About Me

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Grieverjoe (Jose Alvarez) is NOT a whiny emo as his name would suggest. He's an IT student with a love for art.

Friday, August 31, 2012

I challenge you to Mortal Kombat!



I've come to the point where I'm displeased with my art; I've spent too long inside my comfort zone, and it is beginning to stagnate. I've said before that I wouldn't want to be a professional artist because I didn't want to push myself to the point where I would hate drawing. But, if I don't push myself, I'm also never going to get better. So I'm going to start pushing myself.
Starting tomorrow, I'm going to try to have a finished drawing every week (on Saturdays) to post online. I am also going to try and draw for at least ten minutes every day. In the event I don't have something done by Saturday, I will post what I drew that week (sketches, WIPs).
The way I figure it, even on my busiest days, I know I can spare ten minutes for drawing, and setting a low, easily-attainable goal will be a good way for me to get in the habit of doing it every day, as opposed to attempting a Sistine Chapel every day. I've also noticed that my biggest setback is not lack of desire to draw, but lack of ideas: the desire is there, constantly; I just don't always know what to draw. For this, I figured, I know I need work in a lot of areas (anatomy, perspective, coloring, backgrounds, hands), so, in the initial ten minutes, if I don't have an idea, I will start drawing things that I need to work on. I think ten minutes every day, drawing boxes at different angles is a better teaching tool than not doing anything. And who knows? Maybe when I start drawing hands, an idea will come to me.
So why am I posting this online? Because I would like your help. Anyone who is reading this, I would like for you to help hold me accountable for my progress. I know that no one is going to help me get better but myself, but if I know people are waiting for an update from me, maybe it will help me get a motivated. I am always seeking critique and ways that I could better myself. And, hey, maybe you don't like my art, my technique, or my subject matter. That's fine; but if you can at least tell me why, it will help me look at my work through an unbiased set of eyes.
 If you decide to crack the whip every now and then, thank you. If you decide you don't want part in this gamesomeness, thank you for at least giving this a read.
A'ight? A'ight.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Christina Aguilera

This will be my brother's birthday present. It's a good thing he doesn't know my website, and if he does and is reading this, feliz cumpleanos, vato!
Source.
I've become tired of my usual style (or lack thereof), and I feel the need to reinvent it, or rediscover it, as it were. I feel like mastering realism will allow me to master everything else.
So, sit tight while I rediscover myself, like a hippie.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Hiatus.

If you're one of the 6 people who actively follow this blog, you, no doubt, have noticed that I've been absent for about two and a half weeks.
On July 14th, my cousin, Irving, was shot and killed back near my hometown in Mexico. We practically grew up together, and he was like a brother to me. I left for Mexico that following Monday, and spent the majority of the week down there with my family.
I've been back for two weeks, now, but haven't felt very artistic since then. I'm feeling a lot better, now, so you can expect some art in the near future. It hurts to know that my cousin is gone, but I need to get on with my life. After all, I have a daughter to look forward to come December.
So, thank you for hanging around, I apologize for the lack of updates, and sit tight while I get my shit in order.
In the meantime, have a Ragnarok Online Shadow Chaser I whipped up in ten minutes.