Improv Girl

 

I was commissioned to do a piece of art and she gave me free will in what I did!  One thing we have in common is Improv and Sketch Comedy.  Though I no longer participate in the community since moving out West, she works at a comedy theatre and studies so I knew she would appreciate the Second City chair-  famous for being a chameleon to any comedy scene!

A huge portion of my life in Chicago was working and studying at Second City and the Annoyance.  I even got to design the stage at the Annoyance!  It has since closed and is reopening at a different location that I hope to visit when I'm back in town.  The people that make up this community are amazing and inspiring.  They hold down day jobs just to study and improvise late into the night, only to start it over the next morning.  So much energy!  I'm not sure if I could do it anymore.  I had a back of house shift at the Annoyance on Friday and Saturday nights when their biggest shows were, so I could watch all of the shows which was amazing.  Since they were usually sketch shows, I was able to see what worked night to night and how the actors improvised here and there to change it up for themselves.  Nothing was ever exactly the same and not all the jokes always flew.  Some of my favorite players are actually now on SNL!  

Improv changed my life.  The energy and curiosity keeps me on my toes and made me break out of my shy shell.  I doubt without this growth, that I would have had the balls to move out to California alone, but who can say.  I remember this time of my life fondly but know it's not the last that I will see of this chameleon chair.

Comic Girl

Growing up, I was never into comics.  I had only heard of them like they were this mythical object.  There were no comic stores in my little town nor any of the surrounding ones. 

When I was interning at Nickelodeon, there was a group of people who would go out for lunch then swing by the comic store on Wednesdays.  I remember asking this one guy who worked on my show, "Why Wednesday?"  Oh boy... did I have a lot to learn!

Fast forward, I'm dating that boy and he's consistently schooling me on the culture of comics!  I don't believe I've been shot by inspiration this much since devouring Cartoons and Animation as a kid. 

"I'm the Art Show, Deal with It" Legend of Korra!

When Avatar The Last Airbender was on the air, I was consumed with a hectic schedule being eaten up by 2-3 part time jobs, full time college courses, an internship at Second City beside earned classes and performances, and the little bits inbetween eaten up by a horrendous commute.  How I wish I had known it's beauty, and full on bending awesome-ness! Luckily, it caught up with me when one of my roommates upon coming to California was a bend head (do their fans have a term?), and it was quickly resolved!  Needless to say, I was ready when Korra was announced and even more ready to show my love when a tribute art show knocked at my door.

PixelDrip Gallery presents "I'm the Art Show, Deal with It" A Tribute to Legend of Korra art show will take place on March 23rd and 24th at Monk Space in Downtown LA. You can find details and directions here.

 

"Ticklebending!!!"

Nicole

Nicole was my best friend while I lived and went to school in Chicago.  On a family visit to Cali, she made some time to visit me.  We drove down Muholland Drive and then I found out I had one headlight.  It was scary and I never want to drive at night on that road with less than all headlights from my and your car.  Yes, also with your car's headlights on mine. It was that dark!

Afterward, we celebrated being alive by drinking coffee and me sketching her.  It's the second time we almost died in California... the other time being a hostel type hotel in San Francisco.

Sugar Plum Fairies

 Here are some colored pencil sketches from Friday night's Gallery Girl's session...

Werewolfie Commission

So this really amazing lady commissioned me and let me choose what I was going to draw, which is rad!  I didn't really know what to do but then we started talking about silly things like werewolves and I like making things cute so cutesy werewolf is what I did.  I call her Werewolfie.  Original, I know.

This was done with colored pencil on a wood panel.  Yay for trying new things!  Diapers! ...?

New Challenge: Add a story

Trying to put more effort into hinting at story rather than just sketching a character.

Quick Sketch

Here's a quick pin up I contaminated a co-worker's sketchbook with.

That Beach

Played a little risque with the width of her forearms and calves. Don't look at her feet, for real. She has foot fungus and you don't want to catch it nor is it pretty to look at. Really, I wanted to draw a leggy blond while listening to "Leggy Blonde" by Flight of the Conchords. It was a nice break from this kid's primer I'm working on. The illustrations just got approved so coloring starts now. I'll post some of my concept art for it soon! It's mostly a hodge podge of a diverse cast of children. It was a first for me drawing an Asian kid! Don't miss the excitement- next time on Cassie's blog!

Hey, look at my Pooh!

Did I draw some Winnie the Pooh fan art just so I could tweet "I just took a big Pooh on my blog" ? Maybe I did and maybe I didn't- but either way, it is done, I loved it, and I feel like I lost 5 lbs. Oh wait- I totally did! Congratulate me.

I love Winnie the Pooh, especially the original classic stories by A.A. Milne. I recently found the short films from the 60's on YouTube that I've been looking around for. I feel fulfilled- and they are slightly what I remember but slightly different. What I love most is how simple Pooh is. I think the quote, "Today is a good day for being Pooh" is the best self-help affirmation in the world. Everyone should feel this way!