Blue & Orange Hours

New Blog and Website!!!

2010-02-04T18:53:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! This blog has moved to my new website. You can catch up on my ramblings about art and life on my new website. See you there!

www.gregdubeau.com

New Compass, New Direction

2009-09-18T02:15:00.003-04:00

Post 144. Roughly three years ago I created this blog to track my progress. I've accomplished that goal and need to move forward. Lately I've been relying on digital media far too heavily. I don't like the direction I'm heading in, so this is it. No more posts. It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for all the support/critiques. Sorry if I've disappointed anyone.

Viva Las Web Site

2009-09-11T19:41:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been working on a web site design for a very talented photographer friend of mine named Shannon. She loooooves the 1950's and all that encompasses that time period. So -- for the design aspects of her website we thought, why not give it an older, retro feel. The digi-sketches above are roughs for the navigation buttons used to browse each particular gallery. They are themed after old neon signs from Vegas. By the end of the process the site will have somewhat of a 3D feel. Imitate the Vegas strip maybe. Possibly some flash design. WHO KNOWS! For now, concept, concept, concept!

P.S. Design School is pretty intensive. Kind of intimidating. And very time consuming. I will try to post something related to my West Coast conversion soon . . . hopefully.

I'm in Nanaimo B*tch!

2009-09-04T13:50:00.005-04:00

So I've touched down in Nanaimo and have happily moved into my new place. It's quite cozy. Once I give the place some good ol' Greg Dubeau swagger I'll post some photos. I begin new classes at a new school on Tuesday. More art. Graphic Design actually. And advertising. And some marketing. I have some videos that would better describe why I am taking this direction. Please check them out. They are from some of my personal heroes. Enjoy.

Sunday Experiment

2009-08-25T16:38:00.003-04:00

"Media Experiment Portrait I"
Multimedia on Board
26" x 18"

Between the end of my summer job and the beginning of school this fall, I have a period of two weeks to wrap up summer holidays. Little to say I haven't been doing very much. Although, I have been painting and drawing again. I had some old boards and scrap pieces of paper kicking around, so I decided to do a portrait and some experimentation with media. It was fun to have no expectations. Just do whatever and see what turns out. I should do this more often.

Building Windows and Doors

2009-08-24T16:49:00.006-04:00

At long last I can post the album artwork I have been working on for my good friend Jean-Paul De Roover. We began this project in late May. It was quite intensive. I really enjoyed the process of listening to the music, developing ideas and having my ideas be heard and critiqued. It was very liberating. I was also very proud of this project because I used next to no reference material.

The first spread is the front which shows a house taking on a life of its own. The second spread is the inside where the house represents two characters. We were trying to show the dichotomy between whether an individual should choose to use the door (the practical solution) or the window (the creative solution). There's a lot of underlying meaning in the artwork. I won't get into it right now.

The layout looks a bit weird to anyone who has not seen the physical product. The protruding top panels fold down into the 3-panel digipack. The digipack contains a full feature copy of the CD "Windows and Doors" and also a DVD package that includes music videos, photo gallery and behind the scenes footage. It is quite a unique and ambitious project to be orchestrated by one man -- Jean-Paul De Roover. Did I mention that the package has die-cuts and when folded properly forms a 3-dimensional house! Coooooolllll!!!

The release party will be on September 12th at Definitely Superior Art Gallery, in Thunder Bay. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend due to my studies. It's sure to be a great night.

Get in the Zone

2009-08-21T00:00:00.003-04:00

I have been working with Youth Zone for a little while now and have grown a fond appreciation for their type of youth programming. They commissioned me to update their logo, which they have been using for the last four years. Their previous logo looked like this. I approached the project by doing some research into youth programming around North America and how these programs chose to represent themselves. I decided the new logo needed to represent the program in a more dynamic way. At the same time I wanted to hint at a retro feel because the program has such a great history; hence, the combination of a very modern sans serif typeface (i.e. Arial Black), sleek, stylized shapes and simple varsity colours. I'm very happy with the outcome. This logo will take affect in January 2010.

Sneak-Peek

2009-08-09T23:01:00.004-04:00

I have been pushing myself pretty hard illustrating the album artwork for my good friend Jean-Paul De Roover. Not until recent events have I realized how lucky I am to be a part of this project. There are a lot of talented people Jean-Paul brought in to work on this album in regards to web, photography, video, sound and of course illustration. The artwork is soooo close to being complete. My mind is going bonkers thinking about how cool this project will look after print. I have never seen a CD/DVD packaged so creatively. I'll post all album artwork soon when I can officially say that my role is complete. Good stuff. Anxious to finish and move on to my next project.

Pop Culture Circa 1970-1990

2009-08-08T17:56:00.014-04:00

In the recent weeks I have been watching a lot of the AMC's Mad Men. It's a great drama about a Manhattan based advertising agency in the 1960's. Written and directed by the same people who did The Sopranos. A few weeks ago I was at the office and I stumbled upon an old box of News Week and TIME magazines . . . from the 70's and 80's. Little to say the ads and illustrations reminded me a lot of the ads and artwork I saw on Mad Men. The magazines were so saturated with ads for cigarettes, alcohols, cameras, cars and hotels. The high life. Ideals have changed since then; however, I was excited to see the pop-culture of the time. I scanned in some of my favourites. Check these out.

Jesus with his game face on

Peter Yuill look alike?

Who needs Captain Morgan when you have this guy

Read the captions and enjoy :)

Possibly the greatest knit sweater I have ever seen in my life (bottom right)

Bell Canada keepin' it real

Bell Canada again

Glad to see that ABSOLUT has been putting out great ads since before I was born

And my favourite Canadian product . . . Molson

It's A Freakin' House!

2009-07-11T21:08:00.006-04:00

Greetings from the Bay! After my short hiatus after graduation I am back on the illustration horse per say. I thought it would be wise to step back and try to consciously soak in what I have collected over my artistic education. Let it settle. Percolate. It felt good to see things from a distance and plan when I wanted to get back into the game. Well . . . check this out. See that small, white house on my desk in the photo above? See it? Good, cause that is the album I am working on right now. It folds out into a freakin' house with die cut windows and everything! I'm stoked be working on this project. The entire album is illustrations without a single line of type! I will post more progress shots as we move forward. YES!!! ~ followed by fist pump ~

Youth Zoooooone

2009-06-19T19:55:00.005-04:00

So here's a little taste of the design work I've been working on lately. This is an ad campaign I've been working on for a local youth oriented group called Youth Zone. Youth Zone is a branch of the City of Thunder Bay's Recreation & Culture Division, which organizes opportunities and events for teens over the Summer holidays. Before this campaign they did not have much of a visual identity. In a past few weeks I put together for them a festival poster, Ciniplex still screen ad and promotional program brochure. I tried to limit the amount of bulk type in efforts to keep the viewers interest with out over loading them with content; hence, using a healthy content of regular, bold, condensed, small caps, colours, etc. It's been really fun so far. There are a few more smaller Youth Zone projects I will be working on, but until then I will be working on the album cover/design for the very talented musician Jean-Paul De Roover. We're are working with some really cool technical aspects within the design process. I'm looking forward to showing you guys some progress.

Keep Movin' the Feet

2009-05-30T20:05:00.003-04:00

Long time no post. I'm sorry to say that I haven't been very "gung-ho" in regards to producing new artwork. A little while ago I decided to take some time off to collect my thoughts -- start creating rather than reflecting what's going on around me. The City of Thunder Bay and Youth Zone contacted me to revise some of their graphic representations. The image above is a redesigned logo for Thunder Bay's Superior Youth Festival, you can see the original logo here. Next up I will be creating some newspaper ads, poster, brochure and even a still slide that will be played during the coming attractions at movie theatres. Hopefully I can get into the swing of things more sooner than later. Just waiting for that light bulb to go off.

The Future

2009-05-16T03:29:00.004-04:00

Okay, so here's the deal. Lately I haven't been feeling like myself. For the most part I have felt that my artistic vision has been clouded by my influences. This is bad. Because you should never compare yourself to anybody and you should always try to produce a genuine representation of yourself and your artwork. I've been trying to reach some sort of comfort with any creative outlet; however, the progress has been hindered by my lack of motivation and concentration.

I am here to inform my friends and fellow artistic minded community that I will be relocating to Vancouver Island come September. I will be joining the Graphic Design program at Vancouver Island University. This is a decision that I have come to because I feel that I need a new adventure. I appreciate everything that Thunder Bay has given me, and I am very grateful for the education and friendships that I have made in Toronto/Sheridan College. It is time for a new adventure. I will miss you all. And I will always be thinking of you because you are my inspiration. I was hoping to relocate to Southern Ontario, but now that seems to have been put on hold. I will be back some day. Right now I need to concentrate on building who I am and what I can contribute to the artistic community.

Let's Fire It Up!

2009-05-05T01:07:00.003-04:00

The Friendly Beast

11.5" x 14.5"

Acrylic on Stonehenge

I must admit that my venture back to Thunder Bay began somewhat rough. I didn't even have the internet today! I was going crazy! . . . but . . . things are beginning to turn around for me a little bit. I have a couple interviews this week, I ordered a new Mac book Pro and most importantly, I started to paint again! It's incredible what I can accomplish without being tempted by the digital sweet tooth that I call Photoshop. It's been a while since I've actually been able to sit down and paint. I have no idea what I'm painting, but I'm really doing it. I'm really doing it!

The painting above is a mix of things still in progress. I've been thinking about the roles of archetypal characters and scribbled some out on paper the other day. This creature is known as the friendly beast. Every story has one. He's the one that starts out as a thorn in your side, but moves up into a place in your heart. I wanted to get across the contradictory nature of a wild beast conflicted with a main of blossoming flowers -- chrysanthemums to be specific. I'd like to create more pieces based on the idea of conflict and dichotomous subject matter. Dark vs. Light. Good vs. Evil. Butter vs. Margarine, etc. Right now I'm happy that I'm painting again. I need to build up that portfolio!

