Mirror's Edge, and Left4Dead are only some of the games I am trying to play right now, not counting the other games everyone else is trying to cover. Why oh why do people obsess over Christmas so much that they release all their good products at the same time?! lol. Anyway, check the site or Youtube for the videos.

By the way, I updated my site with a lot of new work. Check it out if you have the time!

Innocence and Confidence: Hazy's Arrival

2008-10-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

After more than three months of waiting and four years of saving, my Elfdoll Hazy finally arrived! She is the most amazing doll I have ever seen and I'm completely in awe. Thus she has become my newest model in these "object portraits" I've been doing, photographing dolls as real people. Take a look at her first photoshoot with me, which is a slight harkening back to Karen's shoot.

Part One: Innocence

Part Two: Confidence

Which one is your favorite? Mine is the second to last. She looks smirky. Expect many more shoots with her, including one in a custom made kimono by Haru-Ru and eventually some outdoor shoots.

Games and Me

2008-09-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've been a part of this online podcast for a while now and I want to share it:

Games and Me is a video podcast featuring five distinct and fun personalities reviewing video games and discussing video game related news. We talk about huge hits like Mass Effect and hidden gems like Braid as well as give our opinions on serious topics like copyright protection and just plain fun topics like Stephen Colbert's DNA in space. Our discussions try to go beyond a simple "good/bad" verdict and attempt to probe deeper issues and more complete criticisms of each game and it's relation to the gaming world. With a diverse cast that includes an avid collector, a hardcore gamer, an aspiring game director, an artsy girl, and, of course, a mainstream gamer, our show has something for everyone. We even hold live discussions and online games every Sunday!

I am a host, cast member, graphic designer, video editor, illustrator, and webmaster for this project, so almost everything you will see has my hand in it. Please check it out and enjoy!

In other news, I finally learned how to surf on Friday! My conclusion...I HAVE to do it again! It was so much fun!! Thanks to my work for hooking me up and thanks to Johnny for teaching me!

Hurricane Ike and My Own Hurricane Memories

2008-09-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

I read the news this morning about Hurricane Ike:

"Hundreds of thousands were evacuating Galveston and a band of coastal Texas counties, while Houston residents stockpiled supplies and awaited what may be a direct hit on the country's fourth largest city -- with winds of perhaps 115 miles per hour expected at landfall.

The risk of staying was made blunt by the weather service: "Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single-family one or two story homes may face certain death," from the 20- to 25-foot storm surge that Ike is expected to push ashore, the agency said." (Washington Post)

With all these hurricanes happening, I can't help but feel deep sympathy for the people affected, since I lived through one of the worst hurricanes in the history of the United States: Hurricane Andrew of 1992. Considered the second costliest hurricane in American history (at almost $50b), this hurricane left images seared into my memories: Boarding up the house until it was pitch black inside, giant trees that had stood for decades lining the streets and bringing rooftops down; street lights littering the roads; boats, cars, and all kinds of crazy things flung far from their original locations; a telephone pole dangling by a couple cords, ready to fall onto my house; and, of course, the most memorable aspect: The weeks without power, attempting to heat things via cigarette lighter, bathing via wash cloths, drinking powdered milk concoctions. All this when I was just a kid.

I know what it's like to be affected by hurricanes, and I'm one of the lucky ones. There were so many people left homeless after the storm. So as Hurricane Ike passes over Texas, I hope everyone will be all right. Luckily many people have evacuated, but there will be great damage to their homes and I just hope they can recover all right. Hopefully us lucky people can help in some way when it's all over.

Still, what makes me even sadder is that while people hear about the horrors of New Orleans and other US cities, few people think about the utter destruction hurricanes bring to Cuba, Haiti, and other countries in the area. I've seen a few news articles shedding light on the matter, but hardly anyone fully understands what the people of those nations experience. There is no "which way will it turn" business there: They get hit by every hurricane that passes through.

