The Visual Medium

This a blog, dedicated to posting behind the scenes and in progress videos of films and other things.

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Adversity/Diary Entry

Well, no one ever said that being consistent with a goal was going to be easy. In fact, the problem is not even with posting every week (preferably on Monday's) but figuring out what to talk about. Fortunately or in this case, unfortunately, this past week I hurt my self after running. So I figured I would share a real life story that happened to me while I figure out “how to sound smart” for next weeks blog post.

The First Day of School aka Adversity.

Aug. 30th 2018

Journal,

I just got back from the hospital. Well, I’m currently at a friend’s house. Well, I went out for an evening run after work and fell and hurt my self. Did I mention today (yesterday) was my first day working at a gas station? Well, it is. Yesterday was also the first day of school at the high school, hence the title of this journal entry.

However, it should really be called adversity because I went on a guided run this evening and shortly after I completed it I’m feeling really accomplished and that I’m making progress toward my goal. I fall on the concrete/grass and manage to scrape off some of the skin on my forehead my pinky finger on my right hand took a small beating but it’s doing much better and my right ankle is sore.

Now I don’t know if I mentioned this in a previous entry, but maybe I shouldn’t do too much exciting things because every time I do my body gives out and next thing I know I’m on the floor. The last two times this happened I was in Montreal and Groton. Clearly, I can’t handle the good things in my life.

So after the ground rises up to meet my face I notice that I’m bleeding and quickly grab my things. I call my friend who is willing to meet me at my house and recommends that I call 911. Now, why didn’t I think of that?

I make the call and an ambulance and a police car arrive. One of the medics checks me out and I notice one of the other guys there is my former high school friend ’s brother in law. We enchanted words before I walk onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital. I’m cleaned up and they take a scan of my right ankle. I suspect it’s fine since they released me pretty quickly and gave me a special glue for my forehead.

I feel like I’m in a hotel right now. I know I’m at my friend's house; a place I’ve been to many times, but I feel like I’m in a hotel. I don’t know if it’s because my forehead is in pain or because this is my first time sleeping over. Or maybe it’s both.

I hope my forehead and ankle feel better in the morning and I hope the scar isn’t too big in the end.

Also on another note, I also wanted to call this entry adversity, since this is the day of many fists. My first day at a new job, on the first day of school with my first guided run, the first time that I have been this diversely injured in recent history, my first time going up to the hospital in a gurney, and my first time staying over at my friend’s house. My point is I have never met/known anyone that is or was successful that didn’t have some kind of pain in their life. I don’t think it’s fair for anyone to compare their pain to another, but I know no one can ever tell me that I didn’t suffer for what I wanted.

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Stating Your Goals

Sometimes the best way to achieve your goals is to write them down. I doubt it will be an exhaustive list, but at least it will be a good jumping point. I will also state that if needed, I’m giving myself permission to be flexible with my goals because life happens.

Post 1-2 blog posts every week (preferably on Mondays).

1 Speed Art video on my side youtube channel.

Batch edit the remainder of the podcast episodes before September.

Write reviews on books I’m super passionate about.

Document the process of creating a podcast.

Use the application Buffer to stay on top of notifying others of content.

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Book Series I’m Currently Reading

(In No Particular Order) 

Croak by Gina Damico (2/3)

Detective Erika Foster by Robert Bryndza (2/???)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (3/7)

Leven Thumps by Obert Skye (3/5)

Lewis Barnavelt by John Bellairs (2/???)

*Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2/2)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2/3)

The Hunter Chronicles by E.J. Patten (1/2)

The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (2/3)

The Belgariad by David Eddings (4/5)

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (2/4)

*As of this post, the second book has not been published yet.

** As of August 11th, 2018

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Long time no see

Can you believe that I have not posted to this blog since 2016? Neither can I.

However, I have no regrets. I really needed to take a break from Tumblr, but now I feel as though I know what I want to do with this blog. So let’s take things one step at a time.