Spreadzilla

2009-05-01T11:19:00.006-04:00

Due to certain circumstances it appears that I will not be joining the ranks as a Graphic Designer this summer. Due to the economic climate and competitive nature of the business world I'll have to wait to flex my skills some other time. It's okay though, in the back of my mind I think this was the right thing to happen. I don't know why? But it is. Call it instinct. And the major thing I learned at Sheridan is to be confident and trust your instinct.

In the meantime I thought I would share a few sample spreads from the new book I made. The book was done for my Narrative class and was themed around the making of my film, ILLUSTRATION: The Drawcumentary. I tried to focus on the Graphic Design element of the book. I had a lot of fun producing my own photography, creating layouts and generally finding a new way to add fun to each spread. It turned out great. I ordered the book through Blurb.com, and the quality was incredible. I recommend it to anyone interested in book making.

On a side note, I was reading Jillian Tamakis Sketchblog and came across these two great lectures(1, 2) by Icelandic Graphic Designer/Illustrator Siggi Eggertson. This guy is something special. Watch the lecture and you'll see why I say this.

The 100% Campaign

2009-04-29T10:54:00.005-04:00

So for the last semester of Graphic Design class I was working on a re-branding campaign for a denim company called Peacock's Jeans. As you can see with their current logo (above) the imagery and typography is outdated and not appropriately aimed at a definite target audience. They are trying to appeal to younger women; however, I think they could be doing much more to emphasize the brand as sexy, slim and feminine.

Now here is my redesign of the Peacock logo. I began with an idea board cluttered full of ideas and inspirations to which I wanted to focus on. My initial inspiration was an article in McLean's Magazine written about decor by Alexander McQueen. It was about the idea of "taxidermy chic" and how it was becoming a popular fad in interior design among night clubs and bars. This is the target audience that I am directing my marketing efforts to. The socialites and trust fund kids who live to be seen in the public eye.

The logo is a mixture of delicate and smooth script; however, the counters are filled in to add that little bit of boldness and power. Finally I capped off the "k" with a feathery design to resemble a peacock's tail. I tried as hard as I could to stay away from cliche design elements that would resemble a peacock like colour, pattern and shape. My main focus was to emphasize the combination of power and beauty, with a feminine twist.

One of the project guidelines was to emphasize that the denim company of our choice was a "green" company using 100% denim. I thought to myself and said why stop there? Why not make everything about this brand 100%? So the poster ad for my project was based on Peacock's "100% Campaign". Peacock represents everything fun, flashy and glamorous to the highest degree. I used the amazing photography skills of European Photographer Hedi Slimane for the Polaroids. I thought his artistic vision and views on the World reflect what I was looking to re-brand this product as.

Please forgive me for not posting photos of the other facets of the project which were a hang tag and shopping bag. I have no digital mock ups because they were 100% handmade. I have recently moved, so in the process they were lost amongst the debris. Hopefully I'll find some photos of them sooner or later because I really enjoyed working on this project.

Web Love

2009-04-28T14:11:00.003-04:00

I'm new at this whole "shout out" thing, so gimme' some slack here. The Drawcumentary has been doing very well online. Because of the great turnout and showcase of talent from our most recent Sheridan Illustration Grad Show, my film has been featured on some very prevalent Illustration networks and blogs. I'm pleased to say that within a week The Drawcumentary has been viewed on Vimeo.com nearly 1,300 times and I would like to personally thank:

Makes me feel proud that I am becoming a part of such an awsome community of kind and talented people. I am currently designing the packaging for The Drawcumentary and hope to have it finalized and ready to ship within the next few weeks. So I urge all who wish to receive a copy please let me know. Thanks!

ILLUSTRATION: The Drawcumentary

2009-04-25T14:54:00.002-04:00

ILLUSTRATION: The Drawcumentary from Greg Dubeau on Vimeo.

I can finally say it. I finished my film . . . for the most part. I premiered it during the Sheridan Illustration Grad Show on the 23-24th in Toronto. And now I can post it on my blog for all who are interested (it's also posted on vimeo.com).

There was an incredible response by the event goers and creative community who attended the grad show. I think it was an excellent way to end off four incredible years at Sheridan. I will be producing the product further as a collectible DVD barring that I handle all the legal stuff with ease. If you are at all interested in receiving a copy please let me know. Thanks for every ones support during this project. Couldn't have done it with out your talent and generosity.

Monsters & Villains

2009-04-22T16:56:00.004-04:00

With school winding down I can finally show some of the final projects that I've recently completed. This is a series of posters I created for Information Illustration class with Clair Ironside. The idea of the project was to make a poster insert for the free magazines that you receive at the movie theatres. The theme of the poster was the greatest fifty monsters and villains in the last fifty years, having one representative per year. I was really pumped to throw down some ink washes to do some portraits. I love ink so much, it's a great medium to scan into the computer . . . which I eventually did and made the entire series into photoshop brushes. I'm happy how the project turned out. The only thing I need to know is what poster is the best because I would like to screen some prints to possibly sell on my website. So please tell me what you think! I need your help!

Cover Judging 101

2009-04-21T23:39:00.004-04:00

Well, well, well, what do we have here? A thesis project! Or at least half of one. The other part of my thesis project will be coming soon (the film). I wanted to take a crack at redesigning the covers to some of the books in my book collection, Dracula, Frankenstein, Treasure Island & Spartacus. My design concept was to have a wrap-around image that can stand alone as a piece of artwork, but also act as a suitable book cover. I tried to keep compositional aspects as consistent as possible, being: placement, colour, aesthetic, type, etc. I basically tried to stick to an underlining framework based on the typography and graphic elements that I would eventually have to overlay. It was a great chance to learn how to stay consistent, but also show variety.

I will be displaying two of the final paintings for this series at the Sheridan Illustration Grad Show on April 23-24, at the FC Burroughs Building in Toronto. Drop by if you can to see the accumulation of four years of artistic progress.

Rock and Roll and Outta' Control

2009-04-15T02:23:00.002-04:00

It's gettin' down to the wire. Only one more week of school left for the rest of my life! Slowly but surely I'm putting the finishing touches on all of my projects. I thought I would share a little taste of the film I have been working on. It's really fun. The film itself is running nearly 33 minutes right now. Almost done and ready to premier at the Grad Show.

Also, the 4th year illustration students have been working with RETHINK COMMUNICATIONS in a joint effort to promote each others work. They helped us make a fun little website for our end of year show. You can check it out here. Click on the icons to view our graduates work or click "view the work" to see a written list.

I will try to post more as soon as I get another second to collect my thoughts.

Best of the Best

2009-04-06T02:20:00.003-04:00

I know it's a little late in the game; however, I just realized that I didn't take advantage of my classes this year. Content wise that is. Everything I've done hasn't been for me -- more or less I did them to impress others. In this process I missed out on doing things that make me happy about art. So . . . I'm working on a little project right now regarding villains and monsters! Something a little bit more up my ally. I'm making a poster of the best 50 movie villains or monsters of the last 50 years. The samples above are some of my favourites. I'll have the whole poster complete in another couple weeks. So far I'm having a lot of fun.

Jolly Roger on the Face

2009-03-28T02:20:00.005-04:00

Ahoy! I have a "new school" version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It's the third book cover for my series of redesigned literature. I thought it would be cool to mess with the popular conceptions of pirates. I decided to make them younger having more sea weathered skin and influenced by indo-pacific culture. Long John Silver is on the right and Jim Hawkins is on the left. This was definitely not my favourite cover by far -- I ran into some difficulties along the way (i.e. wayyyyy to dark, etc.). I'm thinking since school is winding down I will only do one more cover. Things are really crazy right now. It feels good and bad at the same time. A lot is up in the air right now; however, I have always been a supporter of chance. Keeps me on my toes. More to come soon.

At the End of All Things

2009-03-24T12:19:00.003-04:00

A little information illustration for ya' folks. This is a topographical map of the Sheridan campus and surrounding area. The point of this project was to plot this map based on my memories of each individual place. I categorized my memories as colours to differentiate the good from the bad. After completion I looked it over and shed a mental tear. It's been a blast for the past four years -- now there is only a month remaining until it's all over. But don't you worry, the weeks to come will be filled with my final academic projects (possibly ever). Stay tuned.

Procrastination at it's Finest

2009-03-22T23:25:00.003-04:00

It's game time.
www.gregdubeau.com

C-M-Y-Krazy

2009-03-14T13:53:00.014-04:00

These are some research shots and stills from my film. I have a keen interest in black and white photography. I thought that this would be a great medium to use for my film and coinciding book which is about the making of the film. After many hours of experimentation I discovered that filming in black and white didn't suit the aesthetic that I was aiming for. The lack of colour lost a lot of the detail and definition that my camera was capturing -- so I dropped that idea from the film. However, the black and white photography is looking pretty spectacular for the book. My goal is to have the film and book ready for the Sheridan Illustration Grad Show of April 23-24. Progress is coming along very nicely and I'll be posting some video teasers in the weeks to come.

"The Drawcumentary" Concept Demo

2009-03-03T00:52:00.005-05:00

So for those of you who don't know -- I'm making a documentary about illustrators. To be more specific, Sheridan Illustration students. Lately I have been very influenced by film and cinema -- so I decided to tempt fate. Eventually I would like to move into the film industry and I think this is my first stake in the ground. This trailer is a concept demo of some things I may be messing around with when I start editing the final product. The timing is a little off, and the effects need some work; however, it's a start. I have been planning, researching and capturing footage for months -- and now it's time to have some fun. Take a gander at some of my ideas and concepts. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.

