tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881736927948620982023-11-16T07:57:21.489-05:00studio aliQuealik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-45039418260577034392015-02-18T17:11:00.001-05:002015-02-18T17:11:37.044-05:00how to draw a cute snail<div style="text-align: justify;">
the other day i needed to draw a soccer ball, and was having trouble figuring the pattern out, so i looked it up online, and found very clear instructions called <a href="http://artforkidshub.com/how-to-draw-a-soccer-ball/" target="_blank">"how to draw a soccer ball"</a>, which is what i had googled. i know i would have been criticized (to put it mildly) in art school for doing this but i am no longer in art school… plus, i really had no time and energy to sit down and sketch a soccer ball for who knows how long…</div>
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i also had to draw a snail. <i>that</i>, i know how to do:) i just love to draw these "gastropods" (had to google that too, obviously!), and i just created instructions for one of the ways i draw them. go ahead and copy if you like it, just as i copied the soccer ball!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP20axzF1iYOUXWRHn-eCLOwzSyt4iKYQsu_txDFKepXfnermuKsPsmIu9nooereMGyZVDjyJPfqq7B0hGRcs6gZdy8ydqrvC-KOpICTOUbFiYbIgal4LwzyWo9FZB18Gck9FBLuPMipD/s1600/howtodrawasnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP20axzF1iYOUXWRHn-eCLOwzSyt4iKYQsu_txDFKepXfnermuKsPsmIu9nooereMGyZVDjyJPfqq7B0hGRcs6gZdy8ydqrvC-KOpICTOUbFiYbIgal4LwzyWo9FZB18Gck9FBLuPMipD/s1600/howtodrawasnail.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">how to draw a snail</td></tr>
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and of course don't forget to color!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SJlFFf1yirbr7TwP0729sTWraJVGMT4DhffX_hxLgPE8bbyYzV6YEHZScKuKAIfx7QMHhIAS-Dp6WWfhX320wR0MatXm4kA_yDFOQMhNliEzW3gT97AcrWxYeL63Tx5JLhEaSr6iE5hn/s1600/snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SJlFFf1yirbr7TwP0729sTWraJVGMT4DhffX_hxLgPE8bbyYzV6YEHZScKuKAIfx7QMHhIAS-Dp6WWfhX320wR0MatXm4kA_yDFOQMhNliEzW3gT97AcrWxYeL63Tx5JLhEaSr6iE5hn/s1600/snail.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">happy gastropod</td></tr>
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you can share your snails on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/studioalique" target="_blank">facebook page</a> if you like!<br />
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D888173692794862098%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-Xc6xI6FGRsw%252FVOUMd4QUhKI%252FAAAAAAAABYg%252FAhUPwp72PdI%252Fs1600%252Fhowtodrawasnail.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 198px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 222px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D888173692794862098%23editor&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-Xc6xI6FGRsw%252FVOUMd4QUhKI%252FAAAAAAAABYg%252FAhUPwp72PdI%252Fs1600%252Fhowtodrawasnail.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 20px; left: 198px; opacity: 1; position: absolute; top: 222px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a></div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-70928167721520360912015-01-21T14:20:00.000-05:002015-01-21T14:23:33.709-05:00what i made today<div style="text-align: justify;">
happy new year!</div>
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it hasn't been very happy so far, as far as the world goes…</div>
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and it's no longer new, since it's been 3 weeks…</div>
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still, it's my first post of the year, so i hope the year 2015 will be a good one from now on.</div>
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in any case…here i am writing my first post of the year, after having read <a href="http://studioalique.blogspot.com/2013/02/it-finally-happened-i-have-blog.html" target="_blank">the first blog post i ever wrote </a>2 years ago, and i have the feeling i have forgotten what the purpose of this blog was: to make sure i make something everyday and share it with whoever is listening. for the past 3 months, i have been making so many things, yet i have kept them in my sketchbooks and laptop. not sure why - i probably didn't deem them important enough, or good enough, but that's not what it's all about. it's not just about the good things i've done, the great things i plan to do, the extraordinary things i dream about doing…it's about showing what i've done, whatever it is.</div>
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so here's what i made today. a small village of friendly houses. a place where everybody knows everybody.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU5Hytbe9T75_XzDRNW7JSYuWQS0gjqktRPVJBTfwpWLKlrNbucu1vewyOZ42AGFmFRbblxFUvoW2FlMuZ7URE52DSqlaxaaL0HtV__tOO-UVdKdQFyMv-6KLHx694bXwaKxh-FVSnXHu/s1600/01.21.15houses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU5Hytbe9T75_XzDRNW7JSYuWQS0gjqktRPVJBTfwpWLKlrNbucu1vewyOZ42AGFmFRbblxFUvoW2FlMuZ7URE52DSqlaxaaL0HtV__tOO-UVdKdQFyMv-6KLHx694bXwaKxh-FVSnXHu/s1600/01.21.15houses.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></div>
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i did not make any new year resolutions this year. but i will try to remember and share what i make, if not everyday, at least once a week. the truth is, i really like to know what you think about what i make:)</div>
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so let me know!</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-22229420959599225022014-10-24T13:23:00.001-04:002014-10-24T13:23:32.937-04:00dead fish swim<div style="text-align: justify;">
