tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77564161248245615762024-03-19T00:14:14.433-07:00The Blog at Happy RockThe doodlings, scrawlings, blatherings and scribblings of Nicholas KoleNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-82111923117126360672015-08-28T15:50:00.001-07:002015-08-28T17:07:52.442-07:00Over a Year<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4lJR6bBgQqPaIsjN8RntlT_3yZmfRzrKGBHxzdU-vfuHXNSJlRP9jiFUKUIJZFkBqnzOzYGdpnf6IXsc0ti4V3mM0KeE-P1zDl6jUtcsIZQR-PM6qI6b4z34wTqK1HBGsZ-5fAXOiko/s1600/Aurinko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4lJR6bBgQqPaIsjN8RntlT_3yZmfRzrKGBHxzdU-vfuHXNSJlRP9jiFUKUIJZFkBqnzOzYGdpnf6IXsc0ti4V3mM0KeE-P1zDl6jUtcsIZQR-PM6qI6b4z34wTqK1HBGsZ-5fAXOiko/s320/Aurinko.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
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<i><br />*A weather-worn traveller pushes open the creaking door, stirring a cloud of dust up from the floor. Every surface shifts with the inrush of new air. Motes swirl in beams of light, dark shapes scatter for the corners. The space is warm and dry- faint, old smells bring the walls close. </i></div>
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<i><i>The traveller unloads a heavy pack and sets it in the doorway, stepping heavily across the floor, he leaves a wake in the glittering, unswept floor. Sweeping cobwebs away from an untended corner, he stoops to peer at the uncovered thing: A Blog.*</i></i></div>
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Wow.</div>
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It's been over a year. To be precise it has been four hundred and fifty seven days since I last posted here on Happy Rock. Too long, friends.</div>
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So much has happened. Every time I've thought about setting something down, I was stalled by the sheer number of things to talk about. Inevitably something new would come calling before I had a chance to properly stop and think.</div>
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In the time since I've last posted, I've become a published illustrator for the second time- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Curse-Maleficent-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/1423197518"><b>The Curse of Maleficent</b></a> hit shelves and was a success- bringing lots of new folks to the web with kind things to say about my work- thank you, and welcome :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lx_oyRqbjq8R_Zaldls12SZ9D8ccCqNEPPr38tkyejaF7n2reKdthrCrb7TXdQK1z_AZw673WrNoTnJ9aKPE9fVWXeRCWrkL_xWb5bWdvlHtCzRkkCE95Fzz-gxCn0FG7KKtyiu-iDs/s1600/CoversSketch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lx_oyRqbjq8R_Zaldls12SZ9D8ccCqNEPPr38tkyejaF7n2reKdthrCrb7TXdQK1z_AZw673WrNoTnJ9aKPE9fVWXeRCWrkL_xWb5bWdvlHtCzRkkCE95Fzz-gxCn0FG7KKtyiu-iDs/s320/CoversSketch2.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://dawngate.gamepedia.com/Chronicles">The Dawngate Chronicles</a> </b>rose and fell- a comic project telling the story of Waystone's (ultimately, ill-fated) MOBA. I was the lead artist, along with my great collaborator, <a href="http://johnloren.tumblr.com/">John Loren</a> who took on color and background painting. For the most of last year I got to live my dream of working full-time on comics- and it was an exhausting blast.</div>
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I will never forget <a href="http://orig03.deviantart.net/53d4/f/2014/129/3/a/the_dawngate_chronicles___prologue_part_2_by_nicholaskole-d7hss8h.jpg">Eidolus</a>, Renzo or <a href="http://orig06.deviantart.net/d4a3/f/2014/144/1/b/the_dawngate_chronicles__zeri_by_nicholaskole-d7jfiae.jpg">Zeri</a>- they are characters that stick to your ribs. The team we had was a glorious meeting of the minds- Dave Cerra, Hunter Howe, Chris L'Etoile and Sam London- stalwart fellows, and just few enough gourmet cooks-in-the-kitchen to actually get a comic to the web three times a week! <br />
It certainly tested my speed and cunning. <br />
I kept meaning to come around and properly eulogize the project when it all fell apart, but I never managed to bring myself to do it.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3jKUBa-KB4"> It's always sad when things end- but we had a <i>hell of a run</i>.</a></div>
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After 38 Studios, it was a relief to work on anything at all that saw the light of day! There was a Dawngate subreddit, there were memes, <a href="https://instagram.com/p/mxl1uwtmQx/">I got to livestream for fans at PAX</a>! I met so many amazing people- you guys are wonderful.</div>
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Livestream. I believe it's been since last posting that I've taken up the habit.</div>
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Lately, I've been <span id="goog_1599828246"></span><a href="http://www.twitch.tv/nicholaskole/">streaming on<b> twitch</b></a><span id="goog_1599828247"></span>- sharing the time and a few rousing Disney songs with the brave and the few willing to come watch me make a fool of myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYHqRv_hyUVsO9uwDLzyUkQAsV1ApaIO3LEsj0tOeorZTJF49HyTz1NHjkuNPoyplVKPiVC1vx5mEA38aTgnUxlGBkkFxFX_K-h17ixao8TeYowWrIOkbE8aKXG35lYBcn79QKF1azRA/s1600/23Dx2oLD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYHqRv_hyUVsO9uwDLzyUkQAsV1ApaIO3LEsj0tOeorZTJF49HyTz1NHjkuNPoyplVKPiVC1vx5mEA38aTgnUxlGBkkFxFX_K-h17ixao8TeYowWrIOkbE8aKXG35lYBcn79QKF1azRA/s200/23Dx2oLD.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I worked for Hasbro on the Play-Doh team- stuff I did for over 6 months that I'm very excited about, but won't be able to talk about for some time yet. Suffice it to say, it was a great break from my usual mediums and my fingers still smell faintly of Doh :p<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFELmfvAazkOa035ROFIysebzlgA0o-CwUD0sGYDkQ_8dKXtzMKeqpXIk5URerpuEAWOfL2O3rbCh972EmYKXLg8CoHSbQWOaG2t1Sy9D0qK4ocuas1MakhJOjB3qbxgCrNPZ4AlgtKI/s1600/jellybots___page_9_by_nicholaskole-d8tfvc9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFELmfvAazkOa035ROFIysebzlgA0o-CwUD0sGYDkQ_8dKXtzMKeqpXIk5URerpuEAWOfL2O3rbCh972EmYKXLg8CoHSbQWOaG2t1Sy9D0qK4ocuas1MakhJOjB3qbxgCrNPZ4AlgtKI/s320/jellybots___page_9_by_nicholaskole-d8tfvc9.png" width="245" /></a></div>
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I started in earnest on my <a href="http://jellybots.tumblr.com/">Jellybots comic</a>, self published a little copy and sold it to some of you lovely humans. I hope you liked it :) I have been trying to find the time and inspiration to keep moving forward on that- it's hard to launch something new from thin air.</div>
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I moved back into Providence, switched roommates and apartments, went wandering for a spell and wound up in Ireland to stand on some cliffs over the ocean and remember how small I am and how much bigger God is. I fell in love again and got my heart all broke again. I spoke at the very fantastic <a href="http://qideas.org/">Q conference</a> about some of the art & Jesus things I write about around here. I tabled at <a href="https://instagram.com/p/rflrf3tmRn/">TCAF, Boston Comic Con and RICC</a> (and found that I *love* tabling and getting to meet people at cons ^_^). I <a href="https://instagram.com/p/r4-GIjNmYi/">bought a whiteboard</a>.</div>
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I learned I <a href="https://instagram.com/p/598lpINmbL/"><i>actually need glasses</i>.</a></div>
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I confessed implicitly to the internet that the previous pair I wore were fake. Just now. I know. I am kind of a tool.</div>
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I'm sorry.</div>
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All that, and it <i>still</i> feels like it went by quickly.</div>
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Any one of those things could have and should have been a blog entry, but I didn't take the time to think or sublimate any of it. Most of the time, I'm updating my <a href="https://instagram.com/nicholaskole/">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, or <a href="https://twitter.com/FromHappyRock">Twitter</a> feeds- but I think there's still a place for this particular art form.</div>
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Albeit, this is once again one of those self-indulgent journalley entries- but I feel like I need to set a stone in the ground to commemorate what's past and mark a moment to move forward from. </div>
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Hello again.</div>
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I was cleaning out my DeviantArt account- another space I've left untended lately. Two years worth of accumulated comments, and I choked up reading them all. It struck me how much of my life has been spent pouring into this space- and how grateful I am that it's meant anything at all to those of you who have stuck with me through all the various ups and downs.</div>
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We may not all know eachother personally, but you're part of it. So I wanted to say: Thank You.</div>
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Thank you for caring to come watch livestreams, come to cons, order my books and commission me. Thank you for taking the time to comment on comics and doodles, celebrate with me when things have been amazing, and commiserate when <a href="https://ia902309.us.archive.org/30/items/20140824BlessedAreThoseWhoMournChrisBannon/2014-08-24%20Blessed%20Are%20Those%20Who%20Mourn%20-%20Chris%20Bannon.mp3">things have fallen apart</a>. (That last link is to a sermon I <i>highly</i> recommend if low is the place you find yourself now)</div>
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It matters, all of this. At least it does to me. Thank you all very, very much for wandering though it with me.</div>
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Autumn is coming. The summer's mean heat is finally starting to cool down, and the quiet of the studio is a welcome break from the madness of the last few months. <br />
It's almost my birthday- I'll be 28. I can't even explain how it feels to finally sit down to write again. Cathartic, and a little melancholy? Good to be home.<br />
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I'll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite writers of all time- G.K Chesterton. He speaks eloquently about all matters spiritual, and also a snippet of my talk from Q where I make a hamfisted job of trying to do the same. </div>
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Because this is all <i>just</i> work, and just art, and just a blog on the internet, just another year and just another cup of coffee- but it is also not "just" anything at all. It can be more, if we let it be.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">“Fairy tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.” <i>-GK Chesterton, </i></span></b><span class="s1"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-G-K-Chesterton/dp/1449529259">Orthodoxy</a></span></i></b></span><br />
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"Nothing is “Just” anything- and we need concept artists and geeks who care- and bakers who care, and plumbers who care, and civil servants, and teachers, and doctors and electricians who don’t believe anything is “just” anything. That it can matter- and it will because we care about it. Because we’re invested and we aren’t going to give up on it." -Just Me</div>
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(The full transcription of that talk is <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/post/112238201842/q-commons-permission-to-care">here</a>)<b><br /></b><br />
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So cheers, guys- to not-giving-up-on-anything. To another year and the hope that God will see us through another series of seemingly unconnected glories and failings that manage to amount to something beautiful and more than just the sum of their parts. I'll be seeing them through new glasses.<br />
I hear the trees have leaves.<br />
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May God bless and keep you.<br />
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I'm sure I'll be back soon<br />
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-n<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">fanart created by me of my friend Francis Boncales' character Aurinko, on a recent twitch stream,<br />A video of the process is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrpQ0ymvf6E"><b>here</b></a>.</span></i></div>
Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com165tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-7241448102182383392014-05-28T11:00:00.000-07:002014-05-28T15:08:32.382-07:00The Curse of Maleficent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimfvwZJOW3B66mtGaU5MiAx1BeEWER8NPCX4fDvDHyyLoHmZKu_5MPR9h9QciTs0FRM4xG-N2_UqEyHx_gJsw8xIIv_kbXzwSJ1icbnosWRDdQQpI1EsRzNK-AUrDs_fPpDzrwCCHKxs/s1600/TheLedge3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimfvwZJOW3B66mtGaU5MiAx1BeEWER8NPCX4fDvDHyyLoHmZKu_5MPR9h9QciTs0FRM4xG-N2_UqEyHx_gJsw8xIIv_kbXzwSJ1icbnosWRDdQQpI1EsRzNK-AUrDs_fPpDzrwCCHKxs/s1600/TheLedge3.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ladies and Gentlereaders!<br />
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This is the <i>very week</i> that Maleficent comes out in theaters and I reckon there has never been a better time to sit back and type out the big ol' process post that has been a'brewin for the last few weeks since the book's come out.<br />
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For those of you who are completely lost- I recently illustrated <b>The Curse of Maleficent</b>- a YA chapter book tie-in for the upcoming Maleficent movie. It's on shelves now, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Maleficent-Tale-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/1423197518/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399357161&sr=1-1&keywords=the+curse+of+maleficent">can be procured on Amazon</a> if you're so inclined! So far the feedback has been extremely positive, and I am blessed and honored to feel so supported by you guys- best corner of the internet ever!<br />
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SO! All that said, it seems as good a time as any to talk candidly about the process of putting a project like this together<br />
This is likely to wax a little more technical than my usual sentimental/philosophical- so if you came for the arts, welcome! For the feels, <a href="http://nicholaskole.blogspot.com/2014/04/everything-matters.html">see my last entry :)</a><br />
Other warnings: I will be pretty chatty- hopefully that is of interest to some of you, and if not there are plenty of pretty pictures to scroll to! Also: Spoilers! If you want to see the movie/book without foreknowledge of the events to come, don't read this yet. Okay? OKAY!<br />
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A little background might be helpful, no?<br />
I connected with Disney Publishing many moons ago at my first ever comic-con in New York City... <br />
(chime noises, flashback begins)<br />
I was just a youngling, shopping my student portfolio around from table to table- and I noticed a fellow standing alone by the Disney booth. I wandered up and asked is he was looking at portfolios (he wasn't really, but "you know...why not? hand it over") He would eventually become my friend and editor, but it started with a happenstance encounter and a little bravery (perhaps more than a little naivete). <br />
My takeaway? <i>Always try.</i><br />
You never know when someone is going to take an interest in your art, and you'll find yourself moving in a lot of surprising directions if you keep trying, asking, seeking. You miss every shot you don't take.<br />
We stayed in touch, and a couple of years later the right mix of my availability and their need came together- book time! More or less- actually, the first thing I was asked to do was a few test illustrations based on some early movie stills, to see what my style/interpretation would look like for the project. So we'll start there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKh7Bkop7hZLxElDVBVCPlrfoGpWLe_uWxM0H5xtQbOtzFwrRBIlurlAek28DkXAYM37165NnRlEsKKkHcDhVfqzTcgDFwWOkIpHLJL8FaYQrfJ_AjIfbg0AE3OwtcG6FumV_vzzePQNk/s1600/Maleficentthumbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKh7Bkop7hZLxElDVBVCPlrfoGpWLe_uWxM0H5xtQbOtzFwrRBIlurlAek28DkXAYM37165NnRlEsKKkHcDhVfqzTcgDFwWOkIpHLJL8FaYQrfJ_AjIfbg0AE3OwtcG6FumV_vzzePQNk/s1600/Maleficentthumbs.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">I've gotten a lot of questions about my process over the years, and while I've done a <a href="http://new.livestream.com/accounts/5823820">livestream</a> or two showing how my work comes together on the page- the actual drawing part is only a piece of the puzzle. Illustration of any kind starts with the idea, and the idea starts properly in...<i>the thumbnails</i>.<br />My favorite professor often quoted a mentor of his: <b>"The final work is the [excrement] of your thumbnails"</b></span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><b><br /></b>Words to live by, as far as I'm concerned. It's been my experience that almost all the hardest, most important work is done in the thumbnails and the color study- everything after that is icing. The composition, storytelling and basic design are all in the sketches & thumbs- and (again, just my approach) they are best when detail is left entirely to the side. I actually blunt my pencils on purpose, and draw only half-an-inch high to start- it helps me to forget all the unnecessary detail and focus on the whole: What is the bigger composition communicating? How can I tell the story just through light, dark, shape and pose?<br /><br />The first thing I tried to pitch was a bold, graphic collage-style piece where Aurora wandering through the forest would be framed in the folds of Maleficent's cloak. Not a bad idea, but they were looking for more literal scenes- we took this direction up to color study and then switched tacks</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLFGp5_KrZenBuea6xV-TQ4Q8dmqyjEgJL_vjUfCGSSpePL-vv2xTudgMSLaYPMtY6mVmJCCZD6DKtZ3ikK990KMnaWCOkQ7bLu-briTpeRukONF0DJzjcKd_GbxvLhsD_IN8jXARr0k/s1600/mal1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLFGp5_KrZenBuea6xV-TQ4Q8dmqyjEgJL_vjUfCGSSpePL-vv2xTudgMSLaYPMtY6mVmJCCZD6DKtZ3ikK990KMnaWCOkQ7bLu-briTpeRukONF0DJzjcKd_GbxvLhsD_IN8jXARr0k/s1600/mal1.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a><br />
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Of course, the next phase started with <i><b>more thumbnails</b></i>- you can see also some of my first sketches trying to nail down Maleficent's look- some of them are a bit embarrassing to me now; it takes some searching sometimes to get where you want to go.<br />
For this project in both representation of the character and the scenes I was trying to find some way to marry the feeling of an animated feature with the look of the live-action movie. I didn't want to literally draw Angelina herself- but try to get at the look & feel of her version of the character in a stylized way that still recalled the classic animated villain. We went back and forth on a few iterations, but eventually found a version everyone, including the lady herself, was happy with o_o<br />
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We honed in on 3 pieces we wanted to try in order to get the portray the range of the character for the test- The strong, more innocent side that was new for this film, the villainous and the tragic. </div>
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The first tester, and still one of my favorites from the whole project, is a rare portrayal of Maleficent- framed against the rolling fields of the world beyond her home, something about this look & moment really spoke to me. I really wanted to capture the breathless sense of hopefulness and adventure, as well as the strength that Angelina brings to the character.<br />
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This first piece was also the first experiment in style- I really wanted to bring some of my <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/gallery/40821421">watercolor experiments</a> to bear, but couldn't find a way to efficiently marry actual paint and my digital process for the book. So I started to use my first ever customized brushes in photoshop (I know! It's taken me a while) to try and reproduce the gesture and spontaneity of watercolor and sketch.<br />
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Lineart on the characters with lineless, painted backgrounds was something I wanted to try in order to recall the look and feel of an animated film. It's definitely a style I want to explore more and take further in future work, lots of fun to do! </div>
I discovered that backgrounds are less intimidating and frustrating when I get to paint them! Win-win! It also has the virtues of being faster and leaving some of the world open to the imagination of the reader (WIN-WIN-WIN-W-). Working in line on scenery and architecture has always felt very confining and stressful to me- but wandering around in the summer with my watercolors taught me that I don't hate landscapes at all- I actually <i>love</i> them, but I was approaching it the wrong way to unlock that. Painting more loosely feels like I've unshackled myself and I can just run at it- waaay more fun for me.<br />
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But striking the right balance between line and "paint" was a hard fight initially- sometimes it clicks better than others...</div>
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This one I haven't posted before- because I just don't feel it worked out as well. The work is all tighter, but it lacks some of that gestural, dreamy quality that the first illustration had- everything's a little too clean and for whatever reason the moment doesn't quite connect. It's not quite the right expression and pose for the character- there are a lot of things I would do differently, but it was full of good lessons.<br />
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Correcting my course slightly, I started in on the 3rd test piece- which wound up being a great favorite with the folks at the Mouse House since it married the look of the first tester with a fully-realized Maleficent in a more iconic stand-there-and-feel-feelings kind of mood.<br />
I tried to bring my own interpretation to how I wanted to draw the forest- taking inspiration from Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle's amazing (inimitable) work on the original animated film.<br />
I think this one sold the team on the look- shortly thereafter we were off to make a book! (such a great day!)</div>
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<i>The first round of thumbnails and my commentary for my editor. Warning: SPOILERS ABOUND!</i><br />
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Which began with- you guessed it- <i>THUMBNAILS! Hooray!</i></div>
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I spent a good chunk of time working out thumbnails- I happily recall the angst (oh, golden hindsight), sitting in coffee shops with a nub of a pencil, pacing around trying to figure out how to squeeze everything in. Figuring out thumbnails is like fitting too many dishes in the dishwasher...they never quite fit and it's always kind of a panic until it suddenly all does and you wonder why you were ever worried in the first place. This is especially true of comics, but was also super true in this case as well. </div>
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By this point I had been given very guarded access to the film's script, and received a whole bunch of preliminary screen-shots and concept art to base my work on- at the time of writing this, I still haven't seen the final film- so I'll be just as surprised as anyone to see how it all turned out! </div>
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It was also at this point that I started to do my own research for the project- knowing the general direction I wanted to take it, I still had never done a book like this before. My good friends Adam and Courtney let me raid their prodigious children's book collection for inspiration and I went out and bought myself a book of N.C. Wyeth's illustrations because GUYS THAT DUDE KNOWS WHAT'S UP. When it comes to high-adventure and storytelling-through-strong-composition, accept no substitutes. Looking at Wyeth's work reassured me that there was merit in letting extraneous details fall away and focusing on the emotion, color and composition in broader terms. Not familiar? Stop reading this and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Illustrations-Wyeth-Dover-History/dp/0486472957/ref=la_B001IXQ6I8_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401294492&sr=1-1">go GET YE SOME WYETH</a></div>
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Shortly after locking in the main thumbnails (which was after some back-and-forth with the editors- <i>always</i> way better to do that early on, rather than later down the line when the pieces are all painted and shiny) I did something I'm very glad I did- I threw together a "color script": just a collection of color studies for the whole book's worth of illustrations so I (and, importantly, my editors) could see the whole thing layed-out at once. This gave me a strong base to work from- no matter how large the project was, I knew where I was going and what I still had to do.<br />
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Before we were quite off to the races, the studio wanted to see some final-ish iterations of the two main characters (Maleficent and Aurora) in my style, based on the film designs before they could sign off. Looking back at these drawings now, they're a little funny. I almost didn't want to post them, because they're <i>far</i> from my favorite drawings of the characters- but figuring out these two was part of the process- and I think I got better at it as I went along. Gotta start somewhere!<br />
