Vanessa Ramirez Blog

TeddybearDestroyer

2012-02-22T22:49:00.001-08:00

TeddybearDestroyer
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Playing with my brush pens. Don't usually do monsters.

Bee_2.15.12

2012-02-15T23:46:00.001-08:00

Bee_2.15.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Seriously loving watercolor today. thumbing through my old sketchbooks and saw this guy hanging out.

Drawing_Man_2.11.12

2012-02-12T00:36:00.001-08:00

Drawing_Man_2.11.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Getting back into the old style.

Watercolor_Totoro_2.10.12

2012-02-10T23:42:00.001-08:00

Watercolor_Totoro_2.10.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Don't usually do pre-existing characters but I just wanted to paint. Love Totoro.

owl 2.3.12

2012-02-04T00:45:00.001-08:00

owl 2.3.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
this was interesting. There are somethings I like, some I don't. PRACTICE is needed.

Fish_Watercolor 2.2.12

2012-02-02T23:50:00.001-08:00

Fish_Watercolor 12.2.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Foray into watercolor. Have no idea what I am doing so yeah.

My Brain Just Went Into Overdrive

2012-01-24T22:40:00.000-08:00

I just listened to The Perfect Bait by Bobby Chiu. And it was fantastic. Really insightful and really touched on subjects I often find myself thinking about. There were excerpts throughout his dialog from other successful artists as well.

Coming off the highly unproductive weekend I just had, the subject matter really hit home for me. I honestly couldn't have chosen a more perfect time to buy the book. It seriously spoke to me and my current mindset.

The book is available in the iTunes store for $9.99 for both the audio and readable versions. And of course you can order the paperback version if you so choose. Do yourself a favor and go pick it up.

Sketch 1.11.12

2012-01-11T22:59:00.001-08:00

Sketch 1.11.12
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Getting back to business. Working on sketching and sculpting. Will be posting an update once I have more solid work done.

Let's Dance 2012

2012-01-01T03:11:00.000-08:00

I look forward to posting my New Year's post. There is always a sense of excitement for the unknown events that will shape this next year. And above all, it gives me the opportunity to reflect on the year I have had as a whole.

It has been a year full of extreme goods, and extreme bads. I have struggled professionally and personally for sure but I have accomplished more than I had hoped. I have met amazing people that have helped to shape this last year in ways I could never have anticipated. And I am most thankful for those who brought a smile to my face when I needed it most. And when I stumbled, those words of encouragement were welcome and appreciated.

This past year I found myself further immersed in this amazing community of artist and collectors that have such a passion for what they do or what they love and I have loved every minute of it. The opportunity to spend some time with some of them at DesignerCon was most definitely a highlight and I hope that I will have that opportunity again. And for those on Twitter, Instagram, and the CP forum it has been a pleasure to get to know everyone and interact with you. And thank you for those of you that have willingly shared your knowledge and insight. I am indebted to you.

As for my family, thanks go out to my sisters and cousins, they may not always understand what I am doing but they show up. They go to shows with me and support me regardless of what my crazy mind is cooking up. My older sister and her husband are my biggest cheerleaders, and my cousin and her husband are the proud owners of several of my original illustrations and customs that they kindly display in their home. You guys warm my tiny tiny Grinch heart.

And now with the sappy stuff out of the way, I turn my attention to the new year. This next year will find me trying to keep my life balanced. As amazing as this past year has been, I was very distracted from a very important goal. And I cannot allow that to happen again. So I go into this year with a renewed sense of purpose and focus and I am take on this goal guns blazing. I will continue to update my sketch blog randomactsart.tumblr.com but I am going to try to hold back a bit and get better. I want to paint better, sculpt better, draw better, and just BE BETTER. As of right now I have nothing on my plate so I am taking that as a sign that I need to step up my game. I need to evolve if I am going to have a presence and if I am going to be able to consider myself an artist.

So as you can see, I have no specific things I want to achieve. There will not be a bulleted list of resolutions or hopes and dreams. In fact, I really only have some professional aspirations that I will not share here. I will continue to do my thing and if opportunities arise, then I will remain open to them. I am an ambitious person so I have many things I want to accomplish in my life and they require more than year to come to fruition. So I am trying to think differently and not get hung up on small things.

As I wrap up this post I hope the new year finds you well. Best of luck to everyone. 2011 you have been kicked to the curb. 2012. You. Me. Now. Let's do this.

Sleeping At Last "Slow & Steady"

2011-12-15T23:13:00.001-08:00

Sleeping At Last "Slow & Steady"
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
This is an After Effects project I made for a class. Everything in the video is hand drawn by me.

Song is
Slow & Steady by Sleeping at Last on the Storyboards CD

Getting my draw on.

2011-12-01T18:42:00.001-08:00

Getting my draw on.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Getting back to drawing on the regular again. And getting back to my more stylized drawings. Feels good. I actually have a sketch blog where I post more drawings HERE.

Pictures of DesignerCon 2011

2011-11-21T21:33:00.001-08:00

DesignerCon 2011, a set on Flickr.

Pictures from DesignerCon

Because Doing nothing is not an option...

2011-11-15T05:55:00.001-08:00

Had some extra blank androids and I wouldn't be me if there wasn't a Yeti android. #yetisforlife
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Had some extra blank androids and I wouldn't be me if there wasn't a Yeti android.

Decided to go with the more classic version of my yeti. A whole lot of lines. A whole lot of patience.

DesignerCon...The Aftermath

2011-11-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

DesignerCon was a great experience. I was finally able to meet face to face with people I have only ever known though social networking. I had such a blast talking to everyone I was able to get time with and the highlight was being asked to sketch for a few nice people (Sorry to the guy that got the Yeti sketch with no ears). It was such a different experience from last year and I am really excited moving forward. Really hoping there is more opportunities like this in my future.