Fitting Into Place

2009-02-26T19:04:00.004-05:00

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Watercolour, Ink and Digital

14.5" x 8.5"

This is the second book cover redesign for my collection of classic literature, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein! What an incredible book. And to believe that Shelley wrote it when she was only eighteen! I wanted to interpret the Frankenstein monster to be made up of stretched layers of human parts instead of being stitched together. This gave me a great opportunity to make some new photoshop brushes to simulate different types of flesh and tissue. My favourite part is the cloudy eye. I tried to make the eye look milky like an eyeball with glaucoma. Which represents the monster being both dead and alive at the same time. I'm happy with how this piece turned out, specifically how I pursued my initial interpretation from start to finish without any doubt or hesitation. The next book cover I will be redesigning is Robert Louis Stevenson' Treasure Island. Yo ho.

Guess Who!?!

2009-02-21T15:58:00.004-05:00

It's the weekend and I got bored . . . as you can see. Not much to update on. I had an interview at OCAD on Thursday for advanced placement in their Graphic Design program. It went well. My portfolio is starting to come together. I'm almost prepared to start editting the footage together for my documentary, or should I say "draw-cumentary". Haha . . . I'm sorry, I had to say it.

So Much Craziness

2009-02-17T18:19:00.006-05:00

I . . . am . . . rattled. I was informed today that the folder on the school server which I stored all of my work to date had been deleted. Cold turkey. WHAT!!! It's safe to say that I was on the edge of a complete George Costanza flip out. I met with a very scary man and let him yell at me for not properly using the school server. I left with a little more hope in restoring my files, but at the same time felt like I wanted to cry for hours. I felt the entire rainbow of human emotion in the range of a single hour. I'm OK now though.

Anyways, the piece above is an info illustration being pitched to the National Post's Avenue page. I broke down how much the elite NBA athletes earn and compare it to how much they contribute to their teams statistically. It turns out that Kevin Garnett makes $10,000 per minute while he plays. I guess that's the price to pay to win an NBA championship. I wanted to show a strong graphic element, but there was simply too much type to handle. Making the graphs was fun and I can see myself trying similar projects in the future.

Check out the new Brand Jordan commercial that aired this past All Star weekend. This kind of stuff really inspires me to pursue film and advertising. Michael does it again.

Blown Away

2009-02-16T16:41:00.005-05:00

Blow Me Away
Acrylic on Stonehenge
14" x 11"

This was the first interpretive project of the new semester. I forgot to post it because it got stuffed to the back of my locker. We were to illustrate a linguistic expression. I chose, "that blew me away". I wanted to do two things with this project. First of all I wanted to get across a more whimsical/feminine feel. I didn't want to use conventional elements of "blowing up", like grenades, explosions or any sort of pyrotechnics. Consensus during the critique was that it was more of a "drifting away" than "blown away". I can understand that. This leads to the next goal I wanted to accomplish. I have been using many different types of papers to draw and paint on. I am trying to paint/draw each piece with the quality to be hung in a gallery. Most of my work is manipulated on the computer after the initial painting; however, I find a raw beauty to a half finished piece of artwork. This was a difficult project. I am not the greatest conceptual thinker.

Taking Control

2009-02-14T01:58:00.004-05:00

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Ink, Watercolour and Digital

14" x 17"

So I tried to take a stab at illustrating classical literature last semester and failed miserably. The feeling of defeat did not sit well at all, so I decided to take another approach. Based on my collection of classic literature I am going to redesign the book covers as a part of a series. My first attempt was Bram Stoker's Dracula. The image above is a spread of the the cover, spine and back. I was trying to portray the whole sexual/manipulative relationship between Count Dracula and Jonathan Harker's wife Mina Murray. I've decided to add the typographical design after the series of paintings are complete. I'm aiming for six cover redesigns. I will post more progress as it occurs in the next little while.

Livin' The Double Life

2009-02-14T01:44:00.002-05:00

For the past four years I have been living a double life. I am no superhero with an alter ego (but that would be pretty cool). Splitting the year between two cities is more difficult than I thought. Especially moving from the big city scene to small town living. Recently I've been reminded about how much I've missed since I have moved away from home. I've sacrificed a lot. And not too many people understand how much I have. I am almost done school and am looking for some stability. That sounds about right? Right? I don't know. I'm a big ball of confusion. The image above is a t-shirt design I did for one of my best friends birthday. We grew up together a long time ago. I'm looking forward to livin' the small town life again. True story.

Too Thick?

2009-02-10T22:03:00.004-05:00

These are some spreads that I forgot to post a little while ago. I should start posting a lot more these days. Anyways, these spreads are for a foster parent recruitment campaign organized by Dilico Anishinabek Family Care. I was really excited to colour in some sketches in photoshop; however, the client wanted to keep the painting to minimal flat colours and have them outlined in THICK black lines. Not too sure that I agree with their choice. Oh well, they did not turn out horrible. The theme of the series was to take away the faces/identity and let their actions communicate the message. The spreads will be used in print ads and maybe on some buses and billboards. That would be pretty cool.

The Best Kind of Sleep

2009-02-02T00:33:00.003-05:00

My sister recently brought this video to my attention. I've seen this type of stop motion animation before, but this has such a simple whimsical quality to it. My favourite part is the underwater scene or the flying t-shirt birds. This is the type of creative thinking that needs to be exploited. It's beautiful, simple, inspiring and fun. This type of work makes me proud to say that I am part of the artistic community.

The Annual Observations

2009-01-31T14:40:00.004-05:00

Whenever I finish a sketchbook, I find it interesting to go through my sketches and notes to track my process and find where my mind was at. This last sketchbook took me a little over a year to fill up. I found that a lot of my work was very meticulous and planned out. There wasn't a great deal of experimentation. Most of my sketches and observations were based on the obvious, like the sketches above. I was using a lot of ballpoint pen and limited my exposure to alternate media. It's apparent to see right now because lately I've been inspired by a wide range arts and media. Everything seems to be catching my eye. Was I in a creative slump? Because right now I feel an energy to create, to study, to discover and just basically experience everything.

A Bright Future

2009-01-20T17:13:00.003-05:00

Thinking Solar Energy

Ink & Digital

6" x 11", 300 dpi.

This is an illustration for my Environmental Philosophy class. We were prompted to illustrate an aspect of the environment that we are passionate about. I decide to make a commentary on solar energy and how it should be on our minds. In my opinion sunlight is the most abundant and under used resource on our planet. Our production of energy should be parallel to those of plants. A greater investment into bio mimicry can create low maintenance and user friendly means of producing clean energy. There has been technology recently developed to absorb and store sunlight as efficient energy. A spray has been invented that can transform any outdoor surface to absorb sunlight. Imagine coating rooftops, skyscrapers and even clothes! Every house hold would have its own energy source. And most importantly we would not have to rely on the burning of fossil fuels or the damming of waterways! One step closer to making our World a better place to live in.

RAPTOR SUIT!

2009-01-05T20:18:00.005-05:00

How effing cool is this! I know what I'm being for Hallowe'en this year.

No Class, Just Spare Time

2009-01-05T19:18:00.005-05:00

Sexual Education I

Watercolour

9" x 13"

Sexual Education II

Watercolour

9" x 13"

These are two paintings that began as ideas in my sketchbook. I thought I would pursue them in the hopes of staying creative over the break -- plus I really wanted to bust into some watercolours! I tried some experimentation and such. Sorry for the reproduction quality. I find watercolour paper has a grudge against my camera and/or photography skills.

This is a take on male vs. female (guess which is which!). I tried to associate a theme of early sexual education through the school-like photos, uniforms, etc. I was aiming for the whole "boarding school" thing. Very upper class. I'm not concerned with the outcome, I just needed the painting time to reflect on the upcoming year ahead. So much is uncertain and I am more concerned for myself than ever before. The near future is scary and right now I'm feeling a little anxious and impatient. I was hoping to do more creative things over the break; however, I think I've been forcing myself to produce. Hasn't been working out in my favour. Right now I'm ready to head back to school and to confront the beast . . . I mean my future. Wish me luck.

New Horizons

2008-12-28T14:00:00.006-05:00

I've been thinking recently about where I stand as a creative person right now and where I would like to be down the road. Considering that I am studying Illustration, you would think that my heart and soul would be here. Not so much these days. Lately I have been fooling around with multimedia. I still draw and paint from time to time; however, the idea of film, photography and graphic design has captured my interest. Seems like a silly idea considering I have one more semester until I receive my Illustration degree. I find that I am more committed and motivated when I jump between media, from project to project. I find my inspiration in all sorts of places. A few notable websites I frequent are Design by Humans, Process Recess, Jillian Tamaki's Sketch Blog, Toxel, Hedi Slimane's Diary, Fashion East, Chestionabil, Eclectic Cow, In Frame TV, SPY, Mads Jokob Poulsen and Sagmeister Inc.

I have also been trying to get some ideas on paper that I otherwise did not have time to work on while at school. The photo above is close up shot of a watercolour painting I have been working on. It's the first of a series of two paintings with the theme of Sex Ed. It's not quite finished, so I will post more progress/finals at a later date. I figure that I should create some new work right now considering that this next semester I will be diving head first into a documentary-like film project. I'm very excited about it.

Up, Up & Away

2008-12-14T13:10:00.005-05:00

First semester has finally come to an end. The last four months have been a whirlwind of growth, confusion and every other emotion under the rainbow. I leave for Winter break feeling good about my position. I produced a lot of work this semester and realized what I want to do and what I would rather not concentrate my time towards. I've reached a new standard of work, where it is less about the quality of production/media and more focused on my own satisfaction and gratification I find within my work. Without going further into detail, I will just remark on how I am beginning to see myself in my artwork. It's quite a remarkable feeling.