Luckily, this was close enough to move forward with (though I'm glad I got more confident in drawing them as I went on)<br />
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A note here, I think, about drawing female characters; It's not traditionally been a strong suit for me, at least growing up. As a young human male, I grew up drawing other human males of the grimdark superhero variety and only much later down the line became comfortable with drawing 1) <a href="http://www.elfwood.com/~koleblack2/Valeri-Cross.3473020.html">women</a> 2) <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Cyclekids-Submission-44772725">children</a> 3) <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Sketchbook-She-Anophelii-Det-47275516">smiles</a>. You see those? Hard. Journey.<br />
It may be hard for some of you to believe, but the House at Happy Rock was once located on Dudebro Grimdark Island where there were no cooties allowed. Ugh.<br />
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If dudebro hangups are hard for you to get your head around, you can't even imagine- I had a hard time <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/The-Dawngate-Chronicles-Zeri-455899478">using the <i>color pink</i></a>. Because <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Jellybots-Twist-Pink-292458278">that was a <i>lady color</i></a>. It was a few years of art school and some soul searching to realize: you know what? <i><a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Jellybots-Lizzie-201960841">I love pink,</a> Disney, and musicals. I want to know how to draw <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Jellybots-Biin-211978695">things that are cute</a>, <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Bulbasaur-350308926">characters that smile</a> and <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/art/Dawngate-Concept-Zeri-395120514">People Who Are Female.</a></i> It was actually hard for me to reconcile that with some serious straight white dudebro baggage, but I'm <i>so</i> glad I did. It's been years since emerging from the grimdark, but I feel a profound sense of victory- being asked to illustrate a book whose principle character is one of the coolest Disney women of all time? In a Wicked-The-Musical-esque story of adventure and angst?? It's a hard-fought dream come true.</div>
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And here's the other thing (sorry, this is a long aside)- coming out of the world of dudebro comics, and recently out of the video-games industry, I was so excited about the opportunity to tell a story in which women are actual characters- not just objects or set dressing; where they have complex emotions and motivations, are both good and flawed, and are treated with the dignity we afford <i>most male characters all the time</i>. That is a solution I want to be part of, I don't even want to give blogspace to describing the problem. I was raised by and around women with incredible strength of character, and many of the artists I look up to are talented, driven women; I see no reason not to celebrate that <i>whole half of the human population</i>, and have been embarrassed and dismayed by the portrait <a href="http://time.com/113948/elliot-rodger-ucsb-santa-barbara/">recent events</a> have painted of men and our outlook. Anyways- the way that has to do with art and specifically this book?</div>
I just wanted to design and portray the characters as people in the best way I know how- not saying I'm perfect at it. My biggest hope was not anything more than to depict the women of Maleficent as people experiencing a range of emotions and living fully through their stories. It's a shame that's even remotely rare.<br />
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Alright, I think I've made my point. Where were we? Ah yes- thumbs! <br />
By this point, between color study and thumbnail, with sketches, source material, and research to hand, all the hardest work was been done. All the biggest thinking and decisions were made and all there was to do was draw and paint. I find that if I can set myself up to get to that place, I am much happier and less panicked (and more efficient!) than when I am throwing sketches and thumbnails down on the fly.<br />
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I holed up for a few months and worked steadily through the book's worth of illustrations- with varying degrees of success and satisfaction- the illustration at the top of this entry is, I think, my favorite of the whole set- but since I've been given permission I figured I'd show you guys a few more :D<br />
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In no particular order, some of my favorites from the project:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfD_r2nKzFgiBn5O1sbp-LoibLvyutH92wBEfxxcCTsEg827QOAGpLMLPA6JV8TNjZPJ-tSggQDXeiPypfUfEaB0ZDxqWDmAGsC_o37V1g7NhtoTQLq2GMI-mr4MxU8PDWVjNnMiRP7Q/s1600/TheEncounter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfD_r2nKzFgiBn5O1sbp-LoibLvyutH92wBEfxxcCTsEg827QOAGpLMLPA6JV8TNjZPJ-tSggQDXeiPypfUfEaB0ZDxqWDmAGsC_o37V1g7NhtoTQLq2GMI-mr4MxU8PDWVjNnMiRP7Q/s1600/TheEncounter2.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTb9JHttWeQN7bOlyrjnSgc7JZOu_EcTAuQ196zUV3L9c88smPJbW6AykABzlO2a-NBo3bXuMUajpLb4iMDYPceD3mHqu9GHdDqRfFFu-0u0ojk7Z5GbCEehR-M2vaG14k1hvwVriYhE/s1600/CurseCoverFin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTb9JHttWeQN7bOlyrjnSgc7JZOu_EcTAuQ196zUV3L9c88smPJbW6AykABzlO2a-NBo3bXuMUajpLb4iMDYPceD3mHqu9GHdDqRfFFu-0u0ojk7Z5GbCEehR-M2vaG14k1hvwVriYhE/s1600/CurseCoverFin.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i>The rightmost illustration was originally intended to be the cover of the book- which is why you won't find it in among the pages. I'm still pleased with it, but I'm glad we decided on another direction. While it may not see print, at least it can have a life here on the internet :)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83syOtrzlnlvAi4xITSMGPFI49jQezHhQcRCs_y-jg_NmyupGJevMXms5CuSXu-4QrLVLodq-qCq8BFg3McQGE2HxH35NSw8DP2EYKgm_UgQ0Y7HMKTzpuweNH8oS757GKQVSkV61duc/s1600/MagicHour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83syOtrzlnlvAi4xITSMGPFI49jQezHhQcRCs_y-jg_NmyupGJevMXms5CuSXu-4QrLVLodq-qCq8BFg3McQGE2HxH35NSw8DP2EYKgm_UgQ0Y7HMKTzpuweNH8oS757GKQVSkV61duc/s1600/MagicHour.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a><i><br />An in-progress shot of the piece that would eventually become the cover- it wasn't designed as such! But it turned out well enough that my editors decided it would make a better cover than the cover we had drawn up! I think they made the right call :)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa75z2eZO1CaVSrecjrvcR6GJanr-jX6dmOQUP6El8iTa6LxHM4h2UwC0tvyZ8lyz3UrG8Zw71Ib5oJrGk1k_DKTgP5o5-Fa8k8PjhlVgtuCJtVs021Rk60DDoXXAKnAfwCjSSCiiuaA/s1600/MagicHourExt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa75z2eZO1CaVSrecjrvcR6GJanr-jX6dmOQUP6El8iTa6LxHM4h2UwC0tvyZ8lyz3UrG8Zw71Ib5oJrGk1k_DKTgP5o5-Fa8k8PjhlVgtuCJtVs021Rk60DDoXXAKnAfwCjSSCiiuaA/s1600/MagicHourExt.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a><i><br />The final image had to be extended several inches to fit the cover dimensions- of course it would be the crowd scene :p It turned out for the best, though</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWBSJU8wNKnA6vBFFqQkjdEGGjiwGxid9kNiV92TiZcM2Uf8pkFHTnaPLPE0pdQvOGCTP_QrFj1gu0odCE4l-U6WOwmz6CcdmJRFJyRoxtIQwJ0tHZatUx_lxd6ogDDtHTRBjQmRijXw/s1600/Lovers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWBSJU8wNKnA6vBFFqQkjdEGGjiwGxid9kNiV92TiZcM2Uf8pkFHTnaPLPE0pdQvOGCTP_QrFj1gu0odCE4l-U6WOwmz6CcdmJRFJyRoxtIQwJ0tHZatUx_lxd6ogDDtHTRBjQmRijXw/s1600/Lovers.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a><i><br />Next time I do a project like this, I'll pay more attention to when the focal point lands DEAD-IN-THE-GUTTER. Rookie mistake- the print of this in the book makes it look like Maleficent is suspiciously eyeing a mysterious horse that has shown up in her wooded glen >_<</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBpCX7-p4BMBD7AY5wZK3kI0z8UM6Bb-NLuY1fE4Gd9VdmndCnHYlFI9wh8QA8s1uwOeim7SLTqeLeHHd5vr2ohxZFFPq8Ujsmazj-Rw_WlHH5cM9ReNO3_R8UikBMU1PXf3wrXlJkvg/s1600/EscapeFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBpCX7-p4BMBD7AY5wZK3kI0z8UM6Bb-NLuY1fE4Gd9VdmndCnHYlFI9wh8QA8s1uwOeim7SLTqeLeHHd5vr2ohxZFFPq8Ujsmazj-Rw_WlHH5cM9ReNO3_R8UikBMU1PXf3wrXlJkvg/s1600/EscapeFinal.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhCO538kT5piMMBS4FaRWEuSKfFv0am_1rBbWpLUcbOBOXiCPUEZTUZ7nu92NMlnyoJP_FLj8TwbeqjbrxZUMroS4L0FRyJAdYCHY3lxZENT2FRYVLlH5OYY9mQIADKHIEI29RLW_aB4/s1600/Peering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhCO538kT5piMMBS4FaRWEuSKfFv0am_1rBbWpLUcbOBOXiCPUEZTUZ7nu92NMlnyoJP_FLj8TwbeqjbrxZUMroS4L0FRyJAdYCHY3lxZENT2FRYVLlH5OYY9mQIADKHIEI29RLW_aB4/s1600/Peering.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c8_th56OtdXDOU2rVntZS0tgemi6FpcSturhnx3EsqNCi9o_NugSNyBFbuOdbCYl-E2vhZpMEpxlbditeAhcuFqdvH0RVZfPUzejW_SWgUZip_vEPdGliLNByukaxyngqZ5Pe0_vI4A/s1600/MalCrowField2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c8_th56OtdXDOU2rVntZS0tgemi6FpcSturhnx3EsqNCi9o_NugSNyBFbuOdbCYl-E2vhZpMEpxlbditeAhcuFqdvH0RVZfPUzejW_SWgUZip_vEPdGliLNByukaxyngqZ5Pe0_vI4A/s1600/MalCrowField2.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx11cuAnosvaeWP6e_gvS4qtbLPDk1BEQzK5Bwr90FfxFJywgeeXZdws2KHEqJAo4Hl8prHU38h5r7Ie3sEGiieGCs8ssiUyo9sLWQxH9Z1Bh2MIV_nk27C8KZ-Zi7_OdLQQHi7WNDUwo/s1600/malface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx11cuAnosvaeWP6e_gvS4qtbLPDk1BEQzK5Bwr90FfxFJywgeeXZdws2KHEqJAo4Hl8prHU38h5r7Ie3sEGiieGCs8ssiUyo9sLWQxH9Z1Bh2MIV_nk27C8KZ-Zi7_OdLQQHi7WNDUwo/s1600/malface.jpg" height="320" width="236" /></a></div>
<i><span style="text-align: center;">On the left- still one of my favorite drawings of Maleficent from the whole thing- once I had this version of her down, I tried to apply this attitude and feel to the rest of the project.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fyf2VsDH842YtbjSiyNYlgqefx3V3GhEl7SxmmJRcAYCEFq-y4ge5-un3-bBlKt3bqNHRoZzlz4x3aQykjRVop7ojGt34moU8LnW6P_1VLr3tzHj8o5s7J1-bvb5uiAyLPbS6nB-DSo/s1600/Shadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fyf2VsDH842YtbjSiyNYlgqefx3V3GhEl7SxmmJRcAYCEFq-y4ge5-un3-bBlKt3bqNHRoZzlz4x3aQykjRVop7ojGt34moU8LnW6P_1VLr3tzHj8o5s7J1-bvb5uiAyLPbS6nB-DSo/s1600/Shadow.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
<i>This is another favorite that never made it to the final book for story and film related reasons. Alas!</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFInqw66mJ5P1JfUZ9iWx1O3kdLFoR03yHXTHAiEayVesT8ACbHRrWPZ9exThSvsPwWkqk2dYKX6Tq_mJPSFSNfY1lyocSGUFr7YBla_um5KynFWwNF-idTqiHLpYj7gyesApqjSL4IQ/s1600/Race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFInqw66mJ5P1JfUZ9iWx1O3kdLFoR03yHXTHAiEayVesT8ACbHRrWPZ9exThSvsPwWkqk2dYKX6Tq_mJPSFSNfY1lyocSGUFr7YBla_um5KynFWwNF-idTqiHLpYj7gyesApqjSL4IQ/s1600/Race.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdP7fZdq9Mg6Uu3Z04at_Hqz7PAANp971ae3X1lAHCx6-7EnPFznG9pVf8LXChohaDSClaX3emNgWsoiwGhFKWZrgtxhGTDIyM1aB84Wv_UHRqdkh-PZLlTlIbBTK7cEkP0ltvBKsGJQ/s1600/Sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdP7fZdq9Mg6Uu3Z04at_Hqz7PAANp971ae3X1lAHCx6-7EnPFznG9pVf8LXChohaDSClaX3emNgWsoiwGhFKWZrgtxhGTDIyM1aB84Wv_UHRqdkh-PZLlTlIbBTK7cEkP0ltvBKsGJQ/s1600/Sleep.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-r7ghLC_d6om4MqCJWOE3JpMkF6KhPUhEc03RAtl0JHE-CTP7LLgPCtb_0j5BcMSw5mR_otwNDeNfxFGgJHmfXdTzyuOq4U4LCzW4HAnsrHWw0nV52CQA10C-g7inolJbMrIOMgO2Pc/s1600/Snow3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-r7ghLC_d6om4MqCJWOE3JpMkF6KhPUhEc03RAtl0JHE-CTP7LLgPCtb_0j5BcMSw5mR_otwNDeNfxFGgJHmfXdTzyuOq4U4LCzW4HAnsrHWw0nV52CQA10C-g7inolJbMrIOMgO2Pc/s1600/Snow3.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWG9H_d8Iu714npVbURr_7K9maSHYdALBax8iGomz8A3-5pCHzy0Xwyrtw0GGI20UL8ZeHpPPhHS8gDL9M-uc2DOnFh297JysOIXPi5KK-3fOzedNjv_jK0whH5u4V127gpHNAxXNDtY/s1600/TheBattle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWG9H_d8Iu714npVbURr_7K9maSHYdALBax8iGomz8A3-5pCHzy0Xwyrtw0GGI20UL8ZeHpPPhHS8gDL9M-uc2DOnFh297JysOIXPi5KK-3fOzedNjv_jK0whH5u4V127gpHNAxXNDtY/s1600/TheBattle2.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZKikIJ6oVzzarHo0NB5moGce8MjrrsabN0DCHUhaK-Dk1Wcx8wd4K9ljdb6g9PkXA_gEeExk1LmmAqaUxFp1HlBFxN4Zs1rXBelsUKyMirLfX8IbXG8f-V8Uq2ChJE2dyzgVRoZPmAk/s1600/TheSpinningWheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZKikIJ6oVzzarHo0NB5moGce8MjrrsabN0DCHUhaK-Dk1Wcx8wd4K9ljdb6g9PkXA_gEeExk1LmmAqaUxFp1HlBFxN4Zs1rXBelsUKyMirLfX8IbXG8f-V8Uq2ChJE2dyzgVRoZPmAk/s1600/TheSpinningWheel.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a><i><br />The spinning wheel itself! One of the classic moments, it occasionally felt surreal to be illustrating</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0yePGiWFY2EXFcdBdc-8g5h87VvoJPOYqdpUCJe6W7f_7Lr_JZOtoRASmzx2AiYqKvT3BBhMvy8gWcIby49Bp2aHDV0pcnB28lqET0nEJIxo2WE2qT6OBFHf01oXYiA0ERDiACJHh1k/s1600/FavoriteBits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0yePGiWFY2EXFcdBdc-8g5h87VvoJPOYqdpUCJe6W7f_7Lr_JZOtoRASmzx2AiYqKvT3BBhMvy8gWcIby49Bp2aHDV0pcnB28lqET0nEJIxo2WE2qT6OBFHf01oXYiA0ERDiACJHh1k/s1600/FavoriteBits.jpg" height="281" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since this is my already a pretty indulgent blog post, I may as well go all the way. Above is a little collage I made for myself once the whole thing was wrapped up- a collection of my favorite bits, color and drawing moments from the whole set. Everybody has their down days when you look back on your work and you can't find anything to like. I photoshoppped this together to remind myself of what I did like, and to remember what I'd like to try again in the future!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-x8sJXLFIYtKU7TuOM6n2enEybTqz398Blw6SS3_qDXHh18HPabXlwdBGyqQjYi7AU8OjisCyB_l9TfDB4mMEuCMXjICzOf-k6Yeqfip5jc1_Zf_qD6bFYNVq-vaGC-zdo2MiMDUoiA/s1600/MarcusTurns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-x8sJXLFIYtKU7TuOM6n2enEybTqz398Blw6SS3_qDXHh18HPabXlwdBGyqQjYi7AU8OjisCyB_l9TfDB4mMEuCMXjICzOf-k6Yeqfip5jc1_Zf_qD6bFYNVq-vaGC-zdo2MiMDUoiA/s1600/MarcusTurns.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>A mysterious fairy who never made it in to the final product! A fellow named Marcus, I was invited to design- more about him I cannot say</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg495IpaW3KEQgWTCBE8Paxj7dSrihCABFFYF-JTIoykLS2lOF-1AedIj3-D7cBTV1afaEnRnraEJzts4dGr7fatoI-4ZIzga5_6abR0TcCnyDI3bVhzajceKSZyqm-GLMb63iVOZg3G9Q/s1600/MalCover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg495IpaW3KEQgWTCBE8Paxj7dSrihCABFFYF-JTIoykLS2lOF-1AedIj3-D7cBTV1afaEnRnraEJzts4dGr7fatoI-4ZIzga5_6abR0TcCnyDI3bVhzajceKSZyqm-GLMb63iVOZg3G9Q/s1600/MalCover2.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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So, to wrap it all up I'll close with this last image. Another cover I mocked up, that was never used- but still lives here on the internet for all to see! Yay internet! One of my favorite depictions of Maleficent herself from the set.<br />
Overall this project was an enormous blessing and a great learning experience- I hope some look into my thought process has been helpful for the sort of person who's been curious!<br />
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<b>If you're like what you see and would like to order the book for yourself, have at it here: </b><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Maleficent-Tale-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/1423197518/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399357161&sr=1-1&keywords=the+curse+of+maleficent"><b>The Curse of Maleficent on Amazon</b></a></div>
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If you'd like to see what I've been up to since (I have no doubt I shall blog about it imminently), I am currently the lead illustrator on <a href="http://dawngatechronicles.com/"><b>The Dawngate Chronicles</b>- a fantasy webcomic telling the story of Waystone's new MOBA game</a>. And I have been loving it! Comiiiiics! :D<br />
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If you'd like to track me down elsewhere, I am active on <b><a href="https://twitter.com/FromHappyRock">Twitter</a>,</b> <b><a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/nicholaskole">Instagram</a></b> and <b><a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/">Devianart</a></b><br />
Much love and God bless you guys- more art soon! Thanks so much for reading<br />
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-n<br />
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Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-90024981181379253332014-04-09T20:52:00.003-07:002014-04-09T21:40:02.240-07:00Everything Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp2c290gZtwSN96_0fQsxvc3yBE8KnLRGE9Ba5vlzmjeHlLWJl6TogFEoqYIWvQuxVfjNLW9uyGEf8lmkR8jx4FpN60ae8oJOU4o2OWetiUlb1MobWdwuF1LQeYjGBdWwqb7P0ZlKjMI/s1600/MagicHourExt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp2c290gZtwSN96_0fQsxvc3yBE8KnLRGE9Ba5vlzmjeHlLWJl6TogFEoqYIWvQuxVfjNLW9uyGEf8lmkR8jx4FpN60ae8oJOU4o2OWetiUlb1MobWdwuF1LQeYjGBdWwqb7P0ZlKjMI/s1600/MagicHourExt.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Spring breeze is in the air, the night is just warm enough to walk through without a jacket, and life is teetering at the edge of one of those great precipices. I feel a blog entry coming on.<br />
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I've been waiting to write this one for a while, on a couple levels. This month is a huge month in the life of little Nicholas Kole. This week I was allowed to officially reveal the book project I recently finished up for Disney Publishing, along with it's cover. Tomorrow PAX East begins, and I'll be in there to reveal to the world the <i>webcomic </i>I am currently<i> lead artist on</i>. In a week or two after that, the Maleficent book will release and the comic will be rolling full-steam ahead, 3-pages-a-week. I am excited out of my <i>MIND</i>.<br />
It's like Christmas, but you know...warmer.<br />
Spring is here, literally and figuratively.<br />
(And I do realize how seamlessly this segues from my previous entry. Not even planned. NAILED IT :p)<br />
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I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but in summary: this is basically one of the best weeks ever. <br />
These are the good times.<br />
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Wait...you don't know about the book? The webcomic? OKAY I'LL TELL YOU IN DETAIL, TWIST MY ARM.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqFYKeakXuEjMRoDA-hMr9-DlUz9tOkSx5n37NpEyGM2GSj61qHFSTztwJQiyQkDnMFbTJjsf3FoDGBCyG3TyJrtcEYbEennqFDWQWyzrHFpMrEAfzPfyhP9qjCXTJa_0JQ9eKP88VxA/s1600/91J9yRNCU7L._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqFYKeakXuEjMRoDA-hMr9-DlUz9tOkSx5n37NpEyGM2GSj61qHFSTztwJQiyQkDnMFbTJjsf3FoDGBCyG3TyJrtcEYbEennqFDWQWyzrHFpMrEAfzPfyhP9qjCXTJa_0JQ9eKP88VxA/s1600/91J9yRNCU7L._SL1500_.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a><br />
<i>I drew this!</i><br />
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THARR SHE BLOWS! All titled and stamped with the Disney logo right at the top. O_O <br />
Still pretty surreal.<br />
The book is a YA novelization related to the upcoming Maleficent film (the one with Angelina Jolie!)- and I just got my first copy in the mail! I painted the cover and 25 full-color interior illustrations. It's available for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Curse-Maleficent-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/1423197518">pre-order on amazon</a> and will be out in stores at the end of the month! It's a <i>very </i>lovely hardcover printing that looks like <i>this</i>:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnB9e150LI3MeqgKB6Dpis8Ajo65XKCc0y9JeHEA0Vsvus7uVhtBokYsn1HFvmhhW-JoTTMMTdrtGMzChJgO4-CSKM4luZI3StknhneL34kxNKFknTeMPEbN7dR3sjLPYIw-nJdx9knA/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnB9e150LI3MeqgKB6Dpis8Ajo65XKCc0y9JeHEA0Vsvus7uVhtBokYsn1HFvmhhW-JoTTMMTdrtGMzChJgO4-CSKM4luZI3StknhneL34kxNKFknTeMPEbN7dR3sjLPYIw-nJdx9knA/s1600/image.jpeg" height="320" width="210" /></a><br />
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Which makes me feel like <i>this</i>:</div>
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<i>:D</i><br />
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I'm really excited to show you guys some of the interior work and even walk through some of the process of illustrating it! In the coming weeks I'll do just that!<br />
It came together almost out of nowhere, and over the course of 3 months and, from my erstwhile bedroom in Mom & Dad's house, I ran through the entire series of Buffy on Netflix and cranked this baby out</div>
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Looking at it now, some of the illustrations still savor strongly of Buffy to me :)<br />
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<i>Such </i>a blessing- by taking on this job, I was able to finally pay off my student loans and move out of my bedroom and into a new studio space.<br />
It's hard to contextualize how neat it's been- the book itself is cool, but what it represents in the course of the past two years is better. More on that later!<br />
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A webcomic, you ask? OHOHO YES. VERILY, SUCH A COMIC IS IMMINENT. LO, IT IS UNDERWAY!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZGuy-8ZtQcZk8AGnfPZgNCsyelKIsYze_8h19hpm1ClUvhBwrwott7bEeMmtvwx1yDOPU3h4jpPSdIWvgaN7ybCADKtP71OzQVdFMcA5u7GJGASByhsnk6flnpNE_BtjMMqORKZ-h28/s1600/DGCAnnounce.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZGuy-8ZtQcZk8AGnfPZgNCsyelKIsYze_8h19hpm1ClUvhBwrwott7bEeMmtvwx1yDOPU3h4jpPSdIWvgaN7ybCADKtP71OzQVdFMcA5u7GJGASByhsnk6flnpNE_BtjMMqORKZ-h28/s1600/DGCAnnounce.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
<i>The Dawngate Chronicles kicks off THIS FRIDAY</i></div>
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I can't even. I just. Guys. Comics. COMICS!<br />
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<a href="http://www.dawngatechronicles.com/">www.dawngatechronicles.com</a><br />
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On Tuesday we announced: I'm leading up the art on the upcoming Dawngate Chronicles, an ongoing (interactive! eventually!) webcomic that tells the story of the world and characters of <a href="http://dawngate.com/">Dawngate</a>- the MOBA game I'd been working on with Waystone/EA Games.<br />
There's even a neat press release <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140408-910055.html">here</a>!<br />
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Alongside me is good buddy, strong right hand, Magic The Gathering otaku, and serial collaborator <a href="http://johnloren.tumblr.com/">John Loren</a>. He's working with me on color and backgrounds, and his help has been a huge boost for the project. He's awesome- you should totally click his name and check out his stuff!<br />
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To kick it all off, I'll be at PAX this weekend, and will actually be livestreaming- drawing and talking about the comic from 4pm-6pm EST at the <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/waystonegames">Waystone Twitch channel.</a><br />
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I know there's nothing but a teaser image to show right now- but if you like my work and my comics...well...just keep an eye out!<br />
I think we're making something pretty special.<br />
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But I didn't come to post here just to rub my recent successes in your face.<br />
Well, maybe I just did that a little.<br />
I'm sorry. I'm just excited.<br />
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In the middle of all this, I have this moment to pause and reflect. And if this blog isn't for moments of navel-gazing reflection, I don't know what it <i>is </i>for.<br />
But there's something else going on here, and it's more important than my relatively small art-projects becoming unsecret- I think it's about story, and it's definitely about God.<br />
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An anon on tumblr recently asked me for tips on how to smile "like a bowl of sunshine in your book selfie".<br />
I thought about it for a second, and then I laughed a little...<br />
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<b>Step 1</b>: Have your life fall apart.<br />
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<b>Step 2</b>: By the grace of God alone through the good will of your family and dear friends, get back on your feet over the course of two years. Pick yourself back up. Be picked back up. Realize that God loves you and isn't going to give up on you even when you're tempted to give up on yourself. Don't give up on yourself, let prayer and scripture and friendship hold you together and stand you back up on your feet. Learn to work hard again.<br />
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<b>Step 3</b>: 2 years later, hold something that reminds you that things can and do get better.<br />
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<b>Smile.</b><br />
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Honestly, the experience of holding the book for the first time was kind of disappointing (in the way that only an artist can be disappointed in something they've made). There are a handful of focal points that landed dead in the gutter between pages, and one of my favorite illos was cut for narrative reasons.<br />
As in most cases, actually holding the book itself, you realize that it's not <i>that </i>big a deal. It's just a book.<br />
If I'm honest with myself, I thought it was going to be <i>so much more</i>.<br />
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But then I thought about what's happened in between April of 2012 and now. (If you're curious, just scroll on down this blog or <a href="http://nicholaskole.blogspot.com/2013/01/goodbye-2012.html">skip to this entry</a>. I don't keep too many secrets.)<br />
And I am so, so grateful. Suddenly, this book and this comic mean a lot more in light of the story they're a part of.<br />
