Tuesday, September 4, 2007

God save the Queen






My last project before Art Center begins (orientation this wednesday, finally!!!)

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Sheer Boredom

It's been nearly a week since I moved to Pasadena.

I'll be honest with you, as an 18 year old not knowing pretty much anyone here, being deprived of a college life, and with about 2 weeks or so before school begins, it's ridiculously BORING. All I do is sleep, play vidoegames and (rarely) eat.

Part of me was like, 'Augh, was this really the right decision?'. Sure, I never really cared too much about a typical college life, but it would've been nice to have one regardless. I'm hoping that this small sacrifice will be made up for when class actually begins.



:S

I feel like going back to sleep right now actually....





- m

Friday, August 17, 2007

hot damn...

I leave for Pasadena tomorrow. 6~7 hours of driving from San Jose to Pasadena, w00t!!

I've been worrying a bit, stressed over loans, parking permits, etc etc etc. Damn, I'm just waiting for school to begin!!!

A GOOD part of me wishes that I applied to Parsons or RISD or jus went to a San Francisco art school. AT LEAST a place with dorms and a decent college life. But really, all this worrying gets nowhere. I'm obligated to move down, I'm obligated to my horrendous student loans, I'm obligated to attend.

I AM gonna miss a lot of my friends, it's funny how I (at the time) was ready to leave them and pursue my dream. Now I wish that I had just a little bit more time with them. It's gonna be a lot harder to make new friends, especially in an environment dominated by older people.


...I hope all this stress pays off. I'm ready to open a can of whoop-ass and fury. It's been fun, I'm ready to begin my 'next' life as an "Art Student"...



Wish me luck! I leave saturday morning, bright and early....(hopefully)....





- m

Monday, August 6, 2007

Some work...

Some old work I did (Senior Year/High School)....

*


*


(^ Horrible picture quality, sorry ^)


*




* = In my Art Center Undergrad Portfolio

Friday, August 3, 2007

The Fatigue

So I'm heading off to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena on the 18th.


Fatigue? - Yes
Worried? - Yes
Tired of anticipation? - Yes
Stressed? - Yes
Excited? - Yes
Tired of other people telling you the school sucks? - Yes

...seriously.

For the past month or so, I've been having second thoughts about going to Art Center. Apparently, the quality of the school has been going down hill. They accept more 'high school' students, which is apparently 'bad'. Part of me wonders, was I accepted for my level of skill? Or was I accepted because I happen to be OK at what I do and I just so happen to be a high school student?

I'm pretty sick of tired of hearing everyone's negative insight. I understand that Art Center students are bitter - infact, I bet I will become like them. However, part of me just wants to give up. I already withdrew nearly $40,000 in private student loans just for my first year. At OTIS, another art school I considered, I believe I'd only need about $5,000~$10,000 in private student loans. At SF Academy of Art, I could at least pull a double major AND be in one of my favorite places on the planet. The odds are against me.

...But still, my path is already laid out before me. I have a place in Pasadena, I have my loans, I have my skill - can determination really see everything through to the end?

I hate everything right now.

But regardless, I still intend on going to Art Center, even with all this doubt I have. I'm sick of disappointment. I want to see this through to the end...


The odds are against me, but still...

...you gotta let me dream, even if it's just once





- Matt

Thursday, July 12, 2007

inspiration


Tetsuya Nomura (Concept Artist - Final Fantasy)
- Why?: He's inspired my overall style of art, his style is very sleek and beautiful, but at the same time modest.


Sword of the New World: Granado Espada (PC MMORPG)
- Why?: Finally, a PC game that looks visually stunning an no elves or ogres!


Sofia Coppla's Marie Antoinette (Motion Picture)
- Why?: Obscene and lavish beauty, the color, rhythms, patterns are beautiful



Saturday, June 30, 2007

Miss Crimson - Complete

DONE!!! Hope you like it!


Miss Crimson





Name: Alena Hotchkiss
Age: 26
Birthdate: February 14th
Height: 5ft 6in
Weight: Secret
Favorite Color: Scarlet
Favorite Flower: Rose

A modest, humble yet helpless romantic – Alena Hotchkiss lives the life of a rich princess in an old fairytale. Unlimited wealth, radiant charm, and down to earth persona; this enchantress lives a picture perfect life. The only thing that could ever ruin her image is to discover her hidden personality - to challenge or question her conviction.


Useless Trivia: She hates labor intensive work.

