29 July 2011 Journal Page

I had a wonderful time teaching in Fort Collins, CO. Christine and the gang at the Artists' Nook have been fabulous and so good to me all these years. Words can't express how much I have enjoyed teaching for the Artists' Nook. I am hoping to return in 2012 teaching for Scrap 2 It, a great and welcoming store in Fort Collins (check 'em out as they will be getting new goodies in!) We're on the road again now heading towards Santa Fe. On our way to Art Unraveled!

28 July 2011 Journal Page

Here's my finished page from the other day. I journaled about Comic Con. Having a great time teaching in Colorado. It'll be hard to say goodbye tomorrow! We're heading to Santa Fe tomorrow night (on our way to AZ.) Any suggestions? I am thinking the Georgia O'Keefe museum and Stampa Fe. I'm open to ideas! Thanks!!

Before Journal Page

Having an awesome time teaching for Christine at the Artists' Nook at Scrap 2 It in Fort Collins, CO. I always love teaching here. This is my tenth year teaching for Christine. This will be Christine's last year of hostessing workshops. We're all going to miss her hostessing but she will be keeping busy with her own classes and art related activites so make sure that you get on her mailing list. I left my journal (that's when you know I'm tired) in the store so I'll have the after shot of this page tomorrow.) G'night!

Journaling on the Go

We're here!! I'm looking forward to teaching for the Artists' Nook at Scrap 2 It tomorrow!! Yay!! Can't wait!! Here's what the passenger side looked like when I was occupying it. I swear they make the little compartments for people like us. They fit scissors, glue stick, pens and a roll of tape perfectly! I had two small bags of stuff under my feet (if I needed it.) I managed to get 2 or 3 pages done today. See? It is possible to do on the go journaling!

Spending the Night in Utah

Here's a quick peek at my new journal. We're on our way to Colorado. We stopped in Utah for the nght. I'm having problems blogging with a photo so I'll cross my fingers that this goes through.

Cowboys and Aliens-our POV on the Premiere, our story on how we got our tickets and a contest!

My husband has written the whole story on how we got tickets to the Cowboys and Aliens Premiere, a POV on the film AND a contest. Please click here for more info and please spread the word! Thanks!!

Colorado and Arizona, here I come!

Paper, boards and canvas are cut. Bags are packed (I have three bags of tape alone.) Handouts are printed and packed. I have the rental car ready (and partially packed. Yes, there's more in the trunk than what's in the picture. You can't ever say that I travel light!) I have my clothes, journal bag and reading material ready to go. The only thing missing is Dad! We'll pick him up in Las Vegas tomorrow. We are hoping to make it to the UT/CO border by tomorrow night. I'll be blogging from the road. Looking forward to seeing my friends and meeting new faces!

Bringing Home the Goods (or What I Bought at San Diego Comic-Con)

As far as swag goes, I have one Peanuts pin; a ton of Cowboys and Aliens t-shirts, posters and wristbands; Conan the Barbarian t-shirt and several postcards. David and I bought several books together from Sunday Press, Drawn and Quarterly, Fantagraphics and Bud Plant (he has those squirreled away in boxes. I'll post the picture when he takes it.) Tristan is the King of Swag and Buying Very Little (he spent $25 on an Adventure Time toy and $15 on the new Owly hardcover for his cousin.) I didn't spend a lot either. Here's what I bought:

From Mark Murphy/Murphy Design:

www.murphydesign.com

Ultra
Cathie Bleck's Becoming
the Green Day Project
This Train: an Artist's Journal by Tony Fitzpatrick

Mark Murphy publishes and curates the best books on the planet. I always look for his publications because they are top notch. I love the artwork and I own every single thing he's ever published. Visit his site and make sure you check out his website and his blog (it's one of the best around.)

From EFA (Eidolon Fine Arts):

Barron Storey re: sex (an exhibit catalog for his upcoming show at Bert Green Fine Arts in L.A.

Visit: Barronstorey.blogspot.com for more info

(See my previous post on Barron above. I also have some posts from previous years of SDCC on Barron that I will try to link to asap.)

The Fisherman and His Soul by Shelly Wan
Shellywan.blogspot.com

Minion: a Collection of Drawings by Joao Russ
www.feral-kid.com

Visit Eidolon Fine Arts for more info on the artists that they carry:
www.eidolonfinearts.com

More San Diego Comic Con posts to follow. I'm still posting pictures on my SDCC tumblr blog, too:
www.sandiegocomiccon2011.tumblr.com

Barron Storey at Comic Con

Had a great conversation with Barron Storey about being honest and putting raw anger and emotion in your artwork.

