FINALLY!

My book is finished!  As of yesterday, Wednesday, at exactly 5:24pm.  

Hey, when you've witnessed as many holidays, birthdays, and episodes of Friends as I have during the making of this book, you remember the time the era is over.  The point of completion feels like my own personal apocalypse.  I'll remember "5:24pm" forever.

I sent for it to be in tangible book form in time for the gallery exhibit at my graduation. Now the hard part.  Awaiting it's arrival.  And praying nothing got cut off.

Platypus Play

Simply playing with the idea of a platypus.  

Fun fact:  Male platypus have spurs on their hind ankles that shoot out venom strong enough to incapacitate a human.  Doesn't that just make you wanna cuddle this little fudge pudge?

Moonie, Page 7 Process

You know when....

......................your room looks as though you've let one too many tornadoes go through it without clean up? I mean, three tornadoes is tolerable, four is pushing it, but by five your Swiffer Wet Jet is voluntarily dancing itself into your personal hazard zone. Inevitably, it's time to suck it up and get cleaning.  After a you give it a few hefty rounds, everything is picked up off the floor and packed tightly away.  

Room = spotless.

Then you go to pick out your clothes the following morning and all five tornadoes spring out of your closet like a snake in a can.  Your clean-room-facade has literally hit you in the face.  You knew you weren't going to get away with that fake job for long.  There's no choice but to look the mess in the eye and fix it.  For real. (Dun dun dunnnnnn.)

That's where I am with my book.  I've recently finished it cover to cover (finally!) which does sound quite exciting.  However, I'm restarting the book from the beginning to open all my closets and redo what needs fixing.  

Here's the process of fixing the seventh page.  This one needed help like a three-legged horse at the racetrack.  

I don't even want to show you what used to be behind door #7.

Lucky Red's Intro

This is Lucky Red.  His big moment happens on this insert in the beginning of the book, explaining that he can be found on every page(per image).  It's my fun little way of making the book interactive, creating a little scavenger hunt throughout the story.

Something Different

A few people have been pressing my buttons lately.  The matters are irrelevant, but it stirred up a question I've been asked before.  "Have you tried any different styles?"  Yes, I have.  Do I enjoy it?  No, I don't.  Regardless, here's a style I've adopted and stored safely in my art diary, until now.  Portraying some of my regulars, I give you "something different."

Book Update....err, sorta.

There comes a time in every artist's life when the ol' portfolio gets dirty, scratched, bent, and abused.  Time for portfolio shopping.  

On other news, I'm working like the busiest bee in the hive.  The deadline for my book is creeping up and I'm nowhere near as close to the finish line as I should be.  I'm taking my first break from page 48 since I started working on it this afternoon.  That was over 9 hours ago.  I wish homework paid by the hour.

Also, I'm getting artist's cramp.  Not because of the said hours, but because it's freaking freezing in this coffee shop.  Seriously, it feels like Father Winter ate a peppermint and blew a windstorm.  I know you're thinking, why don't I relocate, but this is the only place where both affordable coffee and desks are available.  Not so much the affordable part.  But hey, some places charge you more for iced coffee.  Here, they just don't turn the heat on.

Anyways, back to the hive.  Good talk.