"Floods that devastated a Haitian city and killed hundreds threaten to trigger a health crisis and fresh outbreaks of food riots in the impoverished Caribbean country, government officials and aid workers say." (Reuters on Hurricane Hanna)

I can't and don't claim to know what it's like for these people, but I feel for them. If you'd like to make a donation that will directly help storm victims in Haiti and Cuba, give Neighbors 4 Neighbors a call at 305-597-4404, or visit www.neighbors4neighbors.org. (Taken from cbs4.com)

Hurricane Ike Damage in Haiti
Photo by AFP, Welt Online

Japan: The Old and the New

2008-07-05T23:35:00.001-07:00

Within 24 hours of graduation, I was on an airplane headed for Korea, final destination: Japan. Ever since middle school I dreamed of seeing the land of crazy fashions, electronic technology, and the giant metropolis called Tokyo. After so many years of research and fandom, I was sure about my familiarity with the culture. Upon experiencing it, though, all my assumptions took a 180 degree turn and Japan was nothing like what I expected. I loved the countryside and hated Harajuku, but one thing turned out exactly as planned: It was the coolest place I've ever visited!

Kyoto (the old)

No shopping, no sunshine, and our room consisted of nothing but a bed that filled all four walls, yet this was my favorite of the two major cities. Why? The laid-back atmosphere, the community-centered dorm, the incredible history, and the close encounters with a culture completely different from-yet extremely polite and understanding of-my own. From the utter shock of Himeji castle to the amazing courtesy of the McDonald's girl, I was in love. Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Ryoanji, Kiyomizudera, Lawson's convenience store, Kyoto Central Station, the guy who spoke no English but still fixed Alex's glasses in an hour: It was all a dream come true and I was sad to leave for Tokyo.

Tokyo (the new)

This was supposed to be the dream come true of the trip: Fashion, technology, shopping, anime, dolls, music, lights, amazement. In the end, I would have rather stayed in Kyoto. Or perhaps not, because I needed this fantasy debunked. There was nothing inherently wrong about Tokyo. It's just that Americans (and especially computer and anime geeks I know) have a completely build-up fantasy about the city, when it is actually an overcrowded megalopolis in which businessmen run to catch their trains at all hours of the day and night.

My favorite parts of Tokyo were not Harajuku and Akihabara, as expected, but instead the Meji shrine and the first night in Shinjuku. Both of these revolved not around the things I bought but instead the people I encountered. At the Meji shrine, I witnessed two traditional weddings set against the centuries-old shrine. In Shinjuku, I met a huge cast of incredibly entertaining friends at a restaurant containing no more than six tables with staff who spoke not a word of English.This new slew of friends hit it off so well that we carried on the party at a karaoke bar where we crammed 15 people into a 6 person room and I heard a Korean guy sing Ricky Martin's "Shake Your Bon Bon."

Nikko (the awesome)

The smallest town visited by far, but without a doubt the best thing we did on the whole trip! The shrines at the end of this calm, quaint town rivaled the buildings of Paris and I called them the Versailles of Japan. After each gate and shrine I thought, "How can it get any more amazing?" and every time, it got more amazing. Even though it was crowded at first, by the last hour (it took 4 hours), Alex and I were the only two people there, amongst the remains of the first emperor of Japan.

In the End

Japan completely surprised me and left me wanting much , much more. I'm in love with the politeness of the people, despite my terrible etiquette blunders, and I think squat toilets and receiving the check at the beginning of the meal are great ideas. I can never eat tempura in America again but I have become even more grateful for what I have in this country (USA) now, like the size of my apartment. I want to go back as soon as possible and see Osaka, Nara, Naruto whirlpool, Hokkaido, Mt. Fuji, and more. In the end, it reinforced the idea of how different, yet similar, other cultures are, and that I'd probably love any other place I travel just as well. I love Japan!!

The End of an Era...

2008-07-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

I left my last class of college and completed my 17th and final year of school a few weeks ago. I received a lot more awards than anticipated, like highest honors and the Dole Memorial Fund. I felt the typical mix of happiness, sadness, and relief as I drove away from the school that had a hard time entering my heart at first but eventually supplied me with the best years of my life. At first I claimed the onlly reason I chose UCSB is because I couldn't get into any other school but by the time I was accepted to UCLA and UCSD for transfer, I chose to stay because I had finally found myself and learned how to get what I want out of life.

The funny thing is that the longer I stayed at UCSB, the less interest I found in class and the more attention I paid to learning outside of school via my jobs and teaching myself in my free time. Because I disagreed with the school's ideas and policies so much, I learned how to teach myself what I wanted to know. I no longer wait for someone to teach me what I expect to learn: Instead I initiate the process on my own. I also found more personal fulfillment in the surrounding community of Isla Vista as far as art goes, and my most vivid memories will be of the people I came into contact with as opposed to lectures and sections.

