pluwwnest

Clown.

2011-10-13T02:26:00.002-04:00

Circus theme for The Pen Pals.

Just a little apatosaurus. Don't worry about it.

2011-09-13T22:38:00.000-04:00

Environment Study

2011-09-13T21:59:00.002-04:00

The Pen Pals

2011-09-13T21:58:00.000-04:00

My submission for Rachel's Heroes theme for our tumblr illustration group: The Pen Pals. Please check us out!

Little Red Riding Hood

2011-08-29T17:10:00.001-04:00

Rapunzel

2011-08-15T21:01:00.002-04:00

2011-08-04T16:27:00.003-04:00

Please bear with me while I promote this blog over and over again!

SO!

Nine of my talented fellow artists and I have started a blog, The Pen Pals, in which we will all draw a certain theme every week or month (haven’t worked out the kinks yet). This is my post for our first theme, Terrarium! You should head on over there and follow us. Because we are awesome. And you will witness awesome drawings happen. Thank you for your attention!

Also, just a note that I’ll won’t be posting Pen Pals stuff on this blog. LOVE.

One this strange.

2011-07-14T21:37:00.002-04:00

MIA

2011-07-06T15:11:00.004-04:00

I've allowed myself to go on hiatus for a couple of months since graduation, and I'm starting to feel like my batteries have recharged and I should get back to creating.I need to set up a space for myself, and really get into the mentality that I am no longer in school, and what I do is no longer homework. I have to find my drive.

Here's some miscellaneous graphics for work.

Too often than not...

2011-05-03T23:36:00.001-04:00

...I forget who I want to be. Most surely I never figured it out. It's that time again, to re-evaluate everything I have done and am doing and what I need to achieve to live without regrets.

It Shouldn't Fit But It Does

2011-04-22T21:03:00.002-04:00

Some of my favorite shots of my Senior Thesis!

2011-04-21T01:06:00.000-04:00

Jina's Kiwi Sauce

2011-04-21T01:01:00.005-04:00

-1/2 cup mayo
-1 kiwi
-2 Ts Onion
-2 Ts Honey
-2-3 Ts Vinegar
-1/2 Ts Cream Cheese
-2 Ts Pineapple Juice
-1 ts Garlic
-1 ts Mustard
-salt & pepper (optional)

Blend!

Dave's Beef Jerky!

2011-04-21T01:01:00.002-04:00

2-2.5 pounds flank steak

marinade 2 to 24 hours
-2/3rd cup soysauce
-1 T coarse ground black pepper
-1 T lemon pepper
- spash of worcestershire
-3 cloves garlic

bake 200 degrees (don't remember how long, a few hours? until donne)

Rachel's Lava Cake

2011-04-21T01:00:00.005-04:00

Center:
1/2 bar (2 oz) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar
1/4 cup heavy cream

Cake:
Nonestick cooking spray
1 bar (4 oz) 60% Cacao bittersweet chocoalte baking bar
8 tsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour

Instructions:

To make center, melt chocolate and cream in double boiler. Whisk
gently to blend. Regridgerate about 2 hours or until firm. Form into 6
balls; refrigerate until needed.

To make cake, heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray six 4-oz ramekins or
custard cups with cooking spray. Melt chocolate and butter in double
boiler; whisk gently to blend. With an electric mixer, whisk eggs,
yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick
and light. Fold melted chocoalte mixture and flour into egg mixture
just until combined. Spoon cake batter into remekins. Place a
chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.

Bake about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. let it sit
out of the oven for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around
inside of each remekin, place a plate on top. Invert and remove
remekin. Garnish with raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Denise's Angelfood Cake

2011-04-21T01:00:00.004-04:00

I keep losing recipes, so I'm going to put them here.

