E*phi=log:

CoE - recovering persimmon pop up party

2012-01-22T17:08:00.004+01:00

Have you eaten a persimmon recently? Seriously, persimmons are the most awesome food of this world. Did you notice I love persimmons? Man, I do love persimmons.
Also, I should get my ass up and produce a proper drawing some time.

Since he already got it a while ago (no suprises ruined), here's the card I made for my dad's birthday:

Hah. I'm such a queen of the kitsch.

CoE - party for the stupid

2012-01-11T21:10:00.001+01:00

Cherry-coconut-banana-custard birthday cake!! With lots of custard!!! I live with the best WG ever.

Puing Puing

2012-01-08T22:14:00.000+01:00

I have a Korean flat mate and I'm trying to learn a few words. I'm not too talented. Korean pronunciation is friggin' difficult. But at least I learnt the two most important "words", here's one of them:

CoE - a bill from the spaceship

2012-01-04T18:18:00.000+01:00

CoE - X-mas sistas

2011-12-31T18:46:00.000+01:00

I'd really like to get back to doing my scribbly diary comics in the new year, at least on a semi-regular basis. Here's a (very scribbly...) summary of the wonderful X-mas time I had with my lovely little sister who I already miss a lot:

Man, those Vanillekipferl (vanilla... crescent-shaped... biscuits??) were damn good. I might make a Vanillekipferl recipe comic (to inspire people to make some and ~~send them to me~~ enjoy them too).

Doh! I wish I'd bought a whole bottle of that met...

X-mas (cards) and a happy life

2011-12-30T21:24:00.000+01:00

Merry very-belated X-mas/holidays/whatever-and-a-happy-life everyone!

I hope I'll get to draw and blog a little more often in 2012... (it's definitely on my official inexistent resolution list). Here's some X-mas cards I made for my family (since I didn't get to see them this year):

Yes, here we get our presents from Christkind, not Santa!

*** Spoiler warning! Do NOT read on if under 18!***

Here's how I found out "the truth" as a kid: scientific thinking right from the beginning. I kept bugging my mum why Christkind (which is supposed to be angel-baby-Jesus) is a girl when Jesus clearly was a boy (wasn't yet into gender bending back then) until she gave up and told me.

Zine Fest Belin 2011 and a call for submissions

2011-12-09T18:57:00.001+01:00

OMG, lookit these awesome vegan cupcakes!

Now that I have your attention: I've been at the very first Zine Fest Berlin (already two weeks ago, actually). I was way to excited and awestruck by all the amazing people, zines, cupcakes and workshops to take many pictures, but here are some:

I also participated in a workshop about perzine writing (amongst others). We came up with some nice ideas and a whole lot of enthusiasm. Which means there will be some compilation zines, one of which I'll be editing. May I please direct you to its little (very minimalist and under construction-y) site so you may consider contributing in case the topic speaks to you?

Happy X-mess moster

2011-12-06T22:47:00.001+01:00

Long working hours on Saturday, wicked fun on Sunday. I participated in fabulous Carolina Cruz' stop motion animation workshop at Wostel. We were six people and this is what all our crazy brains combined together came up with (I made and animated the snowman. And the monstrous eyebrows!):

Although, I have to admit that I liked the original version better (with that happy monster in the end instead of the beginning). Merry (pre-) X-mess everyone! I'm drinking mulled wine and dirtying my laptop with (homemade) sticky sugared almonds as I'm typing this.

Ughh

2011-12-05T20:41:00.001+01:00

Life drawings from last week (no more words after 10.5 hours of work *ughh*):

More life drawing - portraits

2011-12-04T22:18:00.001+01:00

These are from a very short session one and a half weeks ago. Trying to do some sort of portrait, kind of. The last one of the three was done in three minutes, so don't judge! ;D

Again: I'm sorry for the truly crappy photo quality (please keep in mind: it gets dark long before I get back from work, plus I live in the basement... not the best circumstances to take awesome pictures...)

Life drawing at the VHS

2011-11-19T22:10:00.001+01:00

Dr Sketchy's totally got me hooked on life drawing. Not too surprising I guess. I mean: looking at naked people and drawing - two awesome things combined. How can one not enjoy that. Therefore, I signed up for a life drawing class at the VHS (dict.leo says "adult education center"?). It's not really a class in the sense of that there's someone teaching us things. It's different models to draw plus an artist who provides us with his (very straight forward) opinion (and I like that system). So, that's where I'm gonna be every Thursday night after work now.

These are a little to big to fit on my scanner, so here are some crappy night-time photos (in anti-drawing-cronological order):

I hope my brain will get better at combining its areas dealing with eye-received information and hand coordination soon. It's weird how you can look at a thing (or human that is) and think you see it and at the same time not really seeing it. Or at least not being able to see it in individual drawable parts. A bit like when you try to look closer at somebody's face in a dream or memory. Or... I don't know how to put this. Brains are strange.

Hello sexism

2011-11-06T17:46:00.000+01:00

I made this (the original is a wallpaper) for one of my beloved roommates who happens to be (on the way to become) a welder. And really into Hello Kitty. And tattoos. She also happens to be a woman which led to her applying for 200 job offers and always being rejected. For reasons such as "we don't have a women's toilet/changing facility" and the like. So much for post-feminism-what-else-do-you-want-in-our-times-of-oh-so-equal-opportunities?! I don't know what makes me more angry and scared: that there's still such an abundance of sexism in our society or that it's widely not even being recognized as such.

Vegan superfluff pancakes FTW!

2011-11-02T20:20:00.000+01:00

Risking my life for science and putting myself under the most extreme conditions (which means, uh, into our kitchen), I recently discovered the secret ingredient that makes your yummy vegan pancakes even more awesome and perfectly superfluffy. It is... the almighty custard powder! Nomnomnomnom... enjoy!

Ingredients:
(For about 8 pancakes)

+ 1 cup flour (I use wholemeal)
+ baking powder
+ 1-2 Tbsp custard powder (I recommend: caramel flavor)
+ a little bit of salt
+ sugar (amount after your fancy)
+ 1 cup soy milk

+ cinnamon/Xmassy spice mix (optional (a very nice option I must say))

Hallo(ween), Dr Sketchy

2011-10-30T19:36:00.002+01:00

I've been at Dr Sketchy's today. It was my very first life drawing session and it was even more awesome than I ever could have imagined. The models were to die for, the DJ and the moderators were fantastic and the (free) Halloween chocolate muffins divine. And I won a bottle of vodka in the contest (the last 15 minute pose, theme: "watermelon of doom")! Yay!

The first ten were one-minute poses:
(What looks like a poor blow job in the first spread is actually a model biting into one of his plastic zombie arms. Just so you know.)

All of them were gorgeous, but Tronicat La Miez took away my breath. Her flexibility (and stamina!) and expressions are way beyond competition... *sigh* *drool*

The rest of the poses were between five and 15 minutes:

(Not my best sketch but definitely one of my favorite poses: evil clown spanking moderator with bloody plastic zombie arms.)

This last one won me my bottle of vodka (finally my art bears fruit!):

I can't wait until the next session. I mean literally. I'm totally hooked. If you have a Dr Sketchy's near you or somehow get the chance: do it! TriplemelonrecommE*phimendation. Not only because of the vodka and the muffins.

Measurements for your successful wintertime survival

2011-10-29T11:47:00.000+02:00

The days are getting shorter, the air is getting colder, and the world beyond my blanket is getting significantly less attractive. Winter is coming, I'm afraid. The time of the year when I miss having a bath tub. Only pathological amounts of tea and granny's knitted socks can help. And this:

Oh, and did I mention mulled wine? Yeah. Mulled wine.

What is your strategy to convince your neurotransmitters that there's still enough light to live a happy life?

Halloween costumes for women on a budget

2011-10-29T11:16:00.001+02:00

Happy almost-Halloween everyone! Lots of people have noticed the limited range of non-humiliating costumes for ladies and are expressing their opinions artistically. Among my favorites are, for example, these and these.

Seriously, how many of these have to be drawn until the female (identified) half of the world gets some reasonable (and fun) options?

