Abz Hakim

Britney Painting [Work in Progress]

2012-01-24T14:18:00.000-05:00

My Original Paintings for Sale

2012-01-05T17:50:00.002-05:00

Please contact me by leaving a comment, and let me know if you're interested. If so, I'll reply with size, name, and medium. Thanks! :)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T14:47:00.001-04:00

Paintings

2011-10-15T19:02:00.001-04:00

Havent found a name for this one yet--

Acrylic on Canvas

Husky. Brown & Turquoise; the colour of Husky's eyes.

Oil on Canvas

I've been posted on Oprah.com!!!

2011-08-31T14:48:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest accomplishments of my life probably. Oh, who am I kidding-- THE biggest achievement! My art piece below has been featured on none other than OPRAH.com! Can we say omg? Yes, let's. Wow, I'm on cloud 923083. :)

http://www.oprah.com/food/They-Draw-and-Cook-Illustrated-Recipes/7

Saturday morning art...

2011-08-06T18:28:00.000-04:00

Just something I doodled today. The lyrics are from Sia "You have been loved" :) Happy weekend

eGuide Website Footer

2011-04-24T15:13:00.002-04:00

An illustration for a footer for eGuides new site. This is the original piece-- the final is still being tweeked and worked on. Items representing what eGuide's online magazine features.

Illustrated in Adobe Illustrator.

Distort me

2011-04-19T00:15:00.000-04:00

Just a quick warm up...havent drawn or sketched in a long time... just getting my wrist back in shape. Was going to finish it up more, but decided to keep it as is- after all, it is just a warm up.

Sneak Peek: New Kids Book

2011-04-07T23:51:00.001-04:00

My 6th Kids book...still not released, but a sneak peek at one of the pages! :) A little kid who loves his grandma and grandpa is expressing that in this page. In Arabic.

Hopefully I'll be able to upload more and show you guys more pages!

World's Geatest Explorers

2011-04-04T13:52:00.002-04:00

Some of the worlds greatest explorers..project for "Worlds Greatest Explorer".

Which one is your favorite?

Missing You

2011-04-02T16:41:00.000-04:00

Here's the completed painting I've been working on. I seriously need a lot of practice- I havent painted a face since highschool (on real canvas with real paint...acrylic in this case). It turned out a bit too cartoony for what I was going for, but good practice, none the less. My mother loved it, and I asked her to name it-- and she said his eyes say it all... "Missing you". So here it is! I would give it 6/10..hopefully more big paintings on the way (this thing is pretty darn huge, my hands cover less than half of his face)

Anyways, on to the next! :)

Painting: In progress

2011-03-10T01:47:00.001-05:00

I'm not dead! I'm still alive- been so so so busy with work. I'll keep this short and sweet. Workin on a new big painting...(real paint, real canvas, real shoulder pain...oh, who are we kidding- shoulder pain is always there, whether its digital or real life art)

Here is a zoomed in snippet of it. I'll upload the whole thing when its done! :)

Working with KWAK & Pepsi

2011-01-05T12:03:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Hope you all had safe and happy holidays!!

As you may know, I've been working with this new company, (Kidz with a kause) as a free lance artist.

Were in a contest that is being sponsored by Pepsi! If we win- we get $100,000 to officially launch start this company, and Pepsi will fund it all. Also, I get a full time job linked with Pepsi, and other great names in the industry. It's HUGE! anddddd... I could really use this kick in my career! So here's what we need to do. ;)

Click here and 'vote for this idea': http://pep.si/g5B7MH

We can vote once a day till the 28th of Feb. Once a day from a new IP address, which means once a day from any device; (so if you have a cell phone, you could vote from that, as well as your computer..etc.) It will take less than a minute to set up an account, and I would greatly appreciate the support!

Tell your friends please... twitter/ facebook etc. If you could also favorite or bookmark the voting page, so you visit it once a day and vote, that would lovely! ;)

I need all the help I could get! Thanks a lot!! :)

Kids Book: A collaboration

2011-01-04T14:48:00.003-05:00

Nour Bishouty (friend and amazing artist) and I collaborated on a kid book a few months ago called "في بيتنا آلة جديد" an Arabic children's book written by Fatima Charafeddine and to be published this year by Kalimat Publishing.

It was a very interesting experience working with Nour, due to the fact that-- well, 1) We're on total opposite parts of the world. She's in Jordan, and I'm in Toronto. We had to sync our clocks and buckle down and work. We used Skype pretty much everyday for hours on end, along with screen share and Yousendit to send files back and forth... and 2) We have pretty much opposite art styles.

It was a challenge, yet- a great learning experience. I think were both pretty satisfied with the results and have made one of our goals a reality- to collaborate (and I don't mean doodling on a piece of paper at work, and writing outrageous captions for them)

Good job Nour! :) We did it! I'm proud of us!

P.s, these are just a few samples from the book, will post the rest when we're "allowed" :P

The Holiday Cookie

2010-12-24T23:02:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is...finally! The holiday cookie is an illustration piece done for a contest hosted by The Draw and Cook, along with The Food Network... My illustration gets its 15 minutes of glory on the food network blog (along with TD&C blog)! (I'll post a link when they actually do post it, but I was informed it was picked as the daily favorite) It may not have won the cash prizes, but I'm still pretty excited to have this posted on such awesome blogs! :)

Happy Holidays everyone! Buy me a cat!