One moment it was just a book. The next it was another ebenezer- a reminder along the way of what God has done- a victory. And all I needed was a change in perspective.<br />
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After 38 Studios collapsed, I think a lot of us quickly grew a very thick skin of "It's Whatever". And you do that because that stuff hurts, and you don't want to get hurt again- so you stop caring too deeply about any given project. Everything becomes "just work" and you can shield yourself the next time it all comes crashing down.<br />
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But screw that.<br />
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It's not whatever, and it never has been.<br />
In school, one of the greatest gifts one of my professors ever gave me was the permission, as an adult, to believe that this could <i>all be more</i>. I was allowed to care, to believe, and to aspire.<br />
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I have deep, <i>real </i>feelings about Lord of The Rings, the Lion King, Kiki's Delivery Service and Wreck-It Ralph. That stuff matters to me. <br />
But I learned to think of it as "whatever" because it hurt when people made fun of me.</div>
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Like anything- it is simultaneously "just a cartoon show" and "a morality play about life, death, good, evil and love on a grand mythological scale". These are the stories we are telling ourselves, <i>over and over again</i>. These are the building blocks of our cultural values. These are also all available on Netflix for the low low price of $7.99 a month.<br />
It matters when we make bad movies, comics, art, and games. We give life to ourselves and to others when we do it well.<br />
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As Christians we should be aware of this always- acknowledging that there is a deep spiritual truth to everything that is happening that seems mundane. That's what it is, I think, to live in the Spirit- it's to see things as more than they appear- to change your perspective and learn to read the story God is writing underneath the surface.<br />
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Theory: When we nerd out, I think we are closer to the Spirit of God- we are open to things <i>being </i>more, mattering more. When we pretend things don't matter, we are further away. Don't hide behind irony. Nerd hard.<br />
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And this isn't about art, either- that's just where I live. But it's coffee, haircuts, a well cooked meal, a brilliant thesis, a well made pair of shoes, a friendship, good conversation, a timely gift.<br />
It can all matter, if you let it- it just might mean you get your feelings hurt. It might also mean that everything is more amazing.<br />
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It's not a new thought, but it might be a thought someone other than me needs to hear. So if you need it, you have my permission to care. To dig deeper than the surface and find the good stuff.<br />
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Today, I want to celebrate the story that God is telling under the surface of my life. The stuff of it is cool: comics and books! But the truth behind the stuff is cooler, and it's for everyone and not just me. The Lord is good and he gives good gifts, even though he takes away. He is for us, and deserves praise and more than praise. <br />When things are hard and when things are good, to God be the glory.<br />In Winter and in Spring.<br />
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~<br />
<br />
You know who made a better book than me? Fabiola Garza. She wrote and just published a serious labor of love, which you can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-Saint-John-Paul-II-ebook/dp/B00IPKY4KE/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397100787&sr=1-5&keywords=lolek">check out an pre-order here</a>. Go do it, you won't regret it...it's beautiful and well worth your time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3shcTNUmCi5pY9s_GJKrDjvj7X7L3hE8TvIbvxbiTOnWrlTBiVlOJvfMFa1r9wYGmvQtObuHvvM9ye2yBjgtZjglt8SYJrxMSDZcEsaWiZgz3fewMqc29QJi5bAVpXhv9fkQoBtFviQ/s1600/51cavdlnh3L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3shcTNUmCi5pY9s_GJKrDjvj7X7L3hE8TvIbvxbiTOnWrlTBiVlOJvfMFa1r9wYGmvQtObuHvvM9ye2yBjgtZjglt8SYJrxMSDZcEsaWiZgz3fewMqc29QJi5bAVpXhv9fkQoBtFviQ/s1600/51cavdlnh3L.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></div>
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You know who cuts better hair than me? Maddie Harkins. She writes a blog about Hair and Jesus when she's not cutting my hair and making me look rull pretty. You should give her a read if you like either of those things- and especially if you like both. <a href="http://gracetocreate.wordpress.com/">Check her blog out here.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY_Xm-5XEhdQnOMb_gQHqOv6SRj9zSy05nPkB01Gw40TeAlkE1bYr-amC8BP3oaT6ElOlEHMYtGRbxjrGBhDQmtkN-In0HGM6VM71DkQ2ggjBDBiBA9zIMMz3R5EN-KULjEehc8qkwhA/s1600/154608_413917905343399_1271084696_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY_Xm-5XEhdQnOMb_gQHqOv6SRj9zSy05nPkB01Gw40TeAlkE1bYr-amC8BP3oaT6ElOlEHMYtGRbxjrGBhDQmtkN-In0HGM6VM71DkQ2ggjBDBiBA9zIMMz3R5EN-KULjEehc8qkwhA/s1600/154608_413917905343399_1271084696_n.jpg" height="320" width="307" /></a><br />
<i>This is not my hair.</i></div>
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Thanks for sticking around and reading- I am super thankful to have amazing readers and the support from all around the internet this week has been humbling- I hope you like what's coming up and will stick around to see whatever's next. You guys make me want to art.<br />
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Enough talking from me. Back to work- stuff ain't gonna draw itself.<br />
More art soon<br />
Much love,<br />
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-n<br />
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Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-49505089136392343132014-01-15T14:25:00.002-08:002014-01-15T14:25:34.445-08:00Spring Under Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k4PdglHhzihjz1EBThHcPi5-4OUBoR5tH9BzvyQUkHB7UiT9IKz2wJK-Ixn87uQwxwl5YMua2MS1njXvIITYSmdhPCe30wccASnixd1-IPz4kA9lhWEqvrjT79nTF7xjlglgd_S_0n0/s1600/1441390_694830891286_1215087283_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k4PdglHhzihjz1EBThHcPi5-4OUBoR5tH9BzvyQUkHB7UiT9IKz2wJK-Ixn87uQwxwl5YMua2MS1njXvIITYSmdhPCe30wccASnixd1-IPz4kA9lhWEqvrjT79nTF7xjlglgd_S_0n0/s1600/1441390_694830891286_1215087283_n.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a><br /><i>Studio</i></div>
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Winter is here.<br />
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New England does mid-winter thoroughly, with all it's natural bleakness in force.<br />
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But today is one of those sunny days- where the air is crisp and you can feel the promise of spring hidden somewhere away in the barren branches of the trees. It's easy to feel a little brighter, a little more hopeful, as the snow runs wetly down the streets and into drains. But February isn't even here yet, and I'd be a fool to think we aren't still in the thick of it.<br />
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The snow will be back- but Lord, I am ready to see spring soon.<br />
It's been a long while since I've posted around here- though I do like that about having this blog- there's no rush.<br />
It's been a pretty busy season of life, and there just haven't been that many guiltless, quiet moments to sit and write- I've regrettably gotten out of the discipline of reflecting.<br />
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I am sitting in my new studio, there is a little lull in the workflow as Big New Things begin to spool up, and I think I'll take this moment to do a little bloggy processing.<br />
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I think, sometimes, of these posts as a way of setting down an Ebenezer- a "stone of help"- referring, biblically to a monument or marker set down to commemorate a work of God; "Thus far the Lord has helped us".<br />
Being honest- "Internet Presence" can be a pretty negative thing at times- at it's worst self-indulgent, egocentric, petty- a place to build up a false self-image and a breeding ground for envying others (sins to which I am prone). But I really think it can also be a beautiful and life-affirming thing- and I hope this blog can be more the latter than the former.<br />
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Since winter is here, I think it is a good time to remember what has been beautiful, and what might be again.<br />
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Thus far the Lord has helped me.<br />
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I have been able, in the past few months, to move out of my parents' home and back into the city.<br />
I've even found an affordable studio space, and moved my base-of-operations out of my bedroom and into a cozy office on the west end of Providence. It comes with it's own challenges- (I can no longer simple roll-leftwards out of bed to arrive at work) but I am blessed to feel like that much more of a grown-up, working towards discipline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnwGz2QUmCjsZtFzzCHBRuXwFbJZfgGzuZOKOwWkgkqjRXa-zYwKDoekcYJrJUQ5_nY72E2GjqbR62eHDFKQhfyaETTF2JJDwmJ_PlnkGFjj5Nq7NsOuWY9fvOldA5RrY9Knj7VCm0uI/s1600/1499441_696996511366_1915711646_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnwGz2QUmCjsZtFzzCHBRuXwFbJZfgGzuZOKOwWkgkqjRXa-zYwKDoekcYJrJUQ5_nY72E2GjqbR62eHDFKQhfyaETTF2JJDwmJ_PlnkGFjj5Nq7NsOuWY9fvOldA5RrY9Knj7VCm0uI/s1600/1499441_696996511366_1915711646_n.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a><br /><i>School of Art & Design, NYC</i></div>
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I've recently been privileged to speak to a few different groups of students about my fledgling career in concept art & illustration. (To the students of the School of Art & Design in NYC, Blackstone Valley VoTech and Ringling's DIPSY club: thanks so much for the honor of getting to hang out with you guys- you're amazing!) Few things have been more encouraging and humbling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBsB-mcrRWS_YmtI62YwehLDhw9FpNSEzvnjKlUz4okktKJjc1ZUU9YT1BR5eya0omd1JhaSZB8ZDb_eJ-DWc_ucxsbliSPuKR8lCQPWrMlikHUeiX3rla49he7uRPDdjBXt4Z-dDzzA/s1600/Malsample.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBsB-mcrRWS_YmtI62YwehLDhw9FpNSEzvnjKlUz4okktKJjc1ZUU9YT1BR5eya0omd1JhaSZB8ZDb_eJ-DWc_ucxsbliSPuKR8lCQPWrMlikHUeiX3rla49he7uRPDdjBXt4Z-dDzzA/s1600/Malsample.png" height="196" width="400" /></a><br /><i>Vague Maleficenty Clouds</i></div>
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I've just finished illustrating a book called The Curse of Maleficent for Disney as a tie-in for the upcoming <a href="http://movies.disney.com/maleficent">Maleficent movie</a>. It will be <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Curse-Maleficent-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/1423197518">available for pre-order here.</a><br />I'll post more about that as more information becomes available, but it was a lovely project to be a part of, and a dream come true to get to work with people at the Mouse House.<br />
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In the course of doing that project, I paid off my student loans, which is a huge relief and a blessing! RISD loans are no joke. I even got a free cheesecake out of the deal. A career highlight so far:<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh_K7kOhyphenhyphen_TRju4pERZe30h5BAnM8jpYCSOAY0zZeZvFxdlidHcljLD9imbGYPDJ4RS__rMgubnE5MAOwD18byeChTcnc1S6kbFGsYGAo7K-tenvxbfMcoNSSrXp_gprunP3zIDiOyDk/s1600/1530593_698518641006_1651550949_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh_K7kOhyphenhyphen_TRju4pERZe30h5BAnM8jpYCSOAY0zZeZvFxdlidHcljLD9imbGYPDJ4RS__rMgubnE5MAOwD18byeChTcnc1S6kbFGsYGAo7K-tenvxbfMcoNSSrXp_gprunP3zIDiOyDk/s1600/1530593_698518641006_1651550949_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><br /><i>Mmf.</i></div>
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<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">In one of my favorite photos of the year, my proud Grandma poses next to one of the movie posters:</span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7WicWGt-mSVjKMa4PKyCmMs9fho0atJ-uxLGKA1W6yF3YmdamBUj7m7N7V6LvOhkGjKP6aP7oKNLwODYu0treYz34iAIW9XQNhco2_JvwZU7ZB5cKr3_3-Ef5rZmf46Xf0w4DMG66qc/s1600/1557467_10202185903240454_101870439_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7WicWGt-mSVjKMa4PKyCmMs9fho0atJ-uxLGKA1W6yF3YmdamBUj7m7N7V6LvOhkGjKP6aP7oKNLwODYu0treYz34iAIW9XQNhco2_JvwZU7ZB5cKr3_3-Ef5rZmf46Xf0w4DMG66qc/s1600/1557467_10202185903240454_101870439_n.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Bwaaa...Gwamma.</i></div>
<br />
Dawngate, the project I have been working on with EA, <a href="http://www.waystonegames.com/#/">is in Beta, if you'd like to give it a spin!</a> Most of what I've designed for it are character skins that won't be out for a while (except for Zeri, who is my design).<br />
Despite EA's rough rep, the Waystone Games team have been stalwart humans. They have displayed a rare (in my experience of the gaming industry) interest in interacting closely with their community, challenging the destructive stereotypes that are native to the MOBA genre, and taking feedback in stride as they work. It's a thing worth mentioning- sometimes the people are overlooked in the work-based value system we have in the arts- but a good team can be hard to find. I am blessed to work with them.<br /><br />
Jellybots is actually underway.<br />
Watching friends take the leap towards their dream-projects, I felt enabled to move forward myself and begin, however slowly, to actually make finished pages for the comic project that has been sitting around my back-burners for a long time now. I am terrified and humbled to actually start trying- but as I was reminded by a kind friend from church: we can only truly fail if we don't even make the attempt, right?<br />
<br />
I hope, by God's grace, to 'dare greatly' this year. <br />
It is easy to fear the consequences of trying. As I discussed with students (and have written about <a href="http://nicholaskole.blogspot.com/2013/02/permission.html">before</a>) it is so easy to fear the first step. Having felt failure, and known how heartbreak, embarassment, and vulnerability can feel- when you try, you expose yourself to ridicule, to being wrong, to doing poorly, to rejection and hurt. On reflection, I think it is the only way worth living. <br />
2013 (and the start of 2014) have been as full of heartbreak and disappointment as they have been full of opportunity, victory and joy. But they <i>have </i>been full of joy.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrrWSrvBhQsgEslpE6qB9W3nNXswSdsX39kxSTNKRe2Tnl8NFgegh7NHbIRMO343SPjjhQ2WHdoTjUfFQ4yYY6x8N7Tt8gNmq1rheIpybPNCid9QtaI6F477XRHc0KEmYVCHLdADYtHU/s1600/988438_698518675936_1656633815_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrrWSrvBhQsgEslpE6qB9W3nNXswSdsX39kxSTNKRe2Tnl8NFgegh7NHbIRMO343SPjjhQ2WHdoTjUfFQ4yYY6x8N7Tt8gNmq1rheIpybPNCid9QtaI6F477XRHc0KEmYVCHLdADYtHU/s1600/988438_698518675936_1656633815_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />In the last few months, Christmas caroling with friends, a whirlwind visit from Lizzie, and some restorative time at the Lefferts family home have all made the season brighter- standing underneath sunsets, shouting songs at passersby, huddled in living rooms under blankets in front of "just one more" episode of Doctor Who, up at all hours of the evening getting sillier as everyone's repertoire of strange voices comes out. There have been fiddles, fires, impossibly tall Christmas trees, dances, singalongs, and the occasion to drive much too fast to try-and-catch-the-show.<br />Dear friends have drawn near, and those moments spent together are like a foretaste of what I imagine heaven could possibly be like.<br />
<br />
Once moments are committed to beautiful memory, it is easy to entomb them there. To look back and, in time of trial, imagine that it can never be again. Winter comes and the nights get shorter, and we forget what spring feels like; can't conceive that it could return.<br />
But it is as ridiculous as believing that the sun will never rise again every time night falls. <br />So out of winter, heartache, and a hard season- have faith and have hope with me.<br />
<br />Spring will come again.<br />
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<br /><br />Much love, and may God bless you,<br /><br />-n<br /><br /><br /><br />
PS- <a href="https://new.livestream.com/accounts/5823820">I've started a livestream account</a>, and have been able to connect with a number of internet persons while drawing and singing- you guys are awesome, and I love getting to interact with everyone.<br />I announce when I stream via <a href="https://twitter.com/FromHappyRock">twitter </a>and <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>, if you'd like to tune in sometime :)<br />
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-87508394888947103402013-09-10T10:24:00.002-07:002013-09-10T19:52:19.717-07:00Worth.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Friends.</i></div>
<br />
As artists, we give things worth.<br />
<br />
And as doctors, writers, musicians, cashiers, and barristas. Humans all. <br />
But I can't speak for barristas- so we're going with artists for now.<br />
<br />
There's my neat little hypothesis, all layed out at the start so I can write you all the way back to it like a good little high-school english student :)<br />
<br />
Every now and then, I feel a blog post coming on- and more often than not, they are a long time in the making...usually it takes a good few broods to come to the point where I feel the need to write. <br />
<br />
That's today- summer is coming to a close, the wind is crisp and the omnipresent New-England smell of something-burning-in-a-good-way is starting to waft in from everywhere. But rather than talk about pumpkin-spice-everything, I want to talk about something else that's been on my mind (as ever, it's something I need to sort out for my self much more than something I have any authority on- but that is what the self-indulgent blogosphere is for right? and hopefully someone else out there will get something out of it all) I want to talk about worth.<br />
<br />
(And, as usual, it'll probably involve me talking about art and God and stuff. So if you're hear just to see some Pokemon, better skip it- more pokemon are on the way eventually :p)<br />
<br />
When I don't think too closely, I seem to fall back on the strange idea that worth is objective- that we determine worth according to a system. You know- like money and stuff?<br />
But I think we all know, on further reflection, that it isn't quite right. I'm not an econmonist, and can barely handle simple math (which is why I never worked at Coldstone creamery, <i>tootally </i>different story...) but it seems like that's too simplistic.<br />
<br />
When the glove of a beloved baseball player can be sold for thousands of dollars on ebay- ordinary objects sold for FAR above their basic material value, in general- you have to acknowledge that some alchemy is transpiring that isn't purely scientific.<br />
Somebody's screwing with my simple concept of what something is worth. It's got some of that icky subjectivity all up on it. And I'm not fond of subjectivity- it makes all my boxes leak into one another and it's really hard to tidy up my world-view that way.<br />
<br />
It seems, to me, that we ascribe worth to things when they are loved. So it follows that we give worth to things when we love them.<br />
Put cynically: The more people love something, the more it can be sold for; the more worth we communally agree it has.<br />
<br />
A simple and slightly embarrassing example- but who else hasn't suddenly noticed someone, simply because they were loved or desired by someone else? Suddenly you sit up and take notice, because <i>there must be something you weren't seeing before</i>. Nothing about that actual person is changed, but now the fact that somebody else is interested in them makes you interested.<br />
Bluntly: Ladies in relationships are highly desirable to single dudes (I'm lookin at you, beardo). It seems like people or things who are desirable are, if you follow, desirable because they are desired- it snowballs until nobody knows how on earth someone like Kim Kardashian got her own reality show. Alright, bad example, but-<br />
<br />
What does this have to do with art?<br />
<br />
I think that when we make art- the best of our art- we love.<br />
We pick out something, and we <i>notice </i>it.<br />
An artist pours all their attention into the things that people otherwise might pass over- the curve of a neck, the crook of a tree trunk, the wrinkling of the nose, the way someone's hand falls just-so on the table, the rough hew of a wooden door, the little bit of green in the blue of the sky as the sun starts to lower itself, the way the moon hangs faintly behind the clouds in the afternoon. I think it's why a lot of us have weird fixations- hairless cats, old worn and ripped things, snakes, strange color combinations, ogres- because we're paying closer attention to overlooked things and finding the beauty.<br />
<br />
We notice, and we point people's attention to the details we love most.<br />
<br />
That's what makes stylization so alluring- we are simplifying the visual statement to direct your attention to this-kind-of-arm or that-kind-of-smile. We create patterns from our love and attention.<br />
You adore something by focusing all your attention on it. Art is a dimension of love. And from love we begin to derive worth. If we're being not-so-cynical.<br />
<br />
So when we make art- we are making value. We are adding value to the things we draw. We are noticing the beauty in something, and showing others who might otherwise never look- and they are looking with fresh eyes at the world around them. They start to notice, too.<br />
<br />
A spot becomes worth something because someone painted it. "This is the exact field he painted, and he stood <i>right </i>here!" (for the MA locals, see: Walden Pond)<br />
Somebody noticed this place. <i>There must be something you weren't seeing before. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Something is worthwhile because it is loved.<br />
<br />
Someone is worthwhile because they are loved.<br />
<br />
And here's maybe where God steps from behind the curtain (he was there all along, sneaky guy). And it's also where this becomes personal.<br />
<br />
I spend so much of my life scrabbling for worth- trying to place myself on an objective ladder- a scale of worth, deciding where I fit and why I matter. I think we all do this to one extent or another, and when you really pull it out and look at it, it's pretty ugly: I'm more-handsome-than-so-and-so but less attractive than what's-his-face. I'm more talented than <i>those </i>people, but <i>far </i>less accomplished than she is.<br />
We let these things determine our worth for us, but are baffled when someone comes along and tells us "you are beautiful." or that very perturbing "I love you".<br />
Is anyone else tempted to pull out the lists and show them how wrong they are? "Well, you see- you're clearly mistaken because you haven't seen what's-his-face. You'd know I can't <i>possibly </i>compete. You're wrong."<br />
<br />
I've been struggling with this whole concept lately- because I spend a lot of my life moving between wildly different contexts. I recently went to San Diego for Comic Con, and it was an incredible experience (as it often is) to be a nerd among nerds. It is beautiful and heartening to find others who care and value the things you care about and value. Especially when those things are Pokemon. And in that context, I found that I (absurdly) felt important.<br />
(I often feel the same way on the internet- hits and likes and comments make me feel worthwhile and important. A lack thereof is a hit to my self esteem. I'm sure <i>nobody </i>can relate to that :p)<br />
I felt that I had something to contribute- my art, my interests- I fit somewhere on the worth-ladder, and it made me feel good. I make a kind of sense in nerd-world. I fit.<br />
But returning home is a different story.<br />
<br />
The world away from nerddom can be jarring for a variety of reasons, but I'll pick a simple example: I came home to that most dreadful of summer passtimes; a day at the beach. I've always been self-conscious about the way I look. Freelance illustration hasn't done me any favors :p I've spent my whole life chasing a kind of professional worth, and as a result, at the beach, I feel like I don't have anything to contribute. There's a paradigm at work, and fuzzy art-hobbits don't measure up particularly well against bro-guy and his dudebuddies. And being a Brony isn't the same thing.<br />
There are all kinds of beautiful people on display, and if my personal worth is determined by how much I am worth according to the beach paradigm, then I am pretty much a non-entity. I feel pretty worthless at the beach, when just days before I felt on top of the world at a convention of nerds. Weird.<br />
By the time we move on to mini-golf, and I begin to regain some sense of personal worth based on how well I angled that tiny orange golfball under that comically proportioned wind-mill, I begin to think something might be seriously effed up about the way I'm choosing to determine my own value.<br />
<br />
But then I think about love. And when I think about love, I think about my parents. I have never had a child- but I can imagine some part of what it must be like to hold a squalling little baby in your hands. And it doesn't matter whether it's handsome or whether it's got great plans for a new graphic novel- it's amazing because it's alive. And you love it because you love it. It's impressive enough to them, even now, that I live and think and breathe and try and struggle and hope. I don't need to accomplish anything to earn that love.<br />
