Blog Here No More

I've been thinking about what to do with this blog for weeks and have come to the conclusion that I will shut it down. It was a fun goal while it lasted, but I need to focus on MY art for a little while. I'll be like most other artists and create a blog centered around daily sketches--that should be easier for me to report on (less pressure of trying to write something profound or witty) and would also give me very much needed art practice.

Thank you everyone for your support. I'll throw up a link to my sketch blog once it's in place.

Have a Great Day and Always, Keep Drawing.

-Nicole

Innistrad Card Art

For those not in the know, the first set of Innistrad, the latest Magic the Gathering hotness, had their midnight release on Friday/Saturday. I did not attend the launch party. Many of my friends did and I got to fondle and gape at the new cards. There has been lots of talk about this set; I've heard much skepticism with the double-sided flip cards for example; but I will say, the art looks fantastic!

A set on a plane that is all about gothic horror. To me that means: Frankenstein-type monsters, vampires, werewolves, mad scientists, barns, churches, graveyards, torches and of course, pitchforks. I think they nailed the mood and setting perfectly. Here are some examples of some of the card art:



This set is really creepy btw. Usually I don't like creepy, but I think MtG nailed the setting and flavor with their art.


An excellent special land card done by Peter Morbacher, one of my favorite artists.


Lots a werewolves done right!


Here is the full card list and art for your viewing pleasure. I will be busy figuring out which legendary creature I will be using to make as my new EDH general.

PAX Prime 2011: That Time I Met the WotC Art Directors!!!

This year's con didn't floor me with its new games. I was actually disappointed by the recurring booths of games that still haven't released yet after many years *cough Guild Wars 2 cough*. All in all I still had a great time and I ended up playing a variety of games on different consoles, devices, boards and even index cards.

The highlight of the ENTIRE con for me this year was actually the Freelance Illustration Career panel. I had planned on attending anyways, but I was trying not to squirm in my seat as I read the summary in the PAX guide: "...panel will feature WotC art directors..."

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!



My face when I realized I would meet Jon Schindehette in person

So unlike the last "art career" related panel I went to (which involved many questions like: How do I get art directors to notice my work if none of them ever email me back?!"), this one was full of intelligent people really looking to how to be successful at a freelance career and the art directors were there so that we artists understand their expectations. Many answers I could have predicted; however it was good to hear the answers from the AD's mouths; also hearing any answer to any question from Jeremy Jarvis is totally worth the wait in line. That man is hilarious while still being an AD whom I respect due to his honest responses to all the artists' questions.

Yes, I got to shake Jon Schindehette's hand and thank him for creating and updating ArtOrder.com without fainting from those omg-i-just-met-a-famous-person jitters. I also shook hands with Jeremy Jarvis after the MtG World Building panel which had its own level of awesomeness. And these things are really what made PAX Prime this year; but it was this quote from Jarvis that really inspired me and is better than any swag, especially since I've been having a hard time coping with having a "normal" job:

"Always be out there working hard towards being an illustrator...and don't be ashamed of your day job. In the end, we're all people and we have to eat somehow."


Thank you Jeremy. And thank you everyone else who made PAX 2011 Awesome for the 3rd year in a row.

With the Weather Comes New Commissions

I've been freelance job-free for 3 months; not something I would brag about, I just can't believe it's been that long. I haven't painted anything in what seems like 3 months too. It feels like much of my creative energy is devoted to my job. I need to get back into gaming and finding ways to spark my imagination and creativity. I refuse to be a cubicle zombie!

But in other news, I'm working on an album cover for a local artist. He was referred to me by a friend of mine. Also while at the printers, I ran into the associate that I spent 5 weeks with at Office Depot while printing my graduating my portfolio. He is also a musician and after asking how his musical ventures were going, I left 15 minutes later with his CD in hand and the possibility of another freelance gig. What a small world-receiving gigs when I'm not really looking. I feel very lucky!

I'll be sure to post the finished album cover from the first musician in a couple weeks. You'll also be seeing less of me to due the bright glowing, warm thing in the sky. Every now and then it appears in Seattle. I feel even more lucky because the weather has been 70degrees and sunny for 2 weeks. Outdoor tanning, barbeques and just sitting outside reading a book: I can't wait for the weekend!

Oh and did I mention: PAX Prime is just around the corner!!

Sidetracked by "Normal" Life

I hate apologetic-sounding blog posts, mostly because i don't think most blogs have readers that get desperately upset by the lack of updates (although I could be wrong seeing as how my boy and I are upset at the release schedule of some web comics). But really, I'm very very sorry and sad that this blog and my art have taken a backseat.

I'm headed down the road of many adults where I have a groove: I get up, go to my 9 to 5, come home for dinner, chores and sometimes make it to the gym for an hour and then watch the original Star Trek until I fall asleep on the couch and wake up from my boyfriend poking my face saying, 'hey, silly, go to sleep in the bed'. Well, that last couple details may be different from most people. This has become my life. It seems like forever, but it's only been a month.

I hope to get my portfolio on track by summer's end, but time is very scarce and when I get a moment, I usually spend it by having fun playing board games, Magic the Gathering, or working towards my other personal goals and many times, just good ol' sleeping.

Again, I am sorry for not updating sooner. I have some new pieces that I wish to preview, but I have a little more work do. I have taken the clan sketches from earlier and made style sheets for each clan. With some more work, I'll have blueprints down for my boy for his 3D projects.

Until then, take care and keeping drawing!

Clan Artwork Update!

So about a month ago, a group or friends and myself played an altered game of Microscope (highly recommend this game! In simplest terms, your and your friends create a timeline in a world of your own creation). Each of the nine of us represented a clan in L5R (Crab, Scorpion, Spider, Horse, Dragon, Lion, Phoenix, Mantis and Crane) while creating this timeline in a span of a few thousand years after the death of the first emperor.

So after 5 hours of creating events, we created a world and a history as epic as The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Please read all the details about the clans, the "Scroll of Supreme Insight" and more at our Obsidian Portal page. A couple of my friends were very dedicated to this project and wrote out the clan history and sewed the 98-cards-worth-of-events from that night into a cohesive timeline. I look forward to roleplaying in this setting soon.

This project created a massive amount of source material and inspiration for me and I've been working the last month creating concept work for this world and at the same time, beefing up my portfolio. Here is the latest conceptual work of attire and architecture for the different clans:





Be sure to check back for more of the conceptual work for the different clans. Next up, I'll have more complete scenes of each clan's main city. Thank you!

*All images are copyright Nicole Jekich 2011

Art Order Challenge: Grimm Tales

Following, coincidentally, Bobby Chiu and ImagineFX's "Fairytales Re-Imagined" on CGHub, Jon at The ArtOrder decided to have the next challenge be all about fairytales from the ever-so-pleasant tales of the Brothers Grimm. 12 of them are online, free to read. Or you can be like me and make this challenge be the perfect excuse to buy the complete Grimm collection in leather-bound, gold-leaf pages from Barnes and Noble.

The Arabian Nights is looking pretty good too


The entry details as always are on ArtOrder.com; basically, pic on of the fairytales, pic a favorite scene of yours and draw it! Also, visit the WIP forum on their Ning site to post your progress and get feedback. I have no idea which tales I'll be choosing, but I'll definitely post my progress once I get to it.

'Till next time!