Archive for the ‘Words Words Words’ Category
The Art Shop closes tonight!
Saturday, August 31st, 2013
If you were thinking of getting anything in my big Art Shop, tonight’s your last chance! I’m taking all those works off the market tonight, and moving in the Floating Gallery* tomorrow.
The Etsy Shop is sticking around
I’ll still sell my greeting cards at Etsy all month long, and I’m already hard at work on new things for the holidays. I’m just changing the way I sell original art on the site.
The Floating Gallery is an experiment
So if you’ve got questions, comments or just want to chat about art, tentacles, or kittens, email me. I’m totally open to your thoughts! Especially about tentacles.
And just to say it again, in case you don’t read subject lines…
The Old Art Shop closes TONIGHT! IS CLOSED!
*If it’s after the 8th of the month, the Floating Gallery is closed until the 1st of next month.
Categories: Words Words Words
Mischievous Minions
Wednesday, August 28th, 2013
Warning: This blog post will contain spoilers for Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2.
If I had to choose a single word for my feelings about the Minions from Despicable Me it would be delighted. They’re not particularly good, or particularly competent, but something about them just makes me smile.
In fact, the best phrase I came up with to describe them was, “innocently evil.” They’re so gleeful when they’re trying to one-up each other, but they love ice cream and bananas and silly costumes. They’ll punch and poke and push one another just to amuse themselves, but they also don’t seem to much mind when they meet with misfortune. They just grin and go along with it, though blowing one another up will be met with glares and possibly a punch in the arm from the soot-stained, injured party.
They’re so wonderfully juvenile, too. They giggle over “Ramsbottom.” They’re totally unsympathetic with one another. They slap-fight and swipe things from each other and ask for goodnight kisses. They’re like a little yellow refinement of childhood, with all the boundless enthusiasm and none of the screaming tantrums. And just like kids*, Gru remembers each and every one of their totally mundane names, while to everyone else they pretty much all look alike.
Even Gru’s occasionally mystified by them, like the scene where they’re working on antigravity serum and Gru looks up and there’s a bunch of them happily stuck to the ceiling, waving down at him. I love how Nefario’s all, “Oops, I meant to close that,” when the one floats off, and yet, no one does anything about rescuing him, though he shows up several times later. But the one that gets shrunk has his BFF that holds onto him the whole time and is very happy when he’s full size again. And there’s the one who gets his head in a jar in the 2nd movie, and wears the jar the whole rest of the movie.
Not to mention the fact that they react to kidnapping by building a bar and serving drinks on their little desert island.
They also speak their own language! And how cute is it when they sing familiar songs in Minion-ese. There’s not much of that in the first one, but there’s more in the sequel starting with the Banana song preview. Boyband mockery! YMCA! And of course the giant off-hours ice cream party complete with a drinking song. Everything is just funnier in Minion-ese.
In conclusion, Minions are awesome and fun to draw. Also, despicable.
*okay, maybe that’s just me and other people’s kids
Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: despicable me, meta, minion
The Floating Gallery has a name!
Monday, August 26th, 2013
The Floating Gallery at Antemortem Arts arrives on the first of each month!
I got tired of not knowing what to call the little mini gallery shows I plan to have from the 1st-8th of each month, so I named it the Floating Gallery. The name is a reference to floating markets both real and imaginary, and so I obviously had to have a drawing to go with the name. I was inspired by drawings of dirigibles, pirate ships and of course Ronza*, and so I have an airship full of art coming in for a landing this Sunday.
I sent out my very first Patron’s List preview just now, with 6 new paintings (well, one’s a drawing, but you get the idea), 2 comics, and 6 new bookmarks. We’ll see what’s left when the Floating Gallery officially opens on the first! If you want your own peek behind the velvet curtains, you can join my Art Patron’s List here and get in early next month.
*I do realize only about three of you know who that is, just roll with it.
Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: dirigible, floating gallery, nfs, self portrait, sharpie marker, watercolor
The Winds of Change are Blowing
Monday, August 12th, 2013
My wonderful Starship Commodore Tara Swiger is doing an Exploration Party on her blog, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. I’m about to embark on a big exploration here at Antemortem Arts.
