Cardboard.

Here are a few miscellaneous cardboard drawings I did with the great Blake Bradley. I like the circus people the best and the hand signs. It's too early to be up for work and I am all of a sudden overcome by the urge to watch The Life Aquatic.

Thoughts.

Pizza Papalis' thin crust pizza is top notch.
I can be kind of cheesy.
I received a letter from Ellyn Marmaduke and it made my week.
Snail mail is the best mail; I love it.
I like how shoes fit together so well in a box.
The Kids Are All Right was good.
I'm in awe of the way that hair grows in a spiral fashion on our heads.
I'm intrigued when I see which genes kids received from their parents.
The Camp Rock 2 songs are good (even though I only like 2 of them).
I really want to paint my nails sparkly, but I lack the nail polish to do so.
I dislike Gretchen on Project Runway.
True Blood only has 2 episodes left.
In the past 5 days, I've worked 62 hours on the movie Real Steel.
I met Miss USA while with Hugh because she's there for some reason.
Summer is almost over and I haven't had any sno-cones. WTF.

Art Graph.

I've been so busy. I'm working on the movie set for 12+ hours a day now. Yesterday we worked 15. Is this real life? My body aches and I'm trying to recover because Monday we start at 6:30 am which means I'm going to be dead. I've been sketching at work and I'll scan that soon. In the mean time, here is a graph that my friend Sean Vacca tagged me in. Any art student (or artist) can relate to it. I miss you all.

Custom Shoes: KEDS!

This is it. This is what I've been waiting to post and probably what you've been waiting to see. I've finished another pair of the custom shoes. These are for me though. I need to be a WALKING ADVERTISEMENT and that is what I intend to be with these. They took me at least 100 years. Actually, they've taken me a really long time, but it went much faster because I didn't have to gesso these and the markers dried less because of it. So, LEATHER IS THE WAY TO GO! Have fun trying to find all of the things I hid in these. My parents told me I did a great job. I guess that's all that matters. I used a ton of Ultra Fine Point Sharpies and a few Fine Point Sharpies. Click for details and enjoy! I won't be posting for a few days. I need to recuperate.

Frands Of Mine.

I'm almost finished with these shoes I'm working on. HOPEFULLY I'll have them done by tomorrow. In the mean time, I wanted to introduce you to two of my friends that are new to the blog world: Meredith Miotke and Max Majoros. Meredith has been posting sketchbook stuff (including some neat challenges) and I like her line weight. Max has been doing comics that are very HIM. Max is a funny guy and his style is really neat. It slightly reminds me of Daniel Clowes with a dash of my friend, Andy Gabrysiak. Check them both out though. They're great.

I'm going to do an ABC type of deal in the coming weeks so I need some things to draw. For each letter, I'm planning on filling two pages full of just random drawings of whatever gets thrown at me with that letter. So, I need things to draw for each letter. Any ideas and/or suggestions are well appreciated.

"Make It Work!"

Tim Gunn was chosen over on The Hallway Show and this is my version of the legend. I did a blind contour and then cut out textures/paper. I love Tim Gunn.

Three Pairs.

Shoe time, all the time. I'm working on a handful of shoes for a handful of friends and I'm watching Are You Afraid of the Dark while doing it. I'm on disc 2 episode 4 (I think). It's The Tale of the Thirteenth Floor. Right now I am taking a break and enjoying a conversation with Christian Barr and the episode that's currently on is my favorite (Midnight Madness) because Nosferatu makes a cameo.

Hello, Detroit!

Summer In The City - The Lovin' Spoonful.

Real DEAD.

I worked on the set of Real Steel thursday as an extra from 6 pm to 6 am. Jesus Christ. I thought movies were all fun and games. WRONG. It was a lot of work and a lot of pain. I had to wear heels THE ENTIRE TIME and I have blisters on each of my toes, but the biggest blister that comes in second place for the "Worst Blister I've Ever Had" award (first place goes to the California Yogurt Cap), is THIS ONE:In the beginning, I was in line for hair and make up and the make up girl just decided to walk down the line. I'm standing there with my sister and 2 friends (the guys waited in a different line) and the girl goes, "You look good except for this foundation smear." I start rubbing my face, "Oh? I have a smear?" and she goes, "Yeah right on your cheek!" and then my friend Jill goes, "That's her birth mark..." AWKWARD.

I got paired up with this arabic guy and he was a creep. My friends just stood there and laughed while I was beyond miz, but then Hugh Jackman saved me.

Today Janine was at work so I decided I was going to get the blender out and make some sno-cones. I put 12 cubes in the blender, turned it on, and then it smelled like burning appliances mixed with the Cedar Point rollercoaster, Disaster Transport, so I turned it off and then it wouldn't turn back on. Janine was right; the ice cubes broke the blender. THEN, I had this BRILLIANT idea, to put the ice cubes in a giant turkey baking bag (because we were out of zip-lock bags) and smash the bag on the ground like a caveman. Too bad after the second smashing, the bag busted open and the ice cubes flew all over the kitchen. No sno-cones YET AGAIN. MIZ!

JoBros In Cincinnati.

I went to see The Jonas Brothers. For those of you tuning in for the 1st time (or for those that aren't aware), the JBs are my guilty pleasure. I adore them. This was my 10th show. It was AMAZING. I went with my equally obsessed pal, Rhiannon.

