Something new, thanks to Breaking Dawn - Caution, spoilers

Until now my blog has been mainly made up of just art work, but looking at the blogs of family and friends, I realize that I could do much more with it. So to start that off, I am going to be talking about the latest book in the Twilight series "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer, my new favorite author. I admit, like most guys I was pretty skeptic at first. My wife was going through the first three books with unparalleled devotion, finishing them in a matter of two weeks I think it was. Finally she convinced me that I would love them, and she was absolutely right. She read them to me as we drove to work, and I ate them up in turn. Instantly I fell in love with the characters, the way Stephenie wrote, and the way the book just pulled in me and never let me go.

I am not ashamed to be one of what seems like few guys that enjoyed it purely as a love story, and was delighted with the added twists and turns. I was always voting for Edward, and to be honest Jacob bugged me until the very last book. In fact at one point while my wife was reading Eclipse to me, and Jacob kissed Bella, I was so enthralled in the story that I had to have my wife stop reading, and I didn't do it very nicely. Yeah... sorry love! Anyway, on the new book.

I was so worried that this book would go the way I didn't want it to, that I was scared to read it. It took my sister and my wife to assure me that that was not the case, and I don't know why I ever doubted Stephenie, especially after reading "The Host" (which I absolutely loved as well) and seeing how she could make the most dismal circumstances for her characters turn into the better ending than even I could have imagined. And so she did the same with Breaking Dawn. In three days, I had inhaled the book and loved each page, often times laughing out loud riding the bus home, surrounded by people that I would rather not be laughing in front of, and not caring. I loved the wedding, and I loved that Jacob was there to see her, despite me prior feelings about him. I loved the Honeymoon, and the settle hints put in there that made me text my wife asking if Bella was pregnant long before she found out she was. I loved Jacobs section from his point of view. This is when I grew to really like him, and really appreciate it all. I loved the birth of Renesmee, and the birth of Bella as a newborn, finding all her new powers. You could tell Stephenie had a blast writing that part, and I had a blast reading it. I loved Bella's reaction to Jacob imprinting. That had me laughing the hardest. Oh the stares lol. And the rest of the book from that point on was just perfect. Again, genius.

So now I am left with what feels like post-twilight depression. I don't want it to be over. I don't want to say good bye to Bella or Edward, or any of the other amazing characters in these books. There is so much more I want to hear from them. It's odd, this series was the first time I have read books from a first person point of view, and I guess because of that Bella is the first character that engrossed me in the way that she did, so to not hear things from her point of view ever again, especially with all the knew things that could happen, would just feel weird. Not that I wouldn't love it. I haven't had this hard a time with the end of something since Harry Potter lol. No good.

As for what I would like to hear in the future, I would really like to see what the Volturri have planned. You know they aren't done. And that's why I would love to hear it from Bella's point of view, since she is the one that has tipped the scales now that she is in the Olympic Coven. That would be a fun book right there. I also would want to hear about Renesmee more, and how things go with her and Jacob. And then there is just immortal life with Bella and Edward. I could read about those two indefinitely.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble. Please feel free to add your two cents. I am working on my own little twilight piece right now, kind of my own vision of the clearing part before I see the movie. I hope it will be up soon, and I hope I can do it justice. Thank you Stephanie for writing such amazing books. I will read whatever you write, no hesitation. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us lol. And to those of you who haven't read the books, give it a try. You won't be disappointed with them, and guys, don't be turned off because it's from a girls point of view. That was one of my favorite parts. Later!

Turning my family into fairies...

This is a picture I did for my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. It is based on their favorite picture, and I just put them into it.

A new post for a new blog

So I would love to say I came up with the idea myself, but really I stole it from the Avalance work group. We started a blog at the creative services department of Associated Foods, emulated from the much more experienced and talented people over at Avalance. It has been fun though, and this was our first topic, creating a caricature of someone that we work with. So here it is, two of my friends from work riding on a hog to who knows where. I wish I could say I totally made up this image, but sometimes truth is funnier than fiction.

New Avatar

Yeah...I finally learned how to do it.

Epcot

Well this is another school project I did. It was a magazine layout for Future World at the Epcot Center Theme Park. I didn't do a lot of drawing for this one, and what I did I kpt simple, but I had a lot of fun putting it all together.

Kid's Book

Well I am finally posting again. That is to say I finally did something I feel good about posting. This is the cover for a kids book, the black areas being holes in the cover that look through to the next page. I had so much fun doing it I think I am actually going to do the entire book. Could be fun. Anyway, I did it all in painter.

Foreign Policy Pic

Guess it would help if I included this....

Foreign Policy

So this is kind of a political piece I did for school concerning foreign policy in many forms. Now I am not against it. I have been out of the country, I know the good we have done for other, less fortunate places. It made me appreciate America more. And I didn't chose specific countries for any specific reason, just what I thought looked good. I just think it is crazy that we give money and guns to places that in the end hate us anyway and would love to see us fall. And really (this is my rant time sorry) I think we would do much better if we stopped playing big brother to the world and took care of our own people. Put all that money into the Ghettos and poor places of the nation. How many Martin Luther Kings and Rosa Parks have lived out a life that was never able to really get off the ground because of the situation their life had them in? America has produced so many great people, so many great things, that I just think we should start backing our own people before we back everyone else. Anyway, lecture over. I did sketched this out and did it painted it in painter... kinda went off some old WWII Propoganda posters.

Illustrator Girl

This is a picture I did using illustrator in my intro to illustrator class. I still have a bit or work on the face but on a whole I am pretty happy with it. It's a pretty fun program once you get used to it.

Halloween

Well I actually got a halloween picture up before the actual holiday. That is a pretty major acheivement for me, and that's kinda sad. But hey, I love the holiday, so I had to do something.

this is just a picture from my sketchbook. This is another character I have done a few of. I liked this one a lot but I wasn't too happy with the hands. I messed those up just bit. But hey, I have a thing for goths so it works.

final project for that one class...

Well this is it. The last project for my basic design class. And even though I didn't do much artistically for this one I had a fun time putting it together. It has definitely inspired me to do some Zelda drawings of my own though so I will have to get those on here too.

Presentation of the Color Green

Well the latest assignment in my Graphic Design class was on a certain color, and I drew the color green. anyway, we had to do a monochromatic picture and an informational handout, along with a fifteen minute presentation about our color. Needless to say I haven't been this excited since I found out they were making Land Before Time 14: The big falling and fiery rock. But anyway, I thought they turned out pretty good so here is the monochramatic one.

Well here is another picture of my little robot dude. Kind of one picture of two in a story actually. I know he probably needs a brain shield, but what's fun with that? Maybe his series has social grooming habits where they pick things out of each others brain squiggles... who knows. I like it

This is the finished version of my Disneyland Poster. I got more time to work on it before it was due, so I added a few things that I thought helped a lot.

Travel Poster

Well this has been long coming, but this is a recent project I did for school. Thanks to lack of time this is as far as I got, but I will finish it the way I pictured it and post that too. Kevin, thanks for the help! I really liked you idea too but I wanted to try something else. if you would like to finish yours and post it I will send you the file. so yeah, we'll see what kind of score I get.

So this is my first go with painter. I had fun doing it, but I still have lots to learn. I sure do like it though. Anyway, this is a new character of mine, so I am sure you will be seeing lots of him.

Well here it is, the first of what I hope is many pics to show. This is just some little rock dude.... the other is a bad guy trying to look cute... yeah...

Well this is it. My first blog... and I swore I would never do one of these things. Just like going to Blockbuster or letting Media Play swindle me out of 10 more bucks for points.... oh well...