Influences 1- Tim Burton

I have loved many of Tim Burton's movies over the years.  But his creation of The Nightmare Before Christmas was the starting point a long family obsession of Tim Burton. His art and movies have been one of the many things my younger sister and I thoroughly enjoy together. Now, as an artist I know that we are influenced by other art and artists, but I guess I never truly put much thought into how much those influences affect our own personal art.  A few months ago, a friend was looking at my drawings for the first time and commented that it looked similar to Tim Burton's style.  I beamed and responded "I love Tim Burton."  I never noticed the influence into my own work until that moment.

His drawings exhibit a fearlessness of his materials, although I'm sure he would probably disagree.  All artists have this self deprecating way about them.  But the lines of his drawings are whimsical, fun, mysterious and quirky.  They capture the imagination that is without boundaries like that of a child.  His poetry holds a lot of the same qualities.

  Here are a few of my favorites from his book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories.
 
Stick Boy and Match Girl in Love

Stick Boy liked Match Girl,

he liked her a lot.

He liked her cute figure,

he thought she was hot.

But could a flame ever burn

for a match and a stick?

It did quite literally;

he burned up pretty quick.

Voodoo Girl

Her skin is white cloth,

and she's all sewn apart

and she has many colored pins

sticking out of her heart.

She has a beautiful set

of hypno-disk eyes,

the ones that  she uses

to hypnotize guys.

She has many different zombies

who are deeply in her trance.

She even has a zombie

who was originally from France.

But she knows she has a curse on her,

a curse she cannot win.

For if someone gets

too close to her,

the pins stick farther in.

Poet- Octavio Paz

Today's poem is one of my favorites from Octavio Paz.  It it from a collection of poems called This Same Sky.

A Tree Within

A tree grew inside my head.
A tree grew in.
Its roots are veins,
its branches nerves,
thoughts its tangled foliage.
Your glance sets it on fire,
and its fruits of shade
are blood oranges
and pomegranates of flame.
                        Day breaks
in the body's night.
There, within, inside my head,
the tree speaks.
              Come closer--can you hear it?


This next poem is from his book Selected Poems.

Writing

I draw these letters
as the day draws its images
and blows over them
                              and does not return

National Poetry Month- Shel Silverstein

I thought in honor of National Poetry Month some of the Mizzles will become hipster poets reading their favorite poetry.  Molly is first up with her favorite poet, Shel Silverstein.  She has picked out a few as inspiration for us writers from his book Falling Up.

Writer Waiting
Oh this shiny new computer--
There just isn't nothing' cuter.
It knows everything the world ever knew.
And with this great computer
I don't need no writin' tutor,
'Cause there ain't a single thing that it can't do.
It can sort and it can spell,
It can punctuate as well.
It can find and file and underline and type.
It can edit and select,
It can copy and correct,
So I'll have a whole book written by tonight
(Just as soon as it can think of what to write).

Hmmm... I wonder if my computer will write my book?  That would be nice!

The Voice
There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you--just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.

I'm looking forward to spring break coming up so I can carve out time to focus on writing, or perhaps get caught up in the PB dummy book challenge.  I'm so far behind.  As for the 12x12x12 writing challenge, I've been doing well with writing a rough draft each month.  I am still trying to figure out a technique or routine that works for my writing.  I read that writers should go to a different location to write.   I have been taking a notebook with me when I go early to my yoga classes.  It has been those 15 minutes on Mondays that seem to have a magical writing moment for me.  It probably has to do with how calm and peaceful I feel.

Where are your favorite writing spots?  What techniques do you use to inspire your writing?

Agents Day

I've been spending some time reflecting about my time at Agents Day.  Some of the information shared with us was useful and some of it was the usual information that I've read or heard at other conferences.  The day was clearly put together with the writer in mind with a table at the side of the room for illustrator portfolios. But I've come to an important realization about these conferences.  The information relatively remains the same, but it is the networking that is important.  These conferences are really about making connections, learning from each other, and supporting one another along this very long journey of becoming published.  Standing in the room, I, also, came to understand the importance of the schmoozes.  Amongst the room of strangers, I actually knew people from my writer's group and illustrators group.

As I thought of about the set up of the conference, it inspired today's drawing of a mini Mizzle concert. 

Meet Aidan

 

All of the Mizzles up until now have been made with adult socks. I had decided it might be fun to try to make one of the dolls out of baby socks.  It was definitely a challenge due to the size of the socks.  Everything was so much smaller.  It limited what I was able to do with it creatively, but it was fun to make.

Aidan is the smallest of the Mizzles.  He may look cute and adorable, but he is actually quite the bully.  He is very good at manipulating others feelings to get them to do whatever he wants.  He can quickly turn on the charm and cuteness, so it is very rare when he gets caught bullying others.  Like any bully, when approached with the right circumstance he can definitely show a genuine caring side.

Busy week

This week has been busy and felt very much like a roller coaster ride.  It went something like this: I spent 3 days after school working on murals with my co-advisor and students; found out the district has said we are not allowed to do anymore murals on campus; coming up with creative solutions to our mural problem; cutting mats and preparing for our school's art show next week during open house; designing and ordering bookmarks for agent's day; photographing new artwork to update my portfolio; driving the ugliest pinkish- cream colored gas guzzling rental car; found out my best friend will be coming home this weekend and we get hang out; had a fun and successful art club "Fat and Happy" day (what we call our potluck); picking up my car from the repair shop; and lastly, edited and updated my website.  Now I just need to get through Friday.  I think an IV of coffee might be necessary, or maybe just mint green tea.

Saturday is Agent's Day.  This will be the first time I attend this event. I haven't really heard a lot of positive reviews for this event in regards to illustrators.  Reading the information on the website and what has been emailed to us, it seems to be more writer oriented.  But I believe in giving things a shot.  You never know what might happen or who you might meet.  I don't really know what to expect, but after adding pieces to my portfolio, receiving my bookmarks in the mail, and fixing my website I'm actually a bit excited to attend.  I can already see a difference in my portfolio of my progress.  




I still love my pen and colored pencil work, but I enjoy the way my characters look done with watercolor pencils.  They look soft and cuddly. I love my original drawings with their black and white backgrounds and colorful characters.  I thought it was a unique style that would set me apart from other.  But the full color illustrations have begun to win me over.

Squirrels read, too!

I really love the image of the Mizzle huddled behind a book.  I really wanted another image that would go along with it.  Of course, this time it had to have Oliver and his squirrel buddies.  I might begin working on a color version of this image soon.