Ymesako Art Blog i: 2008

The Old and the New
20081231

Meet Tenma Tsukamoto. She is my Mom's New year's gift to me. I don't know why I have a new year's gift but still I am glad to have something to open. At first I had no idea who she was. I asked a friend if he know's what character she is. The only thing I knew she was related to School Rumble...thats the only thing that I could understand on the box. My friend then gave me a link about her. My friend was green with envy since he knew the character.

With a new sketchbook I promised myself that I will get back at my sketching and traditional media.

meet my 11 year old colored pencils.

and my five year old colored pens

I have no real formal plans for my sketchbook...unlike the project 25. I just want to draw whatever comes to mind. I don't want to be so conscious on the outcome. Everything will be spontaneous. Let the pencil take control.

s
I would also go back to film photography. My bf sponsored my film so now I got a little stash of film to start me off for the coming year!

Posted bymiles0282 at 15:23 4 comments

colored Tarsieroo
20081111

Posted bymiles0282 at 11:48 0 comments

Tarsier
20081027

Posted bymiles0282 at 22:28 0 comments

Beautiful Posters
20081007

Found these posters at http://www.harmonie-interieure.com. I would to have one of these posted in my bedroom.

Posted bymiles0282 at 15:57 0 comments

intresting point of view
20081002

I got this from Avid.

This is about copyright issues. Please read it carefully & with an open mind.

I often come across rants by some young graphic designer or digital artist about how his/her idea was copied, or work was stolen or was used by others with out permission etc. And as an artist myself, my natural reaction I guess should be sympathy but it’s not. It just gets my blood boiling as to how self absorbed people can be.

Yes it sucks to have your work stolen, provided that it actually was… you are not as original as you think, there is a world creative consciousness, especially with the internet where we all laugh at the same Youtube videos & read the same articles & admire the same artists from years gone by… but I digress (that is another point entirely)…

Yes it sucks to have your work stolen.

But the bigger question you should ask yourself is… are you innocent?

And I don’t mean just mean passing off other people’s work as your own…

I mean…

Do you use original software?

Do you think it is fair to rant about your art being stolen when the software you used to create it is illegal as well?

Think about it please… and I’m not just talking about software… artists are so quick to raise hell when their intellectual properties are violated but have you not watched a fake dvd? Played pirated games on your PS2 or Wii? Downloaded MP3s ?

If you buy stuff from Greenhills then you have violated so many intellectual properties already! (Even fake brands of shoes & clothes are violations). If you enjoy Greenhills then stop ranting.

The only ones who can rant are the truly innocent ones.

Fonts that you love to use on your posters & print ads have copyright too you know... they are graphic elements designed & owned by some one on another part of the planet, did you pay for the font (most of them are not free!) or have you at least given the creators credit?

If you have not violated ANY intellectual properties then by all means raise the hordes of hell for your cause.

I recently read this post on how a big brand stole the graffiti of a bunch of street artists for their print campaign. Yes that sucks. That was unethical on brand & ad agency’s part. But to the street artists, I ask you this… did you own the wall that you drew on to begin with?

This to me, is a karmic matter.

Do you people not constantly dodge policemen in pursuit of your art? I love street art, don’t get me wrong… but I just find it silly when you people get mad that you have been wronged when you know that most of your art is based on using other’s property with out permission & “wrong” in itself.

It’s like being a stand up comic whose humor relies on insulting others but cannot take being insulted himself.

It is a different matter of course if the wall was yours or you had been given a permit to decorate. But even if that were the case, are you still completely innocent with regards to other intellectual property matters? The music on your ipod that was playing while you were tagging… did you pay for all of that?

Yes it sucks to have your work stolen.

But hopefully my open letter gives you another perspective on the matter. If you have been wronged, then make an effort to do things right yourself… strive to be pure… but if you love your free movies & music so much, then think twice before you get mad next time.

That is all. Thank you.

Posted bymiles0282 at 22:09 0 comments

Naynay
20080909

This is my munny. I haven't started painting it. My sister already gave it a name....don't ask me why she has a long explanation for it. Can't wait to start painting...when I finally but art supplies.

Posted bymiles0282 at 21:34 0 comments

None sense Plugging
20080904

I no longer have time to blog so instead I plurk or I tumblr.

work work plurk work

ymesako art inspirations

Posted bymiles0282 at 19:18 0 comments

wanna go see my photos...
20080715

I have passed photos for the Penshoppe lomography exhibit. Finally the poster for exhibit is out. It's in Glorieta 4 July 18-27, 2008. I want to go so that I could see if the photos I passed is there but at least I did see one picture in the poster. Yey! (see the red circle)

Posted bymiles0282 at 21:56 0 comments

fun with text
20080612

while waiting for ten o'clock i tried cool tutorials from PSDTUTs

Posted bymiles0282 at 06:33 0 comments

Labels: photoshop tutorials, ymesako

Movie Shopping
20080525

With lots of time loitering the internet. I went to apple's movie trailer s and looked up for the latest movies. If I had fast internet I could have watched the trailers since streaming is prohibited here in the office so I was stuck reading and researching on the movies that caught my fancy.