-1/3 cup water
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-3 tbsp oil
-sift out 1 cup of flour and add 1/2 tsp baking powder to it
-6 oz sugar and ad 1/3 (or 1/2) tsp cream of tartar to it
-8 eggs (SEPARATE YOLKS AND EGG WHITES INTO SEPARATE CONTAINERS) (egg whites in large mixing bowl, yolks in small-med bowl)

**When you start mixing, turn on the oven and preheat to 350 and stick the baking pan into it.
**The whole time you're mixing with the mixer, be sure to stay steady when rotating the mixer. You want to beat everything to a fluff so that it rises high.

1. Mix the egg whites on high for at least 5-8 minutes. When the whites starts to cream and rise, slowly add the sugar/cream of tartar mixture using a med-sized spoon. If you're using a large mixing bowl, the egg whites should rise at least 4/5 of the way up. Now you're done with that so put it aside.

2. With the yolks, add the water and vanilla and mix on med speed. After about 5 minutes, add the oil and then slowly add the flour/baking powder mixture into the yolks. The mixture should start thickening. Do this until all the flour is mixed well into it.

3. Add the yolk mixture into the large bowl that has your egg whites in it. Mix it on med speed and be sure to mix really really well together. Do this for about 5-10 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and pour the mixture evenly into the pan. Put it in the oven and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. When it's done, bring it out of the oven and let it cool UPSIDE-DOWN in the pan so that it keeps the height.

Look forward to Friday!

2011-04-13T09:58:00.002-04:00

You will get a massive unloading of photos showing my senior thesis project. I'm in the process of installing right now, and making connections between boxes. It's finally coming together! In celebration, I think I shall get a haircut tomorrow.

PEACE.

//edit//

I lied. I didn't get a chance to document yesterday because people were still installing in the gallery. However, the opening was amazing. It's nerve-wrecking and exciting at the same time watching people look at your work. There were so many people. I should have taken more photos!

Sorry for being MIA

2011-04-05T22:57:00.001-04:00

Part of me is avoiding posting IP images because I'm afraid of ruining any pleasant surprise that might come with seeing it for the first time. The next two weeks will be extremely hectic, but when everything's finally installed into the Slusser Gallery, I plan on exhausting whatever's left of my motivation to taking as many photos as possible of the work. I'm also working on an animation final, as well as a few commissions that are eating up my life. Is it unhealthy to feel guilty about doing anything besides work and...work?

Here are a few teasers!

Inspiring in the simplest of ways

2011-03-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

I realized today that my attraction to wide set eyes wasn't due to Audrey Kawasaki, but most definitely stemmed from loving Yoskay Yamamoto first. I also realized that there's nothing wrong with drawing the same thing over and over again. It's something I think I knew but did not register. After all, how can I get good at anything if I don't do it more than once? Because I am infatuated, I'm going to continue drawing these girls, even if I don't have a specific reason for drawing them.

IP Update

2011-03-10T15:24:00.002-05:00

Let me obsess.

2011-03-10T15:23:00.002-05:00

Seriously. Best Chocolate Ever.

2011-03-08T20:10:00.002-05:00

Made in Taiwan. TAPPL. It costs 10nt, which is approximately 33 cents. $0.33. I should have filled every possible crevice of my duffle with this stuff before I came back from Taiwan. Regret, it's so sad.

Pond Theme

2011-03-07T11:41:00.000-05:00

For the Romani Project

2011-03-07T11:39:00.000-05:00

Space Theme!

2011-03-05T21:42:00.002-05:00

Some miscellaneous art for the psychology research game.

Puff Puff

2011-02-23T00:05:00.000-05:00

I painted a portrait of my owl. To hang next to the owl. I have to say I really kind of love it right now as a fake painting.

Psychology Game

2011-02-18T19:12:00.003-05:00

A couple of professors in the psychology department are developing a series of educational games aimed at improving the working memory of children, and needed a few images modified. It was short, simple, and sweet. They needed to add a mast on a pirate ship and two windows in a haunted house. Here are the before-and-afters. I thought it would have been harder to modify because the original pieces were done with traditional media, but with help of Photoshop's cloning tool and other editing abilities, it took a lot less time than I would have guessed. Aren't the originals super charming? I love their style!

