The Shoe-box Clock

New Year, New project..?

Shade — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:24:00 +0000

I was tempted to wait until New Year’s to post this, but I’m not entirely sure where I will be on Jan 1st, and if I will have internet.

Its been a long year. Its been a weird year. I don’t have the time or energy to reflect back on it all, but lets suffice to say that I am glad its over. Its not that I haven’t appreciated it (believe me, I had some wicked times this year), but its refreshing to be starting anew again.

I’ve been frustrated with a lot of things this year, but my art is what sticks out. Not a single purposeful, meaningful, or progressive line has come out of my pencil (unless it was taking notes in class). I sort of used the excuse that I was ‘using my time to finish my GE’s so I could transfer to a State University and draw all I want’. Well, now that I’ve botched up my grades and as a result will need to retake some classes and not transfer in the fall, it looks like it won’t be happening. But you know what? It made me realize something- I cannot just look to the future and assume that under some instructor’s amazing tutor-age in an amazing class, I’ll suddenly improve. And I don’t necessarily need some special instructor. I need to be more aggressive about educating myself if I really want to learn animation. I need to let my passion dictate how much I can and cannot do.

On that note, I’ve decided to take action. Looking through galleries of work from Art Center and CalArts students really inspired me, and I also have Comic Con to look forward to as motivation. I have 2 New Year’s resolutions (that are art related, at least):

Sketch 5-10 minutes a day. I set the minimum to five, because honestly? Sometimes you get home at the end of the day, realize that you haven’t sketched yet, and want nothing more than to slap your face to your pillow and snooze till noon.
Carry a sketchbook & notebook. Carrying a sketchbook used to be second nature to me. My boyfriend even bought me this awesome little black book that I would scribble in during class and church. For some reason, I just fell out of the habit of bringing it with me. I include both a sketchbook and a notebook because I have this thing about writing on unlined paper. But I’m just weird like that.

That’s it for now. I’m tired and that bed I was talking about is calling my name.

Edit: I’m reviving this blog, yes, but only for text heavy art stuff. My daily observations and moment’s of ‘lol’ that I want to share will still remain on my Tumblr blog.

What I Wore

Shade — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:17:24 +0000

I’ve been following Dear fii’s Watcha Wearing Wednesdays for a while now, but haven’t really participated. I had cited my lack of a camera as an excuse, but after seeing Viet-My’s What I Wore posts, I’m giving up and just drawing.

This is what I wore today- nothing special, since I had an 8am Art History class I had to rush to. My boyfriends jacket (which I ruined in the wash), a black long-sleeved shirt, and jeans tucked into black high-top converse. No makeup, no jewelry, and my bangs pinned back because they were trying to fly off my scalp. Note the dark circles under my eyes. Classy.

[I've also posted this on my tumblr blog]

Moving to Tumblr

Shade — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:49:06 +0000

Hey everyone

So, I’ve decided to try out Tumblr for a bit to see if I like it any better than WordPress. So far so good, I think its better suited to my ADD mind. XD Anyways, if you want to keep following me until I make my final decision, you can come and check it out. Even though its at Tumblr, the blog is still called The Shoe-box Clock. Just click the link below to come and check it out.

Ashita no te

Shade — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:42:26 +0000

Ashita no te, the first ending to the anime Witchblade. I love how peaceful it is.

Trick or Streak is up!

Shade — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:29:57 +0000

Our cosplay group is finally up!

A bunch of my friends were talking about how we should make an ‘official’ cosplay group, since we are all going to Comic Con in 2010. I decided to make a new blog documenting the process that leads up to the event. This aught to be interesting.

Artemis from Dark Hunters

Shade — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:55:40 +0000

Within the last few months, pieces of art seem to grab hold of my mind and force me to work into the wee hours of the morning. This one I finished at the beginning of September. I showed Sherrilyn, and she put it in her Fan Art file. In case you can’t tell, the blurry bloody thing in the back is Acheron- Artie’s been having fun. :)

Artemis, Acheron, & Dark Hunters © Sherrilyn Kenyon

Arghhh………

Shade — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:40:18 +0000

I knew it would happen. I knew it. But did I do anything about it? Nope. Why? Cause I’m a procrastinator by nature and practice. And now it comes back to bite me in the butt.

I knew that I would be slammed with work at the begining of this week, but I really had no idea. Tuesday is going to be jam-packed full of presentations and papers that need to be turned in. While I’ve already done and accumulated all my research, I have yet to actually type out the paper and put together the presentations. I had planned to do so today, AND THEN MOM HAPPENED.

I get home from class, set on taking a few hours to just wrap things up, and she is frantically flying around the house. She catches sight of me trying to meekly sneak to my room, and starts screaming at me to get by bank statements and college transcripts together because my Medical was cut and we have to go see the social worker RIGHT NOW. I calmly point out that we have known this since I turned eighteen, and that she still needs to go through her mountain of papers to find my files for the case. Chaos ensues.

Well, there went my Public Speaking grade.

Best pet Halloween costume EVAR

Shade — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:30:38 +0000

Good lord, what I wouldn’t give to do this to Sushi. I have no idea how to dye her fur in a way that won’t be harmful to her (or to myself, given her sharp claws).

Photo courtesy of Picture is Unrelated.

Key lime pie makes the everything better

Shade — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:28:37 +0000

In an effort to kick my butt into gear, I forced myself to refrain from taking the usual three-hour nap today. Instead, I spent the time baking a key lime pie. Anyone who knows me personally is familiar with this, my greatest weakness. I can’t help but fall for the tart delicacy- it was the first thing I taught myself how to bake (cook?), if only so that I could eat it more often than buying it in a store. It came out slightly more tart and gelatinous this time (it usually has more of a custard consistency, since I don’t use cream cheese) but I suspect it’s because I used 4 teaspoons of lime zest instead of the usual 2. Delicious, nonetheless.

I’m finding it harder and harder to motivate myself these days, what with all the drama that tends to run in my family. ‘Responsibilities of maturity’ and all that, but honestly I grow weary of it. I wish there really was a big red button, like in those commercials, where you push it and your schedule, paperwork, and stars all align perfectly. Or at least, push it and instantly have your room clean. Honestly, mine should be classified as a disaster area. I lost my passport to the depths of my desk a few weeks ago. It finally regurgitated it yesterday, to my surprise and relief. Thank goodness.

Photo courtesy of Corey Anna at DeviantArt.com

“What is WRONG with you?!”

Shade — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:06:39 +0000

So, just needed a new post to get my face off the top of my screen whenever I pull up my blog. Ugh. My boy won’t stop giving me shit about how misproportioned I’ve drawn my own face, especially my eyes. Fffffffff. Oh well.

In other more interesting news, just wanted to share a video I found on someone else’s blog. I started following Justin Plus One when a friend of mine was writing as a guest blogger. Homophobics be warned- the majority of the writers are gay. Why, you may ask of me, is a straight girl reading a gay man’s blog? Because its good. Damn good. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a blog as much as I have this one. The material is tastefully and eloquently written, (though sometimes crude, which is just as good) and most days littered with humorous anecdotes. Anyways, a few weeks back Justin spotlighted one of his former guests, Becky Bain. I fell in love with her second video.