And speaking of the future. I have an original figure that I am collaborating on with Adam Pratt that is realeasing soon. I had a lot of fun sculpting this guy and I have no doubt Adam is going to kill it. I will have more information soon and some pictures as well.

For now I have some customs, prints, and coasters left. I will have them in my store hopefully next week but if anyone wants to purchase anything here is what I have left.

I will take pictures if the prints this weekend. But don't hesitate to ask if there are any specifically you would like. Thanks again and more updates soon.

DesignerCon Stuff

2011-11-04T15:04:00.001-07:00

DesignerCon is tomorrow. I am all done besides a few small things. Here are the pics of what I will have at the show.

I will be at Matt Hisey's ToyPinionated booth #412 along with Yosiello Lorenzo, Troy Stith, and the breaking news addition of Gary Ham for a special Hermees signing.

Click here for the floorplan.

Booth #412

DesignerCon 2011

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

10 am to 5 pm

$7 at the door

Pasadena Convention Center

300 East Green Street

Pasadena, CA 91101

See you there folks!

DesignerCon Stuff, a set on Flickr.

Bambaboss AP Customs Fire & Ice

2011-10-31T06:35:00.001-07:00

Bambaboss AP Customs Fire & Ice
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Here is another look at the customs I am bringing to DesignerCon. Kind of experimenting with new materials. More to come as the week progresses.

DesignerCon Update Booth 412

2011-10-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

DesignerCon is next week and I now have a booth number to share with the fine folks that are kind enough to take a gander at this here blog. To reiterate, I will be at the ToyPinionated booth #412 along with Yosiello Lorenzo, Troy Stith, and the man himself Matt Hisey. Be sure to buy your tickets online for $5 instead of the $7 bucks at the door.

Click here for the floorplan.

Test Shots With New Camera

2011-10-27T23:42:00.001-07:00

Test Shots With New Camera, a set on Flickr.

Playing around with my new toy.

Chugging Along

2011-10-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

My new business cards arrived today. Decided to go with digitally printed cards this time. My last two cards have been letterpress so it was nice to change it up.

I was a little stressed because the cards were scheduled to arrive two days before DesignerCon and I was using moo.com, a service I have never used before. To my surprise and pleasure they arrived about a week and a half early and I am pleased with the quality of the card stock and print. Also I was able to print multiple images at no additional fee.

And here is an update on a pretty elaborate custom I am working on. Not a whole lot of time left so I need to keep working.

New Business Cards

Astronaut Dude (AP Bambaboss)

More WIP

2011-10-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

Still plugging away and trying to get as much done as possible. Here are some WIP pics.

More androids. Can't stop myself. Tiny mustaches and dapper suits.

This handsome fellow requires quite a bit of work still.

This guy has been some work and still not entirely sure how I fee about him.

Screen Prints

2011-10-15T10:26:00.001-07:00

Screen Prints, a set on Flickr.

Here are some pics from my Screen Printing escapades. Really wanted to keep the sketched look and I knew I could with this process. getting ready for DesignerCon.

I'm Going to Designer Con!

2011-10-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

I was invited by Matt of Toypinionated Blog infamy to join Yosiell Lorenzo and Troy Stith at his booth at Designer Con this year. I will be selling some fun stuff and meeting and greeting. Swing by if you get a chance and until then buy your tickets here.More info to come. Keep your eyes peeled for work in progress pics.

DesignerCon. Here I come.

2011-10-09T23:31:00.001-07:00

Might be too leafy but I don't give a shit. #ThatsRightISaidIt
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

So I have been graciously invited to the Toypinionated booth at designer con and I am really excited. My first con. So here a peek of my latest work that will be on display at the booth and I will have more info soon.

Custom Gomi 2011

2011-10-02T14:55:00.001-07:00

Custom Gomi 2011, a set on Flickr.

This little guy will be in The Gumpy Show which is on Saturday, October 8th 2011 from 7pm-11pm at Gunnzo in San Diego. Hoping to be there myself.

Getting Ready..

2011-09-29T17:19:00.001-07:00

Trying stuff out. May need to change it up
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Will be posting more in fo soon, but a quick peek at a littl something I am working on. Trying stuff out. May need to change it up.

More sketching

2011-09-14T22:24:00.001-07:00

More sketching
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Crow Sketches

2011-09-13T00:02:00.001-07:00

Had to sketch out some ideas for a wire sculpture I had to do. Ended up doing a crow.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Had to sketch out some ideas for a wire sculpture I had to do. Ended up doing a crow.

Cousins!

2011-09-11T01:20:00.001-07:00

Cousins!
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Snagged this pic from my sister. These are my sisters, cousins' kids. Love seeing pictures like this. Family is important and I have to be reminded sometimes.

Moleskine Down!

2011-09-09T01:40:00.001-07:00

Closeup of the character.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Last page of my moleskine. First time finishing one. Before I would get frustrated and not finish a sketch book. Feels good. Tomorrow I start a new one.

More happy trees.

2011-09-04T01:05:00.001-07:00

More happy trees.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Sketching and thinking. All gravy.

Watercolor Brandy

2011-08-17T01:09:00.001-07:00

Watercolor you win tonight. Tomorrow I go back to monotone. That's more my style.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Watercolor you win tonight. Tomorrow I go back to monotone. That's more my style.

Watercolor Man

2011-08-14T03:45:00.001-07:00

Watercolor Man
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Watercolor is no joke. Tough stuff.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

2011-08-14T01:23:00.001-07:00

Bridge Over Troubled Water
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Via Flickr:
Think I'm done. So this was a personal project. I am a fan of Simon and Garfunkel. Oddly enough this isn't a favorite song, I just like the way it flows and this is the image that popped into my head. I gave myself a few guidelines to adhere to when starting this project. I wanted to minimize my color palette. Use about 5 colors in various shades and use the tools within the program to manipulate and get more variation. And I wanted to use my own lettering, no fonts. I may tweak the colors but I am overall happy with the final product.

