When I get bored I get self referential

Another crazy trip to Wyoming with work. What this basically translates to is about 12 hours of doodling/contemplating the meaninglessness of existence while sitting in a 2 day meeting that has nothing to do with me.

During this time I:
drew small caricatures of almost everyone I know, complete with descriptions
drew a chick with antlers
wrote some jokes about failure, an area which I am an expert
wrote some jokes about Skymall, the Walmart of the noveau riche
drank about 50 cups of coffee
got embarrassingly wasted with some of my coworkers at the dinner afterwards and stole a pie and a bottle of jack

So yeah, pretty much the usual.


I've posted some of my better doodles for your scrutiny...or something.

Cheers!
christa

Something clever about double mint gum and twins and those old 80's commericals that in retrospect didn't really make much sense

Yegads! It's been a while hasn't it? I'm in the midst of doing my nautically themed zodiacs for Tall Ship Sexy, so I thought I'd give you a peak of what I've got in the works. I'm trying to make this a little different from the traditional versions of the zodiac. Gemini, of course, is by far my favorite. I'm a Sagittarius, so I've been trying to make that one super-awesome, but to be honest, it seems a bit lackluster to me. I was trying to go for centaur-pirate, but he ended up just looking like an English dandy, which is decidedly not piratey or manly or um... enticing in any way. Give me a centar with some muscles, that's what I say! Rawwr!...um actually...ewwww. I take that back. I need to stop faux lusting over mystical creatures, it's ruining my cred (and my ability to be taken seriously by the opposite sex).

In completely unrelated and unimportant news, my stand up grad show went really well! I got a bunch of laughs and everyone seemed to have a great time. This may be in part because a bunch of people were really drunk, but hell, I'll take what I can get. I'll be hitting up some more opem mikes in the area now that I'm slightly less busy. I'm still buried under a stack of commissions, but my family obligations are taken care of for the time being (my parent's care to visit, then my bro came to visit, then I went home for that bunny holiday,etc.). Man, if only I didn't have a full time job I'd be totally set with all the stuff I've got going! Ya know, except for the whole paying rent thing. Fuck it, I'll sleep when I'm dead.

cheers!
christa

I'll take the top half

Hey hey! Some actual finished work! Rock! This is a modification of my reverse mermaid print that is going to be used as a t-shirt for, you guessed it, Tall Ship Sexy magazine. Woooo! I've also got some nautical themed zodiac signs coming up for them as well. This project is a lot of fun because it incorporates all my favorite things...tattoo flash, giant squids, and the possibility of drawing some more titties.

So the thing is...with all these projects I have going on, plus the stand up, my life has been reduced to tiny scraps of paper that make absolutely no sense, to anyone but me. For example: I have a single post-it not reading bestiality. Yup, that's it. It's an idea for a joke I just wrote, that let me tell you, is incredibly classy. That and all the half scribbled ideas I have for my commissions, basically make me look like a schizophrenic. Now, not like I'm not used to people thinking I'm crazy, but usually it's that kind of "maybe that last drink was a bad idea" kind of crazy, not the "you need to be sedated and put into an institution" kind of crazy. The former, my friends, is significantly cooler...plus I'm being a productive consumer. Everybody wins!

I'll probably hit up a couple more open mikes this week (just did my first last Monday)....but I'm not posting where they are yet until I'm convinced I don't suck. Now, I'm not saying that I'm the greatest comedian ever, but I think I could give Carrot Top a run for his money....but mostly that's because I still have the ability to make facial expressions. I gotta say though, that guy's eyebrows are waxed beautifully.

Peace out cub scouts!
(Stay away from big black vans and men with candy.)

<3

christa

His head full of legends of dungeons and dragons and pirates and stuff...

Hello friends! Sorry I've been AWOL for a bit...but Huzzah! I've got lots of cool new stuff on the horizon! Along with a couple new commissions I've got coming up, one of my pieces that everyone seems to like will be featured in a magazine...in print, with like words and stuff. Goddamn, I just thought art nerds, punk kids and general delinquents appreciated my work, but apparently real people with like opinions and stuff think I'm alright too. Nice! Anyway, the magazine is Tall Ship Sexy (think pirates, except umm sexier?) and the piece is of course, my reverse mermaid. I might be doing a few illustrations for them in the future for them as well. Can I get a hell yeah?

Yes...yes I think I can.


http://www.tallshipsexy.com/

Note: The illustration here is absolutely not a political statement...It's more of how I've been feeling about life in general lately. I've had a weird couple of weeks to say the least...but no worries! Everything worked out :)

<3
christa

It my box social and I will weep if I feel that it is necessary!