-Abz

P.s, Follow me on Twitter! Click Here

Watermelon & more melon!

2010-12-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

Why, hello there! Didn't see you pop in... ! The above watermelon is part of a kids book I was working on- but I can't give any more details- or I'll get shot. It's not the complete version, so I'm allowed to post... right? ;) The one below, I've done a few years ago as two separate illustrations, but decided to join their forces. (delicious!) It was done for Puresoft. A brand that does hygienic hand sanitizers, etc... I thought I'd post it to keep the yummy fruit theme going. ;)

A Room With a View

2010-12-14T00:21:00.004-05:00

As you guys know from the below post, I was just doing this illustration as a sample piece-- was a for a kids book, but I declined the offer. It was a severely underpaid project, and I've had my share of those a long the years- so I was like, uh-- yea-- that'll happen! I still like this page though, and have done it in 2 different colours. :) This will forever be it's happy home!

P.S Follow me on Twitter by clicking this >> MEOW!

Quote

2010-12-08T00:31:00.001-05:00

I've posted this quote of mine before on this blog- but I thought I'd take a more 'designy' approach and play with it. I submitted this to a design quote contest. I did it just for fun though... :) Something about bright colours and sold black that is so attractive.

Midnight Star

2010-12-01T00:19:00.001-05:00

Just a little somethin.... more details later on-- if this project gets picked up. ;)

You Smiled at Me

2010-11-24T23:50:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates... It's not that I dont have anything to post- I actually have lots! Unfortunately, theyre all "hush-hush" and I can't post anything quite yet... I'll be posting some stuff shortly. In the mean time, I thought I'd post this. I drew the illustration more than a year ago.

Have you ever come across a complete stranger, had a moment with them--whether flirting, small talk, smiling, eye contact...etc... and never really ever saw them again, for whatever reason? I've heard a bunch of stories from people, and their experiences with the "beautiful stranger"...and I too experienced this. (I think we all have on some level.) More than a year later- I STILL think about it...

Pretty crazy, but perhaps that's what makes the whole memory so beautiful...nothing can dent it. If only we can know if they too are thinking of us as well. I'll never forget that plane ride...

World's Geatest Explorer Logo

2010-11-16T20:45:00.001-05:00

Who said free-lancing wasn't worthy? You get really great, random jobs sometimes. In this case, a logo for a new online game. I won't say much yet- it's still in the works, but I'll be posting more updates for sure in the upcoming weeks!

What do you think of logo?

Shanaynay!

2010-11-07T00:12:00.001-04:00

The only person I'm "following" on youtube is Shane Dawson. I saw one of his mini movie-clips where he does a bunch of crazy characters and has accents and what not about a year ago. Since then, I've kinda grown to enjoy his weekly dose of humour and complete randomness. One of his characters is this white girl who thinks she's black; talks all ghetto, and is really trashy! Completely random and funny humor; the kind I like, so I decided to draw him/her. :)

Check out his stuff at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ShaneDawsonTV

Glee: Amber Riley as Mercedes

2010-10-31T14:43:00.000-04:00

This glee ball is on a roll! Here is Mercedes, played by the bold and sassy Amber Riley!
Mercedes: "As soon as I get my record deal, I'm not speaking to any of you."

Glee: Heather Morris as Brittany

2010-10-27T15:32:00.006-04:00

I had such an awesome time making the previous one of Lea, below, and got lots of positive feedback, that I decided to do one of my favourite characters. The incredibly funny Heather Morris plays a ...a not so bright blonde cheerleader. She is probably my favourite with her very random, and stupid comments. :)
Brittany: "I'm pretty sure my cat's been reading my diary."

The Making of...

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Glee: Lea Michele as Rachel

2010-10-25T19:35:00.003-04:00

CLICK FOR FULL DETAIL

Everyone I know is obsessed with glee! I've recently become a fan myself. Rachel, played by the very talented Lea Michele, is extremely entertaining. Her funny "diva-like" attitude at such a young age, and how she knows she'll be something huge one day- is just really fun to watch. I decided to make this piece as a tribute-- for fun, for her, and all the crazy 'gleeks' out there. Cant wait for the next episode!

Do you watch glee? What do you think of it, and the portrait?

Rachel: "School pictures are everything to me. They're great practice for the paparazzi."

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P.s, Which glee character would you like to see drawn next?

Reach for the stars...Make a wish!

2010-10-23T16:31:00.001-04:00

One of my other card designs I used to apply to American Greetings.

If you had one wish-- what would it be?

Follow me on Twitter! Click Here

Gigglish Logo Design

2010-10-19T20:29:00.003-04:00

One of my friends is starting a new site. A collection of the BEST of the best/funniest videos on the entire web. One place; all the videos that make headlines, etc. It's still under construction, and the site hasn't been fully developed-- but here is the logo for it, along with some colour variations. :)

It took a lot of time, research, and trial and error to get to this final state. I love logo design-- though it takes a lot of time and effort. I do like how it came out though. ;)

The colours blue and red have been statistically proven that they belong to the most successful businesses when it comes to logo colour choices. ;) Just look at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Gmail, MSN... just to name a few. ;)

Follow me!

2010-10-16T18:38:00.009-04:00

Finally got around to getting my own Twitter.

