Tree a Day #18

I really need a new sketchbook. Drawing on the inside cover is too much. Anyway, saw a tree today that looked like two but was actually one and it gave me an idea for a new tree house painting! Here's the rough sketch. It comes from the heart. I'm so excited to paint it :)

The Art of Positive Thinking

Your mind effects the universe, and it also creates it. Your thoughts absolutely determine your reality. How you generally feel inside and what thoughts you generally carry in your head is what's going to keep coming at you.

David Horvath, creator of Ugly Dolls, on achieving goals.

Let's do this exercise (I stole from a podcast :). Be in a relaxed space & state of mind. Close your eyes & focus on your breath. Now quietly repeat the word "trouble" to yourself. Do it a few times. Feel the word & the sensations it causes. Ok, now repeat the word "compassion" and "love." Feel the sensations those words cause. Do you sense that subtle difference in weight? I did when I did the exercise and if you did too... well, that is the power of positivity!

Imagine being in a state where you feel the word "trouble" constantly as opposed to one where your mantra is "love." If that weight was replaced by lightness, how different your entire world would be! You are the universe you create for yourself. And if it's gloomy, sad or bitter, then you'll see it all around you. You have to be open to the loveliness of the world to receive its loveliness. You have to believe in it first to let it into your life.

Gold stars all around!! :D

Nostalgia

I've been listening to Jonsi's solo album on repeat and thinking a lot about surrendering to the present. The combination of the two has stirred old memories and I just wanted to let it out into the universe. I try to be present but these memories keep pushing their way to the surface!

I fondly remember/miss/would like to repeat (in no particular order):

• singing along to sigur ros in the car with kevin, bruce & victo (lalalalalala... oo oooh)
• making short films with james
• saying the same thing at the same time as bina and freaking out after it happened
• sexy time & sharing sooooo many feeeelings with sandeep
• sitting on the steps of union square, eating a trader joe's dinner with rich
• reading my yogi tea fortunes at yogaworks before each class
• eating watermelon halves with a spoon in my office
• talking to david the security guy at new line
• hopping into arun's car to grab lunch
• hugging daniele & sighing/giggling with happiness
• crafting with my coeterie
• using sandeep's pressure cooker (lol)
• listening to kevin's "mix cds" in the car
• taking naps sandwiched between monkey & james
• calling spec & mitchell for a morning coffee bean run
• laughing about how that's sandeep's side of the bed (the joke never gets old)
• realizing that deep, sandeep & i lost afshin to the pool table yet again
• listening to rich flow while we both worked
• brx tv marathons until the sun came up
• frantically searching stacy's desk for her wacom pen
• taking the chuchos out for a walk
• the smell of ben & jerry's ice cream

wow, sandeep. you're in there a lot! i must reaaaally miss you! :) mmm, ok. i feel better.

Happy Happy!

Happy babies with happy very petit elefants. Much love to Lily & Henry :)

Tree a Day #17

Last page of my sketchbook! I've never gone through so many sketchbooks so quickly... I'm currently averaging one a month! Ridiculous!

I decided to draw myself into this one as personal motivation for what I want to do. I've gotten lazy with my work (or perhaps just burnt out). Either way, I haven't been as productive as I usually am and dammit it's time get back into the groove. The internet is so distraaaacting! No more! This ends now! :)

PS, this sketchbook is the best ever. It's just like a moleskin (thick paper stock [good for watercolor!], pocket & elastic band) but cheaper and with a lovely textured, soft cover.

Power of Intent & 10k-hour Rule

The power of intent. It's a very powerful force and I'm a firm believer in its existence. It can take many forms like writing your goals down, saying a prayer, or casually telling a stranger what you want to do after you graduate. By sharing & expressing it, the intent transforms from floating, abstract want to tangible objective. Now this is where the 10,000 hour rule comes in...

In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the 10,000 hour rule... that to become a genius or master at any one thing, one needs to practice it for 10,000 hours. It's true of the Beatles, Bill Gates, etc. But what about 10,000 hours spent on the power of intent? And I don't just mean praying for something and then sitting around waiting for it to happen. I mean someone really believing, writing their to do lists everyday, working hard for any one thing to happen. If you did that for 10k hours would you find yourself surrounded by opportunity?

For me, I've reached my 10,000 hours, and it happened sometime when I was backpacking through SE Asia. I know this not because I sat down and did the math (but I did later and it has been 10k hrs), but because something clicked. I found my hands working in perfect synchronization with what I wanted to put down on the page. Drawing essentially became instinctive. When I look back, I can vouch for the 10k hour rule. I did drive hours in traffic to make it to figure drawing class after work; I did carry a sketchbook with me constantly; I did draw almost everyday. I worked my bum off for each hour, but before all the practice was the intent.

At my Kindergarten graduation, we each had to stand up in front of everyone and announce what we wanted to be when we grew up. How can you expect a 5 year old to know at that point of her life? I remember I said doctor or nurse, but not because that's what I actually wanted, but because I was too embarrassed to say animator. In the first grade, we had a talent show and while everyone wanted to dance or sing, I said "draw" and was laughed at (I got so sad I ran to the bathroom and cried!). So, far before the 10,000 hours of practice, I had more than 10,000 hours of intent simmering & marinating.

A few years ago, Ira Glass spoke at USC and talked about the creative process. He played a clip from his first story ever aired and he was AWFUL. I was soooo appalled!! Like Malcolm Gladwell says in Outliers, you expect all the greats to have been born great, but that's not the case at all. Mr. Glass started as an intern working his way up the food chain, which took yeaaaaars before TAL. The whole experience helped him understand that the creative process is actually 50% thinking and 50% doing. Those hours we spend dreaming of what we want to do, planning out the course of action, making changes, putting forth our intent... they're just as important as the doing. So, the way I see it, if you become really good at putting your intent out there, you're on your way to your 10,000 hours of practice if you aren't already. An hour spent dreaming and wishing isn't ever wasted.

Kiddie Sketches!

I decided to sketch people today instead of trees. Why? My friend Jules put it best: I find with designing and illustrating it's easy for us to get lost in our heads & become chained down to a style, but drawing from life will always allow us to experiment. I AGREE! So I visited the playground across the street and drew filipino babies :)

btw, I also changed my banner... pretty sure having the same banner for 3 years was a lil too much, hahaha. Anyway, yay new banner!