Guilty Pleasure

2011-02-16T00:22:00.000-05:00

Drawing fluff. What's yours?

Carolyn

2011-02-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hair

2011-02-15T21:51:00.002-05:00

Rachel!

2011-02-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

Website

2011-02-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

I finally updated the graphic design portion of my website! Check it. If you have a portfolio website, I'd love to see it.

Enough...

2011-02-03T18:52:00.003-05:00

...playing. Time to go home and get some work done!

Sketchbook Pro

2011-02-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

Just spent a few minutes playing with Sketchbook Pro on a school computer. I want to experiment with it more! The interface is actually pretty intuitive after playing around with it for a bit. Want want want. Software is the new toy.

Oh, and Happy Chinese New Year!

Birds in a Tree

2011-02-01T22:22:00.001-05:00

Annnnnnd....something non-IP related. A commission for a friend!

IP Photo Dump

2011-02-01T08:48:00.002-05:00

Per suggestions from Kent, my only ever commenter :D I appreciate the feedback, so here are some more work-in-progress photos of IP. This is Box 10, and as you can see, it has a tree in it. The tree took a great deal of time to make, from wire and paper mache. The background I painted yesterday washes out the silhouette, but hopefully when the leaves are added, there will be a higher contrast. If now, I would go back and make parts of the background lighter. All in all, I just want to finish box to an acceptable degree, and move on. There's a lot more to do.

IP Update

2011-01-28T11:08:00.001-05:00

I've been neglecting keeping up with IP posts, I'm so so sorry. It's most likely due to the fact that I eat and sleep IP most days of the week, but I'm not entirely happy with my progress. February is sneaking up on me, and it's causing some ~~milk~~ minor anxiety. I was thinking about drinking milk. Here's a tree, and an owl. At some point I shall take my rebel in to take better photos, maybe actually make use of the documentation station they set up for us.

Tongue Action

2011-01-28T10:53:00.003-05:00

...or something. This started out as a face study.

I THINK SHE DISAPPROVES

2011-01-25T23:46:00.001-05:00

Degas' Punkette (Name courtesy of 47ness :D)

2011-01-21T16:27:00.001-05:00

BAM EYES

2011-01-11T23:24:00.003-05:00

Week One and Half Back

2011-01-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

So simple...

2010-12-30T13:19:00.001-05:00

...but so true!

found on fffound

You ever see those things and deeply regretted that you didn't come up with it first? Yap. Work harder. Harder harder harder. I had a dream where we had a flying car! Except...it wasn't really cool. It was a van.

KÀ

2010-12-30T04:05:00.004-05:00

Amazing. The costumes. The set (obviously, with the giant tilting stage). The music. I love the way the Counselor's Son moved. Curiously, the stage and theatre w not as large or grandiose as I had imagined... but it was in no way lacking. I think I'm most amazed at the amount of detail that goes into the designs. Even though the majority of the people wouldn't be able to see the performers and props up close, even half way across the theatre you could tell how intricate they were. I wish I were a better writer and could express my wonder in a more articulate way. Here's a quick sketch, and I'll be trying again to capture his body language. Please ignore horrendoueres proportions. But wow....

Tangled.

2010-12-27T02:51:00.002-05:00

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! I just saw Tangled and dear lord; like every 5-10 year old girl who ever wanted a pony...I want that horsey! He was without a doubt the best character in the film, although the animation (and passive aggressiveness) of Mother Gothel was simply amazing. Also, the scene when they finally braided up her hair? THANK YOU. I was wondering for the entire time why she didn't have it up. I mean, yes, it's more convenient to keep it down if you're constantly lifting an old women up and down a tower, but after 18 years of growing out your hair, you probably would've experimented with a few hair styles.