CoE - flat hopping

2011-10-28T22:08:00.000+02:00

Here are two diary comic thingies from September, when I was living in my boss' (and former thesis supervisor's) flat while he was on holiday (and I was working). Never got around scanning them until now (I haven't even had a computer until about a month ago - oh horrors of 2011!! - let alone a flat).

(clickyclicky for bigger view, as usual, you know the deal ♥)

Resonance

2011-10-27T11:52:00.003+02:00

It's been a long and busy time, but have mercy with this irregularly updating lady! I guess it's gonna take me a while until Free&Radical will be revived as well (eventually it will), but for now at least this blog shall return to life, optimistically speaking.

I finally moved to Berlin (a month ago actually. A month ago already??! I can't believe it myself.) and I share a flat with seven lovely people from seven different countries. It's fun. I live in the basement as every self-respecting Austrian would (they call it souterrain here, sounds much better). But for now, have an animated gif of me finding out that I sleep on a spring mattress:

More faces!

2011-07-01T13:20:00.003+02:00

Although the first one might be considered cheating.

The latter one was supposed to be Zjoly from the Dudettes (reference was this photo by Maurice Ayal), but the resemblance keeps within limits. Well. Dudettes! Yay!

Today, I'm gonna be a bwitch...

2011-06-30T09:50:00.007+02:00

... and tomorrow, I don't know yet. Because sometimes being a princess just gets too boring.

Yet another Drawing Lab exercise: A portrait of my Mum "Modigliani-style" (@Satia: be prepared! ;D). I think it actually really looks a bit like her. Don't tell her I said that.

This is a quick blind contour of my parents sitting outside on the terrace. Mum usually tries not to show it too much, but I think she's often a bit offended by these...

Aaand another one: A dog. Obviously.

100 Faces - #1 and #2

2011-06-29T15:28:00.008+02:00

Another inspiring assignment from Carla Sonheim's Drawing Lab: Draw 100 faces.
Since that's something I could use some practice in anyway...

#1: A Hijra in black and red ballpoint pen (reference: the film/documentary Between The Lines).

#2: A man with funny ears, lines, and a moustache (reference: newspaper).

My scanner doesn't quite like them it seems, it keeps doing weird things. Whatever.

CoE - Guilty 3-D tofu and more wood

2011-06-28T19:37:00.005+02:00

Alright, be prepared because this is gonna reveal one of my (many) darrrrrkest sides: I watch Doctor's Diary. Voluntarily. For hours and hours and hours...

And whoever said that it's a bad idea to learn several languages at once, on the same day... tene biraz raison.

Acrylic waste and memories

2011-06-19T13:20:00.004+02:00

Saving some leftover globs of acrylics - from palette into sketchbook (plus err... random creepy cyborg lady?).

Also, I found this old scribble in one of my (hundredgazillion) old sketchbooks. Easy to date - I supervised the LabVIEW lab in January 2010 (everyday the same tutorial just with another group of students... after a while that makes you dream in "G"). ;)

CoE - hard work and new bikinis

2011-06-18T15:46:00.002+02:00

Previously in E*phitania:

A peek into the drawing lab

2011-06-17T12:18:00.004+02:00

I've been busy the last few days with both necessary and fun things (with a bias towards the fun things, I must admit), so for now, just a few more exercises from the Carla Sonheim's fabulous Drawing Lab.

A monkey in four colors,

... a portrait drawn with my nondominant hand (I'm a sneaky bitch and prefer to sketch defenseless sleeping people, muaharrr),

... a herd of blind (contour) animals,

... and random color blobs gone creepy creatures.

3 out of 30 cats

2011-06-14T08:03:00.004+02:00

I recently got the book Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim, and I must say I love it so far. Sometimes I get the urge to draw something but I don't know what, or everything I can think of seems stupid and/or meaningless, or the infinite possibilities just paralyze me. The funny little assignments in this book are the perfect antidotes for feeling stuck or just plain insufficient.
These are from exercise #1: Draw 30 cats and pick some to draw in a different medium.

Kerala, Karnataka and a few days in Mumbai

2011-06-13T09:56:00.004+02:00

These are already the last three pages of my India travel journal (I think I already mentioned I got a bit lazy towards the end of my travels...).
More or less coincidentally, I ended up spending two weeks in Amma's ashram in Kerala (and joining her on her Kerala/Karnataka tour afterwards), mainly digging through trash ("recycling center work") and doing other kinds of Seva. And, of course, being hugged.

I wouldn't be a proper tourist if I hadn't been in Hampi. Definitely one of my (approximately fiftyeight) very favorite places (and surprisingly calm off-season). Also featuring: the first temple elephant I've seen which seems to have a reasonably happy life, at least every morning when she gets to enjoy a bath in the river, being scrubbed for hours all over her body, while everyone else in the village is washing their clothes and themselves just next to her (again: huge-sketching-audience alarm! ;D ).

Too busy with finding the best lonely beaches, sipping fresh sugarcane juice, and throwing myself into gigantic waves in Gokarna, the next and last sketch is already from Mumbai, where I also got to see my friend Vineet (I first met him via an IAESTE internship in Scotland four years ago). After all that travelling in the South, trying to stick to smaller places, Mumbai felt as if I had already left India (at least around Colaba/"downtown"). A huge metropolis, full of hip students and business men which made me feel tremendously underdressed in my stained Ali-Baba-pants* and washed-out T-shirt...

* Incredibly comfortable! So loose that it feels like running around naked but actually long and "safe" (elastic bands under the knees). I shudder to think about wearing tight jeans ever again (at least during the summer I can escape wearing dresses and skirts...).

DIY without tigers

2011-06-12T08:51:00.005+02:00

In Tamil Nadu, there is a (famous) temple for every element - in Chidambaram for akasha (ether). So, the central enclosure holds.... nothing. Err. The invisible akasha lingam.

Since I was too ~~lazy~~ busy to draw in Kumbakonam and Rameshwaram (and again, Madurai...), the next sketch is already from Kumily where I took a room in a lovely homestay called Blue Mangoes (don't ask - the mangoes in front of my window at least were green). Lots of spices, lots of tea and lots of essential oils. I visited a plantation and got to see and taste and smell all sorts of spices. It was funny to see i.e. cloves grow on a tree. I'd just never really thought of them coming from anywhere but a little plastic bag in the supermarket.

Oh, another favorite, definitely: bamboo rafting (and hiking) trip in Periyar Tiger Reserve! I didn't spot any tigers unfortunately, but lots of elephants with their babies, boars, bisons, butterflies, monkeys (OK, they're everywhere), birds, snakes, and "jungle chicken"...

My DIY incense cone kit. It took me a while to figure out that there's a plastic cone mold buried in the powder. Messy fun (better turn off the fan while doing this!), a little bit like sand castle building.

Stone breasts, peacocks and crocodiles

2011-06-11T12:44:00.007+02:00

A sketch from Trichy/Srirangam (most of the stone goddesses look as if the sculptors back then had been taught using hentai mangas as anatomy books...).

Now, to all the people who keep telling me I shouldn't be shy about sketching in public because "realistically speaking, nobody is interested what you're drawing anyway". Realistically speaking, whoever says that hasn't ever been in India (sketching, that is). I was drawing this Nandi statue peacefully sitting on the stairs of the temple and within minutes I was surrounded by a huge knot of curious people who didn't only block my view but eventually took my sketchbook, passing it around and asking for my email and complete biography... I was almost thrown out of the temple by a brahmin who thought I was giving autographs (after he understood what was happening, he just chaised away the crowd and told me to continue drawing immediately). However, only a few minutes after he had left, everything started over again... (I took flight and finished the sketch in the evening in my room).

Mamallapuram/Mahabalipuram - very touristy (actually, the first time I saw any tourists other than myself) but stunning (all the rock-cut temples, monolithic monuments and sculptures...) and comfortably small. And not to forget: the SEA!

Probably one of my favorites: a trip to the nearby crocodile bank in Vadanemmeli. They also have lots of turtles and snakes, and you can watch the venom extraction (which they do without harming the snake).

