I got up way later than I really wanted to this morning, but that aside, this was a pretty good day. I could have gotten a lot more done today, but I'm happy with the work I've accomplished.
Today's P90X Workout rolled back around to Chest and Back, and the Ab Ripper X Routine. Its a lot of push a pull for the first round then changes things up for round two to pull then push. So, starting with some Standard-width pushups then going to wide grip pull-ups, in round two they would swap, which surprisingly made it feel like a different routine. All good stuff.
I really needed the morning to get some stuff done on a project I'm working on for a friend, so to make headway, I put the Ab Ripper X Video on my iPhone, and decided I'd bring it with me to my afternoon workout at Tulsa Martial Arts.
After a thorough defunking, I got dressed for work, and sat down at my desk to begin the day's tasks. I briefly checked email and Twitter, then moved on into Photoshop to begin flatting colors for the project (more on that later in the week).
From a productivity standpoint, I try to refrain from watching movies or TV while working. There are a few exceptions, but I find that I watch what I think are really good movies and TV. So, I end up watching more than working. As an alternative, I've turned to podcasts that help broaden my artistic horizons and make me think creatively. Here they are, for those artists and creatives that follow the blog:
- Chris Oatley's Artcast: Absolutely love this man. He's an artist and writer working in the entertainment industry for Walt Disney Toon Studios, working a lot on the Tinkerbell/Fairie Properties that I've been hearing good things about. Thought provoking and chock-full of good advice for anyone even remotely creative, definitely worth a look.
- Sidebar: These guys rock. I've just started listening to these guys, and I'm not too sure about how they connect with the community (are they art nerds, are they artists, do they draw or do they just appreciate and cultivate interest in comics and pop culture?) but they definitely ask thought provoking questions, and really get down to the root of what drives their guests. I'd personally check out their interview with Brad Rigney (aka, Cryptcrawler on DeviantArt) for one of the most inspiring interviews I've ever heard.
- Illustration Island: I started with this podcast back at about Episode 12, and I immediately downloaded and listened to the first 11. Great interviews with illustrators, art directors, and Thomas James, host and great illustrator in his own right, asks all the right questions you want to know as a newly forged freelancer. A great time for any creative, but a must listen for anyone wanting to get into the illustration field.
These are but a few that I listen to. Check out The Visual Artist Podcast Network for more great shows to check out while you're working.
Finished flatting most of the artwork today, which was my main goal, so I'm happy about that. I'm going to be devoting about an hour a day to bettering myself as an artist, using some great books on the subject:
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
The Illusion of Life
The Animator's Survival Kit
Creative Illustration
Figure Drawing for All its Worth
...among a few others. Right now, I'm working with Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, as I feel I really need to work on my observation and how I see the world to get more out of my figure drawing.
Afternoon Workout: I did the Ab Ripper X, much faster than I did last week. A week from today, I wasn't even physically capable of doing some of the moves in the routine. But today, its still tough, but I'm feeling the results, even if its not really noticeable physically just yet.
After the workout, grabbed a small sandwich at Subway, and studied for the test until class started. Tonight's Kenpo/Kendo classes were great. Worked on Combination Series 1-3 (4, I'm comin' for ya!) and polished stuff for the Bukendo test on Saturday.
Now, I'm tired. Long day's night. Shower. Sleep. Repeat.
Chadimus Maximus
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