I’m exploring a less daily way of giving you art.
The blog is going to be the first thing to change, from daily art posts to less frequent and more blog-like posts. I’ll be showing you all the new Etsy swag as usual, but I’m also going to start writing more about my own enthusiasms, and posting more works in progress. I do so much work that centers in one way or another around what I’m reading, watching and fangirling that I want to share some of that excitement with you.
But yes, this means that Tentacle Tuesdays are no more. Sorry, Gonzo.
The current Art Shop is closing on August 31.
The big art shop with ALL the things in it will be closing at the end of this month. If there’s something you’ve been coveting, now is the time to find room in your budget or arrange a payment plan.
There won’t be any more new art for sale posted during the rest of August, though you’ll still get to see the finished pieces others have commissioned. Actually, there won’t be any more individual art sale posts on the blog at all.
Something wicked this way comes…
Well, not really wicked. Or at least any more wicked than usual.
On the 1st of each month, starting in September, I’ll make a big post of the new art from the previous month. You’ll be able to arrange a payment plan for the piece of art you love most, or buy it outright because you’re just that awesome. I’ll also throw a few select older pieces into the mix, at least at first. It might take me a few months to get the rhythm and flow of it right, but that’s what makes it an exploration.
After Amy-bedtime on the 8th, the “show” will close and I’ll go back to making art and doing commissions and client work, and getting things all ready for the next month. When things re-open on the first, it’ll be an entirely new mix of art, whatever I was inspired to make in the month prior.
If you’re already on my email list, you’ll get a preview a few days early, including the chance to call dibs on things before they go up on the blog.
I’m exploring new email stuff, too.
You can read more about it and sign up here, but here’s the basic gist:
- The old Daily Art emails will be renamed and continue to give you the blog posts, they just won’t be the same thing that you’re used to.
- The Art Patron’s list will give you the inside scoop on what’s new, as well as little private tidbits of info no one else gets.
- The Etsy Customer’s list will be just for those people who want to know about new cards, prints and swag coming out in the Etsy shop, plus coupon codes.
Amy’s still not dead yet on Etsy.
You can still buy cards, prints, and other such swag all month long.
I’m going to do some cleaning up here, too, by retiring some of the old designs next month to make room for the new holiday cards and generally freshen up the place. You’ll get to see new stuff, too — I’m exploring some ideas for new kinds of swag, and even a new coloring book.
It’s a whole new world!
And now that I’ve earwormed you, I hope you’ll come along with me on this new adventure, looking forward to future art and fannish squee. I’m always happy to hear what you think about things, either as blog comments or by email.
Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: info
4 Comments »
Words Wednesday: Interview with Tara Swiger
Wednesday, August 7th, 2013
Tara Swiger is an author, maker, and Starship Captain. She leads explorations into your mission, your marketing, and your enthusiasm…for teeny tiny art-y businesses (like mine!). Currently she’s putting together a very cool course called Explore You to help you boldly go.
Tara’s gotten two very different illustration projects from me, and she’s agreed to tell you how it went and what she’s doing with her art.
Q: Why did you decide to get commissioned art?
A: I think my first piece of commissioned art was the Starship*…and I got it because I wanted something to symbolize the space I was creating. A custom illustration made it seem so much more real (and professional!)
The second piece was a map for my Map Making Guide. I knew I wanted something really nice but don’t have the skills to create one myself! I wanted to create a better product, so I needed to bring in someone with better skills!
Q: How do you incorporate these illustrations into your business?
A: I use the Starship in the header of the actual Starship (a community site/forum), in my emails, and in a few ads!
The map illustration is part of the actual product of the map-making guide…so my customers use them to create maps of their goals!
Q: What did you hope an illustration would add to your projects?
A: My business is metaphor-friendly, but when those metaphors represent actual things (the community, the Guide) I need something other than words — I need the pictures to illustrate what I’m talking about! I felt that custom images would make it more professional and “put together” than anything I could make.