Puris and biscuits

2011-06-10T08:47:00.004+02:00

Probably the most popular karma yoga assignment in the ashram: Rolling chapatis (or here: puris).

Alfie, our little sweetheart. He'd kill for a biscuit (or, well, just look at it very longingly until someone shows mercy).

My journey across Tamil Nadu:

First stop: Madurai (where I got myself a sari for undercover missions).

Saris, chapatis and Norwegian singers

2011-06-09T08:44:00.005+02:00

There we go, another four.
This shows the awesome woman we met on a walk. It's fascinating what a nice time you can have together without speaking the same language (I must admit my Tamil is... substandard).

In the ashram I met a Norwegian girl who wrote her own songs (the lyrics in the next sketch are totally Christin Larsen's and not mine!). She had the most angelic voice on earth, seriously.

Everytime I look at this one, I feel the urge to apologize. Sorry Shannon and Polina. I didn't mean to...

This lady isn't only a great yoga teacher but also a fantastic ayurvedic cook. I loved the food but I know my(lazy)self too well, so I didn't even try to remember any of the recipes except this one: Chapatis - one of my favorites and simple enough to make it at home (Yes! I swear! I actually already did!).

Mantras, toothpaste and a hammock victim

2011-06-08T09:20:00.003+02:00

And there's the next four sketches, also done at the Tureya ashram near Kodai, Tamil Nadu, where I spent my first fabulous three weeks.
The first two sketches are actually cheat sheets for the mantras we were singing for puja every morning and evening...

Once a week we took a taxi to Kodai to buy stuff and indulge in diabetes provoking coffee shakes:

Taking sketching advantage of innocent sleeping people:

CoE - comeback and culture shock

2011-06-07T14:15:00.007+02:00

Still struggling a bit with reverse culture shock and devastated gut flora, but hey! For all the people who've been wondering what the hell I've been doing since I got back last week: Here's the comeback of Chronicles of E*phi (aka "the uneventful diary doodles of some girl you probably haven't even met").

Bye-bye India

2011-06-07T13:32:00.007+02:00

Hello my beloved readers! After such a long time, you might be as surprised as my granny to hear that I haven't been killed by a tiger (or - statistically more likely - by that nasty plague I caught at the end of my travels). Indeed, I've been looking for tigers (not for mean stomach bacteria though). Although, unfortunatly but not surprisingly, I couldn't find any (although the bacteria found me).
Anyways, I'm back and, even though I didn't meet my ambitious goal of filling my whole book, I've got some sketches for you as souvenirs. All of them (but two, which have an acrylics background done with leftover paint before my departure) are ink sketches done with a brush pen with a splash of watercolor. Perfect travel equipment in terms of minimum weight and volume, but as much as I love watercolor, by now I can't wait to get my hands dirty with acrylics or doodle around with coloured pencils again. I get bored rather soon if I have to limit myself to only one medium for too long.
Alright, enough blah, here are the first four (as usual, bigger version after the jump):

Tata for now...

2011-03-06T21:29:00.003+01:00

Or should I say அப்புறம் பார்க்கலாமே?
I'm leaving for India tomorrow morning and I won't take my laptop and scanner with me. Therefore, this blog will probably be on a hiatus for about three months (I say "probably" because... you never know. Maybe I'll find a way to post some photos every now and then or something...).
However, I bought a nice little book which I'll use as my travel journal (absolutely non-megalomaniac that I am, I got the one called "Leonardo da Vinci", heh). I challenged myself to completely fill it until I'm back - so, even though during the next few weeks it might be rather quiet here, you'll definitely get something to look at once I'm back. Here's the first page already:

CoE - sketchy nominations

2011-02-16T19:26:00.005+01:00

Still deadly busy even in my "free" time, organizing my travels and fighting rabies and stuff. But I know I've got the bestest readers in the whole universe and you'll all be understanding! To give you a little something to look at in the meantime, here's another diary thingy and some more pages of the not-so-top-secret-anymore sketchy sketchbook:

And this is what happens everytime I visit the park or any other public place to try sketch real people:

The holy charm of ecstatic danced through nights...

2011-02-13T00:52:00.004+01:00

I sketched this out months ago but finally got myself to add some color (which took about three minutes - goddamn laziness!).

And here comes... fanart!

Transcription/Translation:

VIRGINIA PAINE
has been enchanting me
with her comics for a while already.

...but I didn't know
until recently
that she also makes magic talismans.

*time-honored holy charm of
ecstatic danced through nights
and awesome surprise sex*

Two weeks ago, I treated myself to some goodies from fantastic Virginia Paine's shop. I've definitely got a new favorite necklace! I've been a huge fan of her diary comics for quite a while but didn't know she also crafts magicked jewelry (she makes supercute wallets and skirts, too)...

Oh, in case you're wondering what that ugly blotchy stuff (on the left) is: it's proof that (copious amounts of) india ink isn't a desirable option for Moleskine sketchbook paper.

CoE - two birthdays and a bunch of biscuits

2011-02-05T20:39:00.006+01:00

Surprised by an unexpected (though very due) longing for hygiene, I spent most of the day decontaminating our bathroom and vestibule. Which means that if my beloved sister can bring herself to clean the kitchen next week or so, it'll be safe again to walk around barefoot in our flat. Does this already count as passive aggressive note? [Probably not, because she doesn't find my blog interesting enough to read anyway. (Now this does count, I guess? Hehe.)]
Anyhow, despite a severe case of cleaning exhaustion (Seriously! I risked my life! You know, my granny broke both her arms - CLEANING!), I selflessly pulled myself together to provide my dear readers with the following two diary doodles. Enjoy!

(physalis = Cape gooseberries)

CoE - Merry double X-mas and an insane New Year!

2011-01-30T14:12:00.007+01:00

Not getting much drawing done these days. Lotsa work. Lotsa partying. Finally, FINALLY organizing my travels to India! Well, could be worse, I guess?
Therefore, enjoy more doodle diaries while I'm busy turning my life inside out.

Yes, we seriously have a decorated Christmas yucca palm tree. Traditionally. (And yes, I totally kicked my dad's ass at slotcar racing! Harrr!!)
Also, if you don't know who Hansi Hinterseer is - don't search. Be grateful.

Christiane Rösinger is super awesome. Although, I guess her songs are a lot less fun if you don't understand the (German) lyrics.

By the way, my work is featured on the Mendeley Blog! Sometimes, things just get so... unreal. I have to admit, I first thought it was spam or an evil joke (because, let's face it, which serious person would possibly link to my doodle diaries?). Now, I'm really flattered. Heh. And I want to emphasize that Mendeley is a neat program. Absolutely worth the near tenosynovitis (and I'm not saying that because they like my comics). So, in case you're looking for a reference manager - there are versions for Windows, Linux (yay!) and Mac, and they're free!

CoE - Christmas memories

2011-01-22T17:31:00.004+01:00

Do you still remember these? It feels like ages since I posted the last one. Well, I'm way too neurotic to fill the rest of that book with something completely different, so I'll just keep trying to fight time and catch up eventually, some time, maybe...

Breaking the ice

2011-01-21T16:02:00.002+01:00

Now that I'm finished with the Sketchbook Project, I finally started with the Moleskine sketchbook (real sketchbook, not shitty flimsy notebook in disguise) I treated myself to some time ago. Just couldn't resist when I walked past it in the bookstore. I always have to pull myself together not to hoard too many at a time - serious case of sketchbook squirrel disease (includes: finding sketchbooks you never knew you bought). Also, I'm one of those who are ridiculously afraid of "the first page". Especially if it's such an expensive one. Usually the best: start with a bad drawing. Breaks the ice. :)

I guess I now know why they have a dedicated watercolor sketchbook. I've never seen paper behave in such a weird way after getting in contact with a little bit of water. Sepia ink isn't much better either. So, uh, don't try this at home, kids.

Top secret sketchy sketchbook

2011-01-20T23:02:00.004+01:00

I'm fully immersed in paperwork again these days. And by that, I'm afraid, I quite literally mean "writing papers on nitroxyl radicals" rather than "having fun with a pen on paper". So, in order to give you something to look at anyway, here are a few pages from my otherwise really really totally top secret sketchy sketchbook (the small and crappy one I always carry with me to avoid any chance of getting bored for even a few seconds during the day).