<br />
I am not worthwhile because of what comic-con tells me I'm worth. I am not worth what the beach-paradigm of beautiful summer people imply- because I have other kinds of worth, and because you could look rad at the beach and be a pretty crappy dude, and my talent could wax or wane or I could lose my right hand in a car accident and then where would I be in nerd-world? Also, art is neat but it's a shallow place to fix your hope of 'mattering' to the world.<br />
<br />
I think this is an important point- both paradigms are broken. The art/work-as-worth paradigm as much as any other. I've seen online and in the art community (and coming out of art-school) a tremendous push towards the mentality of you-are-your-work. The idea that your work, your art, what you bring to the table, determines what you amount to. <br />
I can't stand it. It blows my mind, in particular, when I've found people are jealous of where I'm at while I, all the while, am jealous of the next guy. Working in the video-game industry, illustrating a book, having achieved some measure of 'success' at a young age isn't enough- if you are fixing your hope that attaining those things will make you feel more worthwhile, please stop. It won't. You will always be hungry for more, and we just perpetuate the cycle by telling that lie over and over again.<br />
I think sometimes we feel the need to work ourselves up into this frenzy about the all-importance of our work because otherwise it costs us too much to do it at all. It's the culture in game-development (and film, and illustration, and...) that keeps people away from their families and crunching at their desks until the wee hours. But it's not all-important. It's beautiful and good and edifying and fun. But it's not all important. You are not worthwhile because of what you produce.<br />
<br />
You are worthwhile because you are loved.<br />
<br />
And not just loved by the people in your life that you care about. Because people's love is fleeting, and even a parent's love is subject to change. Art-worth and body-worth and intellectual-worth all have merit, but ultimately fall short- I will spend all my life chasing after those things, and never ever feeling full. Never feeling worthwhile enough. There will always be someone more beautiful, more intelligent, more talented, more popular, more accomplished, better dressed, and more motivated.<br />
<br />
You are worthwhile because you are loved by God.<br />
<br />
That's a hard one to get my head around. And to be perfectly honest- I'm still trying to get my head around it.<br />
<br />
But my friend (and pastor) Andrew is fond of bringing this thought back again and again; <i>what would the world look like if everyone walked around knowing they were truly, unconditionally loved at the depth of their being?</i> What would people be free to do? What would we stop chasing? How much more could we in turn go and love others. It would be incredible.<br />
<br />
And I think he's right. That's what's on offer in Christ. That is close to he heart of what this whole Christian-faith things is about.<br />
It is not a political agenda, or a set of commandments constituting a checklist for worthiness; it is first and foremost a belief that we are loved. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son"<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A16&version=NIV"> John 3:16</a><br />
That is a dream worth striving towards and a hope worth hoping. How could it not profoundly effect my entire outlook on life?<br />
<br />
Out of that place, (which is a place I can rarely stay for long before my attention and energy gets sucked away by short-sighted desires to prove my importance) I get so excited about <i>art-making</i>.<br />
Because we can participate in loving, through what we do.<br />
<br />
And when our worth comes from somewhere else, we are not earning worth for ourselves when we make art<i>- we are giving it away to others. </i><br />
<br />
That is one of the ways that making art can be like praying a prayer.<br />
Like thankfulness made manifest.<br />
We can love and show others the worth in things they might have overlooked when we set pen to paper.<br />
And so we can be about our Father's business.<br />
<br />
<i>That </i>is incredible.<br />
<br />
And if that keeps me at my desk till the wee-hours, then so be it. But I don't want to be driven to make art because I have some sense that it is going to justify my continued existence as a human being...because I've been made to feel that it <i>is </i>me. My work is not my worth (neither is yours)<br />
<br />
That is something I need to remember on dark days. And something I often feel like I have little-to-no grasp on. Some days it's really hard to love or care or hope or anything- it's really easy to give up. I'm never sure about anything, and it's just as easy to give up on art as it is to give up on faith. Despair is the easiest thing in the world- I think it's easy to despair when I am convinced that my worth depends on how well the next piece turns out. How impressed people are by me, and realizing that I fall very short by those standards.<br />
<br />
And yet, I am blessed beyond what I can hold- I haven't earned a bit of it. I don't deserve the family or friends I have, but all I can do is offer thanks for the love that has been poured out for me. Thank you all, and more than that thank God for the love I don't deserve. "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16&version=NIV">Psalm 16: 6</a><br />
I didn't earn any of that.<br />
<br />
Maybe we don't earn worth. Maybe we're given it for free. <br />
Maybe we can give it as freely as we receive it.<br />
Praise God.<br />
<br />
I hope you are blessed and feel loved today- truly truly. Wherever this finds you.<br />
Let's draw?<br />
<br />
-n<br />
<br />
<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-50702166712145342162013-08-22T09:34:00.001-07:002013-08-22T09:38:47.852-07:00A Long Belated Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hoho...well...wow...hi</div>
<br />
It's been entirely too long. As so much has passed since I've last updated this blog.<br />
<br />
I almost took a job designing almost-pokemon (but got to stay in the executive suite anyways), I was in the middle of negotiating a deal to design watercolor mascots for a theme park in France (Based on my Pokemon drawings? I know, whaaa??), went to comic-con in San Diego (almost died of the giggles, stood near Harrison Ford, and danced with two Doctor Who's and a youtube celebrity crush), and I slipped away from my duties at EA to take a job illustrating a book with...you know...<i>those Disney people. </i><br />
I also spent some summer time watching the sun rise in Maine on a mountain (during which I was extremely grumpy for a variety of reasons, most of which were that it was 4am), rode in a Cessna, and ate one of the best breakfasts of my life. All of which are fine stories, but none of which I will tell here!<br />
<br />
What about that book thingie, you ask? I won't go into detail or say much, but I am currently focusing all my creative energies on a fast-approaching deadline for this book. A fairy-tale project for the Maus Haus!<br />
But I am working on a book! Actually illustrating! It is great! Mostly! Except when I feel like I don't know what I'm doing! Then I panic! Woo!<br />
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I've been told that I am allowed to show the teensiest bit of work from my project at EA- wanna see?<br />
I was working on a MOBA that is now in Beta called <a href="http://www.waystonegames.com/#/">Dawngate</a>! It's apparently lots of fun, though I've never really played much myself (more of a stop-and-smell-the-roses, solve-the-puzzles, read-the-story kind of gamer myself). But it's been a lot of fun being a part of something that is actually out there in the world! And the team at Waystone games team is an absolutely killer group of people...really surprisingly open and engaged with their community for a team that's housed at EA. Big props to those people! Internet-fed prejudices eliminated!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVUUxn_kBFmZGH9jGeGwnu-mA_eCrMQb3SMpau0cbgZ7-soRJOtiOonYOrBawnId12zvJ4ulZPWXRBlFIh9uSGM8WnobwkCqFNvBPz5zicnZS9YLzB-Cxbyky4u1d4F8r9FcjA7cruDY/s1600/ZeriTurn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVUUxn_kBFmZGH9jGeGwnu-mA_eCrMQb3SMpau0cbgZ7-soRJOtiOonYOrBawnId12zvJ4ulZPWXRBlFIh9uSGM8WnobwkCqFNvBPz5zicnZS9YLzB-Cxbyky4u1d4F8r9FcjA7cruDY/s400/ZeriTurn2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Zeri!</i></div>
</div>
<br />
Mostly, I designed skins for the existing Shapers...but one main character I had the privilege of redesigning myself! Her name is Zeri, and if you have played the Beta you've met her already! There are some characters you design because you're assigned them, but Zeri I did for fun. I heard her voice-acting and saw the general idea (a paintbrush wielding art-school chick) and fell in love. Some times you just get attached, you know?<br />
Anyways- they liked what I came up with, and it's in the game! If you get a chance to try out Dawngate, give her a spin...her sound-bites are hilarious :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaXDhcsLlohpBpQhq7se-RrZmvDac9vYF9mIiS5uMQA9I0WrRaBIufpSwKu-54uImyM0o0SIgIQ8kw1hACXeQgBK_s2JjCFtDNHXYjfsInxQEeSH2Vek37OIz20gMP3L70tF9TWyTGjI/s1600/dawngate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaXDhcsLlohpBpQhq7se-RrZmvDac9vYF9mIiS5uMQA9I0WrRaBIufpSwKu-54uImyM0o0SIgIQ8kw1hACXeQgBK_s2JjCFtDNHXYjfsInxQEeSH2Vek37OIz20gMP3L70tF9TWyTGjI/s320/dawngate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">all grown up and three dimensional!</span></div>
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And now for something completely different! I've been keeping up freelance work along with my other projects, and one of them was an animated show concept with a local studio called Cloudkid. I can't say anything more about it, since it's still in development. But I have been permission to show some of the work I did for them...which was super fun! I love working in a range of styles to mix things up (part of my ongoing art puberty), and designing a set of characters with expressions and personality strongly in mind was a new experience for me. It's a whole new way of giving life to a design! Also; octodog!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NZQus3T3ekGXYBwvDgj4SCEuVt3c-DdZZoiMIZEht2UzyIzfRVWgew7Ypa-v4zfkSnNIp2ZB9WdHSoWJzvL-KVx_s9JYuY5Gulx_R5oAUPXJZ-hKBQzMNHSUk-y-5VLCSVrwHyczcjI/s1600/Sherbet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NZQus3T3ekGXYBwvDgj4SCEuVt3c-DdZZoiMIZEht2UzyIzfRVWgew7Ypa-v4zfkSnNIp2ZB9WdHSoWJzvL-KVx_s9JYuY5Gulx_R5oAUPXJZ-hKBQzMNHSUk-y-5VLCSVrwHyczcjI/s400/Sherbet1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lastly, on the work-updates-I-can-show-you front! I painted my first ever Vinyl figurine for an art show in Mexico! Check out Trampantojo for deets! I'm still slim on information about the where and when of the show myself- but it was fun!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EAoGDGp0JZb9snACwlStcePezlx2Dytj3GZvatWtEiiQ569NeyNuDRKDA1IN_y-MeBcSJBrrDUFrR89vkeySmnRs-y1X2Pwf9iyuOhY-17pRMw0sQpw0cBetyG9sS_3wJsPUVTdlASQ/s1600/9b17319da01220dad7e5f16a055318ba.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EAoGDGp0JZb9snACwlStcePezlx2Dytj3GZvatWtEiiQ569NeyNuDRKDA1IN_y-MeBcSJBrrDUFrR89vkeySmnRs-y1X2Pwf9iyuOhY-17pRMw0sQpw0cBetyG9sS_3wJsPUVTdlASQ/s320/9b17319da01220dad7e5f16a055318ba.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Before!</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteurYbHkne8IaDVf4ifXEAyE0Hk3l3P2kCsBiqbkWbE1qet5y0L76AH9HUpWnrwWxcmHCGU1ARUauNkRxD908e7oKJl4dEk7ZOu_yGffDA0TzYTMfHTWxifWdL2LATW3TXMdlkBVznz8/s1600/dfb2c2674b63a14e05367b95e4d671e5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteurYbHkne8IaDVf4ifXEAyE0Hk3l3P2kCsBiqbkWbE1qet5y0L76AH9HUpWnrwWxcmHCGU1ARUauNkRxD908e7oKJl4dEk7ZOu_yGffDA0TzYTMfHTWxifWdL2LATW3TXMdlkBVznz8/s320/dfb2c2674b63a14e05367b95e4d671e5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>After!</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Looking back over the last few months- it's been a real rollercoaster of events and emotions- not all of them good or fun. Often, when I disappear from the internet it is because a combination of busy and sad are keeping me away. But no more! I am determined to move ever-onward, and glad to have the support of you guys to keep me arting. I can't wait to share the book with all of y'all :)<br />
<br />
A couple of quick plugs- if you read and enjoyed my <a href="http://nicholaskole.blogspot.com/2012/06/this-actually-just-happened.html">comic from a while back about freelance </a>, then you should follow <a href="https://twitter.com/forexposure_txt">this twitter account</a> if you want to be amused/terribly terribly sad.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in my more frequent thoughts and sketches- I'm on <a href="https://twitter.com/FromHappyRock">twitter</a>, <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>, and <a href="http://instagram.com/nicholaskole">instagram </a>and post relatively often. Still sticking with this blogger thing, though- cuz I love you guys.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
In the meantime, I hope you are super well.<br />
God's blessings and much love!<br />
<br />
-n</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-71477267631977270142013-04-04T19:40:00.002-07:002013-08-22T08:40:45.539-07:00West! or The Dream List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt1SPfWRtlhb8JVAGi1xtbiFX3_Khrk-lw3RpY5Cei9PXSAg-k293NpOmnG8eLZ8fsJ28Ixoj3_oT_OnuaJ4KPy_n6D3rUX2SL7Ri3ZSFicLQsxe42hhyphenhyphenLEEJ2ZGwiSgD3uo4sTEpOj8/s1600/san_francisco_img.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt1SPfWRtlhb8JVAGi1xtbiFX3_Khrk-lw3RpY5Cei9PXSAg-k293NpOmnG8eLZ8fsJ28Ixoj3_oT_OnuaJ4KPy_n6D3rUX2SL7Ri3ZSFicLQsxe42hhyphenhyphenLEEJ2ZGwiSgD3uo4sTEpOj8/s400/san_francisco_img.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>So, THIS Freaking Place</i></div>
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Hello, humans!<br />
<br />
As seems to be the pattern, it's been a while since my last post- but I am back once again!<br />
And most recently, I am back from San Francisco. A city which, due to the hype that has been laid down by many of my west coasty friends, I was totally prepared to be disappointed in.<br />
Well. I wasn't. It was magical. It was won me over for California- though I am no fan of the palm-tree-ey bits that look like saved by the bell and trapper keepers- the northy bit is neat!<br />
I also happened to be in town on the exact evening that a Beauty and the Beast singalong was underway (after which I proceeded to get lost in <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GsGT7nHAGjaHEL-zAX88kv28wrlbvCtgDhwhMJq7rE3VIdIQqsIHChDu8lKvRYFGFY8CPLAQYZA7XgUSRBCR69Zvjwn566ET9EXsb_Esjdl0_znYW8vMCMe1CZ9KQoZ6jzCpO40UcJHc/s1600/TL+Pissing+Cops.jpg">the Tenderloin</a> with no money and no ID at midnight, but that is a much longer story for another time). And my very wonderful best brony Liz Mooney's family whisked me away into the hills of Petaluma to smell all the flowers (they do actually have flowers there! LIVING PLANTS, NEW ENGLAND!) and basically drive windingly through <a href="http://uploads1.wikipaintings.org/images/eyvind-earle/fog-and-storm-and-rain-1996.jpg">a giant Eyvind Earle painting</a>. <br />
<br />
But that was not why I was there! No no no, dear reader- I was there on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlqz8flgPNLjGiykYMaMA4H7UBpm-J7fekkgB_iuaJ3SsxQicN6MdFKKUyAXbt9V5OXhioZlzlvtc2BSHxLX4xhmiG93LSFJqZuZrsEMzxs7udevEgDeIIL2qdRZFXxhzAIirCUIDbQHt/s1600/Sam+Eagle.jpg">business</a>!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://wakpaper.com/large/Wonderful+Days_wallpapers_266.JPG">Business </a>indeed- because (and it only just occurred to me that most people don't have a clue this is the case) I am now an employee of EA Games!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogDPZGjStkPvvktbWzrvdbgz9_dnbuYU_RV1EDm0YrglaGubhtYsvop5BBdz83RflJ0l5osY0W4LzLvYUTjW7pcAmS68Y4fBDxI-8sLwPylWH9gCcj8kCr-_mquE9H7hO0VMdgVRKf9s/s1600/ea_logo-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogDPZGjStkPvvktbWzrvdbgz9_dnbuYU_RV1EDm0YrglaGubhtYsvop5BBdz83RflJ0l5osY0W4LzLvYUTjW7pcAmS68Y4fBDxI-8sLwPylWH9gCcj8kCr-_mquE9H7hO0VMdgVRKf9s/s320/ea_logo-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Fancy!</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I am a character concept artist working a remote contract from my home base in MA. And I got to fly out to the left side of the country to meet my colleagues and see the project first hand. It is a great gig, a fun project, and a team full of excellent folk!<br />I can't tell you anything about it (and sadly it will mark a return to the making-almost-entirely-secret-work lifestyle of those employed in pretty much any creative industry) but I can at least show you the art test I did that got me the gig- </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihdqo2V2Sdv43gi44ptJPu8HMSyRg4Kw9-DNM25OlJ2PxtyUu1Qtm48_3TBRwxT0XpBOuJN2yv9UjdYkZZWN9sl-AQEt1iD7ND9S5oWsi3IuvSTSfiEcg5ybBdw4dIrel1AuIBnVV5lU/s1600/forest_guardian_by_nicholaskole-d5wa585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihdqo2V2Sdv43gi44ptJPu8HMSyRg4Kw9-DNM25OlJ2PxtyUu1Qtm48_3TBRwxT0XpBOuJN2yv9UjdYkZZWN9sl-AQEt1iD7ND9S5oWsi3IuvSTSfiEcg5ybBdw4dIrel1AuIBnVV5lU/s400/forest_guardian_by_nicholaskole-d5wa585.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><i>Fun!</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">It is a timely gig, and one I don't have to relocate permanently for, which is a blessing I cannot do justice in words. God is good, and merciful. </span></div>
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Regrettably, this comes on the heels of the first round of Jellybots graphic novel pitch not-quite-working-out with publishers. Which was, frankly, kind of heartbreaking- I really really want to make this book happen. I'll be looking into what to do with that whole thing, and in the meantime I'll at least be able to feed myself and maybe take a nip out of the crushing college debt that prevents me from taking bigger risks.</div>
<span style="text-align: start;"></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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</span>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Still, all this got me thinking about art and life and God and hopes and dreams and what is it that I actually wanted to do with my life, again? </span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="text-align: start;">So I made a list. </span></div>
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And I'm going to publish it here in the hope that somehow the internet will hold me accountable to having some dreams and hopes and maybe even one day achieving them. SO, help me not give up, internet! And if you happen to be one of the people who could actually help me do one of these things, then fiiind me!</div>
<span style="text-align: start;"></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Without further ado (and in no particular order):</span></div>
<span style="text-align: start;">
<b><br /></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The List Of Things I Want To Do (Mostly Art Related, But Not Exclusively) Before I Die:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Write and create my own graphic novels</b></div>
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<b>Work for Disney on an animated feature</b></div>
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<b>Work for Dreamworks as a character artist</b></div>
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<b>Do color-design for a movie</b></div>
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<b>Work with That Game Company</b></div>
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<b>Do any kind of story for First Second Publishing</b></div>
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<b>Travel to warm places, far away<br />Work on something unabashedly adorable</b></div>
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<b>Work for Laika</b></div>
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<b>Teach Art</b></div>
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<b>Make watercolors of things and be paid for it</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Design Pokemon for Gamefreak<br />Design absolutely anything for Skies of Arcadia 2<br />Ditto for Jet Set Radio<br />Oh, and anything Myst related</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Be paid for actual voice acting</b></div>
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<b>Be involved in story meetings on an animated feature</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Work on Avatar/Korra</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Be involved in adapting Redwall for...anything</b></div>
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<b>Harry Potter graphic novel</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Spider-man</b></div>
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<b>Work in <i>any </i>capacity on an animated musical (please please please)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Develop dream projects and contribute to the vision of a small company at its outset</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Work on something for actual kids. Not grown-ups who have the minds of kids.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Work on Tinkerbell (yes.)<br />Work on anything remotely as rad as Gravity Falls</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Be surprised by something not on this list</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Do something non-art related in a beautiful place</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Give professional hugs</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>aaaand eat all the cheese.</b></div>
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So that's all I got right now!<br />
It's really cathartic to get that out there- It's not a comprehensive list, and what's neat about dreams is that they change and grow and die and return. But sometimes it's hard to remember what it is you're even shooting for, and then it's easy to get stagnant and stop trying. SO LET'S NOT DO THAT!<br />
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I'm curious, wonderful and patient readers- what are your hopes and art-dreams?</div>
<br />
I hope you are better than me today. I came home from travel with the 24 hour death-flu. I will be ok soon. Or I will be dead.<br />
Either way, have some Pokemon!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNxxkSnqgCl8eS1B2UDTz6v-Kgfrg913P_Svdj7BiY5OrS11OoJGcTvI8_62z-k8PEmRF0rpuQ2hZZ_1V5QbjkYAjP4kfWKMDzKLRLGu7GqnWrjKuxO0BrKxFmbOWGc92RVYOUMQ32vI/s1600/watercolor_pokemon__019_034_by_nicholaskole-d60gzrp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggNxxkSnqgCl8eS1B2UDTz6v-Kgfrg913P_Svdj7BiY5OrS11OoJGcTvI8_62z-k8PEmRF0rpuQ2hZZ_1V5QbjkYAjP4kfWKMDzKLRLGu7GqnWrjKuxO0BrKxFmbOWGc92RVYOUMQ32vI/s400/watercolor_pokemon__019_034_by_nicholaskole-d60gzrp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Much love!<br />
<br />
-n<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-1476030905089054352013-02-16T00:06:00.002-08:002013-02-16T00:14:16.952-08:00VoicesI'm just gonna...leave this here...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/nicholaskole/nicholas-kole-vo-demo-2013">https://soundcloud.com/nicholaskole/nicholas-kole-vo-demo-2013</a><br />
<br />
>.<<br />
<br />
lol<br />
<br />
-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-12391010931422722102013-02-05T08:57:00.000-08:002013-02-06T09:43:04.183-08:00Permission<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Hi all!<br />
<br />
I am coming to the end of a lull in work. Things have quieted down, and that affords me an opportunity to blog before it gets all crazy again.<br />
<br />
I'm going to attempt to keep it brief this time (HA!).<br />
But if you'll indulge me, I need to process something I've been grappling with: <b>Art-fear</b>.<br />
<br />
I feel like I've been going through (a second) art-puberty for the last several months. I've been experimenting with style and trying to find ways to get excited about making pictures again. I've been doing the same thing for a while now, and in order to get away from it all I started taking long bike rides and watercoloring- which I found was just about the only thing I've <i>wanted </i>to do.<br />
<br />
It's therapeutic. I do a lot of art for other people- to see their reaction, to get a paycheck, to feed my insatiable approval-hunger. But watercolor I generally do for me.<br />
<br />
The thing about watercolor is: It doesn't do what you want it to.<br />
<br />
Watercolor does what <i>it </i>wants. It arrives when it arrives and it's more or less up to you to get on board. The less control you exert, the better it will be. It's permanent, unforgiving, and you have to take a leap of faith with your precious drawing.<br />
If you let it surprise you, it will give you better gifts than if you assert your control.<br />
It requires trust.<br />
<br />
Photoshop, on the other hand, is all about control- what color would you like? Have you adjusted the contrast lately? Are you <i>sure </i>about that pixel, sir? UNDO UNDO!<br />
<br />
So I started to play. And I did a sketch (up top) that I really liked. The thing was- between pen and watercolor, there's no way to erase, precious little control, and no time for second thoughts.<br />
I didn't know who that kid was going to be when I started- he just happened. Does he have anatomy? pffff. Is he a "Great Design"? naw. Will people be impressed? probably not.<br />
But something surprising occurred and I was holding the brush when it happened and<i> I liked it</i>. So naturally I wanted to do it again.<br />
Womp Womp. <br />
Man plans. God laughs. Watercolor does what it wants.<br />
<br />
The blank page can be totally paralyzing when you bring expectations to it.<br />
