Kachow's Art Blog

Tattoo

2011-09-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

If I were to ever get one...

Freya

2011-05-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been inspired by Freya, the Norse Goddess of Love and Beauty, War and Death. This is a quick illustration of her for my World Mythology class.

Edit: Senior Project

2011-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

So, for Senior Project I'm doing a story about a little witch who accidentally kills people who have done horrible things. Because of this, the village she lived in kicked her out. She eventually meets up with a knight who's committed horrible acts of violence under the false pretense of his king. Remorseful, and wracked with guilt, he ends up coming to her because of a subconscious want to die. The story is basically about forgiveness, and finding a place in the world. There are still some kinks that need to be worked out, but if anyone would like to offer up some suggestions, that'd be fantastic.

This is what I do....

2011-02-25T19:50:00.001-08:00

... In Brian Ralphs class.

Design for a bookmark or something, maybe, that I can send out? I was thinking of screen printing them

Sketchbook (Edit)

2011-02-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

Lately I've really been inspired by Roman Muradov. And here are some sketches I did during class.

Mini

2011-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Tell me what you think

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR FILM!

2011-02-08T08:21:00.001-08:00

How I loved High School...

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=562803370692

Dirty Jokes are the Best

2011-02-01T20:21:00.000-08:00

It's super small so you're gonna have to click on that shit.

Not. A. Box.

2011-01-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

Started at 12 am. Finished at 12pm. Counting the two hour nap I took, and all the time in between I would get up and be distracted by things. Especially the internet.

How do I feel about it? Eh. Good enough for now.

Alternative Comics Project One

2011-01-11T16:19:00.001-08:00

For this project we had to make a self portrait.. something autobiographic. We had to overlap a drawing of ourselves over panels (or whatever). Since it is ALTERNATIVE/EXPERIMENTAL comics. I decided that instead of panels I'd use frames.. actual ones.. instead of panels.

I've been feeling like a bit of a feminist for the past few months, and decided it was time to get it out of my system. All the things in my comic have fo'realsies been said to me. And it's been really frustrating for me as a lady (especially now in the comics world) to feel like I'm not being taken seriously. Or rather that, because of my sex, it's just a joke. Maybe some of these feelings are a little far-fetched, but I know I'm not the only one.

I haven't always been the best with words or expressing my opinions, but I feel like this is something important that we need to recognize in our community.

My goal as an illustrator and comic artist has always been to be able to reach out the public. My goal as a woman has always been to be strong, show them what I got, and to reach out to younger girls to teach them the same thing. Maybe it's about time I put those two together?

Also, Links to my ridiculous roomie, Michele, who is rolling around on my bed with her cat. She giggled when I first showed this illustration to her.

2011-01-10T09:34:00.000-08:00

Something I decided to watercolor. Lately I've really been inspired by Jen Wang and all her artwork so I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try. It's honestly the first watercolor piece I'm proud of thoroughly.

More soon!

Sketching

2010-10-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

Another quick update cause this was fun to do!

it's been awhile...

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

I haven't drawn on the computer in awhile so I stole my friends bamboo and have been having a blast! Here's one of my late night sketches...

Practice

2010-09-03T09:11:00.001-07:00

This is just a practice ink piece. I was trying to work on hair texture, and patterns. Also, trying to get more acquainted with my brushes.

Rocket Scientist!

2010-09-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

Commission done! For someone who really is a rocket scientist! He's going to be getting it as a tattoo, so I will hopefully be getting a picture of it soon! YAY! =

)

My brother's tattoo

2010-08-30T19:56:00.001-07:00

He finally got it! I think it looks pretty damn snazzy if I do say so myself. The tattoo artist did a really great job enhancing the design I drew out. Our next project is something for his shoulder, but I'm still waiting on some ideas he has for that one. As for now, I'm working on another goofy tattoo that will be up soon!

2010-08-07T07:02:00.000-07:00

A little practice for the summer. Needs some adjusting, but I'm happy with it!

Murder

2010-06-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

2 out of 8 pages from a short.

2010-06-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Commission for another Tattoo. I'm really proud about how this one came out.

Inking Exercises

2010-06-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Just a note: None of these actual drawings are mine. I did all the ink work for it. Which includes some textures, splattering, and black placements.

