Killing Time at Work: The Blog.

Here I am, once again, sitting at a table, drinking tea, and contemplating what the crap I'm gonna do for the next hour or so before I close. This seems to be a common trend around here in the winter. Still, it's been busier today than some other days where I literally had one customer, and I painted a post wall I fixed on Wednesday without any major failing, so that's good. 

Hold on a sec, I've gotta check colorant levels while I'm thinking of it.

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Okay, back. YOX needed a refill and apparently wanted the whole gallon of colorant. Plus there was a (surprisingly quick) color match involved, I guess beauti-tone colors are easy to match.  So that kille some time. 

Anyway, how about that sun, eh? It's been a rather brilliant day today, sun-wise. I guess spring is right around the corner, though March could entirely bring the smack down upon us, weatherly speaking. 

I'm not sure what to say now. I have no witty observations about life, I have no mostly blank white paper upon which to draw, I'm pretty awful at small talk. Oh! Right, I re-acquired my Learners lisence, so that's new and exciting. Plans are to go driving with Jord when we've got some insurance things worked out. That'll happen, at some point. I'm not sure when, and I'm not in a huge rush. Work is fine, if slow at times, bills are paid, I'm not starving, my slush fund is holding strong, I'm in a pretty decent place all things considered. A good chunk of my "where to improve myself this year" boxes are currently checked. Now to make a move in other areas. Maybe. Later. It can wait. Those who rush into things head first are more prone to concussions. 

Which brings up a point about me, I'm cautious, almost to a fault. Not quite that much as I definitely have an impulsive streak and I'm surprisingly quick with snap decisions, which is especially odd because I'm massively indecisive a lot of the time. By this description of me, one might think I'm a jumbled up mess of everything, and that's exactly how I'd describe myself. Heck, at some point a few years ago a peer of mine referred to me as "the most extraverted introvert I've ever known." Which is neat and proves my ability to be with people and not drag them down.  

Alright, end of blog, time has been sufficiently killed and I've gotta do closing stuff....and enjoy this song. Rhinestone Eyes by the Gorillaz, I really like it but it's totally not for everyone.

Cheers folks,

~Cam

In Which Work is Slow Again and Creativity is Discussed

So I may not work at the busiest place in the world, but that's primarily because of the winter. Apparently, people don't like painting in the winter. Whatever, doesn't matter to me, I'm getting paid and am able to work on my creative pursuits, primarily refining my drawing skeelz. Proof: 

These are an accurate summary of my past two days of work, plus this blog post. Super busy work days, amiright? 

Regarding the actual drawings, I can sort of draw a hand position now! Hands are tricky little jerks, but apparently breaking them down into segments helps me a lot. Now to figure out more positions of them. Also, that slit iris, I'm super happy with figuring that out, mostly by accident. That'll help when drawing predators or cat people or whatever else has the vertically elongated iris. 

Also also: while I think I prefer the pencil for its ability to be more easily corrected, drawing in pen has taught me a couple things, like a basic idea of line weight and how to not be a perfectionist. It seems I'm getting better at just being able to sketch a base layer and with a pen I can't  not show it. 

Oh, and the bottom right...person... in the first pic is saying "I'm a Picasso" in case you were wondering.  I messed something up and just ran with it. 

Drawing pursuits aside, I'm also sort of writing creatively, though heavily inspired by Monster Hunter (a vidya game I'm still obsessed with) and I only have the introduction sort of done (which I need to go over again, I did it pretty late one night), so I need to work on that some more. I will, it's just a matter of doing it. Plus with the new Monster Hunter coming out next week I'll be massively engrossed in that. 

Apparently I'm more of a creative type than I had acknowledged for a very very long time. I'm gonna attribute that to how emotion and art are so often intertwined, where science and logic are one and the same, and I sided with science and logic 'cause I'm not a fan of the negative emotions that occasionally show up in me. It took me probably too long to throw off the shackles of ignorance I had bound myself with and embrace the arts. I was never fond of the rigor involved with "proper" science, being a man of action rather than a bookkeeper I prefer just doing things an seeing what happens. Not that there's anything wrong with bookkeeping, s'just not for me. Bookkeepers are the backbone of modern knowledge and as such massively useful in their own rights. Aaaand I'm sidetracked, having forgotten where I was going 'cause I had some customers to aid. So TLDR; embracing my inner creative, still love science, greatest scientists are often great artists as well.

That whole last paragraph was leading to how blacksmithing is a great thing for me 'cause it, like me, is a mix of art and science.  I've probably discussed it before, but still, it's a blend of scientific knowledge (how much heat, what to look for, how to handle the fire properly, proper materials) and artistic skill and vision (style, shape, how and where to strike). It's a wonderful fusion of the worlds of art and science, it's an act of doing and knowing and experimenting and learning. It's primal and elegant, taking what the earth gives us and turning it into spectacular, shining examples of beauty.  I'm still very excited to get into it, and I will, hopefully soon.

Anywho, it's probably time for me to stop blogging at work, with about half an hour left in the day and closing procedures to go through.

Cheers,

~Cam