An old left-hand-drawing:

One of my favorite good-night rituals (right after listening to Harry Potter audiobooks): Quickly sketching random people from the newspaper while the windows of my bedroom are open to let in some fresh air before going to bed.

The following ballpoint sketches are from a reading by Friederike Mayröcker. Readings are wonderful for sketching people. They hold still focused on the author and don't even realize they're being watched! He-he-he!

A bra-blem

2011-01-16T20:57:00.004+01:00

I've been busy all weekend celebrating my dad's 50^th birthday, reading a very absorbing book about sheep detectives, and drawing silly comic strips for next week, so please be contented with an older work of mine for today. It's my submission for Elizabeth J.M.W.'s bra-zine. Unfortunately, it hasn't been published yet. I suppose it's because she hasn't received enough contributions (it's a compzine). Sooo, if you feel inspired, go for it and help an ambitious zinester! Click HERE to see what she's looking for and how to contact her (don't worry, the topic is very loosely defined).

Sketchbook Project - it will be done, I swear!

2011-01-14T10:12:00.007+01:00

Of course, I could have just sent it in with a few empty pages, but what are all-nighters for if not for a ~~good~~ sketchy cause?

Cover:

"First" page:
(people can - and hopefully will - insert there own "screens" into the transparent pocket!)

Back:

And the cover as a whole:

If you want more detail, just click the images and you'll be beamed to my flickr (there's a dedicated set for my Sketchbook Project, in case you haven't noticed!).
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to bed... wait, no. Work. Knew there was something else. Dang.

Sketchbook Project - almost there!

2011-01-12T22:04:00.004+01:00

I'm not so very happy with these pages, but anyway. Time is short. It's almost done!

There are two things I want to say about this:
1) The most realistic aspect of this sketch is probably the size of the pencils - turquoise and violet-blue have been among my all-time favorites since kindergarten.
2) Straight lines are devil's work! Seriously. I'm just no good at straight-lined objects. (Maybe a reason why I'm not too fond of drawing buildings...)

Aaaand the last page (aka house advertising):

Not entirely there yet, though. I still have the very first page (yeah, totally copped out and left it empty till now) and the cover.

Sketchbook Project - Save yourself!

2011-01-11T21:33:00.006+01:00

Didn't we all love cartoons? And didn't we learn so much watching them? No matter if our little brains wanted to or not? Thank you, Disney, for teaching me to distinguish good from bad. Now, how about finally becoming aware of your power and the accompanying responsibility and acting accordingly? I'm looking forward to the first movie I would feel wholeheartedly comfortable with showing to my potential children.

Because it just makes me feel sick (and sad) thinking of how far the pressure to be "perfect" has gone:

Dear women who consider genital surgery (for "aesthetic" reasons),
have you ever thought about what else you could do with those thousands of dollars? Seriously, do yourself a favor and better spend that money on fancy designer vibes or a good therapist, for example. Because you're worth it.

Sketchbook Project - let go

2011-01-10T18:09:00.005+01:00

Let go and open up for something better!

If it was always so easy (and fast!).

An examplary dialogue:

Dear Fate, please hurry up with the new good stuff!
Dear E*phi, will you please work on your patience already!

I miss you

2011-01-06T14:30:00.003+01:00

Playing around with an idea. From manual to digital.

I've got about a million variations of this theme in my head (well, almost) which I might decide to work on for my portfolio thingy some time.

For my non-German-speaking readers: "Du fehlst mir" means "I miss you". It's supposed to be a word play (more obvious in German - directly translated it's more like "I lack you").

Sketchbook Project - sober fun and curiosity

2011-01-03T21:38:00.005+01:00

Lesson number one: Always have your good ol' permanent marker with you!

Lesson number two: Nosy people get to see more of the world!

This was a bit difficult to scan (I didn't want to fold and squish it too much).
FYI: The embroidery on her panties says "How DARE you?".

You see, my Sketchbook really is interactive and (most of all) very educational.

Oh, and I'd like to emphasize that, in real life, looking up somebody's panties is a total NO-NO unless they unambiguously ask you to. Seriously. Consent for the win, baby!

Sketchbook Project - relaxingly stupid

2011-01-02T00:01:00.007+01:00

These are very sketchy, indeed (no pun intended). But it's called The Sketchbook Project for a reason, isn't it?

Sometimes I must stop myself from working on a picture. Sometimes because the paper starts to dissolve.

((clicky-beam yourself to flickr to actually be able to read this!))

We have a saying that the first day of the new year will set the theme for the rest of it. If that's true, I'll spend 2011 drawing comics and eating loads of chocolate. Not too bad, actually. (Although, my boss/supervisor Mr G won't be impressed.)

Embrace

2010-12-30T14:43:00.003+01:00

If it only was so easy to embrace that time of the month...
Well, it sometimes helps to channel the shirty-ness onto paper and drown it in watercolor.

By the way, guess what I got for Christmas! My mum gave me a flu (even though we said there wouldn't be any presents. Awwww!). The most terrible thing about being ill for me is always that I'm bored to death. When I'm forced to sit still (emphasis on forced), my brain tries to compensate and runs wild with ideas and I end up frustrated because I can't make them happen (even reading is too exhausting most of the time). Ugh. Being ill turns me into a sullen little child. At least I finally get some sleep.

Purple

2010-12-25T14:30:00.004+01:00

I hardly ever do acrylics and there's a reason for it. I just can't handle them without ending up frustrated with the results (so, if you have any book recommendations or anything like that, I'd be most grateful). Anyway, I'm using up these canvases now. They've been lying around wasting precious space in my room for about two years and I'm glad about every single piece that doesn't have to move with me when I leave this place.

My sister said it looks like a purple pussy explosion. I kind of like that interpretation.

Happy Holidays...

2010-12-25T01:06:00.005+01:00

... everybody (no matter what you're celebrating - be it Christmas or just life in general)! I might be a bit late with this... but better late than never I guess.

That's the 10 minutes "X-mas card" I made for my colleagues at uni. I'll draw a (proper) card for the first one who can tell me what this is ;D (please deposit your guess in the comment section).

Sketchbook Project - Goddesses

2010-12-21T00:47:00.003+01:00

A goddess of (everyday) life...

... and a goddess of hunt.

((Did I mention how much I love my little Diana?))

It isn't very obvious in the scan but the greenish-yellow part is actually very thick fluorescent acrylic paint (those shadows aren't painted but result from the surface structure - I didn't apply that paint particularly sparingly).
I have a thing for interesting surfaces and it always costs me tremendous amounts of self-control not to touch every single plastical looking or pastosely painted piece of an exhibition. I do hope people will enjoy feeling and touching my sketchbook when it goes on tour. May it be loved (or hated) and explored and rubbed and fumbled with to death (and then, may people take the remainings as souvenirs)!

Sketchbook Project - back on track

2010-12-19T21:53:00.002+01:00

... and slightly in a hurry with it. However, I haven't given up on this yet, as you can see.

How to make a paper crane

2010-12-19T02:45:00.008+01:00

This is what I do with my Saturday nights. Should I be worried? Does save money and liver cells, though.
Just in case you've been wondering about that little japanese girl and her giraffe and stuff...

This is lovingly dedicated to:
♥ Momo who always thought my drawings were a bit dull because they don't move,
♥ Jo who always wanted me to make him a flip book, and
♥ everybody whacky enough to think up stories behind their drawings.

What I learnt from this:
Traditional animation kills trees. LOTS of trees.

The moral of the story:
When somebody throws a piece of paper at you while you're hanging from an albino giraffe (and losing a sock), it'll most probably turn into a paper crane.

I can't believe I seriously just spent five hours on this.

CoE - International Röh-Day and icestock customizing

2010-12-18T15:52:00.002+01:00

Don't worry, there'll be stuff other than creepy little diary comics again soon! Still working mainly on my Sketchbook whenever I have some time left. I'm a bit in a hurry with this already, since the deadline is in January.

