One of these random doodlepages that get filled up.

This was a quickie done while back in an "art" pingpong with my good friend Mia. If I recall correctly the brief was to do a heavy metal cd-cover illustration. So I quickly tried some digital sketching and this came out. I know I call myself a graphic designer by profession but I really didn't put much thought to the typography on this one :D. I think it turned out quite funny..

Yep, it is a hidious thingie.

It's been a bit slow around here. I'm trying to pick up some speed again! I went today for the annual Animatricks animation festival here in Helsinki and saw The Ugly Duckling & ME!, a CG animation film by the danish A-Film. I liked it! It really differed from the american mainstream animation features in it's design, humour and handling of the story. Of course it's not a Pixar film from a technical point of view but still they had done a pretty darn good job! Then there was a 2 hour collection (first of two) of new and recent finnish animation. There were several really good ones and that gives hope for the animation industry here.
These pics have nothing to do with animation but are in fact more recent sketches that I did while on the trip at the Azores. A lake and trees and some of the view from our hotel window. I really need to draw more landscapes and buildings, sheesh...

Just a couple of old croquis for a chance. Should do more of these again...

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been on a vacation at the Azores (great place!) and last week I was just plain lazy.
Here's something though.

Da-da.

Doodling with 20 year old (no really, they are) crayons of mine...

It's a drawing made while in a meeting at work :)

I went to see a concert at the Sibelius Academy on friday. It was part of the Clapping Music festival which celebrates the minimalistic style of composing. The choral pieces were really interesting and a big thing for me was to meet Michael Nyman. I've been a fan of his music for well over a decade. Naturally I had to be also a little bit of a fanboy and got "The Claim" CD signed for Janne. He reminded me to come also on saturday to hear the concert pieces performed with six pianos. The final piece by Steve Reich was quite extraordinary with all six pianos playing together and in different meters, creating sonic layers that sounded at times like completely different instruments.
Michael Nyman also gave some lectures at the academy. I attended the one concerning film music today. It was great to hear some "inside" perspective from the business. It ain't all easy or less meaningful then concert works and I feel that it is largely dismissed for no reason in the "classical" circles. I think that it is a little bit like the school of "fine art" and free art against professional illustration and graphic design. The traditional sides tend to think that it's like committing adultery or something. I say that in both music and visual art it's more of working under certain circumstances and a budget (patrons anyone?) to come up with art rather than drinking your grants in the local pub, ranting about the society and what is true meaningful art. Of course by saying this I don't mean that all film music is good or has great "artistic" value. Hell no, a large portion of it is bland crap and so is a large portion of illustration and design but that's the way it goes and some good ones find their way to the top of the heap.
What about this pic here then, is it art :)? You be the judge of it. I just felt inspired for a quick doodle after seeing a screening of Jane Campion's The Piano, which Michael Nyman presented and talked a little about composing the music. By the way, a fun fact was that Campion actually said to Nyman on the phone when she was hiring him to do the score that: "oh and I don't want any of your Greenaway shit." I rest my case.