The Next Professional Steps -

One of the most valuable pieces of advice that I came away from the IMC with last year was to determine the Next 5 Steps I was going to take to further my professional career. I chose more than five and then blogged them (you can read that post here. I didn't complete them all, but made tremendous headway. It totally changed the way I work).

This year -

1.) *Really* learn Photoshop. I bought a copy of CS3 (so much cheaper online than CS4, and I can still upgrade if I wish to), and have Real Plans to Implement!

2.) Upgrade little wacom graphire tablet. (Done! Just bought a medium Intuos4. Should be here tomorrow).

3.) Learn how to use my spiffy new printer from last year for actually making *prints*. I've used it to great effect all year to print out my sketches to paint on, but now I want to learn how to best utilize its color.

4.) Do more 'personal' work - in between or after this latest batch of commercial work. Right now, my sensibilities are leaning towards the cute-creepy, but pretty much anything that is geared at an age older than 7 would make me happy.

5.) Do follow-up mailings to the various people/professionals who requested more at the IMC (I have a nice list!)

6.) Keep online portfolio places updated.

7.) Keep up with the sketching from life as well as from imagination (outside of commercial work).

8.) Some time in the next 12 months, either take a class or do on my own, on Figure Sculpting! (Charles Vess talked about his sculpting project of the last 3 years and how much easier drawing got afterwards. I have wanted to do something 3 dimensionally like that for some time, so this seems most opportune!)

9.) Watch for the subjects/media/feeling/look that I feel the most *passionate* about, and then follow them!


Ok - that's plenty to keep me busy for the next calendar year I think...

Sunday Sketching -

Trying to get back into the groove - all this 'real life' stuff (vs. the Art Nirvana of just over a week ago). Drawing in church. My next set of Wind Dancer book work which starts *now*. Trying to stay on top of school being out and the garden needing attention, etc., etc...

AND I've been dismal at reading your blogs. All my feeds have been coming through Blog Lines which has apparently decided to no longer let me *go* to any of said blogs, and I haven't undertaken the mammoth task of transferring them all elsewhere. I'm sorry.

Plus, I want to get this year's set of 'next professional steps' down here in writing ASAP so that I can be working towards them while I'm still feeling the afterglow of the IMC....

Real Life. 'Have at thee!

IMC - wrap-up

I realized that I was so busy the last couple of days at the IMC that I didn't post anything there at the end. There was *so much*!!

We got to meet and hear presentations from the art and/or editorial directors from Vertigo, Scholastic, Charlesbridge Publishing and of course, the lovely Irene Gallo of Tor... It was fascinating hearing about various genres within the publishing world and from their hugely personable representatives.

The faculty continued to paint on their own pieces so that we could watch them in action (Charles Vess here).

(again, the tag-team of Manchess & Fischer! :-)

Rebecca Guay - watercolor demo-

Irene Gallo, in her on-location "office". (She did a much better job than I of keeping up with posting as we went along. Plus she is a terrific photographer!)

On the last day, we handed out teacher gifts (somehow I ended up being the spokesperson for them - but that way I give everyone thankyou hugs. :-)

Then we had our 'gallery show' of the pieces we created during the week. A couple of examples - this one by Scott Murphy-

-this one by Kim Kincaid (hopefully all of the finished pieces will be posted on the IMC site when they are completed).

And we finished up the day signing each other's sketchbooks, just like High School -

- most of the time with sketches included. One of the perks of being around a bunch of artists!

Then cleaning and packing up.... The echoes in the halls of the emptying dorms..

Then back to the airport to return home, and return to 'real life'...

Here was my piece by Saturday night. I'm currently adjusting the colors and values... I'll post when I've finished it completely.

A thoroughly wonderful week...

IMC - Day Last...

I can't believe how quickly the week flew by. Now we are done. Exhausted and spent, but happy and creatively recharged.

A tremendous thank you to Rebecca Guay for organizing such an overwhelmingly full experience and to all the faculty and guests for their generous outpouring of time and expertise...

I think I probably need to sleep for a week!

IMC 09 - Day 5

This is going way too quickly!

Today there were more terrific lectures - one by Jon Foster (who is witty and clever in addition to being wicked-talented. Some of those paint strokes on pieces projected up on the wall practically brought tears to my eyes).

When not eating or listening/looking at awesome art, the studios are a flurry of furious painting activity. Companionable conversation, comparing notes, and pizza runs at midnight. There are a lot of fabulous looking pieces coming into being.

(For instance, this one, by Bobby Brown).

The faculty continues to critique, sometimes actually demonstrating on your piece. Scott Fischer and Greg Manchess tag-team critique a great deal (hilarity many times ensues). I cracked up watching them paint 'in stereo' on this particular piece.

As for mine, I got all my basic color in and have started resolving those there monkeys!

Only one more day to paint. :-(

IMC 09 - Day 4

It's starting to get difficult to remember what day it is... Up late into the nights and the day activities just run together like a surreal stream-of-consciousness art dream...

Today we heard from Dennis Nolan and Gary Lippincott - both children's illustrators whose work I have admired for years. Have any number of their books on my shelves at home. Charles Vess also gave a presentation this evening (he is always fabulous to listen to). Got to talk art, watch art, think about art and *do* art.

It took me a bit of doing to get my drawing printed out on the correct paper, but once that was done I was finally able to start getting some color down.

I've decided to go with the psychedelic flying-monkey approach. :-)

More later.

IMC 09 - Day 3

Today Michael Whelan visited -

Gave a great slide presentation. Lots of fabulous art (his more current gallery work is pretty spectacular). It was fun to hear him. He was the first fantasy artist whose name I knew, books I bought and went to hear speak decades ago... His painting is just more impressive over time. He demonstrated some paintings and signed posters for us. :-)

After dinner, Donato gave a slide presentation. Also fabulous. He is so high energy and enthusiastic about what he does that it is very inspiring (although sometimes also depressing because his work is so awesome!)

Lots of faculty painting again this evening. This time I watched Charles Vess paint with FW inks (I medium I've never painted with before). One always feels terribly torn between watching all the amazing art being made by the amazing faculty artists, or working on one's own. I try to do some of both.

I *did* get my drawing finished, and scanned and printed out on watercolor paper (about a day behind where I wish I was...)

Now, as soon as I can figure out what colors to make this thing, I'll start painting it!

IMC 09 - Some initial photos

Just a typical day here at the IMC-

Here is our illustrious faculty (from left to right): Rebecca Guay, Donato Giancoloa, Dan dos Santos, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Scott Fischer, Charles Vess, Irene Gallo and Greg Manchess. (Plus there will be some other day lecturers..)

There are two studios, each with some 40+ students each. Each is a bustle of creative energy and activity.

Here are initial critiques (Irene Gallo, Boris Vallejo and Scott Fischer). It's great getting new input, correction and wildly conflicting advice. :-)

There are a couple of awesome lectures daily. This one was on shooting photo reference.

And in the evenings the faculty works or demos right along with us (here Boris and Julie).

Scott Fischer - painting on watercolor canvas... Interesting surface. I'll have to think about that one...

And the awesome and ever gracious Greg Manchess starting on his futuristic, sort of goth version of Oz. They are all incredible to watch.

I've finished working out my drawing (boy, this half-speed thing is bothersome!), now need to trace it all into a cohesive whole, scan and print out to paint. I'll post another version when I've got it scanned...

You can see more photos and get more coverage of the goings on over on Irene Gallo's blog. (Or follow her on twitter. She posts much more clever and entertaining tweets than I :-).

In the meantime, back at it.