the countdown!

As illustration students, photo reference was drilled and drilled into our heads. The embarrassment at critiques when someone would ask if you got reference for what you were drawing... well NPR has a great great great story that features the great Norman Rockwell's photo ref and paintings, side by side. It's really interesting to see where he took liberties, and the real people that became ingrained in the American culture as characters that would live on forever.

ladies and gentlemen, it is officially less than TWO WEEKS until my opening! i laid out my pictures a little while ago, decided that i'd do one more christmas appeasement, and one more dark piece to balance them all out. This is the Christmas appeasement piece. I truly need to get a good camera to photograph these slightly dimensional pieces, as the scanner doesn't do them justice.

I procrastinate, it's true. John Kelly's adorable animation about procrastination that was recently featured on drawn really sums it up. I make a lot of tea.

my man V

Here's an older piece from my sketchbook of my mom when she was little. I learned that gesso over prismacolor markers just kind of blends together. however, with microns, the gesso does not mix. i love my microns!
I was recently reminded (check it out) of exactly why I love Kurt Vonnegut so much. I admire his ability as a survivor, during all the tragedies that befell him throughout his life. When you look at someone as amazing as that, it makes your problems seem so small and trivial. Rest in peace, Mr. Vonnegut.

procrastinatron

Try as I may to start a new piece for my show... I couldn't help but get distracted by the CUTEST DAN DEACON VIDEO EVER.

Dan Deacon - Paddling Ghost from Natalie van den Dungen on Vimeo.

I'm going to see him this weekend in Ithaca! Yessssssssssssssssss! Okay now back to work!

it wouldn't be a carla show without....

Langhorne Slim!!! This is the best photo refff that I've ever found... Langhorne with a bike! Be still my heart!

This is the sketch for the show... and then I was looking through old sketches and found one that I did a year ago from the same photo.
It's pretty funny to see how different they look when they're done from the same photo ref. My favorite part is the eyes.

bike sweat

My goal this October was 200 miles biked on the Erie Canal trail... and on Thursday I rode my final 27! It feels really great :) During my last ride, I took a few pictures to document some of my favorite parts. They're in no particular order... above is my 10 mile mark, Long Pond Road in Greece.

This is my bike! For a few weeks, there was another Raleigh Sportif parked here with road bike handlebars and a road bike saddle. I always stop to stretch at about 23 miles, in Pittsford, where I can watch the ducks.
This was taken while riding, the colors were spectacular this autumn. Still are, in fact!
In the background you can see one of the bridges that I cross. This is right near the launch site for college crew teams, I've happened upon a few crew meets this month.
Finally, biking gear! The argyle socks are necessary, and I change it up based on weather. Twice this month there were 32 degree mornings, and I had to layer it up quite a bit, but they were some of the most beautiful ones, with steam rising off of the canal as the sun rose, foxes running along the trail with me, and the gorgeous sunshine on the canal as it rises :)