Besides, the time of freedom didn't last too long. Due to some unforeseen circumstances (and a really generous offer from my former supervisor), I'm back at my desk at uni again (just that I'm getting paid for it now - yay!) and won't be traveling faraway countries until March or so. Still, I'm rather positiv about having some new scans for you guys and gals soon-ish, so stay tuned...

Three instants and more Chronicles

2010-12-12T17:27:00.005+01:00

There you go, more of the (in)famous Chronicles of E*phi. Will I ever catch up?

I think I may already have mentioned in ecstatic joy that I got a Diana F+ from my favorite sister. Unfortunately, working with medium format film is rather expensive and I was horrified to discover that my scanner's transparency unit only does 35mm film. So, I got my dear Diana a 35mm-back only to find that my trusted photo lab doesn't do development only (you need to buy prints too). I'm still trying to figure out how to actually get some (affordable) pictures with that camera (I'd love to dabble in DIY developing but don't want to buy masses of chemicals and equipment right now before traveling/moving). Thus, a few instant photos for now (still in the process of getting to know that little heap of plastic and its quirks... err... settings.):

May I present: The most overexposed photograph you've ever seen! Actually, I still kinda like it, especially the winter sun which looks a little like the pupil of an eye in close-up (not sure if you can see it in this resolution, though). I might just use it as a desktop background.

CoE - More from the Chemistress in Distress

2010-12-02T15:00:00.003+01:00

I bet you've already been dying to read more about my... uh... fascinating life. So here's another catch up post:

Also: My cutest ever sister got me a Diana F+ for my graduation! I love it and I can't wait to take some halfway postworthy pictures with it! (W00t! It glows in the dark!)

Half a meter of giraffe spots

2010-12-02T09:27:00.002+01:00

Do you recognize them? Last week, a very good friend (whom you really should visit on flickr if you like excellent photos) mentioned that he'd love to have a bigger version of this to decorate his room. I love friends making remarks like that shortly before their birthday. He-he. (Don't ask how long it took me to crosshatch half a meter of giraffe spots though...)

Oh, by the way, I'm now officially "Diplom-Ingenieurin of technical chemistry". Just in case anybody cares. Most probably not (which I truly understand). What some of you probably will care about is that all this retained ~~crazy~~ creative energy will want to discharge somehow which might lead to an increase of drawings and posts here. That doesn't mean I was able to completely suppress the urges during the last stressful days though (hellooo sleepless nights).
This is what I wore for my presentation and exam (in addition to unbelievably serious clothes, of course):

(It's the structures of the two imidazoline nitroxides I was working with and one of my EPR spectra. Just in case you wanted to know.)

And here's my little red ~~dyke-y~~ riding hood. She found herself a decent mobile home on my bag:

Dear diary,

2010-11-22T10:57:00.007+01:00

I wish I could sleep.
Or at least spend that time somehow useful.

Also, let me tell you:

(mission to educate: fulfilled.)

CoE - Another one

2010-11-12T12:55:00.005+01:00

Countdown to final examination: 13 days. I'm so suffering from artsy-fartsy-crafty withdrawal already... (So much that I spontaneously started sewing a felty little red riding hood at 1AM - you'll probably see it whenever I get to take a picture.)

Thank you for all your support, be it via this blog, on flickr or the EDM yahoo group. Your nice words mean so much to me!

CoE - Summing up...

2010-11-01T20:49:00.004+01:00

... and cutting short to catch up (and not bore you too much).

((Crappy scan, I know. Sorry.))

Yeah, uh, and don't forget the Popolski show.

We ride our bikes up in the sky...

2010-10-31T22:09:00.007+01:00

Just because we can.

♥Save our Mur!♥

Nothing better than spending a lovely autumn afternoon with a cute girl (and some cameras).

By the way, listening to the Johan S. Detox-club mix of Twin's Star Wars theme* in the middle of the night makes me want to embroider my underwear. Just in case you wanted to know. Is there a selfhelp group for this? Or at least a facebook group?! I think these hardcore thesis work days are finally doing something nasty to my brain...

* As Pat Ridiot pointed out in the comment section, it's not by Aphex Twin as I initially stated - he still rocks though and I'll test asap what his stuff makes me want to embroider.

CoE - some more catching up

2010-10-26T21:15:00.005+02:00

CoE - Catching up a bit...

2010-10-22T20:54:00.005+02:00

Please excuse my neglecting this blog these days. I do feel terrible and I think I miss it more than you do, really.
My thesis project is in its final stage (the thesis itself is more or less finished, actually) and I'm wrapped in red tape and organizational stuff, busy with proofreading, finding and renting an appropriate room and a beamer, hunting for signatures, researching printing and binding options, trying to ignore the occasional nervous breakdown, having 12-hour-working days and not-getting-any-sleep nights... not exactly my idea of fun, but at least there is an end in sight. Valerian pills FTW.

Trying to catch up a bit with my doodle diary as far as time and sleep deprivation permit. Enjoy:

Oh, by the way, I was honored to find my zine Cinnamon Insanity has been reviewed by one of my favorite zinesters and zine reviewers Amber Forrester. I do hope you know her. If not, definitely check out her fabulous blog! She also runs Fight Boredom Distro where you can get her superawesome perzine Culture Slut (now at issue 22) as well as many other English and French zines.

Dear arrogant anonymous,

2010-10-13T20:51:00.002+02:00

At least, I finally found out the real purpose of these milk glass thingies which some misled people believe to be for energy efficiency and temperature control. Actually, I think they just prevent people throwing themselves out of the window or, alternatively, their computers.

To end with something really positive:
Two of my zines have been reviewed by Elizabeth J. M. W. in Photocopy Press #2 which happens to be the most amazing review zine ever! And I'm not saying this because mine are featured! Her philosophy is that she only reviews zines that she enjoyed (which I do think makes sense, and I'm definitely tempted to get several of them!) and she includes excerpts (with permission of the authors) which give you a great first impression of the respective zine that helps you decide if it's for you. Issue two is 32 pages (half-size) and it's a special international issue, featuring not only awesome reviews, excerpts and some art, but also interviews with zine makers all around the world (I've been interviewed too!)! I can only highly recommend this if you're into zines! ♥

CoE - Nintendo knitting and tigertea

2010-10-11T23:10:00.005+02:00

I sure do love baked pumpkin. Vienna's election results: not so much. Sometimes I feel so deeply ashamed for the stupidity pool of this country.

Also, I invented a new rule: if my supervisor doesn't have to shave, I don't have to either (and I still believe my way was much easier!).
Furthermore: Fuck YEAH, tigertea!

CoE - secret midnight missions

2010-10-10T00:52:00.003+02:00

I'm really glad the chemistry building opening festivities are finally over now.

Yeah, I swear these are all 100% true. And I guess I was incredibly lucky that (obviously) nobody noticed that giggling sketchy hooded figure taping a plastic bag onto somebody's windshield in the middle of the night...
On a sidenote: I'd be interested to know who the whacky people are that think up the messages printed on love hearts. I mean, "ANGEL FACE", "MY DOLL" and "GROW UP" are disputable or maybe a matter of taste, but "MERMAID ELOISE"?!? WTFF?!!!

Today, I totally overslept. I'm glad that I've got really understanding friends. And that I eventually got a new haircut! ♥

PS: These diary comic thingies turn out to be a reliable way to find out which of my friends regularly read my blog (or maybe just which of them are the nosiest) - answer: those who already bombard me with emails and texts á la "Who is this S?"... he-he.

Chronicles of E*phi - melons and coincidences

2010-10-07T22:30:00.004+02:00

Life is full of funny coincidences! And the cute girl I mentioned (who henceforward will be referred to as S) comes with lots of them. My favorite two:

♥ I met her through a German online community and it turns out she lives practically around the corner.
♥ There's a green little Fiat Punto in our street looking at which always fills me with nostalgia because my first car was exactly the same. It's hers.

Chronicles of E*phi

2010-10-07T00:12:00.006+02:00

Aaaargh, no time to draw! No time to sleep! Thesis deadline approaching! Need. To. Work...