He has a new catalog out called re: Sex. The exhibit is at Bert Green Fine Arts in L.A. in August. Barron will be there for the opening. More info at:

http://barronstorey.blogspot.com/

This is One Example of Why We Love Comic Con

Alex Nino drawing in our sketchbook. Check out his website here:

http://www.alexnino.net/

More cool art to follow...

Lots of highlights today ...

Meeting Alex Nino. Look him up. More soon....

19 July 2011 Journal Page

I haven't had the sit down time that I was hoping to have to journal. Here's a page that I did the night before Comic-Con.

It's now Thursday night and I'm sitting in the hotel room with half of a sunburn on my arms, chest, neck and shoulders (another sleeveless maxi dress). We ran around like loons trying our damndest to get gold bricks that may have tickets inside to attend the premiere of Cowboys and Aliens. It's not easy. We finally did get "gold bricks" but no tickets inside. We haven't given up hope, yet. We did spend half of our day trying to get them, including waiting outside for about two hours (in the shade). I was the only one who got burned. I don't enjoy the chase part of these things, especially witnessing people running like hell through crowded areas to try to get a gold brick.

On the other hand, Tristan has been very lucky this year. Last night we each won a Green Lantern Lego mini figure. Today, I won a Batman one. There are only 1,500 made with exclusive printing. Both times we had people offer to buy them from us immediately. I told Tristan I'd trade one for 3 tickets to see Cowboys and Aliens (ebay scalpers are selling the Lego mini figures for several hundred dollars each. Crazy!!) He also is a Brony (a male fan of the new My Little Pony). He's been wanting a My Little Pony poster and got one. He's also been able to score a Peanuts pin daily. He's happy.

We were able to see a bit of the Alex Nino panel. His big news is that he has a new book coming out next year. His panel focused on questions from the audience. It was refreshing to have a panel where the main focus wasn't selling you something.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in Hall H (aka Hell Hall) where we saw Guillermo del Toro (twice!!! Totally worth it. I love that man. They are going to publish a book of his "Bleak House" complete with some of his sketch book pages. I can't wait!) My favorite quote from Guillermo del Toro was when he was talking about how so many people strive for perfection and how monsters are like a big fuck you to that. I loved it. Oh, did I mention that Bleak House has a room that rains 24/7? I'd be in Heaven. He also said that the Haunted Mansion was the most prime piece of real estate in the world. I agree. I could live there quite happily!

We also saw panels for Drive (Memento's Guy Pearce was there), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (looks quite promising), Prometheus (live satellite feed of Ridley Scott was cool), and In Time (Justin Timberlake was there).

Robert Rodriguez did a panel with a bunch of announcements including working with the Frank Frazetta estate, plans for a Frazetta museum in Austin, TX, new Heavy Metal, and more. He had visuals but it was just one P.R. piece after the other.

My favorite panel was the Visionaries with Guillermo del Toro and Jon Favreau. Those two are a hoot together. I've never understood why the Visionaries panel never has more people in it. I always love to hear the directors talk about their work.

We're hoping to get in to see Tintin tomorrow, Green Lantern (Tristan), and Steranko. I also have a bunch of books we'd like to meet some artists and see if they'll sign them.

My feet and sunburn are throbbing, I'm off to bed! G'night!

I Told You that I was a Geek...

Yup. We all went out and got Cowboy hats. We're aliens masquerading as Comic Con attendees masquerading as Cowboys. Yee haw! We REALLY want tickets to the premiere of Cowboys and Aliens.


--
Photos shared with Fish Bowl Photo Gallery.
http://www.littlefatfish.com

Kelly
Egorey99@sbcglobal.net
http://www.KellyKilmer.blogspot.com
Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless

One of my Favorite Art Moments of the Night

Ted McKeever signing Eddie Current. His "sketch" is amazing. Posting photos like a madwoman to my SDCC tumblr page that I listed in the previous post.

Good night! ;)

The Calm Before the Storm...

We're here! We have our badges. We ate pizza at Ciro's. Tristan got his Jake (Adventure Time) plush toy. We're just waiting for the doors to open.

I'll be posting my pictures here:
http://sandiegocomiccon2011.tumblr.com/

17 July 2011 Journal Page

One more sleep before Comic Con!!! I'm all goofy and excited! I'm one big goofy fan girl (a quiet fan girl). I just found out that John Cusack is doing a signing on Friday. It's lottery only so I'm trying to figure out how I can get a ticket. I promise not to geek out too much, but I will be posting pictures!!

