Alina Michelle

I'VE MOVED!

2010-10-03T05:44:00.001-07:00

I've moved! All previous posts and new posts can be found at http://alinamichelle.tumblr.com/.
I enjoy seeing you all there!

Online Sketchbook

2010-09-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

I made a tumblr to share things I enjoy, such as texts, photos, and maybe sketches (I'm not sure). If I end up liking Tumblr enough I might transfer my blog there.
Blogger is a bit too heavy duty for the amount of free time I have. Anyways, don't worry, JUST CHECK IT OUT

Work WIP

2010-09-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Lithography print in progress.

9x13

My pallet for a color swatch project

Shoe Paintings are Finished

2010-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

So let me tell you guys, the new iphone is awesome. The past two posts I took the photos with my dad's iphone, posted it to a draft in the app blogbooster, and waited until I had about 5 mins of free time to format the post in order before publishing. (I haven't figured out how to format in blog booster, and I don't feel like memorizing html).
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My oil painting homework is finished. I was rushed on the second one, because I had no time this week at all. Here is how my time for this week went:

Wednesday: We finally started painting, this enabled me to actually know how to do my homework.
Thursday: I have class until 7pm and I usually get home by 8:30. I figured I could rest for the evening and work all day friday.
Friday: WRONG. Friday was the most horrible day ever and I ended up with barely any time to paint, Saturday: I attend a Messianic Jewish congregation until 1pm. I was able to finish the first assignment.
Sunday: My 23rd birthday! So yea, no time.
Monday: Class until 9:15! (I live an hour from school).
Tuesday: Skipped my classes so I could finish.

Anyways, now that I'm looking at them I really want to shift the light in the bg of the second work. Oh well. The newest one was a challenge for 2 reasons:

1. How I positioned the shoes

2. It's lit from underneath.

I do love the moodiness the second one has especially in comparison to the soft calm mood the first portrays. I think you can tell I felt rushed and frustrated lol.

11x 14

Oil on Canvas

Actually, I did tweak the light at the bottom after photographing this image.

Both projects trying to dry

First Oil Painting

2010-09-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

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I just completed my first oil painting ever. It's for my Intro to Painting course. The assignment is to make two paintings of shoes (inspired by the Van Gogh painting). You, my very few followers (if there are any) get to see the first one. I'll post the second before Wednesday.

11x 14

Oil on Canvas

So here is some of my latest personal news:

I have officially decided that my major is Drawing & Painting. For those of you who don't know me very well, I'm sure you thinking, isn't that what your major was to begin with? For the past 2 years I have teeter tottered Drawing & Painting and Illustratrion. I finally spoke to the counselor about it two weeks ago and share some of my aspirations with her. She advized D&P and I feel really good about it.

Anyways the other day I received a delightful email from another Alina Michelle. How strange is it that someone has the same first and middle name that I have. I still need to write her back. I'm terrible with that sort of thing.

Well, my birthday is in one hour so I need to get back to work, so I can play tomorrow. :D

Long Beach & Back

2010-07-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

I drove up to long beach today, hoping to sit in LBMA and sketch out some of the paintings. However, I discovered the museum is closed on Mondays. I spent my day walking around the busy sidewalks, observing the lifestyle in the country's most diverse city. I stumbled upon Portfolio Coffeehouse and used the opportunity to so a little sketching. I forgot to bring an eraser, so every mark was permanent, which always makes quick sketches fun and more likely inaccurate. I know there is a term for the pleasure of seeing, but I can never remember it. Anyways, today was a day of candy for my eyes.

Life Drawing/Sketch -10 mins? Graphite + Photoshop

This was the guy sitting next to me in the coffee shop. He changed seats, so I had to start a new drawing. It's always interesting to draw moving people. The drawings always come out peculiar.

Off to Pennsylvania

2010-06-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'll be at Messiah College this next week participating in the MJAA's Messiah Conference. Hopefully I will get some worshipful drawing done. I need a spiritual recharge.

by a girl named Laura

Sketchbook 002

2010-06-26T02:05:00.000-07:00

A little still life of my bra on a book and some lined paper from the other day

a 30 min surrealistic doodle from today + a little water color

Click this for the full image. The thumbnail looks awful.

Sketchbook BirdFace 001

2010-06-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

An entry to my sketchbook from the other day

Original

Edited

pencil + watercolor

5am rambling?