this morning at the playground my son saw small leaves floating in a puddle and said "mama, dead fish swim!". i just couldn't resist stealing this image from the beautiful brain of an 18 month old. i collected a few leaves and here are the dead fish swimming on my desk. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NRlO-_qVd-gAQFAPZcKdTIUDtCpJ02F5WpdWGkT81BGeXtPi-pzcB9tLTZD-ardUjnfwph3c0EozESFIrw6MQ225xHNblpH5FhM0IgS93W_hvJyLmMMn7LFFjkKrrDzv1U3woaMO6xu/s640/blogger-image-683715137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1NRlO-_qVd-gAQFAPZcKdTIUDtCpJ02F5WpdWGkT81BGeXtPi-pzcB9tLTZD-ardUjnfwph3c0EozESFIrw6MQ225xHNblpH5FhM0IgS93W_hvJyLmMMn7LFFjkKrrDzv1U3woaMO6xu/s320/blogger-image-683715137.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dead fish, gouache on leaves</td></tr>
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<br />i just wish i had more leaves!<br /><br />
and i hope no one will accuse me of plagiarism and give me a lecture on intellectual property.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-5559191004189259632014-10-20T22:41:00.003-04:002014-10-20T22:43:06.511-04:00the ballerina notebook<div style="text-align: justify;">
ok, i know this blog is about my work and not my life as a full-time mom (as if there was another kind). but it's 10 pm and only now i had the time to sit down and blog. so i hope you don't mind me saying blogging is the last thing i want to do now. why am i doing it? i remember i once said something very deep like <a href="http://studioalique.blogspot.com/2014/01/i-blog-therefore-i-am.html" target="_blank">"i blog therefore i am"</a> - there's too much pressure to keep sharing work, and i believe it's important for my so-called "career". there is also too much pressure to stay positive or at least sound positive, and that's even more exhausting. i personally don't believe anyone who says they're super-excited and grateful and happy 100% of the time. do you?</div>
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and this is where i stop being negative and tell you about my super-exciting way of life. yay!</div>
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there are so many projects bouncing around in my brain, that i had to separate them into little notebooks to keep my sanity. here's the bunch of them. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EPouISqISL4eSR_MxFKw7a2INgwOlJIhiZXg45b5AN0PuA8meQXRhHEljijPuH-9CWy_YUYD40tDrE9YvJ4wLC47ijHbH_K2-2SeLvz7Ga6q4B9ySSjQ5tHKTsJD8JPxSwb1LFs4EOcl/s1600/10-20-notebooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EPouISqISL4eSR_MxFKw7a2INgwOlJIhiZXg45b5AN0PuA8meQXRhHEljijPuH-9CWy_YUYD40tDrE9YvJ4wLC47ijHbH_K2-2SeLvz7Ga6q4B9ySSjQ5tHKTsJD8JPxSwb1LFs4EOcl/s1600/10-20-notebooks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">projects in progress</td></tr>
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the green notebook is the one devoted to my little ballerina character, which is based on my daughter, who would dance 24/7 if she was given the choice. it took me a while to get the hang of drawing a cute ballerina, as you can notice in the snapshots below. i decided to share the good, the bad, and the absolutely horrible, since i'm being very honest tonight.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfH-kqnmtePZoEaxSjpnQA8spIAk4V1hiSdUQ5KO4olOfhEy_pB8NgKOaFrCqoMrYvnQYn-3vp6JmaEXiCteqsWc3AMp-N-A7wM8QXmB9Fp3t5cObYgMsDLf4i6i5XtxVIjXOwO9EWX95/s1600/10-20-ballerina1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfH-kqnmtePZoEaxSjpnQA8spIAk4V1hiSdUQ5KO4olOfhEy_pB8NgKOaFrCqoMrYvnQYn-3vp6JmaEXiCteqsWc3AMp-N-A7wM8QXmB9Fp3t5cObYgMsDLf4i6i5XtxVIjXOwO9EWX95/s1600/10-20-ballerina1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">horrible</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l_Prv06lp1B-pgP5UilTVrVWGvXrv0GCDV-RsRMPawXAeAzbgxOgoAMm4-oonweB47nOpWLXFyUoZPeNPd9R1sbGUmdCMeLRq2NZwKDOtire8aprUfdqjVNBRkKvShkn_Jhdl5W5p87F/s1600/10-20-ballerina2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_l_Prv06lp1B-pgP5UilTVrVWGvXrv0GCDV-RsRMPawXAeAzbgxOgoAMm4-oonweB47nOpWLXFyUoZPeNPd9R1sbGUmdCMeLRq2NZwKDOtire8aprUfdqjVNBRkKvShkn_Jhdl5W5p87F/s1600/10-20-ballerina2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cute but pretty bad</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkC7J9l0fJpYraPzwnylHlwjwcVGLfv4KB_H1iYQeB9Kx9zg4pbYePHeLt3360msUqEfdlSdMBTsGVzz8JO81aCwWNcxfKRU0dFpKksp8k9a-t8nEPDbCQroVt_kS4HnSBI54mkfdEWl9s/s1600/10-20-ballerina3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkC7J9l0fJpYraPzwnylHlwjwcVGLfv4KB_H1iYQeB9Kx9zg4pbYePHeLt3360msUqEfdlSdMBTsGVzz8JO81aCwWNcxfKRU0dFpKksp8k9a-t8nEPDbCQroVt_kS4HnSBI54mkfdEWl9s/s1600/10-20-ballerina3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that's more like it</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeS95J1Y7QTzjRRxjhNhgeBF7E260RJIjcaFwUX3KuIXAvAP7v_8PophINkaJqjgfUrF3JbOhnyLsiMtVo8JNxqPByWEtrzhAmTL9OjA7kf5lQZB_FQjBe0ZEjj8ZmU3psPCTsovLVzJN/s1600/10-20-ballerina4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeS95J1Y7QTzjRRxjhNhgeBF7E260RJIjcaFwUX3KuIXAvAP7v_8PophINkaJqjgfUrF3JbOhnyLsiMtVo8JNxqPByWEtrzhAmTL9OjA7kf5lQZB_FQjBe0ZEjj8ZmU3psPCTsovLVzJN/s1600/10-20-ballerina4.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">getting to know her better</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLA2jZl_MlrHoDDvhVENB-kOH5N4e9UT_hAx7ktKOPzPsFqZ0DnJuOrfr1E-lc_wMwn7FaAD1a-9S6Qrf2yNGCSABXHnTKCkY6XGOLnzTlHB7f3RoKA5vqL5GI0CSArDL11jt6B8JweF_/s1600/10-20-ballerina5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLA2jZl_MlrHoDDvhVENB-kOH5N4e9UT_hAx7ktKOPzPsFqZ0DnJuOrfr1E-lc_wMwn7FaAD1a-9S6Qrf2yNGCSABXHnTKCkY6XGOLnzTlHB7f3RoKA5vqL5GI0CSArDL11jt6B8JweF_/s1600/10-20-ballerina5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fourth position mastered, or almost</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QCBzmeKTFf1yqyA2IZTqYXR1lAFbVkZJQG9n2XRPdvVP2npXFcEFozt4NtfUQPTPHk_K-NpP6kKmXrHifFfZKpubzzs01QRou32090WQmZip3-eGSrrMQHbkFCz4dsIUEiWFdzlukmP8/s1600/10-20-ballerina6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QCBzmeKTFf1yqyA2IZTqYXR1lAFbVkZJQG9n2XRPdvVP2npXFcEFozt4NtfUQPTPHk_K-NpP6kKmXrHifFfZKpubzzs01QRou32090WQmZip3-eGSrrMQHbkFCz4dsIUEiWFdzlukmP8/s1600/10-20-ballerina6.