Prehistoric Times.

My Velociraptor Pair illustration was published in the Reader Art section of the latest issue of Prehistoric Times Magazine (Issue #96)!

But that's not the main reason I'm hyped up about this issue. In it is a multi page promotion for James Gurney's new book, Color and Light: a Guide for the Realist Painter. I've been a sucker for James Gurney's oil work since I was a child and would recommend flipping through his book, Dinotopia, to anyone in need of inspiration. He makes fantasy worlds feel more real because of his classical approach to painting. You'll just have to check it out to see what I mean. :)

Selling out to Photoshop

I've been doing a lot of artistic odd-jobs for the school where I take dance lessons. The lady who owns the school (Alina) is a sweetheart and I try to help out whenever I can with show fliers, tee shirt's and even remodeling the website (which has not launched yet). Usually I have plenty of time to work on projects but this time both of us were caught by surprise with a deadline. D:

- Monday I get an email with pictures to use for the new show flier.
- Tuesday & Wednesday I have to drive to Palm Beach for work.
- Wednesday afternoon I get a message: "the flier needs to be done by tomorrow morning or we loose a full page ad opportunity."
- Panic.

Enter Photoshop.

I had two things to work with. A lovely, but low-res photo of Alina. And the previous years flier for the same type of show.
I totally spammed photoshop filters to cover up the fact that the source photo was so low-res. I even threw in pre-made default photoshop shapes.

I really hope I don't offend anyone here but I'm a photoshop snob. So much so, that using any filters straight up like that made me feel like I was cheating. Anyone who's been around me in person for long enough knows that I get grouchy at the idea of someone throwing a colorpencil filter or something over a picture and calling it art. As if no one would notice. Pushing a button does not equal "instant art" in my opinion and if that's what you like to do, that's fine! Refusing filters is just a personal method I insist on for myself.I hate it if I can pick out exactly which filter was used. But on this project there was no time for my stuck up snobby nonsense. I had to make the thing printable at 300dpi and hope no one would notice the total sellout I felt had become.

I think it came out okay, if I may be so bold. It's nothing fancy but it's good for a teaser.

I found out later that it's going to be a full page ad in none other than Yallah Magazine! Needless to say I'm stoked! :D Maybe a little embarrassed too.