The project above is the final assignment for my Graphic Design course taught by the very incredible, very inspiring Jill Dallas. I'm very proud of this project because Jill and myself had a great collaboration of ideas which lead to very powerful and effective art direction. The project premise was to find a company with a dire need of an identity makeover and produce a new branding image for them. The image branding consisted of a new logo, business card, brochure and letterhead. I chose Airflight Services, which is a limousine company supplying transportation from Lester B. Pearson Airport to various location around the greater Toronto area. There original look was outdated like an old newspaper. I tried to emphasize a more regal and modern feel with a simple layout and subtle manipulation of the logo typeface. I really enjoyed this project and am looking forward to my next Graphic Design course in the Winter term.

I have returned to Thunder Bay for the Winter break. Hoping this holiday will cleanse my palette and guide me to the next level. So I want to say good luck to all my friends. Try to relax and gather your thoughts. And Happy Holidays to everyone who follows this blog.

Laugh With Me!

2008-12-12T00:26:00.004-05:00

Saturday Night Live is comin' back baby! Andy Samberg is my favourite when I need a cheap laugh. JOVI PUNCH!

Happy Birthday Dave Murray!

2008-12-06T12:10:00.003-05:00

So this week was the lead up to International Dave Murray Day, Version 6.0. Since Dave doesn't live with Irma and myself anymore, I decided to bring his present to school. Voila! One fully wrapped Sheridan Illustration Work Station (Dave's work station to be exact). If you know Dave then you would know that this is exactly what he wanted. More festivities will be had tonight in Toronto at the Cadillac Lounge. Hope to see everyone there!

Never Again Greg, Never Again

2008-12-04T23:54:00.004-05:00

I wanted to shake things up a little bit in terms of my creative output. Staying true to my interpretive class thesis (portraits), I decided to do a social commentary. To make a long story short, I told my friends one time that my Mom (who I dearly love) told me that I drink too much. Finding this comical we all had a laugh and moved on. Or so I thought. Now whenever I crack a beer one of my friends speaks up, "Greg I think you drink too much." I really had no reason to do this until I found a copious amount of bottle caps at my friends apartment. The process took so long to separate, organize, stuff and stick the caps on. I think it was worth it. It's something different. And it was fun! I need to make my projects more fun or I'm slowly going to wither away into a recluse artist who paints nothing but landscapes and dog portraits. This is just the first piece of the series. I will display more of this venture soon.

Game Time

2008-12-02T20:14:00.003-05:00

Narrative class. Once again. This is a four panel strip based on word play. The phrase I chose was "hell on high heels". And above is my take on the greatest rivalry in sports, the New York Yankees vs. the Boston Red Sox. I've noticed that I have been relying on the computer these days for a lot of my finished artwork. A part of me feels guilty about not using more traditional media. Drawing and painting for me has been a big turn off this semester. I look around and see nothing but the same things being produced. I remember in first year how excited I was to be a part of my class because we had so much character. So many people were doing exciting things. I was very inspired. I haven't been seeing that lately. Maybe I have been desensitized? Maybe fatigue has been kicking in? Or maybe we were all never really as good as we thought we were? I talked to some professors about this topic and they all seemed to tell me the same thing, "stay honest". Talent + Hard Work = Success. I feel that something very big is going to happen to me very soon.

The Answer & Answers

2008-11-21T18:32:00.005-05:00

Allen Iverson

Mixed Media on Paper

18" x 14"

It has been a very interesting week in the Sheridan World. I would compare it to a small asteroid shower. No matter what class I am a part of, they all seem to be in minor chaos, colliding and having me duck and cover. Well I'm still here, so I suppose I am weathering the storm fairly successfully. The piece above is the latest addition to my thesis project: celebrity portraits based on current events. In the sports world, All Star NBA guard Allen Iverson was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the powerhouse Detroit Pistons. I was dumbfounded to find out that the city of Detroit does not have a significant amount of memorable landmark; therefore, I tried to emphasize the seedy Detroit atmosphere. If you have ever been to Detroit, you will understand. I enjoyed working with the different media. I need to try harder to make a captivating image. Something that really grabs your attention. That is my goal for my next portrait.

We had an amazing lecture this week from the very talented and inspiring Joe Shouldice. He is a graphic designer/creative Juggernaut/all around nice guy currently working for Sagmeister Studio in New York. Their work is head and shoulders above any design studio I have ever seen. His lecture was the most influential I have attended in my entire College career. His work ethic is incredible and his personality shows through his work (pennies & bananas). You really have to look at the scale of his work and the creative way he chooses to communicate. I can sum up his work by saying "the sky's the limit". No word of a lie.

The Screaming Silence

2008-11-17T16:42:00.006-05:00

Another Narrative project? Really Greg? What's going on? Yeah, well here's our latest project. We were supposed to recollect a powerful memory and depict it within nine to ten panels. I was at the National Gallery recently and had a little bout with boredom. I was lost, confused, frustrated until I stumbled across one painting that really caught my eye and hasn't let go. Very rarely in my life do I have moments when all my senses seem to collectively stop. The only experience I can relate it to is when you hear something so loud, that at one point the loudness just sounds silent. Or when you hold your hand under boiling hot water for so long, that it begins to feel cold. I had a very strong emotional response. I am not sure how much time passed before I moved on. The painting was Monet's Waterloo Bridge. In the comic above I tried to show the range of my emotions, beginning with flat boredom and low colour contrast. The second page is a gradual transition into the extreme emotion that overcame me.

P.S. On the topic of inspiration, I thought this web site was really cool. I stumbled across it when researching the psychology of colour. Check it out.

The Youth Demographic

2008-11-15T15:10:00.008-05:00

Recently in Narrative class we were asked to interpret a piece of mythology or folklore. I took this opportunity to dive into some native Thunder Bay folklore. Using three, two page spreads I depicted the legend of Ouimet Canyon, which is an ancient Ojibway folktale. The tale is about a giant who accidentally kills his love. He tries to cover up the accident, but in the end he is discovered and turned to stone to watch over his loves grave for all eternity (actual photo). It's a story about taking responsibility for your actions. I find this style of working is very different from my usual aesthetic. I felt inclined to attempt children's illustration because I haven't given it a shot before. In the future I would like to do a more "R" Rated version of this story. I'm beginning to feel that my illustrations target an older and more mature audience.

Best of the Best

2008-11-09T12:23:00.009-05:00

I thought I would share some Hallowe'en costumes since October has recently passed us by. Hallowe'en is kind of a big deal for Illustration students. Our council runs the annual Hallowe'en Pub and we keep the majority of the proceeds that go towards our end of year show. Attending an art school means that there is no limit to creativity and imagination when it comes to costumes. I've never seen a greater concentration of incredible costumes than I have at Sheridan. This past Hallowe'en I went out as Gladiator. I made a full plaster cast of my body to create the body armour. It was an absolute mess to make; however, it was the most fun I've had on a project all year.

Two years ago Dave and myself made some cardboard costumes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. They were quite well received and I think we could have won the costume contest if we actually made it into pub. However, we recently won second prize for an online costume contest hosted by Street Carnage. Check it out, it's a pretty ridiculous site.

Calm

2008-10-29T20:37:00.005-04:00

Oakville has really gorgeous sunsets. Maybe it's global warming or maybe it's the light pollution, but there are some colours in the sky that are absolutely unmatched. Very inspiring.

Yawn + Design

2008-10-28T21:34:00.004-04:00

So I got a little bored today at school. As you can tell. Didn't really have a plan for this design, just kinda' winged it. A lot of people were telling me that it was pretty neat looking. Reminds me of henna you would see on Raider Nation. I'm not an Oakland Raiders fan; however, I think they have the coolest fans on the planet! The collaboration of art and sport. I love it.

"LET'S GO RYAN!"

2008-10-24T22:00:00.006-04:00

With my academic career winding down I thought it would be a good idea to see some of the countryside before I leave Southern Ontario. I headed up to Ottawa and Montreal with Ryan and Nimit for a week to take in some of the sights and sounds. I have never been to either city, so nearly everything had a glimmer of surprise to it. Nimit is from Ottawa, so he showed us around. We visited the National Gallery of Canada. I had no idea that Ottawa was home to some of the finest and recognizable pieces of artwork in human existence. Among my favourites were pieces by Monet, Klimt, West and Van Gogh. It's such an extreme feeling to be so close to a priceless piece of artwork. You feel very in touch with history and civilization. For me it's rewarding to see the precise colours, brushstrokes, scale and techniques used to create such beautiful work. Ottawa is a beautiful city. I really enjoyed my time there and would highly consider taking up residence in the area.

Montreal was much different than Ottawa. None of us had any idea where we were or what we would be doing during our stay. We ended up venturing into the heart on downtown Montreal for the majority. The language barrier did not hinder me as I thought it would have. We were fortunate enough to be in town for an Andy Warhol Exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. His work is very unique. I'm not going to say that I absolutely loved his work. He was a Renaissance man in a sense. All over the map creatively. Definitely worth seeing.

It was a very good time. I'm happy to have seen more of my country and experience more culture. Road trips are always fun; however, this one seemed a little more magical because I doubt I will be seeing my friends very often after this school year. It's a sad truth. It was a week I will not soon forget. We weathered the shame storm boys, and came out with quite a collection of bar coasters. I tip my cap to you gentlemen. Now back to reality.

MUD!

2008-10-16T22:57:00.007-04:00

Rough Sketch with ballpoint pen

Rendered Drawing
Blue Pencil on RIVES BFK
12" x 8"

Acrylic Painted over the rendered drawing

Digital Manipulation #1, 400 dpi.