So here is my list. (hopefully I will get to watch them all).

First on my list is
Four Minutes

Jenny is young. Her life is over. She killed someone. And she would do it again. When an 80-year-old piano teacher discovers the girl’s secret, her brutality and her dreams, she decides to transform her pupil into the musical wunderkind she once was.

I have a thing for foreign movies and I don’t mean Hollywood movies. I mean the subtitled kind. This is a German movie. I read very good reviews of this movie. I’m always attracted to movies of troubled youth and their deep dark secrets.

I found two movies of my favorite genre.

First is

The Strangers

The horrifying events that took place in the Hoyt family’s vacation home at 1801 Clark Road on February 11, 2005 are still not entirely known.

it would have been more interesting if knew what true to life story it was based upon but on my quick research the author has not revealed anything. I read a nice review. I hope it lives up to its review. I don't really trust reviews since we all have different take of a specific movie but something its kinda a guide. The site is cool and the poster.

Next is

Frontier(s)

Alone in a Paris plagued by deadly race riots, the young and beautiful Yasmine is looking for a way out. In her desperation, she turns to her shady ex-boyfriend. Together with his two thug friends, they pull off a bold heist and head for the border. With the police close behind, they hide out in a seemingly peaceful inn. But the mysterious innkeeper is hiding a secret more terrifying than anything they could ever imagine. Trapped in an endless maze of tunnels crawling with hungry subhuman cannibals, they must fight to survive their bloody initiation into the innkeeper’s evil family cult.

well this is another foreign film. One review said that

Frontieres" is a very intense and visceral experience that will surely please the most hardcore horror fans.

with that line I am definitely hooked. hehehe

My next movie is a documentary

American Teen

American Teen is a 2008 documentary film directed by Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes, The Kid Stays in the Picture). It is set in Warsaw, Indiana, and focuses on graduating high school seniors struggling through school and life. It competed in the Documentary Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Directing Award: Documentary.

I am a sucker for teen flicks. This is not your average teen flick though. It tackles real issues...i can't really comment much since haven't seen it hehehehe

last on my list is

The fall

Los Angeles, circa 1920‘s, a little immigrant girl (Catinca Untaru) finds herself in a hospital recovering from a fall. She strikes up a friendship with a bedridden man (Lee Pace) who captivates her with a whimsical story that removes her far from the hospital doldrums into the exotic landscapes of her imagination. Making sure he keeps the girl interested in the story he interweaves her family and people she likes from the hospital into his tale.

I can't wait to see this movie since it promises good visual imagery. I watch movies for inspiration so when I get to see movies with very nice visuals its definitely on my favorite list.

I am not sure if there movies if be released in the cinema here. I think I must be resourceful in order to get to watch these. Wish me luck!

Posted bymiles0282 at 18:48 0 comments

Labels: american teen, four minutes, frontiers, movies, the fall, the strangers

sleeping Ulysses
20080523

With my cellphone I had to take this picture.

Posted bymiles0282 at 05:31 1 comments

Labels: ulysses

The word is out
20080520

I know I have been silent for awhile now. I really didn’t write anything about it since I don’t want to raise any unwanted attention when I am not yet sure of what may happen next. It was just last Saturday when I knew I am going to write another new chapter in my life.

A year has passed and a lot happened. I finally had a job in Davao and a design related one. I really didn’t apply for this position but someone called my home and said I would come to their office for an interview. I was a bum at that time and I had lots of time in my hands so I went and tried my luck there.

It turned out the company is an IT Outsourcing Company. I was assigned in the Creative department. I was assigned to do print projects but later I learned to do web design and even html coding. I met new people, made friends and even become close to a number of my officemates. After a month everything seems fine but then reality sets in. One by one people are going. At first I was really sad but eventually I realized that this is the reality of work. I am happy though that they are still my friends even though I seldom see them anymore.

I learned a lot with the projects and working with people. I got used to hearing IT people conversing about computers all day. I learned to hang out with the guys since most of my officemates are guys. My work is fine and somehow first time in my life I was contented and comfortable with everything. I was doing my own thing and have friends of my own.

Being in your comfort zone is not a good thing for an artist. You forget to strive more. Everything is just okay. Deep in myself I knew I wanted more but somehow I had lost the will to find the right path of my career. I became good at following instructions and my creativity malnourished. Since I had time in my hands I planned personal art project to fill my time and nurture my sleeping creativity.

It’s almost a year and as a graphic artist I feel what I had is not adequate to fill my creative desire. What I made is not portfolio worthy for me. I said to myself I must awaken myself from this stupor state. I must challenge myself. At twenty five I feel like I was stuck at a dead-end job. Like I was just going to the office to be paid to surf the net.

I always ranted out my feelings in my blog. I wrote and a graphic artist dilemma. A couple of my fellow artist and friends gave words of advice. One artist even commented:

hindi kakapal yung portfolio mo kung aasa ka sa employer mo... it's up to you to initiate, create your own projects... less thinking.... more working. Think of every artist for whatever medium you admire, chances are, what ever put them on the map is something they initiated... someone once told me "you get hired for the work you do" so kung saan sa tingin mo ikaw magaling eh di gumawa ka ng samples... you don't need actual clients or projects... in media, it's hardly what you can do, but what you have done, so initiate initiate initiate.