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">arabesque: feeling better about this</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IRePzLa44Nbfb3he3oJZgQrI30Y2PKX5lwo746Dl347FPWn1M1wp1TIRfozxJg6ISVTMnZD1Xa5ea9fc7MZBxMiDrq9_w9-whs_6Hw6t2tg2_OsxwXySpRPiPc-QjQkuhAPmmun0yu8_/s1600/10-20-ballerina7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IRePzLa44Nbfb3he3oJZgQrI30Y2PKX5lwo746Dl347FPWn1M1wp1TIRfozxJg6ISVTMnZD1Xa5ea9fc7MZBxMiDrq9_w9-whs_6Hw6t2tg2_OsxwXySpRPiPc-QjQkuhAPmmun0yu8_/s1600/10-20-ballerina7.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i feel like i know what i'm doing, sometimes</td></tr>
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i do have big dreams both for my daughter and this little character. both will need a lot of nurturing and a lot of my time. i only hope the best for them and i will do my best for them.</div>
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and in case you're curious about the other notebooks, i'm afraid you will have to wait until i recover from this post. i am being very honest, but even <i>that</i> is sounding a little gimmicky, isn't it? how was <i>that</i> for honesty?</div>
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good night. i'm tired. <i>100% honestly</i>.alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-72763466146764080552014-10-02T12:20:00.000-04:002014-10-02T12:25:58.784-04:00in case you were wondering what Little Fox is up to!<div style="text-align: justify;">
just in case you've been checking my <a href="http://studioalique.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">sketchbook</a>, you might have noticed i have been painting a lot of foxes and other cute creatures. so here's the story, in case you were wondering.<br />
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it's been that time of year again: the deadline to submit to the Illustrators Exhibition at the <a href="http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/en/home/878.html" target="_blank">Bologna Children's Book Fair</a> was fast approaching and i had nothing that met the submission specifications, so as usual i had to create something new. luckily i knew exactly what i wanted to illustrate: i had long been musing about telling different stories with different characters all happening on the same page. i chose to illustrate 5 Aesop fables, because they are simple, and because their characters are animals, and who doesn't like painting those? i focused on 5 fables which had the fox as the main character - i've been seeing foxes everywhere and wanted to come up with my own little fox.</div>
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a new restriction i imposed on myself - well, it's not really a restriction, since it's very liberating, as you will see - was that i would not draw the illustration first and paint over later, as has been my practice since forever. i find my paintings lack the spontaneity of my sketches, so i decided to start painting without the initial pencil drawing. of course i did have a rough sketch in front of me, but i was no longer just coloring my drawing. my brush was free to move around, and i did not mind when some lines were a little off. i felt this made my illustrations more lively and i learned not to obsess over small discrepancies.</div>
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in preparation for this new way of painting, i had to draw and paint my characters numerous times, to familiarize myself with them. below are some examples:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXnJ7iC0w3ZJsbnWt7JSckZ1dJzB1Gc1bQvbVs2BA5PSaKcjDBIy6e6J4CvR4jwnveIZlQDxAp2O-1IVStY82_h_p37ouMc68kfuUxNXFNgQ9UXtDIuES2tAcVwFXdTyyE4ZCGx9wYg15/s1600/10-02-fox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXnJ7iC0w3ZJsbnWt7JSckZ1dJzB1Gc1bQvbVs2BA5PSaKcjDBIy6e6J4CvR4jwnveIZlQDxAp2O-1IVStY82_h_p37ouMc68kfuUxNXFNgQ9UXtDIuES2tAcVwFXdTyyE4ZCGx9wYg15/s1600/10-02-fox.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PzcYWTx5v_dhhvHC8cxP-Td1TugTwk-tnoJgv_7oDF-tgWTzEVDT7Qys_rNr1Oh3Bbf_BmuY7WwF2dOIxYnzYKUH8TV5JET21_zY-LY_JDYcis5cysezKkRkWgYt4tACuGGuem64qFNM/s1600/10-02-foxcolor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PzcYWTx5v_dhhvHC8cxP-Td1TugTwk-tnoJgv_7oDF-tgWTzEVDT7Qys_rNr1Oh3Bbf_BmuY7WwF2dOIxYnzYKUH8TV5JET21_zY-LY_JDYcis5cysezKkRkWgYt4tACuGGuem64qFNM/s1600/10-02-foxcolor.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJiXymCUrljaLZlu10diPwDTJTfHWhXac4o73h2bY5GrhtI6zX5yB6qhsRhoKqQh0LV8eVDslcoPg79lt569LpgTld1G2jA5NJNP-LoUwxKhg57lBdMko-qXq1ymg7Im3uyrX2HDuJXnY/s1600/10-02-crow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJiXymCUrljaLZlu10diPwDTJTfHWhXac4o73h2bY5GrhtI6zX5yB6qhsRhoKqQh0LV8eVDslcoPg79lt569LpgTld1G2jA5NJNP-LoUwxKhg57lBdMko-qXq1ymg7Im3uyrX2HDuJXnY/s1600/10-02-crow.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpNykrxOE9oOYmgjBRDQ47m75nfKb_u6_EhKS7Mr4YdvmgpU8FDM8pM-LGZEIAtrFtyTV0LImKXrNZG1RTCcKVLvwmYKnYpV-5JcnJtU1NzeqYPlJWmc1vPWKX_KkBVLqyz8UfhPXInCN/s1600/10-02-dog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpNykrxOE9oOYmgjBRDQ47m75nfKb_u6_EhKS7Mr4YdvmgpU8FDM8pM-LGZEIAtrFtyTV0LImKXrNZG1RTCcKVLvwmYKnYpV-5JcnJtU1NzeqYPlJWmc1vPWKX_KkBVLqyz8UfhPXInCN/s1600/10-02-dog.