Follow me on Twitter! Click HERE

Do you have a twitter account? Let me know in the comments so we can follow each other!

Tweet tweet!

Also, I decided to finally sign up with Behance Network!
Follow me on Behance! Cick HERE
Do you have a Behance account? Let me know in the comments so we can follow each other!

Card Designs & A Quote

2010-10-07T22:22:00.001-04:00

As I promised, a bunch of other sample designs I did for American Greetings.

Thanks to Salli, and Jason for the support and advice. ;)

A quote I came up with-- words I'm kinda livin by right now. I'm sure everyone can relate in some way or another.

Thanks for all the positive comments and the non stop support.

The Silver Collection: Part 2

2010-10-05T13:26:00.002-04:00

Steven-Neil

Brenna

Mitch

I enjoyed doing these so much last time, and got great feedback- thought I would do some more, and put em up for display! ;)

Bonus (200th) Post:

Since I just noticed that this is my 200th post, I thought I'd post a little somethin!

You're Out of This World!

2010-10-02T20:11:00.001-04:00

A card design I did for American greetings-- (special thanks to Jason Dove, my talented buddy, for the great tips...check his blog out!) I'll be using the design above to apply for the company, and see where luck takes me! ;)

Also, I've been working on a wholeeeee bunch of other card designs; I'll be posting them soon too! :)

P.S, I left space on the left side for the text/title.

The Silver Collection

2010-09-24T13:26:00.005-04:00

Couldn't resist to post them one by one and wait, so I thought I'd post them all at once! ;) Great fun to do, and I like the way the scratchy raw feel of them combined. ;)

In order: Xess, Miyana, and Seth.

Which is your favourite?

Kaitlen: The Silver Collection

2010-09-23T17:43:00.003-04:00

1 of 4

I've been away over seas visiting home/family and friends. My job at Tall Tree Games here in Toronto has come to an end-- and now I'm open for a new chapter.

Got a job for me? Send it my way! ;)

Oh, and of course-- this is Kaitlen. She's both a very sad, and an angry person.

Viva La Diva

2010-08-27T18:22:00.000-04:00

What does your hair colour say about YOU?

3 little cats

2010-08-25T11:05:00.003-04:00

I played around with that Vix illustration I did below, and came up with these colour variations.

Which do you like best?

Vix

2010-08-23T16:35:00.006-04:00

My handsome little cat! :)

New Layout!

2010-08-22T15:28:00.001-04:00

What do you guys think? :)

Alphabet Food

2010-08-18T08:41:00.009-04:00

Some alphabet food! Mmm mm! :)

Pale

2010-08-07T14:28:00.005-04:00

I love how skin looks in paintings; all the tones blended to make a persons exterior. I think it's such a beautiful, and complex thing to paint. I decided not to finish this piece; I like it as is. The hardest parts were the collar bones; they're soft, and didn't have much definition. Unlike the face, with a lot of tighter brush strokes and highlights. I'm aware that they're not proportioned correctly... ;)

Either way, I left it incomplete, and decided not to fix the errors. It was great practice and had a good time doing this. I am aware that the painting looks pasty and grey; especially his body- but the reference image was pretty much just like that- which is the reason I decided to paint it in the first place; capturing all the tones and shades of a pale persons skin colour.

Done in photoshop using mostly the default "Airbrush Pen Opacity Flow" brush.

Gabriella

2010-08-05T03:56:00.020-04:00

Gabriella! I've spent all day painting this little orphan... I had a lot of fun, and saved process work; along with styles. I don't know which I like best-- they've all got their own taste. Some more realistic, and some more cartoony & grungy.

Which do you like best?

By the way, does anyone know why some of these images are not clickable / enlargable? I have this problem often...any ideas?

Pizza break!

2010-08-03T17:43:00.004-04:00

Another one for They Draw & Cook. The point is to submit recipes; but I figured-- if that's what everyone's been doing- then they deserve a break-- order a pizza! And voila...this piece was born. (I Submitted the first one-- but the other was just for fun...cuz I'm like that- I just do things for fun. Like breast feeding the homeless, for example. Makes me feel cute and delicious.)

I want pizza. Which do you prefer?

You make me weak II

2010-08-02T02:51:00.005-04:00

A little darker than my usual cutesy stuff-- but I've just been inspired by a lot lately. I was going through some blogs, and found many inspiring artists-- and one of the blogs reminded me of my friend Nour, and her work. So I kinda did my thing with it, and here's the outcome!

Check out her work HERE, she's brilliant!

Birthday Card!

2010-07-31T17:28:00.004-04:00

I did this in Adobe illustrator, and then did some texture work in Photoshop.

I love Photoshop! I want to marry it.

Phone/ Tea concept cards

2010-07-29T16:54:00.002-04:00

Original text " Our friendship is a lot like tea... Sweet, soothing, pure; and makes you feels oh-so wonderful inside! Thanks for being so good to me!"

Just something I did for practice/ fun.

Sketchin some dudes

2010-07-27T14:56:00.004-04:00

Photoshop sketches of different guys and with their unique features...

Olivia

2010-07-22T23:34:00.007-04:00

Oh boy... alrighty, let's see what we have here. Growing up, Olivia believed she was "Annie"-- and would pretend her parents were her foster parents and ask them things like "Was mommy as pretty as me?"... "Is daddy a rapper?"

