Anarchist Trading Cards!

I just spent the day working on the poster for the 2008 Edmonton Anarchist Bookfair, and for a little fun at the end of it put together these Anarchist Trading Cards. I don't know if they'll get printed or not, but I can't wait to make more.



This bottom one is a mash-up of the top four.  I know that on most levels it doesn't work, but I couldn't resist and I still kind of like it.  Maybe I'll refine this idea a little more one day down the road.

Back By Popular Demand!

Just kidding. There's been no demand. But here's a new drawing anyway, because I'm like that. It could be considered done, but there are a few detail changes I would like to make... specifically, I see paper airplanes in her hair.  Right now the real thing is approximately 14 x 20 inches.
Detail.

Dear Graphics Tablet, I Will Marry You (part 2)

More illustration.  I know that the devil is in the details, and I should do more shading and whatnot, but I'm really into just cranking these out right now.  I spent about an hour on each one.

The above is another self-portrait, and the one beneath is based on a photo by the very talented Michael Kuby (who I'm lucky enough to be related to).  

Dear graphics tablet, I will marry you

I got a new thingamajig this weekend, and I have to tell you: never did I think I would love a piece of technology so much.  My Wacom graphics tablet* is...well, like I said - I basically got down on one knee and proposed.

These were done super fast due to a combination of very limited free time and total lack of patience.  I like Beth Ditto (who rules my world) the best, though I should have gone in for some more shading.

The self-portrait (with a toothbrush sticking out of my mouth) was done from a very dark picture, and I'm not a fan of how it turned out.  I was going for some lazy-ass cross-hatching, and the results were lazy-ass messy.  Some sort of balance between the two and more precise line-work is needed.  But all in all, not bad for a start.

*I could pretend I did these the old fashioned way with ink and paper, but I'm all for honesty in art.  And, as a certain friend of mine once said, "Work smarter, not harder, stupid."

The mural is up!

This weekend I helped local artist Ian Mulder install a mural of Lois Hole on 113 ave and 95 st in Edmonton (I helped to paint it too, but that was done in-studio).  It was crazy hot and we were on a south facing wall, but totally worth all the blood, sweat, and tears (okay, just sweat - but lots of it!) to see a truly ugly building turned into something the whole community can be proud of (and it was really nice how many people stopped to thank us while we were putting it up).

The before:

And after!!!

Scant Update

I haven't posted much in the last while, having moved across the country and working two jobs and reuniting with old friends and all, BUT, some exciting news:

One of my jobs is as a mural painters assistant, and we're installing our first mural (it was done in-studio, on panels) tomorrow!  It's going to be long, exciting, and quite possibly intermittently frustrating day, but I'm looking forward to seeing the behemoth thing up on a wall, all in one piece.  I think that it measures 26 feet by 15 feet or so, but honestly, I'm not sure.

Many photos when this is all done!

xo

kirsten