Hey! Hey! Amidst the holiday insanity I have have almost nothing of value to post! Wooo! I've got a couple of sketches here that I've had hanging around for quite some time. Once I color them and clean up some things they will eventually become prints.

It was my birthday this week, which was awesome, although, any birthday you have past of the age of 21 stops being a giant celebration and starts becoming a reminder of the cold stony face of impending death. It's cool though, I have lots of awesome friends to celebrate with and honestly, I'm surprised I even made it this far considering the frequency with which I do very, very stupid things. I'm not dead, a drug mule, or in a Mexican prison, so I think that's a pretty big accomplishment for me.

I hitting up Westbound Train tonite at the Middle East and as always it should be an awesome time. On Sunday my buddies the Stress will be playing an awesome afternoon show which should kick some serious ass as well. Check it (out)!

Sun 12/6
The Fad, Interrobang!?. Brunt Of It, The Stress - All Ages $10 – NOTE: 1pm Doors


ALSO! I'm poor and you need Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice presents. Solve both of these problems by going here!

http://www.ShamelessDesignRocks.etsy.com

<3
xta

Capitalism Don't Fail Me Now!

I think the reason why I get along with musicians so well is that our lives sort of follow a similar path. Specifically, trying to hold down a job while putting a lot of time into something you love, being really tired, doing a lot of work with little or no return, drinking excessively aaaaaannnnd being fucking broke. It's cool though, no one ever said being an artist of any kind would ever be easy and every single minute of it is totally worth it.

....That being said...My Etsy page is finally finished! That means it's time for you to buy stuff! A lot of it! Woooo capitalism! New prints (like the ones pictured above) and more! The Holidays are quickly approaching and it's time to get to it. Who wouldn't want an awesome original print by a semi-talented local hack such as myself? They'd be crazy, I tell ya, crazy!

I make it a point to keep the cost of my stuff as low as possible, because I know that most of my friends and peers are in much of the same financial situation as I am. This stuff is for everybody, not just people with a lot of cash to throw around. It's always hard to find a unique gift for someone, especially when you are in dire straits. Not to worry friends! That's where I come in!

Anyway, I didn't post all the new prints/accessories* I've got up today so I might tempt you to hit up the site...

I promise, if I can manage not to stab my eyes out for the rest of the Holiday Season, more band stuff will be forthcoming....


http://www.ShamelessDesignRocks.etsy.com


<3
xta


*Thanks to my lovely and talented roommate/best buddy Emily, for letting me borrow her head to model my hair pieces. I tried taking pictures of them on myself and it was almost impossible. You know how hard it is to take a picture of the side of your own head? Gaaah!

Etsy: The website for people who shirk their adult responsibilites and make macaroni art instead

That's right kids, I finally got my lazy ass in gear! I just joined Etsy, the handmade enthusiasts website where stupid hipster girls try to pass off plastic crap as earrings and bored housewives try to “express themselves” by “starting their own business”. (Okay, there are actually a lot of really talented artists on Esty as well, but it wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t unnecessarily cynical…)

Anyway, if you never got a chance to purchase anything at my showing or something you liked was already sold, go to my Etsy site. I’ve reprinted a few things and am in the process of doing more. Plus, if you’re socially awkward, you get the added bonus of not meeting me in person, as I will be sending these directly to you.

You know the drill. Go buy some shit. Supporting independent artists is cool! Really!

www.shamelessdesignrocks.etsy.com

<3
xta

Ride the waves! (of apathy)

Ok I'm not gonna lie. This thing sorta sucks. I drew it in a meeting. heh. I'm working on about 8 million projects right now and they are all about a quarter finished. Gaaaah. I'm not complaining of course, I love getting work. This just happens to be a convient excuse for my slackerdom lately.

Anyway, enjoy! (or not I don't really care, this blog is free ya know, so quit your bitchin imaginary people who I believe read this thing...)

<3
xta*


*I started abbreviating my name like that waaaaaaay before christina aguilera did by the way. I think she has that tattooed on the back of her neck or something. Why the hell would you tattoo your own name on yourself? Do you think she forgets?...and if she did, is the back of her neck really the best place to put it if she has such significant memory loss issues? Laaaamme. Anyway, I'm brinin it back. Fuck that bitch. Shitty pop stars ain't got nothin on me...**

**Unfortunately, I also happen to share my birthday with britney spears, which I find equally distressing.

...And the shark was all 'I'm gonna bite your face off!' and I was all 'Not if humanity destroys your natural habitat first, BITCH!'