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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once i felt ready, i placed my sketches on the wall above my desk and started painting. here's one of the sketches to show how rough they were:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjhL3dQsRLPCYcLsD87Hk6nnCAA8zU_74PRyq-8PYFuYW7NfvHfdzGvqf5tWtMvTjOdKXMTjP1pAoKOoKwFRQMccHDytoORacUue8LFLkT9bWyDCqamUyZ7Skcrm3ezxDjjiW_F2ckCcn/s1600/10-02fables-sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjhL3dQsRLPCYcLsD87Hk6nnCAA8zU_74PRyq-8PYFuYW7NfvHfdzGvqf5tWtMvTjOdKXMTjP1pAoKOoKwFRQMccHDytoORacUue8LFLkT9bWyDCqamUyZ7Skcrm3ezxDjjiW_F2ckCcn/s1600/10-02fables-sketch.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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and finally, below are the illustrations i submitted to the exhibition. each one focuses on the fable it tells (the fox always being the largest character illustrated), but the main event is surrounded with illustrations of what the other characters in the remaining or previous fables are up to (according to me, not Aesop:)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-45NJ-lIra-6sW_Y4o1yJGW6KVRHagDnhTl4v8uBnixr7SFiXozfDDvybksZuqKY70m4MVpuvMxF1trLFxYH7Wwh0V0I9ANKdfZqNIp2Y5ezl8Prmo6CJON5Aa_gWzeRs6BZFJuDJSwGw/s1600/fox-grapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-45NJ-lIra-6sW_Y4o1yJGW6KVRHagDnhTl4v8uBnixr7SFiXozfDDvybksZuqKY70m4MVpuvMxF1trLFxYH7Wwh0V0I9ANKdfZqNIp2Y5ezl8Prmo6CJON5Aa_gWzeRs6BZFJuDJSwGw/s1600/fox-grapes.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the fox and the grapes</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIkTXZvm1dZAASZLSy-HtqvuKTnzSisXqLxY8NJhiha5OcfFwwrpzu5KWHEwYPKvfjvw6r_2WKSlI7AzzU87jCU32BnVx4IE5UU5X-QFLsBD_imk2VkAjsSMXektzT5CMvPgBD_KWfbiE/s1600/fox-stork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIkTXZvm1dZAASZLSy-HtqvuKTnzSisXqLxY8NJhiha5OcfFwwrpzu5KWHEwYPKvfjvw6r_2WKSlI7AzzU87jCU32BnVx4IE5UU5X-QFLsBD_imk2VkAjsSMXektzT5CMvPgBD_KWfbiE/s1600/fox-stork.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the fox and the stork</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrybzT5mzhXyUgHk04iZ89JHWMMgC-t0pSvM7IbW9DHgwZDzShoy5nywP-zRO8n3z_m3E4YWFtSugM39W0QrFzLsaH33HTH49bTSX7K6c7yosSPhCrpbyD9pvUxNViapG928oreqe4ClS/s1600/fox-lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrybzT5mzhXyUgHk04iZ89JHWMMgC-t0pSvM7IbW9DHgwZDzShoy5nywP-zRO8n3z_m3E4YWFtSugM39W0QrFzLsaH33HTH49bTSX7K6c7yosSPhCrpbyD9pvUxNViapG928oreqe4ClS/s1600/fox-lion.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the fox and the lion</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFRMECHdls39nidqWa-d_UoROd0tF51phm2SNxdNaEOCctn6a96eWKIo_wuq_j-dnf0NMMlu7q2ZpVJ50KexsFodmyVbCXVeo41mO0LGDVmdrtYczuVhfQSF_i471FBVruOdYZrYOCVyu/s1600/fox-rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFRMECHdls39nidqWa-d_UoROd0tF51phm2SNxdNaEOCctn6a96eWKIo_wuq_j-dnf0NMMlu7q2ZpVJ50KexsFodmyVbCXVeo41mO0LGDVmdrtYczuVhfQSF_i471FBVruOdYZrYOCVyu/s1600/fox-rooster.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the fox and the rooster</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS946JXOlTn_c9KuaVVEMhkAqjKLrZCcGK8mMKDcGBScb6zR_axYzr3OjaxTk-iyJjHW6sY5jBMwiZHvmuvj_hkYZ0iKoV0WjKeiTg6hjjXA5BU3aaasOlBImrTeaQZLTLV746fHIGCQF/s1600/fox-crow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS946JXOlTn_c9KuaVVEMhkAqjKLrZCcGK8mMKDcGBScb6zR_axYzr3OjaxTk-iyJjHW6sY5jBMwiZHvmuvj_hkYZ0iKoV0WjKeiTg6hjjXA5BU3aaasOlBImrTeaQZLTLV746fHIGCQF/s1600/fox-crow.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the fox and the crow</td></tr>
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i have been submitting to Bologna every year with no exception for the past 10 years. it is a very prestigious show, and it would be amazing if i ever got in. but by now i am used to rejection, and don't hope for anything. that doesn't mean i stop trying, though. wish me luck this time!</div>
<br />alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-85975829030898888432014-09-10T13:32:00.000-04:002014-09-10T13:41:44.878-04:00no place like home<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
i am working on a personal project which i call "no place like home". i love to draw houses and i love to draw maps, so these drawings show houses and a street map, in which the streets lead nowhere else but home. no need to read too deep into this, i just like to draw these things.</div>
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i have been drawing, like so.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0Y_ovQh5SV88RBdeud7mmlMWR2R6BpWkdxY8YfIOZjRadsejPNSEzdiNFx-RwZyQscYvG5yqC6dBxLrLxQc1qKyMtr5o0zrgM_eiYAHuUB2cDrjnOcaPRetIf73VP9Jbgs3rkwsbzbwZ/s1600/nplhome-01-draw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0Y_ovQh5SV88RBdeud7mmlMWR2R6BpWkdxY8YfIOZjRadsejPNSEzdiNFx-RwZyQscYvG5yqC6dBxLrLxQc1qKyMtr5o0zrgM_eiYAHuUB2cDrjnOcaPRetIf73VP9Jbgs3rkwsbzbwZ/s1600/nplhome-01-draw.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">no place like home no.1 drawing</td></tr>
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and painting.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CDZEm_z1_pRBIMMALO02v8GpORz9JJRtmbxSCg4W75OaEsdyEjpxSymGq_fnNX148FYcnJwymDfgXyi-vkikCNJrIGWNYWMPiyUEft6vcxyW0uUl5I4pWAXLTXlST027yNLFUEUME2Ys/s1600/nplhome-01-paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-CDZEm_z1_pRBIMMALO02v8GpORz9JJRtmbxSCg4W75OaEsdyEjpxSymGq_fnNX148FYcnJwymDfgXyi-vkikCNJrIGWNYWMPiyUEft6vcxyW0uUl5I4pWAXLTXlST027yNLFUEUME2Ys/s1600/nplhome-01-paint.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no place like home no.1 painting</td></tr>