Last night at The Academy, I won a book on Mary Pickford written by Kevin Brownlow. I knew that the day I picked a strapless dress to wear (you know all those 70's style maxi dresses that are back in style) would be when my name was called. I had to go down and up onto the stage to pick it up. I was scared shit that I was going to trip on it and not fall on my face but fall out of it. I am a well known klutz. Thankfully, I made it to the stage and back to my seat in one piece. We saw "The Big Parade" and it was amazing. I'd never seen it before and I really loved it. It's the second King Vidor film I've seen (the first one was "The Crowd") and I would highly recommend both films. They also screened a Baby Peggy film (I'd never seen any of her films). Loved it. Very cute and I would've loved a dog like that growing up!

The above pages were started in Fremont. I'll show you the finished pages soon.

I'll be posting daily from Con. I may be on the slow side answering email, but I will respond as soon as possible.

Comic Con 2011 Schedule

It's that time again, folks! We're making lists and checking them twice. We're getting our water bottles and backpacks ready. We have new walking shoes. We will make sure that our badges are clipped on right. We are READY!

Here's a link to our schedule. My three main panels this year are:
Thurs 1:15 Hall H ✭ A One on One with Pee-wee Herman
Thurs 6:00 Hall H Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries: A discussion with Jon Favreau and Guillermo del Toro on the Future of Pop CultureHall H
Sat 1:00 Room 30CDE CBLDF Master Session 6: Camilla d'Errico

Other panels I'd like to see:
Fri 11:00 a.m. Hall H Paramount: The Adventures of Tin-Tin
Fri 1:30 Room 8 Spotlight on Chester Brown
Fri 2:30 Room 8 Spotlight on Seymour Chwast
Fri 3:30 Room 8 Spotlight on Eric Drooker
Sat 11:45 a.m. Hall H TWIXT: Francis Ford Coppola and Dan Deacon
Sat 1:30 Room 8 Spotlight on Peter Kuper
Sat 2:30 Room 24ABC The Art of the Graphic Novel
Sat 4:00 Room 7AB Scott Shaw!'s Oddball Comics (always funny as hell)
Sat 4:30 Room 5AB Spotlight on Walter and Louise Simonson
Sat 4:30 Room 8 Top Shelf Productions
Sat 5:30 Room 8 Everyone's Favorite Red Head, Little Orphan Annie
Sat 5:45 Hall H An Early Evening with Kevin Smith
Sat 7:30 Room 8 The Art of the Hollywood Movie Poster
Sun 2 Room 25ABC Cover Story: The Art of the Cover
Sun 2 Room7AB Max Brooks: Zombie Survival 101

We always go to the Eisners which are Friday night:
Advanced Micro Devices Presents the Will Eisner Comic Industry AwardsIndigo Ballroom

Booths to visit:
Artists Alley (I also love the small press! I always find some gems)
Peter S. Beagle EE-02
Seymour Chwast HH-10
Eric Drooker HH-14
Peter Kuper II-17
Abrams 1216
Allen Spiegel Fine Arts 4701

Bud Plant & Hutchison Books	1507
Bud Plant Comic Art	1503

Chronicle Books 1506
Camilla d'Errico 4723
Dark Horse Comics 2615
Drawn & Quarterly 1629
Fantagraphics Books, Inc 1718
First Second Books 1323
IDW Publishing 2643
Last Gasp 1614
Mile High Comics, Inc 5523
Murphy Art Books 4833
Stuart Ng Books 5012
Sunday Press Books 1217
Top Shelf Productions, Inc. 1721
Upper Playground 4633
Vanguard 1709

My tips from last year's SDCC.

I WILL be posting daily from Con. I've set up a tumblr page, too, just for SDCC. If I can get it to work right from my phone (so far it's given me nothing but headaches), I'll link here.

More info on SDCC, here.

Dad's Good...

Dad's out of surgery, on blood thinners and will be leaving the hospital in a few hours. Thanks everyone who expressed concern. I'll have another blog post soon!

15 July 2011 Journal Page

I had a great weekend teaching. Huge thanks to the stores and my wonderful students.

Looks like Los Angelenos survived Carmageddon. It was like a holiday in L.A. The roads were empty! Loved it!

Head on over to my friend, Roseann's blog and help me to convince her that she has more than two readers (she damn well should have a bunch as she is one of the most honest journal artists I know!):

http://roseannc.blogspot.com/

I'd appreciate any good thoughts thrown in the direction of my Dad early Monday morning. He's going in for surgery tomorrow and we're not sure what they will do-if it's a case of him getting meds, a stint or a full blown bypass. Fingers crossed that he will be okay no matter what.

