Boy

I did an accompanying piece to the 'Girl' portrait I did earlier.

Boy.

4 x 5" Stonehenge paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

I think they make a rather cute little pair :]

You're In Love Again

I've been working on this on and off for quite a while, letting it sit around my workspace in various stages of completion.

This piece was inspired by Jacob Borshard's song 'You're In Love Again.' It's a bittersweet song about being on the unfortunate end (angle?) of a love triangle featuring a ukelele! Nice to hear the instrument being used in a different style than Hawaiian music, like I'm used to.

In Victorian times, the yellow rose symbolized jealousy, but now it can also be interpreted as a sign of friendship or sympathy. Ivy is associated with fidelity, friendship, affection, survival, and determination.

You're In Love Again.

10 x 14" watercolor paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

I also entered it as a CD mock-up for Laminate's Most Wanted 2 inspired by James Jean and Lori Earley. Please take a look at the amazing entries (including one by my friend Sunny Gu) and vote here!

Persephone

8 x 10" Arches paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

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Persephone became Queen of the Underworld when Hades, god of the Underworld, kidnapped her. He burst out of the Underworld on a chariot, grabbing her while she was picking Narcissus flowers. Persephone's mother Demeter, goddess of harvest, was distraught and searched everywhere for her daughter. She refused to allow anything to grow on the earth until Zeus stopped avoiding her questions and helped her.

Zeus, not wanting everything to be destroyed, demanded that Hades return Persephone. As she was leaving, Hades offered her a pomegranate, which she ate the seeds of before returning to the surface. Whether or not she was tricked depends on what translation you read, but since she ate food from the Underworld, she would have to return to the Underworld three months out of the year. This, according the the mythology, is what causes the changes in seasons.

This is a pretty basic summary. You can read a more thorough version of the story here.

The pomegranate itself has polarizing meanings across cultures, from the fruit of the dead to symbolizing good health and fertility.

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I also drew from this video, which I advise you not to watch if you're sensitive to potentially disturbing imagery of a gory, violent, sexual kind. Or if you're not into music erring on the 'loud' side (sorry, I'm not so good at the genre thing).

Er... well I guess the preview shot on this video kind of says it all.

Happy Halloween everyone ;]

Little Portrait III

4 x 5" Stonehenge paper.

Graphite + acrylic.

Chasing Shadows

3.5 x 5" Stonehenge.

Graphite + acrylic.

I've been liking how the cuts, materials, and silhouettes of clothing are playing with what's hidden, what's visible, and what's suggested.

Quick little portrait II

Here is yet another little portrait I did. I made myself use only colors I typically wouldn't think of using for skin tone, and I think it turned out well :]

3.5 x 5" Stonehenge paper.

Graphite, acrylic, digital.

And here is a sneak peek of references for an upcoming idea. What could all of these things mean? Hmm...

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via tumblr

P.S. I just noticed that I typo'd the last portrait post. I know how to spell... yes...