"I don't know what I'm going to draw, but it's got to be <i>amazing</i>!" is a pretty sure guarantee you're going to make stiff, awkward, insincere garbage. Fear makes me a terrible artist.<br />
<br />
So I sat down and I froze up and awkwardly tried to put pen to paper and wound up with this mess:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_O2QrUzgx1G1Htai2tgSZyrI0sOB-cI-FcYIXI0aK4zqCLBptI_Db5mn2lFYfqZ69QUunw8ILCj9OT-WrErxjl96l3uuPy7r1kqVzLtj8guazgDV7lXaLpRphxREDkf0ESwoIKdq8fQ/s1600/uck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_O2QrUzgx1G1Htai2tgSZyrI0sOB-cI-FcYIXI0aK4zqCLBptI_Db5mn2lFYfqZ69QUunw8ILCj9OT-WrErxjl96l3uuPy7r1kqVzLtj8guazgDV7lXaLpRphxREDkf0ESwoIKdq8fQ/s400/uck.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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<i>NOPE.</i></div>
<br />
Maybe you like it fine. Maybe the shirt turned out alright and the watercolor was gracious with me, but that face is a turd (at least it wasn't what I was <i>hoping </i>for/what I felt I was capable of) I was afraid, and by the end of sketching I was SO FRUSTRATED.<br />
<br />
I left the coffee shop I was sitting in and went to see a friend in a cloud of art-angst.<br />
During our conversation we got to talking about fear and expectations, and I vented about my unsuccessful sketch. And he reminded me of something I've told people, students, myself...time and time again...<br />
<br />
"You have to give yourself permission to suck."<br />
<br />
To make god-awful, un-viewable hot-garbage. You have to go there. You have to make your worst art. TRY to make bad sketches. Stop being afraid of it- leap into the blank page and make a mess. Break the seal. Look that giant boss-monster straight in its terrifying red eye and then throw your sword away, put on your most ridiculous hat and do your most alarming dance. You might not kill the monster, but you might make it so uncomfortable that it just leaves. It doesn't want to eat your kind of crazy.<br />
<br />
I forgot that. And fear makes me seize up and I make no art at all.<br />
If I want to improve I have to remember- bad art is better than no art. Always.<br />
At least you're moving.<br />
In high-school theatre the director could shape the performance of that one girl with the loud voice who would sing anything at the top of her lungs, out of key. You could work with that.<br />
But good freaking luck pulling anything out of the wallflower who's too shy to make a peep. It's like pulling teeth.<br />
God can help direct you once you start moving.<br />
<br />
So I sat down and I made some hot garbage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMfULGUgXw0IVRZueKOUESO8rKv_QBZb7GwLsEBp1Nst8zZGFVrkJojcUEdVRYWRmtN0h8eHO0ftTOZ1ojMKl-QlZBUwLqury2kDWhHoyBliNewcxYO5piZSGwhfC0yemGlXAciRAVeg/s1600/hotgarbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMfULGUgXw0IVRZueKOUESO8rKv_QBZb7GwLsEBp1Nst8zZGFVrkJojcUEdVRYWRmtN0h8eHO0ftTOZ1ojMKl-QlZBUwLqury2kDWhHoyBliNewcxYO5piZSGwhfC0yemGlXAciRAVeg/s400/hotgarbage.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<i>Hot Garbage. </i></div>
<br />
Maybe you like it, maybe you don't. That is a terrible cup. And what even is that underneath it?<br />
I can promise you all of these looked heinous before watercolor. But I would submit to you that each sketch here is better than the stiff, awkward attempt at a mustachioed fellow above. They all turned out better, stranger, more alive.<br />
I did this so fast and so frantically. And once the dust cleared, I didn't feel paralyzed anymore.<br />
<br />
Nobody yelled at me. Nobody was "disappointed, son". The world didn't fall apart, and now I have two pages full of raw material. New experiments!<br />
So if you're afraid, I prescribe making a mess. Go a little crazy. Draw only what you want, as fast as you can, let it be awful...like, <i>really</i> awful and unrecognizable. And let Control-Z take a flying leap.<br />
<br />
It's weird, and I hope you'll allow me to wax poetical- but I feel like watercolor is teaching me things about God, about love, about decisions and life. "Let go- trust. Move. Make work, don't fear." God is (once again) speaking "art" to me because he knows I'll hear it when he does.<br />
<br />
Praise the Lord for grace like that.<br />
<br />
Breathe.<br />
<br />
As the experiment continues, I've been trying to find ways to combine my love of watercolor with the colors I get digitally. I may even break out more colors than Prussian Blue eventually! Who knows? Baby steps.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7D4lE7aAcyqS2GiHN3PyiIcMYuxCgZu5GI_pFg6xaNS0viSxJkGYwjB-DmptPyiX9M8SaP7Rt_uot37OY9R714KVnpz8S9SbMA6V1UTKgBfGe64XmTNuM6FJ11lgyw-JJUZ9xpNI46Q/s1600/cinqueterre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7D4lE7aAcyqS2GiHN3PyiIcMYuxCgZu5GI_pFg6xaNS0viSxJkGYwjB-DmptPyiX9M8SaP7Rt_uot37OY9R714KVnpz8S9SbMA6V1UTKgBfGe64XmTNuM6FJ11lgyw-JJUZ9xpNI46Q/s320/cinqueterre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I defy you, perspective.</i></div>
<br />
To keep moving, practicing and experimenting I started painting Pokemon (because that's kind of all I want to draw these days) and then decided to join the Pokemonathon! I'm gonna draw em all! :)<br />
You can follow my progress at <a href="http://pkmnathon.tumblr.com/">pkmnathon.tumblr.com</a> and <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">nicholaskole.tumblr.com</a>!<br />
<br />
But since you're all so lovely and have listened so far, here's a look at the set so far (with a few I haven't posted on tumblr yet):<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbXkPnIfEeqzdyKfr-pyk76pN0udcN8tUYtFWsgBEI8LXICPvO01lJWiW3fziShdHtwbDc6y8lY4n90qLvHrRfGUHgtABYqZ0LjREJMAkD1WWvUzmPLj-0ANAocDjE-b_paPjxMAG25E/s1600/SoFar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbXkPnIfEeqzdyKfr-pyk76pN0udcN8tUYtFWsgBEI8LXICPvO01lJWiW3fziShdHtwbDc6y8lY4n90qLvHrRfGUHgtABYqZ0LjREJMAkD1WWvUzmPLj-0ANAocDjE-b_paPjxMAG25E/s640/SoFar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
That's it for now.<br />
I wish you the very best and God's blessings in chilly, icky winter!<br />
Much love,<br />
<br />
-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-68231616222345070352013-01-04T12:01:00.004-08:002013-01-04T12:37:31.345-08:00Goodbye, 2012.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJtMvJGRje-NoRhAYsls7k8zjrWKSpUbJxr7lo0Xp9W9EJdSEB1x3cwaRaYpRQMjy6aC6zL1ehw0e_FTdVgimz6s68-WjsT2WKFnrVlvdEKGVW1pAXJhzgQDbGe8GEyj1E80xS7oiC3Y/s1600/IntoTheUnknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJtMvJGRje-NoRhAYsls7k8zjrWKSpUbJxr7lo0Xp9W9EJdSEB1x3cwaRaYpRQMjy6aC6zL1ehw0e_FTdVgimz6s68-WjsT2WKFnrVlvdEKGVW1pAXJhzgQDbGe8GEyj1E80xS7oiC3Y/s320/IntoTheUnknown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
"I have no Plan B" has been a phrase that's been doing laps around my head recently.<br />
But writing it down I realize I'm not even sure if I've got a plan A.<br />
<br />
As a friend recently phrased it: "You know how I was seeing the new year as this big...cliff? Where I didn't know what was past it? Well. I'm here!"<br />
<br />
I feel the need to eulogize 2012. If only to put it behind me.<br />
<br />
Many years come and go and sort of blend into eachother as they pass, but 2012 was a year that I think I will always remember.<br />
My little life was turned quite upside down. At the start of 2012 I was in love, employed, and living in Providence. We had just had a beautiful Christmas, and the upcoming weeks of winter meant there was more time during the week and on the weekends to sneak away and have adventures. Work was wearing on me, and I was dreaming about what I'd do after the game wrapped up and launched. Within the company the tension and anticipation was growing: we were entering what we thought would be a long crunch-time before the game's (seemingly) inevitable release.<br />
But my heart wasn't in crunch- I was feeling reluctant and contented. No adventures, thank you. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things- make you late for dinner.<br />
Change was not the plan- I had a good thing going.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>But getting your dreams- it's strange but it seems a little, well...complicated.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There's a kind of a sort of...cost.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There's a couple of things get...lost.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There are bridges you cross you didn't know you'd crossed until you've crossed. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Thank Goodness from Wicked. </div>
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This part always wrecks me. Getting what you think you want can suck. </div>
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Over the course of 2012 a lot changed- in rather spectacular fashion. Fireworks, Gandalf.<br />
In the course of a few months right in the middle of it, I broke up with my girlfriend, lost my job (along with 300 coworkers as the company hit an iceberg and sank slowly under the fiscal sea. "Too-big-to-fail" took on a new and sinister meaning), I moved out of the city and home to my folks, and both my dog and my grandfather passed away. The silence that followed it all was deafening.<br />
I wasn't enjoying this adventure anymore.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlaY6hN2pdqA7U9B2gwcPNqGGe49tIo-iSS3nmy0L081KoP6VOiYf71D-eu6KdVd6o2OZNDvsM-WY-vPKzGwvV3YExzBOeZGsTKb5LPhzED2bFGJcI2pWdLhvvLMYJ8oG4SoOQamtbm8/s1600/grandpa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlaY6hN2pdqA7U9B2gwcPNqGGe49tIo-iSS3nmy0L081KoP6VOiYf71D-eu6KdVd6o2OZNDvsM-WY-vPKzGwvV3YExzBOeZGsTKb5LPhzED2bFGJcI2pWdLhvvLMYJ8oG4SoOQamtbm8/s320/grandpa.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
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<i>"O!" said Bilbo, and just at that moment he felt more tired than he ever remembered feeling before. He was thinking once again of his comfortable chair before the fire in his favorite sitting-room in his hobbit-hole, and of the kettle singing. Not for the last time."</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/178/9/8/we_loved_here__by_nicholaskole-d551egd.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnJmYG_wvUUIwIwLXLSbN0xS_MrZUr2put9FFSHR9OM98lKXlTz4SFfxGcu5dwTpdyUFn-vRa_ZCU-8VXk1eQ1O8IMYqf4w9IyMKgq5molGWrNZVyvR0U3p0AxcTmsno6dgzgzZFHdOU/s320/we_loved_here__by_nicholaskole-d551egd.jpg" width="29" /></a></div>
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And in the middle of all that, a dear friend's sister was in a car accident. The crash paralyzed her from the waist down and limited the use of her hands. If I've ever needed a slap in the face to stop feeling sorry for myself, it was then- and there it was. I will try not to over-romanticize it, but the bare facts are these- I don't know what all her plans were, but they <i>all </i>certainly changed.<br />
And somehow, through it all, with the church rallying around her and her family drawing in near- it would never be the same, but somehow it was going to be...good. Because there was love. you could see it: God was there.<br />
It was tragic, but it was also one of the most hopeful things I've ever seen.<br />
<br />
Her story is bigger than this, but it got me thinking.<br />
There was a moment, driving down the highway and into Providence, when I realized anything -<i>anything</i>- could be taken from me. At any time.<br />
My plans had been shipwrecked, but not as much as they could have been. And even if they were- <i>God is still good</i>. There is love in the world. A story is being told and it's <i>NOT ALL ABOUT ME GETTING WHAT I WANT.</i><br />
And my plans? They were never much good to begin with.<br />
All my dreams I had built on my own ambitions- on my artistic skill, assuming it would always be there. <br />
I could lose my ability to draw in a split second!<br />
And in light of all that had happened I suddenly, strangely felt like that was ok. There was peace there.<br />
I would be ok. God is still good. <br />
<br />
In 2012 my sister was married by the sea. And the gathering of friends and family, there to celebrate her and her husband and praise God with us all was one of the most joyous I can ever remember. It was perfect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDRnCG96qAijYcb8y-BSSXSeuysms7k1f4vIRdBwNaV0GrwozGmj1gAcEBH1SKozA352wntEtl6v8PBO1kB9wk4OvAehL01jNX7UUWyglPOCjHxzbAO8Me-dgjXF-HwV4RuE87H5Y6g0/s1600/WeddingInvite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDRnCG96qAijYcb8y-BSSXSeuysms7k1f4vIRdBwNaV0GrwozGmj1gAcEBH1SKozA352wntEtl6v8PBO1kB9wk4OvAehL01jNX7UUWyglPOCjHxzbAO8Me-dgjXF-HwV4RuE87H5Y6g0/s320/WeddingInvite.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
In 2012 I went to North Carolina and I saw my best friend in the world, John Epling, just before he left for Afghanistan. I met Susanna, his then-fiance (now Mrs. Epling) for the first time. We went to an aquarium, and I sat under the glass wall of an incredible tank of shifting, silver fish with my watercolors and I knew that God loved me, and that is was going to be alright.<br />
In 2012 he returned safely home.<br />
Last weekend he was married and I passed him the rings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ9Ie5L-CRvpMqsnYeXMvzkChF5771ROGnpGJc8H9CQV11xhzIJXGtFI4hCTwkH1HswMyBwC3A5Ws8rm5I-rUZDr8uPNHA6KpVL3apFzLZIzt044fomnW6b6wqhrU0dv87ivupdhOJKU/s1600/new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ9Ie5L-CRvpMqsnYeXMvzkChF5771ROGnpGJc8H9CQV11xhzIJXGtFI4hCTwkH1HswMyBwC3A5Ws8rm5I-rUZDr8uPNHA6KpVL3apFzLZIzt044fomnW6b6wqhrU0dv87ivupdhOJKU/s320/new.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In 2012 I saw two of my favorite people, Alex and Peggy, who I had the joy of introducing to eachother (one from Austria, one from RISD) get married in Canada. We shared a gorgeous weekend together that mixed all the sweetness and sadness of the year together as we caught up again.<br />
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<br />
Then I flew to Seattle to see <i>another </i>one of my best friends (and Jellybots collaborator) Peter Lefferts marry his sweetheart Esther in a sunlit park.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5yxbtZTEr114JRA07M1mxRxQOjE4ClRFmX0kFWWkvWhUbOSKJBFGwyunP4CU8dtuShjSK_qPlRb9cug5JCIt-Pzc-8zBH_JHB1mEEXtdWHBVoBolYwzfPe0zpRNO9ldAI0i9q3JgYMg/s1600/PeterandEsther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5yxbtZTEr114JRA07M1mxRxQOjE4ClRFmX0kFWWkvWhUbOSKJBFGwyunP4CU8dtuShjSK_qPlRb9cug5JCIt-Pzc-8zBH_JHB1mEEXtdWHBVoBolYwzfPe0zpRNO9ldAI0i9q3JgYMg/s320/PeterandEsther.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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I found new friends in 2012, and felt more held and more part of a family in my church community than I <i>ever </i>had before. When I was most up against the ropes financially and emotionally- there they were.<br />
I will not easily forget a morning when I didn't want to wake up, and Steve Caroll called to walk me through brushing my teeth.<br />
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I spent the summer on my bicycle, rediscovering the world outside and the simple joy I have in a little watercolor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e0PxqSgJYrRzk4XZ8ib4TZ2oX5x2e9HWQgkjmtTkVXBClN2xxPb0jE2yiamsKT7v2eT4582Jrdu7uADWX3xxNkxBpdHx3O2kdm5C_3kmJJSJdTGJyHt4Nnwcnpq-CHV9pXhEi1drOBU/s1600/watercolors3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e0PxqSgJYrRzk4XZ8ib4TZ2oX5x2e9HWQgkjmtTkVXBClN2xxPb0jE2yiamsKT7v2eT4582Jrdu7uADWX3xxNkxBpdHx3O2kdm5C_3kmJJSJdTGJyHt4Nnwcnpq-CHV9pXhEi1drOBU/s320/watercolors3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In 2012 I grew a moustache.<br />
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Everything is not magically better. I will not whitewash over the whole thing-<br />
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I've been trying to pitch Jellybots for so long I can barely remember why I was trying to do it in the first place. It feels like I no longer recall the taste of strawberries.<br />
The plan was not to sit in silence for several months, second-guessing myself, but here I am.<br />
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I am looking ahead at 2013, and I realize more than any time before in my life- I have no idea what I'm going to do.<br />
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Meditating on this past year, the words of John the Baptist in Matthew ch. 3 stuck me hard-<br />
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<i>"The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire" </i></div>
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I'm a melodramatic soul, I'll admit. But that's how it has felt...like my tree is being chopped down. I know that's bleak, but this advent season another scripture struck me even harder. In Isaiah ch. 11 he predicts the coming of Jesus:<br />
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<i>"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."</i></div>
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What struck me particularly hard was that, without having read this scripture, I doodled this about a year ago:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdjuRLV7zhN8GFw8YPutr17kM3MrPwQXc-g08g3pWNWRWcNKmz21u2jSqS74UBCSYyoYf8oWtyQXfZ0QimfennfJwq9P40mdeNvkOnAD6kXYj54pMf-a2mOoO179NCd_emWDj4ZU85Kk/s1600/Stump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdjuRLV7zhN8GFw8YPutr17kM3MrPwQXc-g08g3pWNWRWcNKmz21u2jSqS74UBCSYyoYf8oWtyQXfZ0QimfennfJwq9P40mdeNvkOnAD6kXYj54pMf-a2mOoO179NCd_emWDj4ZU85Kk/s200/Stump.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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I am sure there will be more trial, more pain, and more struggle. 2012 has certainly held its share. Maybe the chopping isn't done, but when I consider Jesus and that image of a shoot coming up out of a stump...it doesn't matter how long or what is lost along the way. "<i>whatever was to my profit I now consider loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ</i>". (Philippians 3)<br />
There is hope out of the darkest winter and this past Christmas reminds me that hope does not come from the fruition of my plans and ambitions- God has something better in mind. The world hoped for a savior and got a baby. Weak and small and unexpected, but everything they needed and more.<br />
There is hope and it is Christ.<br />
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I have no idea where 2013 is going- but I'd rather have God's surprises than my plans, anyway.<br />
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-n<br />
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-33756268227301192202012-12-05T13:06:00.004-08:002012-12-05T13:06:56.198-08:00Robots and Cottages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZMDwOEgjAL0IYPBok5klk09ndzoGIlxBNfxp0iIbeKZ4TVBDgTSIBXUUOnXGtc8ZIWSdBNdZ1mhIWiY0IJPlcfy1IubWYB-Rs8Vt1TqFW7H5ySuWeRH6eY5-1VD9ZsOwTCJ-XTcAn3Y/s1600/Escaflowne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZMDwOEgjAL0IYPBok5klk09ndzoGIlxBNfxp0iIbeKZ4TVBDgTSIBXUUOnXGtc8ZIWSdBNdZ1mhIWiY0IJPlcfy1IubWYB-Rs8Vt1TqFW7H5ySuWeRH6eY5-1VD9ZsOwTCJ-XTcAn3Y/s320/Escaflowne.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
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<i>Robots and lady-dudes! He must be watching anime!</i></div>
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Hi All!</div>
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I've been spending the last few weeks in the waiting room. It feels like everything is about to happen, for good or ill, but nothing is actually happening. I've started to step my work back up while I wait- taking on some new freelance and trying to keep myself sketching. </div>
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I don't have much to report or say, but I thought I should show you all what I've been working on for the last few weeks/months...at least a peak at some of it. Above is some watercolor work I've done recently- I just finished rewatching the whole series of Escaflowne...which I remembered vaguely from my childhood- I had caught several episodes, but never got to see the story play out. It made a really big visual impression on me at the time. </div>
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Watching it again was a real trip- I had forgotten how important giant robots were to me as a kid. Between that and Gundam Wing (and then every other Gundam anything I could get my hands on) I was a pretty big mecha fan. </div>
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So suddenly I was seized by the strong desire to draw one (which is MEGA rare for me) and what watercolor does really well is force you to care less about the specifics...drawing something like that more gesturally was really freeing, and it made me think that some day, before I shuffle off these mortal coils, I'm going to have to write something for myself to draw with mecha in it :) For my 15 year old self.</div>
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Otherwise I've just been doing a commission here, an art-test there and trying to find work and keep floating while I wait to hear back. God is using this time to teach me patience and reliance on him...which I am learning...reluctantly. It is good to have friends- whether near or far- to encourage and challenge you. I've been reminded in this season of waiting and anticipation of how many blessings I already have to be thankful for. <br />If you're reading this, then you count as one of them :)</div>
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Anyways- below is a quick art test I recently threw together to prove to myself and others that I can, in fact, do what the kids are calling 'environments'. :p</div>
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It was a really fun exercise in technique (though the subject matter pretty generic...which is my fault for not thinking very hard). But I'm pleased with how it came out and I wanted to share it (and some stills of my process) with you guys so you can see how something like this happens. </div>
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I still mean to upload a process video of some sort- but in the meantime, I hope this is of interest: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DQaDUOZbqvYMQtcROEsdQU9YQn52XQFPgWICHtA1Bzhi3d66ppraoQD2SJcXC5ZcaOI4Ta0z1F8ouIrTIARZyPALiljFgyZCicMXJj4lX8y2I7kGKPLNfAyCpps5RQBmpHNwOlm_-xM/s1600/envirotestfull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DQaDUOZbqvYMQtcROEsdQU9YQn52XQFPgWICHtA1Bzhi3d66ppraoQD2SJcXC5ZcaOI4Ta0z1F8ouIrTIARZyPALiljFgyZCicMXJj4lX8y2I7kGKPLNfAyCpps5RQBmpHNwOlm_-xM/s320/envirotestfull.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This is the palette that happens every time I don't know what I'm doing :P</i></div>
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Not much more to report! When there is I will certainly let you know. I'll leave you with this dump of some highlights from my watercoloring over the last 2 months or so! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirD9u1JEdkMqDOwGDJ_9AyIiuM61b-4dTuh10_Nw0hbl86TmC5vfQk-u5-3-ai7iGGA8RM-NxizwJY-rOWT8pGzIeazj-Q8byshhK8z01lp7Mghi86RRiwwtId5Pl0jhoMqPHLv8bJ_M8/s1600/Highlights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirD9u1JEdkMqDOwGDJ_9AyIiuM61b-4dTuh10_Nw0hbl86TmC5vfQk-u5-3-ai7iGGA8RM-NxizwJY-rOWT8pGzIeazj-Q8byshhK8z01lp7Mghi86RRiwwtId5Pl0jhoMqPHLv8bJ_M8/s320/Highlights.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>
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Much love and may God bless you guys!</div>
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-n</div>
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-6292913182741857642012-11-22T07:31:00.001-08:002013-02-05T10:52:57.947-08:00Nickelberry CreamsiKole!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0MyFQEO8BM0aD-DfEphJTEVcisRakWUqpMBtcc4BeHOVcc2gPEAQsb6hKg7MUMX-58K7ZYfe3CcC42tTAwWlZMh6MLdqXVvtqVa-yOuVrN3SFqZVUeFieCJ_HuTAfBczlv6V7dZ3J8k/s1600/nickelberry_creamsikole_by_nicholaskole-d5lvaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0MyFQEO8BM0aD-DfEphJTEVcisRakWUqpMBtcc4BeHOVcc2gPEAQsb6hKg7MUMX-58K7ZYfe3CcC42tTAwWlZMh6MLdqXVvtqVa-yOuVrN3SFqZVUeFieCJ_HuTAfBczlv6V7dZ3J8k/s400/nickelberry_creamsikole_by_nicholaskole-d5lvaki.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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<i>Portrait of the artist dressed as his blog.</i></div>
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So, here's the deal - I loved Wreck-It Ralph. </div>
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And I especially loved that we got to spend as much time as we did in Sugar Rush because I loved that world with every candy-coated, girly-pop-listening, my-little-pony-watching bone in my beardy, beardy body.</div>
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So I saw some of my best art friends were all getting on this fun bandwagon and Sugar Rushing themselves...so I thought I'd join in! Especially because this is pretty much the first 'thing' I've done in a week. </div>
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So I present you with the result of whole minutes of thinking about candy-puns, and a few hours of my Wednesday evening: Nickelberry CreamsiKole!!</div>
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I listened to that new Carly Rae Jepsen album so much while I drew that...I think I might throw up. :p</div>
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In other news, I am still in a major waiting room regarding...well...<i>everything else in my life</i>. But God has been merciful in dealing with me, my impatience, my lack of faith, and desire to know exactly where everything is going. I don't. And that's awesome, because adventures are awesome. Even for reluctant Hobbits.</div>
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In the meantime, I have discovered a few things worth sharing! </div>
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An incredible article, assessing the broken priorities we have as artists in the creative professions:</div>
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<a href="http://www.thesfegotist.com/editorial/2012/march/14/short-lesson-perspective"></a><a href="http://www.thesfegotist.com/editorial/2012/march/14/short-lesson-perspective">A Short Lesson In Perspective - by Linds Redding</a></div>