Back in 2017 I really got into reading. I set a goal to complete 18 books and by December 31st, I had completed 25. This year I gave myself the goal of 30 books and as of August 11th, 2018 I have completed 28. 

While I don’t think I’m comfortable getting in front of the camera and doing a review for each book I complete (I think that would be totally awesome though). I do know that some of the books I finish; I will become very passionate about and the books I feel passionate about I would like to review some of them. I’ll expand more on that in a later post.

In other news, I’m working on a podcast. It’s called The Production House: A CUTV podcast. The podcast is split up into two parts...

Part One: asking general questions which are the same for everyone. (ie. What interested you in CUTV?) 

Part Two: In this section, people get to talk about projects that they are current;y working on, promoting an event or just the guest and I discussing a mutual interest.

There are only going to be 11 episodes and as of this past Monday, we are up to episode 5. While I like that I’m able to remain consistent with getting out each episode I find that I’m trying to optimize excerpts of each episode on different platforms like Anchor.fm, YouTube and Instagram, just to name a few.

One of the cool features that Anchor has is the ability to create transcribed videos ( seeing text on the screen, like subtitles) However, the problem that I’m facing right now is the fact that the text is not syncing properly. Hopefully I can get this issue resolved, otherwise, I will need to use a less creative method.

-TTFN- ta ta for now.

[thevisualmedium]

My Thoughts On Dreams...

They are like movies that keep your interest two thirds of the way through, but stop before you get to find out how it ends.

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This is drawing 2 of 2 from my Twitch Stream.

Character: Darth Vader

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This is drawing 1 of 2 from my Twitch Stream last night.

Character: OC Hope

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All Female Class

So this semester I am taking a Theater class that deals with involving audiences with the performance. (At least that’s how I see it.)

The main difference is that all of the the students including the proff. is female. I’ve never been in a class with all women before. I’ve had classes where it was mostly women/girls, but not all women. Not only was it different, but it opened the door for a new experience for me.

Over the past few weeks in class we have had to do different physical exercises. Some with holding hands or creating sculptures (molding another person into a specific pose), even getting personal. One week we all shared moments in our lives that were traumatic, life changing or even moments that gave us a new perspective on an issue. 

I talked about my experience about losing someone I considered a friend and how it affected me over the past few years. (I might go into detail another time.) Once everyone spoke we all got into a group hug, it for me was the moment when I felt like we had grown past just being students in a classroom to more like a family.

The following week at the beginning of class we all got together on a circle and talked about different things that were on our mind. At the time I was dealing with landlord issues and to my surprise so were some of the other women and it made me feel like whatever burdens I had to carry, I didn’t need to carry them alone.

The biggest thing that I have noticed after being part of this family for a little over a month is that we get excited to see each other not just one or two people that you would say hi to in a regular lecture.

This class is only a semester long and I will be sad once it’s over.

[thevisualmedium]

Future Plans For Drawing Videos

So I’m finally making a blog post on future plans...

Recently I’ve been making speed drawing videos and the plan was to post 2 every month, if I have time as a side project. That way I’m posting videos and I’m strengthening my drawing mussels. 

For the time being I’ve been posting the drawing videos to my side channel Corinne’s Extra Stuff. While the drawings were not meant to be main channel content, the other day, I was offered the chance to make some drawings for a friend’s short film during the end credits. Not to mention I’m trying to condense where I put my content online. 

I’ve decided that in order for me to get my act together when moving my drawing videos to my main channel. 

1.) I need to have 10 drawing videos posted (which will be great practice for lighting and positioning the camera). 

OR

2.) It needs to be 2017 (You know what they say new year, new me).

It will just make it easier for people to find my content and maybe I can promote my corinne’screations deviantart account more. (maybe)

If you want to check out my current speed drawings on my side channel click here.