Spring Quarter!

2010-03-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a redo of a page I did. I was so pleased with myself after finishing the redo. I really proved to myself that my storytelling has gotten A LOT better over the past couple years.

Almost there...

2010-03-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

Here are 4 of the 5 pages due for my Vis I final. Not done yet. Still have to put in the text and finish page 5. Will post them finished when I can, but thought I'd update!

FINALS!

2010-03-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'm here. Still alive. Got a lot of work. Thought people would like to see what I'm working on right now. Below are some tight roughs and sketches I was working with. Then there are my finished pages that I'm trying to complete. A lot of work, but I'm really excited about these pages and getting them finished! I think these are some of my best yet.

Ahab

2010-02-21T12:07:00.001-08:00

Here are my finished tight roughs from the "Ahab" Script we were given in Vis I. I had a lot of fun with this script. Being able to draw clouds, flying whales, and sailors, are some of my favorite things EVER!!!

My main goal for these pages was to try and put in more black placement!! Sometimes I have a hard time doing that, so I grabbed one of the DC showcase books (which for those of you who don't know, it's basically a bunch of comics from I don't know how long ago.. Silver Age maybe?) and started looking at all the black placement in the comics. Apparently, way back when, printing sucked, and to help it not suck, the artist would have to place a lot of black to help the printing come out better.

I'm not completely sure, but that's what I was told.

Having some Fun

2010-02-18T09:53:00.001-08:00

I bet you guys think I don't finish anything! Just a couple photos of the portrait I've been working on when I can. I think it's coming out really creepy. The black placement needs work though. I just am not sure how to fix it..

Just having fun with photoshop, trying to get a portrait done (of myself? I don't know if I can say it's myself since I changed the features a bit...) But, anyway, enjoy! Comments and critiques are always appreciated.

Something Yoga Related

2010-02-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

A little drawing for a friend who's an advertising major. It's supposed to be about a cookie by kashi that's good for you. I don't know, but I tasted the cookie and it was yucky.

Portraits

2010-01-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

So, as a side project to Helium Girl, which is a side project to all my actual work for class, I am doing portraits of my roomie and I for our dorm. She's always complaining how I never have any of my work on our walls. And any of my actual work that is up are doodles, or letters I've written to her. So I'm going to do our portraits, with a little knick knack matted next to it. I know my knick knack is going to be a bottle of alcohol, but I still haven't figured out one for her. Maybe a fancy cigarette...

Updates on Helium Girl

2010-01-23T16:39:00.001-08:00

So I pushed the male figure back more.. completely erased him out then drew him back in. Added some more details to the enviornment, added some pattern to the sky, tightened the clouds, and am slowly making progress...

Slowly.

=/

Some Vis 1 Work

2010-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

So for my first project in Visual Storytelling 1 we had to draw four pages from a Static Shock Script. These are my tight roughs. I'm kind of dissappointed in them. Beside the lack of enviornment and what not, I started getting lazy. I need to work on camera shots and other things, but why not post these up anyway. I'm going to re-do these. I'm determined.

Also, since I've been back to school I've tried to put a little bit more work into my Helium Girl Drawing. Unfortunately, it's still got a long way to go, but here is some more of the process.

I Have Been Doing Things! Promise!

2009-12-21T15:20:00.000-08:00

I've actually been jumping around with projects, recently. First I finished an illustration for a friend of mine. Right now I'm waiting for him to email it to me. Otherwise, I'm working on this drawing right now for fun:
I'm so sorry about the terrible scan. The computer at my house doesn't have photoshop, and our scanner is poop. But, I'm just going to try to work on enviornmental elements with this.

Otherwise.. Been busy at work!]

Oh! Also, check it out! One of my illustrations are a banner for a website! Hurrah!
http://trove.lifeapoptotic.org/

I hate the Holidays.

2009-12-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm at home working on a Christmas gift for a friend, which will be posted as soon as I'm done and have a scanner. Then I'm going to try starting either some comic pages, or the lighthouse illustration I've been working on. Otherwise, nothing right now. Been busy working at the Hallmark store where I live. God, how I hate the Christmas season.

Mailing...

