February Recap -

There has been so much going on - since mid-January in fact, that I've kind of given up on catching up in any comprehensive way, so I'm just going to post an overview or two. This one of the whirl-wind that was February....

It started with Greg Spalenka's Alla Prima workshop (which I did have time to document here).

This was quickly followed by the coterie of French artists coming to town - the first event with them being their gallery open at Krab Jab Studio -

- immediately followed by Virginie Ropar's one-day workshop for TLCWorkshops.

Greg Spalenka came to town, and Krab Jab Studio hosted his Artist As Brand TLCWorkshop.

All the above artists, and *more* were all guests at MythicWorlds (I was the 'artist wrangler - acting as liason for all of their mini-workshops for the convention).

A few days later, David Thierree and Yoann Lossel taught their TLCWorkshop....

All in all, it was a crazy-busy month - full of art, artists, learning and good times. Still recovering from it all.

Workshop Weekend - Greg Manchess!

After a couple of very busy weeks which included 2 workshops, an art open and a computer virus that necessitated a complete wipe and reload, I am trying to get caught up on it all!

Last weekend was the Greg Manchess Alla Prima workshop of awesome. You can read about it starting here.

Workshop Weekend -

Have spent the weekend with the awesome Greg Manchess at yet another TLCWorkshop weekend. You can read about our adventures on the TLCW blog.

Succulent Saturday - Faery Art Show Open

 Tonight was the Faery Art show open at Krab Jab Studios -

 There was a busy, consistent turn-out the entire evening -

 The faery-themed art was glorious - especially taken all together.

(My piece was hung in enviable company - here I am, next to Greg Manchess' piece to my left).

 The daughter and her boyfriend came to check it out (here standing by my illustrious sister and her husband's pieces over her shoulder).

The big coup of the show was the addition of work from the Froud's. 

A collection of original watercolors by Brian Froud.

A lovely faery from Wendy -

 (look at how exquisite those feet are!)

 And a charming troll from Toby.

It's a luminous show. Really worth taking in if you're in the area. It's up through the end of the month.

Final day of the Greg Manchess workshop -

 I can't believe this weekend is over already. It totally flew by.

I got a satisfying amount of effective thumbnails worked through - but golly, I wish we could have had another couple of days to just keep pushing through it.

Amazing instructor, great group of artists, lots of work, lots of fun.

More details posted on the TLCWorkshop blog here.

More Manchess workshop update -

 Day #2!

You can read the report on the TLCWorkshop blog here.

First day of the Greg Manchess Workshop -

 Had a fabulous first day at my workshop with Greg Manchess -

You can read the full report about it here.

Music Monday - Spectrum Live

I know it is no longer Monday, nor exactly music (although there is some appropriate accompaniment in the Gurney one), but I thought some overviews of the weekend would be a good thing to post while I'm processing all the pictures and promo material and information I acquired whilst in Kansas City last week...

Here is James Gurney's mini-film of his adventures (in typical humorous, smart, Gurney-form):

Here is a really good article which includes many a fabulous photo: Rockville Music Magazine. 

 And here is a photo from Irene Gallo (one of the few I know I'm actually in. Mostly I just took them): 

(It's me, and Greg Manchess and Arkady Roytman fairly drooling over some Eric Fortune originals. Yum!)

So MUCH yummy, arty goodness!  Much more to come.

Workshop Website is Live!

Announcing an exciting, new Professional Art Series for 2012. Located in the greater Seattle area, each weekend workshop is packed with one-on-one interaction and instruction from some of the most brilliant illustrators and art professionals working today. These select intensives offer the professional illustrator the opportunity to work side-by-side with the best in the industry - infuse new life and confidence into your work. See all the details at TLCWorkshops.blogspot.com


Workshops Offered
Beyond Reference: How to Imbue your Characters with Characters with Justin Gerard. Fri-Sun, March 30-April 1 $375.


Idealized Realism and the Human Figure with Terese Nielson, Fri-Sun, August 24-26. $500.


Self-Promotion: the Portfolio and Beyond with Jon Schindehette (Senior Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast. Blog here). Sat-Sun, Sept 15-16. $300.


Planning Great Images, From the Ground Up with Greg Manchess, Fri-Sun, Nov 9-11. $500.


To inquire about availability, ask questions or to reserve your spot, contact Tara Chang: TLCWorkshops1@gmail.com.

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 3

It is sadly the *last* day of our workshop with the fabulous Greg...

 So.Much.Stuff! The day(s) flew by.

 Lecture, lecture -

 work, work -

 lecture, lecture -

 work, work (study, reference...)-

 lecture, lecture, critique, draw some *more*.

 Lots attempted. Lots done. Lots learned. Lots talked about. Lots to think about and keep applying. Lots of great people to get to know and work with. SO good overall.

-so much so, we continued to talk, share and deliberate even after coming home to decompress... (Part of the fun for me was having a third of the class staying at my house for the duration. :-)

At any rate, I came home with ideas for a number of new pieces to explore, and hopefully expanded skills with which to attempt them.

Thanks all you workshop folks - it was a weekend to remember.
And thanks so much Greg for sharing your fabulousness.

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 2

Day #2 - and we're slaving away!

(We are few in number, and therefore get good one-on-one attention from slave-driver, Greg...)

Plus, demos!

And lectures, punctuated by many examples of many peoples' praise-worthy art,

and art techniques...

(with a slight interruption by a relatively brief power-outage. Who says workshops aren't full of surprises and excitement?)

The most exciting part however, is seeing how ones' own compositions can be pushed and strengthened even *further* by such a keen and experienced eye. Really inspiring to see!

Sadly, last day is tomorrow...

Greg Manchess Workshop! - Day 1

Greg Manchess workshop started today!

Greg is his usual charming, self-depreciating, warm and approachable self (despite a lingering cold).

We're mostly covering preliminary work - lots of hammering on thumbnails and composition. He put us right to work - drawingdrawingdrawingdrawing (I nearly sharpened through two pencils)...

....interspersed with lectures and examples. I still maintain that Greg does the most beautiful thumbnails of anyone on the planet.

(frantic, scattered pages of compositional disarray!)

Greg - so wise, experienced and generous with sharing his knowledge...

(Tara - so befuddled and 'challenged'... Maybe someday I'll 'get' all this stuff. When I grow up..?)

Class ran over by an hour. Then a bunch of us went to dinner and talked yet *more* art for 3 more hours! (See us hanging on his every word!).

Class #2 tomorrow...