Q: How did the process work from your end?
A: It was so easy! I gave Amy a few ideas and she got it right away! I was so surprised, because I was super-nervous, but Amy made it easy!
Q: Have you had any unexpected awesome from your art?
A: Amy sent the original sketch of the Starship and it hangs in my hallway with all my favorite pictures! I love what it stands for (this amazing community of support I’ve created) and that I’m reminded of it every day!
Thanks for taking the time to share, Tara!
If you’re interested in commissioning an illustration for your own business, you can check out the details here.
*Starship Craftybiz by Amy Crook for Tara Swiger, all rights reserved
Stylin’ on her wall at home with her Instagrammed life!
Categories: Completed Commissions, Daily Art, Words Words Words
Tags: all rights reserved, commission, tara swiger, words
State of the Artist
Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
This is where I do most of my art-related work,
and yes, it’s pretty much always this messy.
I realize I’m terrible about updating you, my darlings, whenever things shift and change in my life, so here’s a quick lowdown on things you might care about.
- I got about $1000 worth of dental work done, including a bite guard for sleeping that helps hugely with my cracked tooth pain, but have not yet had the other $3000 of root canal & crown done.
- My computer is not entirely paid off, but I’m still making good progress on it. And it works wonderfully, bright screen and fast processor and everything still gorgeous after a year. I love it, it is my baby, and we shall never be apart.
- I’ve had a bit of a famine spot, which is why #1 & #2 are what they are, but I’ve kept my head above water mostly and it seems to be moving back into feast, knock on wood. Ah, the joys of a freelance life.
- But in better news, I have healthcare for a while! Not sure how long it’ll last, but, I actually saw a doctor and got some routine blood tests and stuff. Yay.
- I’m trying to post one new card-ready comic a week on Saturdays, so if there’s anything you’ve ever desperately wanted, it’s a good time to send in unsubtle requests. Anyone who requests things will also get first dibs on the originals, since a lot of my fandom things sell quickly these days (a fact about which I am Very Happy!).
- Bookmarks are back underway, I have 3 done but I’m sort of thinking of keeping one of them for my own, preshuss. All right, actually there’s a 4th one, too, but that one I’m almost definitely hoarding.
- The cats are still happy and healthy. I’ve taken to making my bed every morning thanks to UFYH, and Pod has taken to un-making his side so he can get in and nap. Bella uses this opportunity to stretch out on my side and be queen of the world, of course.
I think that’s enough to be going on with. You see the results of my art life every day, after all!
Categories: Daily Art, Words Words Words
Tags: words
Tentacle Critters from Ann Littell
Wednesday, July 17th, 2013
What’s in the mysterious box?
I did not make these things! The wonderful Ann Littell, with whom I went to high school, came out to CA and brought me the awesomest surprise of all. I was not expecting her to have a gift for me, and I have some guilt that I haven’t returned the favor yet, but it’s fleeting because I was totally gobsmacked. Also I keep getting distracted by how awesome these are.
Note that Ann doesn’t make these for sale, so I’m just luckier than you.
Blue paper like water! And ooooooh tentacles.
Above, you can see what I saw as I opened the box, and share in my excitement. TENTACLES! What could they beeee? Below, they’re out of their box and sitting on top.
Three Wee Beasties!
They’re really well-made and I love the colors! The squid is a lovely blue-grey with lighter fins, and his tentacles have this great curl to them. The jellyfish is this great combo of two shimmery pink yarns that work really well together, and he’s got a really good mix of tentacle sizes and lengths. The octopus is such a great color set, all bright and cheery in very Amy colors, and when laid flat on the table his tentacles make a great little swoopy pattern that translates well into sitting around. You’ve already seen these guys guest starring on some of my art posts, and you can expect to see more of them!
Thanks, Ann!
Squid, Jellyfish and Octopus, an awesome Trifecta
Categories: Words Words Words
Tags: awesomeness, mine not yours, nfs, not me, tentacles
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