In the end, UCSB taught me 3 main things:
1. To make the most out of what I have and to make now the best time of my life.
2. To take responsibility for my own future and make what I want to happen, happen.
and 3. How to ride my bike while drinking coffee and talking on the phone at the same time.

Now I am more than ever ready and eager to work and continue to prove my worth to the world.

Thank you to everyone who encouraged me, made me happy, or made me angry. You shaped who I am today and fuel me to be better.

Departmental Graduation (I'm in there somewhere.)

Photo by Konina Biswas.

The Real Graduation. (Wow, that was crazy.)

Photo by Ryan Christensen.

Goodbye, UCSB. I'll be back for Halloween!

Marine Wildlife Videos

2008-06-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

You would not believe what I saw the other day! Even though it was cloudy and cold, I decided to go to the beach. Good thing I did, because I saw a little baby seal come out of the water and onto the beach to take a nap! He wasn't scared of me at all and I was the ONLY person around who got to see him. At first I was worried since I've seen three dead seals in the last two weeks but after calling the Marine Wildlife Control, they told me that it's perfectly normal and he just wanted to rest. I just sat down and filmed him for a little bit. Enjoy!

Baby Elephant Seal Pup from Nessa Zucker on Vimeo.

New Web Site!

2008-06-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

I finally, finally, finally finished my official web site! I've been planning my site for months and have gone through at least four separate designs before sitting down and finally saying, "Okay, this is the last design I am going to make. I will design it and code it in one day." Of course that didn't happen. Only a week later, though, I finally bought the domain and uploaded my new official portfolio website. View it here:

Otherwise, I have finished my classes last week and only have a few days left of work before I officially end school. It's been 18+ years of classes and homework since I first started preschool when I was four years old and Friday marks a huge, huge day in my life. I feel like the luckiest person on the planet right now, what with all the support I have and all the incredible things happening to me over the last couple of weeks. I'll post about that later, though. For now, enjoy the site!

Book Show Premier

2008-06-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

My book took place in a photography show yesterday and I thought I'd share a few photos from the event. It was great to watch people's reactions to the book and to see all the other amazing works there.

Photobook Published and Online!

2008-05-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

My book is finally complete! Here is a link to it so you may view a preview.

"Half beach paradise, half run-down squalor. This is a look at the town of Isla Vista, CA. Forty pages of beautiful photographs by the artist reveal the beauty in old, cheaply built homes as well as the night life of the student population that overruns the town."

Isla Vista

By Vanessa Zucker

Book Preview

Photo Book to be Published

2008-05-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

I've taken approx. 2,000 photos for my book so far and I personally love how it is turning out. The book centers around the town of Isla Vista, a true college town by the ocean. It portrays a love-hate relationship I have with the area and progresses from tranquil sun drenched days to wild night-time escapades.

Today I spent an hour working on the potential cover, which is an homage to Ruscha's "Every Building on th Sunset Strip" in the sense that it is a panorama of every building on the town's famed Del Playa (DP). So far my experience in shooting IV has been fun and sometimes crazy, like the time I befriended the homeless guys on the beach and hung out with them for a while, talking about the government, military, and littering. It's also been disappointing at times, like all the times people have gotten mad at me for capturing them in a frame, especially when the firemen told me to delete my images because they did not want their picture showing up anywhere. A little shoutout to the guy who pulled over today to ask me what I was doing and wanted a link to the book because he said it sounded cool. Hope you find this post.

Anywhay, here is a preview of a few of the pictures included in the book. More to come soon. I'm so excited for my first publication!

New Film and the Job Search

2008-04-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Spring break is over and it was great reuniting with friends I haven't seen since high school but now it's back to my last, and probably most difficult quarter of college. I'm really looking for a job and trying to do all the things I wanted to do before graduation while keeping my grades up and enjoying myself.

Classes include drawing, in which we draw nothing but draped figures, as well as photo class, in which the final product is a high quality photo book. I'm so excited for photo because I've been working on my idea for the last few months and now I can finally accomplish my goal of making a book. Hopefully this will give me experience to produce my art book that will cover my work from the last four years.