Dug WIP

2011-08-12T19:58:00.001-07:00

Dug WIP
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

This little fella finally got some attention. There is a Roos under there believe it or not.

My Hand Might Fall off

2011-08-12T19:46:00.001-07:00

Sanded, one or two trouble spots but not too bad. Tomorrow, color!
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Sanded, one or two trouble spots but not too bad. Tomorrow, color!

WIP

2011-08-12T00:47:00.001-07:00

WIP
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

The end is near. Almost done with a very fun but time consuming personal project. trying to push my boundaries and create some text based illustration.

One more WIP

2011-08-08T23:24:00.001-07:00

Hopefully I will be done tomorrow because I need to get working on other things.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Hopefully I will be done tomorrow because I need to get working on other things.

Wip Water

2011-08-08T21:08:00.001-07:00

Wip Water
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Lines are done. Color time.

Thinking Is Overrated

2011-08-06T21:42:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about things a lot lately and a conversation today really brought it into focus. I decided to write this blog and post it so that I can go back and read it and remind myself when I forget. This post is very personal and frank. I do not generally partake in over-sharing so please bear with me.

I gave up drawing years ago and focused on being an adult. This is how I was raised. I would sketch here and there but I got worse as time went and it got to the point where I stopped all together. Then, a few years ago, I decided to refocus on art and that part of myself. From that point on, I have been working on making art part of my life again. It has been a long process and I have had to push myself to share my work good or bad. I work, I take classes, and I stay up late tinkering with ideas, customs, and other interests.

As time has passed I have found it frustrating and somewhat disheartening that some fail to see the value in what I do. When I talk about my work and my art a glazed look is not far off. I have learned that their ideas of success and failure are much different from my own. They do not understand me or my desire to create. And I guess to certain extent I don't understand them either.

Truthfully, I may never be successful, personally or professionally. I may always struggle with meeting new people and I may never have much of a career as a Graphic Designer. (Lord knows I have taken the very long road). But I will continue to work and draw until I wake up and find that I don't want to do it anymore.

I just want to know that I tried. That I worked hard and did all that I could. I think about this everyday. Caution has been so deeply ingrained in me that I find it hard to try new things. With every step I take, I often take two steps back. I, like my artwork, am a work in progress. I'm not afraid of failure. But the idea of never trying scares the crap of me.

Don Draper Sketch

2011-08-06T14:51:00.001-07:00

Don Draper Sketch
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

I am addicted to all thing Mad Men.

Continued Progress

2011-07-27T23:12:00.001-07:00

Not sure where I'm going with the hands.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Not sure where I'm going with the hands.

My Inability To Concentrate Continues...

2011-07-26T23:28:00.001-07:00

And a little pencil and paper to round off the night.
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

And a little pencil and paper to round off the night. My mind is all over the place. But this calms me down and is the perfect wind down for the evening.

Sketching

2011-07-26T18:21:00.001-07:00

Sketching
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

More digital sketching. Practice practice practice.

Playing with After Effects

2011-07-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

Practicing and trying to learn new stuff.

Meth And Hot Dogs 2 Show

2011-04-22T08:48:00.001-07:00

Meth And Hot Dogs 2 Show, a set on Flickr.

Here are my customs for the Meth & Hot Dogs 2 show. Not sure why but I was feeling the whole fighter warrior thing this go 'round. Really wanted to paint them monochromatic but stay away from full on white. Kept it in the gray and black tones. And of course a splash of color.

I chose a Sumo Wrestler and a Boxer because I wanted to make completely different characters that still were similar thematically. The body types, clothing and dress are polar opposites but they both have honor and train hard. Had fun making the muscles and hair, but they were challenge, and maybe not so perfect but fun to do.

Via Flickr:
These are the customs I did for the show.

Lift Designer Toys & Gallery
228 W. 4th Street
Royal Oak, MI

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173017556083476

FINISHED

2011-04-14T20:52:00.001-07:00

Meth & Hot Dogs 2: A Collection of Even MORE Unscrupulous Characters

Saturday, April 30th | 7-10pm
LiFT Designer Toys & Gallery
228 W. 4th St. Royal Oak, MI

Finished my customs for the Meth & Hot Dogs 2 show at Lift Gallery. Some awesome artists will be participating and I am happy to be one of them. Be sure to check out the other artists. I will have more pictures closer to the show, but I cant help myself have to share a little bit :)

Just Keep Sculpting!

2011-03-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

Working on customs for a show I am in. Working on my mini six piece series. Busy time. Here is a work in progress so far. I promise my next update will be more informative and stuff.

Painting. Finally.

2011-03-03T22:04:00.001-08:00

Quick peek at my painting. More info coming soon.

New Month, New Stuff

2011-03-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

Already March and things are progressing, and yet not. I have not worked on my series yet. My testing phase is becoming too fun apparently. Things got really busy with a client, my classes, and of course work so not much happened with some of the tests. However, I am hoping to finish working on the new "hair" dunny I was working on, start my series and continue casting resin.

What? Did I just say casting resin. Why, yes. Yes I did. I am currently involved in a Hand Made Toy Swap on Show Me Your Vinyl. If you are asking me what that is then we need to talk. Have a seat, make a cocktail, or a stiff cup of coffee. Show me Your Vinyl is a Facebook, Twitter, Rotocasted hybrid thing-a-ma-bob. It is a site where toy people go to chit chat, show off toy collections, customs and the like. It is relatively new and still growing. So I joined this group that was asking us toy customizers to see if they wanted to make a completely original toy out of any media and participate in a toy swap. I decided to do it and here we are. I made a figure. I made a mold. I cast Resin. I also splashed it in my face, which I do not recommend. Here are some progress pics.

Sculpey Figure

Here is a test pull. Kinda rough. Thinking of redoing the mold.