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i have been painting <i>and</i> drawing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOrdwgikfcNWVkVV9zv_UHVNBpe9tvmsFmpDkqmAeeUiyz9NgN7BRiilLvUBYr6n7LLChwMSgMcJAvB_5QI6XW9Yl1DA_zsR9dOWMnn5lrboG-Myjz1-ulIZVYR1zCoFZOy_3PqgxitcL/s1600/nplhome-01-drawpaint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOrdwgikfcNWVkVV9zv_UHVNBpe9tvmsFmpDkqmAeeUiyz9NgN7BRiilLvUBYr6n7LLChwMSgMcJAvB_5QI6XW9Yl1DA_zsR9dOWMnn5lrboG-Myjz1-ulIZVYR1zCoFZOy_3PqgxitcL/s1600/nplhome-01-drawpaint.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no place like home no.1 painting and drawing</td></tr>
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i have been "photoshoping" and "illustratoring".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUKqgxycVhs_pJtSv5D8vsOKPz-1_dmK6YVoxX8rqMGyT24CtKfHVHsgXPMmksA6xcgWu7dY57ueqhn3hbDhL_mwapMaez-nWBlHz-zl_9842ecWLJRyB3oTT5DTWyN1wwRagCCB1m01U/s1600/nplhome-01-photoshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUKqgxycVhs_pJtSv5D8vsOKPz-1_dmK6YVoxX8rqMGyT24CtKfHVHsgXPMmksA6xcgWu7dY57ueqhn3hbDhL_mwapMaez-nWBlHz-zl_9842ecWLJRyB3oTT5DTWyN1wwRagCCB1m01U/s1600/nplhome-01-photoshop.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no place like home no.1 in photoshop</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHuaaL8JIP3XpY9BKjt3UJgz_SgYC63E8kWjKFfVSkUJFrw9e_6ocKJ4gzprryf-HYAMXHPR9QibFwQOtGM3x2_9rnD70QooVTp6GghIK6-Yqk97mlTjOWaHJG8KqG9RGgdMr55qLY70e/s1600/nplhome-01-ill-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHuaaL8JIP3XpY9BKjt3UJgz_SgYC63E8kWjKFfVSkUJFrw9e_6ocKJ4gzprryf-HYAMXHPR9QibFwQOtGM3x2_9rnD70QooVTp6GghIK6-Yqk97mlTjOWaHJG8KqG9RGgdMr55qLY70e/s1600/nplhome-01-ill-web.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no place like home no. 1 in illustrator</td></tr>
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i like working in all those media and i am not sure which way to go. which one do <i>you</i> like best and why? these are not rhetorical questions, so please feel free to answer them. it goes without saying you can also feel free to ignore them, even though i would like to know what you think!</div>
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alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-39813225867761302092014-09-01T21:06:00.000-04:002014-09-01T21:10:46.741-04:00back to earth<div style="text-align: justify;">
so here i am as promised. had a great time and did not forget the suncream - and it was never cloudy!</div>
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before leaving, i had entered the <a href="http://lillarogers.com/global-talent-search/" target="_blank">Lilla Rogers Studio Global Talent Search 2014</a>. the assignment was to create a wall art piece with the theme "little terrariums", and the image had to contain at least one word. i loved the brief, and how it was packed with supporting material and guidance.<br />
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first thing i did: called our babysitter to make sure i had enough time to do my best.<br />
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and then the fun began. i spent the first day on visual research, a couple more days on drawing motifs, and then i scanned in everything and experimented with various photoshop brushes, until i found what i was looking for. i played with my drawings in illustrator, moved them around, designed the composition and figured out the colors. finally i worked in photoshop to add the desired texture. (one day i want to write about how working digitally has made my process so much more intuitive than when i used to paint like a medieval manuscript illuminator! )<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K9XEguZYRFim5G3YD6ea-cU5rrSh_AWbiLi-AVkHOka4OyhRDzRr491NeZnYm2S_FSEwepfvTx1aFPdv-XnEI_7ds4MwpwCXfZFotuDzSLXWDJ6CGKEMhl8f4Q0e68AX6EoucLTHdx5k/s1600/plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K9XEguZYRFim5G3YD6ea-cU5rrSh_AWbiLi-AVkHOka4OyhRDzRr491NeZnYm2S_FSEwepfvTx1aFPdv-XnEI_7ds4MwpwCXfZFotuDzSLXWDJ6CGKEMhl8f4Q0e68AX6EoucLTHdx5k/s1600/plants.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">plants (drawings)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaktEIPExTXAQ6Hb4zZDmpjXxzggvKQvFAzNVmjPbAro6gHZvwFPL9SNgl9eZaFy15pRGLlpfzaeU5zB-QU0jce0-iwgzPUu3G1cM6UyDgxwvs2oH-rRBlJU6lgl7TKrbPO_PAfE3RJvC_/s1600/2014terraium-icons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaktEIPExTXAQ6Hb4zZDmpjXxzggvKQvFAzNVmjPbAro6gHZvwFPL9SNgl9eZaFy15pRGLlpfzaeU5zB-QU0jce0-iwgzPUu3G1cM6UyDgxwvs2oH-rRBlJU6lgl7TKrbPO_PAfE3RJvC_/s1600/2014terraium-icons.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">plants ( illusatrator)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJyHHhYZclAgvUnsUd4wO3TqlkgasfS3pFt0wsonDhrg2t1av4D-0nCZGI3hfrrsDsRlxjoLXJ-bvIuhBn3ZK9-E2RCs_LdwcKFNrKpewu19CeujOl1MJFJLq30Ii73dhImFYvu1pSpA0/s1600/small-world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJyHHhYZclAgvUnsUd4wO3TqlkgasfS3pFt0wsonDhrg2t1av4D-0nCZGI3hfrrsDsRlxjoLXJ-bvIuhBn3ZK9-E2RCs_LdwcKFNrKpewu19CeujOl1MJFJLq30Ii73dhImFYvu1pSpA0/s1600/small-world.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">small world (photoshop)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i greatly enjoyed making this, was satisfied with my work, and waited for the results with anticipation. when i found out i hadn't made it to the second round i have to admit i was disappointed, but fortunately i did not have time to dwell on it because i was in a sunny place with my family, and frankly, nothing else mattered (except not forgetting the suncream!)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
make sure to take a look at the <a href="http://lillarogers.com/global-talent-search-semi-finalists-revealed/" target="_blank">beautiful work</a> of the 50 artists who were selected among the 999 from around the world. 5 will be selected and move to the finals. who do you think has got what it takes? not me, obviously!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
