RightsideOptics

Episode 1 - Dystopian Society Project

2011-12-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

The Big Idea:

Imagine for a second if you can... A complete Dystopia. An environment in which everything is complete and utter uncomfortable chaos at all times. The opposite of utopia. Sheer havoc. Undeveloped clutter. Involuntary violent destruction. Really, everyone will have a different version of Dystopia, much as they will of Utopia. This is my own interpretation.

The Dystopian Society Project came to me in a dream. I started the dream in a utopia and in wonderment of my surroundings in a parallel dimension. Then things shifted poles and became utter lawlessness, fear, terror - Dystopia.

I would like to see your version of Dystopia. I think a lot of art is made from both poles: happiness/joy and sadness/pain. Many people spend time making compositions that reflect their inner thoughts and I'd love to see people's pineal gland come out with this one.

The size of this composition is completely interpretative and at your will. Pick anything you wish to do, in what ever medium you choose. Convey your perception/feeling/interpretation of the word Dystopia. When you're done post a link to your work in the comment line below so everyone that comes across this site will be able to check it out; or email me and I will check it out and add it to this blog so you get more exposure.

My Composition:

I chose Krylon spray-paint and Sharpie marker for this composition. First I spray painted yellow all around the edges of the canvas. Followed by orange, then red. I did have to let this dry for a few hours before touching it with the Sharpies, otherwise I would have ruined the sharpies as well as drug the paint around essentially scratching the painting.

After the paint dried I went to town with a purple sharpie and some dubstep. A LOT of dubstep. Ok, probably an OBSCENE amount of dubstep. Follow me? I personally believe that music has a large pull on our creative process and dubstep is kind of all over the place so it felt appropriate for my Dystopia.

The ultra-fine Sharpies barely showed up on the canvas which bummed me out a little, but I went with it and it still turned out amazingly. The thicker markers worked a lot better but I still went through the tips of 3 fine point, and 2 ultra-fine point markers over the entirety of the project. This is why I have as many markers as I do...

Toward the end I start looking for little details that need to exist in the finished drawing, such as little shadows, extra curves, a series of lines that goes opposite the lines already drawn, a thick line here, a thicker line there, and eventually some faces started popping out at me so I accented them.

Finally the bubbles...You'll notice a theme in much of my drawings over the past two years, I use contour (line) as my main detail, but every drawing has bubbles in it. I couldn't tell you why, it just happens...

Related Articles:

The most impressive marker collection in the world!

2011-07-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

I think I may have an addiction. Markers. Yes, markers. Specifically groups of colors of markers. Most of my compositions are started with watercolor, gouache, or acrylic paint, but when it dries I go to town with markers.

Prismacolors are amazing. Hands down they are the most versatile markers I have been fortunate enough to use. They blend like no other, they last a long time, and they're worth the nearly $3/marker that I pay for them. I also use Prismacolor's ultra fine felt-tipped markers. I'm a little less satisfied with the durability and longevity of life, as well as the serious lacking of color selection they offer...but I use the ones I have more than any other marker on this table.

I even have two sets of Stampin' Write Markers (all the way to the left) that have the most extensive range of colors, however I find them only useful when using feeble paper like printer paper and construction paper.

Lately I've been sticking with Sharpe's because of the tooth of paper I've been working with (200-300# cold press/hot press) as well as Sharpe's permanence on virtually any surface. My style is known for being very colorful and full of lines. I seem to gravitate toward compositions that are just as intricate at the smallest scale as they are at the largest. I start out drawing incredibly detailed linear contour shapes and find definition on a much more grand dimension the longer I work on it. It reminds me of looking at physics starting out on a quantum scale, and zooming out to a cosmic scale. For this reason I use markers from as small as .005mm to as large as 1/2in.

I've been having a hard time finding certain colors in certain sizes though which is beginning to lead me on a journey to develop my own markers. I've seen youtube videos on people constructing their own paint mop and bomb pens using felt and sponges for the tip and any tube they can get their hands on for the ink to reside in. Interesting concept. I wonder if I can develop my own .005mm or .03mm white marker/paint pen using that same philosophy.

If anybody has seen any super ultra fine white paint pens or markers please let me know. Through my own research I have found that no such tools exist. Until then, I will continue collecting every hue and shade of color I can get my hands on.

The Mediocrity Of Time

2011-07-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

Time is an illusion.

When you get down to the nitty gritty and really think about that for a minute, there is plenty of truth in it.