Sorry about that mini rant. Despite the obvious Disney ending, I was really impressed by the minuscule details they put into animating the characters. It shouldn't be surprising, but it was charming and was really what made the movie captivating.

.gif from tumblr

IP oh IP

2010-12-22T16:29:00.000-05:00

How it eats away at the back of my mind. Anyhoo, here's a doodle of Alejandro's adorable character Sally Sprocket from his comic Sally Sprocket and Piston Pete.

Rain makes me drowsy...

2010-12-20T17:24:00.000-05:00

...but it might just be an excuse to feel and act lazy.

Good times, old times

2010-12-19T01:55:00.003-05:00

Experience is irreplaceable. Talking with my old martial arts teacher was super enlightening, and humbling, and intimidating, yet hopeful, but confusing. I really need time to collect my thoughts and figure what I really want. It shouldn't be that hard of a question to answer? I wonder if I know what I want and is simply too scared to pursue it. Perhaps its time to reintroduce meditation into my daily routines.

Here's a doodle of Rocky's Krissy from her Heroes & Bandits comic!

Art Center of Pasadena

2010-12-18T11:35:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to hang out with two wonderful artists and people, Alejandro and Rocky, and they took me to see the grad show at the Art Center of Pasadena. And holy god almighty was it humbling. One after another, each display or installation possessed such personality, talent, and skill. I'll come back with photos when Rocky sends them to me (mi madre stole my camera for her meeting).

Unfortunately, it looks like it'll rain this entire week. Sadface!

Quick post!

2010-12-17T15:02:00.001-05:00

Super self-indulgent. This is me in all my lady-like glory. I started out to work on IP and doodled myself instead. Typical. I'm not angry. This is me sleepy. Out to lunch!

End in a blink

2010-12-16T18:57:00.001-05:00

So the first semester of my last year concluded, and now I find myself in the LA area trying to comprehend that. The IP review/consultation presentation went pretty well. We were told that it would be helpful. It was. I simply left with more to do.

On another note, here's the final for Animation for Broadcast. I wish I hadn't rush the end so much, and that the conversation could've lasted longer and created more of a dialogue, and that there were sound. But here is my second serious try at animation.

I'm hungry....

2010-12-09T02:13:00.000-05:00

I'm don't remember the last time I so willingly stayed up past midnight. Nothing particularly useful is being done at the moment, but I still feel pretty productive. My brain is probably remembering the times we used to have so much fun getting to know each other in new ways, mostly as a result of delirium from lack of sleep and all-nighters. And now I remember why I stopped doing that.

However, I am expecting to get back into that terrible, unhealthy, undesired habit next semester. This conclusion was reached as I watched Jerry cut my three 4x8 sheets of MDF into the various dimensions that I gave the poor man. After an hour and half he proclaimed that he breathed in too much particle-sized glue bits in one night and that we will carry on later. I need to bake him cookies. Anyway, as I stared at my humongous pile of cheap-ish wood-wannabe slabs, I was washed over by a sense of good, solid fear. Pure unadulterated IP terror. My mind promptly shut down in self-preservation and now I'm just wishing for some bacon.

This man is a savior.

My octopus is now a pokemon. I swear I did not realize I painted it pretty much the exact color as Octillery until after it was far too late.

The source of my panic. I know, I know, it doesn't look that bad here. Maybe it does. I don't know. *Cry*

Final Animation Assets

2010-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Psstt....so, I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do as my animation final for the semester. And now I'm really very unsure. I spent a good deal of time making graphics, and now I'll just have to make things move. This post seems kind of dumb, but it's one minute to midnight and my brain is logging off. Here's some stuff. Good night, kids!

I want to thank the folks @ Hook

2010-12-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

...for accepting me as a intern as an interactive production artist, despite my obvious ignorance in the business. I'm super excited to be working there in the summer and learning some much desired technical skills. Interviews make me nervous; there were probably some things I should have said and some things that I should have kept to myself. I blanked, and thus being super awkward. But regardless, I will do my best and work my butt off. Also, their office is pretty awesome.