for me, it's back to earth, back to school, back to work, and back to my sketchbook.<br />
<br />
happy september!</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-39605374200685989772014-08-24T17:08:00.000-04:002014-08-24T17:08:05.569-04:00don't forget the suncream!going on a sunny vacation tomorrow. will write when i'm back.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUyz61K_vtzij2akKqXSfbJppUNtr3YyMahoGg37K7STujcE5yLRSDZC-CEjht19qcVgCvin7Ym9_q_esXKStM4L0TH6hhuZtMoNqfQjCXKBb5zcQ2QdocxzjAeL4QHZ9kLAgnYmHDszs/s1600/2014happysummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUyz61K_vtzij2akKqXSfbJppUNtr3YyMahoGg37K7STujcE5yLRSDZC-CEjht19qcVgCvin7Ym9_q_esXKStM4L0TH6hhuZtMoNqfQjCXKBb5zcQ2QdocxzjAeL4QHZ9kLAgnYmHDszs/s1600/2014happysummer.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is me. i wish i had red flipflops!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
stay well. make pretty things. and don't forget the suncream, of course.<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-45764707547364371662014-08-16T20:45:00.003-04:002014-08-16T20:57:15.163-04:00meet the royals<div style="text-align: justify;">
there are many things i'm not sure about, but one thing i know: i just love to make pictures. i'm happy when i make them, and sad when i don't, it's <i>that</i> simple.</div>
<br />
these faces had been waiting in my <a href="http://studioalique.tumblr.com/post/79755061107/the-royals" target="_blank">sketchbook</a> for far too long:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Fnpgw4CDqvs1QX3vE_389Xf-MjwDUVGdUnky1MAVHK20Kk5Zxf5R_R20gXP7_g3nYsB4ppCKhfVn-dAVP4sGo6pYkJql0qNT4MKourWMlVwaOxIitXhGlLHtZWpdxmg6EfHfGV686Hi/s1600/royals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Fnpgw4CDqvs1QX3vE_389Xf-MjwDUVGdUnky1MAVHK20Kk5Zxf5R_R20gXP7_g3nYsB4ppCKhfVn-dAVP4sGo6pYkJql0qNT4MKourWMlVwaOxIitXhGlLHtZWpdxmg6EfHfGV686Hi/s1600/royals.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
giving them color had been on my mind since the day i sketched them, and today i managed to do that in between all the dirty diapers, tantrums, fevers, and everything else that happens on a sunny saturday.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBo4DZuow0BLwIj1DIn55xxFhkhzI6ZMcW8uA69fB3oHFZ8_LxcGsvmYieJkk6t4Z0U6p7YOTAUlktVrF_pSR0hR621BCrqb3LiYFlfqD5j-D3r1ZrlYatCJG3a82eAh_rF8X6W1F4EbGE/s1600/the-royals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBo4DZuow0BLwIj1DIn55xxFhkhzI6ZMcW8uA69fB3oHFZ8_LxcGsvmYieJkk6t4Z0U6p7YOTAUlktVrF_pSR0hR621BCrqb3LiYFlfqD5j-D3r1ZrlYatCJG3a82eAh_rF8X6W1F4EbGE/s1600/the-royals.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
i even surprised myself and added another member to the family:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwq9T83-xbufTL8e2T0PWKYw2ge03bnNc9cACP6SyaQyXgRcPobMmPZk0F1d9BQFCKigD1kxhZFq7hLkLS3eXAkBRo0zVt7vMv8gj-K2J14bYeEBHSG7vtDxEXu6rnNeQImhcpYg7voZd/s1600/20140816royal-dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwq9T83-xbufTL8e2T0PWKYw2ge03bnNc9cACP6SyaQyXgRcPobMmPZk0F1d9BQFCKigD1kxhZFq7hLkLS3eXAkBRo0zVt7vMv8gj-K2J14bYeEBHSG7vtDxEXu6rnNeQImhcpYg7voZd/s1600/20140816royal-dog.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
not sure what's going to happen to them now, if anything. in any case, they will have to wait for a couple more months, at least.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>what's that?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>you're tired of waiting?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>well, that's too bad because i'm also tired. yesterday i walked out of the supermarket with my shopping bag waiting for me by the cash register. the other day i put my baby son's shorts on my 3.5 year old daughter. and i only stopped because she started laughing. so you will wait your turn, and i will get back to you when i can. believe me, i want to more than you can imagine:)</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
this was me, unedited. will post now before i start feeling silly.alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-21238594989401809732014-08-03T14:58:00.003-04:002014-08-03T15:41:14.961-04:00a very quick note about a quick challengetoday i had a few minutes to spare for one of my favorite activities: painting.<br />
first, i set myself these rules:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>no corrections, no layering</li>
<li>don't over think, be quick and intuitive, don't plan</li>
<li>share whatever the result, no judging</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
then i painted this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXEc6L5x5KKDh9uEWjk0JpSUSMTA512ftO8kD1zc3Gh-TVhdVRe7mA1QavG7Qi6-ocTUbNpnXbNORGrI_XJemY4jvdU5Eb0U1GbCUT0fsiAx23jLUnityccHthw0tJsVcDXgn0TvbBjOw/s1600/2014-08-03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXEc6L5x5KKDh9uEWjk0JpSUSMTA512ftO8kD1zc3Gh-TVhdVRe7mA1QavG7Qi6-ocTUbNpnXbNORGrI_XJemY4jvdU5Eb0U1GbCUT0fsiAx23jLUnityccHthw0tJsVcDXgn0TvbBjOw/s1600/2014-08-03.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW3Uan3gp8sFIe4Mhcn9JhGRcdU4RGhez8f-stQ6wvmVRXIb8Oy0uCqFP1VbUURs_u8pyE6caxJTFxZpQRKhWnH97TK4DIRRu625hhThJpu_Ah2kh6Zm6ov6XrHv04is57HZfgQ4pwL_6/s1600/2014-08-03detail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW3Uan3gp8sFIe4Mhcn9JhGRcdU4RGhez8f-stQ6wvmVRXIb8Oy0uCqFP1VbUURs_u8pyE6caxJTFxZpQRKhWnH97TK4DIRRu625hhThJpu_Ah2kh6Zm6ov6XrHv04is57HZfgQ4pwL_6/s1600/2014-08-03detail.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
this was fun and liberating.<br />
looking back, the black dots where a bad idea (i make the rules and it's ok to judge <i>after</i> it's done and shared. please feel free to judge!).alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-17129775691313150582014-06-25T17:31:00.000-04:002014-06-25T17:37:09.113-04:00without the blah blah blah<div style="text-align: justify;">
