Doodlees

Before and After. Drastic transformation... 

Random doodles from work and such. 

Happy Labor Day weekend. :P

Back on the Trail Hunt

I went back on my trail hunt today. That road I thought was the entrance that I was afraid to check out turned out to be the entrance to a highway.  I proceeded to ask people around the park where the bike trail was. One guy sent me here (below)

Turns out this was the Equestrian path, so.. for horses. I couldn't even properly use my bike because of how sandy it was. 

I walked a long it a bit, creepy dried out mossy river. 

And a bridgeeeee! 

But yeah, 

here's what I believe to be the entrance, though turns out I don;t think there's an official trail seeing that no one I asked seemed to have heard of it (despite the many reviews on yelp)

It was starting to get dark though, and I generally refuse to go down here alone. If anyone is up for a bike ride in the LA river sometime soon, let me know!

Selfie

I felt powerful today. Because I did a good job at work. And having a bike always makes everything better. I drew the character in pencil then scanned it in to paint. 

2 AM. Yay, good night. 

Arroyo Seco Failed Trail Hunt

About a month ago now, I had my bike stolen - boohoo. Above is my new bud. He just needed his tires replaced. x) 

Following the acquisition of this new bud - I decided i'd go off and try a bike trail in the area. Pumped and ready to take on the California sun, I went on my way, eager to discover this 4 star trail. However I got a little lost. The park is very narrow and long so if you ride for just a couple seconds strait you've pretty much crossed its entirety, though if you go in the "long" direction you run into playgrounds and tennis courts. I was very confused, so I stopped and documented where I was just for the purpose of referencing these photos when I got home to the internet, and sure enough - the trail was IN that mini LA River thing you see below. 

INSIDE? 

^ Creepy Girl Scout imagery

It also turns out I was on my way to the inside at some point, but the road looked intimidating and as I have not actually done much visiting of SoCal on my own - I didn't feel now was the time to start. At least I know where to go for next time! (Perhaps tomorrow after work if it isn't too hot.)

Above: view!

Uphill, yay!

More view! :D

I took a photo halfway up and down of  another monstrous hill! Sadly I wasn't heading down...

~~

Old Year's Resolution

So i'm trying to have a breakthrough.

At the start of every term -  I tell myself that "this will be the time. My time management will not hinder my performance, and I will finally begin to find my voice as a designer. This. is. it!" I pump myself up - i'm ready to take on the world and dare it to bring me down!

Then term actually begins and once again I find myself struggling to keep up with the pace. I find myself comparing my work to others and wondering why i'm not "there." At home, I find that i'm discouraged and already looking forward for a chance to start new - and all I can do in the mean time is scroll through Pinterest, Facebook and Tumblr in order to let the inspiring images give me all the ideas I can't seem to produce on my own.

When will this infernal loop come to an end? Am I missing something? Am I lacking in control and perseverance? Do I just suck at following through with long term endeavors?

-

From discussions and overhearings that I've encountered in the past year, I've realized that i'm not the only one who's been feeling lost. In the midst of all the emerging technological advances that surround us, it seems design is growing more accessible to just about anyone who has access to the internet. Drawing is the past - digi painting is the future! You can build a perfect model of your product? Well I can sketch an idea out in minutes on Solidworks. You can produce an animated short by the end of your 4  year studies? I can make a short in a week on this new cool Iphone App!

Well Fuck!

Is it possible for the world to run out of original ideas?

What if i'm out of original ideas, and i'm not even 20 yet?

-

The root of all my problems is insecurity. Lack of confidence in an environment where risk - takers take the upper hand is a nono.
Lack of confidence = lack of expression.
Lack of expression = unheard ideas.
Unheard ideas = undeveloped potential
Undeveloped potential = nothing. Nada.
The beginning must obviously start somewhere and that start is us as designers speaking up - no matter how stupid, unoriginal, or useless we might think we sound, you make a run for it or you don't move. There's no in between.

New Rules for this term:

STOP comparing yourself to others.
A good solution isn't the only solution.
Your word isn't worth less than another's, you're all learning together. Speak up.
Be proactive, hand holding is a thing of the past.
Ask questions. Constantly. Be curious. There's too much to learn and too little time to ever stop.

-

Take note: this rant is not research based, and is founded more on emotions and frustration than on accuracy. It's all brain vomit and I don't it expect it to make sense to the world beyond my own. May those who have somehow magically found my blog enjoy and sympathise with my fear of bathing in the ever-present shadow of uncertainty.

Hakuna Matata. Happy Break to the Summer Termers!

Quick quickies, Monochromatic studies

Real quick , no true black - and... no white, just felt like using color - resulting in no lightest lights (mainly with the blue).

As for the bow - I sanded the wood down some more today - and for SOME reason, I got fiberglass splinters again :( Even though I didn't touch it. Not healthy, so not healthy... 

Making Longbows