Time does not exist. What is time really? Time is simply a set of numbers on a clock that has batteries or needs electricity to run. Time runs out when clocks stop ticking. The fact that we use the phrase "time is running out" when we live in a world of infinity presents the basic fundamental breakdown in the belief that time exists in the first place. The "future" doesn't exist either. Nor does the past. These are words that we have come to know that are based on this illusion of time. Time is man's creation to measure our surroundings and keep track of earth's cycles and astrological patterns.

But again I say, time doesn't exist. Feet and inches do not exist either, they are marks on a stick that we use to measure things around us, but they only exist because we have language and have defined a scale for them. Time is the same. There is nothing called 2 o'clock on a cosmic level. Monday does not exist to the rest of the Universe, only us. We cannot live the future at any given time in the present. Nor can we live the past now. We can only live the now, now. Right NOW is all you can experience and all you can control. Living in the future has been said to be "dreaming" and/or "hoping." Living in the past is sometimes called "depression" or "not letting go." They don't exist, we just use those words to conjure up special markings for our brain to reference activities and emotions.

People cling so much to time. Being places on time. Losing time. I need more time. Gotta have time. Time, time, time. I'm going to be late. What time is it? Time is the jar to humanity's jelly. It keeps things functioning and happening at a smooth pace. It helps us gauge crop development, it drives industry, and it keeps us all going day to day. But it is STILL an illusion. We live on a spinning ball of present time. When that ball spins, darkness and light take turns casting their glories upon the earth, but we are still in the ever present now. The fact that we fall asleep makes it feel as if time stops and continues the next day. We close the curtains on the chapter of "now" and unconsciously accept the brand of "yesterday". But it is still today. It's just dark out and we go to sleep during that "nowness."

It's funny how much people depend on time to order their chaos. So many people are afraid to live in the NOW. They constantly hold on to memories and hope they'll come back into the present so they can live them; or constantly waiting for things in the future to get better. They overlook the now, but they can ONLY live in the now. That's all there is, and all that we will ever be able to experience. There is nothing guaranteed in the future. Everything that the "future" holds is contingent upon the decisions and actions you take today. Don't forget that. All that exists is today. Tomorrow and yesterday are still today.

Today never ends, it just shifts colors every 12 hours.

First First Thursday!

2011-07-11T22:06:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I had my first event to attempt to finance my freelance art career. Most Austinites are familiar with the monthly one day festival held on South Congress called First Thursday. In case you haven’t been or heard of First Thursday, it is one of the coolest little arts and crafts festival that happens downtown, next to the Pecan Street Festival that occurs twice a year. First Thursday is unsurprisingly held on the First Thursday of every month. Same bat time, same bat location. Unlike the Pecan Street Festival however, First Thursday is small, quaint, and the streets do not get blocked off for the event. Booths and Stands are hosted in the side streets and parking lots along South Congress, and the crowds are much smaller. Finding parking is a biotch, but what’s new…its downtown.

As far as the atmosphere goes, there is always live music near Guero’s, not to mention the random sideshows put on by local musicians on the street corners. Normal setup time for First Thursday is around 4 to 5pm and it lasts until the crowds die down around 11:30pm. It’s been so hot lately that most of the people don’t start coming out of the woodwork until around 7 when it cools off…which I highly recommend. Once it cools down though, the streets get packed so be prepared for the crowd.

There is plenty of food down there so don’t feel the need to pack a picnic. Homeslice Pizza just a block away has some phenomenal pizza and unique thirst quenchers. Guero’s is an Austin classic Mexican restaurant with decent food and a decent environment for the price. Plus you can walk outside and check out the live music in their outdoor section. There’s also Perla’s seafood, Hopdoddy burgers, Vespaio (Italian), Fran’s Hamburgers (Decent portions, lame burgers…on a side note her ex-husband’s place Dan’s Hamburgers is locally accepted as being much better), and Zen Japanese (fast food, japan style) to name just a few.

My booth was a block north of Homeslice Pizza at the corner of Gibson and South Congress. I didn’t get there until around 5:30 because of the crazy amount of traffic at that time. I live off Far West and Mopac, literally less than 8 miles from downtown, and it took me an hour to drive that 8 miles. I know now to leave a lot earlier.