Next blog I will show the first attempts gone wrong. At one point I only poured the head. This is not the easiest thing, don't judge me. Of course I decided to do a Yeti. A Yeti Mini. He stands 2.5" tall approximately. All kinds of cute. So I am thinking of making the Swap one with a super custom paint job, then making a few more with standard paint jobs and selling them in my store. I want the recipient of my swap version to have a unique piece but I can't make just one. HE IS REALLY CUTE. That might just be me that thinks that but it's like being a parent. You love your ugly baby.

Life and Stuff

2011-02-21T21:35:00.001-08:00

So I have been trying to keep busy and maintain a balance between all of my interests. Not an easy feat by any means. So the quick rundown. I am taking an Animation workshop. Really helps me focus and hopefully finish a few animations that I have been doing the Pre-production on. Not easy when you have the focus of a gnat. So, the first exercise was working on a cycle. Standard stuff but it is always good to exercise that part of my brain.

Ball Cycle from Vanessa Ramirez on Vimeo.

Next I am trying to beef up my After Effects Muscles by doing tutorials and just trying to do small mini practice videos. I am shooting for weekly. Si se puede!!

After Effects Text Masking from Vanessa Ramirez on Vimeo.

Not exactly groundbreaking but you have to crawl before you steal the fast car. Baby steps people, baby steps.

On the toy front, I am also in a testing phase. I have been trying my hand at different platforms and playing with my sculpting tools. All fun. There is much merriment. Also I am hoping in the next week or two to start my series. Small 5pc first to see if anyone actually wants to buy my stuff. Hey, a girl can dream. So, here is a picture of my latest attempt at a dunny.

Crappy cell phone pictures but hey he has cool hair. Can you guess who he is going to be? Let me know because I have no idea. Well I have an idea, but just the one.

And as for my previous post. My Green Succubus Madl custom is still available and Spankystokes.com was kind enough to write up a post for it here. Check out the link and definitely check out Spankystokes.com it is a good blog all about toys, cool art, and very talented artists.

Hello eCommerce...Lets Do Lunch

2011-02-05T16:03:00.001-08:00

So I have been toying with the idea of selling customs online and now I am gonna give a shot. So here are some lovely product photos and here is the link to my store.

vanessaramirez.bigcartel.com

My New Year So Far

2011-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

So it is two weeks deep and hey the year is pretty sweet. Sold my custom for the Almighty Dunny Show. Finished the catalog I was working on (finally). And I invented a way to make gold... Ok that last one is pure fabrication, but hey two outta three ain't bad. That last one would have been great...hmm. Well no use crying over spilt milk. Anyway, I feel the creative juices flowing and I am developing ideas.

This year I want to try new things so I will be working on a custom series this year. and the blanks have arrived! Still working out the details but I hope to start work on these bad boys in the next week or so. I have only been customizing for a year so I may be biting off a bit more than I can chew, but hey you can't succeed if you don't fail. Any who, for anyone interested, I will be posting progress pics on twitter and flickr. Should be fun :)

The troops have arrived. It's almost go time.

New Year

2011-01-02T01:52:00.000-08:00

I was very excited for the new year last year, and I had very positive outlook. Thankfully I can say that it was truly a great year. By no means was it perfect mind you. I had bad days for sure. Hell I even had a few bad weeks. There was stress and unhappiness like any other year. But there was also progress.

This past year saw me participate in my first art show. I had the opportunity to participate in a few custom toy shows as well. I started working and developing my animations. And I continued to work towards my career goals. And very unexpectedly I found myself reaching out for help and getting a lot of helpful feedback and how to's from people in my career path and in my toy universe.

Before New Year's Day I was also given a lot of great advice and I intend to put it to practice as I tear the shrink wrap off of this brand spankin' new year. I am not necessarily making resolutions, but I am setting goals for myself.

My 2011 goals are simple but they are resolute.

I will continue to work harder, and try to work smarter :)
I will continue to work towards participating in more custom shows and embrace more opportunities (here's to hoping they embrace me back)
I will continue to work towards strengthening and pushing my style as I work towards get into a gallery show or two.
I will continue to push myself and my animations and hopefully make more steps in that direction.
I will take better care of myself so I can abuse myself with lack of sleep when I need to.
And I will try new things regularly.

I know no man (or woman in my case) is promised tomorrow but if I get all 365 days the next year I am going to make it better. More animations, more customs, more painting, more drawing, and above all more growth as an artist. So Cheers to another year. May it be prosperous and filled with some truly awesome moments.

Let's do this.

V

Busy Busy

2010-12-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

I have been crazy busy working on some animation projects. Here is my latest that will be in the Crossfade Student FIlm Festival

Hope you like it.

Series Of Unfortunate Missteps from Vanessa Ramirez on Vimeo.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

I love thanksgiving. Strike that. I love the day after Thanksgiving. I love the crazy late night early morning shopping. I love the miserable waiting in line but exciting planning. I enjoy assembling our crackpot strike team for shopping. We have fun, laugh, and ultimately eat a big breakfast. And after everyone gets some sleep, we meet up again and eat my moms turkey tacos. This is my tradition.

This may seem like an odd way to spend the holiday but what I have learned is that life changes very quickly and often without notice. So stop look around and see all you have to be thankful for today, tomorrow do what makes you happy. I know I will be freezing my butt off, standing in long lines, and exhausted. But hot damn I will laugh and life will be good.

Happy Thankgiving!

SWEET + EVIL Art Show Mummy

2010-11-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

This custom was made for the SWEET + EVIL Art Show. The blank was a new form called Deego. The show was in honor of the App release for Agimat Inc game E-Ville available in the iTunes App Store. I was one of a few handful of artist that created customs to represent their character but in our own style. I was really trying something different with this custom. Every one I do I try to do something different, and hopefully get better. Hope you like him.

This fella will also be on display at Designer Con.

Pictures are available via my Flickr.

Milk Munny Show to Benefit Breast Cancer

2010-09-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in this charity event. All the info and links to photos is below. I really enjoyed making this piece and was for a great cause.