Final, 450 dpi.

So I am going to give you an example of exactly what I am trying to avoid at all costs. Mud. This final piece is mud. Mud is overworked artwork. I'm not usually a culprit of creating such bad decisions. The deadline got in the way and I also wanted to explore the same techniques I used in my last portrait of Travis Barker. Well . . . I didn't realize what mistakes I had made until I was finished. When the prints arrived I threw up a little in my mouth . . . and it's all my fault!

Okay, so I guess I should lay down some ideology behind this piece. This is Brett Favre, current quarterback for the New York Jets. This portrait is about his re-emergence. His old school style of play and leadership has greatly influenced his young team (who were terrible last season). Huge turn around this year because of their new fearless leader. I wanted Brett to look like a General over his troops in the trenches and at the same time a quarterback over his offensive line during a game.

I added an environment and other characters in this piece. I don't think I will do this again. There is too much competition in the image and I lose focus on the portraiture itself. I totally got called out on it in critiques too. It's understandable, I'm not even angry. Just frustrated because I thought I was past this stage. Oh well, time to pick myself up and head back to the huddle (little football reference there).

Bass, Snare and Crash Landing

2008-10-10T09:17:00.001-04:00

Travis Barker
Blue Pencil, Acrylic & Digital, 400 dpi.
11" x 16"

It's taken me four weeks to realize that I am not ready to undertake my thesis project for interpretive illustration class. The workload and conceptualizing for my rendition of "War & Peace" was a little bit more than I could handle at the moment. Down the road I think I will try it again. Instead, I've decided to move into a more editorial avenue and pursue "celebrity portraits based on current events". My first portrait is of Travis Barker, the infamous drummer who just recently survived a plane crash . I've always had tremendous respect for him because he is an astounding musician and often thought when watching him perform, he played the drums as if he were "on fire". I really enjoyed this project. The mix of traditional and digital media is an area I would like to pursue.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2008-10-05T23:58:00.004-04:00

"9 Panel Narrative Study"
Multimedia & Digital, 400 dpi.
8.5" x 11"

More so than ever I am having those thoughts of, "where am I going to be a five years?" It's strange because I always thought that question was silly whenever somebody asked me. Right now I feel like a just climbed up a tree and now I have to pick a branch to follow. Decisions, decisions. I'm waiting for that glimmer of hope and security to flash in front of my eyes.

The comic strip above is my second project for my Narrative class. The criteria was to create a nine-panel narrative with a hook at the end. I accidentally forgot to add a hook to this one; however, Blair liked the idea and asked me to pursue it. I've wanted to do something about basketball for a while now. It went into the project not wanting to use a lot of dialogue and keep the story flowing through movement and expression. Down the line I would like to take a crack at creating a graphic novel with a basketball-themed story line. I'll put that one on the back-burner for now. I'll try to post some of the more personal pieces I've been working on. They are very different than anything I have done before.

Explosion of Hay

2008-10-03T22:21:00.003-04:00

Haywire Book Cover
Photoshop, 300 dpi.
6" x 9"

Type is a very difficult aspect of artwork to deal with, more so in the area of Graphic Design because it is so prevalent. I rather enjoy type. The fundamentals are pretty dry; however, when you start to deconstruct type and build it up to be your own, it's very fascinating. The book cover above is a small project for my Graphic Design class. The assignment was to create a "type-driven" image based off of a one hundred word short story. The story I was given was published for the New Yorker Magazine, it's called "Haywire", written by Chuck Kensler. It's quite an achievement to portray a story in a little less than a paragraph. Read the story and try to put the pieces together.

"Angie left Virgil -- left the baby too. For the past five months Virgil's been planning for today's homecoming.
Angie says in her fidgety bird voice, "Lo, Virg. Ain't too gooda day is it? Waddyathink, Virg, waddyathink?
"Not so good. She's in the other room."
A tear in the window shade angles light into a cardboard box where the baby lies, dreamless. She is in her best clothes, as if dressed for a tea party. Virgil strokes her soft-hair and pale cheek. He ties the lid closed with white string.
Then his mind explodes into a pile of loose hay."

Lost in Translation

2008-10-02T15:23:00.004-04:00

War & Peace 1
Pencil & Digital, 300 dpi.
16" x 10"

This is the first piece for Mr. Joe Morse's interpretive illustration class. We had to create a thesis proposal for what we would like to do all semester. I've always wanted to create some sort of modern interpretation of classic literature, so I chose to interpret Leo Tolstoy's "War & Peace". It is a great story (some call it the greatest story ever) because it has so many great characters, archetypes and symbols. I translated the original story into a High School scenario pitting two rival schools against each other.

I'm happy with how some things turned out, mainly the preliminary process I went through and the colour corrections. I really need to polish up my characterization and get more true to anatomy. This first project was more or less an experiment with process and media. I'm looking forward to developing this series as the semester goes on. I'm chipping away slowly. There's only bigger things to come.

All Aboard

2008-09-28T20:14:00.005-04:00

"What's that supposed to mean?"
Ink & Digital, 450 dpi.
8" x 10"

Here's a little Visual Narrative for ya'. This is the first project from my Visual Narrative class taught by the very intellectual Blair Drawson. He is a children's book illustrator who loves comic books and graphic novels. Pretty cool in my books. Anyways, I was really eager since second year illustration to take this class. This is my first project from the class. The only guidelines was to keep it to four panels, with a hook at the end and somewhere there has to be the line, "What's that supposed to mean?" I'm still working on digital painting. I've really dedicated myself to learning this style for most of my projects right now. I haven't used paints since June. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about that. I feel that it all has to be digital for me at this point. It's absolutely consuming my mind right now.

Sinner

2008-09-24T00:30:00.005-04:00

How bad was Saddam's Son?
Multimedia and Digital Media, 400 dpi.
8" x 10"

One of the first tasks of 4th year illustration is to pick an elective. I ultimately sided with graphic design because I need to polish up on my skills in that area. I was very interested in one of the other electives that I did not choose. The class is taught by this off the wall illustrator named Rick Sealock. He is completely bonkers, in a good way. He encourages you to push the envelope and find the extreme nature in your artwork. I took a shot at one of his projects called "7 Deadly Sins". This is an editorial project based on any article that practices at least one of the seven deadly sins. I stumbled across an article about Uday Hussein (the son of Saddam Hussein) called "How bad was Saddam's son?". He was a ruthless man who ran the gammat from rape to torture to murder. The article made me feel very fortunate to be a Canadian. I did not have any art direction due to scheduling. This image above is Uday Hussein basking in the glory of the destruction he is causing without consequence.

Oooone Mmmmore Time!

2008-09-05T15:14:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Oakville, well at least the view of Sheridan from my seventh floor balcony. I'm very excited to be back in the creative community. After one week of class I am already immersed in a plethora of projects. Catching up with friends is always good. I was in Toronto to take in some local culture. By "local culture" I mean seeing Evil Dead: The Musical. It was incredible, stupidly funny, profane and the amount of blood used was truly impressive. It's a good time to be an illustration student right now. I have a feeling I will be posting like a madman in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.

All Love, Peace Out TBay

2008-08-30T13:30:00.006-04:00

"If your eyes were not the colour of the moon,

of a full day

of a day full of clay, and work, and fire,

if even held in, you did not move in agile grace like the air,

if you were not an amber week,

not the yellow moment

when Autumn climbs up through the vines;

if you were not that bread the fragrant moon

kneads, sprinkling its flower across the sky,

Oh my dearest, I could not love you so!

But when I hold you I hold everything that is --

Sand, time, the tree of the rain,

everything is alive so that I can be alive:

without moving I can see it all:

in your life I see everything that lives."

~ Pablo Neruda

Don't Feed the Animals

2008-08-28T15:55:00.005-04:00

Sometimes during my lunch hours while working for the City, I sit down amongst the rough and tumble characters of Victoriaville Mall to sketch them in their natural habitat. There is never a lack of interesting characters wandering about. I remember reading that Da Vinci loved to sketch the grotesque inhabitants of his village. Well this is my modern day interpretation of Da Vinci's studies. I had done the same studies last Summer and have noticed a great deal of progression in regards to my rendering skills. I tried to capture as much as I could with a run of the mill ball point pen. I found this time very helpful to maintain consistency with my drawing skills. Ink is less forgiving than graphite; therefore, I find myself moving more into the direction of inks and papers as of late. Since I have completed my co-op and Summer contract for the City of Thunder Bay, I have been greatly looking forward to my return to Hogwarts . . . I mean Sheridan. It's going to be a very important year in many regards. I cannot wait to begin.

Breath Before the Plunge

2008-08-20T21:45:00.004-04:00

By far the darkest piece of artwork that I have ever done. It was really fun though. I haven't played around with inks in a while. Very refreshing. The whole digital process went smoothly. I'm learning more and more about digital manipulation each time I try. This piece has a real Sam Weber feel to it. I was aiming for dark; however, I'm finding more emotions than just anger coming through this painting. The clients were very pleased with the final product and have expressed a desire to continue our business relationship in the form of an album cover. I leave for my final year of school in thirteen days. The Summer has been a preview of my lifestyle to come. Very busy and very productive. I'll be excited to be back in the Southern Ontario area. Until then, everybody take a big breath of Summer before it leaves us again.