Crappy traffic and 105 degree heat aside, First Thursday allowed me to connect to people both local and not so local. It was great for networking, and great for my confidence. So many people liked the displays that I had, and asked about my process and prices. I printed and handed out 100 flyers with samples of my art on one side, and my signature, phone number, and website on the other side. Passing them out was a sinch. Even my son got a joy out of showing off my art. Thanks to the support of my boys, this went extremely well.

Here's a video of my booth. I had a table and Nicole Avey had a table for her photography. Currently she is studying abroad in Paris so David was selling her photos for her, but I encourage everyone to check her stuff out toward the end of the video...and then go directly to her website www.natebakephoto.com and see what else she's about. This is my first attempt at making a video with my new camera so don't judge! I had to play with my new toy ok? Enjoy!

Rise To Enlightenment

2011-07-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is the second table I've done. I'm very impressed with how this one turned out. I'm still trying to figure out a way to successfully clear-coat the entire thing so it won't get damaged from people putting cups and things on it.

I stared out with a black sharpie again and started drawing lines and shapes interacting within each other. Then I got bored with the black and started on the other side with an orange sharpie. I didn't intend for an alienesque creature with goggles to appear, but that's what I started seeing take form so I went with it. At some point switched back to black and continued filling in shapes rather than just drawing lines like I did on the first table. Then I had this crazy idea to put evil faces all over the place in the background and fill it all in with black.

This table is still not finished. I have some little details to add on the legs and on the sides of the table, but already I'm in love with it.

This table when complete will be selling for $120. Please email, comment, or facebook me if you're interested in it.

Love It Band

2011-06-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Its been awhile...

2011-06-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well everyone, I'm back at it...

Sorry that I've been away for so long but life calls and throws things your way that you have no choice but to react to. I've been doing well actually. I've been really happy lately, and getting very serious about my art. I quit smoking (again), quit drinking, started exercising more, and I rock-climb multiple times per week. I'm even trying to kick the caffeine and start eating more regulated meals. Trying at least...

I'm back to my old self really. I just got to the point that I want to do what I love everyday and nothing else. I'm at the age now where I'm tired of not arriving at where I'm going, but I'm also tired of worrying about it. Just living the 'now' is hard to do when comparing your life to others' around you; and their lives seem so much more well established than yours...but the desire to 'have' and 'want' bring me further from where I want to go and closer to where I've been. Lately I find solace in freestyling my life rather than meticulously planning out every minuscule detail and things not turning out according to plan. That's where disappointment sets in and I'm over that bandwagon.

I'm currently learned the arduous way that I need to push myself more. Since college I've had a tendency to give up when I start doubting myself. RIGHT after leaving the proverbial 'nest' funny enough. Fear of success I guess, or fear of self-establishment. I am an only child, so succeeding on my own is something strange to me with parents that are always there to stand you up when you fall. I'm not blaming them, I tend to do the same when Josh struggles. But even they've realized that they've helped me way too much over my dwindling young-adulthood. The major problem is, over the past few years I've had more of a tendency to fall and accept falling rather than try to change my life and climb instead. Ironically enough rock climbing has helped me tremendously with that. I have to trust myself a lot, and being afraid of heights puts a whole new level of yucktasticness to the challenge. Immersion-Therapy I'm told is what I'm doing to myself lol. Whatever it is, its working. I'm impressing myself quite a bit more lately. Its scary as hell to jump when you know there is an equal chance of failure as there is of success. But when you jump and don't fall, you get this crazy smirk on your face and a huge rush of endorphins knowing you did it. By yourself. Proving yourself wrong. You impressed yourself BECAUSE you didn't give up.

Living everyday impressing yourself is a VERY different lifestyle than living everyday being disappointed in yourself. I wish I would have understood this when I entered college. I've found that disappointment in ones' self leads to inactivity, proportionally to impressing yourself leading to the need to push boundaries and succeed.

On the note of success, I have been pushing my art in a new direction. By the grace of confidence I've defined a new style that I don't believe anybody out there has tried. Its all based upon the idea of life energy; how energy is always flowing in and out of form and consciousness. I choose line as my catalyst to achieve this. Contour more specifically. I choose this simply because it works and its something nobody else does. At least I've never seen it before.

As many of you know I've become very spiritual over the past year. NOT religious... spiritual. "Of the spirit" you could say. Without relying on opinions and teachings I find solace in the concept that energy flows in everything around us. I feel that energy exists in everything, every form, every particle, every atom, every molecule; even at the most basic cellular level life exists. There are many Laws of the Universe. There is a cosmic flow to everythings' relationship to everything else, and I strive to portray that flow in my art.