Here is a peek

MILK MUNNY - A CUSTOM VINYL TOY EXHIBIT TO RAISE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

www.milkmunny.org/

Will be held:

October 1 at 7:00pm - October 3 at 8:00pm

Monorchid Gallery
214 East Roosevelt Street Phoenix
AZ 85004-1951

Insomnia

2010-09-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

Been a weird couple of weeks. Not sleeping much and it is screwing with my productivity, tried going to sleep early and i fell asleep and woke up an hour or so later and couldn't go back to sleep. I'm averaging 2-3 hours a night. Not always pleasant.

On the other hand I have been invited to submit a piece for a charity event. This is awesome and for a really great cause. I will post more once the piece is done. This one has been hard to start. I wanted to do a really cool piece but my creativity is a little off right now. Probably lack of sleep.

Also my temporary Squarespace site is up and other than a few frustrating moments, has been pretty cool. It allows you to manage your stats and that is super awesome. if I can find a happy medium I may continue to use it even after I do a rebuild.

In other news, I am working on treatments for story ideas and hope to start some story boarding. I don,t really want to think about character development but it is a necessary evil.

Spanky Stokes Custom Celsius Show

2010-09-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

The voting for This custom show is now open. I submitted a custom to this contest and would greatly appreciate all your support. So please head over and vote for my piece. Voting is open until Friday. Vote here.

I've Been Blogged

2010-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

So the oh so nice Mathias Bax was kind enough to post a blog on the Toy Architects Urban Hamster blog featuring the rat custom I did using their Urban Hamster resin figure. So a big thank you to Mathias. Go get your own Urban Hamsters here they are a great addition to any collection. And you can read the post about yours truly here.

New Custom

2010-09-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

Soooo. I decided to enter a contest on SpankyStokes.com I guess voting starts soon. for now here is a quick peek at my entry.

I had some serious issues making this bad boy, but I think it came out pretty good. I will post when voting starts with full images and a link.

Experimental Animation

2010-08-27T01:24:00.001-07:00

Experimental Animation
Originally uploaded by Vanessa_Ramirez

Here is a compilation of videos I put together of various projects I did. Realy enjoyed learning this process. Stop motion definitely helped me to think differently about the way objects and people move. Very cool process.

Teaser

2010-08-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have finished an 8" custom Munny that will be features in a charity event. It will be taking place on October 1st. Here is a high resolution sneak. I call her Succubus. Snap!

WIP Custom 8" Munny

2010-08-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

So I have been working on a custom for a charity event I an lucky enough to be involved in. I am loving the hair but I do think it need some finessing. Here is a crappy iPhone pic for now.

A Little Something

2010-08-17T01:28:00.000-07:00

Oh and here is a little something I am working on.

Decisions.

2010-08-17T01:09:00.000-07:00

Having a hard time making decisions. What seems clear one day is completely impossible the next. Guess I'm a little nutty. I'm working on it though so at least i'm not too stagnant.

I am trying to finish up this custom I'm working on. Unfortunately, the arrival of my Wacom tablet has me distracted. I will continue tomorrow and it is my plan to finish it in the next few days. At least be finishing up this weekend. I do love how it is turning out but it still needs work. In addition I need to work on my animation too. I have a few ideas and I have been trying to focus and develop the idea. I want to have a sketch reel done by next weekend, so I can start the character development. Not sure how far I will get.

in addition to my other aspirations I am trying to develop my digital illustration skills both in vector and rasterized formats. it has been a struggle to balance everything, but that is how it goes. I have also been trying to paint but that is going to have to take a back burner to everything else I am doing right now. Wish me luck. I need it.... actually wish me the ability to focus.

I find music helps me to get out of my funks and focus so thought I should share what is stuck in my head right now.

Jack Johnson "All At Once"

All at once
The world
Can overwhelm me
Theres almost nothin'
That you could tell me
That could ease my mind

Which way will you run
When it's always
All around you
And the feelin' lost
And found you again
A feelin'
That we have no control
Around a song
Some say
There's gonna be
The new hell
Some say
It's still
Too early to tell
Some say
It really
Ain't no myth at all

I love my Toys

2010-08-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

After I bought bossy bear and started posting pictures of him looking at me, I decided to look for some of the other Uglydoll toys. I got a small Wage and Ox and finally got a large Babo, and I love him. Unfortunately his previous owner was a smoker so he smells to all hell. So I have aired him out and he smells less gross. And in turn I have been dressing him and taking pictures. The funny thing is these Uglydoll action figures are so full of life that I can't help it. It was with my cell phone so the pics aren't the greatest, but they crack me up. So here are a few of the pictures I have taken recently and might have to post here occasionally for the whole zero readers I have.

Babo stole the t-shirt off of my coworkers Teddy bear. Oops.

Babo got into my snack drawer at work. Eww. (as aforementioned he smells and he has been wearing that robe for a week)

Babo woke up around 2pm and decided it was coffee time...and helped himself to my coffeemaker.

Sad Day....

2010-08-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

Today my cousin Victor Ortega Jr would have been 28 years old. He unfortunately passed away very young at the age of 19. Even after almost nine years he has been gone, it still gets me sometimes and this year was no different. I miss him and I just wanted to acknowledge him. I made a small film for him in 2004, before I really knew what I was doing, but it is a nice nod to him. Love you Vic. Miss you.

Rockers!

2010-07-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

Was watching old videos and listening to old Atreyu CDs today so thought I'd do a quick sketch of a rocker.

NEW TOY!

2010-07-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

Ok I have gotten a couple of rad toys but this is in reference to my new Wacom tablet. Intuos 4 wireless and sexy as hell. it is so awesome. So I have been trying out the features and trying my hand at digital sketching. I am still working on painting and customizing toys because I am a damn nerd that way. I do have to finish a piece I am doing for a charity show. Great opportunity and great cause. I will post more info once I have it.