Class is only a small fraction of what I want to do in the next two months, though. I shot all the scenes for a film last week and now I need to edit and produce it. It's about the Monterey Bay Aquarium and although it's nothing radical, I hope the visuals will be stunning and soothing. I'm currently trying to find a soundtrack or compose one myself because the music will dictate the editing of the film. It already looks great from stills, so let me show you a few:

Believe it or not, I also have focuses outside of art! I've been doing some weight training for the last few weeks but I want to amplify that effort and learn a skill along the way. Thus I hope to learn some breakdancing or bboy tricks to work up my strength and coordination. Good thing it's so popular nowadays with America's Best Dance Crew so it's easy to find videos.

Projects are Finished!

2008-03-19T12:14:00.001-07:00

Finally! I had to work my butt off to get everything done in the same week, but I have finished my Google Maps work, my machinima and text, and my report on automobile advertising! Please take a look and enjoy them:

Machinima Web Site (Video and Text):

Google Maps:

Auto Advertising (pdf)

And of course, the moment I finish these projects, I start on another. I don't like it when I'm not creating something so I try to keep busy all the time. Right now I'm finally coding my new web site and learning more about CSS and Javascript. I started coding a couple of days ago and it's almost completely done now, although there are a lot of changes I want to make after I finish the framework.

Hacking Google Earth

2008-03-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

While I was working on my Google Maps hack, I came across one of the most striking and beautiful map tiles I have seen yet. It's right in the middle of Iran and looks like a waterfall of sand to me. I don't believe for a second that the colors are accurate, of course, but that is the surprising effect of satellite photography.

My whole project is based around those beautiful abstract images found within Google Maps. By making the maps too small to locate within the larger geography and removing controls, the viewer must appreciate the page as an abstract image of color and form. Moving a map moves all the others in different ways, adding an element of interactivity and motion to what is, essentially, a digital abstract expressionist painting. I've become quite the environmentalist as of late so I'm hoping that the images can express the idea that the world is beautiful and interesting and should be taken care of. It doesn't have any blatant propaganda but I hope that the simplicity of presentation and the striking shots of landscapes will at least catch people's attention to the natural world as opposed to the man-made world normally shown in Google Maps (gas stations, hotels, etc). Right now it's a web site but hopefully it's final form will be a projection at an art museum. Here's what it looks like so far:

I Should be a Teacher or Something...

2008-02-29T08:32:00.000-08:00

With yesterday passed, this means that I have taught/assisted 6 workshops so far since January and I have one more next Tuesday. These include:
InDesign (twice)
Dreamweaver
Photoshop
Illustrator (beginning and advanced)
and Tuesday's is Flash.

Wow. This is a lot, considering we are asked to teach ONE workshop each quarter. It's especially great because it means that I know all of these programs! I'm very happy about this because that was my goal in working at a computer lab for three years: to learn all of the programs.

With that said, have a happy February 29th! It doesn't come often! (Hey, February of this year has been especially special, what with the leap year adding an extra day, the lunar eclipse, and a beagle winning the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.)

On a completely unrelated note (but completely in sync with something I love), I've been wondering what kind of dog to get for my next dog. I'll probably just end up adopting from the pound, but I love thinking about all the different breeds I can choose from. Here's what I've got so far:

Welsh Corgi	Basset Hound	Lab

	Jack Russell

Geared Up and Ready to Record

2008-02-25T20:46:00.000-08:00

What once was a spark of interest has now developed into a serious learning experience. I mentioned a while back that I am now interested in video. After being afraid to hold a camera since my abysmal efforts as a kid, I finally picked up a new camcorder again, only this time it's a Panasonic hdc-sd5. Quite an upgrade! I still have shaky hands but I'm getting better at it and what's more: I'm finally tackling Final Cut Studio 2! I was afraid of it, too, because it looked so complicated but it is actually turning out to be much simpler than I thought, and far, FAR too much fun. I'm currently making a movie in FCP2 and breathing a sigh of relief at not having to use Windows Movie Maker ever again. Unfortunately the Mac Mini does not support Motion but luckily I will be upgrading to an iMac or a tower soon.

Speaking of upgrading, here's what my current setup looks like right now. Excuse the mess (it is a college room after all).