Human Kindling

2008-08-14T18:45:00.004-04:00

NORRIS Canadian Tour Poster

Ink & Gesso

10" x 16"

I have a habit of posting work without showing any progress. Mostly because I'm not proud of my rough work. I feel vulnerable showing my process, so I much rather just show the final. Well let's try a fresh start. Just in time for fourth year Illustration at Sheridan. This is a commissioned painting for a Toronto/Thunder Bay based band called NORRIS. They caught my show at Calico Coffee House and really enjoyed this painting, and wanted something similar to represent their cross Canada Tour. After I listened to their music I was overwhelmed by a sense of power, corruption and fury. These amalgamated into the idea of a dark or corrupt superhero (i.e. Superman). Next step is to add the graphic elements and type. Just wait until you see the final type. I'm going to do something very bold that some may not agree with. I don't care, I've been wanting to do it for a while. I will post the final poster very soon considering the deadline is early next week.

Wrapped with a Bow

2008-08-06T20:31:00.005-04:00

Well the gallery experiment is over. I took my twelve pieces down the other night. I went into the whole experience with an open mind and tried not get my hopes up considering this was my first solo show. I can honestly say I have learned a lot from my showing at Calico Coffee House. Lots of good came out of the experience. Four pieces were sold, I gained one commission, a couple local galleries showed interest in my work and a private art collector/buyer/seller contacted me to display my work again for a private weekend showing at a local resort near the end of August. I didn't plan on producing any prints; however, this painting of mine collected a lot of attention. So I think I may run a series of limited edition prints before the Summer ends. It's exciting to have so many creative avenues come about because of my work. I feel much more confident now to create art and plan on scheduling more shows in the future. It was really fun and I'm glad I pursued this opportunity. Big thanks to Calico Coffee House, Sarah Furlotte, Dean Burke, Generator Advertising and everyone who took the time to drop by and support me. Thank you so much.

Prospects

2008-07-30T18:11:00.004-04:00

This is a promotional poster I created for a Thunder Bay event that I am coordinating called Riverfest. I held off on the illustration and graphics and let the type be the focus of the poster. I am trying to put more effort into graphic design because I think it will be a big part of my future. The combination of illustration and graphic design is an awesome force. To be competent in both fields simultaneously is ultimately what I am aiming for. It's not an unrealistic goal. It just takes time. It's easy for people to call themselves Illustrators because their is so much subjectivity in the profession. It takes bravery to call yourself a Graphic Designer because the line between good and bad design is fairly well established.

Make It, Take It

2008-07-27T12:58:00.006-04:00

I believe most people call it "hitting the wall". That's the nice little place where apathy meets fatigue. That's where my mind has been lately. Usually I just wait it out and hope for the best. It's not the first time this has happened to me. I think I may have figured it out though. My lack of inspiration has come because I'm not surrounded by a lot of inspirational people, creatively that is. I have no people who I can share my creativity with. To combat this I have been exposing myself to a lot of media. Watched some good movies that I highly recommend. The Dark Knight, 21, and It's All Gone Pete Tong to name a few. I got to give NIKE credit for putting out some really good commercials lately; courage and SPARQ. During lunch hours I have been sketching the locals in my sketchbook. I'll post those sometime soon. And I have been reading the Illustration Friday blog and Sheridan grad Tessar Lo's blog. I read his blog every now and then; this time however, I'm going back to his earliest posts when he was still attending Sheridan. I'm starting to count the days. As much as I love Summer and home, I feel that there is not a lot here for me right now. Need to start making some moves.

In the Light

2008-07-20T15:19:00.005-04:00

Has Summer started yet? I had huge expectations coming into this Summer that haven't really panned out. So many unexpected things have popped up and right now I'm just running with them. Currently I am working on a series of four illustration for a foster parent recruitment campaign. I'm excited to try some new digital techniques.

Also, I took some photos of my work hanging at Calico Coffee House. The show is going well. I've learned a lot about gallery business over the last couple weeks. The very talented Jean-Paul De Roover was playing at Calico the other night. There was a great atmosphere happening.

5 O'Clock Shadow

2008-07-17T17:24:00.004-04:00

I was a little bored at work today. So I decided to wear a bear costume to amuse myself/co-workers. Some thought it was funny and some wonder why I get paid. The important thing is that I represented Thunder Bay the best way I knew how to. So next time you think of the City of Thunder Bay, remember . . . we work hard to keep our city pretty, damn great.

On a different note, my gallery showing at Calico Coffee House is going quite well. I've had plenty of great feedback and have even sold a couple pieces. Also, I was interviewed last weekend on LU Radio's program "This is Canada", regarding my gallery show and also about the Prostate Man campaign I worked on recently. Big thanks to Dean Burke who hooked me up with the air time. You can listen to the podcast here.

Found Thunder Bay

2008-07-07T22:53:00.007-04:00

Found Thunder Bay: Original Artwork Exhibition

By: Greg Dubeau

July 8 - August 3

Calico Coffee House (next to the Hoito on Bay Street)

Thunder Bay, ON

This is my first solo show! Exciting! The last three weeks have burned me out, so I will be M.I.A. for a little while. If anyone has a chance, swing by Calico Coffee House and check out my new work. I have fifteen pieces hanging for this showing. Time to start on some actual freelance illustration work. I'll post some process work within the weeks to come.

Just Floating

2008-07-04T18:02:00.004-04:00

What a week of patriotism and celebration. Canada Day, Quebec's 400 anniversary and today being Independence Day for the Americans. In the midst of the barrage of fireworks and the many, many pitchers, I found time to sneak away with my camera. I was feeling nostalgic, so I went back to my old high school. It has been closed down for two years now. It's a shame how an institution with so much history and integrity can be shut down and swept under the rug. The year is half over, summer is half over, and I am kind of just floating right now. More or less waiting I suppose. I'm starting to feel that patience is over rated just a bit.

Ballllin'

2008-06-29T23:07:00.004-04:00

I feel pretty lucky to be working for the City and Generator over the Summer holidays. There's no real pressure and they are taking advantage of my artistic talent. It's been really fun. Lately I have been involved in a lot of marketing, advertising, sponsorships and public relations work. One of the perks of my job was to create a new face for the annual basketball tournament in town on Canada Day. The old look was really "Mickey Mouse", so I went for a more urban feel. Every participant in the tournament will receive one of these t-shirts. The feeling of seeing your work mass produced is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I'm glad that I chose to spread out my co-op into multiple outlets.

First Edition Yall'

2008-06-13T22:22:00.004-04:00

Hot off the press! These are the last items I worked on for the "Prostate Man" campaign; the comic book and the tissue box. The tissue box reproduced really nicely. I do not remember how many were produced; however, I do remember how many of the comic books were produced. Ready for this? 45, 000!!! I was excited to have Prostate Man newspaper ads run every few days, but this is huge. Everybody who subscribes to Thunder Bay's newspaper will receive a copy in the Father's Day edition. You can read the whole comic book online here.

Fresh Design

2008-06-11T17:37:00.006-04:00

This is a promotional poster for the Heart of Canada 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament held in Thunder Bay, Ontario as a part of their annual Canada Day celebrations. The Recreation & Culture Division asked me to do the marketing and design work because this event has been a little outdated for a while now. The major sponsor this year was SUBWAY; therefore, I decided to incorporate their colours. Everything was done in Illustrator and PhotoShop. The next step is to create t-shirt and jersey designs that coincide with this promotional poster. It's reassuring to think how prepared I am for this type of project because of how much experience I have gained in this area over the last several months.

A Sudden Rush of Everything

2008-06-10T23:24:00.005-04:00

Rough Times
Acrylic and Gesso on Canvas
18" x 24"
This is the newest painting for the Summer collection. In many ways it represents different things that are going on right now. My life is a little sporadic right now. It may be metaphorical, I don't know? Maybe a product of my sub conscience? Recently Thunder Bay has received enough rain to have parts of the community evacuated. This is insane and I've never been through something like this so close to home. On the upside I am really pleased how this turned out. I challenged myself with the subject matter because it is so organic and candid. I enjoy the ferocious nature. Really looking forward to having the whole series displayed in July, on Canada Day!

Nice Little Memory

2008-06-01T23:36:00.004-04:00

This is a relic from the days spent in The Villas. This was on my fridge door for two years before I found it in the back of one of my sketchbooks the other day. Since then I've watched 300 twice and was tempted the watch March of the Penguins. This was a joint effort between my old roommate Dave and myself. I think the resemblance to the actual movie poster is uncanny.

You will have a greater understanding of what it was like living with Dave the last two year after watching this brief video.

P.S. I make an appearance wearing a cowboy hat.

I've Got a List of Demands

2008-05-23T12:39:00.003-04:00

" . . . . written on the palm of ma' hand", taking a rare lunch break here at Generator to post some process work. Currently I am working on a short comic book based on the character, "Prostate Man". It's actually a redesign project of a comic strip that was created a year previously. There is a mix of photography, vector art and bold graphics. I was given the reigns to interpret the script how I see fit. It's been a lot of hard work and long hours. I'm really looking forward to seeing it in print. So many hours in front of this screen makes me want to paint . . . traditionally with actual canvas, paints and wooden brushes! Maybe next week, I need to make some headway before this gallery stuff begins to pick up.

Take It Like A Man

2008-05-17T14:25:00.006-04:00

Prostate Man Campaign Poster 2008

Illustrator and PhotoShop, 300 dpi.

11" x 15"

Sorry for the tardiness. I have not posted as much as I would have liked to lately. I have recently been working for Generator Advertising & Strategy as a part of my school sanctioned co-op. I've been working hard on a non-for-profit campaign to raise awareness of Prostate Cancer. In partnership with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Generator helps to promote cancer awareness in our community. My job is to illustrate and find creative solutions to employ with the prostate cancer awareness poster boy, "Prostate Man". The whole campaign has a comic book theme. So far I have created a promotional poster, newspaper ads, illustrations for a tissue box, and down the road a comic book and billboards! I had a full page ad in the local newspaper the other day. Very excited about that. My time at the National Post has greatly benefited me dealing with the creation, development and reproduction process. I will post more campaign illustrations soon, pending their approval. Next week I tackle the comic book . . . . which will print 5,000 copies. Heres to long hours and late nights!