2009-11-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

So, today I sent out "the Gentlemen" to NBM publishing. I hope it all works out! Mark Kneece blessed the post office. It was spectacular. Wish me luck!

Today's page is 1 of 4 from an Enviornments class I'm taking.. I'm pretty proud of this. Usually I hate drawing enviornments, but I decided I needed to get my act together for the final.

In other news, I am tired, and feeling very ill. As soon as I get back to NY, to the doctor I am going!

Some More Gentlemen

2009-11-14T13:20:00.001-08:00

Here are the Bio's for Stan and Albert... Also, some character facial expressions and costume changes...

I had SO much fun doing the ink's for these characters... This turn around was so much fun to do, and I think I did a pretty good job (if I do say so myself!). Right now I'm working on a maquette of this character in my Character Design Class, but I am failing miserably at making it...

But in other news, I've finished my plot summary for my scripting class, and am sending out the idea for the first issue of The Gentlemen (it's in italics cause now it's fo'real and stuffs) to Antarctic Press... doubt they'll want it though!

In other news, I CAN NOT wait for this quarter to be over. I'm getting a really bad cough that won't go away, and I think I'm slowly losing my mind. Winter break, here I come!

Character Designs

2009-10-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

Soo, here are some initial character designs and sketches for "The Gentlemen". I'm going to have to change up the outfits a little more, yet. Maybe by changing the hats, and giving one of them poofy short/pants. The first design has a little shading, the other is just flat color. I think I really like the flat color the best for now.

Here's the synopsis for my idea:

It's the 1940's, WWII era. Most of the men are off fighting against Hitler's army, and the women are at home working their butt's off. But while the men are defending us overseas, who is supposed to defend us from the baddies in the homefront? Monsters and Villains plaguing our cities. What's a gal to do? Call The Gentlemen! A badass lady duo who got their superpowers from some generic chemical spill while working in some unknown factory, making top secret weaponry! They dress up with mustache's and top hat's so they'll be taken seriously in the eyes of the other male superhero's!... Oh, yeah. And so no one will know their true identities!

I didn't realize the ridiculousness of this story until I had to read it aloud in class. I'm hoping for it to turn into some silly parody. My Professor was having a hard time wrapping his head around the idea of women dressing up as men, because in Anime and Manga's you usually see men looking like women. I thought it was really silly.

Anyway, hope everyone enjoys this and I would really love to hear some ideas and feedback from anyone.

A Watercolor

2009-10-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

So I thought I should just post something for kicks. This was a watercolor I did for the Spring 2009 Quarter. I really enjoyed doing this piece, and it's honestly probably the only watercolor I've done that I'm kind of pleased with. Now that I look at it again, there are some things that bother me (like lack of anything behind cityscape) but all in all I'm happy.

I'm usually pretty horrible at color, but hopefully the Digital Coloring, and Painting for Comics class I'm going to take next quarter will help me with that problem.

Some Art for Myself...

2009-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

So, things have been pretty quiet lately in the Art life of Alyssa Ciaccio. Besides this Illustration I was asked to do for a friend of mine's website (view image above), I've been just going through the motions of school life. I'm really happy with the way this image came out, though. It really pushed me to add lots of crap into one space (which I hate doing). Also, I'm very happy with the way the texture came out with the chest. This was all done with brush and ink.

Besides that, I'm starting to brainstorm an idea for a comic my roommate and I have been talking about. "The Gentleman" (View Image Below). Something about two female superhero's who need to dress up as "gentlemen" superhero's. Why? Maybe because they wouldn't be taken seriously if people thought they were women. Think Clark Kent / Superman. The only reason people don't think Superman is Clark Kent, is because of the glasses. Hah! But, I'll be working with this idea a little more in my Character Design class, so I'm really excited about that!

2009-10-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hey, so I guess I'm really re-starting this whole blog phenomenon for myself.

So, right now I feel like I'm at a cross roads in my artistic career. I'm trying to really figure out these days how I like to draw, and what mediums I like to work with. Recently, I've been gaining a lot of influence from Eliza Frye and this other French artist of whom I don't know the name: http://marnette.canalblog.com/ I just wish I could work a little better with color!

That's that for now. I'll be posting some art soon!

-alyssa