2010-04-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

So I very rarely work on a project over time. Even if I attempt to begin two weeks early, I finished 90% of the piece the night before. This is what I am dealing with now, which I wouldn't mind except that I need to complete 4 projects in mediums that I'm not completely comfortable with. Tomorrow...or well today I need to turn in a still life assignment as well as a life drawing of my feet. I am not at all happy with my still life, so in no way will I show it to you. So, far the drawing of my feet is...a drawing. I have no idea if it's going well or not. I really don't know why I am writing about this, but I feel compelled to. I must say that 5 hour energy sucks compared to the organic stuff I drank last week. Alright, well back to listening to episodes of Malcolm in the Middle and inking...

Oh and, everyone should read My Name is Asher Lev. It's a wonderful book. I keep wondering if the author ever draws, because he explains the drawing experience so well. There is this moment where Asher (the main protagonist) experiences the lines in the world around him. I love when that happens. Its the moment where the drawing process truly connect to sight and touch. You can feel the curves in the peoples faces, your hands without moving trace every undulating surface around you in your mind. I could write this so much more eloquently but, its 5am...so deal with it. Oh man, that book is amazing.

(WIP) Self Portrait Sneak Peak

2010-04-05T03:16:00.000-07:00

At the request of a friend that I actually update my blog, here is a sneak peak at charcoal self portrait for Foundation Life Drawing. Enjoy the poor image quality. This was taken with my netbook webcam.

I couldn't survive school without things like caffeine free 5 hour energy drinks. Today I decided to try an organic one and even though it tasted absolutely disgusting it seems to be working.

Real Quick photos of Quick gestures

2010-02-13T17:59:00.000-08:00

These are awful photos but here you go :)

It's always interesting to me how each of my life drawing professors approach the process in completely different manners. I like to try each style to see the benefits. So here I am drawing gestures with out sticking to the box-hip model (which I honestly miss like crazy). However, these gestures don't give me time to even try to find the angle of the hip bone. I do like the elegant motion I can achieve with this though.

The Black Lines are Continuous Line Contour Lines (which DRIVE ME CRAZY!)

Tools: conte sticks

My Valentine's Gift to my Boy Friend in Ohio

2010-02-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

And His Gift to Me

Something New

2009-11-12T00:27:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed this

This semester has been pure chaos, and I have truly enjoyed it. I finally feel like I am learning how to be a student again.

Pallet Painting UPDATE

2009-08-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

acrylic + graphite approx: 11.5" x 5.5" wooden pallet

So here is the pallet painting, completed. I gave it to a friend as a gift but I didn't have the chance to take a photo of it. So what you see here are camera phone photos. Lol. None of the violets, yellows, or the soft red-oranges show up, but you get the gist of the painting..right? Oh, and I know her front leg is slightly out of proportion...which I'm fine with, so get over it.

Homework

2009-07-01T23:27:00.000-07:00

WIP charcoal 18x 24" newsprint

This is the homework I am working on now...I'm debating weather I should just work on his face and ear more or actually finish his shoulders and some of his hair....I'm not totally sure. I am trying to not allow my "Ive been awake too long headache" influence my decision. This image is a little distorted because of the angle I photographed the image.

charcoal 18x 24" drawing paper

This is a two day life study. I wish I had been a lot closer to the model. Most of my trouble with this dealt with the fact that I really couldn't see her face from a distance...maybe I should have my eyes checked? Anyways, she came out ok... So, the nose the my favorite thing about faces so I have a tendency to make them too big :D

charcoal 18x 24" drawing paper

This is also done from life. About 15 minutes to the end of class my professor advised us to at least begin shading and focusing on one area so at least we would have a somewhat finished portion. I chose his chest...this was my families comment, "why does he have a 6 pack?". Oh man.. :)

Looking at old friends

2009-07-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

When I see people from AI produce good work part of me regrets leaving. I know I shouldn't, especially since I can still grow as an artist (even though I'm a few years behind now). I know I needed that time to process and really figure out if I wanted to be an artist, and what kind of artist.

Still, I wish I was farther along, I'm embarrassed that I haven't progressed. Of course, you can't progress when you really don't draw for two years.

All the more reason to practice and draw continuously now!

(this is my attempt at being optimistic, lol.)

A to Z

2009-06-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

Another post by my life drawing teacher that I'm stealing:

Tony Ryder Copy II

2009-06-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

So my life drawing teacher took photos of our last homework assignment and posted them on her blog .
Here's mine. I'm not happy with it at all. First of all, this project was very challenging for me. I find female figures a thousand times easier to draw and I enjoy drawing them a lot more. Plus, this guys pose seems simple, but it's not.
Anyways, in my drawing his arm ended up way too long, which I should have fixed... but I really wanted to turn it in on time.
It's also the thing I left for last...which I wish I hadn't. By that time it was 3 am and I all I wanted to do was finish.
When we get these back, I am going to attempt to redo his arm.
In main photo, I tried to shorten his arm in photoshop. I was somewhat successful, except his arm feels very thick to me now, especially his wrist. (oh btw don't you lost how I don't have any complex sentences? I need to make more of an effort when I post on here)
Oh well.