PROS:
-3rd row tickets (and I was in seat 13 which is my lucky number).
-Free parking.
-Got to stand right at the stage and put our elbows on it (thanks Myles).
-I got the chills twice because the JBs are so incredible.
-JOE JONAS WALKED OVER TO ME, HELD MY HAND, LOOKED ME IN THE EYES, & SMILED.
-The confetti during Lovebug was one of the most magical things I've ever seen.
-Rhiannon and I were one of 12 girls right by the stage.
-When we got drinks out of a machine, it gave us 2 instead of 1.
-Night time noms.
-Making it home safe.

CONS:
-It was one million degrees (99) and humid. I've never sweat so much in my whole life and I can't believe Joe touched me because of how terrible I looked; legit. There were beads of sweat rolling down everyone's faces and legs.
-The security before we got in made Rhiannon take a camera back to the car.
-Wearing pants.
-Giant fire explosions during "Burnin' Up" made it HORRIBLY hot.
-Thinking it was a good idea to drive back exhausted.
-Almost killing us because of the aforementioned.
-Drinking a 5 Hour Energy.
-Driving an hour out of our way because we didn't think to check the GPS and instead just went where it told us to go. It actually wanted us to go to TN.
-We only had about $60 each.
-CAR TROUBLES.
-Not having enough money to do anything about it.

It's not an adventure without the ups and the downs. That's what I love about Jonas adventures though; they're both good and bad (and usually not very well planned). We decided to go to this show two days before the show. It was great though. Enjoy these photos. 1) Lovebug confetti scene. 2) Nick smiling at my polaroid.

Awesome Week.

Wanna know how I know this week is going to rule? Because today I'm going to see THE JONAS BROTHERS in Cincinnati FROM THE 3RD ROW (in seat 13), Tomorrow is Ramadan, Thursday I'm going to be an extra in the movie, REAL STEEL, from 6pm to 6 am aka vampire hours, and Friday it's Friday the 13th. Probably one of the best weeks ever. I'm getting ready now because I'm going to be heading out for the show soon. I know most of you think I'm joking; I'm not.

Clean Up.

Today was, legitimately, my last day of work. We moved all of our supplies to the storage room and really all I did was sweat and lift giant [heavy] boxes over my head while screaming, "I AM ALL THAT IS MAN." I probably have a hernia now. After that fiasco, we went back to the school and I was presented with two jugs of sno cone syrup and that was probably worth everything all summer. However, upon walking in the door and telling my parents how chipper I was because of the aforementioned, Janine crushed my dreams like the ice required for these delicious treats when she told me I was not allowed to use the blender because she thinks blending ice will break it. Now I am distraught and sno-coneless. Miz.

Mr. Roboto!

I made a robot cut out along with the kids. I chose SPACE BOT! I haven't done a cut out in a long time anyway so this is overdue. While I was helping Ethan, Oscar added the gold asteroid under the Robot's arm. I didn't realize it for a good half hour though. The silver paper was SO HARD to cut. I hated it. Under the little red door is the fuel gauge and heart and the glasses are for safety purposes only.

This Is IT.

Well, this board is from yesterday and we finished setting up our final gallery show. This is my wall full of the work the kids made. Today is my last day of work at Cranbrook and it is very bittersweet. I know I will be in tears by the end of the day. I am pretty sad. I just can't believe it's over. I've enjoyed myself immensely. I love(d) the kids and I've enjoyed teaching. I absolutely adore my coworkers and we've had so much fun and have so many inside jokes. I really wish it wasn't over.

Sad Men.

I wanna clear something up. It's not that I'm obsessed with Oscar, it's just that while the other kids switch classes, Oscar stays with me and works on comics all day so he is literally the only kid that I'm with the ENTIRE day. Granted, he'll go off to the office to hang out with Matt or he'll stop by Jill's (or hang out with Proma), but for the past couple of days, he's been consistently with me. We're buddies. So I just wanted to clear that up. Of course, this is probably bad because it means I'm getting attached and therefore means Friday I'M going to be like Niagara Falls.

I was working with watercolor when the kids were painting their self portraits and made these two portraits. I asked random kids what they thought these character's names would be and I got a few different answers. One of the kids said the man on the left would be into going to church, but this one girl, Paige, walked by and I said, "Hey Paige! What would this guy's name be?" When I said "name" I meant 'Jim' or 'Dan' BUT she stood there for a second and said, "The Crying Man" and I was like WHOA! YES! So that is his name. Perfect. Another girl, Meg, that sassed me asked me why my characters look so sad. I don't know MEG. Maybe I am sad. Maybe I'm sad that this job is ending. The kids always give me something to think about.

Whatever Wednesday.

Today it was whatever in every sense of the word. Oscar hijacked the board with MEEPS. He also made me an official Meep character. I cannot wait to show everyone what the kids have been doing this week. Pictures to come tomorrow!

Oscaroid.

I busted out the polaroid and took a picture of Oscar next to the french flag as well as the Dali quote that he wrote: "To be a good artist, you've got to be a little stupid."

The Meeps.

I tried to draw my own version of The Meeps (as inspired by Oscar), but mine don't look as cool as his. I settled on the little french man in the bottom right hand corner.

HOW IS IT AUGUST?!

I was hit by the realization that this year is almost over last night at 12:01. I said, "Sarah. It's August." I don't think this was a staggering conclusion for her, but for me, it was. I was dizzy! How is it that it will be 2011 in 5 months? Christmas in 4? and Halloween in 2? Is this real life? Where's my time machine? Miz.