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Speed Inking #1 - Lamp

This was an inking assignment where I needed to ink a physical object in relation to it's space. (a.k.a. include other objects in the space as well.) The lamp was by itself so the only other object that could be represented was the wall. I didn't ink the entire page as to not have it rip from constant use of the pen nibs against the page. In the beginning when I was editing I thought it would be be a good a good idea to cut every time I changed to a new pen nib. This became very tiresome so for the rest of the video I kept in the parts where I changed nibs since they were quick sections. If you are wondering why there are some sections that don't show me inking the image, it's because my camera stopped recording and I didn't notice.

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How to read a text book chapter

So I’m currently taking a geography class and on the first day the proff. told us how to read a text book chapter so we would not be over whelmed and it’s be working for me so I figured I should share it.

1. Treat the chapter like you are planing a trip. You need to know where you are and where you will end up.

- Read the Introduction, then read the Conclusion. 

-Depending on the type of book; read the discussion questions, even if you are not answering them. The questions will help to get your mind prepared for the upcoming text.

2. You need to know which stops you need to make to get from start to finish.

- Read the sub headings for the chapter.

3. Read the chapter.

4.***Split up the reading***

-So step 4 is my take on it since I read chapters slow.

-Split up the middle section between 2 days. Do steps 1-3 on day 1. Then on day 2 read the rest of the middle section. This will give your brain time to soak in the information you read on the first day so you are not overwhelmed.

Hope this helps.

[thevisualmedium]

Can’t Drink Tea

Yesterday I went to David’s Tea to pick up their tea filters. On a whim I decided to be adventurous and try some new flavors.

Organic Cinnamon Rooibos Chai (Stay Focused)

Buddha’s Blend (Heaven Can’t Wait)

Organic The Skinny (A Chinese Secret)

The Tea’s smelled nice, but the taste was something to be desired. The cinnamon tea was ok, but it felt like there was something missing. Buddha’s Blend tasted sweet for a split second, then it left a not so sweet after taste. I then decided to go back to Throat Relief, since I like how that one tastes, but low and behold for some reason my taste buds rejected that tea as well. I guess yesterday was not a good day to drink tea.

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Art Class

I am currently taking a drawing class for credit. I figured since I’ve been drawing for almost a year; I felt it was time to start getting critique from a teacher. I had my second class last Thursday and 1/3 of me is super excited to continue, 1/3 is a bit intimidated by the other students and 1/3 of me is a bit annoyed that I need to carry around a tool box for class. 

Yes you head me right a tool box. That including my backpack and a portfolio. How do full time art students manage? I’m surprised I don’t see more of them looking like they can bench press 500 pounds.

Last weeks assignment I had to draw in a medium I am comfortable with and a medium I am not comfortable with.

Comfortaable - Pencil 

Uncomfortable - Nupastels (Water Soluble) 

The pastels used dry felt like a love child between chalk and crayons, because there were particles that reminded me of chalk when used, but when you add water I thought of  paint in stick form. Great if traveling and you want highly pigmented paint/color.

This week for homework I need to do an inking assignment and since I’m into make speed drawing videos, keep your eye out for a speed inking video soon. Not to mention I’ve been have artist block in order to fill up the remainder of my sketch book.

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Too Much Fun...

(I’m stealing the above line from a friend)

This past Tuesday evening I began Hip Hop dance classes. (Not for credit) Its been a few years since I last took a dance class and let me tell you I was not ready. We did a warm up to stretch our muscles and by the time it was done my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. However, when we were doing the choreography I was having a lot of fun. Granted I had some trouble keeping up with the rest of the class, but I prefer a fast paced environment. By the end of class all of my mussels were in so much pain I was surprised that I even made it home without collapsing.

By the time I got home all I could think was bed...bed...bed.....

I can’t wait for class next week.

[thevisualmedium]

So this is a bit off the cuff.

I thought since it’s the beginning of a new school year I would create blog posts dedicated to documenting the classes I’m taking. Mainly in text form, but sometimes with pictures, since I think it’s important to record school adventures.

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Speed Drawing #2 - Character: Erik Robinsson 

Character: Erik Robinsson from Back to Bonobos