She likes to run around the house and break things (like vases) and flick her sisters throat and run away laughing.

She plans to marry one of her best friends when shes 29 if she doesn't find true love.

She thinks she can pull off the English accent, and currently thinks she's a clown.

Adnan

2010-07-22T01:47:00.004-04:00

This Middle Eastern / Greek artist is quite talented with his colours. He is expressive in his arts, yet- a man of few words. He is a loyal friend to those whom love him, and whom he loves- a small circle.

He never has clean nails, always filled with paint and colours...yet enjoys life too much to let it bother him.

Always been misunderstood, and scared of; but has a soft heart. He likes carving little people from wood, and gives them to the orphans around town to play with.

He has 3 missing teeth, but still blows the biggest bubble anyone has ever seen.

M is for Marx

2010-07-20T22:51:00.006-04:00

Meet Marx. Highschool drop out. Drug addict-- works with his uncle as a ticket collector in a circus 6 nights a week. The 7th night he spends by recoating his black nails, and smoking with his girlfriend in her trailer.

He draws X's on his shoes and enjoys text messaging new people off the internet.

He never grew arm pit hair.

More Britney...of course.

2010-07-18T17:45:00.000-04:00

I can't resist.

Summer Drinks

2010-07-08T22:14:00.005-04:00

I was doing drink icons for Fish World...but decided I could use the art and make a composition/layout of it and submit it to one of my favorite blogs: www.theydrawandcook.com

I had a fun time making all of these! Summer is awesome... hope you guys like these, and are enjoying your summers! ;) Which drink is your favorite?

Intentions: Acrylic Painting 30"X40"

2010-07-08T20:38:00.009-04:00

I actually posted the final painting, then decided it needed some more work... but here are some detail shots...

Greek Mythology

2010-07-06T13:44:00.004-04:00

Some of the Greek gods and goddesses for Fish World, done in Adobe Illustrator.

The people inside my head...

2010-07-02T00:10:00.003-04:00

How did I spend Canada day? Drawing. Yup...
I feel like I havent sketched in ages, and some people were saying they'd like to see more sketching, so- hopefully this will do! ;)

Chick doodle

2010-07-01T20:15:00.002-04:00

Just one of those Abz sketches.... Happy Canada Day!

When you think about it...

2010-06-28T20:43:00.012-04:00

A picture I captured of water in a kitchen sink. Beautiful...but who would have thought it? Not everything is at it seems. Don't you agree? Sometimes you have to slow things down, and really take a good look at what you're dealing with. Everything has a story, a purpose, and a reason to make you look twice, and question.

Everything has a reason to reacting a certain way to specific things. The way things react the way they do shows a lot; and determines a lot.

Stop and take a look, and you'll learn that it, like you, is only doing what it naturally does-- what its instinct tells it to. Thus, why judge?

Sometimes it's just an answer.

Not all questions are answered. Maybe not all things should be questioned.

Maybe we're not meant to over analyze everything; maybe we should take things for what they are, without questioning, or wondering about what is, and what could be, what ifs and what should be. Maybe you just have to let nature take it course, and unfold for you to see and understand...on its own time. Not yours.

In a photograph, in person, in a dream, a song, a painting, a recipe, a note, an action, or which ever way it best suits your reach.

And you thought it was just a photograph of water... ;)

My ramblings come from me over thinking about certain things, people, in particular. You will never find someone that you understand 100%. We're all beings. We're all different, unique...finger prints with legs. (get it?) We expect people to treat us the way we're used to, or ways we expect. Not everyone shows themselves or responds to life in the same way you do. (Isn't that what makes life special, and exciting?)

Doesn't mean they think differently than you do- they just express it in ways you may not understand.

Give two boys a black marker, and they will both draw different pictures. We're free to express ourselves in our own ways; we should respect that others have that freedom as well.

It can hurt to see someone not respond in ways were familiar and comfortable with; however, we must acknowledge that like water, everyone bends the way they do for a reason. Their history, their secrets, their pasts, presents, dreams, and experiences. Their hopes, their expectations, and their flaws. The best thing one can do is be accepting of change and the unknown.

Question if you will, ask if you may. But be prepared to hear whatever the answer may be... sometimes silence is the answer we fear most, and sometimes it could be the comfort we're looking for.

You're the only person you'll ever be. This is the life you've been given. Worry not about the little things. You're older than you were yesterday. The clock wont stop, and every minute wasted is a minute you cannot take back or change. Live for all you've got- for all you believe in; for all you dream of and aspire. You're beautiful-- show the world, and don't hold back from being yourself. You were made the way you were for a greater reason.

Not everyone will treat you the way you expect to be treated. The way you should be treated. The way you long to be treated. Screw them! There are a wide variety of people, all there to unveil to you a little bit of the puzzle. Your puzzle. Take it, and grow. Don't let them stop you in your glorious ways, discourage, disappoint, or upset you. If they turn you away, they don't understand you, and will never appreciate what incredible things you have to offer.

Hold your head up high, and believe. You'll one day find what you're seeking.

Shine like the unique snowflake that longs for a moment of glory. Sparkle like the ocean, free and open. Dance like the stars in the eyes of an angel.

You may not have control over others and the way they react, think, or be...but you have the power to express yourself, and live your life the way you've always longed for.