So here are the better sketches. Hey I never said I knew what I was doing. I suck at color. I tend to be monochromatic but I figure I should change it up.

And Time Marches on... and so does Mr T

2010-06-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

So I decided to submit a custom munny for the Munny Month Contest so if you get a chance please vote for my custom which is a Mr T. More images of Mr T can be found my Flickr Feed. Not too much goin on here. Just got back from a mini vacation in Hawaii, realized I suck at vacationing. And now I am just trying to keep drawing painting and working.

Long live MR T!!!

Delicious Drips!!!

2010-03-30T18:55:00.001-07:00

Check it out! I had a Munny up on DeliciousDrips.com and they did a quick shout out to a few artist doing Munnys and mine is included. Check it out. It is the one called Roboto!

www.deliciousdrips.com/

And it is over.

2010-03-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

So the show went well. I sold my first piece of art and t felt great. The family was there and it was a nice time. Need to keep working ant try to get into another show. Also need to keep working on my portfolio. Have to stay focused and keep my eye on the future.

Flickr

2010-03-24T17:54:00.001-07:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

What is The What

2010-03-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

So i have been preparing for a group art show I was accepted to. I sent some art and they asked me to show. I have been busy getting my pieces together so haven't had a chance to blog about it.

I am really excited about the opportunity and I hope more opportunities arise from this. And if not it has been worth the experience.

Here is a sneak peek of the art I will be exhibiting.

Illustrations and Custom Munnys.

Gallery Godo

6749 San Fernando Rd. #C

Glendale, CA 91201

I love Yetis

2010-03-09T06:05:00.000-08:00

So I have been working on a honing a style and a series of illustrations. Not that that excuses my gross insensitivity to my blog. So today I have an appointment that could possibly be very cool for me. I took a chance and answered a random email and I have refrained from talking, tweeting or status updating about it so I won't look like an ass if it doesn't work out. But I am excited at the prospect and I think a little positive thinking and putting it out there a bit may be a good thing. Here is an illustration I have been working on and it has spawned an entire series of illustrations.

And in other news my cousin got married a couple of weeks back and I was asked to make the cake topppers. The wedding was beautiful and Thanks To Aunika and Jon for asking me to add something to their wedding.

Inspired...

2010-01-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

One of the last projects I did for one of my classes has really stayed with me. and even though I am not doing exactly what I did in that and I am not using a digital medium, it is still an ode to that. I have been using pen and marker, monochromatic, on heavy watercolor paper and I definitely think the results are kind of cool. I am working on a pretty big piece, for me that is, at the moment. It started as post it notes then a fully composed sketch in my notebook and through that process has really morphed into a whole other entity. But it isn't easy. My left hand is numb every morning. haha. I am reallly digging it though. So here is a little of what led to the current larger work, and a peek at the larger piece that is currently taking over my life.

First Drawing (Sketch Book)

Second Drawing (Sketch Book)

Large Drawing (Heavy Watercolor paper Pen & Marker)

2010-01-01T09:08:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Here we are again. New year and a new decade. I would have to say I have a level of optimisim I did not have last year. This year feels fresh and new and filled with possiblities. The only limits are what I put on myself. I am ready to try to be more. I am prepared to fail. But I can only hope to suceed. This is my only resolution.

I will try to do better and not put limitations on my life or on myself.

Well that and lose weight...

Dunny Money

2009-12-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

Had a project where we had to create currency and given my new love affair with vinyl and just all around awesome toys I did one of Kidrobot Dunny. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

In Other News..

2009-11-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

so I have been busy with freelance and classwork. And I got pretty sick so didn't post a few things. So went to see Tegan and Sara and it was fantastic. That was a few weeks ago. I am getting ready to go to the CTN Expo. Excited to see all of the artists. Thinking about going to the DesignerCon Convention, I really want to get the Lava Magnus and Terror and meet Joe Ledbetter but I have to see what is going on at CTN. So much I want to do. Ordered a Beastlies can't wait for it to arrive. and the most fantastical thing is I found a Charlie Brown vinyl with the little Christmas tree. Love Charlie Brown. So that's life in a nutshell. Other than that I have just been working, looking for a new job and working on some product packaging and a catalog. Also started a new custom vinyl. More to come.

Testing 1 2 3..watercolor.

2009-11-16T17:20:00.000-08:00

So thought I'd try my hand at water color. These have only been marginally edited to darken the values.it was an assignment thing and I thought a good time to try watercolor. Not exactly successful but hey I gave it the ol' college try.

Illustration

2009-09-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Ok so it has been a full few weeks and these classes I am taking are proving to be time consuming and brain sucking. I like it. Kind of. It is forcing me to sqeeze my creative juices, you know so they are fresh. Although it would be remiss of me not to say every once in a while I really just want to go home and knock out. The stuff I am producing is cool though. It keeps me going.

So I'm trying to work on illustrations and I abused those color pencils a lot this week. I have only within the last few years embraced color. Hard to believe I know. My monochromatic prejudice was holding me back. However, I was a woman on a mission so I really just let if flow and I used all kind of color. It was definitely an exercise in trying to embrace imperfection. I have the crazy habit of trying to fix things that don't look right. Ok so here they are.

The next one is the one I dig. Woot Woot.

As God As My Witness....

2009-09-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

...I am going to post on a regular basis. I am defintely making an attempt to post on the regular but right now I am not doing any thing terribly interesting. Other than twiddling my thumbs waiting for Apple to release the updated laptops so I can pounce and purchase.

I have been lusting over the toy collection of Jeff Pidgeon. Now that is a collection. Makes my collection look like a junk drawer lol but if you get a chance and you love toys and all things awesome it is definitely worth checking out.

Jeff Pidgeon Flickr

Well thats all I have today.

Starting again sucks...A LOT!