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All that picture needs is a little more Jesus. But it outlines the problems gorgeously.<br />
It really spoke to me as an artist coming out of a 3 year stint in the games industry. I've been really forced to take a hard look at what I've believed about art and success- and I've realized that not everything we were taught at art-school was good or healthy. </div>
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I particularly loved this quote of his: <i>"It is a universal truth that all artists think they are frauds and charlatans, and live in constant fear of being exposed"</i></div>
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Which is never truer than of waiting to hear back on a pitch- it's a rollercoaster (like so much of this vocation) of "this doesn't suck- it might even be <i>good</i>!" into "THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING" </div>
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(and to that I say <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:%204-8&version=NIV">EAT PHILIPPIANS 4, INSECURITIES!</a>)</div>
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Speaking of feeling out-of-control...yesterday I discovered Ze Frank for the first time, because of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ9e32MNEOk">this video about Crushing Words</a>. And it's beautiful and true and sad and hopeful all at the same time. Which is where I like to live- so it was like finding a new friend :)</div>
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And for something that's NOT a downer! Maybe have a video of one of my favorite acapella performances of all time? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8hTCyPD5UE">The Dartmouth Aires' Queen Medley!</a></div>
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Or perhaps you're just here for the art and you want to see bunches more? Then head over to <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/gallery/40534469">my Deviantart sub-gallery where I've been posting a bunch of the work I had been keeping secret for 3 years on <b>Project Copernicus!</b></a><br />
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(or, y'know, just check out my <a href="http://nicholaskole.tumblr.com/">tumblr </a>if you're one of <i>those people</i>)</div>
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Oh yeah, and Happy Thanksgiving!</div>
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How are <i>your </i>days, bloggerfolk?</div>
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Much love!</div>
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-n</div>
Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-18275865039136024132012-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:002012-11-10T08:08:36.982-08:00"But Not This Time..."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclWEOyPYXx9S1phYTajmeSOqALAKzqa5m8-XI7BgIiZzo5xQjwztbj39profyQTdDx-7Opyhrm35GMmD5WZFEBIjo76CLGJ7BDX0sIlD0JkIWmx-LQngzZQF20hFgVVvidHzzPgd4mYo/s1600/Header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclWEOyPYXx9S1phYTajmeSOqALAKzqa5m8-XI7BgIiZzo5xQjwztbj39profyQTdDx-7Opyhrm35GMmD5WZFEBIjo76CLGJ7BDX0sIlD0JkIWmx-LQngzZQF20hFgVVvidHzzPgd4mYo/s400/Header.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hi guys!<br />
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I can hardly believe how long it's been since I last posted. 2, going on 3 months!<br />
And I thought I had a pretty good rhythm going here :p<br />
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As usual, I'm not dead! In fact, so far I've kept up a pretty good not-being-dead track record.<br />
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The fact is, I haven't posted much because I haven't had much to post.<br />
I've done some artwork, granted- but nothing that I'm allowed to show-<br />
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<i>2 months</i>, kids...there's a lot to tell...<br />
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I picked up a month-long gig at a local animation studio called CloudKid, where I worked on a project I can't tell you about :p (But it's you'll have to trust me that it's going to be kind of amazing, and I'll blab about it bigtime as soon as it launches!)<br />
Picked up a little work for Hasbro I absolutely can't show :p<br />
Took a 1-day deadline gig doing illustration for...a basketball team I can't talk about<br />
Worked on storyboards for Puma (yes, the shoe company)<br />
Played chauffeur to and Indian woman and her daughter for two days- taking them from college interview to college interview across New England<br />
The police confiscated my car because the registration had lapsed (and I had foolishly parked in someone's driveway)<br />
I sprained my ankle on the last beautiful bike day in the dumbest of circumstances when I fell of my bike<br />
I also got in my first ever car accident! (everyone's fine...and even the damage to my car is smallish. Still. ugh)<br />
I dressed as Porco Rosso on a night when I went to three consecutive halloween parties!<br />
I gave a digital painting presentation to a full house of local artists and interested friends!<br />
I went Apple picking for the first time ever!<br />
On a whim I drove to see Beluga whales again! (They are just as amazing as ever)<br />
I watched Wreck-It Ralph! (eeeee!)<br />
I discovered Gravity Falls! (EEEEEEEE!)<br />
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Ahhh, the life of a freelance cowboy :p<br />
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And, in the meantime, I was just impatient to be working on Jellybots!<br />
<br />
Today is the first day I've really allowed myself to sit long enough to blog.<br />
Generally, in the spare time I have taken in the last few months, I've felt the pressing need to be working on Jbots in some capacity. The killer thing about writing and sketching is that you can do it anywhere at any time...which means it's really hard to make excuses or tune it out.<br />
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The last two months have been kind of rough- only in the way that the best parts of the creative process are always a bit of a rollercoaster ride up to the peaks of pride and inspiration and down into the valleys of your worst fears and insecurities. SO THAT'S BEEN FUN :)<br />
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Most mornings I wake up thinking like "If I rearranged the sequence of events on page 3...I'd...wait...no...I'd screw everything up!" And often come to conclusions like "What am I doing? I don't know how to write a book-length comic...this is ridiculous. Who am I kidding?"<br />
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But every now and then you catch a ride on something...some wind of inspiration, and the same work that seemed miserable and hackneyed is suddenly exciting and full of potential. That's what keeps me going- the hope that maybe somebody out there might get to see it and they might not hate it as much as you sometimes do :p That maybe the moments when you see your work with different, less critical eyes are the truer moments.<br />
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It's been more clear to me than ever that we believe the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.<br />
And that I mostly believe the worst stories.<br />
From the same set of facts we derive totally different narratives-<br />
I could tell you the story of my last 2 months and focus on all the negative aspects, or I can tell you the story of my last two months and focus entirely on the positives. But the fact is, both were present (and showed up in force).<br />
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For me, the most important thing is coming back to the question: "what story is God telling through my life?"<br />
Because; guaranteed it's going to be the best one- the truest. I've been really struggling through the idea of 'identity in Christ' these last few months...what does that even mean? And what does it mean for my work?<br />
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SO much comes down to what we believe about ourselves- if we believe we are worthwhile, then we will act as if we were. And if we believe we are worthless, we also act accordingly. If you believe the worst about yourself, or your work, you will look for every single confirmation that you suck and hold onto it. That's what I do.<br />
It doesn't matter how many compliments I receive- they pass pleasantly like the sound of little bells and I am left staring the one negative remark right in the face- solid and unmoving. Because that's what I believe is true. And that sucks.<br />
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But God tells me I am his beloved son. A friend, a lover, justified, redeemed and loved <i>unconditionally</i>.<br />
Unconditionally loved means, for a perfectionist and an artist, loved <i>no matter what you accomplish</i>. Whether it's any good or not. If you're doing what you're doing trying to earn love or give yourself a sense of worth, then you're moving in the wrong direction. It's here, back where you started, held out unconditionally.<br />
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The work from here is learning to <i>believe that</i>- to chase out the lies about how crappy and worthless and unlovable you are. I should say <i>I am</i>, because I can really only speak for my own experience. It's hard, and I forget often and start to believe the worst about myself.<br />
I hope that hearing that is hopeful for someone out there- because I'm finding we all struggle through these things, in one form or another. And it sucks to struggle alone.<br />
The creative process can be a lonely and painful place to be. But I think there is SUCH hope, if God is allowed into it, when we stop trying to go-it alone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VMySanHDiWRks9xH9MbSGkiCgnNHIcBuD_CsmapopD7YSyNv2yWoZN_fly9ighXA8j02zPjF3wIKEvVovVVoU9TFyGb_ULVz6bxbgt57Bd6pUAazqjhIunVrJumDpLlbakIooNR0Rn4/s1600/lamont-bird-by-bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VMySanHDiWRks9xH9MbSGkiCgnNHIcBuD_CsmapopD7YSyNv2yWoZN_fly9ighXA8j02zPjF3wIKEvVovVVoU9TFyGb_ULVz6bxbgt57Bd6pUAazqjhIunVrJumDpLlbakIooNR0Rn4/s320/lamont-bird-by-bird.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
To that end, I have to recommend (at least the first parts of) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Some-Instructions-Writing-Life/dp/0385480016">Anne Lammott's Bird by Bird</a>! A fellow artist and Christian loaned it to me and I'm currently reading through- so far it's a really insightful and honest look into the process of writing that has a lot to say about art-making in general. You can even read a big chunk of it right on Amazon! (the link above).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiphljz11dgKie_HFUjba_Nfa-W4KepCTLNQN85lTfKceEHBzUwD4Wd4YOHXzThYpzgCaNbPIBLClmZlqR_xkmZ55jV6oGnSrVtAWpJd-MOrfBZSh7hQHuXP0Ua9g5Wm-9sV5GB0fLMJg/s1600/nick1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiphljz11dgKie_HFUjba_Nfa-W4KepCTLNQN85lTfKceEHBzUwD4Wd4YOHXzThYpzgCaNbPIBLClmZlqR_xkmZ55jV6oGnSrVtAWpJd-MOrfBZSh7hQHuXP0Ua9g5Wm-9sV5GB0fLMJg/s400/nick1.jpg" width="238" /></a><br />
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I mentioned an digital art demonstration earlier! It was a really great time- I gave a demonstration of my techniques at the Plymouth Center for The Arts a few weeks ago. Some of my old friends and coworkers showed up, and one buddy of mine- Adam Hunter Peck- even made his own poster to advertise the event. I was so tickled (especially by the prominent moustache iconography) that I wanted to post it here :p I meant to advertise this earlier so that if anyone was nearby they could actually go...but...whoops...<br />
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So, then...the big news: last night I finally finished my pitch package for Jellybots as a graphic novel. O_O I can't say much more than that...but it's exciting, and now it's sent off to the interested parties. So it's a waiting game- wish me luck/keep me in your prayers? </div>
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My soundtrack to feeling good about getting that done has been...predictably...a mixture of dancey electronica :p <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7KMRBoqQUg">Have some Owl City</a>! :p<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfSd3ecPD5wi2u5-dVd2W_RVkGXFAfNu7_XcdN-41A3jKTYKadM6WXvnoSRPfQDzPmjbrIMwLu5yFCA5-ZP5kmGL9fmKuelsR-uIeUth_AMETWMfAawAiviaTncVsAlYQb6j17AUFKdo/s1600/TitlepageH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfSd3ecPD5wi2u5-dVd2W_RVkGXFAfNu7_XcdN-41A3jKTYKadM6WXvnoSRPfQDzPmjbrIMwLu5yFCA5-ZP5kmGL9fmKuelsR-uIeUth_AMETWMfAawAiviaTncVsAlYQb6j17AUFKdo/s400/TitlepageH.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the time being- I'm looking forward to taking the weekend a little easier. I want to get my watercolors back out...it's been too long.<br />
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I hope this post finds you well- if you'd like to see a little more artwork, I've been slowly releasing some of the back-catalogue of my 38 Studios work over on my deviantart page, <a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/">here!</a><br />
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Thanks so much for reading- I really appreciate your constant support!<br />
OH- SPEAKING OF WHICH- We just exceeded 600 followers here! I cannot believe that 600 people actually maybe want to read what I write and see what I draw. You are all the best :D<br />
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Be loved,<br />
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-n<br />
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-45457497154811972372012-08-25T12:04:00.002-07:002012-08-25T12:18:48.715-07:00Peace Energy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.gophoto.it/view.php?i=http://www.deviantart.com/download/323329949/watercolor_comic___peace_energy_by_nicholaskole-d5ci2zh.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2796pAUBc20frH76diJvRwBSLpvrOMEVnwix3_Lk7IQ_2YDnUQ3-eQOhSizTbIEJOP2odJTNWehsm0W-L02vahtrWIWwMg4ooluxyfn0NKREUiiNmiGscCAgnXyt44su2etSJsPNGf98/s400/Deer.jpg" width="35" /></a></div>
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LOOK WHAT YO' ENERGY BRANG.<br />
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So yeah...this really happened :)<br />
Thank you, strange man.<br />
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All of the best days start this way.<br />
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-n<br />
<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-12369547894727195862012-08-15T13:28:00.002-07:002012-08-15T21:01:26.996-07:00On Beginnings, Jellybots, Spidey and Wickford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvw1R673WwEGMF_kVXyI-VjDVIaPyE9mYnCfB-ggwF4Rz0aS41yE-wELFV9DmeAzwRcwFubmzs0JoZ-hVTy77lCJ16wVK8GjjIdl5DnA6_aiaSWlzd4Lcn6uOqbKd1ZAtSBxQs13fdpI/s1600/jbotsteaser2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvw1R673WwEGMF_kVXyI-VjDVIaPyE9mYnCfB-ggwF4Rz0aS41yE-wELFV9DmeAzwRcwFubmzs0JoZ-hVTy77lCJ16wVK8GjjIdl5DnA6_aiaSWlzd4Lcn6uOqbKd1ZAtSBxQs13fdpI/s400/jbotsteaser2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Shhhh...Jellybots...</i></div>
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Well- it's been exactly a month since my last post. Which is a pretty big shift from the almost-every-week-if-not-more-often cadence I had kept up until recently. </div>
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The last month has been a full one- but not necessarily full of postable art...or at least <i>time </i>in which to post it.</div>
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My sister is now married, and I have a brother-in-law :) The wedding itself easily ranks among the top 10 days of ever (which is kind of a big deal to me right now, since I'm in a bit of a slump). </div>
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It was such and affirming time of family and friends from all over (really just the best caliber of people in the world as far as I'm concerned), and so <i>right </i>and playful and Christ-centered and just...just the best. So congratulations to Erin and Chris!<br />
May you make me an uncle soon :D<br />
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You're probably wondering what that image is, above. Well, that's <i>kiiind</i> of to do with the OTHER big thing that happened this month. I got a phone call that catalyzed a little soul searching of the Jelly variety.<br />
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A couple of panic-attacks, crumpled pages, and my first brush with Adobe InDesign later- and a little baby Jellybots pitch was born! A bouncing baby PDF!<br />
I won't talk too much about the specifics or post it here (I think it wiser to keep things under wraps for the moment) but I'm just excited to have done <i>something</i>..<br />
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Which is a whole lot more than the invisible pile-of-spaghetti in my head that Jellybots has been for over a year now. A lot of people have been really supportive and excited based only on the little I've shown and told about it- which has been a really wonderful response to have. </div>
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Can I just say- thank you for reading my blog and supporting me as I make art. It really means a more than a lot to have people (yes, even anonymous internet people) who believe in what you do. </div>
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Anyways, for the little preliminary pitch I put together two pages to establish the look and feel- and I thought you guys might like to see the first two panels of that as a blog-exclusive preview.<br />
I very well might post both full pages on here later, but for now- enjoy the smiley clouds!<br />
(this first panel has my favorite cloud of both pages, which is cloud-that-looks-like-it's-being-taken-against-its-will ^_^)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5b-rh7cuYgNTtcxJZGf76l83hEL1V8Qk_yU6_Zvhtw-loZOjayvXLNHX2Uocm3DBhIOW70HAiE9Xm8kGoe42xc5_ikGK3-dIPIFREPjUQvrV7RXJ9LH_xgeC10-ernhKb_Vnfna_AUc/s1600/Samsketches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5b-rh7cuYgNTtcxJZGf76l83hEL1V8Qk_yU6_Zvhtw-loZOjayvXLNHX2Uocm3DBhIOW70HAiE9Xm8kGoe42xc5_ikGK3-dIPIFREPjUQvrV7RXJ9LH_xgeC10-ernhKb_Vnfna_AUc/s320/Samsketches.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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<i>Process sketches of Sam from Jellybots</i></div>
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Some of y'all seem interested in the process of putting comics and whatnot together, so I'll ramble on that for a bit, cool? cool.</div>
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I mention being anxious a lot, I think. It's something I struggle with- and that was no joke this time around.<br />
This month I spent a lot of time watching the Olympics (Mmmmmmmm 'lympics) and so my metaphors are going to be more athletic than they usually are/than I ever have been in my life.</div>
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Have you ever heard anybody talk about Sports and mention that they are more mental than physical? </div>
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I think that must be true, because it's really SUPER true of making art and telling stories. </div>
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I would watch the Olympic sprinters on their blocks, waiting for the gunshot to sound, and think: how on earth do they deal with all that pressure? (I still have no idea)</div>
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But when something matters to you- when you're starting something and the stakes are high, and your past successes won't help you, and every second counts- how do you muscle through that unbelievable pressure to just...run? </div>
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Honestly- Jbots has been off to a rocky start. I'm trying to sprint and I'm not sure I've got my legs under me just yet. And I felt a lot of internal pressure just sitting down to sketch- what if I screwed it up? What if it's <a href="http://themetaq.com/images/uploads/queue/ira-glass-quote.jpg">not as good as I imagine it will be</a>?<br />
But the thing is, I think you just have to move. Whether you place or not- at least you're off the blocks. Sometimes it's hard to even do <i>that</i>.</div>
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You know what stresses me out? This:</div>
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That's where this stuff is won and lost; The beginning. </div>
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And this is what my starts look like- messy, tiny and illegible to almost everyone but me. It's the only way I can do it.</div>
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Everything after this stage is polish. Gravy. Frosting.</div>
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I discovered a new method this time around, born out of my neuroses: print out a bunch of tiny rectangles the proportions of a page and thumbnail that same page again and again- carving up the page with a blunt pencil quickly and messily until you break through the barrier of nervous tentative-ness that keeps all the compositions "sort of alright". </div>
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And you know what? It didn't even work :p<br />
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I don't think there's a single method or shortcut that really will.<br />
The problem isn't the art, the storytelling, pacing or polish. That can all be worked out with practice. <br />
It's the other thing- the 'which story to tell?' and 'why?'...and that's where it gets real.<br />
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Which brings me to that point where my faith and my art collide;<br />
It's not just about <i>doing </i>the right things- it's about <i>becoming </i>a better person. A person at peace. A person who knows they are loved unconditionally by God, and that their worth doesn't come from the work they make. (sound like last month's post? Still learning this one.)<br />
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I have become more and more convinced, over the last couple of months, that God isn't necessarily interested in making me a "more successful artist". I'm pretty sure that's a much lower priority for him than it is for me- and that he's a lot more interested in helping me become a <i>better human being</i>.<br />
But I forget, again and again- and I keep on coming back to that same point with everything I do.<br />
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I'm rambling- and very likely this is all just me. But I hope that this is helpful and encouraging to those of you out there who also have a hard time with confidence in their artwork and facing the blank page.<br />
I keep learning that doing the hard work of the soul is the thing of first importance, and (secondly) to keep making art along the way no matter what.<br />
Most of it will be bad. Almost none of it will meet my expectations for myself. Remembering to press on- because God uses imperfection. Remembering that I am loved regardless of what I make. </div>
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So I'm excited about Jellybots- not because it's perfect or even my best work. But because I think God is more at work when I move forward, however much a mess I make.<br />
So, here's to the next baby step.<br />
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Which brings me to Wickford.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XiZhMVThAqiLL8_iOrzskLCMkvIcl9zgZH8-MQxDfvUklYiOFmxfvIdQw6TCpeW6jBcU4K6JnF_2mAKUSw94rApjWOC1ZhavBUP3m7Xjt5YagC8J9xiDHYFvZSLh4avEOu4RdoIzq08/s1600/sketchjounal3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XiZhMVThAqiLL8_iOrzskLCMkvIcl9zgZH8-MQxDfvUklYiOFmxfvIdQw6TCpeW6jBcU4K6JnF_2mAKUSw94rApjWOC1ZhavBUP3m7Xjt5YagC8J9xiDHYFvZSLh4avEOu4RdoIzq08/s640/sketchjounal3.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
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<i>Sketches from Wickford and the Cape Cod Canal</i></div>
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Now that I have a little break, I decided to take a little trip to someplace I'd never been to watercolor. My friend <a href="http://www.maretsstudio.com/">Maret</a> and I brought our paints over to Wickford RI. Which is lovely and quaint and you should go.<br />
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It's full of little antique shops and bridges and hedges and lobster-traps and oyster-bros and even a summer-time music festival attended exclusively by senior citizens.<br />
Because, guys, summer in New England is <i>the best</i>.<br />
And getting out to watercolor reminds me that I am so blessed to be here. Regardless of whatever is frustrating and whatever has gone wrong- it doesn't make the sunshine any less beautiful and welcome, or Wickford any less adorable and full of old people.<br />
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That pretty much wraps up the big news. But since there's a whole month of work to catch up on I figure I owe you guys some more pictures!<br />
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To start, here are some sketches, both old and new, of Spider-Man. Because guys: I love Spider-man. And I would love to be allowed to draw him for money one day. And I really loved the recent movie because I love high school and romance and lizards and Emma Stone and...yeah. Spider-Man.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0utWtaorr0sauytbmNPKvRkiWNtvorJs2xnYk8DIK6rBefJ4wfaNuGFMrIuje2oqF1fD_7X25f9WqyONbVEeF3KNMTZ0Kxu_vmLS3BL0UwSwHUkwSKT_lYGvuxGqgbeU1UJ5iGnwgxFI/s1600/s2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0utWtaorr0sauytbmNPKvRkiWNtvorJs2xnYk8DIK6rBefJ4wfaNuGFMrIuje2oqF1fD_7X25f9WqyONbVEeF3KNMTZ0Kxu_vmLS3BL0UwSwHUkwSKT_lYGvuxGqgbeU1UJ5iGnwgxFI/s320/s2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Grrrr! Arrg! Things!</i></div>
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And there's more!<br />
