ARCHIDISIAC

A note from the desk of A. Li:

New Year's is one of those holidays I always forget about until right before it actually occurs...more specifically its only in those last 10 seconds of the old, used, soon to be discarded year that I am finally reminded of how much I love it.  I don't know if it's because Christmas decorations distract me in the weeks leading up to its Eve or if I've just come to realize the night will never live up to expectations but on the morning of New Year's Day, I am suddenly aware of how new things become.  All my actions become the first of an unused year and that thought is surprisingly optimistic for my collection of not so positive borderline masochistic philosophies.

Part of me thinks that Jan 1st is simply another day and no different from the 24 hrs that came before and after it.  Another part is also pretty convinced that calendar years may well just be arbitrary ticks dividing a sequence of events in our lives to give some kind of order.  Whatever inkling is left though does believe in the promise of a new year and the ability to start anew, plan, improve and change.

I started this blog a year ago with the resolution that I would have 365 drawings by Dec 31, 2010.  I have 108 images today.  Not bad considering the year before I had maybe ten.  I learned to hold myself somewhat accountable.  I learned that unrealistic goals can be helpful and self destructive all at the same time.  I also learned that doing a little and repeating repeating repeating ends with a lot more than you would expect even though it really feels like nothing at the time.  Perhaps most importantly, I've begun to understand that doing is what separates a person from the rest of the pack.

Anyways, enough looking back, 2010 was a great year and I learned a lot...there are a multitude of things I also failed to learn.  Thank goodness there's another year ahead yeah?  So here's to another 365 in the new year...I'm already two behind.  Dammit.

Resolutions for 2011:
Draw everyday, post to blog.
Find mechanism to motivate self when unmotivated.
Avoid riding feelings of frustration and annoyance for too long.
Exercise more.
Cook and eat healthier.
Read more.
Bring lunch to work.
Cut back on coffee.

Invitation for my company's Christmas party.  :)

A girl and her elephant.  Duh.

Boom.  I miss drawing animals.  I'll do some more in the upcoming weeks.

Ok, trying to keep up with this til the end of the year.

Ok, I felt pretty crappy about the previous one so I did something else to prove that I am not regressing.  which, after this, is still questionable.  sigh.  bedtime.

I kind of want to take this down because it kind of sucks. Uff. My friend Justin gave me the topic for this one. Sorry to disappoint! I have no patience these days. :( I'll revisit this topic again sometime.

Check him out at: jpatt.tumblr.com

It's the future. Everyone has chips in them. Aliens attack the satellites to control all humans. Who will save mankind?! The only people who have not installed chips in them...the Amish!

Coworkers at work during meetings. Boom.

Some random from work. Iron Man is number 100! The original version that is not as cool as the new one. First super hero evarrr.

Did this drawing again cuz I forgot it was on etsy and it sold only to realize I already gave it away. Anyways, here it is again, perhaps better? I dunno.

A couple of portraits done during meetings. Will find more time to draw...after my deadline on the 25th. I swear. Hahah, k, boom for now.

Ok, so the reason I haven't posted...uh, anything lately is because I have been employed by the Division of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University. Above are some sample pages from the project I am working on. They were looking to revamp their image/graphics and wanted a new print/web document to distribute to prospective students. My friend Altan is currently a grad student in the PFP program and was the coordinator for this project. He was responsible for content and I, the art direction. Together we banged this out in a little over a month...which is not a lot of time considering I have a full time job and he is a full time student and this was the first time both of us have taken on a project like this. Factor in personal summer plans, faculty schedules, multiple sources of input, the 1500 miles between us...and boom, major obstacles. We're finishing this week after crazy hard work, mad coordination efforts, and a lot of trial and error. Interestingly, we did everything digitally either through Google Wave (omg i know, and you didn't think anyone used it), Gmail, Box.net, Skype and cellphone calls which is really crazy if you think about it. Two people connecting via various forms of digital communication to get things done without ever meeting in person. There's no way this could have been done a few years ago. A-MAZING.

All in all, we're quite happy with what we created. Altan and I make a pretty bad ass team if I do say so myself. I am finalizing and getting faculty review this week and hopefully posting the final pdf here before the end of this week. Boom.

Edit: You may now find the full book at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/pfpflip/

Figure drawing. I forget how absolutely crappy you can become without continued practice. And also how absolutely aggravated and frustrating it can be. So here is my first attempt at getting back to it. I am completely lacking the familiarity and deliberate-ness I used to have when it came to drawing the human figure. So if you happen to be in Pittsburgh, then come join me. Carnegie Mellon CFA 313 Sunday nights this fall from 5-8pm.

http://news.art.cfa.cmu.edu/?p=1209

Went sketching out by Station Square during lunch the other day with my good friend Jon F. I'm not so happy with this one. Jon, on the other hand, is great. I keep trying to get him to start a blog because a) it would make him infinitely cooler and b) his artwork is really spectacular. Anyways, we might start a blog together...sort of an unofficial bcj pittsburgh architecture/art/design related one...? Ideally this is something that multiple people would eventually contribute to. So yea that is all for now, be on the lookout for that post, this booklet i keep yelling about is nearing its end thank goodness, and big plans are in the works for the future...stay tuned.

Very aware that I am grossly behind for the month of Sept. Did this one during lunch...seems to be the only time I can find to draw these days. Started as PPG Square but then I got bored and added my own flourishes. Boom.

Ok, that's all I got. Sorry for the lack of updates. Will post what I'm working on when it's all done and finished! :)



Also, my business cards finally came in! Yay! You may recognize the image, its the first one I did for my blog which now is in the possession of my bf.

Lunch time doodles. Totally stole these trees. Deal with it.

Ok I promised myself I would update AT LEAST once through the ridiculousness that is moving. I am currently moving.....AGAIN. Our landlords are a complete waste of a life. So next week I will be packing and moving to a one bedroom apt with no roommates. I think it's about time. I've had roommates since freshman year of college...six consecutive years of various roommates. Oof, yea definitely time.

This is sort of a compilation of my impressions of Paris, Rome, Prague and Barcelona. Man do I miss Europe.

Messed up the railing. Damn.

Work is busy these days.

Okay, doubling efforts to draw complete drawings from now on...

Charging Birthday Rhino in Party Hat for a friend.

Taking a new bus these days...it's one of those extra long ones that have the accordion joint in the middle so the back end sways around. Fun to sit in but generally makes drawing very difficult. During the daytime its all young professional. Late at night though, as I found out after an extended gym session...kind of full of crazies. Great. Anyways, did these on the ride to and back from home.

Lunchtime doods.

Work is driving me INSANE, the company managing our apt is driving me INSANE, my parents are driving me INSANE...I suspect that I am going INSANE. The only thing not driving me insane may be my rock. Thanks.

Feelin' inspired today...probably because I haven't drawn in about a week and a half due to the move and other events.  Did this during my lunch break today...it was intended to be a building, then became a tree, and then became this.  Mmmmm...feels good to put some graphite on paper again. :)