2009-09-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

Most of my sketches have been fast funky profiles or quick sketch ups of ideas more for layout than anything. So I had to draw up a logos incorporating my initials. This is hard to do with a VR very different letters. So here are few I didn't mind so much. I really need to sketch more. Sheesh.

The bottom left one is an ambiagram. It can be read upside down as well. I became obsessed with them after reading Dan Browns Angels & Demons. I am not even close to the caliber of that artist, but it is fun and challenging.

D23 Expo

2009-09-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

So on a whim I just said the hell with it and went to the D23 Expo. I have never been to this kind of expo and was unsure what to expect. I have been wanting to go to comic con but have staved off. It was not all of what I expected, but I am sure part of that is the fact that it is the first year. In the end I am just glad I went.

I decided to only go on Sunday being that the bulk of the Pixar and Animation panels would be going on. It was really great. The lines were long and it took hours but the panels were great. John Lasseter was the Keynote Speaker on Sunday and he did not dissapoint. Saw some great footage of upcoming animated movies and shorts and I have to say I am really excited. And not just about the upcoming Pixar offerings, but the Disney films as well. I am skeptical of the princess and the frog. It hasn't quite grabbed me but I will go see it none the less. I really want to go see it at the Disney backlot showing.

I also went into the Imagineering Pixar Panel and was pleasantly surprised. I debated going but in the end I am glad I went. I am not an avid fan of going to the parks. They have lost a lot of magic for me. But from what I saw and heard I have to say I am excited by what they are bringing to the parks and I am really excited to see these attractions when they open.

Finally I went to the Toy Story 3 panel. It was great to have Lee Unkrich and Darla Anderson on hand to introduce the great footage we saw. A lot of people left after the TS3 footage, and I honestly fought with myself about staying. I kept saying after TS. Then that was over, and I said ok just a little bit of TS2, and ok after woody gets cleaned up, and on and on. Before I knew it both movies were over. I have seen them both countless times. Even though this was 3D it was only an enhancement to something that was already great. I definitely was amazed that these movies still have the power to make me laugh and get lost in their world. It was great to see all my favorite Toy Story characters on the big screen again where I initially fell in love with them. And from someone who is kind of learning the basics of 3D animation I see the artistry that went into making those characters real. And making me love those characters like they are real.

Apparently I have an odd perspective....

2009-08-31T13:02:00.001-07:00

So I took a Flash Animation class to kind of get a feel for the type of animation I may want to do at some point. Hopefully. And this is some of the odd crap that spilled out of my mind. I thought it was a little bent but I think the characters are kinda cool looking.

The Twins by =vramirez on deviant ART

Ok so on that video the idea was Opposites. Taking your personality, and the polar opposite of yourself and geling the two in an animatic. As Im sure you've noticed the illustrations look like me. I skipped geling and stitched those bad boys(well girls in this case) together and made my own little frankenstein interpretation.

Dual Vision Video by =vramirez on deviant ART

On this one the idea was Duality. So I made a scene literally where you see yourself and it's really overwhelming. Pretty straight forward I think. Well this is something else I have worked on more recently.

Classes begin today and I am definitely excited to see what I get to learn. This time around I am learning Experimental Animation, stop motion and what not. Illustration for storyboarding(dust off those drawing skills, or lack there of). And 3d Animation, which is what I really want to do. Wow this came out really long. Oops.

Trying to keep it AWESOME!

2009-08-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

So I have been trying to keep the artistic thing going by drawing and such on the regular. Im not great but I am trying to get on track. So in the effort to keep myself in that state of mind, I have been allowing myself to do random projects. The latest combined my love for The Office, painting, and Mighty Muggs.

So I love how Dwight came out. Michael Scott is acceptable. And lets just say I hate this version of Toby as Much as Michael hates the actual Toby. either way it was a fun process. I will be posting some other stuff I have been working on.

2009-08-20T13:02:00.001-07:00

Ok so I am testing my phone blogging skills. Let's hope this comes out right. So I have been very bad about writing my blog. I am yet again vowing to change this grave injustice. But I working on a few things so I have more blogging to do. It may just get interesting. More...very soon....seriously.

Threadless

2009-02-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

So I have this obsession with Threadless.com

The tees are great and smart and it is goal of mine to get one of my tees on there and printed. My design is in the running now help me out and vote.

I am ALIVE!!

2008-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

So week one of my double life is coming to a close. I have been living off of two hours of sleep a night. Last night i slept well though. It wasn't too bad but I am going to take it easy on the weekends to be able to keep it up. I am literally home 3.5 hours a day during the week. I am a workaholic so I think of it as a challenge.

I think the most impressive part of this is that I have done this without a single drop of Red Bull. It was hard, I won't lie. I did buy a can but I did not consume said can. It sits on my desk at work. I will abstain until next week and see how it goes. However, if I do start drinking it again I will not drink as much. Mostly because I have to be careful not to interrupt my careful ecosystem. I f I do not get those two hours I will have a big problem.

I finally got to see my familia. My cousins were like hey stranger. Anyway, I am alive and not too worse for wear. I am going to try to work on my own stuff on the weekends because I want to keep my dream going. Having my own t-shirt line has been that for me as long as I can remember and I am not stopping until I accomplish that. I have many aspirations but that is by far my most consistent one.

Side note: I still have that headache. My excedrin supply is dwindling. And I think I need to invest in a case of gum.

Uggh... life stinks when you cant have wings

2008-08-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

So we are on day five of my Red Bull-less existence. To add injury to insult, I cleaned out my car and found a brand new 16.9 oz can in my car and I was deeply saddened. My cousin stole said Red Bull and proceed to drink it in front of me. To top that off, in an entirely unrelated situation, my headache has continued. I have had it since the the previous Friday. I have swallowed so much excedrin my costco bottle is almost empty. I think I have cerebral leak. For those of you who do not know me, I am a little bit of a hypochondriac so this is a self diagnosis.

