Day 1 of 21 Creative Excercise Challenge

Technically this is my first day sketch. It's very quick and messy. I wanted to do all my illos in Illustrator, but I realized it's going to take too much time which I don't have right now! And I honestly think I can be more loose and spontaneous starting off with raw traditional materials. Maybe I'll try watercolors and ink next.

I've trained my cat!

My studio is known as the forbidden room of mystery to my three kitties. There is too much for them to get into in here, so I keep the door closed to keep them out. This kitty shown above "Bella" will cry at the door and bat her toy mice under the door as a gift so she can get in. I read a while ago about a woman who would let her pet cat in her studio as long as he stayed obediently perched on his designated chair. So I decided to give this a try. And it works! The moment I open the door, Bella zooms into the room and jumps on her chair. She will stay there for hours happy as can be! The moment she jumps down, she knows she is going to be let out. She is just super excited to hang out with me, and I think it's absolutely adorable. Works like a charm!

21day creative exercise challenge

Whoa, I am really in for it. Lately I have been posting nothing but photography since I haven't had time to do any new art. My blogger friend Diana Evans still visits my page faithfully, and she leaves comments for every new thing I post. Thank you Diana, you're the best!

Speaking of Diana, I just purchased one of her WristCandy pieces on her Etsy, shown below. Check it out, and her fabulous blog if you haven't seen it featuring yummy sketches and little black dresses.


Upon visiting Diana's page, I noticed that she was part of a group of artists participating in a 21 day excercise, inspired by Laurie Halse Anderson's keynote in New England at the 2008 NESCBWI conference. To read more about this challenge, click on the link to Alicia Padrón's page. Alicia is hosting this challenge.

Basically, the challenge is based on Laurie Halse Anderson's keynote, that it takes 21 days to form a new habit and how we can take 15 minutes out of our day to create. I think now more than ever I need that, as my production levels are halting. Most of that is due to lack of time and life changing events, juggling new jobs, beefing up my portfolio and taking on a bunch of new freelance clients while trying to learn how to be a web designer. Sheeew! So I think I can handle 15 minutes out of my day, although I know my work is not going to look post-worthy!

My personal goal for the 21 day challenge is to learn to be loose with my work and subject matter. To have fun with it, and get some good use out of my wacom tablet. I also have a ThinkPad laptop with a stylus that I never use, and I want to get used to that. My work will be done primarily in Illustrator, maybe Photoshop. If I'm really pressed, I'll have to sketch it. And my inspiration for my daily pieces I will let come to me in my daily adventures, whatever that may be. So let's see where this goes, and if I can keep up with it!!!

Photo Friday: Electricity - Electric Stars

Photo Friday: Cold - Nutcracker dancers "Snowflakes"

So the photo isn't exactly "cold", but these girls are in costume dancing as snowflakes so I thought it would be appropriate. My friend Dawn has a daughter who is a phenomenal ballet dancer, and she happens to be dancing in the background. Every year I make it a point to see her dance performance in the nutcracker. This particular picture reminds me of a Degas painting. I love the magenta stage lighting, the motion blur of the dancers and the pose of the queen snowflake in the foreground.

Giving freelancing another try

So I am finally doing this. I have always wanted to work for myself, and thought the only way I can truly feel successful is to work for myself. I have been a professional graphic designer for 10 years now, and it seems the further I move along in my career the less creative it gets. The more pigeonholed I get. My last job was so out of touch with design industry standard software and I was becoming very rusty and uninspired. I took that job a year and a half ago as my "get out of DC commuting job", and the time just zoomed by.

Today I re-bought my URL www.cynthiadiblasi.com, and I plan to set up my website within the next few weeks. I have so much work to do I have no idea where to start!!! Today I also sent out my first set of proofs to one of my clients "KD Elite", needing a logo for their new business. The owner of the business happens to be a nice Polish gentleman named Kaz who is friends with my Polish Uncle, the Peeekle soup guy I painted a few posts back. He called me within the hour of emailing the proofs to his daughter and said in his thick accent: "You make me so excited like little boy, I love them all!" He called my Aunt and told her that if I was standing there with him he would hug me and squeeze the juice outa me! Jeesh!!! Now if I can make all of my clients that happy I'd be pretty successful!!!

Photo Friday: Fragile

My friend Kathryn doing a performance juggling and maneuvering glass orbs at last years Faerie Festival.

Hubby's b-day present 2: acryllic kitty portrait

If I had more patience, I would have tried to get a better picture of this. I used a high gloss varnish and that is always difficult to photograph. High gloss varnish always makes the colors so yummy and lustrous and I use it every chance I get. Anyways, I'm not one to do pet portraits. Sometimes they can come off looking very cheesy. But the hubby has always asked for one of his beloved princess Gracie cat. We have had her for 10 years and other than quick study sketches, this is her first portrait. I tried to capture her diva-esque personality but she seems to just look mad. I hope he likes it!

Hubby's b-day present 1 - Soldered picture frame

Hubby's birthday is in just a few days and I'm taking a chance and posting his presents I've made. He is a busy guy and never checks my blog, so I thought I'd post some new art that I've done. Above is a photo of us getting ready to watch the sunset on the beach. I used some pressed flowers and ivy leaves from our wedding as a meaningful decorative element. The collage is pressed between two panes of glass that I cut and grinded, and is soldered shut. I've also added bent and hammered decorative wire soldered onto it. This is my first attempt at soldered pieces like this one, but I'm hooked so there will be more!

Photo Friday: Far From Home

Far away from home in Mexico, there are Iguanas and they are everywhere. This particular guy posed for his GQ shot and gave me his best "Blue Steel".