(lol, the title was dummy text I accidentally pasted into the title.. I think it suits??)
Hello!
It's been awhile, sorry
Who's still around?! I'm a bad deviant for buying a subscription for DA and then.. not using it.
Nevertheless! I've been quite a busy fishuu. A lot of vacationing, some working, some resting.. I went down to Washington and Oregon with Scott's family (who were nice enough to pay for me~) and was reminded of how much I love the coast. Poking crabs in the tidepools, starfish, sea anenome... Dunebuggying, shopping (no tax in Oregon
), eating geoduck and a bear! Until I found it out was a mommy bear (shooter didn't know until too late) and I didn't eat it anymore.. ;__;
Last April or whatever, I got hired as Art Director of
The Phoenix, woo! It's my uni's student newspaper, but we distribute valley-wide. The pay isn't really much, but I'm taking it as a learning experience, as well as a volunteer with some pocket money on the side :3
A few weeks ago, two Phoenixers and myself went to Yale, BC, to the
Teague House B&B and hung out with some of the people from
The Ubyssey, our sister newspaper in Vancouver (UBC). We spent three nights there, and the noise levels died down at the comfortable sleeping hour of 4-4:30AM (that's sarcasm, if you didn't catch it~). "Team Building Activities" actually meant Drunk Jeopardy every night, lol. I was a good sport and sat around with everyone else though, despite not drinking. They were a neat bunch.
I especially learned a lot of design from Justin and especially Paul(who's been in basically every position but now is the Ubyssey's online ad salesman) who I spent hours design-nerding out with. I'm really grateful for the time they spent giving creative and constructive critique over the last issue of The Phoenix (when I wasn't employed yet).
Coming back home, I did an overhaul of the paper's design. After a few long, long days that went into the night, the first issue went into printing and 1500 copies were released on Sept. 7 >w< It's riddled with mistakes and goof ups, but I heard from a previous Phoenix copy editor (Ranney) that it's the best first issue he's ever seen. That was a definite cheer-up for me after seeing all the things that went askew =__=
Anyway, I'm still working for TCM.. Apparently they've only been contracting me for weeks, since design's been slow. I'm pretty happy about that. I quit that dumb Unity project a week or two into summer 'cause the coordinator was extremely difficult to work with. I was so relieved when it was over with >__< Now it's going to be an awkward school year 'cause the coordinator's instructing this year and will be around, lol.
I'm going into my fourth and last year of my BFA this year
Started classes last Thursday (Technically Wed, but I don't have class on that day). In my first term, I'm taking Advanced Digital Media (my second time... not because I failed it the first time, but you're allowed to repeat a course a couple/few times AND get credits for all the times you did it), Advanced Painting (with a prof I've never had before, so I was a bit nervous), and my fourth year grad course that will prepare me for the Graduation Year End Show (has my prof from Adv. Painting and another prof I've never had before). So much work to doooo!
My grad course follows the same suit as the studio courses - two parts, one in each term. But the grad course is worth double the amount of credits. It's also double the tuition ;__; I'm paying over $900 per term for it
Fourth years got their studio space on Friday though! Year 1-3, you only get big lockers to put your stuff in. Studios are reserved for 4th+ year students, and are like cubicles, only the walls extend quite a ways up. Each studio space is equiped with a desk with drawers (sometimes), a lockable cabinet, and whatever furniture you'd like.
Before class, I prepared a piece of paper with my name on it, and a piece of tape on the back so I wouldn't have to waste time making one when it was time to choose our studio spots. I also planned to stand near the door during class too, so that I could run out on cue and grab the one I wanted.
Turns out, the profs got a pad of sticky paper for people to write their names on, but when he told the other students they could go take one, and I went straight to the studio room, lol. First one in and got the one I wanted; a studio on the far corner, near high windows that would allow for natural lighting, near the sink, and with no facing studio space near it, except on the opposite wall. It also has two walls from the room itself, versus the divider walls that you probably couldn't put nails in to hang stuff. Plus, since I'm near the sink, and up against the corner wall, I have extra wall space... When one of my profs was helping me exchange my desk for a better one, he moved my cabinet outside of my studio-square, against the wall near the sink, lol.
I was gonna' buy a mini fridge from one of my friends, but he sorta' forgot to reserve it for me... However, Judy (an older woman who's also a mother) who's on the opposing studio from mine is bringing her fridge and says I may use it. Certainly would save me the money and trouble to get a fridge transported to the uni. Judy's also offered to give me a ride to the Friday studio class we share.
I'm so excited to decorate it ;__; The studio rooms (there's one upstairs and downstairs) are all locked too, so things are a bit more secure.
Fourth years are also asked to choose an advisor from a list of professors. I couldn't decide between
Johann and
Stephen.
I first had Johann in first year Drawing/2D, and although there's always a love-hate for him between students, I've always found him as such a strong professor. He was the one who first taught me how to make canvases, and in a very qualitative manner too. His credentials are really remarkable too, having designed a building at the University of Alberta, a war memorial, and a hockey hall of fame bus, among other things. His paintings and printmaking is really excellent, and was the one who told me that the minimum price you should put on a piece of art is $250.
I had Stephen for the first term of Digital Media in my second year. He gave me a good start in learning Illustrator, something that was a weak point in the Adobe/Macromedia suite. He also nominated me for a media scholarship, recommended me as the comp lab monitor, as well as an Apple Representative for the uni (although I've not really heard anything about the latter for awhile). I'm planning to do some digital drawings and have them printed out big, so Stephen would be good to guide me.
I ended up putting Johann as first choice, and Stephen after (although noted that I couldn't decide between the two, lol), since I figured I have my adv. painting class and will be doing paintings for my grad shows too.. I ended up getting Johann; a bit sad it wasn't Stephen (but I'm sure to still consult with Stephen when I need it.. plus I have him as my adv. media prof.. which is tomorroow, woo!) but still feeling really fortunate. I heard that 4th year advisors only choose 1-2 students to advise for the year, so I'm really wondering if I'm the only one, or if Johann is hardcore and accepted whoever wanted him as an advisor :c
You can tell I'm quite excited, haha. I've got a lot of planning to do though, and a lot of canvas building to do ;__; My painting prof told us that we weren't allowed to buy prefab canvases, darn </3.
I've got a lot of ideas queued though, I just have to execute and order them properly. In November, I'll be going to Viet Nam for three weeks and stopping over in Seoul, S. Korea for two days, so I really have to push and work hard before I leave to make up for my absense.
Alright, cheers for now. Sleepy time, even though my class doesn't start until 2PM :0