My San Diego Comic-Con 2011 Journal Bag

Yes, we are the goofy family who starts talking about SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) at least two to three months before it happens. We're ready. We're four sleeps away. Yes!! We are excited. I will post my schedule soon.

I always pack something to journal with wherever I go. SDCC is no exception.

My journal needs to be small and extremely light. In the past, I made my Swatches books (created from old book pages) and easy to store with scraps of paper in an Iris photo case. Last year, I made my Content journal. This year, it's something small but different. I will show you the journal soon (it's inside the black bag above.)

I'm using an Eagle Creek pack it cube. My friend, Irene told me about them awhile back. What you see in the picture above fits in that cube:

-Coccoina glue stick
-Scissors from JetPens.com
-Pens: Sweets, lattes, pilot pocket, pilot hi-tec-c .04, pilot petit pens
-Papers: focal images, background paper, transparencies

I may throw some stickers in there. I also need my small rag that I use to wipe off excess glue and burnish the paper down. I use free magazines and catalogs to glue on and then recycle them.

I'm set.

Great day of teaching today. Carmageddon should happen more often. No one was on the road between here and South Pasadena. Awesome class at Zinnia (thanks gang!) Teaching tomorrow at Stampin from the Heart (there's still room!) No local classes for two months after that.

Have a great Saturday!!

Journal Page in Progress

One of the pages from my classes in Fremont. No plans yet on what I will add to it, but I will show you here!

Has anyone seen the half size hi-tec-c pens (they're literally half the size of the regular size pens.) I would LOVE to be be able to find them! I've tried JetPens and Kinokuniya. Kino used to have them, but alas, no more. I have one in black .04 and love it. I like the mini sizes because they fit in my favorite little pen bag (I'm weird like that.)

Teaching both days this weekend! My last weekend of classes in So CA for two months (sad!). Crazy weird (meaning no local classes until September!!) Looking forward to teaching this weekend!

Happy Weekend!

13 July 2011 Journal Page

My finished page from the other day.

I think that I linked to this before, but in case I didn't, check out Carolee Gilligan Wheeler's Being Human zine (available as a free pdf):
http://goodmailday.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/practice-practice-practice/
also:
http://www.superdilettante.com

All prepped and ready for this weekend's classes! Also finished writing my last two handouts for my summer classes. Yay! Slowly but surely I'm getting things done. Baby steps (like I've mentioned before with finding time to make art, take baby steps!) Ten minutes here and there add up!

New Bag!

Sew, I mean so, I've been trying to figure out what bag I should use as a purse for Comic Con next week. I don't want to have to lug a bag and a purse (like I usually do). Last weekend when I was teaching in Fremont, Maria was kind enough to offer me this bag. "It's vintage.", she said. "I'd love it!" is what I said!

Now, I don't have anything against Hawaii. I've just never been. I figured that I could spruce it up a bit and make it a little more me.

What you need to know is that I can sew books and it makes me happy and quite content. I can not sew anything else. I thought I'd try my sewing machine out here (you know the one that's been sitting gathering dust since I bought it). I broke the needle. Yup. I don't have the patience and haven't had the time to sit and learn how to actually use the sewing machine. One of these days I might. People have shown me but I am sewing machine challenged. I am. It must be some kind of childhood trauma related to having to take a class on making your own Cabbage Patch Kids' clothes and mine looked like a blind person had put it together. Actually, a blind person with their hands tied behind their back can probably can do a better job than me.
I decided I'd hand sew fabric onto the front and back pockets to cover up Hawaii World. I used fabric that I'd been hoarding, I mean saving.I also added a little lace along the top. I half assed sewed a pocket on the inside as well (seriously, you should see it.) As long as it functions, I don't care what it looks like on the inside of my purse. If I can find my car keys and my cellphone, I'm good to go.
As long as this holds up during Comic Con, I'll be happy! It makes me smile just to look at it now. It took me several hours to sew everything on by hand. I also jabbed myself more than once, but in the end, it was worth it! Can't wait to use it!

Journal Page in Progress

Crazy busy is an understatement. I'm in full prep mode for the 21 classes that I'm teaching within the next month. I spent most of today cutting matboard until I ran out. Eeps! Must order more. I get my board from clearbags.com.

My local classes this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) are a go! There's still space in both of them. Hope to see you there.

I started the above page in Fremont last weekend. I'll show you the finished page soon...(I haven't finished it yet, but I have plans!)

7 July 2011 Journal Page

I had a great time teaching in No CA. Maria is always the best hostess and I love my students there. It's always a good weekend seeing friends and watching how they translate the class ideas. Fun!