After that reading the feedback of people from that post it made me think. I should not wait for an oppurtunity instead I should create my own. There was also a hs batchmate of mine who PM me about a job at her company. I was thrilled at the idea since its an advertising company and also one of the well known ad agencies here in the Philippines.
What do I have got to lose if I applied. I sent my resume and crossed my fingers. I was given a creative test. When I read the test I wanted to back out. I didn't feel that I could do the test. I guess I was overwhelmed at that time. I was given three days and so I had to maximize my time. Eventhough I thought I could not make it I gues said to myself there is no harm in trying. If I pass it would definitely an achievement and if I don't then it wouldn't really bother me since the test is quite difficult in the first place.

I made my ads and answered the essay questions. I sent my creative test and waited. I didn't know what to expect. I was already happy because I did not back down at the challenge (its a challenge for me since it's been awhile since I worked with advertising).

After a few days I got a reply and they liked what I did. I was very happy and never got over the idea that THEY LIKED what I did...and I thought my creative was already dull. I had an telephone (actually cell phone) interview. I had to dig up my rusty english speaking skill. After talking to two people I finally heard the phrase "your hired". I felt relieved and very happy.

I will go to Cebu to train and work there. I'm very anxious about the place, the food and the culture. I am not really new the place but it's been awhile since I went to Cebu. I am afraid that I might not survived and then I wanted to slap myself for thinking that. I had survived Manila...where I didn't speak the dialect, had few relatives and only trusted the help of my friends. Cebu however is nearer and I got tons of relatives there. My best friend is also there so I will not be lonely.

I am sad to leave Davao since my family is here and Uly. My family is already used to me living far. Uly on the other hand is not used to not seeing me for more than three days. Sigh...

I will definitely maximize my last month.

Posted bymiles0282 at 06:10 0 comments

Labels: work

Hard Candy Little Red Riding Hood isn't so little anymore
20080512

When I’m looking for movies to watch I don’t usually see what is showing in the cinemas or what is coming soon on the latest movies list. For me it’s a treasure hunt. I am not really into block buster movies, or movies with famous actors/actress, or movies with very cool graphics. I chose movies with distinct character. Movies that can’t be easily be categorized.

Every time I see a very interesting movie I don’t just watch the movie. I read about the movie and know how the movie was made. It’s like getting to know a new friend but this is not like the popular kind of friend its more of the shy eccentric kind of friend.

When I do stumble upon a nice little gem of a movie I really plunged into its painted reality.

Well I found one nice innocent ruby.

Right now I have a thing for Red hoodies. I had just finished watching Hard Candy. I knew about this movie a long time ago but haven’t really got my way to watch it. I think I saw the trailer from Apple movie trailers. This is a 2005 movie. I was reminded about this movie when it was mentioned in one of the blogs I read. So I couldn’t actually remember what the movie was abut I just remembered a girl in a red hoodie.

So when I googled Hard Candy I was surprised that the main character is played by Ellen Page (from the movie Juno which I love). I read the summary. ..

After three weeks chatting with the thirty-two years old photographer Jeff Kohlver in Internet, the fourteen years old Hayley Stark meets him in the Nighthawks coffee shop. Hayley flirts with him in spite of the difference of ages and proposes to go to his house. Once there, she prepares screwdriver for them and Jeff passes out. When he awakes, he is tied up to a chair, and Hayley accuses him of pedophilia. Jeff denies, and Hayley begin to torture him, in a mouse and cat game.

I was definitely hooked.

After watching the movie red hoodies somehow give the creeps. I love Ellen page portrays Hayley. Her character here is very different from Juno. She plays a demented vengeance-hungry 14 year old. Ellen is younger here so her voice has still a very childlike quality here. I don’t know if it’s her age or the way she delivered the character. Ellen voice always haunts me even after I see one of her movies. Hayley is less physically attractive than Juno but more devious.

Jeff the 32 year old photographer is played by Patrick Wilson (which is in Little Children another movie I love (No wonder his face is familiar)). Jeff is actually plays a hot but perverted photographer (I say perverted because he lures a 14 year old to meet! How pervy is that…and he has photos of half naked teen girls in his apartment!). I do love his apartment (pictures of teen girls aside). At first look he could be my crush. A photographer with his looks...then meeting a young girl…well it could also be hot (if you have a Lolita-complex) but somehow the meeting spelled pedophilia in big letters. I don’t mean the romantic young girl and old guy but the type young girl ends in a milk carton after meeting the guy.

The meeting is just the beginning. I love power play in the movie and how emotions are heightened by the color scheme of the movie. At first I was really rooting for Hayley but somewhere I felt sorry for Jeff. He looked so pitiful when he was crying please. (Maybe this just shows I could be a victim since I thought that he was innocent…I’m so naïve at times). In the end serves his just right and Hayley is my new super heroine in her red hoodie (I say super heroine since in the real world 14 year old don’t have a mind like that).

Posted bymiles0282 at 19:36 0 comments