i know i haven't blogged for longer than it makes sense. don't have the time. not blogging defeats the purpose of having a blog, i know that too. just give me time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i recently overheard a young girl, she must have been around 7 or 8, walking through Harvard Yard with her parents, saying "i don't want to go to Harvard. i <i>do</i> want to go to a good school, but one, you know, without the blah blah blah…" that's a line i will never forget. there is too much blah blah blah in this world anyone can handle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
so without any more of that, here's what i recently did: five giant illustrations for my daughter's end of school year performance, each animal couple representing a class. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3ZOhNwuVI7PMqiRqQ4PZ-4OZAKFOvFKYaVQcLLospBhiRCGB_bOOpRLCgQCl16qSPAy7GHrqN7N19eC2YmE8e6qpvedf9v4rzYGNJACv7WRryexhGZ8LOTBKTZLoMrVlPQBBy3gyaeHF/s1600/2014-06-25crocodiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3ZOhNwuVI7PMqiRqQ4PZ-4OZAKFOvFKYaVQcLLospBhiRCGB_bOOpRLCgQCl16qSPAy7GHrqN7N19eC2YmE8e6qpvedf9v4rzYGNJACv7WRryexhGZ8LOTBKTZLoMrVlPQBBy3gyaeHF/s1600/2014-06-25crocodiles.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crocodile rock'n roll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheISIkNITMmkB7KkhqQBhyphenhyphenvbnho_lRh7UmAQLOeBxG3D4sWzhQOJam1pWYZSr4Wyay4p9-8XQnc0uHEc5-dhVsZEylZ8joQqTPycVWHhKVCmlA3WMlO3Gtt05ZkP4vU_pxte4ujwLXH-6g/s1600/2014-06-25elephants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheISIkNITMmkB7KkhqQBhyphenhyphenvbnho_lRh7UmAQLOeBxG3D4sWzhQOJam1pWYZSr4Wyay4p9-8XQnc0uHEc5-dhVsZEylZ8joQqTPycVWHhKVCmlA3WMlO3Gtt05ZkP4vU_pxte4ujwLXH-6g/s1600/2014-06-25elephants.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">elephant cha cha </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIqCNRYZ3HFjposdXAHRUjMRZOZRcn-nYLV1TO2oH5i4rq5L460hAvC7s_SNY37jSilyUM8qEvyQMTV1lgdFlBColroyAJgWnEsGiox4wImW3fC0OfCDCOcjPkrnZSY2lTZ8zToxN_p6v/s1600/2014-06-25giraffes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIqCNRYZ3HFjposdXAHRUjMRZOZRcn-nYLV1TO2oH5i4rq5L460hAvC7s_SNY37jSilyUM8qEvyQMTV1lgdFlBColroyAJgWnEsGiox4wImW3fC0OfCDCOcjPkrnZSY2lTZ8zToxN_p6v/s1600/2014-06-25giraffes.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">giraffe charleston</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgE5Sp69fa-HXkncAZTMHi3zgsN0yLzikI4qcgMAEegsN-f8IIuf0Hf9UwOtxBmkwvJ5r14rEmzyz6WxqoQVpa1T1TL4sHV8hqyFz8NXV50mfFMmhuQyMpG7FYknqiqSZlGapyGbVJtiT/s1600/2014-06-25lions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgE5Sp69fa-HXkncAZTMHi3zgsN0yLzikI4qcgMAEegsN-f8IIuf0Hf9UwOtxBmkwvJ5r14rEmzyz6WxqoQVpa1T1TL4sHV8hqyFz8NXV50mfFMmhuQyMpG7FYknqiqSZlGapyGbVJtiT/s1600/2014-06-25lions.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lion kochari (armenian circle dance)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDVbK_WF6a9e1btjWpzXF1-3ViPD4MTJvTUYgszOZEUCAkc5eA_t_6mycRoix5liZP7R6ZjqF35wAyFjw31edWC510DHxPqZJsV46066yoL3366nc9xXb-6IfZoTsojY8vaIdRtf6PdOv/s1600/2014-06-25monkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDVbK_WF6a9e1btjWpzXF1-3ViPD4MTJvTUYgszOZEUCAkc5eA_t_6mycRoix5liZP7R6ZjqF35wAyFjw31edWC510DHxPqZJsV46066yoL3366nc9xXb-6IfZoTsojY8vaIdRtf6PdOv/s1600/2014-06-25monkeys.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">monkey twist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i really enjoyed making them, working for hours in absolute silence without having to change a diaper, or feed, or talk, or smile.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
who knows when i will sit down for a minute and blog again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
please, do keep in touch and blah blah blah.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-84041306178391934162014-04-03T21:06:00.000-04:002014-04-03T21:52:36.012-04:00(the slow) march of the penguins...<div style="text-align: justify;">
before you start reading this brief post, please know that it was written over the course of 7 non-consecutive days. on the first day, i just managed to type the title. i later edited it on day 4. welcome to the secret life of mothers.</div>
<br />
<i>on day 2, here's what i typed:</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
when our daughter was born three years ago, like every new parent, we wanted to surround her with objects that would stimulate her, etc etc etc, and thought about getting these wonderful animal art cards by <a href="http://www.weegallery.com/" target="_blank">wee gallery</a>:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ4Tmhg-u8NBNNPRi4OSwMFKcJCzDOD368HPxWM77pyJScGIFhtsEp4ua7SOsFANjlNdzRoSQbo-PJqdw9txAtVnWUoruxoFalSCH0vUlKlI1IN7F_r5-sQzavEeiitNMVzwTLLqk7l8R/s1600/0331original-cards-tn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ4Tmhg-u8NBNNPRi4OSwMFKcJCzDOD368HPxWM77pyJScGIFhtsEp4ua7SOsFANjlNdzRoSQbo-PJqdw9txAtVnWUoruxoFalSCH0vUlKlI1IN7F_r5-sQzavEeiitNMVzwTLLqk7l8R/s1600/0331original-cards-tn.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">art cards for baby, original collection, by wee gallery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
but then i thought, why buy stuff when i can make stuff? so i painted these black and white animal friends for her on little white canvass boards. she loved them and so did our baby son, born 2 years later.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVBJtA48I_j1qN1W9HUr8nNrv3YFJao-YmCoQcZt3czoPFovwwuVQotQCy_EPRaKdaDg3AZwz2NN-qMQuYAMcerSkR3R-pcCSrWA-XS1sP-NHAA9f4Nc7XRFlZxsTr78GMMpA2grWk8wJ/s1600/0331-animalcards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVBJtA48I_j1qN1W9HUr8nNrv3YFJao-YmCoQcZt3czoPFovwwuVQotQCy_EPRaKdaDg3AZwz2NN-qMQuYAMcerSkR3R-pcCSrWA-XS1sP-NHAA9f4Nc7XRFlZxsTr78GMMpA2grWk8wJ/s1600/0331-animalcards.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">animal friends paintings, december 2010</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