I love Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy so much that I drew her! Bangs!<br />
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<i>Movie crush. F'realz.</i></div>
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Additionally, over the course of the month I finished my last commission for the folks who on Deviantart. This was done for a fellow who wanted a piece based on prison inmates who play mental games of chess from cell-to-cell by calling out moves. I thought it would be a fun opportunity to experiment stylistically with a more geometric/sculptural approach.</div>
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<i>And some progress shots of that, for the interested</i><br />
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Lastly, I finished up part two of the Princess Peach tattoo commission I was working on: Shadow Queen! They will go on opposite shoulders, but for now I comped them into a single piece. It was a really fun piece to work on and I am glad to say that both the client and I are pleased with it! :D</div>
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I'll leave things there, for now. I hope you guys like what you see, and keep checking for more updates. There's plenty of new and exciting stuff coming up!</div>
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Your comments, thoughts and prayers are always appreciated. </div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Much love,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
-n</div>
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-78775750880615163702012-07-15T06:29:00.003-07:002012-07-16T09:34:35.314-07:00Hissy Fits, Alfonse, and Matrimony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oqye3mEuFyMMxqIMS5bFU4cvYn9NvoIT6lxMs1VvsTBZG42ZF7lXB3_VqsGZHiEX-zn8iB5SV19N_YW7jutEUSkVQEaA84XjUb7w4LyujWbJT1MwMU2viac07GIdHPMWX-GKJ5Fo_oA/s1600/fonse5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oqye3mEuFyMMxqIMS5bFU4cvYn9NvoIT6lxMs1VvsTBZG42ZF7lXB3_VqsGZHiEX-zn8iB5SV19N_YW7jutEUSkVQEaA84XjUb7w4LyujWbJT1MwMU2viac07GIdHPMWX-GKJ5Fo_oA/s400/fonse5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Alfonse and Domingo! Summer! Clouds!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99d60Iyb8TXuHRbFtqS0jbZRhzPpazOlcneJ2_1p5rM6kVK-F1fJFRQ90SgVAZ3dc7Uw5moy5LON1SFNlGEW8RMX02utsiDzs9RfBSWyCwzLn_xL4SSQ5jcTpOtaF27GIcnyFQef7d9Y/s1600/fonse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99d60Iyb8TXuHRbFtqS0jbZRhzPpazOlcneJ2_1p5rM6kVK-F1fJFRQ90SgVAZ3dc7Uw5moy5LON1SFNlGEW8RMX02utsiDzs9RfBSWyCwzLn_xL4SSQ5jcTpOtaF27GIcnyFQef7d9Y/s320/fonse2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>A version in the forest that everyone likes but I don't as much :p</i></div>
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<i>A sketch with colors I still like best!</i></div>
<br />
Hi Everyone!<br />
<br />
So first-off, some fun- anyone remember these guys? Alfonse and Domingo are some old original characters' of mine from my college days. I've had a soft spot for them, and been meaning to revisit them for a while now- tweak their designs etc. And you know- it's summer, so it's time for a little fun, silly art!<br />
<br />
I have been a little nervous about approaching a full digital illustration lately.<br />
It's dumb- I've done plenty before, but somehow character design has become my comfort-zone, and it's been really hard to coax myself out of it without very clear reasons. Why go there? And it's funny- it's not less intimidating, no matter how many watercolor landscapes I make or little scratchy paintings- it's always difficult to approach something final. Anyways, I was driving and listening to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oBU7d5oenQ">this </a>on the radio, and I had this idea to revisit these old characters and just do something kind of derpy and fun, to break the seal.<br />
<br />
I am kind of neck-deep in an art identity-crisis right now, if that hasn't been WILDLY OBVIOUS to EVERYONE. :p<br />
<br />
I keep on trying new things, doubling back, looking at my old work, convincing myself I am losing my touch, panicking, collapsing into a heap, getting excited about new things, looking disdainfully on my old work...rinse and repeat. Somehow, the dry times and the down-swings always feel new...and I forget that I've been here before...and by God's grace I will find my footing again. Still- sometimes I feel like Howl having a hissy fit.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGtHCt61FlAp9DDRrfNUcl-gcXvqMtkA7e4odGiLaLgjT8am02kIOJoIb-NDdtv4I2EKIEATKnFWzYxkdYagzUEX9NTgyuTE1R4C-oJp6YuqybiVtoagS48xNVuBDZt4uyBlGr99KCPk/s1600/howlmelt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGtHCt61FlAp9DDRrfNUcl-gcXvqMtkA7e4odGiLaLgjT8am02kIOJoIb-NDdtv4I2EKIEATKnFWzYxkdYagzUEX9NTgyuTE1R4C-oJp6YuqybiVtoagS48xNVuBDZt4uyBlGr99KCPk/s320/howlmelt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Me, this morning.</i><br />
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Okay, maybe more than sometimes. <br />
But you know what? Inspiration comes and inspiration goes. And it is foolish to base one's sense of worth and purpose on something as taciturn as 'feeling inspired' or 'making inspired art'. Maybe the art is even inspired and it's STILL not great...so maybe art in general is a bad place to find worth. In fact- I'm sure of it.<br />
<br /><br />
I saw a quote floating around, attributed to CS Lewis:<br />
"Don't ever let your happiness depend on something that can be taken away from you."</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Oho- whoah. Wait...that includes things like...Almighty Art. Romance. Even family. Like, even my <i>drawing hand </i>can be taken away from me.</div>
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Aren't I supposed to be finding my identity and sense of worth in Christ, anyways?<br />
I always find it difficult to come back to the place where I remember- jobs, relationships, family members- it can all be taken away, but God's love can't. </div>
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<i>"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8: 38-39</i></div>
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<br />
Speaking with a friend, he mused "what would the world be like if people walked around as if they were <i>actually </i>loved unconditionally." It would change <i>everything</i>.<br />
<br />
So, even as I write this, it makes my art hissy fit seem...kind of silly. Small. If I am loved at the depth of my being- then what does it matter if I really hate the composition or the lack of value structure?<br />
It's going to be ok.<br />
Praise God.<br />
<br />
And speaking of love: My little sister is getting married within the week! Yay mei-mei!<br />
I am so unspeakably blessed to be home with my family right now, and to be able to observe as my sister prepares for this huge event in her life. She is...she's the best. And this is the best, and so exciting! I get to DJ the party! :D (and oho yes...there will be <i>dancing</i>.)<br />
I also got to design their wedding invitation. I won't put any of the text on it, but the basic illustration is here:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLP7SkCf9B0BmzoYn6KN-koTkTTrImt5bS2B7zGkmZghWRBBPksEPUKY0r7Y-PLPi3bXkBX8W4b1_ZWUkXN8Sr4dHUQy4GfiN3VaC5znYJ2d6_wqMkou635jSZIDtkj3uh4_Jvev8FG4/s1600/WeddingInvite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLP7SkCf9B0BmzoYn6KN-koTkTTrImt5bS2B7zGkmZghWRBBPksEPUKY0r7Y-PLPi3bXkBX8W4b1_ZWUkXN8Sr4dHUQy4GfiN3VaC5znYJ2d6_wqMkou635jSZIDtkj3uh4_Jvev8FG4/s400/WeddingInvite.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<i>#getexcited</i></div>
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In the meantime, I've taken on a few commissions. Notably, I've gotten a few requests for tattoo designs from friends. Which is always weird- because it's art to go kind of permanently on someone's body (my friend Travis reminded me that even our mortal bods are not permanent, but <i>stillll</i>...)<br />
And if it's a friend the pressure is increased two-fold because<br />
a) you care about them<br />
b) you're going to SEE them a lot. And that means you're likely to see your work a lot. O_O<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, we press on! (which has been my mantra though this month...just keep making art. No matter what) And the result of that is part 1 of 2...a Princess Peach tattoo for the aforementioned friend-Travis! Woo!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP1Zkaws33e4Wh4q9S5Ite1Cxpyw3QmrFgDLY4lDj3kgIOZpgxj-h925Pu2D4TxI3AqEz6sETsaPwG5Aj_8jZsd-ASRj17kHC7YON5XAk20Gd2J6Ek5OXujjXcSr7QwLB6UuzeF4RjcI/s1600/TravisTat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP1Zkaws33e4Wh4q9S5Ite1Cxpyw3QmrFgDLY4lDj3kgIOZpgxj-h925Pu2D4TxI3AqEz6sETsaPwG5Aj_8jZsd-ASRj17kHC7YON5XAk20Gd2J6Ek5OXujjXcSr7QwLB6UuzeF4RjcI/s400/TravisTat.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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And for my very best buddies Jake and Peter, I have designed "If, like Hokusai's wave met The Old Man and The Sea" and "A buttterfly...but, like, abstracted so it's not totally...you know."<br />
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And, for myself...I've been plugging away on these simple little paintings (that I think of as like-songs), which I enjoy doing very much. So below is a little meditation on leaving, dusk, and the hills in the dark. Lightsailing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDRKNw71_C8aEUpJRjJ7xVR8Pp6nD8UOsBf_j6SAIqovDvtx3_C7DNNM0jp2g9_UofTkTdnV9twPU1etfrOfDTJr41xuH0Oy4yBdXZKN-UMcgliELGI8vJ0yqxl1qjk1N5uejXj98y7w/s1600/lightsail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDRKNw71_C8aEUpJRjJ7xVR8Pp6nD8UOsBf_j6SAIqovDvtx3_C7DNNM0jp2g9_UofTkTdnV9twPU1etfrOfDTJr41xuH0Oy4yBdXZKN-UMcgliELGI8vJ0yqxl1qjk1N5uejXj98y7w/s400/lightsail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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That's it for now- I have more watercolors, but not time to scan them at the moment- so there'll be even more later! A few more little commissions to complete, and some prospects on the horizon that I am very excited about, but not ready to talk about just yet.<br />
I hope you are blessed, wherever you are<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
Much love,<br />
<br />
-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-91681768446342243942012-07-08T17:19:00.003-07:002012-07-08T17:36:58.965-07:00Clouds.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/190/2/2/watercolor_comic___clouds_by_nicholaskole-d56mn46.jpg"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TwTKBV8HobhxCDXG6U3Jyg2Gfemyq3WhxvaPKJtwfOrQh-ZJjcfFuA-BhyphenhyphenXNDbHmUioJWy2eNBc8D6umrPOLtLZHcgIV8Vt2Wu062Ksbf6HeXosT3SKlxiHtSUvRGW7LcYMg1aZ9g6w/s640/clouds.jpg" width="72" /></a></div>
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True story.<br />
<br />
We wound up in the basement with candles. Listen to your moms, guys.<br />
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I've been really enjoying these little comics. I hope you guys dig them- It's a great exercise in storytelling. Just go. With ballpoint pen and watercolor you can't plan too much in advance and you can't change much after you've drawn it. It's kind of awesome to practice telling stories that way- I highly recommend it!<br />
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Much love,<br />
<br />
-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-41830750086591901102012-07-04T16:28:00.003-07:002012-07-04T21:57:44.474-07:00Canal Stories.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpac9olTB2w4FKGAyWz40-j_Ai_cgftJFLLISKfYCrOlhcEZxU5RpCIYTcaQ1QwSSHeMwUie6d4TUxId0IP0ehIV7CufzNl3Y6Pk7PUzq_xTTmV4ZRJArLaZ_WJFNeWi8blwRZGNsL74/s1600/theygo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpac9olTB2w4FKGAyWz40-j_Ai_cgftJFLLISKfYCrOlhcEZxU5RpCIYTcaQ1QwSSHeMwUie6d4TUxId0IP0ehIV7CufzNl3Y6Pk7PUzq_xTTmV4ZRJArLaZ_WJFNeWi8blwRZGNsL74/s400/theygo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>They go.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaLhFIAmIVeFTAL1RwAt6MnCXn-s5oJPuD2_CYWQvs7JxaFgpE5zHEIlxt7QWkiL7E_7-Z-hWZWx3zc9JC_8zDjt-fkSe90YHplL1LfGY9gWHnZQid62CywbvH6jmihe-lOkB12d6E6M/s1600/andthemoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaLhFIAmIVeFTAL1RwAt6MnCXn-s5oJPuD2_CYWQvs7JxaFgpE5zHEIlxt7QWkiL7E_7-Z-hWZWx3zc9JC_8zDjt-fkSe90YHplL1LfGY9gWHnZQid62CywbvH6jmihe-lOkB12d6E6M/s400/andthemoon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>The hills were always perfect at night- </i></div>
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<i>dark and silent and full of secrets.</i></div>
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Hello everyone<br />
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I've been working steadily over the last few weeks- and I figure it was time for an update around here, since there's new work to show and new stories to tell!<br />
I mentioned last post that I've been taking bike-trips down the cape-cod canal- well, I've tried to keep those up as part of a resolution to draw something, no matter what, every day. I don't like resolutions, but I need a little discipline in my life.<br />
I've been watercoloring from life a lot- I've been finding it extremely relaxing, because the watercolor can be unpredictable and keeps me loose. It also helps to be making art in-the-moment.<br />
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I've been reflecting on that- how often I am SO distracted, and my attention is pulled in so many ways that I really lose sight of where I <i>am</i>. Especially right now- trying to look for work, worrying about the future, my career- there's a lot to distract. </div>
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I was working on a character design the other night and I realized how I was using the experience of making art to escape from the rest of my life. </div>
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It was kind of an unpleasant realization.</div>
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That's not always a bad thing, but in general that's something I'm wary of. </div>
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Taking my bike out and going to watercolor outside is forcing me to make art in a <i>context</i>. Not just hunched over my computer in the bedroom. I'm starting to think that striking a balance is really important- and I'm realizing how unbalanced I've been.<br />
And in all seriousness- it feels more worshipful, to seek out a moment, be in it, and draw from it. Stop looking in every other direction, let tomorrow worry about itself, and just...draw.<br />
I feel more prayerful when I'm out sketching, so I've been trying to integrate my work-life and my prayer-life so that they aren't so compartmentalized. It's nice :)</div>
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I've started noticing things around me, getting a little sun, and even having fun interactions with passers-by! I don't know why I haven't been doing more of this :p<br />
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Above is are two pieces I worked on today;</div>
Wanting to make art like music, I've started thinking in terms of songs. I know that's kiiind of dumb- but it makes sense to me and helps me figure out what I'm working towards and why I do what I do. So that firs is a little love song. And the second is like it- a meditation on night and a girl.<br />
I've always loved those windmills- ever since I was a kid...they had a windfarm full of them in Holland, and they have them along the canal here, too. Windmills and bridges...<br />
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I'm not sure if these have ever been posted here, but it got me thinking about some of the other little paintings I've done over the last year. Just giving myself permission to work simply:<br />
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So now to the sketchbook- here's a smattering of the last week's sketches from wandering around.<br />
I'm making friends with the bridge, and trying to confront my unwillingness to paint architecture and scenery by sneaking up on it :)<br />
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I went to Bristol on a sketching trip with my friend <a href="http://www.maretsstudio.com/">Maret</a>- and we picked a great day to go! They had a carnival set up in the center of town, and a concert on the green by the water. It was a beautiful day- glad I got to sketch it!<br />
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I didn't get to paint it- in fact I'm not sure I could ever do it justice. But I took a quick ride down the canal earlier in the week, and was intending to turn back when I heard this sound coming from far off. Low and rhythmic- I assumed it was the sound of engines, but as it neared I could tell it was music. Then all of a sudden, this three-masted tall ship comes into view, motoring down the canal. And up in all the rigging are about three-dozen uniformed navy-men doing choreographed dance as a marching band on the main deck plays to nobody in particular. It was covered in flags, and just sailed slowly by and out towards the bay. It was amazing- the best moment. </div>
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In other news, I've been working through some more commissioned work, and enjoying it! Below is a piece for Bre Galloway based on an excerpt from CS Lewis' Perelandra:</div>
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"And as he stood and looked it seemed to him that four of the great earth-beetles, dwarfed by distance to the size of gnats, and crawling two by two, came slowly into sight. And they were drawing behind them a flat car, and on the car, upright, unshaken, stood a mantled form, huge and still and slender. And driving its strange team it passed on with insufferable majesty and went out of sight. Assuredly the inside of this world was not for man. But it was for something."<br />
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It was a really fun, open-ended prompt to work with. The other piece is a Ghoul from Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book (which I've been listening to as an audiobook as I drive). I am really enjoying the book so far! For whatever reason, the Ghoul's really captured my imagination and I had to draw one! They all have fun names like 'The Honorable Archibald Fitzhugh' and 'The Famous Writer Victor Hugo'. Anyways, Enjoy!</div>
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That's all from me for now- I hope you guys like the new work! I've been experimenting with a lineless style, and been really enjoying it. I don't think I'll ever fully abandon line- but it's really great to learn more about form and color this way...sometimes I'm too reliant on my linework to make the piece function. </div>
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It's nice to stretch a little, artistically and start to move away from the video-game concept art look. I'd really love to move in new directions!</div>
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Anyways, I'm off to eat some fourth-of-July barbecue with my family- I hope this finds you well and in good company.</div>
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God bless, and much love!</div>
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-n </div>
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<br /></div>Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-70277855851332733722012-06-28T23:25:00.001-07:002012-06-28T23:27:01.260-07:00On Leaving.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was moving day.<br />
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I wanted to write a song, but I don't write songs- I make comics.<br />
So I did that instead<br />
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-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-52436243307180659622012-06-26T21:47:00.001-07:002012-06-27T10:40:06.241-07:00Moving Day, Bridges, An Owl-Tree And Sci-Gee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Yj4umOAYLcbd71MLk7bdB-rwX-9t5S8Fu_7NUpH3CbzwCH7_lARFyLGvtL4kpT81NLl3IhwQPl8PbJHRkMC3IIrDBUgX4t6jpR7zTRhUZLXCSaTrT7NulFjjWPcCE-wxSv1cr0abw_c/s1600/scigee4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Yj4umOAYLcbd71MLk7bdB-rwX-9t5S8Fu_7NUpH3CbzwCH7_lARFyLGvtL4kpT81NLl3IhwQPl8PbJHRkMC3IIrDBUgX4t6jpR7zTRhUZLXCSaTrT7NulFjjWPcCE-wxSv1cr0abw_c/s400/scigee4.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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Hi again!</div>
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I've been moving slowly and steadily through my commissioned work, and I thought it would be a good time to show you guys the progress I've made! Above is a commission for Katie Shanahan, for her little sister of her OC Sci-Gee. <a href="http://hesbell.deviantart.com/gallery/8940776?offset=24#/d1uwzq2">Sci-Gee is a pale, fledgling pirate queen with vampiric tendencies and a mad 'tude.</a><br />
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I had a ton of fun working on this one. I took a bike ride to the beach this morning and came back with the color palette. Then basically churned this out over the course of the day while repeat-1ing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyiNc1JvjyQ">this </a>and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agluuflcpos">this </a>interchangeably. I thought it would be fun to include some process sketches, too- for good measure :)<br />
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I've felt pretty burned out these last few weeks, and it's really life-saving to have some time to myself to reconnect with God, art and my family...and some fun commissions to chew on. Thanks, internet supporters!<br />
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Anybody else out there want to pay me to do more of this stuff? It's fun!<br />
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It's also a good opportunity to sneak up on my age-old art weaknesses: ladies and architecture. Perspective? pfff. Anatomy? Ha! I'm a cowboy! I do what I want!<br />
I've spent some time the last week biking the Cape Cod Canal, down towards the Bourne Bridge and sketching. Below are just a few little watercolors from my trips.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6iIkMhc7392WAs-7AN6ua42Fe50SXZqXL2UFyEyf6AJItrqs7ccTmtJJr3iOfETDi5xTxWd_Cze4pHuPN4Rvmml19SxI1KnQgKRlwvikk_y7p97WvNHdtydGvmr4T8MJ1aG1LlLJU44/s1600/Canalstudies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6iIkMhc7392WAs-7AN6ua42Fe50SXZqXL2UFyEyf6AJItrqs7ccTmtJJr3iOfETDi5xTxWd_Cze4pHuPN4Rvmml19SxI1KnQgKRlwvikk_y7p97WvNHdtydGvmr4T8MJ1aG1LlLJU44/s400/Canalstudies.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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Then again below is another commission for Hannah Krieger based on her piece <a href="http://hkrieger.deviantart.com/art/Owl-Tree-264408348">Owl Tree</a></div>
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Which is basically a very autumn piece. It's basically how Peter Gabriel makes me feel. I love him.<br />
Playing around with combining watercolor and digital- never did find a way of doing that where I was totally pleased with the results- but this piece cried out for texture. It was a fight the whole way- but it made me curious about trying more in the future.</div>
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If you like what you see, and would like to hire me to do commissioned work for you, then please please let me know! Email me at nkole@g.risd.edu<br />
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In other my-life news, this week has been both elating and tough. I finally made the move back to my parents' place- and moving all my stuff this weekend was both a logistical headache and a heartache. Leaving always is. We also said goodbye to Mocha, our dog of 16 years. So the gloominess continues. But it is not without blessings, and God is not without mercies. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A19-33&version=NIV">Lamentations 3: 19-33</a> grabbed me by the gut yesterday. A good reminder that no matter how many the tragedies or how deep the grief, there is always hope.<br />
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Thank you all for your support and comments :) You guys are the best readers ever.<br />
I'll keep arting if you keep reading, deal?<br />
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Much love,<br />
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-nNicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-83379553845282490052012-06-18T11:00:00.004-07:002012-06-26T22:21:50.633-07:00Five Places and ICON7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just got back home from the <a href="http://www.theillustrationconference.org/">ICON7 </a>conference.<br />
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It was an amazing time- I left feeling humbled, inspired, and reinvigorated about art in general. </div>
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It's easy as an artist and a professional to forget why we're doing this in the first place- to get lost in the woods. Being at ICON helped me realize a lot of what I'd been neglecting or forgetting. Working as a professional artist on a big project can be fun and can be immensely satisfying- it's wonderful to solve visual problems and collaborate with other talented colleagues- but it can also be draining. <br />
The one thing that matters, to me, the most about making art is the one thing that is least valued at a large studio- personal meaning.<br />
Why make art if it's not meaningful? Human? Honest? True?<br />
Somehow it's easy to lose sight of that very important thing- "make art that means something to you".</div>
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There were so many highlights- Lynda Barry (a singularly amazing lady) talked about how making art and taking it in is as much a need as any other human urge. That we work out our own lives by watching other people work theirs out through art. "Don't be too cool, you're all gonna die".<br />
Starlee Kine talked about breakups and Phil Collins, and how important it is to tell the story you're living. John Cuneo, Marcellus Hall, and Jillian Tamaki walked through their sketchbooks and talked about sketching to make mistakes and find release (I haven't stopped sketching since!), and Esther Pearl Watson talked about her grandfather and living in the in-between.</div>