I'm home now. Already prepping for this weekend's classes in L.A. and South Pasadena. These are my last local classes until late September, so catch them while you can. More info at:
http://www.kellykilmerworkshops.blogspot.com

I'm in full prep mode for my CO, AZ, MA and NYC classes now. Next week is San Diego Comic Con (I'll post my suggestions and want to see panels asap) and we're looking forward to that. I'm a bit anxious with the amount of work that has to get done before July 27th (when we leave for CO as I'm going from CO to AZ, then home for two days before heading East to Boston) but I know I will get it done.

The above page, I started with a combination of decorative paper, book pages and tape. I then added grungy rub-ons (half assed scratched rub-ons) and more layers of tape and journal writing to finish off the page.

I did a whole bunch of demo pages in Fremont. I want to alter those pages and I'll show you the before and after as I work on them.

I also made a new little purse size journal for Comic Con. I'll post that as I start to work in it, too.

What are you working on? I'd love to see links if you have blogs or flickr, etc...

Happy Monday, folks!

A Birthday Note for my Husband

Dear David,

Happy birthday!!!

I love you!

Love,

Your Weird Redheaded Wife

(A blog post to follow later Sunday. I wanted to be the first goofball to wish David a happy b-day!)

Having a blast in Fremont

How pretty is this?!??! There's inspiration everywhere here!

Where are you finding inspiration?

Happy Saturday!

Having fun in Fremont

Fun, messy art making. Yeah, baby!

Yes. This is my table.

Trekking to No CA Today

A journal page in progress.

I'll be on the road today to Niles/Fremont (where I'm teaching classes Friday-Sunday.) If you send me an email, I may be a bit slower than usual to answer it. I'll respond asap!

Still room in the classes! Can't wait!!!

I'll be blogging from up North.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

5 July Journal Page

I'm trying not to melt here. I would love to have last summer's (cool) weather back.

Above is the finished page that I promised. Lots of tiny journaling on it in every possible direction.

Bags are packed. I'm all prepped for the weekend. I'm really looking forward to it. There's still spaces available in all of the classes. Hope to see YOU there!

One of my students is selling handmade cards to help finance her studies at Julliard. More here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76247197/handmade-cards-for-college

I'll be blogging from the road. Happy Wednesday!

Journal Page in Progress

Happy Tuesday, folks!

I started this page yesterday. I struggled a bit with it. (I'll show you the finished page tomorrow.) I also started to make a little on the go journal for when we go to Comic Con and traveling to teach later this month and August.

My Colorado classes are a GO! I hope to see YOU there! Thank you all who signed up. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!

I'm leaving on Thursday this week to teach at Maria's studio in Niles/Fremont. There is still room in all of the classes, so if you're interested, please sign up soon. I'm running around today gathering supplies and prepping everything.

http://kellykilmerworkshops.blogspot.com/

This is my crazy time of year, but it's all good! Looking forward to seeing my friends (and meeting new ones, too!)

Found on a Walk in Venice

A Good Weekend, Indeed

I had a great time teaching at Stampin From the Heart this weekend. Huge, huge thanks to the SFTH Gang! Even bigger thanks to my wonderful students: Irene, Judy and Tricia. You are all fabulous. Honestly. I loved seeing how you translate the class ideas into your own unique journals, your own styles shining and beaming through. I hope that you continue to work in your journals and are inspired to make more. Thank *you* for inspiring and pushing me.

Yay! New magazines!

Having a great weekend. Day 2 of my Personal Mythologies class is in the morning. It's a great group of artists. I'm always a little stressed teaching a new class but they've made it stress free. Love it.

Stopped at Centerfolds Newsstand on the way home to pick up Oh Comely. Lula was in, too! Yay!

http://www.ohcomely.co.uk
http://www.lulamag.com

I'm off to veg. Happy Saturday!!

16 February 2011 Journal Page

I had a great time teaching at Zinnia today. (Huge thanks to the Zinnia gang and to my fabulous students.) Teaching my NEW two day class tomorrow at Stampin From The Heart and I can not wait.

Blog Love:
Guillermo Del Toro's Lost Journals (oh will his Cabinet of Curiosities books ever be released?)

Carla is having Summer Camp! YAY! I'm thinking of taking her Junk Mail Artist Book (a class I REALLY wanted to take in person). I LOVE Carla and you will, too!

Fab post by Jane on Life's Workbooks.

This is just too awesome for words. Seriously. I smiled big at it.

This may be the best dress ever.

Happy Weekend, Folks!