You have no idea how many people find you beautiful. You don't realize how many people you can inspire just by being yourself. The world loves you.

Peace, to all those who seek it.

Exotic Paradise Island Deco's

2010-06-25T15:51:00.011-04:00

The latest icons and decorations for the Exotic Paradise Island theme for Fish World. ;)

Trembling Heart

2010-06-23T11:11:00.005-04:00

Lots on my mind this morning, could you tell? Just another expressive piece done quickly to start my day...

Please click for larger view.

Naughty little Abz

2010-06-20T19:29:00.009-04:00

I was just doodling... but for some reason, this came to mind. When I was like...4 or 5, I was in the kitchen helping my mom and aunt unpack the fresh veggies and fruit we get from my Grandpas farm. (We get free stuff! Wuhoo!) So this one time, amongst the yummies, was a box of hot jalapeno peppers.

My little brother, Ali, 3 years younger than me (ha! I'm older) happened to be there, watching. Ali was a cute little baby, and I guess I wanted to piss him off ...so I handed him a hot pepper and asked him to try it without anyone looking. He took it from my hand- and bit into it.

The rest was history.

I got yelled at by my mom, and probably felt pretty guilty. (Either that, or ran to my room and laughed hysterically.)

He grew up to be my 'fighting brother', so he got me back-- many times. Believe me, he's done worse to me. (He cracked my head open, lets just put it at that...)

Dragon

2010-06-14T09:27:00.004-04:00

Yea, well- here it is. The Dragon. Enough cutesy little princess castles and carriages...We're bringing a little darkness to the Fish World. Okay, maybe not SO dark- but for a guy who makes fishies, this is pretty bad-ass.

His name is Ashley-Kristin.

Stacy

2010-06-10T14:20:00.006-04:00

Stacy: A hard working business major graduate with dreams of changing the world after running for president, and inventing the next big thing.

Okay, no. She just likes modelling exotically for no-name-modeling "agencies". She actually has no IQ, and enjoys cracking sand between her teeth. (She insists it gives her a rush....)

She truly believes she's Brad pitts daughter, and constantly brags about being in the movie Titanic. (She was never in it, bitch has lying issues.)

Lastly, (cuz there isnt much to her, really) Stacy tends to go grocery shopping with full make up on, bragging to other shoppers how she JUST woke up, and decided to shop for the needy, and that she can pose for a picture with them if they'd like.

She was born in the Atlantic Ocean after her mother prematurely yanked her out due to not fitting into her wedding dress.

Great family.

She's on the cover of next months Vogue.

You asked for it... (Really fast doodles)

2010-06-09T21:34:00.014-04:00

Jacob: (born with the name Lillianna Stenfield, Jacob decided she wanted to stand out.) Ironically, she didn't realize she always would- regardless her name. No one knows the real colour of her hair, and no ones knows whats with her skin colour. (It's also real leathery)

She's been awake for 42 months, and counting.

Her fingers are always between her moist toes; seems to enjoy having a taste, then giggles to herself (while thinking she's awesome.)

One time, a little boy woke up to her stealing his tooth from under his pillow.
She panicked and nervously did the 'Macarenna'.

She swears she gave birth to 3 cats.

More Ladies!

2010-06-07T21:13:00.016-04:00

Chantalle. A beautiful person on the inside and out. (except when she decided to shave her head to save "Rabbit Island" in 99.)

She's all about "green power", and peace. A real lady; and isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in. (Like sun bathing topless/ shaving her lower back in public restrooms.) She does, however, make a huge mess when cooking, and pays her roommate to do the dishes-- in bracelets and coupons. (mostly expired ones)

Girl Sketches (Real quick)

2010-06-07T15:35:00.019-04:00

Ki Lin: She's kinda gross...oily forehead, doesnt brush her teeth, and farts a lot. She's actually releasing one right now. Her process is to close her eyes, get calm for a few seconds and then cough really loudly so no one suspects its her-- its always her-- everyone knows. She secretly thinks its cute-- its totally not.

She's got a signature scent that got her kicked out of science, math, and gym. Especially gym. Just darling, really. The kind you wanna take home to meet mother..preferably outside- with a lot of fresh air.

Simona: She loves earth worms, and painting in the dark. She's the weird kind, but is extremely friendly with a lot of secret admirers. (mostly first cousins...)

She baby sits her grandfather every sunday, and believes shes getting his gold watch for doing so when he passes.

She isn't. It's going to her brother, Matthew.

Candy Sparkle Tan: Nothing about her is real--- its sickening. (Kind of hot on the beach though, lets not kid ourselves!) Though in all fairness, that IS her real name-- her parents are just as mentally disturbed as she is.

She's addicted to eye lifts and fake tans; the cheap kind. (She's actually really cheap.)

She's kind of bitchy when people don't recognize her on the streets, and asks them to guess- till they either walk away, or till security comes. (She gets physical.)
However, she DOES have a great voice.

No, she really doesn't. She's just a whore with a really rich daddy.

Just some really fast doodles while at work, trying to get the creative energy flowin... I started cracking up as I was writing these little character descriptions.

Bottles, Farm and Fish

2010-05-30T11:43:00.006-04:00

I'm aware that I haven't posted anything in a long time- but things have been kinda hectic around here. I thought I'd upload this... new collectible perfume bottles, and a secret message in a bottle. I hope to be doing more fun stuff soon to post.

