On Melancholy Hill

So this is my last post for the year and with each last post I select my favorite six albums of the year, in no particular order. But this year I have decided to make it 7 for two reasons, one being that I couldn't cut it down to just 6 because I really didn't want to give up the last one and two, no one really reads this blog so it really doesn't matter what I post or what traditions I start. I also use to do a post on the year reflecting back but now I am just finding that more and more of a practice of thinking out loud for no one but myself so yeah, axing that. For now let's just get to the music.

7 great albums to put into your ears from 2010:

Cerulean - Baths

I discovered this album a bit later in the year but it is a wonderfully beat driven electronic album with a great somber atmosphere. It follows the recent trend of self produced chillwave artist like Toro y Moi and Neon Indian but with a more ambient, well thought out composition and sound. Especially good during the winter.

How I Got Over - The Roots

Straight up great hip hop from people who are now playing for Jimmy Fallon, EVERY NIGHT. As weird as that is to think of, this is a tight album with a ton of guests from the Dirty Projectors to Joanna Newsom. Odd collaborations that end up really sound when put together.

Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter

This might be Deerhunter's most pop oriented album with fun hooks and cheery tunes on a majority of the tracks but it still has a healthy touch of shoe gaze and experimentation to keep it extremely interesting and delightfully layered. It's like if Pet Sounds and Loveless had a disgustingly beautiful mutant baby.

Gorilla Manor - Local Natives

Three part harmonies and afro-pop sounds also seem to be really popular at the moment but this group is by far making the best use of it without getting a dull sound. They remind me a lot of Midlake and Fleet Foxes mixed in with a little Paul Simon. It's a very warm sounding album with a good summer sound.

Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

So many good tracks on such an ecletic album. As much I miss Blur, I think Damon Albarn is slowly winning me over to thinking that Gorillaz is the best project he has taken on. This would have been a perfect album if it wasn't for that damn Sweepstakes track.

Teen Dream - Beach House

As weird as it sounds, every time I describe this album I like to say, "It's the best boring album possibly made." As back handed as that does sound, I think nothing can beat the amazing somber mood Teen Dream has.

One Life Stand - Hot Chip

Yet another Hot Chip album that has the perfect balance of ham-fisted lyrics and cheesy sound with elegant production and beats. It's a wonderful combination I don't think I'll ever get tired of. Also Alley Cats is probably one of my favorite songs of the year.

Woop woop

And here's a random sketch sitting around.

Sticky Threads

Here's some stuff from december that's not sketches, already feeling a lot better from the month before.


Also I decided to start up my project again of illustrating all the demons from the lesser key of Solomon.

Here's Dantalion, he enjoys good company and wine. Better late than never.

The Seventy-first Spirit is Dantalion. He is a Duke Great and Mighty, appearing in the Form of a Man with many Countenances, all Men's and Women's Faces; and he hath a Book in his right hand. His Office is to teach all Arts and Sciences unto any; and to declare the Secret Counsel of any one; for he knoweth the Thoughts of all Men and Women, and can change them at his Will. He can cause Love, and show the Similitude of any person, and show the same by a Vision, let them be in what part of the World they Will. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits; and this is his Seal, which wear thou, etc.

THE AFTERLIFE

And two things in Photoshop/illustrator I am not the most happy with.


Something about this month has been both good and bad. I've been enjoying my time in sketch books and messing with illustrator and Photoshop but I am not really producing anything that most would say "looks good". The upside of this though is I think I am starting to get a better focused idea of where I want to take my portfolio next semester when I have to get it together for graduation. Still, here's hoping December is going to have a good amount of quantity and quality art wise.

And hey, it's Yacht!

you should like Yacht, that is all.

Sketch dump '99

Blah only two sketches from this month I actually wanted to scan in.

Them sketches

Here's them sketches.

Let's go surfing!

Oh man, it's sad October is almost over already! As much I enjoy halloween which is just around the corner, it's always too short. Fall deserves at least another month or two added to it.

Really enjoying how my illustration projects have been coming along lately. I think I am trying to embrace my own style more recently and fine tune instead of trying to play every field and medium.





Short and simple post like usual, more sketches coming in a bit. For now here is something I've been listening to lately:

Gotta love the drums.

I was born out of love

And for the end of this string of updates, here is a painting:

A Painting I did over the weekend for the pocket change for global change live art auction. an event for raising money for organizations against human trade/slavery. I got to paint with some sweet artist, including Lucy Knisley and my buddy David, who is not quite as notable as her but he will be one day damn it! It was about 6 artist in total with a pretty good turn out. Only made 25 bucks on my piece but that's better than nothing.

Here is a pic of me (in background) and Dave (not background) arting it up.



And Lucy's finished piece was really ballin'


Also here is Dave's finished piece, which looked like the love child of a Jim Woodring and Gary Basemen painting, which is awesome!



The text in the background of the painting I did came from the song ambulance by Blur. It seemed to fit the mood and idea best for my concept, which was on the irreversible damage of human trade and slavery on an individual. Here's that song.

Alright, this blog is back on track. Feeeels goooood.

Work it work it work it

And also illustration post!

here is something from illustration last semester of me messing around with silkscreen and watercolor

and my first illustration for this semester. It's subject is on aggression and back stabbing.

It's just a phase, just a place

And here is all of the finished pieces from the field museum class that I am still in love with even though it's over :<




The morning routine of waking up early to drive into the city and arrive at the field museum just as it was opening felt so good each week it was borderline divine. I am going to miss that.

Incompetence with time and space

OK, it's been too long again and like always I have a huge amount to post and catch up on. So I will make this quick and brief for this first post back just being doodles!






Enjoy!

It's monk time

Man, I just can't seem to break the pattern of two updates a month. Even with all this time this summer I am still lazy.

Well at least I am still doing art:




This has all been mostly from my drawing class I am taking this summer at the field museum to finish off a credit. So glad I decided to take it, there's always something interesting to draw there.

Also this summer, I've been breaking out the monks again.

Never can go wrong with the monks.

Fall in love (your funeral)

Ok, so here are some projects I finished off with for the semester:

This was for my photoshop final, a self portrait. I wanted to capture all of my influences and inspirations in one picture and I think I pulled it off well. Just look at that pug!


And this was for my printmaking final. I did a series of odd little monsters and silk screened them onto sticker sheets and then varnished them to make them nice and permanent. I made about 60 stickers altogether and handed them out to everyone on the last day.

And my last little comic for the art club I run at NIU.

Overall I felt I finished off the year nicely and I am definitely growing as an artist. Still, I don't know if I am pushing myself as hard as I should and I really need to be a lot better by the time I graduate next year. It's time to really get in gear this summer and hopefully have a ton of updates here on this blog. YEAH!!!

And for music, I've been listening to that Badu chick a lot lately. Here new album "New Amerykah Part II: Return Of The Ankh," has been pretty fantastic and gives me hope for soul again.

Such a catchy song, don't even realize it's six minutes long when it comes on my play list.

UH UH UH UH

Ok guys, I got behind again so your reward is more doodles!




Next update, which is hopefully very soon, will be some of my illustrations from the end of the semester as well as something more, text wise, to bite into.

But for now, more music:

Sleigh Bells is the best maniac doodle music!

Rum Hee!

It's been awhile, so you can imagine there is going to be a lot of art to dump AND YOU'RE RIGHT! So this post is for all my sketchbook pages since the last update.










And let's post a nice, good song off Shugo Tokumaru's new album to go with it all!

See you in like 8 hours.