I got my paintings put up at Caffe Moderne, and although it turned out well, it reminded me how much I need more practice in putting artwork up on walls. Practice I’d be willing to get! Also practice in less hammer-crushed fingertips.

Nells
(Vegetable / Radiohead – Pablo Honey)

For Tali and her pet, here’s a rough draft, with reference photo tacked in and everything. Also, I’ve had various ideas for an animated music video for International Jet Set, and I storyboarded the first half so I’m gonna try and start piecing it together soon.

Nells
(International Jet Set / The Specials)

The High Priest of Apple is ready to bestow a digital benediction.

I liked the icy monochromatic version more, but there’s also a finished colorful version.

Next up? More Mass Effect 2 fanart. I’m gonna do more with the sketch of Tali with a heavy.

Nells
(It Can’t Come Quickly Enough / Scissor Sisters)

For the second time in my life I find myself working three jobs. That’s why I haven’t been posting every day like I should. Hopefully by next week I’ll have things more settled. In the meantime, I have some progress photos – some paintings are the only thing I’ve been able to work on the last few days.

I want to have some of them done in time to put in my show next month.

Nells
(Morning Bell / Radiohead – Kid A)

Ugh, what a day. Have some Mass Effect 2 sketches.

Garrus is first, then blind contours, and Tali with a heavy. She was supposed to be using her omni-tool but looks like she’s crossing her arms instead. Either way it works. Then a poor portrait of Thane. I need to render him better to do him justice.

Nells
(Within You / Ray Lamontagne – Till The Sun Turns Black)

I got more work done on the high priest of Apple. I don’t entirely like how the shading turned out, so it’s not done yet.

From an official memo from the Council: For any in our congregation who desire to keep their sacred tablets ever closer and ready at a moment’s notice, please consider outfitting yourself thusly.

I also drew a haggis beast in response to a post I saw on Boing Boing. You can see it on this page, near the bottom.

Also, this is awesome! I played as Link, naturally.

Nells
(Whatcha Gonna Do / Vision of Escaflowne Soundtrack)

Although I haven’t posted anything for the last couple days, I’ve still been getting things done. For the priest, I wanted to shade it differently. In order to emphasize the importance of the sleek and sterile nature of Apple’s branding, I wanted to control the shading, making it more sleek and sterile. It will take more time, however.

With the shaman, I feel like I tackled a ‘what’ – what do we do when we use technology? Humanity connects and shares with each other in a relatively decentralized and democratic way, at the very core trying to increase our communication and solve problems. (I know this is generalized, bear with me) Just as facebook and twitter are agents, the shaman would act as an agent by connecting people, giving them direction, etc.

With this priest I feel like it’s addressing the ‘how’ – how do we connect, what channels do we use to tap in? Apple seems to be the champion of hiding the dirty cogs and elbow grease under a very shiny hood. In that way, it feels like one aspect of a hierarchical organized religion, where people can go through the ritual, wear the uniform, etc. but might be content never to look below the surface. (I’m compressing for sake of brevity)

I figured the other two things to tackle were ‘where’ and ‘why’. Where? It used to be shrines and temples. Now people carry their shrines in their pockets, worship with their laptops in bed and build their personal temples under their own roofs – the home offices and home entertainment systems. And why? Outside of the requirements put on people by their occupations, this one is a lot trickier than the rest. It’s just like asking why people why they go to (or avoid) church.

I also have some possible candidates for the next drawings: gamers, the technologically illiterate, bloggers, trolls, hackers, Best Buy, Linux, Penny Arcade, monks, philosophers, atheists, satanists, televangelists/salespeople, etc. If you have any thoughts about any of these, please share em.

Finally, here are a few miscellaneous bits:

- People want new and more paths of least resistance.
- While technology changes the means, the content remains constant.

Nells
(What I Like Most About You / The Specials)

I have a bad habit of drawing really static, so I tried to make my former sketch more dynamic, specifically choosing a pose that would let the character loom menacingly. I also wanted to draw attention to the fusion of flesh and technology, which is much more delicate in this character.

I feel like I need to post a disclaimer – I don’t intend to get on a soapbox about any particular religion with these drawings. I only intend to provoke thought through metaphor, not offense. Now Apple on the other hand…

Nells
(Take a Bow – Muse / Black Holes and Revelations)

Here’s today’s thing: a variation on the shaman. My thinking for fusing the shaman with technology is because it seems to be a modern equivalent. I think that what any person devotes most of their daily time to is what they truly worship, and by that logic, there are many people out there that are unconsious laymen of the cyberfaith.

I like the concept of the sketch but not my initial design, so expect more revisions on the high priest soon.

(and yes, he’s holding an iPad)

Nells
(Gamma Ray – Beck / Modern Guilt)

SHAMAN @you the shaman wants to speak with you #immediately
about 10 minutes ago via cave

Nells
(Taken for a Ride – Tally Hall)