But before that, two more semesters to finish before graduation! *shudder*

I'm currently sitting in Espresso Royale, drinking a heavenly chai latte (life is so much better out of a mug) and munching on chocolate croissant.

Photoshop. You will always be more satisfying than Illustrator.

2010-11-29T20:40:00.000-05:00

Rough Installation Layout

2010-11-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

This is a Rhino model of the dimensions and rough layout of the installation. It looks so sad and empty and bleak without the characters and colors and patterns. I promise it will look awesome in the end. A large portion of this was set up by Mr. James Loren Christian from my 2D layout because I'm not a Rhino nerd like him and he was nice enough to lend a hand. I went back in to adjusted the dimensions.

Final for Animation for Broadcast

2010-11-23T00:24:00.000-05:00

Possible character designs!

Today is a day of contemplation!

2010-11-18T21:17:00.000-05:00

And also the release of part one of HARRY MOTHEREFFING POTTER 7. Unfortunately (or not), there will be no joining the screaming mental fans at the midnight showing tonight, because, alas, my brain is fully stuck on the concept of weekday work weekend fun mode.

Imagine! If there were switches in your brain in which you could switch emotions on and off, or personalities on and off...what would relationships be like? But what switch you turn would still depend on who you started out as, wouldn't it? Would you eventually lose yourself, if you could completely customize who you are, or at least how the world saw you? I want to turn off that switch of self-doubt and plow on forward in my journey as an artist and as a person.

First and foremost, I have to work harder, to deliver, to show that I can do what I believe I can do. Employers will only be able to see what's directly in front of them, the rest depends on me.

So instead of doing IP....

2010-11-16T17:23:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my website. Obsessing over that one silly sheep? Nonsense!

And now...it is complete: http://umich.edu/~ubinli

Sheep

2010-11-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

I had a fun date with Jackie at Groundworks playing with their Cintiq. Did you know that they sell smaller versions of that amazing amazing piece of technological wonder for 1k (you know, instead of 2)? Wish list item #1. In any case. Here's a sheep. Because you WILL LOVE HIM.

IP Storyboard II

2010-11-09T19:26:00.000-05:00

Ohhh my gosh. This thing is going to take up a lot of space. I am so going to pull this off.

I-I couldn't help it.

2010-11-06T20:20:00.001-04:00

Naked people and Tim Burton eyes.

IP Storyboard (Partial)

2010-11-05T00:10:00.000-04:00

Oh, I dare say it's been a while before I documented my IP progress, because, frankly, I haven't done all that much. The story has been churning in my head for weeks and it feels like I'm kicking a dead horse and betting money on it. I think I'm just feeling a little lacking in the confidence department, BUT I SHALL FIND THAT LITTLE BUGGER IT GET IT BACK. Confidence, I mean. Why is it so difficult to not rely on other people's praise and approval to find value in my own work? This must be fixed!

Play Gallery Intro Updated

2010-11-04T11:20:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, per suggestion of the "client", I had to cut the animation down to a more simplified version that's more suitable as an introduction to other videos. This should be final version, with sound. I hope you enjoy it!

(It seems to run smoother if you actually go to the vimeo page. Sorry, I don't know if it's just me.)

I really like that muted pink color.

2010-10-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

It's very pleasant. Referenced.

Play Gallery Intro!

2010-10-22T17:32:00.000-04:00

Version one complete! The speed and rhythm are all janky. It will be tweaked here and there for a while, but yay, congratulations to me! This marks as what I count as my first real animation, made using Illustrator and After Effects. If she likes it, it could be used as an intro to different videos on the the Play Gallery.

Semi-realistic faces are so hard to draw.

2010-10-21T23:22:00.000-04:00

I've been lazy. In trying out different illustration styles I've kind of forgotten how to render realistic objects. That's definitely something to go back to. I need to work on eyes. And probably drawing rest of the body. Raaah. I like lips.

