Enchères Trolls et Bestioles ~ Trolls and Critters Auction

Cette toile en vente aux enchères au Musée d'Art Fantastique de Bruxelles est à présent vendue. Merci à l'acquéreur et à ceux qui ont enchéris! =) 

This canvas who was auctioned at the Museum of Fantastic Art of Brussels is sold. Thanks to the purchaser and tho those who have bidden!

sketch

The Rabbot: Those guys never grow up

Depressive Phase and Nine Inch Nails, a quick and badly drawn cartoon

Thanks to Alex Bertram-Powell for reminding me of this cartoon

And here's the most depressive piece of music I've ever listened to

Have a good week-end anyway
And don't forget to eat your daily Ben & Jerry dose to stay healthy!

Anko

Early typographic tests and friend failure, a sad story

Once, when I was a teenager, my best friend who was playing in a hard-rock band asked me if I could draw a logo for the group.
It took me about a week of intensive brainstorming, but finally I came up with something I thought was valuable.
When all excited I showed them the drawing the next week, they looked at the paper with disbelief and started to laugh. My friend was laughing too and also looking at me with disappointment. I'll never forget that look on his face.
That was my first memory of artistic fail and it hurted a lot. I decided I wouldn't do any handlettering anymore. Ever.
But lately the need to do it again was too important to just turn away from it. It was hard to produce something because I've been drawing with that unpleasant hollow in the stomach. But finally I managed to do it without feeling too miserable.
Thanks schmuck.

Numb

And the space exploration continues...

No wonder why the fresh newborns look like old travelers.

Artist and soon to be parent: you need goals!

Even if your family or friends with kids have warned you, you can't really imagine what everyday life with kids is. But there are things you can do to anticipate the mess it's going to be (yes, it will be messy, trust me).
When the artist you and and your dear start to procreate there are some things to consider in order to keep your sanity.

1-Prepare for the worst.


Yes, you're going to be a parent and that will be your best creation. Life will be exctatic and you'll feel full at last. Well, that's where the problem will be too, the fullness. Over the next months/years you'll have another human being who is going to be entirely dependant of you, and your artistic business to keep rolling.
First if you want to keep on doing your job as an artist you must consider that: a kid sucks his parent's energy. The very energy you use for creating.
So I won't tell you that you weren't warned. After the nausea, the cramps, the fatigue of the pregnancy, time will come when drop the brushes won't be an option anymore. Your arms are going to be full of your bundle of joy...and nothing else.
The first and only thing to do is to take advantage of this break (let's call it like that) to get ahead in your paintings/illustrations/crafts/whatever so when you're too busy to do it anymore you'll have plenty of time and a clear mind. Planning exhibitions and happenings 6 months ahead is a plus.

2- Get used to work with one hand.


That's one of things you better start months after the birth.
Once the baby is born, you'll find yourself with a lovely but demanding projection on the arm. And you don't want to be stricken with a cramp in the middle of the negotiation of a juicy contract. Also, learn how you're going to have to eat/pee/sleep in the coming months. It's soothing.

3- Keep in touch with your fellow artists.


There's nothing better when you can't reach your pencils that being around people that can.
They will be a great stimulation for your weakened senses and prevent you from diving into the mom-at-home monotony.
Of course you'll be jealous of them but hey you got nothing for nothing in this sad world.

4- Smell your paintings.


I KNOW it's not good for the baby, but you won't be able to smell it again for a long time, just saying.
So better get a little shot of toxic stuff at 8 weeks of pregnancy right?

5 -Buy a babycarrier

(I know this picture isn't me painting with a baby on my back, but you have to trust me I did! And aren't those two cute?)

6- Parameter everything

If you are like me a social media addict, you'll have to rethink your daily posting organisation.

Did you have fun before posting your writings or pictures one by one on the net and sharing it with the world? More, you enjoyed responding to all the rhapsodic comments. 

Well be prepared to forget about that for a while. 