Happy Summer!
I realized I never uploaded the farm animals... so here they are as well! A bonus update! ;) Oh, alright- might as well upload the fish collection I've come to have- which is growing daily!

Thanks for stoppin by :)

Fresco a Italiano

2010-05-09T21:15:00.003-04:00

So here's my latest recipe for http://www.theydrawandcook.com/ I went a little Italian for this.. and I'm glad I did so. :) Mmm mm!

Below is actually how my art looks before I take it to Photoshop and texture (butcher) the heck out of it. Something about the clean lines that I love, so I thought I would share this as well. Go on, make it! It's quite tasty!

You make me weak...

2010-05-07T16:19:00.005-04:00

When words can no longer express your feelings...

Sketched/roughly coloured in Photoshop.

Can you see it in my eyes?

2010-04-29T21:46:00.001-04:00

People always tell me that I capture a little bit of myself into all my drawings. I believe all artists do so... I see it in my friends work all the time. This time, however, I thought I'd do a self portrait...I don't remember the last time I drew myself intentionally-- probably in highschool for a project. Anyways, heres a fast mirror sketch.

Fountains, Gardens, and more Fish World!

2010-04-29T14:24:00.006-04:00

Promo Banners, icons, and a fountain...

The Omelette

2010-04-24T12:11:00.003-04:00

Here is the other recipe I whipped up (literally)... I am loving that website (www.theycookanddraw.com) ...this is my 2nd submission. I got a lot of positive feedback, and decided to continue doing more! I had -- as always- and amazing time doing this. I freakin love art! ...and when you combine that with food-- you have a very happy Abz. ;) Anyways, enjoy!

Pig and Chicken

2010-04-23T16:23:00.003-04:00

Just don't tell them where it comes from...

More farm animals to come...can you handle it?

The Farm

2010-04-23T15:34:00.006-04:00

The whole fairy-tale icons have been kinda put on hold for now... it's an antsy group of...millions out there. They always want something fresh and exciting. Farms are huge on Facebook-- so, we're doing a little bit of farming ourselves. Here's the "build it yourself" barn. (it comes in about 13 'pieces', some of them are put together below, making up the skeleton of the barn).

Lots of fun animal updates to come shortly... and I do mean lots! Hope you guys like this. :)

Just a preview of the sort of crazy animals on this farm-- more to come! :)

The Illustrated Smoothie Recipe!

2010-04-17T15:09:00.010-04:00

Click for detail

Hey guys...! Well, I finally had time to finish this piece that I started last week. The very fun website "They Draw and Cook" has a bunch of illustrated recipes done by fellow bloggers and artists. (Anyone can submit!) I thought I'd contribute and throw in this little bit I did; A delicious summer-time smoothy for all to enjoy! ;) I had a great time doing this.

Started in vector (which looked like the below art that I've been posting), then I took it to Photoshop, and added a whole bunch of crazy textures and detail. I enjoyed the process, though it does take quite some time! Anyways, hope you guys like the art...and the smoothy! :)

Thanks again to http://www.theydrawandcook.com :) Check it out, lots of diverse creative chef/artists!

Prince Charming

2010-04-12T10:59:00.005-04:00

Well well well, what do we have here? The little frog below has magically turned into this little heart-breaker. (Magically, of course, if you mean days of non stop dedicated work.) Maybe not a heart-breaker-- but a rich and charming prince. (Gotta keep the fantasy as unrealistic as possible, you know what I mean? Give the people out there some hope) ;)

I also threw in the process of how I go about doing my work.

Sketch done in Adobe Photoshop, and the renderings were done in Adobe Illustrator.

So yep...the latest addition to the whole fairy-tale theme. Care to guess what comes next? ;)

P.s, seriously people-- suggestions would be appreciated!

Happy 24th Birthday to Me!

2010-04-10T10:31:00.002-04:00

I can't believe a whole year has passed....It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating my 23rd! Gotta enjoy life before if slips away from us all eh? 24-- wow....still absorbing that. Anyways, happy weekend to everyone out there...and happy birthday to me! :)

Frog & Sword

2010-04-09T16:09:00.007-04:00

Can anyone take a willllld guess what the next illustration might be? Hmmm...

This is the new mascot for the game Garden World; it's also what I used to create that textured "f is for flower" art piece a few posts below. :)

Grandfather Clock

2010-04-06T14:11:00.003-04:00

Thought I'd classy up things and throw in a vintage Grandfather clock in the mix. This is animated in Flash, (drawn in Illustrator, as usual), and will have the actual time display in the fish tank once purchased/ won. :)

Next up on the to do list: Princess? Perhaps! Stay tuned, and please- give in your ideas, I'm kinda running out of "classy/girly/fairy-like" items to come up with....

Anyways, hope you like it! :)

P.S, If you haven't figured it out by now- the FW stands for Fish World.

Princess Carriage

2010-04-05T15:19:00.009-04:00

To go along with the whole princess castle theme, and the unicorn- we decided to come up with a princess carriage! Of course, we changed up "Max" up a little bit for this one, dyed his hair pink-- poor fella. :)

Horse & Unicorn

2010-03-25T11:34:00.009-04:00

Click for better viewing.

