*Cado

Ehm, 5 months since my last update... the waiting wasn't intentional, although I'm not sure if anyone is actually waiting for me to update, but it's nice to let people know you're alive and well, right? Well, I am!

Art-wise, things have been going slow, at least when it comes to my own personal motivation. Aside from my 3 posted deviations, I haven't been drawing much, partly because I was insanely busy with my exam project at school as well as the actual exam in June and my 3-week vacation to Germany and Italy in July (a much needed vacation), and also a family member fell ill on top of it all (he's alright again).

Though the two highlights art-wise were definitely 1) being invited to Radarfilm by ~ToreRexAndersen and seeing how a 3D animation movie is made, and 2) being invited by *Malach to a party event, where myself and 2 other artists painted live in front of a crowd, and meeting/seeing *Fealasy drawing digitally. It had been ages since I painted on a canvas with actual paint, the closest I've come to it in the last 10+ years being watercolour... and canvas vs. watercolour is two very different things. I did alright though... I think. 'Twas my first time being paid as an artist, so that's good for one's confidence at least. Even though the thought of painting in front of so many people was scary at first.

When it comes to my education, I've more or less decided I won't be focusing on anything "creative" as my main occupation (I say "" because you can use your creativity in almost every job). I've put a lot of thought into it, and I'm sure I'm making the right decision. There was a lot of factors that came into play, one being the fact that my arm can't handle too much time in front of the computer (so how will it be if I have to spend all my time web designing, drawing digitally etc? I'll be handicapped in no time). Also lack of money (for most), lack of general appreciation for creative people, future outsourcing to China/India etc. helped in my decision. I'm not saying you're making the wrong decision when you're a graphics designer/artist/etc, I'm just saying my motivation when faced with these factors wasn't big enough.

I'm not going to stop being creative (it's like breathing to us. Right?). On the contrary, I think the idea of turning my creativity into a full-time job ruined my motivation, and now I'll be able to relax more with it. If some creative offer comes along, I might take it. Who knows what will happen. A big part of one's life is based on coincidence, and the only thing you have power over is how open you are to new things.

So what will I be doing instead? I don't know yet. I'll finish Multimedia Design (which will be done in a year) and figure it out in the meantime.

I'm still searching artistically. As soon as I make something worth showing off, you'll be the first to find out.


I hope you are all well -

/Cado

...due to stress. I won't even go through this last week and a half, as it's been quite the ride. I'll admit I learned a lot by having to constantly rethink the design of my website, and redo everything again and again (and having to throw all my flash design out the window. Urgh.)... But could I have done without it? HELL YES. That being said, it's damn nice finally having a website of my own...and why am I writing all this when you should be -

- taking a look!

So any comments? I'm particularly interested in praise about my hard work, reports of any browsers that don't show the content correctly (please include browser name+version) and such. ;D

There's still a few things missing, like a FAQ (which will be closer to a Q&A as the questions aren't quite "frequent" enough) and a few more banners, both my own and other artists'.

The site also contains a few images I haven't shown here on my DA account (+ more in the next update), and that leads me to...


Webdesigning, naturally. But aside from that, I've been drawing a lot "on the side". I needed a period of not worrying about posting it on DA and what people would say. It gave a lot. Drawing simply for my own enjoyment.

Though there's no reason to worry, I'm not leaving DA behind. I still have lots to show you.

So, how are you? Unfortunately, I haven't been able to keep up with DA journals, so I'd love to know.

'Till next time!

/Cado

So I thought I'd wish you a happy new year before your message center is spammed by similar journals and my little message drowns in the masses, and more importantly, before my brain decides to forget.

I wish you a happy new year with more good moments than bad! May you continue to be awesome in your own special way.

Here's me, sending some pink bunnies after you! The good kind... of way (no guarrantee offered).

So, do you have any interesting New Year's resolutions?

Personally, I'm going to face the truth, artistically. Or rather, I'm hoping to, as my brain has a tendency to work against me. Skill doesn't come flying from the sky, it doesn't grow on trees, not even the genetic kind, nor does it come knocking on the door some odd monday when you've eaten too much sugar. However, if it did, I would surely open the door, and invite it in for tea (and sugar). But we all know that isn't going to happen, so "unfortunately" I'll have to do it the good ol' hard way: Drawdrawdrawdrawdrawwhinedrawdrawdraw. Draw from real life, or photographs/tv if I somehow can't find the former anywhere (I have a life? A real one even? Lies!).