I have an HP on the left and a Mac Mini with Leopard on the right (guess which one is my favorite, haha) with a monitor attached to each. There are two keyboards and mice as well, but the Mac mouse and keyboard are set up to work across the screens in a fake dual screen setup way. There are two externals for the Mac and an immense and terrifying amount of cords plugged in beneath the desk. Some of these cords go to my housemates' computers but I'm always a little afraid that if the strips blow, I'll lose my feet. Haha. I'm not complaining, though. It's my best, most convenient, and most fun setup so far. Just wait until I get that 34" glossy monitor for my new Mac, though!

One Step Closer...

2008-01-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm excited because I just crossed a new step to becoming a successful graphic designer! Yesterday was the first time any real client actually asked for my services, as opposed to me having to audition for a chance to serve them. To double the surprise, two different people requested my work on the same day! The first is a popular local acting group that wants me to design all of their posters and flyers. The second is an overseas coffee company that wants to use my photos in a catalogue. These requests really boosted my confidence and made me want to try even harder. I can't wait to start.

A concurrent happening right now is a project at work that I am undertaking. My co-workers and I teach software workshops and I have been given the task of creating outlines for all of the software to guide the instructors in their lesson plans. This means that I have to know all the software that I am writing about. I'm happy to say that so far, I have made outlines for: Beginning and Advanced Photoshop, Beginning and Advanced Illustrator, Beginning and Advanced Flash, InDesign, and Hands-On Photoshop (a class I helped create). I am currently working on Beginning and Advanced HTML, Dreamweaver, and Hands-On Web Design. This is a lot of work but it reminds me of how happy I am to have my job since I certainly do not get to learn these things in my classes. Besides, I have already taught most of these workshops so that helps in making a good lesson plan. I guess this is what I will leave behind at work when I graduate. Hopefully they are of high enough quality to last for many years.

A New Year, A New Outlook on Old Vexes

2008-01-11T12:00:00.001-08:00

School is finally taking a turn toward the positive and exciting again! After many quarters of growing apathy toward classes that held little interest, repeated themselves time and again, and never venturing beyond beginner skills, I finally got lucky and ended up in three different but awesome classes. The first is a history/theory class on automobile design but the two heavy-hitters are the programming class and the video game class. I’m finally motivated to do some good fine-and-commercial art hybrid works. Finally, I found some classes that seem to have some kind of importance relating to my career path. Funny how two of them were advertised as something different, perhaps so whoever approves of classes wouldn’t shut down these forward-thinking classes in what I consider to be a fairly conservative school.

The programming class focuses on “hacking” Google Earth and Maps, which has been done countless times (cool google maps), but ours are in a more artistic way, politically and poetically. I’m not sure what to do, seeing as we can incorporate 3D models and mashups from other sites to create real-time changes in the environment. All I know so far is that my current obsession with the satellite images has to do with the “middle of nowhere” instead of the cities. I love how abstract and beautiful the landscapes can look, both because we’ve never seen the area from above and because the cameras, lighting, distance, and editing can make the colors look spectacular and strange. I made a blog to keep track of my findings, which is called Abstract Aerials.

In the video game class, we learn about all facets of games, from the aesthetics and graphics to the marketing and economic impact to sociology and how games affect players and their interaction with other players. Instead of a term paper, I gained permission to make an art project, in which I plan to create something using machinima which is critical of players’ interaction as a director, using the game in unintended ways, customizing it to fit this change of use, producing an end product that generally tries to mask the fact that it was made in a game, and many more facets. I’m not clear on what this will be, though. Will it be a machinima, a video blog, or what? Here is an example of the only machinima I’ve made so far, which I was asked to show to the class, haha!

In the Beginning...

2008-01-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

And so begins the first post in this blog about an emerging graphic designer. I made this blog to follow my progress as an artist and discuss the making of art and design as well as the social, economic, emotional, and theoretical side of my experiences.

Let me introduce myself: I am in my last year of gaining my BA in art and art history at a reputable public university. I want to be a graphic designer but I have so many interests that I am open to all kinds of things like photography (which I love even more than design), animation, fashion, 3d, and more. The whole world captures my interest, art-related or not, and I have strong opinions on many of these topics which I love to incorporate into my work or theory: politics, the environment, history, science, sociology, and more.

Here are a few past works to introduce you to what I like to do:

I hope you find something interesting in this combination of art and ideas, design and rants.
nessa~