Although, for all the work I'm doing these days, I treated myself to the most lovely notebook ever. It's designed by the adorable illustrator Gemma Correll! And it's just perfect for my new fun project: The regular(-ish) diary comics thingy!

(Yeah, exactly, because what I really need is another project I don't have time for...)

I started this because I always find it so frustrating (even depressing, actually) when I don't have enough time to properly draw or paint anything. Therefore, I'm gonna keep these little diary doodles simple, just to hang in there and at least have fun drawing a little something every day (hopefully). And sharing it with you. So let the happy doodling begin:

Oh, yeah, I know my handwriting is tiny. Thoughtful that I am, I uploaded bigger files on my flickr to which you are conveniently directed by clicking the pictures. For your zooming pleasure only! ♥

Sketchbook Project - post #4

2010-09-19T21:08:00.007+02:00

High time I finished some more pages in my Sketchbook Project book (uni stuff keeps occupying my days and energy ressources...). Wrinkly-wrinkly -- that paper doesn't like watercolor. Not as much as I obviously do anyway.

For the next one I used a picture of fabulous Kate Nash as a reference. I just love this lady. If you don't already know her (heaven forbid!), go check her out immediately!

Miss♥information

2010-09-13T16:13:00.008+02:00

For all of you who haven't heard about Miss♥information yet: that's the name of the zine I made for the 24 Hour Zine Thing 2010. Black and white copies of it are available at my etsy shop.

For all of you who do already know it - and (hopefully) like it - I've got good news! I finally managed what I wanted to do for so long: make it available online - in full color! Enjoy!

Miss*information

In case you like it so much that you want to ban it onto paper and flick through it as a real life zine, you can download a high resolution print version here (it already has the pages arranged in a way so that you only have to print it double-sided and fold it in half).

24 hour comics

2010-09-13T15:14:00.005+02:00

W00t! Only about two and a half weeks and it's 24 Hour Comics Day again! I did one in 2009 and I really want to participate again this year.

Here's the crazy shit I produced last time - the increasing effects of sleep deprivation and rising blood caffeine levels are quite... obvious. ^^°
Unfortunately (for my English speaking readers), it's in German.
(I think my favorite is the girl in the pterosaurus costume. And the giant sowbug.)

Sekundenschlaf

Oh, just wanted to add: Feel free to download the pdf if you like. Just don't distribute it without mentioning my name, please! ♥

Snail mail, how do I love thee

2010-09-10T15:08:00.003+02:00

I'm taking advantage of my frustrating internet situation, doing some catching up with all the letters I've been planning to write for so long, and showering my favorite post office lady (she's got the most awesomest turquoise glasses!) with heaps of colorful envelopes. One of them contains this:

Won't say any more about it here...

A chocolate-y snack in between

2010-09-08T13:06:00.003+02:00

These days, I don't have much time on the interweb for blogging and stuff, since my access at home is acting like a diva at the moment. And I don't really feel like playing around with it and spending any extra-time in front of the screen after about 8-9 hours of thesis work (in front of a screen). Not an entirely bad thing though - more time to spend on drawing and friends and writing letters and "real stuff" like that.
In the meantime, please, content yourself with this little portrait of one of the probably most beautifully packaged chocolate bars in the world (yes, I'm uploading this at work, shhhhhh!).

Frustration times two

2010-08-29T22:47:00.004+02:00

Another mini watercolor painting (they are all done in those miniature Moleskine watercolor books):

I'm very unhappy with this one. Especially with her lips. I fiddled around so much with them that the paper started to disintegrate. That was when I realized: it's time to move on. Just call it a pink alien that amateurishly tries to emulate human form. A pink alien it is and it's perfect. ;) (I do like the background a lot, though!)

Another source of constant frustration is this:

It's an acrylic painting I started almost two years ago and last weekend I decided I need to do something with it. But it just won't go the way I want it to. Or rather: I just don't know where to go with it (and I'm pretty sure I had no clue when I started it either, which may be the main problem here). I already thought about totally going over it with white paint and reusing the canvas for something completely different, but for some reason I just can't. I don't know, that would just feel like abandoning a child.
Also, it's so inconsistent. The red-ish part in the left is much "clearer", while the right and upper part (which I recently did) are a lot more orderless and heterogeneous. I can't really decide which way I prefer for this (if I have a choice - maybe it just tells us that my current state of mind is a lot messier compared to two years ago...).
Any suggestions or hints of inspiration? Challenges? Help! ^^

Just in case anybody ever wondered - this is the ~~messy place~~ fancy studio where all my messy artsy stuff is born (aka my bedroom): ((thank God, the floor isn't visible! *g*))

Just to conclude with something positive and bright and totally unmessy (picture taken at my parents' place):

Reason #4 and #5

2010-08-28T21:02:00.007+02:00

I started this project back in June and have grossly neglected it since then (my hair is so much shorter now than in the photo I used as the reference for this!). Too many projects. Too little time. The universal dilemma.

((Clicky-clicky on the picture beams you to my flickr account where you can look at it in twice the size!))

Getting this book out from the shelf and under my ballpoint again reminded me of how much I love the paper of Moleskine's sketchbook.

Everyday challenges

2010-08-27T22:31:00.008+02:00

It's been a while since I found the time (and motivation) to do one of the weekly edm challenges. Though, they were perfect for during the week, as I don't get much drawing done after work these days (nasty combination: stress at work and leisure stress, hehe...). So, here they are - two little sketches:

Challenge #287: something colorful!
Maybe my favorite earring of all (I've got a mild earring addiction), my little wooden parrot! I think that thing is about 12 years old now.

Challenge #288: something with spots.

I really feel the need to mention that I actually made that thing look less ugly than it actually does (unbelievable, isn't it?). It came out of one of those ancient gumball machines*. And its plastic fumes give you lung cancer... (why the hell did I even keep it?!)

* Ooooh, gumball machines! How do I love them! One day, I'll run around the whole city and I'll make a map of all those old abandoned gumball machines...

A beautiful lady enjoying herself.

2010-08-22T21:27:00.005+02:00

Playing around with my new watercolor pencils (although, the background is done in "normal" watercolor)! This is a present for the friend who gave me the pencils, I hope she'll like it (and I dearly hope she doesn't follow this blog because it's supposed to be a surprise...)!
I used a photo by Will Santillo as a reference which I found in Feigenblatt # 19 (a really nice German magazine). It's taken from his book called "La petite mort" which will be published next year.

Sketchbook Project - post #3

2010-08-22T20:59:00.005+02:00

Another spread for The Sketchbook Project:

I did this with the watercolor pencils a most lovely and generous friend has treated me to. Unfortunately, the paper didn't take the water too well (although, in the scan it looks much worse than in reality). I like the pencils, they're fun. They're not a replacement for regular watercolors. There's always some remaining texture even after "blurring" with water. But actually, I like that texture.

Sketchbook Project, the second.

2010-08-18T23:08:00.003+02:00

Two more spreads from my sketchbook. The minimalism goes on, kind of. I think that's due to my total lack of time at the moment (always an excuse at hand...). I'm not too happy with the first one. But, well, it's supposed to be a sketchbook, right?!...

I really like the climbing guy at the left in the second one though. He looks surprisingly human for my sketching skills (REALLY need to practise drawing real people).

Dammit, can anyone read what's in their bubbles? If not, here's a transcription (from left to right):

Outdoorsy guy: "Climbing the K2."
Purple cat: "Noooo way."
Naked girl: "A Sunday in bed with a good book on quantum chemistry..."
Black cat: "applepie ♥"

Far too busy times...

2010-08-17T22:23:00.004+02:00

Last week, I finally moved into my workplace in the new chemistry building! It's brandnew! With air conditioning and heating and state-of-the-art labs! And coffee machines! No plaster raining down from the ceilings! Yay!
Biggest advantage of all that: Having a real workplace now, I'm super motivated and spend loads of time there at my desk writing and working on my thesis. (My supervisor is positively surprised, too! Heh.)
Big disadvantage: When I come home in the evening after so many hours of work, I usually just feel like lying down and playing possum. I don't even have the energy to do fun stuff like drawing or working on my crafty projects, my body and brain just go into some kind of idle mode.
To at least keep my fingers familiar with pens and stuff, I did some diary-ish doodles before bed. Better than nothing.