And then I punched the shark in the face. True story.*

This is a tattoo I designed for one of my friends a little while back. Where exactly it will end up, I'm not sure, but sharks are sweet so it really doesn't matter.

What else do I have going on? Well I've got 2 half inked comics, an illustration that hasn't been colored yet, 2 tattoos and a few random band things. Also Shameless Design now has a facebook page. That's right kids, my internet whoredom is complete. You should totally be my facebook fan. Seriously, I'm really insecure and am in constant need of validation...oh wait maybe I'm thinking of those girls that post half naked pics of themselves on various social networking sites. Yeah...them.



*20 years later, when the icecaps have melted and I am living on the top of the Hancock building in a fort, in a scenario not unlike Waterworld, said shark finds me, laughs because humanity destroyed its own habitat while expanding his, and proceeds to swallow me whole.**

**Thus concludes my lecture on why global warming is bad.

I hear skeletons make you appear tough and cool...as I am both of these, this drawing is rather redundant

I've got a bunch of random projects going on but nothing I can really post yet. I can garuntee you this though: more naked ladies.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Anyway, in the meantime I colored my skull thingy.

Enjoy!

Today's post inspired by people with pulminary disorders

I was in Wyoming for work this week. Wyoming? Yeah, I dunno man, I'm not the boss. I got to hang out with some cowboys though (one guy said my hair made me look like a wolverine) and I had a random conversation with a giant native american dude about tattoos. Weird right? That's Wyoming.

Anyway, I was stuck in meetings most of the time, thus, once again I bring to you Random things I draw while in meetings that have nothing to do with me.


Enjoy!

I'm not narcissistic, really (except for today)

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I am awesome!!!!!!

Hmm. Okay enough of that. So after many grueling nights of matting and rematting, printing and reprinting, getting high on spray mounts fumes and getting high on...other things I finally have all my work up and for sale at Mr. Crepe in Davis Square. I'm really happy with the way everything turned out, my prints are sexy as hell and I've already gotten a good response from people.

If you're looking to pick up something of mine, now would be the time to do it. Mr. Crepe doesn't take a commission on the art they sell so I'm selling everything as cheap as I possibly can. My philosophy is that art is for everyone not just people with a good deal of disposable income, plus I just like having my work out there as much as possible.

I'll probably be setting up an Etsy page and selling some of my prints to some local crafty type stores, but for now you know where to go. I have a Paypal account, so if you're interested in something, just e-mail me.

Here's the address:
Mr. Crepe
51 Davis Square
Somerville, MA 02144

Edit:
So I've had a few people ask, and just in case you want to know, here is the price listing:
- Lurk; Carnivorous Plant, Fishing, Evil Mushroom, Tentacle Lotus; 11x14 framed
$30ea

-Baby Giant Squids; 5x7 framed and matted
$15ea/ $40 set of 3

-Cheeseburger Tree; 8x10 framed
$20

-Scally Cap Girl; 8x10 framed and matted
$20

-Gypsy Girl; 8x10 framed and matted
$20

-Mermaid/Reverse Mermaid; 8x10 framed and double matted
$25ea/ $45 set of 2

- Heads or Tails; 16x20 framed and matted
$55 SOLD (but I can make another one)

- Sphinx; 16x20 framed
$50

Xs for eyes

It's time for another edition of: Random crap I found in my sketchbook that I'm putting up in order to waste time.

The skeleton in this drawing based on (completely ripped off from) a gravestone in Granary Burial Ground. Now, I'm not a goth kid, but some of the art on those graves kicks some serious ass, plus I walk by it almost every day. I figured I'd snap a few pictures to get some inspiration for a tattoo I was designing.

As a site note, the people taking pictures that day were as follows:
- Harried looking tourist, trying to keep track of 2 screaming kids
- Mopey indie rock "real" photographer guy
- 400lb goth girl looking like everyone else around was invading her space
- me

Man, if those dudes back in the day knew all the ridiculous people who traipsed through that place, I'm pretty sure they would have just dumped everyone into the harbor. Heh.

I'm too tired to care and too busy to think (so sit back and laugh and watch the ship sink)

Gaah. I'm busy! Here's something that's been sitting in my sketchbook for awhile.

I originally designed this as a tattoo for myself until I realized that I don't really have the real estate to put it anywhere on my body(except for my lower back, and there ain't no way I'm getting a tramp stamp). I really like the design, but alas! It will go unused. I still might use the hourglass at some point, but I'm not sure where/how and there's the money issue, so yeah, no time soon.