I had an awesome time making this... Horses are my favourite animal-- them and cats, so you could only imagine the excitement! I did the whole thing in Adobe Illustrator, as you have heard me say many many times. Yes, for Fishworld. (People can place pretty crazy things in their fish tanks eh?)

Anyways, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Any ideas or suggestions for an item for this game? You've seen my previous posts below-- so, pretty much anything goes. ;)

I'd love to hear your ideas!

P.s The horse is named Max. One day..I'll have my own!

Fairy-Tale/ Princess Castle

2010-03-22T15:50:00.004-04:00

Another Castle for the Facebook game, Fishworld. :)

Illustrated in Adobe Illustrator, made for a flash-based game.

Castle

2010-03-16T15:06:00.004-04:00

Kinda like the pirate ship, this baby is for Fishworld (Game company which I work for- which does Facebook games); a premium decoration item for the players to enjoy. (Lets hope)

Thanks for all the loyal supporters!

r is for rabbit.

2010-03-07T19:16:00.006-05:00

Just something on the side that I'm working on.... this is just a sample though. If approved, be ready for the whole alphabet! Haha...this should be interesting!

Hope you like it. I had a great time making this! ;) He's eating a pear by the way--- (ask the client, I don't know)...

Actually, with or without the clients approval,
I think I will continue to make more! ;)

Pirate Ship!

2010-03-04T13:46:00.005-05:00

I thought I'd show you this 'just out of the oven' piece I literally just finished working on. A pirate ship!! Now, It'll be one of those "special items" in the game (Fish World), where you get to build your own stuff, in this case- the pirate ship!

The final piece is the one on top. The ship is made up of 10 main parts... and you'll get to put them together. (I dont make the rules, I just draw!)

I also attached some of my process work, just so you all (whomever is interested) know how I go about doing my icons and illustration work for this game. Simple shapes, no gradients (for this one at-least), and bold colours.

Hope you guys like it! :) I had an awesome time doing it!!

Lady Gag.

2010-03-01T19:41:00.005-05:00

I'm not a huge fan-- or a fan at all really, but I know a bunch of people are.
TJ Lubrano, a loyal and sweet follower of my blog suggested I sketch gaga herslef...so, well-- here she is. I dont think I nailed it, but for a guy who doesnt really know anything about her- I think its okay... Maybe I'll try again some other time...like, a long...long time.

Also dedicating this to Prince Beverly-- one of my really good friends, (who will be the NEXT big superstar... you wait and see) here's to you too pal! ;)

More sketches, as promised!

2010-03-01T16:29:00.002-05:00

Based on Taylor Swift and Angelina Jolie... however they are NOT meant to be caricatures, I am well aware theyre not dead on, as they're not meant to be really. ;) Just an inspiration...

Old Britney Sketch

2010-02-19T12:45:00.002-05:00

Thought I'd throw this in there... We need something a little less...fishy. Here's an old (5 months?) old Britney sketch... not the best thing in the world, but it'll do.

Icons

2010-02-19T12:30:00.005-05:00

Icons for Fish World on Facebook.

Play Fish World here!

New Header

2010-02-12T16:31:00.002-05:00

I don't know... What do you guys think? Any other suggestions? If you think I have better pieces for a header, please let me know- send me a link in the comment section, and I'll be more than happy to try out new fresh ideas!

Happy long weekend to my Canadians out there; Peace!

Snow & Ice Backgrounds

2010-02-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

There. You happy now? No more fishies! Some backgrounds I've done for the new 2010 Vancouver Olympics Theme. I can't really post any other stuff, cuz they haven't been released yet... but with time, I will be sure to do so. ;) Hope you like these.

Cheers, and stay warm!

Zade: Logo Revealed

2010-02-03T12:33:00.005-05:00

It's my honour to have my work associated with Zade, and his organization.

In 2007, I was personally asked to design the logo for "The Zade Foundation for international peace and understanding". Zade himself saw my work, and generously asked me to design the new logo. Out of words, I was beyond flattered, and started right away.

I stand behind the message, and this wonderful organization. I'm all for peace, in all its forms, in all the ways we can reach it. Music is truly a universal language, and that too is inspiring.

I have never worked on a project I am more "goose-bumped" by, that stands so strong, and has such a powerful message...to me personally, and to everyone on this Earth who's heart beats the same beat, and searches for peace in midst of all that goes on daily.

I am proud to present the new logo (the bird/music note icon above (and below on the left) is what I designed), which can be seen on Zade's official site:

Zade

A look back to my thinking process, sketches, and how this all came about:

HERE

Please, have a look at his wonderful site, work, and get a chance to listen to some of his very inspiring work.

Peace, indeed.

Yes, MORE sad, lonely fish! Muhahaha!!

2010-01-29T16:31:00.004-05:00

You can adopt these little fellers (yes, FELLERS) from Fishworld right into your own virtual fish tank! Which one is your favourite, and what will you name it? I like the all-orange goldfish, and I'm going to name him Mitt.

Done in Adobe Illustrator- fairly quickly and simply, as always- need to be fast paced, since these will be tiny in the actual tank, and not too much detail is essential to make them run smoothly...or, swim smoothly, rather.

Hopefully the next post wont be crying fish....(or ANY fish for that matter..but concidering I work on a fish game, that'll be unlikey) but hey, they have feelings too- and they want some exposure on this blog to get a little love and attention. Let's be gentle.........then we can eat them! Oh, I love my fishies!