By the way: If you can't read my tiny handwriting, click on the pictures to see a bigger version! (I haven't found out how to directly link to my flickr images since they made those changes on the site... I'd be most grateful for any hints though!)

PS: I really am obsessed with making the bestest figures (for my thesis) ever. They have to be better than the ones in the textbooks. And prettier. I can spend hours and hours fiddling around with depictions of spin polarization and illustrations of the Zeeman effect. And I enjoy it! My sister says its neurotic. I call it channeling my perfectionism into productivity.

On a sidenote: Illustrator is probably the most counterintuitive program I've ever come across. At least if one isn't used to working with it. It is quite nice once one has got to know it a bit though.

Nighttime road trip to the bottle bank

2010-08-16T01:02:00.006+02:00

Wanted to upload some drawings. Wanted to blog. Wanted to check and answer my mails and read a chapter of that book and paint and do lots of other things. Ended up drawing next week's comic strips until 1AM. @___@
I really do suck at scheduling tasks and estimating times. May I put you off for today with this nondominant hand sketch of what just happened to develop into a sleeping woman. Drawn within ca. five minutes in the driving car. I wasn't the one driving, though, as you might have guessed (I'm no good at multitasking, let alone at this level...).

The Sketchbook Project 2011

2010-08-07T19:39:00.007+02:00

Anybody (not) heard of The Sketchbook Project?
Well, I'm participating too! Just couldn't resist. The thought of the book going on tour like a little rockstar, other people (people who don't even know me!) flicking through it... It's gonna be in a library! A real library!
And it were exactly these same thoughts that suddenly turned into fears when I found my sketchbook in the mailbox and it was time to actually draw in it. OMG! Other people are gonna see this! Scary!

So, I wimped out and left the first page empty... for now.

I'm quite happy with the second spread though. Trying to forget that it's not really my own secret sketchbook and just having fun with colored pencil (definitely one of my 784 favorite media!). Because that's what my assigned theme is supposed to be, anyway:

It will be fun, I swear.

It's just a pity that the pages are really crappy paper. Absolutely see-through crappy. Thus, I didn't draw on the backside of the first spread. Still need to figure out what to do with the in-between pages since I don't really want to leave them blank. Maybe glue in stuff. Any other participants reading this here? Did everybody else rebind their sketchbooks?

(I'm aware of the fact that the rules permit people to rebind the book with whatever paper they like, but I don't know how to do that and I probably would be too lazy to do it even if I knew.)

Oh, by the way, b/w copies of my 24 hour zine Miss♥information are available now here in my etsy shop, in case anybody's interested!

The original is in full color and it broke my heart to find out that color copies would make it way too expensive for a zine. Therefore, I plan to make the color version available as a pdf or something. I just need to figure out how...

Goldfishmaid

2010-08-07T18:35:00.005+02:00

Eventually, one always reaches a point at which a painting merely screams "C'mon now, let me be, leave well enough alone". This one did. Even though I could go on and on fiddling about with it until complete dissolution of the paper, I guess it's time to let go after all. It's not perfect. But neither am I. I still like it.

I always admired Andrea Joseph's work. Recently, she shared a step by step documentation of her drawing process on her blog, which inspired me to practise my crosshatching a bit, too. I do love to draw with ballpoint pens. I also love to crosshatch. However, my main problem with these things is endurance. I'm simply impressed by Andrea's patience, it's truely enviable! (And, by the way, her zines are awesome! Check them out! ♥)

Also, I tried to trace the "Faber-Castell" on the sharpener with a white gel pen but the gel ink and the ballpoint ink engaged in some weird chemical reaction. Definitely not a good way to camouflage goof-ups...

Nondominant 24h zine

2010-08-02T21:45:00.012+02:00

I like this one which is quite ironic because:
a) due to a very distinct tendency towards perfectionism and self-criticism, I hardly ever like what I draw and
b) I did this with my (very very nondominant) left hand with which I can't even write halfway legible.

I drew these two after my rather long "artistic break". I thought it would be easier to start with something drawn with my left hand to take the pressure off and overcome that fear of "Oh no, I need to produce something good!".
(It worked!)

Also, I completed my 24 hour zine! (Very typically, in the night of 31st of July... Why must I even procrastinate the things that I actually enjoy doing?!)
It will be available in my etsy shop soon. In the meantime, a sneak preview of the cover (plus the back side).

Of course, I'm always happy to swap my zines, if anyone is interested! (Just mail/message me or leave a comment!)

Time inside my head

2010-08-02T20:43:00.007+02:00

(It's true!)

Unbelievable but still: I haven't got much to show in terms of sketching and the like because I've actually been working on my thesis. I mean really working, like, eight hours a day or so. Finally. Against great odds. Two weeks ago, my dear Vladimir (aka my trusty old laptop) suddenly didn't feel very well and started spontaneously shutting down its system approximately every quarter of an hour, so I had to go through the inconveniences of reformatting the disk, installing a new system (it was high time to get a newer version of Ubuntu anyway), finding drivers for our modem etc etc etc.
(And I'm still not used to the fact that the "close window" and "minimize" buttons are apple-style in the upper left now... ugh!)

After all that, I wasn't quite pleased with being stuck on the login screen after a reboot again last week. Only that it was my fault this time. I had played around with a xorg.conf file in an attempt to get the old wacom tablet working that my supervisor had given me as a "gift" some time ago (he frequently askes around if anybody needs *random old gizmo* because he's got a new one - very nice and generous and moneyed man!). Maybe I shouldn't play around so much with things that I don't really properly understand because, after that little experiment, my laptop didn't recognize any input device anymore. VERY incovenient. One of those moments of "Aaaaaaaargh!!! I want to die!".... "Wait, no. I want this computer to die!". I generally do not have an aggressive character, but I needed to scream, destroy a book (by repeatedly bashing it against a wall) and draw the following 1-minute-doodle-comic to keep myself from throwing poor Vladimir out of the window from the sixth floor.

Anyway, problem solved for the price of a sixpack of beer (long live cute bribable nerds!).
By the way, I'm saving the newest version of my thesis on at least three independent storage devices daily now.

Cinnamon insanity and killerprincess uniform.

2010-07-20T12:32:00.005+02:00

Oh well, I haven't been a very good girl in terms of keeping up with this blog and stuff. I can't even say I've been busy drawing and making art or at least writing my thesis. I've got no idea where that month went, honestly, it's depressing.

Oh, but I did participate in a t-shirt screen printing workshop (part of the Four Elements Convention 2010) about two weeks ago. The first afternoon was dedicated to drawing the design and on the second we printed our tees. Although, for some weird reason, only two (including me) of the ten people came on the second day (I think they may have missed the shuttle car to the atelier because they were mostly the sort of people who come three hours too late). My design does not satisfy me 100%, though. I expected that there would be some kind of guidance or "teaching" for designing a t-shirt, but it was simply, "OK guys, you've got three hours to draw something that you want on your shirt. Here are some pens!". It was fun anyway, but had I known this before, I would have thought about it at home in advance. However, it's not too bad for a spontaneous thing. I'm just being my usual perfectionist self who would have liked to make the most of the rare opportunity to screen print. To cut a long story short, here's the result (The tee is even made of organic cotton and fair trade! Check out Zerum. They are a small Austrian label and led the workshop. They really rock!):

Also, I finished the first issue of my perzine Cinnamon Insanity, which I mentioned in my last post. Already approximately two weeks ago, actually. I've made 20 copies and then the typical insecurities crept in and I started wondering what to do with them because I didn't dare to show this to anyone. Ridiculous. So here it is, I've been brave and put some on my etsy shop where you can find out more.

Unfortunately, my lunch break is over. And because I'm a responsible, reasonable girl (since, err, yesterday) I'll go back to working now, after finishing my tea, which will most probably be cold by now (which is preferable anyway at these temperatures).