The sharing apps will become an important part of your life. And if you can learn how to schedule it, it's all good. Because your time will be shrinking to the size of a tiny shrimp and you'll feel a huge frustration if you can't spread your work anymore. And it's not good for your milk.

Those sharing apps will become an important part of your life. And if you can schedule it, it's all good.

  

7- Be happy.


It's not easy, my friends, not easy at all to look at your dusty and abandoned equipment in your lifeless workshop.
So the best thing to do to avoid to sink in a tide of depression is to get ready for the storm that's going to burst in your life.
And to think that your baby will be your best craft.
And that babies grow old and become less demanding (not really, but I don't want to ruin your day)
And that when you'll be old you'll have plenty of time to light it back (I'm no good liar am I?)
But still becoming a parent is the ultimate experience. If you succed in being a proper parent and holding your artistic business you'll feel like a french student earning a life in London. You'll feel powerful.

8- Plan to use your delivery as a buzz for your business


I hear you screaming from here. Yes, you can do that.
Use Instagram and the mass sharing tools I talked about above and flash picures of your tormented face (people love to see others suffering), the cute baby clothes, the future excited dad sleeping while you're dying, the corner of the delivery room's door...anything.

This will make you easy (well) publicity and enhance your notoriety. And it's all good for your business.

9- Think further


If you're not lying on the couch like an old dying cow yet, you can think about the ways to make life easier once the baby is born. There are some importants things you'll need to know if after those 9 glorious months of anticipation you still want to keep the artistic spirit alive.

Things that I'll tell you about in a next post.
So stay tuned lovelies!

Anko

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: Sight

Yes I have plenty of time to do an illustration for this week's Illustration Friday, why?

Alcion's biggest dream was to join the explorers up there. 

The sight at that  height was surely fantastic!


Check out this blog tomorrow. I'll talk about what you need to know if you're artist and pregnant in order to keep your sanity in the next months/years!
You won't only need Ben&Jerry trust me!

And have a good day all!

Anko

Being an artist and a parent, the never ending story

When you're young and wild and you want to become the next HR Giger, having children is the last thing you can consider.

First, you're an anarchist and will die young.

Second, you hate children. They're all about screaming and pooping, you're way above that.

Third, you will never find the ideal partner who'll make you want to share your precious chromosomes.

Then you enter art school and start to consider being a full time honored artist.

And years pass by, you're getting better and better in your speciality.

And (BAM!) your hormonal clock starts tickling. At the same time you meet your amazing future husband, after years and years of romantic wanderings. Between the borderline depressive artist lovers and the radical anarchists who takes you to Pantera gigs there he stands, smiling, luminous and you start to think that making babies with this man will be something to consider after all.

(and he likes Guinness, you're lucky!)

Two years after here you are, trying to go on with your art while carrying a 4 kilos+ enormous belly.

But you're tired and honestly, all you want to do instead of grabbing a brush is to sleep and prepare your nest for the little one.

And then...

(Yes, 3 years after you made it again, still marveling about the little miracle you created)

And then you realize your creative spirit is just gone. Disappeared, just like that. The way you expelled your placenta, there went the inspiration. Even the nausea when smelling oil painting is still there.

What to do? You start to explore other ways to express yourself. Being a mom is not that bad after all. 

But still, something's missing.

Then the kids grow up, and you start to get out of the mist of fatigue you've been living into since 6 years and see things more clearly. 

And that's when it comes back, almost crushing you.

You NEED to start to create again.

So despite of your family and friends telling you you should make another baby (why not, the first two are so beautiful and intelligent. It would be a crime not to create another soul!), you hang on to your IUD, grab your pencil and start again. And oh goddess, it's like you never stopped. 

No. 

In fact, it feels better!

And now a whole new world opens right front of your eyes. The rich and frustrating life of an artist with children. And that, my dear friends, is the hardest part of the story.

One of my next blog posts will be about all the important things you need to know if you want to be a parent and living as an artist. But right now I've got cheeks full of chocolate to wipe.

See you there!

Anko