I want to make beautiful food.

2010-10-14T00:05:00.000-04:00

Play Gallery Intro

2010-10-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

Screenshot from animation project two, in which we're creating a 3-6 second intro for PLAY GALLERY clips. I think I'm running about 7 seconds right now with a few more to go.

Here is the worst rotoscoped cat ever.

2010-10-06T16:04:00.000-04:00

Rotoscoping is a super cheater way to animate things, mostly because the animator doesn't have to understand the motion of an object. They just have to have the patience to trace a preshot film frame by frame. Otherwise, it can create some awesome effects and capture movement that would otherwise take a lot of understanding and a lot of time.

Today. I learned how to rotoscope. Here's a cat kicking itself in the face. It's really a clip of Maru because I am completely totally obsessed with that ball of fur. Here's a badly rendered version because shortly after I made the movie I deleted the original file. Yay.

Brainstorming

2010-10-05T23:34:00.000-04:00

Brainstorming for the second project in animation. I reused the sketch from IP; it was sort of relevant.

Narrative

2010-10-05T16:04:00.000-04:00

The beginning.

Mushrooms

2010-09-30T20:04:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to share with the world that Professor Sherry Smith is insanely cool for bringing a giant clump of edible mushroom to IP and sharing it with us. I forget what species, but it's supposed to be super delicious. I'll be sure to take a photo before I sauté with olive oil, garlic, and onion. After I get the harmless bugs out.

So excited! It will be cooked tomorrow!

Because we had to.

2010-09-30T00:14:00.001-04:00

"I'm creating a series of fantasy dioramas following the protagonist's journey as he develops newly found curiosity about his world."

Another reminder... (for myself)

2010-09-28T16:05:00.000-04:00

If you don't care about anything, it just means that you don't have much to say to the world. You don't have to make an impact on the entire world, but don't you want to give your existence a definition? Search for your passion with vehement intent, and stand out with it high above your head.

Making a test box.

2010-09-28T15:34:00.000-04:00

Trying out materials and attempting to get the flow of constructing one of these fantasy dioramas.

Sculpey always came across as a material more suitable for you everyday artsandcrafts and not very refined, although I love it. In truth, this is a very crafty project. I hope that the end result will be that much more. Polymer clay is very convenient that you can bake it multiple times as you add more layers. Which was useful for keeping these tentacles in place. Shawn and I were talking and we considered using different materials, such as cubic zirconia, in place of suckers. It'd be super shiny. That can be left for later. For now I'll work on the backdrop of the space that the octopus occupies. It really does need an LED in the corner...

Apparently, octopus has terrible proprioceptive senses, which means that, if I understand it correctly, it can't tell the relative position of its arms to its body without looking at it. It gets by perfectly fine through, with great eyesight and an excellent ability to distinguish texture and taste what it's physically feeling through chemoreceptors in its suckers.

Stereognosisis is the ability to determine the form of an object through touch, which the octopus also can't do. Thank you wikipedia and other sources for clearing it up for me. I would love to have a pet octopus if I weren't so sure it'd die or run away within a week.

In any case, the octopus is a wonderful wonderful creature who, I think, deserves a better Pokemon counterpart than Octillery, below.

A drawing.

2010-09-22T19:37:00.000-04:00

This was so much fun to draw. Once in a while, I just need to get it out of the system. My 'it' I mea doodling pretty girls in sweet outfits in photoshop.

If you have an outfit that you really like, send me a photo of you in it, and maybe it'll turn into one of these little sketches. Come oooon, it'll be fun.

Studio 7E: concept images

2010-09-22T18:01:00.000-04:00

I need to hurry up and pump some of these out and start building.

A quest.

2010-09-21T17:21:00.000-04:00

What's the most inspiration moment of your life? Something you've encountered, or read, or heard, or saw? What was it?

