I'm a Featured Artist!

My Artwork was Published by Quail Bell Magazine.

I haven't talked about this much because I'm waiting to discuss it in hindsight but just so everyone knows I am still actively pursuing a full-time position working anywhere at anything in order to pay the bills. No, art isn't doing it right now, but that will change!  But for now… the goal is to avoid stressing over making a living and just worry about what drawing I'd like to do next!

This leads me to what happened next.  I don't have any in office training with advertising and marketing design so I've been applying to internships.  I found an awesome listing for one in Washington D.C. so I applied.  About a week later I get an email from the creative director informing me that the position had been filled, but the generous lady also noted that she wanted to feature me in her magazine's blog!  And as an artist I'm so on for any free advertising, but also as an artist I'd like to promote the people who promoted me.  Here's the link to my featured post and I encourage everyone to go check it out for yourself as well as follow them!

Thank you for your support Quail Bell.

www.quailbellmagazine.com/the-unreal/featured-artist-annessa-ortner
www.quailbellmagazine.com

And as always, this blog and material was originally posted on my website!
www.shadowglacier.com

Artwork that was published:

Whale Boat:

Curious Robot:

Self Deconstruction:

Studio Update and a Little Story About Me

Meet Glacier

The albino Raven

He lives

in

Your shadows

My new insignia/logo for my studio.  Ravens have always been a source of fascination for me, and even what I would consider my spirit animal.  They're majestic, misunderstood, mysterious, and quite frankly vicious little creatures!  They go undetected for the most part because they're solitary and quiet creatures but their intelligence is unique and still largely undocumented.

When I was in elementary school I came across a book in my library called White Bird by Clyde Bulla.  I was very young but for some reason this story stuck with me.  I will never forget the imagery in my mind as I read this book.  I wanted a white bird of my own!  Just like the one the little boy had. There was something innocent and profound in the way the boy connected with nature and that is what I like to capture in my illustrations.  We have try to have a human connection with the world around us, yet the world so desperately wants to connect with us.  As technology progresses we move farther from this connection. As a people we become more reserved and we lose sight of ourselves and each other.  I don't find it a coincidence that we have also an undocumented surge in social disorders from social anxiety to more destructive behavior patterns.  While I love technology and grew up playing with robotic builders kits, I also value the natural world around me.  We should all find time to reconnect with our planet because maybe our planet has a secret about ourselves and we stopped listening a long time ago.

Happy arting everyone!  And remember, all blog material is copywrited.  If at any point you would like to use an image found on this blog please contact me and I will be glad to work with you!  I love free advertising after all =)

This post is original to shadow glacier blogger but for more posts and information please visit my website www.shadowglacier.com

Feeling Uninspired? I get that too...

We all get moments of artist's block.  It's normal and fine, our brains work in overdrive and sometimes get overheated.  If there's no time crunch on a project or you're just doing art for fun then you probably know how to get yourself out of it… put the pen down and wait, right?  But for those of us out there who have quota's or deadlines we need a quick fix!

As a recent college graduate and a professional artist I have picked up many techniques that anyone can do to get themselves out of the block!  Here's a list I've compiled from my own personal experiences:

1. First step, which is very important!  Whether you're stuck on one project or stuck on starting a new one, put whatever you're doing down and walk away!  You may have reached this point because you're trying to do something that doesn't want to be done.  Let your artwork speak to you.  If it doesn't want to be made that way it won't be, or it'll come out awful by your own standards and you'll hate it and yourself forever.  The only way to know whether or not you're stumped or burned is to walk away!
2. Now's the fun part.  Get reinspired!  A couple of ways you can do this:

• Research.  Maybe you've run out of ideas because you don't know enough about what you're trying to say, and that goes for all forms of art.  There are a lot of visual artists out there that believe the only thing they need to know is what the subject looks like, or should look like.  This is not the case and if you believe this then you've probably hit many slow points in your career!   probably… or you may be super successful and crank them out all the time, who knows, but from my experience if you don't know what you're working on then sometimes what you're making becomes stale.
• Look at other works.  Grab one of those dusty art books you collect on a book shelf because it makes you look like a smart artist.  They actually come in handy, especially if those works are works that directly influence your style or just plain make you go WOW for a minute.  That spark in your brain that happens when something wows you and you suddenly wanna draw THAT can sometimes lead to some amazing developments or changes in decisions that work for the best!
• If those don't work, another technique is to absorb yourself in a different form of art.  If you write poetry or songs stop and look at some cool visual art, your brain will start thinking of descriptions for it and you'll suddenly find a word you were looking for!  And of course it works the other way around, can't make the right drawing or painting?  Listen to some music, close those eyes and let the audio images flow in your brain until some synapses start firing!
• Stop what you're doing.  Just stop.  Your brain is done, don't force it.  Grab a sheet of paper because you may have something in your head that you need to clean out before you can go about your business.  Just start brainlessly drawing/writing!  Sometimes I literally sit there and make circles because I WANT to draw, just don't have the brain functions to think of a subject.  Then suddenly after I've made some really weird marks and scribbles I start doodling a hand or one of my cats or maybe even a cup that's sitting next to me and then BAM! it hits me!  I know what I want to draw!  Sometimes you just gotta dry start them cogs in your head to get things rolling.
• And now for the most inconvenient thing.  Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.  This is easiest when I'm working on smaller traditional drawings, but if you're creative enough (oh gosh I hope we are!) then you can make it work even if you're a digital artist with a laptop!  Go to the park if you can carry your things, go lay in the bathtub with your tiny notepad and be REALLY uncomfortable but feel great!  While that's dangerous, sometimes I like to live on the wild side of art ;).  Or simply walk outside!  It may not be pretty where you live but it's different and it's all about the atmosphere!  Or worst case scenario, just change rooms.  Got a lot of equipment?  Move from the studio to the living room or even go lay down in your bed (bring a scrap sheet if you're a messy artist).  There're options and NO excuses as to why you can't try any of these suggestions.

Regardless of how you kick yourself back into go always remember that a lack of inspiration is NEVER an excuse to delay or stop working for a client or a professor… or even a family member.  Professionalism comes with a price, it means art is your business and you've eliminated the luxury of whimsical happenings.  That being said, it shouldn't be thought of as stifling and the more you practice the easier it gets to become more efficient!  

Well now you've got the juices flowing and you're ready to go!  So get off of this blog and start arting again!  It's not going to finish itself!

original post can be found on my website at www.shadowglacier.com