Right now I'm refusing to face the truth. I put the pencil to the paper, and... despair. Usually that's the first thing that happens. Then follows stubbornness, and I end up with something semi-presentable eventually. But it could be better. So much better. Simply drawing by will isn't enough. It's like writing an essay without learning the grammar first. The message drowns in the flaws.

I'm not saying it's that bad. I have improved a great deal over the past year, but if I'm ever going to be anything other than "good", I need to push myself more. More adventures! I'm kinda like one of those numbskulls who ask me to "teach them how to draw" as if all it requires is a few magic words, and suddenly you're an artist. All I do is hand them a blank paper and a pencil, and not say anything, or I just tell them to "start drawing" if I don't have any paper lying around (and I should have! Always!).

So here's to taking my own advice! Always the hardest advice to follow. *gulps down a glass of juice*

Maybe I can even get past my insecurity of not ever being good enough for people to actually want to pay for what I make. It shouldn't matter. Maybe eventually, it will come of itself.

It's still the same theme! Draw squids, get a feature here and remember to note me with your deviation.

If there doesn't seem to be much interest in this, then oh well. I guess I'll be featuring my own art then. (;

Recent favs:

Is it possible to be in a mid-life crisis at the age of 20? Maybe it's just the 20-30 crisis everyone goes through, but somehow it isn't quite important enough to receive a name. So it's a mix of teenage "I don't know who I am" angst and mid-life "What have I spent my life doing?" babbling. To sum it up: "What do I want to spend my time doing?". It's like an impending doom, and I want to post-pone it so badly. That question. I have too many answers for it, and yet I have none.

...Urgh, just reading that is like watching a big hammer with "stereotype" written all over it, hammering at my face. I've had enough hammering of my face playing Nintendo Wii with my friend Tommy (note to self: Keep Wii remote and face at least a meter apart).

I'm going further down that path again, and quote John Lennon: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"

So basically, I needn't worry too much. Nothing will go according to plan anyway.


Even if you don't celebrate it, I'm sure it's been pushed down upon you anyway. Luckily I've been able to escape the (consumer) frenzy and be an indifferent old Grinch up until now. But then my mom baked more christmas cakes than anyone would be able to eat yesterday, and that marks the entry of Christmas for me.

Merry Christmas to you all! I'll have so much fun eating my way through this, haha.

Ta-ta!

As you might have noticed, I've grown an affinity for squids this past month. And it's literally grown out of me.... so what if it's all in my head? It's a nice place to be.

I'm going to try this little experiment. Everytime I update, I'm going to throw an idea your way of what to draw. The purpose? Simply to inspire you. The prizes? I can't believe you asked! ... you'll get a feature here. It's not much, but you shouldn't be doing this unless you want to.

This round is: as I mentioned, squids. Go crazy.

(if you do this, please drop me a comment/note/loveorhateletter with the link)

Art that is "awesome" but deserves a better comment than that, and maybe a fav (if you agree of course):



Truly inspiring, breath-taking, heart-breaking and funny. Some more than one.



Stay happy in your christmas faces.
'Till next time!

/Cado

Being a multimedia designer (in the making) it was only about time I did something to my old CSS. So here you have it! Completely Cado-fied - now with extra weird monsters and pink bunnies! I wanted something less aggressive than my previous layout, something that went into the flow of DA, which is why I kept the DA colours. But it still had to have that certain flair of dementia, and of course one of my pink minions.

I've checked the layout in Safari and Firefox... but I have yet to test it in the drama queen of all browsers - IE. So, there being a good chance YOU are using before-mentioned primadonna - how does it look? Anything wonky about it (that isn't intended that way)? I'm talking flying text boxes, godzilla-like headings trashing the text and the like... well, let me know! I'm prepared for the worst... right after a good night's rest. Actually no... I'll probably cry if the layout doesn't work in IE after all the work I put into it. Yep.


No computer yet (I'm using my mom's for this). I miss my music so damn much! It's not even the least bit funny anymore. MTV/theVoice is killing me... and argh! Anyway. A new girl is moving in today. School is starting to become routine. Other than that everything is fine. We just elected our new prime minister in Denmark yesterday... nothing groundbreaking there.

Things need to happen. My mind has grown accustomed to all the action, and it likes it that way. Yessss!


Stay happy in your faces ~
/Cado