And, as an afterthought...can you think of a piece of knowledge that completely blew your mind when you acquired it? [That sounds like a really weird sentence but it's late and I can feel my eyes closing.]

//Thank you guys for your thoughtful posts! They're very helpful and they're wonderful to read.

Studio 7E

2010-09-21T10:56:00.000-04:00

I have decided: I am never coming to studio again with the mentality of trying to look good in the morning. From here on out, it's sweatpants and a shirt. I want to melt in my clothes like butter on hot asphalt.

This will be my first IP project post. Integrative Project. A visual and articulated representation of the collective skills and knowledge I've acquired during the last three years of University studies. It's supposed to be amazing. No, it WILL be amazing!

Every piece should start with a concept, right? Something that one is dying to comment on, to express, to shoved into other people's faces against. There's no use starting out wanting to do something mind-blowing and life-changing.

I liked the idea of showing physical manifestation of people's daily thoughts and how the daydreams and concerns and future goals impact how they respond to others in a conversation. Should there be a level of quality in daily conversations, free of distractions? What is a conversation? An exchange of information and knowledge.

Warning: This is the beginning of a ramble.

A protagonist, wandering in the world, receiving, giving, and exchanging. Meeting different characters, learning different things, being rejected, but at all times being aware of who he's interacting with. It's so easy to fall into a routine and walk around in a haze all day, being apathetic. I think...human curiosity and passion is necessary for a fulfilling life.

Change of pace, being chased, receiving aid and sanctuary. I have to be careful. There should be a logical progression of story on. It doesn't have to be fully linear. It can splay into different lines of activity. Change in scale, anything to make the atmosphere different, to show the environment better. Work on other characters. I need to work on my proposal soon.

Next: work on individual ideas. What he takes and receives. Why does it matter? Collect meaningful and thoughtful quotes.

If you have any input of any kind, I would love to talk to you about it :) Dialogue is where ideas comes from.

Last day of work at Matthaei

2010-08-25T13:36:00.000-04:00

I'll really miss this place! It really is a lovely place to work: awesome people and great environment. Although sad that I still don't know a lot of of the staff, it has been a wonderful experience with the people that I've worked with, including Patricia and Angela and Tom and Paul and Mike and in particular Mira, who buys cake for us :) I know I'll be visiting often.

If you ever feel the urge to visit a botanical garden, definitely interact with the staff and volunteers! You'll learn a bunch of cool things about plants and you'll have the opportunity to absorb their generally sunny auras. Trust me, it'll be worth it!

Here's one last invasive species illustration: oriental bittersweet.

Why do allergies exist?

2010-08-20T09:48:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or is our immune system very inefficient. I wish my eyes weren't itchy, my nose isn't stuffy, and medicine actually works.

Anyone else suffering allergies? I need someone to be miserable with.

Here's another water pencil drawing. Common privet, another invasive shrub.

Doodle time!

2010-08-05T22:16:00.000-04:00

I love this kind of completely mindless drawings. I know I should be taking these things further, maybe actually have a concept or a narrative, but when I get home from work all I want to do is get it out of my system.

She seems happy with her skull bean bag. Like on cloud 9. HARR.

My butt hurts.

2010-08-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

I've really never done anything like this before. It's a print? It's not really...severed heads floating around or something.

I guess there's something mildly stressful about sitting in a rather uncomfortable position thinking about the future.

Commish: Tracheostomy Kit

2010-08-03T15:32:00.000-04:00

I almost forgot that I did this! Kristi emailed me a couple weeks ago and wanted one more illustration done for the Pediatric Tracheostomy Manual. She said she'll send me a copy when it's finished.

The last month of summer!

2010-08-03T15:25:00.000-04:00

There seems to be greater sense of urgency in the atmosphere to get things done. All I can say is that I'm thoroughly enjoying the warm weather and after I'm done with undergrad I really should move somewhere with sunlight during winter.

More invasive plants! The glossy buckthorn and the multiflora rose.