Sad little fella

2010-01-25T15:32:00.006-05:00

The catfish is sad cuz it got 'lost in the storm' while 'swimming to your tank'...Gotta love online games.

A chunk of random updates...

2010-01-20T13:21:00.004-05:00

I've been a bit occupied, so I figured I would just give a quick update with a bunch of stuff...finished and unfinished...icons, etc. Here are the rest of the Mermaids for you guys, along with the rest! ;)

P.s, yes, that blonde one is Britney inspired... ;) couldnt NOT do a britney-mermaid. Haha

Mermaid

2010-01-18T10:13:00.002-05:00

So, as you folks probably know by now, I make Facebook games. Well, I draw them...other people do the funky work to make it all work. So as this crazy Fish game obsession continues to grow, we decided to get some sexy mermaids in the fish tanks as decorations for people to buy.... Many liked them...many thought they were too sexy and provocative. There are about 4... this is one of them. I'll be posting more later on...but just wanted to get this little one out first. :) These are all vector based, and done simply for gaming purposes, so I 'couldnt' go all crazy with details, shading, etc. I like her. :) What do you think?

Unexpected Expectations

2010-01-03T20:17:00.004-05:00

The last of the black and white series. I did this in a aboutttt 7 hours total I guess. Not very long, but like I always say- it doesn't take long to do art when you're inspired. This is roughly a meter square in size. Acrylic on canvas...

It's huge. It's a lot nicer in real life...when the canvas reflects other lights in the room...rather than getting a so-so camera quality snap shot of the big painting... it makes it flatter and not as lively...not as expressive. One day, I'll have a showing! ;)

New Facebook Game Icons

2009-12-31T15:28:00.005-05:00

You know how when you play a game on Facebook, you get a little "publish" option, with icons showing what your activity was on your wall? Well, these are some of the new ones I came up with for a few games we're workin on. :)

Ache

2009-12-28T09:36:00.006-05:00

Yup, as promised, here's the other painting I just finished yesterday. I had some time off for the holidays, and got right into it- and got it done! Its crazy how fast one can finish work when they're so inspired, or when you've got a lot of 'creative energy' to release. Don't you agree?

I realize its very close to the previous piece-in likeness- which is kinda intended, and not at the same time. I wanted the same style for both since I'm doing a mini "collection"...with limited colours, and what not, also they're pretty much the same mood\feel\inspiration-- so, go figure. Anyways, more to come in the following week hopefully... I've got this huge white canvas waiting at home. Black and white, or should I do a little colour this time?

Happy 2010!

P.S Which do you prefer "Seasonal Sighs" or this one, "Ache"? ...and out of curiosity, Why? :)

Seasonal Sighs

2009-12-23T10:15:00.011-05:00

Another one of my paintings. I just finished this last night. I actually had time to sit down and paint a reflection of my inside. I love doing these... out of EVERYTHING I post on my blog...and I mean EVERYTHING, I would say this is mo
st me (in terms of personal style)

My personal work...uninspired by anyone but the true, raw emotions I feel. not trying to make anything pretty, or shaded, the right colours, or style...just pure expression. I'll post a few of my older ones below. (I've posted them previously on this blog).

The weather always gets to me, to be honest. I need sun to function. Being deprived of it makes me a little kuku..and well, my insides float with emotion and expression that just needs to released and painted. Plus, I haven't done one of these in SUCH a long time, so a lot of other emotions have been bottled inside as well.

I call it 'Sigh'. Ah, gotta love the winter blues! ;)

P.S, I'm working on a Black & White collection... so another one is shortly to follow. Im doin them black and white for 2 reasons, 1) I never painted with black and white alone, and 2) to match my new place which is all black and white! Tryin to do the whole...classy grown up thing. ;)

The others:

Happy Holidays!

Arctic Theme: Fish World

2009-12-19T10:34:00.005-05:00

The new Arctic theme... just released! Background done in photoshop, and then the icons were all done in illustrator. Plus, new gifts to give to your friends around this holiday season! :)

Howdy, ya'll!

2009-12-15T09:15:00.005-05:00

So as you now know, I work on designing themes for Facebook's FISHWORLD game. Each theme has a main background, and prop images in vector.

Now, in the game, you can buy each item, resize it- and place it on the background to create your own unique scene.

This is the Wild West theme. I've posted just a few of the sample props...but there are usually about 12-15 per Theme. The style is something that HAS to be simpler...not many details, nor shading or gradients. Its a flash game, so the less effects and details (for the props only, the background is a GIF I believe) the faster and smoother the game runs.

Now, enough boring talk- and lets look at the art, shall we?! ;)

Can you believe it? AN UPDATE!!

2009-12-12T11:59:00.003-05:00

So yes, I know-- I've been gone for such a long time now- but I've been busy moving countries, moving into my own place, starting a new job...and having time to do art inbetween gets a little tough. Luckily, I work IN the art field. I'm currently working for FISHWORLD. A game on Facebook, as I'm sure many of you are aware of. I pretty much do art for this game (of course, I'm not the only one though-- I just started), random things here and there- including themes and backgrounds. This is one of them...the Rain forest. I will upload a bunch of other stuff later on in the week...but thought I should finally do an update. :)