Sunday, August 19, 2007

One More Candle and a Trip Around the Sun



Today, August 19th, 2007, I am 28 years old. You know you're getting old when your birthday cake does double duty as a fire hazard.

A birthday's always a good time to look back and see where I've done well, where I was blessed, and where I could've done better.

What I've done well:
-More than 2 years since graduating art school, I'm still growing as an artist
-I started this blog
-My digital painting has taken off (thanks Bobby!!!)
-I've learned I'm an illustrator, not an animator
-I moved home and worked at two animation studios.

How I've been blessed:
-The Good Lord's love has brought me where I am today
-My family has supported me and put up with my constant bs
-I've got great friends (who I probably call WAY to often; thanks guys)
-I've got the love of a good woman.

What I could've done better:
-I've been a bit less than practical with some of my decisions (partly because I'm an artist)
-I kept going after animation, even though I knew deep in my heart it wasn't for me-I just thought it would get me a full time job (this AFTER an art teacher from LA sternly told me 'don't chase money')
-I'm still lazier than I should be.

Well, here's to another year.

Now a bit of trivia.

August 19th is the 231st day in the Gregorian calender, with 134 days left.

On August 19 in
  • 14 AD, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus dies, his final words being 'Did you like the performance?', referring to his reign as Caesar,
  • 1782, The Battle of Blue Licks, the final major battle of the Revolutionary War, is fought,
  • 1812, the USS Constitution defeats British frigate HMS Guerriere, earning the American frigate the nickname 'Old Ironsides',
  • 1848, the New York Herald publishes news of gold in California, prompting the California Gold Rush 4 months later,
  • 1895, John Wesley Hardin, legendary Wild West outlaw and gunfighter, is gunned down by El Paso lawman John Selman,
  • 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts its first race,
  • 1919, Afghanistan gains independence from Great Britain,
  • 1927, production of Ford's Model T ends,
  • 1944, Paris is liberated from Nazi rule,
  • 1960, Pilot Francis Gary Powers is sentenced by the Soviet Union to 10 years in prison for espionage after his Lockheed U-2 was downed by Soviet missiles on May 1, 1960 (however, he was returned to the US on February 10, 1962 in a prisoner exchange),
  • 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic collapses,
  • 1999, Serbians demand the resignation of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President Slobodan Milosevic
  • 2004, Google goes public.

Born on this day are:
  • Orville Wright, aviator (1871)
  • Gabrielle Bonheur 'Coco' Chanel, founder of the Chanel fashion empire (1883)
  • Ogden Nash, American poet (1902)
  • Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek (1921)
  • William Jefferson 'Bill' Clinton, 42th president of the United States (1946-age 61)
  • Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson 'Tipper' Gore, Second Lady of the United States (1948-age 59)
  • Jonathan Frakes, actor (1952-age 55)
  • Lee Ann Womack, country singer (1966-age 41)
  • Me! (1979-age 28)

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ouch

My entry for this week's Blue Sky Challenge, David and Goliath.

For this scene, I wanted to concentrate on contrasts. Contrast in color, size, shape, etc. So David, while small, spindly and meek, shines brightly with the Good Lord's blessing. The light shines on Goliath too, but he has turned his back on it. He is a giant blot of darkness in this scene, but even his shadow cannot snuff out the light from David's faith in God.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Website Revamp Underway

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be working on revamping my website. This is the fourth complete overhaul I've done to it in the three years I've had it. I'm really trying to take my time with it; in the past, I was so into getting it done as soon as possible, I skimped a little on quality. The reason is I wanted to get my work available to the public as soon as possible (because we all need these annoying and necessary things called jobs). Thanks to this blog, however, I can afford to take my time a bit more. So check out www.piyastudios.com, in all it's imperfectly perfect glory! It won't be here forever! Oh, and a preview of my new site:

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