Hi Blog,
I think I’ve fallen in love with someone else. She’s really low maintenance, although she isn’t much of a talker, in fact she keeps it to under 140 characters or less. I don’t care if she’s been with like, every other guy on the planet!
Yes, like many others I’ve become quite enamored with twitter.
Will it last? Or is it a fling? Who knows but lets just enjoy the adventure.
In the mean time, why don’t you, Blog, get to know Twitter? In fact I’ve got a little twitter update thing on the top right hand side of this very page. I usually post interesting articles or news on the internet, or quick ideas that I might develop further into blog posts. Maybe we can work something out between the three of us?
Anyways, enough with the innuendo.
I’ll readily admit that twitter can be at times very self involved, but my favorite tweets usually revolve around the helpful tips and information that industry people dispense. Take for example Marvel Comics talent scout C.B. Cebulski, who often fires off excellent advice on how to break into the biz. CBR conveniently collected some of his nuggets of wisdom here.
Oh, and before I forget, you can follow me @ twitter.com/ReyOrtega
So in the spirit of sharing wisdom, I tweeted a few tips directed towards the latest generation of Sheridan Illustration grads. Originally I posted these immediately after attending their fantastic grad show, but I feel like they are just as timely now, since the class of ‘09 just received their fancy ” YOU DID IT!” papers this past week.
Here they are (somehow in reverse order):
- not a tip: adjusting to life-after-school can be difficult. Getting your shit together life-wise reflects back into your work 11:38 AM Apr 24th from web
- there are tons of ways to promote yourself, many of them free. Explore every avenue, flickr,art blogs, art forums 11:25 AM Apr 24th from web
- tot hip: don’t wait to get ‘discovered’. put yourself out there and get those eyeballs on your work. 10:02 AM Apr 24th from web
- hot tip: whatever ’style’ you’ve achieved in school is only the beginning. Don’t settle on it, let yourself grow 9:31 AM Apr 24th from web
- 5 hot tips for Illustration Grads: Now you have a chance to create something without anyone telling you to do so. Make something for you. 9:17 AM Apr 24th from web
- holy sheridan illustration sensory overload 6:50 AM Apr 24th from web
I still feel like I’m learning new things everyday, so I’m hardly an expert, I just wanted to share. I feel very strongly about the above listed items, so I do hope it’s of some use. I’m certain that many other Illustration alumni and industry folks have even more advice, so I’m inviting you to share what you know in the comments below.
That’s about it, congrats to the class of Two-Thousand-Aught-Nine and I’ll see you guys around.
This past weekend was Free Comic Book Day, it’s kind of like Easter and Halloween wrapped up in a big Christmas bow.
In the spirit of free stuff, Wide Awake Press has released an epic collection of historical and mythological themed comics called, ” The Ancient Age”.
J Chris Campbell was nice enough to invite me to not only contribute a story but also help out with the cover, the result of which you can see above you. I did the big rooty tree at the bottom, and Bernie Gonzalez is rockin’ the warriors up top. The digital comic weighs in at a hefty 90+ pages (that is, if digital comics weighed anything), all of it filled with great comics talent. Thanks J Chris for letting me get in on the fun.
The cover piece and my story revolve around Angkor Wat in Cambodia, a place that I intend to visit someday. I’ve been fascinated with Angkor Watt for sometime now, but I think it started with Illusion of Gaia, a video game that featured the ancient temple as a stage. I got that game as a kid and ever since then I’ve associated ancient civilizations with crazy adventures, a theme that I think informs my work today. I’ll have to go into the details of making the comic at a later date, but for now, enjoy!
For those of you who want to zip to my contribution, you can check it out here, although I seriously recommend you check out the whole thing.
So here’s a little something something. Sorry, I can’t devulge on the details of the project, which is sort of like, how everything goes in this business, I find. I didn’t realize when I took up illustration as a career that I’d also be sworn into a society of secrets and subterfuge. The DaVinci Code? ITS ALL TRUE.
Bonus points goes to whoever gets the header.
Today marks my 100th blog post – which isn’t terribly impressive in the the professional blogging world, but something that I feel was worth mentioning anyway!
I apologize to you, blog, and also to you, readers (all four of you) for my gross absence. I’ve been busy working on new projects, but also, I think I just needed to step away from my old routine for awhile. Today marks not only our centennial post, but also a new age in Action News, this time, we’re getting personal.
Here’s whats in store for Rey-O Action News Go! in the coming weeks and months:
- behind the looking glass – in the future you can expect a better look at the in’s and out’s of my illustration and gallery work. I’ve always documented this stuff but also I’ve been reluctant to publish it here, mostly because I didn’t think anyone would be really interested in it. And by that same token….
- cheeze whiz adds – It should be pretty clear that a lot of my work is personal in nature, although in these posts I have a hard time articulating exactly why. Maybe it’s because I’m embarassed, or again, I didn’t really think folks would be interested in knowing. For better or for worse I’m going to make an effort to let my personality show through these pages, as weird or as boring as it might be.
- keeping regular - Before my exodus, I was blogging at a pretty good clip. I can’t promise that I’ll have something to post daily, or even every week, but what I will say is that Action News Go! is going to be an integrated part of my work. In between a new piece, there might be a word or two about something I read, or a musing, you know, bloggy stuff like that.
- a new hope – This isn’t really a policy, but more of a wish. Ideally I’d like the comments section to be a place where some discussion can be sparked. Of course, for that to happen, people would have to start commenting in the first place, so consider that a double wish.
When I first started Rey-O Action News Go!, I wanted to document my progress on an on going comic. As time went on this blog morphed into a catalog of the work I was producing at school, focusing mostly on illustration and sketchbook stuff. Today I document my gallery efforts as well as illustration projects. Who knows what’s in store in the years to come but I hope that you folks out there on the internets will join me in finding out.
Thanks to everyone who has been supporting me in my endeavours. It goes without saying that any amount of success I run into is directly related to how much you folks out there dig what I do. So Thank You! And I guess I did say it, so…yeah.
yeah.
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lobster fun
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Here’s a little commission that I cooked up for a cool couple in Boston, Massacheusetts. I was asked to make a piece featuring a girl and a lobster (something of a totem for them) to commemorate a special birthday. I enjoyed working on this and I’d like to say hello and thank you to both Max and Julia for this opportunity.
Hello! Thank You!
BONUS FACT: It occurred to me after finishing this, that I owe a lot to my favourite blanket as a kid, check it out:
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♪ la la lalalala laaaaa ♪
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I had forgotten this blanket long ago, but I was so happy to see it again once I pulled it out of the closet! Sometimes I feel like I’m an archaeologist exploring the dusty parts of my memory. Instead of unearthing ancient relics or priceless artifacts, I’m digging up lost feelings of warmth and love. I hope those warm feelings from my own childhood are in my work!
While we’re celebrating birthdays, my next blog post is going to be a little special too, stay tuned please!
You were a good one, see you next year.
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hidden robot
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Since I’m severely behind on my blogging duties, this post will now be a big summer recap. After the jump – new art, show pictures and commentary galore.
