† "Mille" WIP †

"Mille" is a piece I did last week as part of the Torea Art Studio project. :)

† Supporting Torea Art Studio †

Torea Arts Studio (Gisborne NZ) is a non-profit community organisation that has supported the creative growth of local artists with mental or physical health issues. They have been presenting workshops and gatherings that have helped out so many people, but recently their funding has been cut and the directors have been running the show in their own time with very limited resources. So in effort of helping the struggling folks at TAS, a few local businesses are placing exhibitions around town to showcase the works of the artists involved and raising awareness of its existence.

This weekend, CodeShack Ltd. is hosting an exhibition at an old Railway Station in town, showcasing and even selling some of the works. In attempt of helping these wonderful people out, I am donating 30% of the proceeds from "Ghost in Me" and "Mille" (which will both be exhibited at the CodeShack Exhibition as well) to TAS. It is only a drop in the bucket, but I truly hope that it makes at least the smallest difference to the people who need it!

If these pieces don't sell during the weekend, I will be auctioning them off. :)

Other businesses that have been involved are BNZ and Verve Cafe, Gisborne.

† "Ghost in Me" WIP †

One of my new pieces :) It is for sale as of today, and I'm hoping to find a loving home for her <3 .

† 31/05/11 †

Awww yeeeeeeaaaahhhh, making some progress on the pages for Madison&Harmony. Here's a little fun pic in the spirit of things!

Madison&Harmony (c) Madelein Janse van Rensburg 2011

† Portfolio Overhaul †

Yol folks!

So lately I've been feeling the need to update my portfolio to "Industry Standard" so that I can actually get work once I get the whole freelancing gig on the go. I've been hanging around on conceptart.org a lot and gaining heaps of inspiration and reference from there. Hopefully enough to help me shape a nice little gem of a portfolio for yer viewing pleasure :)

Here's a few paintings I did today:

The internet has thousands of websites to host and show off your artworks like DeviantART and Artician.com which I've both been using for years along with many others. Though to be honest, as much as I love dA I can't help but feel that it's become less serious with time. Lately it has become just another social platform for bored teenagers who use the galleries to post hundreds of iphone-camera pictures of themselves and try to pass it off as "photography", because the art categories don't cater for "cam-whore". Those that don't use it for this purpose use it to post all their Naruto and Bleach fanart. Which, don't get me wrong, can be cool, but it is just not appropriate for serious critiquing or proper showcasing any more (unless you're a fashion photographer of course, everyone LOVES seeing pretty people dressed up in the latest fab fads and all that). I've simply lost the will to take dA seriously anymore.

I love the feel of conceptart.org. It consists of a community who all support one another. Everyone is friendly and honest, but most of all everyone is serious about their work. It's not a bunch of snotty trendy little kids trying to sound like wise asses on the interwebs. It's a mature and passionate atmosphere and I love it. I might not kiss dA goodbye for good, but I sure as heck won't look at it the same way ever again.

Anyhoo, I am currently busy with many personal projects including Madison&Harmony, the new portfolio, photography studies, setting up a merch store and freelancing gig and learning industry software. I feel a little overwhelmed by everything I want to achieve by the end of this year, but hopefully if I stay strong and keep at it things will start happening :)

Also, in my free time I've been playing an awesome indie game called Trine, my boyfriend got it as part of a Humble Indie Bundle and I've fallen in love with it >.> I've been playing it so much that I've even been dreaming of swinging by a grappling hook!

Anyhow that's all I've got to say for this week!

Laters!

xx

† Madison&Harmony †

So recently I've been a busy girl at work and stuff (Though I haven't found much time or motivation for my photography studies >.> bleh). The fruits of my labour?

1. I'm waiting on some peeps to authorize some forms for me, and if all goes well I should have an online merch shop up in a few weeks. Which is exciting, I've always wanted to go into apparel but have been to scared of it. So fingers crossed for no glitches!

2. Madison & Harmony. A comic concept that my sister and I brewed up together that has never properly seen the light of day, whose first chapter is currently underway. My goal is to complete a short story graphic novel to sell at the Armageddon Expo in Auckland next year (or if I manage to finish on time, which I doubt, this year even) along with some of my merch and prints. If it is well received by the public, I might think of presenting it to publishers (eek!)!

Here's a peek at some of the artwork and the first chapter cover for Madison&Harmony. I designed the logo in the second image myself and I'm still not quite happy with it, but I think it will do for now.

Madison and Harmony are two cute little twin sisters with a dark twist. Harmony is the happy, perky elder twin with a deadly violent streak, she suffers from Tourette's syndrome, which makes for many random comical outbursts. Madison is the quiet, serious younger twin shrouded in mystery and darkness. The girls share a huge stuffed animal named Bunneh, who is almost like their triplet and goes everywhere with them. He's the 'cool older brother' type of character who almost has more personality than them though he can't speak or move. Together the three of them deal with daily life as misfits and take joy in the simple things in life: making the neighbours' lives hell, playing guitar, world domination and being silly.

The first chapter starts off with Madison explaining Harmony from her point of view - on her evil throne in the corner of their room.

I'm on the third page currently, and it's been so much fun to draw so far - I really hope it stays that way!

Anyway on a different note, Easter is coming up and I'm off for the long weekend to soak up whatever sun is left before the Winter sets in and kills my extremities.

Happy Easter and all that!

xxx

† Artist Feature †

Harro peepls!

Since I don't always have something neat and interesting to post, I thought I'd

start to occasionally share another artist's talent with the few of you who stumble on

to my humble little blog!

Here's a peek:

For this week, I'll kick off this neat little segment with a fellow redhead Kiwi artist:

World, meet Kelly Thompson...

Kelly is a fashion illustrator and photographer extraordinare in my book.

Her illustrations are stylish and modern, yet timeless and thought-provoking at the same time.

Beautiful? YES PLEASE!

www.kellythompson.co.nz

All images were sourced from her Facebook Page