Click for a larger image:

I am in love with this painting.

2009-06-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

Mistaken Identity (2008) by Ken Wong

Sharing: Painting Ely

2009-06-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

This is by the artist Bao Pham. I've watched him on deviantart for a while now, and I love his work. He recently was commission to paint a cover for ImagineFx.
Anyways, enjoy the video.

Click Here to See the Finished Product

Summer School

2009-06-24T16:08:00.001-07:00

For the past 4 weeks I've been taking 2 summer courses at IVC.
This first project is from my Basic Drawing Class. The photo is a bit blurry, since camera seems to hate me.

These 3 images come from my life drawing class, which I love. (My professor is subscribed to this blog, but honestly, this is the best life drawing class I've ever had.)

From this point and on.

2009-06-24T00:47:00.001-07:00

From this point on, I will be posting current work, much more slowly, watermarked and edited.
Just so you guys are prepared :D.

CSULB

2009-06-24T00:33:00.000-07:00

At CSULB I have taken (and dropped after 4 weeks) a life drawing class and a 2D Fundamentals Class.

Most of the life drawings we did were in ink. These are 2 minute studies I enjoyed.
The last one is a 20 minute long study. This was a very difficult drawing for me, because the model began to slump over and fall asleep after the initial 5 minutes.

This was my final from my 2D Fundamentals. We were asked to create an narrative and use elements of line, color, texture and shape that we had learn throughout the semester.

2007-2008 and Art Festival

2009-06-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

During 2007 to 2008 I was working at Aaron Brothers part time and drawing very little. It was during this time, my closest friend and I stopped speaking to one another, but I had been accepted to CSULB. So, the world wasn't awful. In 2007 I renewed my relationship with God and began pursuing how to unify, my artistic, logical, and spiritual natures together.

In 2008 I began my Art Festival Project and here are some of the flyers and handouts for that year. To explain what the art festival is...would take entire blog post...so I'm not going to bother.
Most of these are the same image but the layout was changed to suit that particular flyers purpose or I found ways to make it more appealing.

These are the 2009 flyers:

From My Days at the Art Institute

2009-06-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some pieces I made during summer 2006 to spring 2007 while I was a student at the Art Institute. I have an animation student for 3 quarters and a graphic design student for 1.
During this timer period, I was very unhappy. THe school didn't turn out to be what I thought it was, and I had made a mistake in going there. I had really low self esteem at the time, and my whole world was falling apart. So, when I look at these...I remember all those dark awful feelings..and hating everything about these projects.. mostly because I kept thinking I wasn't good enough.

These are from my Basic Drawing Class:

Advanced Drawing:

I couldn't photograph this one straight on because of how reflective the graphite is.

Anatomy: I actually lost most of the work I did in this class. These are all I have.. and they are just short timed sketches.

Typography:

Color Theory:

Advanced Typography:

A Photoshop Class (I don't remember what the class was called):

2006 and Before

2009-06-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

Before I begin showing my current work I am going to post my past works of art. I feel that in order to understand what I create now.. I have to show my journey and how I have come here. This post exhibits a time when I was sheltered within the walls of Calvary Chapel and my loving and kind teacher Laurel could encourage me and help simmer all the anxiety that stirred within my heart. When I left Calvary, I had no idea that the next 2 years would be the most emotionally difficult years of my life and my artwork would suffer in the sense I no longer created it...but benefit because now I am no long identified by it. Anyways, I will explain more later. Here is my old stuff :D

2002..or maybe 2003 Drawing (Freshman or Sophomore year..)

2004-5 Painting (Junior Year):

This was my first painting ever.

I painted this for my boyfriend at the time...then took it back O.O!

This was a still life of sea shells

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2005-2006 (Senior Year)- Ap Studio Art.
Ap Studio art requires you to paint/draw 24 works. The first 12 explore traditional styles and the last 12 allow the artist to explore a theme in anyway they desire. My theme was "A Simple Twist of Reality."
These first drawings were the required traditional 12. They are shown in the order they were created.

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2006 - These doodles from my first few quarters at the Art Institute. Some of these (like the character studies) were required for class projects.
Tomorrow I will post my art projects from AI. Today you only get doodles.

About

2009-06-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

I am currently a student at Cal State Long Beach in Southern California. I am currently struggling to decide between an Illustration or a Drawing & Painting major. My goal as an artist is to express my emotions and mt world view as a Messianic believer. It's a long road before I have the skills to accomplish either of these goals.

Inspiration

2009-04-15T01:42:00.000-07:00