Inspire: Warlock class (Sword of the New World: Granado Espada) + Marie Antoinette (Coppla's Motion Picture) + Ivy (Namco/Soul Calibur)

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Art Center - Miss Crimson



Visited Art Center again this past weekend to show my family. I felt really excited but at the same time worried about what I may have gotten myself into. Old town Pasadena is nice 8-) right now I'm in the process of trying to find a place to live (NO luck - augh).


I finally have some time to do some CHARACTER DESIGNING 8-) Inspiration the female Elementalist and Witch classes from Granado Espada (PC MMOPRG) + Ivy from Soul Calibur (Videogame). Still in the process of coloring it, my friend Marcus showed me a GREAT way to shade on Photoshop, so I'm finally utilizing that ability 8-). Hope you like how I'm coming along with this particular character.


Her name is currently Miss Crimson. A seductive sorceress who loves roses. I intend on coming up with some sort of fun and exciting profile and story for her! Along with Countess and Miss Game (previous works which I have yet to show the public).


byeee





- Matt

Thursday, June 14, 2007

....Let the Madness Begin....

I jus graduated a couple hours ago from high school.

I am officially a prospective art student.

This is my first piece of art as an art student (NOT a high school student). It carries a lot of momentum.
















Title: The Unforgiven (work in progress)
Medium: Pencil, Micron Pen 005 (Red Ink)


- Matt

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Calm Before the Storm...

...I'll begin posting up work sometime nearing the end of this week (after I graduate from High school 8-)!!! FREEDOM!), so once again, sorry for the long pause, although, I doubt anyone is even keeping up with this blog for now...

Why Art?
- Cookies and milk are meant for each other - Me and art are meant for each other. Throughout my life of constant dissapointments and let-downs, art was the only thing that has never betrayed or dissapointed me. I've been creating "Art" since I was about 3 or so, I remember my kindergarden teacher, Ms. Sekamoto, saying that I should go to in art school (can't let her down now, can I?). It's neccessary that I pursue art.

Style
- Naturalistic/Realistic proportions, Dynamic breathe of videogames/mangas, with a Sleek/Sophisticated overall look = my style

Inpsiration
- Andy Warhol
- Tetsuya Nomura
- Limha Lekhan
- [000] REI
- Yoshitaka Amano
- Kazuma Keneko
- Da Vinci

Goal
- To elevate the level and expectations of entertainment art + To make the entertainment art world more powerful, sophisticated and beautiful + To merge the world of fashion, music, motion picture, and videogames together.

Occupational Goals
- Concept Artist [Videogames + Motion Pictures/Movies] <--- #1 GOAL
- Fashion Illustrator [Fashion]
- Character Designer [Videogames]
- Costume Designer [Motion Pictures/Movies]
- Art Direction/Cinematographer [Motion Pictures/Movies/Music Videoes]
- Animator [Motion Pictures/Animation]
- Graphic Designer [Fashion]

Content
- Gowns [Elaborate dresses reflected Vicotrian/Baroque/Renaissance Culture]
- Beautiful Pain [Interpretations of simplistic pain and delicate beauty]
- Floral Designs [Subject matter not neccessarily flowers, but graphic-design like designs that place emphasis on many aeshetically pleasing curves and lines]
- Fine Arts [Misc. Artwork - Includes Abstract and Nude Figure Drawings]

Weaponry
- Micron Pens [5 pack + 5 pack/colors]
- India Ink + Quill Pens
- Watercolour
- Adobe Photoshop 7 + Wacome Intuos3
- Led Pencils + Nice Erasers
- Prisma Color Pencils

What's Ahead of Me
- Art Center College of Design [Major: Entertainment Illustration - Fall 2007]

What I Need to Work On
- Architecture [Working on geometric shapes/etc]
- Working with different mediums
- Building my communication skills
- Build my HTML and web making skills
- Learning how to drive in L.A. (AUGHHHH)
- Stop worrying about the future


Thursday, May 24, 2007

...and let them eat cake...

...who the hell said that? Marie Antionette apparently was not the woman responsbile for that term...

My name is Matt
I'll be graduating out of high school within the next month or so
I'll be a future art student (as Art Center or OTIS, don't know which one exactly)
I want to become an (entertainment) illustrator

I want to become a concept artist
I want to become a character designer
I want to become a story board artist
I want to become an animator
I want to become a conceptual artist
I want to become a photographer
I want to become a fashion illustrator
I want to become an abstract artist

...so my professions, so little time....I created this blog jus before I begin my new life as an art student. I intend on displaying sketches/artworks/photos/snapshots of the life of a struggling 18 year old art student. Watch me grow! I promise you'll make the right investment :P




- matt