Revised Version

Still a work in progress...

First Manikin Model Muscles

(I greyscaled the images to see the value and highlights much easier without as much distraction from the differences in colors.)

Here was our first try at building muscles on the manikin. I found it to be very therapeutic as well as relaxing. The one problem is that I tend to loose track of time and spend many more hours on it than expected as well and lost a few hours of pillow-time.

I knew that there were many muscles in the human body but I am now just learning how many that number really is. There are a boat LOAD of small and large muscles. For the most part I have only paid attention to the muscles under the surface of the skin, those easily visible to the eye. Well you can say that I missed a lot of the ones under the skin and am now recognizing how complex the structures really are. Well enough of my drop-jaw jabberin'.

Overall I thought that if went very well. After first thinking I had completed everything I looked back to find that I missed two muscles and made the necessary measures to fix the problem. Once we get going on these models I am very excited to learn how the muscles intermingle and weave throughout the body. I think that after building the manikin I will know much more about the structure of the human form because I touched and created each one by hand. This semester is young and I have already learned a great deal with much more to come out of it.

My New Logo

I wanted something that popped and had a lot of edge to it. My previous logo designs were far too 'corporate' for my liking. Lately I have been looking at a lot of graffiti as well as geometric character design and here is what I got from it. Comments and criticism always welcome.

Resume Updated #2

Here is a little different spacing on words etc.

SollieDesign Branding

Here is the first idea I have for a resume to go with my GD2 project. We are supposed to create a logo, envelope, business card, and resume. This is what I have so far, far from finished, and likely bound to change in the next week. Tell me what you think of my idea so far. Thanks.

Sleepless in Art History

I find myself sitting in art history staring blankly at the projection screen. (Side not- art history lectures have to be the worst 2 hours of your life when you are deprived of sleep from the previous night). Why is this class so hard to pay attention in? The content is very interesting...but I just cannot sit still and listen. When DeviantArt, Behance.net, email, Blogger, and Facebook dare call my name and I answer with giving them all, well almost all, of my attention. It has been made obvious there is a reason I am enrolled in creative classes. In math earlier today I fell asleep in the front row. The reason is because it was neither interesting or stimulating.

This is the artwork we discuss in my Italian Renaissance art history class.
What we need to look at is the art history of famous figures such as the crazy-man Mr. Edgar Poe.
Don't get me wrong, I really want to learn the art history behind everything, we just need some bobble-heads in there somewhere.

Snap-Shot Skills

I need to work on my photo skills. Make my drawings actually look half decent once I post them. Well maybe I will just find a pro photographer and steal them for 10 minutes to take my blog photos...well after thinking about it, maybe not.

Shell Contour (3.5 hours)

So after 3.5 hours this is what I have. I kept trying to get the inside of the shell to look right and I just wasn't having any luck. I started by sketching different angles for about 45 minutes to get the feel. After getting midway through my 3 hour time limit I was a little bit scared and went back and re-checked all of my lines. My shell drawing looks much better than the 1st contour sketch we did during class.
Well I guess everything can only get better from now on. In a few weeks I will finally have some sketches worth celebrating about. It only takes time and practice to get better at working with cross contour line drawings. By the end of this class I am looking forward to having a much better eye for drawing from life rather than pictures.

Creativity Block Is Busting Your Brain

For my Design Theory and Methods class we had to choose a design problem and use the seven step process come up with a solution. We came up with ideas from the outlets in the dorms to being afraid to expressing your design concepts. My group decided on 'Creativity Block' and how to get out of a creative rut.
The right brain is more scattered thought and the left side is concrete and logical ideas. The brain was used to literally signify this with a broken bridge in between. As we describe what to do for each step in the process a new section of the bridge is added until the pathway is completed. When the bridge is finished it signifies the creation of a solid concept by organizing random thoughts into concrete ideas.

2nd Week of Life Drawing

After two weeks of life drawing (2 periods drawing) I have already learned a lot. It has been over a year since I have drawn a still life and need to just wear off the rust.

Our first cross contour drawing didn't go as well as planned but I guess there is a reason it was my first. I learned that its not a good idea to pick a subject that is set directly straight in front of you. Hopefully this shell drawing will be much better than what I did in class. The one from class will NOT be posted in fear of my own personal ego.

My Website and Blog

Now that I have my website getting closer to a finished design I really need to look into the CSS for Blogger and create a blog that somewhat resembles my portfolio page...well I guess that is a project for a later date. Just want everyone to understand that my page won't be so lame and boring for much longer hopefully.

Life Drawing

I am looking forward to learning many things in the life drawing course. First I want better understand the human form and how the muscles work together. I also want to become better at illustrating the figure with correct lines and movement. This is one of the classes that I have been most excited for since starting school here at Stout. Everyday I try to at least enter something into my sketchbook and this class will hopefully make my figure sketches exponentially better in quality and understanding.

Street Art

I was stumble-ing and ran across this artist from Brazil that uses drains to create characters. If there is one thing I love, it has be be using design and art in our everyday lives.

Website Is UP!

My website is officially up! I still need to go through the type and work with it a little. After changing my design over ten times I finally have something I am sticking with. www.solliedesign.com

Sketches

My 1st Post

Well here it is folks. My Life Drawing blog. Here is some of the design/artwork I have done over this past summer. This is my logo as well as a design for a personal business card. Here are also a few of my recent sketches. I have been working on my sketching as well as style.

Hello!?

Welcome