Saddle Up

2008-05-04T22:17:00.004-04:00

It's on! I'm back in the Bay and pretty excited about it. Lots of really exciting things are going on for me right now. Among the highlights are: Co-op begins tomorrow, secured two big commissions, working on a proposal for a public art project, starting to illustrate a kids book! and I have an insatiable need to paint some sort of wildlife. I took my camera out the other day and shot some local scenery. Lots of rapids, water, trees and trails. Going to paint one photo that I will not show you now. It's a secret. Trying to stay with the whole "confrontation through nature" theme I started last summer. I'll try to post some progress shots eventually.

AND FRAMES! I found out that Thunder Bay is a goldmine for old antique frames . . . . that nobody wants! I'm hoping to have all my pieces framed for my first show in June. Around 20 of them. I have been doing a lot of planning, no real artwork as of late. Some sketchbookisms. Lots to do!

Xanax

2008-04-27T18:26:00.005-04:00

It's ironic that this will be my last post in Toronto. Why you ask? Well, just watch the video and find out. This was my final animation project for computers class. I tried to put my own flavour into it and decided to use nothing but photography. Maybe my most favourite piece I have done all year. So I think it is fitting that I leave you with this small film in hopes of seeing you all again soon. Goodbye Toronto.

Sheridan Illustration Grad Show 2008 + Good Times

2008-04-26T17:46:00.010-04:00

What a busy two days of walking, standing and general monkey work. It was a pretty good time though. Helping out at the fourth year grad show makes me really enthusiastic and excited for next year at Sheridan. This years show was great. Great work, great crowds, great people and great food. I brought my camera and had some friends take some pictures. I think the pictures accurately represent how the show went. All the grads seemed very happy. Here is a list of some graduates (in no particular order) who I look up to and have great respect for. Their work really rocks, take a look:

Vicki Nerino, Chris Brett, Britt Wilson, Matt Danko, Jack Shepherd, Alejandra Diaz, Josiah Gordon, Laura Caccamo, Roben Nieuwland, Pete Ryan, Paulo Carvalho, Ian Herring, Hyein Lee, Elise Trinh, Mark Cabuena

So this is my last weekend in Toronto and then I am off to the Bay for four months. I'm excited and sad at the same time. There is only one thing I need to do before I go. . . . . . . . . . ALL YOU CAN EAT SUSHI!

Workin' on the Night Moves

2008-04-23T22:39:00.011-04:00

Nimit got a new camera. So naturally he calls me up around midnight and we head down to take some photos near Oakville harbour. Ryan and Irma came too. It was like a midnight photography field trip. We took some real . . . . interesting photos? I'm still getting used to the different functions on my camera. "Night Portrait" being one of them. The distortion of light and movement looks quite surreal. In broad daylight these photos would be a lighthouse, some boats, a bridge and different places along the harbour. But at night, they're magic!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2008-04-21T20:16:00.009-04:00

Graphic Design Calendar

Illustrator and PhotoShop, 300 dpi.

9" x 6"

The academic year is over. This is the last project I submitted. A four piece seasonal calendar for Graphic Design class. The theme was fun. It was met with mixed criticism. I dropped the ball on some typography rules and consistencies. I had a lot of fun doing it though. I had a minor breakthrough with some colour combinations.

It's almost time for me to return home for the Summer holidays. Before I go I will be helping to run the 4th Year Sheridan Illustration Show. The show will be on April 24-25 at the Burroughs Building on Queen St. W. It's going to be a very exciting night. Everyone should come.

1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY POST! . . . . . AND WISDOM!

2008-04-19T13:20:00.006-04:00

This is when I give up

Ink and Pastel on Paper

24" x 30"

Portrait Colour Study

Ink and Pastel on Paper

24" x 30"

Last life drawing class of the year. Not too many people showed up, so the model and I had a keen concentration on each other. I decided to use pastels this week and throw down some colour. As you can see with the first drawing, I gave up with ink washes and colour, then decided to make him look like a Louis Vuitton hand bag. This is how I usually administer design and pattern to my work. It's fun to look at. Speaking of fun . . . I will be in St. Catherine's this weekend because I have a whole week to do whatever I want before I head home to begin my co-op.

Since this is the one year anniversary of this blog here of mine, I thought I would run down a list of things I have learned this previous year. A few epiphanies, words of advice, infinite wisdom and a moment or two of clarity. Here we go:

Don't stop experiencing things, go out and do as much as you can (Clemente Botelho)
The only person who holds you back is yourself (Katheryn Adams)
PARTY KARMA: The more money you spend, the more money you get (Amro Attiaa)
When you are tired, you're tired, go to bed
It's not good to compare yourself to others (Brian Cronin)
Your friends are your best resources (Stu McGinnis)
It's important to stay consistent, not particularly with drawing or a certain style; Just being creative will be enough to keep you sharp and inspired (Clemente Botelho)
Nobody is better at being you than you
Make it different (Bob Hambly)
Advice is subjective. These things are important to me, everyone else should find their own

This should mean nothing to a lot of people. The number one thing I have learned this year is everything is different and everything is changing. Go with the flow and grow with the times. Do it your own way and stay consistant. That's why I try to post so much. Live and learn.

Smokers are Jokers

2008-04-17T22:09:00.005-04:00

Drug Dealer/Clown Experiment Stencils

Graphite and Acrylic on Paper

30" x 15"

Drug Dealer/Clown Demo Stencil

Acrylic and Gesso on Paper

20" x 14"

Laaaaaaast Interpretive project of the year. This was actually a group project. My group consisted of me, Yuta, Ryan, Miles and Mike. The basis of the project was to organize a publicity campaign for a non-for profit organization. We chose the "Anti-Drug Campaign" aimed towards the Kensington Market community of Toronto. All of our projects paralleled the same theme (drugs are a joke); however, we all chose different directions to pursue. I did graffiti because I was interested in researching graffiti campaigns targeted towards government, society and corporations. This led me to the work of Banksy, Eelus and Roadsworth. Their work is very inspiring. I am seriously considering a jump to graffiti in more of a public/social context. But don't tell anyone it was me!

Recentivity

2008-04-15T23:29:00.007-04:00

30 Min Portrait

Ink and Acrylic on Paper

6" x 9"

1 hour Portrait

Ink and Metallic Pen on Watercolour Paper

11" x 15"

1 hour Figure

Ink and Metallic Pen on Watercolour Paper

8" x 19"

2 Hour Portrait

Ink on Paper

12" x 15"

30 Min Figure

Ink on Paper

7" x 12"

30 Min Figure

Ink on Paper

7" x 12"

These are some ideas that I have been tangling with recently. I have been thinking a lot about figure and design, and how to make them become narrative. Working with ink is starting to become more fun. I'm finding the organic quality of it mesmerizing. Subconsciously I am making better decisions. Using ink has become my "anti-OCD". I'm hoping it will destroy the anxiety in my artowrk and give it more life. The first image at the top, I actually finger painted. I tend to use my hands at any chance I can get. It was fun. I am going to miss life drawing over the summer. Only one more week left in 3rd Year Academia.

Unnecessary Violence

2008-04-09T01:14:00.004-04:00

Unnecessary Violence

Watercolour on Watercolour Paper

16" x 15"

Last Interpretive Illustration project of the year: one week to make a portfolio piece of anything you want. I was very happy to hear this. I think I have turned a corner dealing with subject matter thanks to this project. I have been very process oriented this year and along the way lost the fluidity of drawing and painting. Recently I was overwhelmed by the exposure to violence everywhere I looked. What perfect timing to reflect upon this inspiration. My goal was to make these soldiers look as stupid as possible, while keeping believability and the integrity of my work. . . . . so I replaced their rifles with big fat Rainbow Trout! It was fun to be free again with subject and media. Someone pointed out that the shadows need some work. I agree. I was just too excited to notice. Com'mon people . . . Rainbow Trout!

Givin' Back

2008-04-08T01:10:00.005-04:00

Do you remember going to Summer Camp? I know I do. I actually just got commissioned to redesign the logo for the old Summer Camp I went to was a kid. ADVENTURER'S CAMP! The Canada Games Complex in Thunder Bay has many recreational outlets to offer youths and children alike during the Summer holidays. I was contacted by my friend Tyler to help him create a new image with a limited time span. I spent a few nights tinkering with the characters, composition ad typography. Eventually I ended up with these characters. I would like to think that I am the kid on the left, but in reality I was probably the one on the right. It was a fun little project. Adobe Illustrator was the program of choice this time. I usually don't work so animated; however, I think it benefits me to try new outlets and play the creative field. This makes me feel really excited for Summer and Summertime activities!

Almost Done

2008-04-04T00:37:00.003-04:00

. . . I'm moving!

Satisfaction Guaranteed

2008-03-29T12:02:00.006-04:00

Thought

Acrylic, Ink and Gesso on Canvas

24" x 30"

It's been a good week. At a time when so much could go wrong, the Universe took pity on me and threw me some pocket aces. In the last week I have found a new apartment, secured my co-op, received my summer job back and have been kicking ass with some recent artwork. I'm beginning to think that my personality as a human being is dependent on the weather. Winter is over . . . thank God, and the days are getting longer. Creatively I feel good right now and very inspired to draw and paint. I have been sitting in on a multitude of life drawing classes and in the last week I went to see presentations by Jillian Tamaki and Martin Wittfooth. They were both really insightful about their artwork and the process. Inspiring young artists give me so much hope because they seem like they are having so much fun. This week I sat in on Harvey Chan's life drawing class and decided to continue my battle with skin tones. I am getting more comfortable with skin tones and am quickly finding relationships between facial structure, colours, shadows and highlights. This last model was incredible. Never moved for nearly two hours in a standing pose. Incredible! It's a good time to be a Sheridan Illustration student.