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I kept hearing this piece of advice from other artists at the conference that I've even given out myself- <br />
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"Make the art you want to make. Make the art you NEED to make. Fill your portfolio with up with it. Then you'll find that people will pay you to do what you love."<br />
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And other iterations- "Loosen up, stop pressuring yourself trying to guess what it is that people want to see. Make the art you love to make"<br />
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It takes a leap of faith, doing that. Trying that. And leaps of faith are the scariest, and they'd never be worth it except for the "joy set before [us]". If this all sounds a little like I'm rehashing a sermon as much as portfolio advice, then maybe something is going terrifically right.<br />
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I made some new friends and saw some amazing art. I feel like I'm still spinning with all of it. Thank you, ICON.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4JKvhCw805ZmrG5ULjQ2u-qR-QUYXPh2r-FXwLRt4RUySYkZoALilEBP6QYuw2hxEFwhcAktZnFScER6m5g8NOw6Ny0gFRQqNrHkz6t2VLICN_rdoKm80loNvomrxQi2okEmsZqMI34/s1600/grandpa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4JKvhCw805ZmrG5ULjQ2u-qR-QUYXPh2r-FXwLRt4RUySYkZoALilEBP6QYuw2hxEFwhcAktZnFScER6m5g8NOw6Ny0gFRQqNrHkz6t2VLICN_rdoKm80loNvomrxQi2okEmsZqMI34/s640/grandpa.jpg" width="389" /></a></div>
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All in all, this has been a truly bittersweet time. <br />
Sometimes you can't wait to get up and start drawing- sometimes it's difficult to even get out of bed and face the day.<br />
I just got back from Michigan last weekend, visiting with my family after the passing of my grandpa. I really have yet to process fully through all that it means. That (among other things) has been chasing me around my own heart and I think it's time I let it catch up. Drawing helps.</div>
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He was the artist two generations before me, who kept on painting despite his disability. I think he would want me to do the same- keep working, despite the what life throws your way. Make good art.<br />
Starlee Kine spoke about that- telling the stories that are in your heart to tell, however painful. <i>Especially</i> when they're painful. I hope you'll all bear with me. There's lots to <a href="http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/178/9/8/we_loved_here__by_nicholaskole-d551egd.jpg">tell</a>.</div>
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<br />
To that end. Neil Gaiman had some really encouraging words to say at the end of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI">this</a>. </div>
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Despite it all- loss of job, love, and family- the big questions and the looming doubts, insecurities, longings and sundry-<i> summer is here.</i><br />
And there's something about that feeling- something in the sun and the wind and the speed and the freedom of it all that can't be suppressed. We are still blessed- richly and lovingly. Hallelujah anyways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Cq2wOU7ZGzBvmiRxZ5hKUV5aALuQQUw9-PX4MIHdms77sDehye0JuvRg0kg2zB-hWXaWk9PyR_c-zXH6ynqXCwqWEfPQr8VmPccUH9dPDosC3KJ3PaI6ovXOs6x4-Rbwzrg6jberafI/s1600/Summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Cq2wOU7ZGzBvmiRxZ5hKUV5aALuQQUw9-PX4MIHdms77sDehye0JuvRg0kg2zB-hWXaWk9PyR_c-zXH6ynqXCwqWEfPQr8VmPccUH9dPDosC3KJ3PaI6ovXOs6x4-Rbwzrg6jberafI/s400/Summer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>'<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvliMzAFWHM">Graceland' was on the radio.</a></i></div>
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love,</div>
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-n</div>
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-40709171940226925272012-06-13T14:32:00.000-07:002012-06-13T14:32:03.513-07:00Commissions! Round 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5ejUHAhJ8EVmsVzO_s-x3RkmonsSj10iYv2vC8w6Q6lMR3RF1QRA5F87tZ-57ImU-Al6u2noGS-vuv90_RAaG574oWlfJWKAuj6AJAeodfXZ-kewSOxwPgjqAnS-LMfKbbPoDhqeLIQ/s1600/shadowgirl4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5ejUHAhJ8EVmsVzO_s-x3RkmonsSj10iYv2vC8w6Q6lMR3RF1QRA5F87tZ-57ImU-Al6u2noGS-vuv90_RAaG574oWlfJWKAuj6AJAeodfXZ-kewSOxwPgjqAnS-LMfKbbPoDhqeLIQ/s400/shadowgirl4.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEZyx58LBJADo2h6QhAQnhvC3kux6DI5A2VaZAMOjU7Pg-BkFUCHAFNA1PTakNBvNzYj6V7Baer_qfIR6XBDaaKLExWfJaVC9F0FJ2XgYCS0yF83SekG0oSdo0w8-wQM_yKQ25Xzhaso/s1600/shadowgirl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEZyx58LBJADo2h6QhAQnhvC3kux6DI5A2VaZAMOjU7Pg-BkFUCHAFNA1PTakNBvNzYj6V7Baer_qfIR6XBDaaKLExWfJaVC9F0FJ2XgYCS0yF83SekG0oSdo0w8-wQM_yKQ25Xzhaso/s320/shadowgirl2.jpg" width="257" /></a><br /></div>
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Hey guys!</div>
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I've been plugging away on commissioned work this week- trying to finish as much of the work that Deviantart so generously bestowed upon me as I can! I am so blessed to have such a supportive community of internet-fans...I'm really having fun doing these commissions, and they're really helping me pay the bills. So thanks, guys!</div>
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This one's for <a href="http://kquesadilla.deviantart.com/">Kayla</a>, and she gave me a nice open-ended prompt. All she had to be was blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and be able to manipulate shadows. So I ran with it! I'm trying to take every prompt and complete it in such a way that it fills the request as well as my desire to be doing more work in this style and tone for my portfolio. Win win!</div>
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Stylistically (no lines! textured edges!) this is all new to me, but it pulls from a lot of what I was learning at 38 towards the end. It's a LOT of fun to do. I hope you guys like it, because I'm going to be messing with it a little more as I go forward.</div>
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Below is a process shot- with this piece, I had a very different lady designed yesterday and woke up today with the sense that it just wasn't working/the sort of thing I wanted to draw. So I did the rightmost doodle and immediately liked it better. Go figure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pnFx9-RBpRYW1ADwQWLuJS2GgBUq9yNhTuSwhTacwBSdxSvBSZhQFBtsduRMrvoLciGlheRfhHxP7Zmt4yQeU_UPn9yBlUxt4ewO-v4bNb2MsxOSFisjMmZ1TJLB3LQRC2xJ-XQ-pRY/s1600/shadowgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pnFx9-RBpRYW1ADwQWLuJS2GgBUq9yNhTuSwhTacwBSdxSvBSZhQFBtsduRMrvoLciGlheRfhHxP7Zmt4yQeU_UPn9yBlUxt4ewO-v4bNb2MsxOSFisjMmZ1TJLB3LQRC2xJ-XQ-pRY/s320/shadowgirl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These two headshots were for <a href="http://radiosity33.deviantart.com/">Immi </a>and <a href="http://jamiefayx.deviantart.com/">Jamie</a>, respectively. They were done in exchange for buying me a Deviantart subscription. Thanks, guys!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZjNe0Yt30F_hD67gLv40-GtrQrmLXfEKNQm-iMpE0dgedO6CfyCnlL-0tYdAr41TGy8VF5xKptkjLGnZS3z8JCLo5-neA1FsoGvAEkQvJPMB_HFUSJW_P6mSj6ddW6nSNk2G6okNQHU/s1600/OCportraits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZjNe0Yt30F_hD67gLv40-GtrQrmLXfEKNQm-iMpE0dgedO6CfyCnlL-0tYdAr41TGy8VF5xKptkjLGnZS3z8JCLo5-neA1FsoGvAEkQvJPMB_HFUSJW_P6mSj6ddW6nSNk2G6okNQHU/s400/OCportraits.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div>
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Lots to write, draw, and process. I'll be back soon. That's all for now!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
-n</div>
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<br /></div>Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-61996367852139353782012-06-12T10:01:00.001-07:002012-06-13T06:12:13.360-07:00This Actually Just Happened<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made a little slice-of-life comic! I liked making it!<br />
grrr, blogger won't let me post these at a legible size...</div>
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full-size image pages are here:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4L3tufo2l1k0IGwpUtydiIMkATlJUaQ4OxbzEFxYuTQF0ykZYXZSOyMjYrGvfCOpKwUen-Bgf2PqJks5plQBr2HJTD8UzMZTai2AfqhgqBwJ5CK7fnt0lTtF4Ang2I4JKSuv2t3F-skE/s1600/dontdothis1.jpg">Page 1</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_o7Xf4UdeYEba-PyE7wUQVriMQIi97evmgyUKByqkrzftFMW6hv4huVzaD8uOG1ScJ24lVpDpJv6LB-ZRy3eUQSR-2Z4Xjzx5vqJ5k7gDi5GvHvcpJ-IwAkdTE6MbV-S1UqlxGl_iHY/s1600/theanswerisno2.jpg">Page 2</a></div>
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It's a business, let's all treat it like one!<br />
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Names and emails have been altered slightly for brevity and effect.<br />But you'd be surprised how much is verbatim.<br />
<br />
-n<br />
<br />
<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-81448115215616847282012-05-28T23:09:00.003-07:002012-06-06T09:14:31.007-07:00Hallelujah Anyways.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Well- wow.<br />
Um...hi.<br />
<br />
I've been putting off writing anything on here for a variety of reasons. Mostly I keep psyching myself out and assuming I need to really have something substantial to offer before I can start typing. But that kind of logic lands you right here, with no posts in over two months.<br />
<br />
So here I am and I hardly know where to start. It's not every day that your life kind of comes crashing down around you. I don't <i>mean </i>to be melodramatic, but I know I have a tendency to be anyways- and since this is my blog, I hope you'll indulge me.<br />
But really so much has changed in such a short time, and so much is still changing.<br />
<br />
There's been a tremendous amount of personal upheaval, which I'll not go into here, but there's also been the very public disintegration of my workplace. The gist is neatly summed up in the opening sentence of <a href="http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2012/05/28/demand_high_for_game_developers_let_go_by_38_studios/">this Boston Globe article.</a><br />
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The upshot is: I'm out of a dayjob.<br />
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We were working on something really and truly very beautiful at 38 Studios. And for all the politics and financial controversy surrounding this debacle- all I really care about is that a dream is dying. Something we all invested in, and really threw our hearts into. Things I hoped would eventually be experienced by the public at large may now never see the light of day, and a group of friends that I've worked with for the last 3 years is dispersing to the four corners of the globe.<br />
I don't know how better to eulogize the project or the team than to let the footage roll:<br />
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And that's only a tiny, hastily assembled and outdated fraction of what we were working on.<br />
Maybe I'll eat these words and all this really won't spell the end for Project Copernicus. I'd say it still has a fighting chance of living on in some form. But it seems the practical and true thing to say that my time working on it has come to a close.
<a href="http://nicholaskole.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-look-springtime-and-thoughts-on.html">It was just a little over a year ago that I wished Providence a "hello again" from this same blog</a>. Well, it looks like, for the time being at least, I'll be saying a "goodbye again" instead.<br />
Reading that old post, the past year has been many of the things I had hoped for, and some things I never could have expected in my wildest dreams. It has been an incredible year- one of the happiest of my life. One of the hardest of my life.<br />
And, like all such years and every new day- it is coming to a close.<br />
All the friends I have known and loved from school are graduating, all my friends from work are moving on, and even I am headed back to my parents for the foreseeable future. Washing out in one big tide.<br />
<br />
It's kind of bittersweet that this is all taking place at exactly the same time so many are graduating and contemplating the same big questions we all (the remnants of 38) are. There's a sense of solidarity in that- my heart goes out to anyone feeling a little lost at sea right now. I'm right there with you.<br />
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The confluence of recent events has left me with the lyric from Closing Time running laps around my head: "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". Trite, but true. But I am encouraged by the lyrics of another song, with a very <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul">particular history</a>- "it is well with my soul"<br />
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The Lord gives and he takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.<br />
<br />
But there is hope in every such ending. A new year begins, a new day dawns, and a new season brings new promise to the earth. Tally Hall said "there's a storm for every spring", Tolkien called it <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucatastrophe">eucatastrophe</a>, and John 12:24 puts it this way: "unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."<br />
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It can be so difficult to find the silver lining sometimes, but there is so many who witness to the fact that it's there- in much harder circumstances than these. So there it is. This is an opportunity for a fresh start. A new dream.<br />
<br />
In the short term, I have to look towards salvaging what my foolish financial irresponsibility has landed me in. In the longer term- I'm thinking about a few new things. And, very tentatively, I'm starting to get <i>really </i>excited.<br />
<br />
To that end, I'm stepping my game up again. It's time to dust off the old resume, rearrange my portfolio, and get back online. Re-up my digital presence. I have some links to show you- please throw all your love and hitcounts their way:<br />
<br />
My shiny new <b>portfolio </b>and <b>resume </b>are here:<br />
<a href="http://nicholaskole.daportfolio.com/">nicholaskole.daportfolio.com/</a><br />
(more work available to show on request)<br />
<br />
I've been posting my commission status on my <b>deviantart </b>page, here:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmQg17FcE8pYdp-69hYfXfr_cJowhut4U1bWeYd4ud0J74L-7jKYG5zdNt_xXRNf7-prdC1GP0Bf2QhoJZhBYkowf2lZ2qcLV2akGgJg6kbDwGuJGeN92fX6aKVswF60jwDSFCWUbUvc/s1600/new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://nicholaskole.deviantart.com/">nicholaskole.deviantart.com</a><br />
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My fancy pants <b>LinkedIn</b> Account is here:<br />
<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/nicholaskole">linkedin.com/in/nicholaskole</a><br />
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My shiny new <b>Twitter </b>account is here. Yes, I have one of those now. :p<br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/fromhappyrock">twitter.com/fromhappyrock</a><br />
(I left facebook and had status withdrawal)<br />
<br />
And I have some <b>prints </b>to move, so my new online <b>BigCartel </b>shop for those is here:<br />
<a href="http://nicholaskole.bigcartel.com/">nicholaskole.bigcartel.com/</a><br />
(seriously, buy some prints! I gotta get rid of these :p)<br />
<br />
I would truly appreciate any and all support you can give. Right now, I am in the market for freelance work- and I'm hearing out all projects. If you have work, or have heard of work that might be up my alley- let me know! nkole@g.risd.edu is the best place to reach me.<br />
I have some exciting things brewing, and some ideas. Watch this space- it's going to get real around here :)<br />
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May God bless and hold you, wherever you are.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
<br />
-n<br />
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<br />Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756416124824561576.post-73936971274205734772012-03-26T08:55:00.033-07:002012-04-02T14:59:02.720-07:00Jellybots: Twist<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-CrX_RfiTq6wLItQESCbyvSSQ-DxBl8o4z94BiR9aSupE9ASakWy6vhCKgJObshUSTHx6RDyo7BAa2H2GyS5eO76mmFu5dUU21TWizV665WSndukP9D2UkWifvgaems7LHrveoW6wcI/s1600/inkbotwhite.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-CrX_RfiTq6wLItQESCbyvSSQ-DxBl8o4z94BiR9aSupE9ASakWy6vhCKgJObshUSTHx6RDyo7BAa2H2GyS5eO76mmFu5dUU21TWizV665WSndukP9D2UkWifvgaems7LHrveoW6wcI/s400/inkbotwhite.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724364885013079154" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><i>The villain of the piece.</i></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; "><i><br /></i></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_FAzg_CU4i7N6GbcKQ1oSe11aPNpb_DtyI_nMDfJiaR3DDOhUHdzPqj4YCXE9msZvF3ReFWPJ-8gFYBPSLE-MHecYmaJrGeANoseYJkAMowO8NY212bLWOxou_nbSWv_FBQbr-ajAJU/s1600/inkbotpink.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_FAzg_CU4i7N6GbcKQ1oSe11aPNpb_DtyI_nMDfJiaR3DDOhUHdzPqj4YCXE9msZvF3ReFWPJ-8gFYBPSLE-MHecYmaJrGeANoseYJkAMowO8NY212bLWOxou_nbSWv_FBQbr-ajAJU/s320/inkbotpink.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724364791888085522" style="cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i>In two flavors!</i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><i><br /></i></span></div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I couldn't shake the fact that I like really loud pink, so I figured I'd toss it up, too :p<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I finally made him! He's been rattling around my head for ages.<br />Just the fact that I did ANY personal work that kept me up till 3 is a big deal. It's been a while!<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">It's...bittersweet for a variety of reasons. Let's just say I have a lot more time on my hands, and icky-goo is therapeutic.<br />I'm still keeping information on Jbots pretty quiet, so there's not much I'm going to give you guys about this one. I'm pretty sure that's only a placeholder name. I've toyed with a few...Inkling, Shift, Spectrum, 99, Legion...? Thoughts, anyone?</span></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br />I've been wrestling with finding my villain for a long time, which is what's been blocking me from doing any Jbots work. But a things fell into place, and I think, at least for the time being, I've got him where I want him.<br />It's strange how these things happen- a car ride, a few sit-down and sketch sessions, the right song, mood, and the time. The other bots are based on friends of mine. This one's...kind of a self-portrait.<br />Florence and The Machine can take <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SStNlPO17pY">some credit</a>.<br /><br />I have a lot of iterations and variations in mind- hopefully it's obvious that his suit is pretty </span>malleable, so he'll be changing shape quite a bit. Well...you'll see.<br /><span style="font-size: 100%; ">He's a bit of a trickster. His masks </span><span style="font-size: 16px; ">change color and shape, subdividing and flitting around his suit like a school of electric fish. </span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">He speaks through them, picking a proxy to fit his preferred tone and emotion. A face for every occasion.</span></div><span style="font-size: 100%;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br />I'm really grateful to have found my footing again re: Jellybots.<br />Things in that sense have started to pick up again. I've been tossing around ideas and art styles...speaking to some friends. The thought of pixel-art (my age-old mistress) and I had to do something with it. So I tried a quick little Biin :)<br /></span></div></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBkUbmno-JHUSrR9evsHalXfiGU7GKtQ6D-BgUbpJsdNaI9jc033xu9Rkw91A0NHhzRlMyk1AewbArTcOX-GDU0RdBJQCbGBU-ArwJiAp17RAsGZviAwOmZ1YLuAdhKVwDgpvOyFiZVo/s1600/Jellysprites.jpg" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBkUbmno-JHUSrR9evsHalXfiGU7GKtQ6D-BgUbpJsdNaI9jc033xu9Rkw91A0NHhzRlMyk1AewbArTcOX-GDU0RdBJQCbGBU-ArwJiAp17RAsGZviAwOmZ1YLuAdhKVwDgpvOyFiZVo/s400/Jellysprites.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724236412490747314" /></a><br /><i>Even cuter in tiny squares!<br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; ">I was going to try my hand at animating her, but then I realized I'm terrible at that. :p</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; ">And speaking of Biin! I wanted to show you guys this. It was made for me by one of the better human beings on the planet. It's a stuffed Biin plushie! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Kind of mega-exciting to see a character design turn into something huggable.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 100%; ">One of the greatest gifts of...ever:</span></div><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuNub9u3cWh53RBepKfz5PxPagYIg7Vh_aZ6WWh7sXQ1vzUdPDbo9gNvN8b0ILfjfpUxT5KhuYYZhq1M5n_nP2GbYKA09pbztZZ9CQq50v5X5Ad3bihmF9o7E_JNNCx0ddEbI2Z5OvH0/s1600/DSC01330.JPG" style="font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuNub9u3cWh53RBepKfz5PxPagYIg7Vh_aZ6WWh7sXQ1vzUdPDbo9gNvN8b0ILfjfpUxT5KhuYYZhq1M5n_nP2GbYKA09pbztZZ9CQq50v5X5Ad3bihmF9o7E_JNNCx0ddEbI2Z5OvH0/s400/DSC01330.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724236354310416226" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><i>MONETIZE IT! -_-</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Things at work are intense, and I have my hands very, very full there. Which is not likely to change any time soon. It is both exhilarating and exhausting. But at least that part of my world is holding together. For all the other things, there's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDuif301F-8&ob=av2e">Bombay Bicycle Club.</a> (the soundtrack to a ray of hope. I've been repeat-1ing this track for, literally, DAYS.)<br /><br />IN THE MY-FRIENDS NEWS:<br />My best friend Lizzie Moonface has a Kickstarter project she's trying to get off the ground. She's quite close, but she could use the extra push! If you would like to see THIS photographer:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lizmooney/once-upon-a-time-a-photographers-fairytales"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxb7FVfx_54PbAoT7UyvYZeFtsVVoqgTzRt81IubuTI1zAZh0WXaLRRm456palhhu3Rc1hlPoQ1iCjLoeYeAHahdnpcBr51EmttYBToIDMksjmd24-9AHCZs8g449vbMM5uW8SxHEKQw/s400/LizziePhotos.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724251364779634354" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 349px; " /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><span>make more beautiful work, or if you love fairies, or pretty ladies, or just generally have a lot of disposable income and you like me and want my friends to succeed, then please <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lizmooney/once-upon-a-time-a-photographers-fairytales">CLICK HERE</a> and toss a few dollars her way to make her book happen! ^_^<br />Oh, and her real name is Liz Mooney. And if you like her work, you should follow her blog <a href="http://lizmooneyart.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />In conclusion, at work we had a meeting. During which I drew an emotional map of me (that day). I am not always this maudlin, but for honesty purposes and because it may be worth a chuckle:<br /><br /></span></div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUtKYUfQQkZaBOd60mm5UeWve743XWeG2RVZaIafMa4w3noIBI-J507Itzoh-CuYhCv7iwuk71YL61KaOa5NNeCxGhx3uABwYzLLwD3fuBKREi4KZ6XK5zxUuPGaLvTwXRVqVsOYfCKY/s1600/mefaces.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUtKYUfQQkZaBOd60mm5UeWve743XWeG2RVZaIafMa4w3noIBI-J507Itzoh-CuYhCv7iwuk71YL61KaOa5NNeCxGhx3uABwYzLLwD3fuBKREi4KZ6XK5zxUuPGaLvTwXRVqVsOYfCKY/s1600/mefaces.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUtKYUfQQkZaBOd60mm5UeWve743XWeG2RVZaIafMa4w3noIBI-J507Itzoh-CuYhCv7iwuk71YL61KaOa5NNeCxGhx3uABwYzLLwD3fuBKREi4KZ6XK5zxUuPGaLvTwXRVqVsOYfCKY/s400/mefaces.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724235216452741586" /></a><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><i>my blog, my face, my rules.</i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;">I love you guys for reading and giving me a reason to post. I covet your comments, and read them again and again to make myself feel better about myself, so send em on over :p</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;">A little bit of Psalm 19 to add a little actual beauty to this blog:</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"The heavens declare the glory of God;</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "> </span></div><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;"> the skies proclaim the work of his hands. </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;">Day after day they pour forth speech; </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;"> night after night they reveal knowledge. </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;">They have no speech, they use no words; </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;"> no sound is heard from them. </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;">Yet their voice<span> </span>goes out into all the earth, </div></span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;"> their words to the ends of the world."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">Much love,</span></span><br /><br /><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">-n</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Nicholas Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465746136420404820noreply@blogger.com8