Zines, SciFi and Supernachmittag

2010-06-28T19:41:00.007+02:00

I'm not dead (yet), don't worry. I just haven't really drawn a lot lately (that'd be fit for upload that is) because I spent almost all of my free time working on my first perzine.

I wanted it to be done until July, to have my mind free for the 24 Hour Zine Thing (which I highly recommend you participate in, too!). And YEAH! Ultimate Pwnage! It's basically done. I just need to scan everything and go to the copyshop for printing and cutting and stapling. It mainly consists of lots of silly illustrations (because it's me), cut+paste stuff (because it's a zine) and many, many pages of writing about my personal life and thoughts (which is why it's called a perzine). Here's an exclusive tiny sneak peek of some of the pages for my beloved blog readers:

Other than that, I haven't done much, apart from working very little on my thesis, freaking out about not having done much for my thesis, trying to update my webcomic relatively regularly, screwing up my sleeping-waking rhythm by spending my nights playing Bluff and the Battle Star Galactica board game with friends until after sunrise and wasting whole days staying in my PJs watching far too many BSG episodes at a time while consuming ridiculous amounts of iced coffee and hot chocolate.
In an attempt to be a bit more social (and leave the flat to prevent slowly going mad within these 12m²), I joined my sister and her friend at the Grrrls Night Out event last Saturday. It was a bit pricy, but Supernachmittag, one of the live acts that played, would have been worth the money just on their own (I wish they had played a little longer)! I didn't like the last act so much. They were making noise, and maybe, objectively, it was really cool, really artsy and really underground but it didn't make me want to dance at all, so for me, it was absolutely useless. There were hardly any people left anyway, my sister and her friend had left to have a drink elsewhere with others and I ended up feeling bored and a bit alone (and not being brave or drunk enough to chat up/join random strangers) so I left, too. On my way home I met a totally drunk guy who started talking to me about the football match. I'm usually something between frightened, annoyed and totally pissed off by drunk guys joining me without asking, but this one was kind of funny and the random and absurd conversation with him kept my mind free from brainfuck and depressing emotions (which for no apparent reason seemed to be stalking me that day/night) which I appreciated a lot.

Here's the only video by Supernachmittag I found. I swear, they totally rock (they do even more so live, if you get the chance)! Enjoy:

E*phi makes things

2010-06-07T12:09:00.005+02:00

My other (relatively new) passion: Making polymer clay jewelry!
Just in case you find anything you'd like to buy, please contact me and I'll put it on my etsy shop. Also, if you would like anything customized or have any special wishes you feel I could fulfill - I'm always happy to take commissions! ♥

Food with a face: I love it! (No riceballs suffered to make these! Only 100% cheery, 100% vegan free-range creatures bred on my desk.)

I'm a bit obsessed with video games and all things geeky, in case you haven't noticed by now...

Afraid of leaving home without candy? Solution: Cake around your neck or cookies dangling from your ears!

Pendants for a sweet start into icecream season: (FINALLY!)

Kitschy earrings I made for my mom. These are the finickiest fimo things my little stubby fingers have ever battled with:

And some work in progress:

Reason #2 and #3

2010-06-05T21:56:00.003+02:00

The next two pages of my new project. ♥

Reason #1

2010-06-02T19:30:00.006+02:00

This is the first page of a new project called

100 reasons why I'm worth €13.95,-

I'm going to fill a 100-page journal with drawings of various parts of my body, with the aim to be as realistic as possible (which means, while I may simplify things a bit - ie. not drawing every single hair - I won't "fix" any imperfections).

I've been planning to do such a declaration of love and gratitude to my body for quite some time now. I got the moleskine sketchbook for this almost a month ago and kept hesitating, wondering if I shouldn't do something "better" with it and get a cheaper book for the project. But, wtf, what kind of a declaration of love is this, telling myself I'm not even worth 14 bucks. Hence the title.

Revolution princess-style

2010-06-02T19:04:00.006+02:00

Yesterday, I finally finished my chapter on nitroxide theory and applications (noooo, don't fall asleep now, please! I promise I'm not going to publish it here!) and sent it to my supervisor. This means: only one chapter left to write! (and a short introduction and conclusion, but seriously, that'll be a piece of paramagnetic cake in comparison, right?)
Hah, I feel so good, just like I could do anything! Well, everything but sitting down over that tedious EPR chapter, though... *sigh* Much more like slaying some dragons and making a campfire and drawing random shit all day long.

Aaah, well, nothing better than some freshly roasted marshmallows with a drizzle of dragon blood. Wait... where did that prince go?...

More fun with watercolors:

Be a good girl: be nice to mommy, love your cunt, and don't give girl hate a chance!

I've been smart and used normal crappy paper instead of the watercolor-friendly type: Don't do this at home or your apples may turn into evil black holes.

And another edm challenge (#275): my uber-cool tube of toothpaste:

Owl post

2010-05-31T12:20:00.002+02:00

Since my lazy bitch of an owl refuses to work before the number on the clock is double-digit, I put on my best dress to bring some colorful mail to the post office myself.

I love this dress. And I wish I had a proper mirror (preferably one of those really trashy old-looking ones). Or a tripod which I've been wanting to get for ages anyway. I think that's what I'm gonna treat myself to as soon as I'll have a few bucks left.

PS: I met my favorite postman downstairs and he almost didn't recognize me, being all accurately dressed and stuff (at least that's what he said).
PPS: I also bought a scratch ticket but, much to my great disbelief and disappointment, I didn't win.

Raven's Journal in print!

2010-05-26T22:23:00.002+02:00

I'm excited to announce that I finally managed to make some copies of my fake journal! It's printed in black and white, wrapped in a colored cover (which color you get is a surprise) and stapled.

If you enjoyed Raven's diary and would like to have your very own copy of it (or if you just want to support me and my work), you can get it on my etsy shop.

Since, after her mysterious disappearance, a page was still left blank in Raven's journal, the first one purchasing a copy will get this last original page with a surprise sketch for free!

A little preview:

Where did that day go?

2010-05-26T22:13:00.003+02:00

One of the most awkward questions to ask me, especially on the phone, is what I did that day. Even though I always have the impression of being totally busy or even stressed out, when I think about it more closely and try to list everything I did I end up feeling like a boring and/or lazy sucker. I'm already considering that somebody secretly steals my time. Not sure which one is more likely.

Well, what the heck do I do the whole day? For example: Writing about imidazoline nitroxides (awesome shit!) and drawing pugs (ugly little cuties!).
(This list does by no means claim to be exhaustive!)

Queen of random

2010-05-26T22:03:00.003+02:00

When I work too much, my brain switches to idle mode for the rest of the day. Which reinforces my tendencies towards randomness in sketches. I guess one can only have so many reasonable thoughts per day. Don't think to much and enjoy:

The internet is a dangerous thing

2010-05-26T21:49:00.003+02:00

Or at least it can be. Here is why:

The internet is my best friend and my worst enemy at the same time. On the one hand, it's packed full of incredibly cool stuff and it's definitely a big source of inspiration for me (that is, as soon as I get over the "OMG-I'll-never-be-nearly-as-good" syndrome). On the other hand, I (far too) often completely lose track of time while admiring the wonderful things and thoughts of other people, and I end up wasting several hours and complaining that I never have enough time to materialize all my ideas and pipe dreams. Seriously guys, it's time for more action!

Zebras, socks and underwear

2010-05-15T14:16:00.003+02:00

Since my Japanese giraffe huntress was so (surprisingly) well received, take this! (I'm considering making postcards of it for my next travels...)

Another edm challenge (inspired and motivated by the diligent Everyday-in-May'ers): number 253 - your socks.
I drew this one while waiting for a (tardy) friend in my favorite shisha café. You really can't get me bored as long as I've got something to draw on or my feet or preferably both!
(Have you ever tried to do the Vulcan salute with your feet? Go for it, it's quite a challenge.)

(Btw: What I meant by "sleep-provoking" is soporific. Just didn't find the right word in my brain at that moment.)

And yet another edm challenge. It felt kinda weird to draw my own underwear. Come to think of it, though, it would probably be a lot weirder to draw somebody else's. Kitschy print omitted for the sake of sheer laziness.