Oh and in case you were wondering, it's a Lawrence Arms tattoo (the hourglass part, that is). They tell me band tattoos are a bad idea, but I've been into them for about 8 years, so I feel like they've earned it.

Question to my Boston people: I'm looking for a printer to do my prints for my cafe gallery showing thing that isn't Kinkos. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah and a shout out to anyone coming over from BSC/the sock drawer. I know you're out there, since my hit count went way up when I started posting there. You guys are awesome, lets do lunch.*

*lunch is euphamism for your sexual innuendo of choice

I don't need no rhythm but the beat of my...

Heart Failure. Get it? Get it? Oh man I am so clever I can't even contain myself. Next flash design: benign prostatic hyperplasia (not as sexy as it sounds)

I seem to draw (semi) anitomically correct hearts all over the place but I just realized I've never posted one. Yes, it's true, I can draw things besides naked ladies...although naked ladies seem to be pretty popular now a days. Sex sells? Who would have thought!

Other words I thought about putting in the banner but didn't:
(heart)beat
(heart)attack
(heart)worms...eww

...oh and don't worry kids... monster babies/hot chicks soon comin to a flyer near you ;)

Holy crepe you guys!

Ah, Somerville, the land of hippy artists. And me who is not really a hippy and only sort of an artist. (I'm not quite starving and I haven't cut of my ear, but I am pretty miserable, so I think that counts for something.)

Anyway...on one of my frequent travels to Davis Square I went to grab coffee at the crepe place near the T. Long story short, they were looking for artists to put work up in their cafe, I sent them some of my stuff and they were happy to oblige me. So officially, for the month of July my prints will be for sale at Mr. Crepe in Davis Square. So you should go there and eat some crepes (they are awesome by the way), drink some coffee (which is also awesome) and buy one of my prints. This gives you bragging rights because you supported the Somerville Arts Community (aka my sorry ass) and a locally owned business.

Really, it's a win-win situation. You look cool, I look cool. Everyone is happy.
Peace is restored to the universe.

Oh yeah and I drew another pinup girl. Enjoy!

All the true things I am about to tell you are all shameless lies

This is a pretty quick sketch (I actually did it during a meeting in sharpie marker...heh) but you get the idea. It still needs a bit of work. This is a Kurt Vonnegut tribute tat I'm doing for someone. As Kurt Vonnegut is my hero, I was happy to oblige...

Also, because I'm a fangirl I threw an hourglass with wings in there for good measure. Aside from being the logo for the Lawrence Arms, it's a pretty common symbol found on really old grave stones. I walk by them every day on my way to work and it always makes me smile. (Is that morbid? I think that's morbid...)

By the way if anyone ever asks, I would say I'm a Bokonist. (a fake religion Vonnegut made up in Cat's Cradle, hence the quote in the title)

A double dose of awesome

Soooo I'm almost finished with my Far From Finished t-shirt designs. Wait, did I mention that? I think I did...sort of ambiguously. Anyway, I've still got a few more on the way but here are a couple of the finished ones. I think these will be available in Europe, I'm not quite sure yet...but when they get printed I'll link to store.

FYI, for those of you not familiar with the art of the tattoo, the top image is a tattoo gun kind of morphed into a real gun. I actually came up with this idea, while being tattooed myself. The more you know!*

Good luck to everyone this St. Patty's Day weekend! I will be in Southie, trying not to get trampled by giant Irish dudes...then I'll be at Less than Jake, trying not to trample little (possibly Irish) preteens. I can never quite find a happy medium. heh.

*Dear "The more you know" public service people, please do not sue me. I am but a useless pawn in your crusade to passive aggressively save the world.

Sacrifice the liver!

This post could also be entitled Christa has no self control or Self-medication is the key to happiness. The drawing was done partially in honor of my good friend beer but mostly because I didn't feel like doing any useful work and I like drawing naked girls.

C'est la Vie!
(I do not speak French)

Shamless plug

I was gonna wait on this one but I wanted to post something and I couldn't help myself...I will leave out the specifics, but this is one of a few. Right now we're still thowing stuff back and fourth.

For those of you in the Boston area, Far From Finished is playing a show at Great Scott in Allston on Sunday which I encourage you all to attend. While I'm at it, the Unloved are playing at the same place on Saturday, which I also encourage you to attend. Shameless plug, I know. I just thought I'd let you know, in no uncertain terms, that I know bands and thus I am cooler than you. Yup. I'm an asshole.

Anyway, here's the link:

http://www.greatscottboston.com/