I listen to a lot of music when I create said art, and I'm a firm believer in waveforms and frequency in everything. We have brain frequencies, sound-waves, light-waves/particles, etc. Everything around us operates on the idea of a plethora of frequencies surrounding us at all times. I've come to notice that my art takes certain shapes/forms different from others depending upon the type of music I'm listening to when doing a composition. My art when listening to Deftones is very different than that of a composition while hearing Skrillex, Emancipator, or Talib Kweli. Makes sense right? Well the only problem this brings is that my compositions most of the time take weeks to complete. I rarely listen to the same genre of music for an entire morning let alone three weeks. So I'm seeing variations in certain compositions that almost don't make sense compared to the rest of the piece and I truly believe it has to do with my mood and the music that I'm listening to at certain points within the composition's creation.

I'm still developing it, but I believe I have a new style that nobody else has attempted. It changes almost daily as I find new strokes and patterns I like. I'm hitting it hard again, and I will be continuing to blog and update my art as I complete it. I have a style that can be used on really anything you could imagine. There is life in everything, we just don't think about it on the regular. I just hope to bring that life out in everything I put a pen or brush to.

I call it Metalectrophysicali.

I hope you enjoy.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi

2009-10-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Louvre in France is selling the use of its name to Abu Dhabi for $520 million. The building will cost a mere $108 million to build, but to slap the Louvre name on it, Abu Dhabi will have to part with more than half a billion dollars!

Agence France-Museums, in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), announced that the firm of Nathalie Crinière has been selected to create the exhibition design for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, one of the five major institutions being planned for Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island Cultural District.

The exhibition design competition was organized by Agence France-Museums, which is implementing the agreement between the governments of France and Abu Dhabi that has established the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and TDIC, the developer of Saadiyat Island into a signature cultural, leisure and residential destination.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is being developed through a 30-year accord between the governments of France and Abu Dhabi. Housed in an extraordinary building, the Louvre Abu Dhabi scheduled to open in 2012/2013, it will present important archeological artifacts and major works of fine arts and decorative arts from cultures around the world and from all historic periods.

Don’t worry though, neither Mona Lisa nor Venus di Milo will leave Paris. The Louvre has many inventory items to spare. Actually, franchise gains popularity even in art. For example, 10 years ago New York’s popular Guggenheim opened a so-called branch in a Spanish city Bilbao. Both profited from this decision.

Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy Magazine

2009-10-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Marge Simpson on the cover of Playboy Magazine? Wow. Im amazed that the places that artists are able to reach with a little effort. We as society buy Magazines in most part to stay up on real, current content. FHM, Maxim, Playboy all have REAL women, real cars, real political issues...real content. The November 2009 issue of Playboy Magazine will have a 3-page spread of Marge in the nude. So the designers of the Simpsons have come up with a way to bring their old art to a new level and capitalize BIG on it. Sure she's not real, nor are her "bits `n pieces" but everyone is going crazy over this issue. Playboy Magazine is genius because this has got the World's curiosity. Who doesn't want to see Marge in the nude? It will be the first time that a cartoon character will be printed in the nude, BY the designers, and mass produced for the world to see. This proves that you should always push your creativity to the next level. Never give up, where there's a will there's a way. My only question for Playboy is...when do we get to see Lois?

Juxtapoz Magazine

2009-10-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some deep-rooted research into the world of underground art and music and came across this article about a Detroit artist that I feel shares some similarities in how I thrust emotion/experience into my art.

"It’s been said that Patrick Martinez’s work sheds light on “the phenomenology of his surroundings.” As evidenced by his answers to my questions below, Patrick’s personal philosophy clearly embodies the very meaning of phenomenology—as his keen self-awareness and interest in the development of human consciousness reveals itself in his work. Beyond being a good guy, Patrick Martinez is a great artist pleased to share his talent in the name of rebuilding Detroit."

Source:http://www.juxtapoz.com/Features/juxtapoz-15th-anniversary-art-auction-patrick-martinez

The image above was painted by Martinez as a portrait of Nas. "The concept of the piece," Martinez tells, "was the success of rap music was suffocating the art form." He painted the portrait of the Queens poet breaking out of a noose made from a fat platinum rope chain, which is around his neck.

Juxtapoz Magazine is a great publication for those seeking raw underground talent. Check it out when you get the chance!