So back to the Red Bull Scenario. I decided to back off of the Red Bull for a few days in order to avoid the possibility of my heart exploding in my chest (see above for info about being hypochondriac). I made the mistake of mentioning this to a friend, namely Dawn, the amazing owner of Greatest Commandment in Simi Valley. 1520 E Los Angeles Avenue. Yes I do have this memorized. Don't ask. So I told her I was laying off and she said I should stop and I tried to explain that it completes me. long story short i was essentially dared to refrain from consuming this drink, this nectar of the Gods. Now I do not like to be challenged or told I cannot do something so I am refraining at the very least until this next weekend. At which point if I feel I no longer need Red Bull I will set it free. If I feel empty inside, like my heart has been ripped from my chest and I can live no longer then I will happily consume my Red Bull again.

On to my profession. I am still working at my job and I have gotten another job. I assure I do not have a death wish. I like to work. Sadly this puts my line on the back burner, but I have to do what i have to do. I did do a few designs for Life Without Limbs and from what I hear they are doing well. Once they are online I will get a link. Im excited to say the least. I really need to get my new site up I LOVE it. I think it really represents my aesthetic.

So I miss Red Bull, my head is leaking sporadically( I think), and I am about to work myself into the ground. This is my life thus far.

Ooops

2008-01-23T23:20:00.000-08:00

So I guess I haven't written as much as I let on. But the year is young. Maybe I should start from the top. Aunika is my cousin. we have decided to join forces and create a t-shirt line. Right now it will be exclusively mens casual apparel. For the time being, t-shirts and maybe a sweatshirt. She is great with numbers and has an eye for design. I am pretty savvy myself and I am a graphic designer that has some fairly okay skills. I started off working for her dad at his screen-printing business when I was eighteen. I have done everything from catch shirts to design and separations on and off for the last ten years. She grew up with her dad working out of their garage. We both have had a desire to create our own lines. Until recently we have talked a whole lot but have not acted on those discussions. This is a new year and we are pushing forward. We are working with a small budget but we have a lot of people who believe in us. And mostly we know that we are led by a higher power.

So right now we are trying to muscle out some designs to get some samples made up. Once everything is in place I can post some visuals for everyone to see. But for now we aren't ready to show our hand. We have an opportunity to go to the Magic Apparel Show and I am so excited. It feels like we are gaining momentum finally. we have a lot of work and I am eager to get the bulk of it done. This, ladies and gentlemen, is uncharted territory and I am scared but excited. I was more scared before however. The thought that we would never move past the dreaming stage was frightening. I am prepared to try hard and possibly fail. I don't think I could live with myself if I never tried.

Anyhow, enough of that. So samples should be done in the next week or so. Our business cards should be here any day and I will let everyone know when the site is up. Line sheet and a few other documents are next on the agenda. In my next post I will show our business cards and maybe give a more in-depth view of our design and the name and all that fun stuff.

New Year, New Pains, New Plans

2008-01-02T22:44:00.000-08:00

So here we are again. Another year. It never ceases to amaze me how everyone expects the New Year to feel different. Instead most wake up feeling like crap and vowing never to do that again. But I guess it helps to have hope for the New Year. I chopped my hair off today because I just had enough. This mop was driving me nuts. I had to keep my hair long when I was younger so know once it starts getting past my shoulders I freak. So I am feeling balanced.

So this year is going to be a busy one. I am started a new t-shirt line and I think it would be good to document it via blog. I am partnering up with my cousin. Generally family and business does not gel but we can do this. I have got to make a change for myself. I am tired of bending myself all over the place and busting my ass to make others money. I think I need to apply myself to create a better life for myself as well as a future.

So if someone out there reads this, join me on this new road. It should be interesting.

Broccolli Sunday

2007-04-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

So today I did absolutely nothing. Interesting yes of course. I have been vegging, chillin with the Gentle Giant. I have to mop so of course I have waited until the last possible moment and right now I am listening to Angels and Airwaves watching the Giant mop. HAHAHA. All part of my evil plan to rule the world. So this week I am hoping to get some things done that I have been putting off. I have a list:

1. Finish my website
2. Start a painting that has been festering in my mind
3. Redo my resume
4. Cure cancer
5. Find a solution for world peace

Ok so maybe the first three. Anyway, Lets see how the week goes. I guess I have been procrastinating a bit. Well until next time.

Damn...

2007-02-08T16:21:00.000-08:00

So apparently that t-shirt sucked. But hey I didn't put too much effort into it so whatevie. I submitted another piece. Lets hope this one doesn't suck being that I actually made an effort this time around. I will post as soon as I have the new url.

I am trying to keep focused. I am working on a new and improved website for myself. This one should be fairly decent if I do say so myself. Hopefully when I am done with that site I can do another for my personal art and match it up to my font. I have a list of things that I want to accomplish this year so I will get that narrowed and post it so that hopefully having it out there will lite a fire under my ass to finish.

Hey Vote for me...don't be mean.

2007-02-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

So I decided to enter into this thing I heard about. Very cool concept. So help me out anyone out there and vote for me. i will be sure to use my powers for good if I win. Gracias in advance

Graphically Challenged

2007-01-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

Some may wonder why I named my blog Graphically Challenged, and some don't care, some just happened here while scanning the internet instead of working. Whatever your reason, I thought I would explain myself a little. So, I built this blog a few years ago but I barely began to use it today. Why? No friggen clue but hey there is something nice about putting your thoughts out there. A certain amount of anonymity I guess.

So, to explain the name I simply answer you this, I am challenged everyday to create graphic work that will gain me customers and to be different from the millions of other graphic designer around me. I struggle with doing mundane graphics for my customers and trying to create something beautiful for me. I struggle with balancing my love for fine arts and my desire to be a great graphic designer.

Above and beyond that I love music, movies, and technology. My Mac Computers, my iPod and cell phone complete me and my family is my world. I am involved in a few things right now. I have to make a list of things I want to do. And the picture I am showing is hopefully the beginning of something big.