Commish: Neotropical Palm vs. Paleotropical Palm

2010-07-22T20:18:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! Sorry for being gone for so long. I've realized that I'm incredibly terrible at this keeping up the blog thing.

That aside, here are a couple of illustrations done for Sandra for her graduate thesis presentation next week. Hopefully it'll give her powerpoint a shiny boost.

Doodle

2010-07-14T21:55:00.001-04:00

A doodle, for fun!

2010-07-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

Oh it feels great to draw something not related to work.

NGO Green Oasis

2010-07-04T14:37:00.000-04:00

I promise this will be the last thing I post today before packing for the camping trip tomorrow! This is a series of 100 cm x 130 cm boards I did for a non-governmental organization in Shanghai called Green Oasis. They're a grassroot organization aimed at teaching locals, many without formal education, about environmental protection including recycling and reusing. It's nothing ground breaking and it was very time-limited, but I thought it was a good opportunity to practice graphic design.

Whimsical Garden!

2010-07-04T13:56:00.000-04:00

I painted plastic flamingos at work to make them look like various wetland birds. Process: sand, prime, paint, varnish. They were fun to do, and it was refreshing to get away from the computer for a while.

Gabrous Pocket

2010-07-04T13:47:00.000-04:00

Another illustration for Robyn. Paid this time! I need to send her an invoice, and she offered to give me more work during the semester. I like this one; it's preeetty.

Community Education Project

2010-06-29T13:40:00.000-04:00

At Matthaei, I'm currently working on illustrations for a post-field trip online game for Children's Education on dragonfly life cycle and ecosystem. I'm using a lot of references to get the general gist of the subjects down, but now I wish we chose a more stylized direction since there will be photographic supplements anyway. I should have considered that before following Patricia's style. Speaking of the boss, I haven't seen her in half a week. Should probably figure out what she's been up to and encourage communication with her more. She's probably at the Arb today.

In any case, some of what's been spewed out in the past few days.

Daily Positives!

2010-06-24T07:15:00.003-04:00

1) Woke up and felt compelled to do crunches, which I proceeded to do. Yay!

Today, I'm officially 21

2010-05-20T17:09:00.000-04:00

In that I finally got my full license in solid card form. I look like a serial killer. But really, everything is great.

Another note, this is Matthaei Botanical Gardens, where I'm working for the summer as an intern for Interpretation and Exhibits, which is really graphic design and illustrations at this point.

Invasive Species - Common Buckthorn

2010-05-17T15:02:00.000-04:00

Watercolor pencil and micron, for work. This must be the first time I used traditional media in a good year and half.

Domatia Sketches

2010-05-06T00:31:00.001-04:00

Plant Domatia

2010-05-04T19:45:00.000-04:00

Since I'm updating anyway, here are some images from my independent research for the past semester with Robyn Burnham. She studies tropical vines, which is pretty damn sweet. My entire semester's work was based on domatia, a kind of mite houses that plants produce. Research indicates that it's a mutualistic relationship; the plant offers protection while the mites consume fungi that's harmful for the plant. There are four main categories of domatia: tufts, pouches, pits, & pockets

On a completely separate note, I should probably start signing my work. Good idea, Ubin. Good idea.

Tracheostomy

2010-05-04T19:36:00.000-04:00

So, after a semester I finally completed my first real freelance job. It was commissioned by Ms. Kristi Vander Hyde of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Department at the University of Michigan Health Centers. The task was to create about 10 illustrations for a manual provided to parents whose kids had to undergo tracheostomy for whatever reasons. An interesting experience. Although, I don't think she expected me to produce professional work because she hired me through the University knowing that I'm still a student. She seems to like the result so this shall be considered my first successful commission. Yay!

Studying

2009-10-25T21:07:00.000-04:00

Whenever I have things that need to be done, like studying for the genetics exam tomorrow, I feel like drawing. It's almost painful. Here's a WIP, then back to studying!