Back in Black

2008-03-25T13:57:00.008-04:00

Second Year Drop In

Ink, Acrylic, Watercolour Pencil & Highlighter on Paper

20" x 13"

Second Year Drop In (Lady Detail)

Ink, Acrylic & Watercolour Pencil on Paper

11' x 13"

Second Year Drop In (Gentleman Detail)

Ink, Acrylic & Highlighter on Paper

9" x 13"

Debbie, 3 Hour Pose

Ink on Paper

18" x 24"

Torso Study
Ink & Gesso on Paper
18" x 24"

Skin Tone Study

Acrylic, Ink & Gesso on Paper
18" x 24"

Life drawing post! Since I have been fairly busy the last couple months, I never had a chance to go to life drawing class . . . for the last six weeks. SNAP! Streak broken! I stumbled back into class and here is what I came up with. Lately I have been trying to use a lot of ink. I have come to the conclusion that if I get fairly good at using ink, then other media should follow. Why you ask? Well you see, ink is the most unforgiving of media. So if I master mark making and decision making, then this will positively reflect in new artistic ventures. I also crashed in on a second year painting class this week. It was fun to be around doing my own thing. All the teachers at Sheridan are really nice, so I think I may be dropping in more often.

Marching Band . . . in March!

2008-03-20T21:18:00.003-04:00

The Dandelion Marching Band

Watercolour Pencil on Paper

13" x 10"

I tend to have an influx of photos, images, typography, etc. that are kicking around. I had a really nice photo of a British Marching Band. So what did I do with it? I obviously traced it and turned their funny hats into floral arrangements. Wouldn't you? I have yet again flirted with juxtaposition. I was initially going to scan it in and work into it digitally; however, I kind of like it this way. This is the kind of simplicity I've been looking for. It's the most honest work I've done all school year. True story.

Son-set

2008-03-16T11:17:00.005-04:00

Mother and Sons

Watercolour, Acrylic, Gesso and Graphite on Canvas

24" x 18"

Here is a commission I did a few weeks ago. A family friend from home saw some of my recent work and asked if I would do something for his wife. I know the family portrait in front of a sunset is kind of cheesy; however, if you knew this lady, you would know that this is pretty much her in a nutshell. The patterns and drapery was difficult as you can see. The likeness is fairly accurate. The process was very trying to get through. I think I'm slowly ending my love affair with graphite. Or maybe portraits? I look at some illustrators work and admire their simplicity. Jillian Tamaki has a daily sketchblog I enjoy looking at. I wish I was as scrupulous and brave as she is with her media. Spring is in the air. So is change. Once again. The battle ensues.

For No One

2008-03-15T10:48:00.008-04:00

Peter, Bryce and Miles had their gallery show last night, as titled "For No One". It was at the Loose Canon Gallery on the James Street N. strip of Hamilton. They got a really good turnout. Many were there to support their friends and family, also I wider audience of pedestrians were strolling through. There was a great atmosphere and the Gallery did a great job representing the three. I'm disappointed that there are not more photos, my camera ran out of juice half way through. Tough luck. All three ended up selling pieces of their work. They did a really good job. Another nice little night in Hammer-town.

Going out and experiencing culture, shows and the general GTA makes me feel more creative. I am a big advocate of inspiration through experience. The show last night infused me with a rush of ideas. The warmer weather is cheering me up to. Soon enough I'll be back to my original form. Born and bred to rip and shred baby! Hahaha. On a side note, wasabi is nothing to be taken lightly when using large quantities. I'm sorry tummy. Never again.

Mr. Adi Dassler

2008-03-07T20:59:00.005-05:00

I have been researching advertising strategies and I stumbled upon this. The only word that really comes to mind is magic. Really hits home. And makes me feel less guilty about my obsession with shoes. Check it out. You'll see what I'm talking about. Here is the link for the actual site.

Getting Warm

2008-03-07T15:47:00.003-05:00

Nigerian Mail Fraud

Multimedia

24" x 10"

Weather report = snow. We have just entered March, which usually means slushy roads and the first flower buds. But no, we had to get more snow. Somebody should straighten out that groundhog, he is clearly not doing his job. I'll get over it. I just look forward to warmer weather sooooo bad. Our latest project for Interpretive class was about personal interpretations through style, storytelling and concept. The topic was Nigerian Mail Fraud. We chose letters that were determined to be fraudulant and illustrated them to our liking. My letter dealt with the oil industry and children introduced to warfare. The illustration is separated into three 8" x 10" panels. I chose to paint it as one entire landscape. I was excited to use both traditional and digital media. Happy with some things, but not so happy with others. Is there too much happening? I think there is. I know the colour and darkness gave me fits. It was good practice on a limited time schedule. I think I want to pursue the idea amalgamating painted grounds and digital graphics. HYBRIDS!

GO Faces

2008-03-03T10:06:00.007-05:00

When talking about time and dates, February didn't really exist for me. It was a whole big jumble of places to be and faces to see. I'm not dissatisfied, it's a good change of pace once in a while. Just saying that things have moved pretty fast for me in the last month. Now I am done with the Post, back from reading break and I guess ready to kick some ass? I'm on the fence right now whether I should be really excited for illustration, or really unenthusiastic. It's a strange thing to say, it's true though. So, while I was working at the Post I had to commute there everyday for about three to four hours. It was frustrating at times; however, I have come to really respect the everyday commuter. I tried to sketch whenever I could, whether it be on the Go Train, subway or the bus. I limited myself to a ballpoint pen. Sounds boring, I know, the paper was toned with acrylic, so I found it to be a good mix. I have been promising myself some quality sketchbook time. I guess this fits the bill until I need my next pen to paper fix.

JESUS CHRIST ON A BICYCLE . . . . . . . I"M PUBLISHED!

2008-02-26T11:15:00.019-05:00

Well opportunity has come and gone, and I am left pretty astounded. My co-op at the National Post for the past two weeks was an adventure. Navigating public transit, braving the weather, run-ins with Go-Police, and the pressure of fitting into a team to make deadlines for a turn around usually less than 24 hours. It was intimidating. Luckily I found a rhythm, caught on fast and figured out how to sweet talk the Go-Police like it's my job. When I arrived at the Post I was thrown right into the mix. The Graphics and Illustration department has a stellar team, mostly Sheridan graduates. Graphic Editor Richard Johnson heads the team of Kagan McLeod, Andrew Barr, Mike Faille (pronounced "fy"), Steve Murray, and Jonothan Rivait. They are a great bunch of guys with stupid amounts of talent. I was expecting to start off slow, but from day one I was given work that was actually published in the paper daily! These are some of the basic graphics I worked on for the Post.

On my second day on the job Rich gave me an illustration to take on. It was my first illustration job ever. The article was about a woman who plays a match-maker for Toronto's high class society. I started out with a pencil sketch, took it into photoshop, then played around with the multiple layer and various colour overlays. It turned out alright. It's a start right?

This is an illustration for Toronto Magazine, which is found in the Post during weekends. The article was about how to remodel the area of Queen Street W. and Parkdale to be more inviting and scenic. The article primarily talks about the area outside of the Gladstone hotel. I got some overhead shots of the area from Google Earth, then traced them out in Illustrator in a rough architectural-concept style. I was given a lot of freedom to add what ever i thought the area may need. This mostly ended up being gardens, park area, bike lanes, wider sidewalks, etc. It was fun working in such a long, horizontal format.

Remember when the U.S. lost control of their own spy satellite and had to shoot it down with a missile? Well the Post ran an awesome graphic illustration of what happened during the process. Richard, Andrew and myself worked on this together. I rendered the satellite for Rich, and he put it all together. It turned out reallllllly nice.

Finally, this is the majority of work we do for the graphics department. A lot of graphs, charts and locator maps. Taking raw information that most people would just skip over and make it into something pretty. Most people take these graphics for granted. On my last day however; the National Post pulled in a fair share of awards on a major international level. The Post was third in the World with fifty one awards (behind only the New York Times and L.A. Time). There was a speech and some shout outs, mainly to the studs in graphics. Apparently Rich is a really big deal around these parts. Some sort of newspaper graphics celebrity? Their hard work and dedication was rewarded with the mecca of all combinations, pizza and beer. And I was there to partake in the glory basking. All in all, a good day to end off a very enlightening two weeks spent in Don Mills. Would I do it again? I don't know. The two hour commute there and back was bothersome, but I got some good sketches done. I'll post those soon. For now, I need to catch up on two weeks of missed school work. Ouch. Big thanks to Rich and the guys from graphics for having me. It was a great opportunity and really enjoyed my time at the National Post. Thanks.

Down to Business

2008-02-09T11:12:00.001-05:00

A couple business cards that I have designed for Graphic Design class. I think these two are more or less just a project, and I would create new cards to distribute to represent myself. I submitted the top card because it felt more polished and professional; however, my professor told me that the second card better represents my personality. If I had more time I would like to further develop the second card. It's not quite there yet.

On a different business note, I will be partaking in a two week internship at the National Post in Toronto beginning Monday. See you in two weeks.

Snow

2008-02-07T00:16:00.001-05:00

I was walking through the thick snow tonight on my way back home. On my journey I realized there are three ways you can walk through snow:

Hop from foothole to foothole, using a path made by some one else.
Stagger your steps and make the path easier for those behind you.
Make your own path through uncertain terrain.

Analogy?

Maybe. Today I staggered. Tommorrow, maybe something else.