he also got the art cards as a gift!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIN8d2tK2319ALSWd9mnr93YY3Dq36lF4oRR9orXVnk5yVNpgRor41KgQMl3hCrJ_WCk0Uhnc_d276xH2PB452mqMzvId9sU93VV5nfdTkXeh1nfZN9xh1cTugMh2LclQyP1-rFV-0xlC/s1600/0331-artcards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIN8d2tK2319ALSWd9mnr93YY3Dq36lF4oRR9orXVnk5yVNpgRor41KgQMl3hCrJ_WCk0Uhnc_d276xH2PB452mqMzvId9sU93VV5nfdTkXeh1nfZN9xh1cTugMh2LclQyP1-rFV-0xlC/s1600/0331-artcards.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weegallery.com/store/art-cards/" target="_blank">art cards for baby</a>, sea collection, by wee gallery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
but there was one little problem. he is crazy about penguins, and there were no penguins in the series. so i had to make one:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Zmw_f-vqCV2KeoKYXU-ZJBuPUUMvdY2OZbShvhnl4P09j7sHXmnKqou_FaAYHvWBm3i2Ss9Aj1fD6WmZSYGZEjlQI3cQgY6H87nzQAo2tj7YkfdGrjhZsOaZYjs8uXG6qmegn4VnKurk/s1600/0331penguin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Zmw_f-vqCV2KeoKYXU-ZJBuPUUMvdY2OZbShvhnl4P09j7sHXmnKqou_FaAYHvWBm3i2Ss9Aj1fD6WmZSYGZEjlQI3cQgY6H87nzQAo2tj7YkfdGrjhZsOaZYjs8uXG6qmegn4VnKurk/s1600/0331penguin.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">penguin in the snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>on day 3</i>, i took some of the photos that accompany this post. did not have time to upload.<br />
<br />
<i>on day 4</i>, i took the rest of the photos and managed to upload.<br />
<br />
<i>on day 5, this is what i wrote:</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
since he liked my penguin painting, i made these wall decals for him using black and yellow contact paper i bought at the hardware store. they will come off the wall easily once this penguin obsession is over:</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwL10HjrwQEQ0Xo8zz9tFXo582omLN8oJjfO8hexMENNs3I_3-UecSYhKdXXhSpcjp7LEQq-q0yZsSrayiVZNQcZMuTSMnwC9h4tGUTEXs3uF2bUOneG4QbwBAB_cljpkf2_vD-vn5iiX/s1600/0331-penguinsdecal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwL10HjrwQEQ0Xo8zz9tFXo582omLN8oJjfO8hexMENNs3I_3-UecSYhKdXXhSpcjp7LEQq-q0yZsSrayiVZNQcZMuTSMnwC9h4tGUTEXs3uF2bUOneG4QbwBAB_cljpkf2_vD-vn5iiX/s1600/0331-penguinsdecal.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">penguin wall decal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
the simple penguins were inspired from my <a href="http://studioalique.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">sketchbook</a>:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9rl7TnTh_bpysX9Pm0wyfKYwg5kty3a921w7rWj7hrD0jxeysii2LRhTnosM78bWAipBbauP27nHE8wlODpvBT5fyQ5GKIZTUkb-g380kI4oviy16zyviycrQCGWLb1hPQVgtJesULYM/s1600/0331-penguins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9rl7TnTh_bpysX9Pm0wyfKYwg5kty3a921w7rWj7hrD0jxeysii2LRhTnosM78bWAipBbauP27nHE8wlODpvBT5fyQ5GKIZTUkb-g380kI4oviy16zyviycrQCGWLb1hPQVgtJesULYM/s1600/0331-penguins.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">penguin happy, penguin sad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
the sketches above were also the starting point for a new pattern i developed in photoshop, which i entered in the <a href="http://designcompetition.tigerprint.uk.com/page/CONTESTS/contest/BlackandWhitePattern2014" target="_blank">Tigerprint Black and White Pattern Competition</a>, since it was the only black and white print i had on hand:</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75LQc4mKTyG8YWyDeFVeEESzYgxryhIesR4hQIXz9BpuMUHiMIsTGXQKu9fFK_jgsTAKFKsKKRMnyeyj1vPJOG4ffx-B0qcjt9v9qk-PbY42K5CaWRLIpJequyqSBjXyCZZKdm8wQJgv7/s1600/alikarzoumanian-penguins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75LQc4mKTyG8YWyDeFVeEESzYgxryhIesR4hQIXz9BpuMUHiMIsTGXQKu9fFK_jgsTAKFKsKKRMnyeyj1vPJOG4ffx-B0qcjt9v9qk-PbY42K5CaWRLIpJequyqSBjXyCZZKdm8wQJgv7/s1600/alikarzoumanian-penguins.jpg" height="400" width="273" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i>on day 6, i typed a few more sentences:</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i've been trying to blog since morning, but teething toddlers are too demanding. so i'm speed-typing this at as he tries to bring down the floor lamp. the last manifestation of our penguin obsession was this simple birthday cake i made for him. not sure he even noticed it:</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelL2nhmpxXcXeBaykPB6DD3IqCg1Jh2GAazWQpTArqtR6rMnvB4FUqKBn2ZoYL-cNmkggTVC8u-wZ0DDQVkBlWQ9HPGnOp-z4x0dYqRzX2E3DlEoXquaQqRp2c7XHR_NJnzRQJsiDIsJ9/s1600/0331-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelL2nhmpxXcXeBaykPB6DD3IqCg1Jh2GAazWQpTArqtR6rMnvB4FUqKBn2ZoYL-cNmkggTVC8u-wZ0DDQVkBlWQ9HPGnOp-z4x0dYqRzX2E3DlEoXquaQqRp2c7XHR_NJnzRQJsiDIsJ9/s1600/0331-cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<i>on day 7</i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
did she rest? of course not! added all the links, made final edits, and will hopefully publish momentarily.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
as i said before: welcome to the secret life of mothers, where time stretches and flies at the same time.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-57658465510824382672014-03-18T14:20:00.000-04:002014-03-18T17:21:18.139-04:00of rooftops and pickle jars<div style="text-align: justify;">
do you remember <a href="http://studioalique.blogspot.com/2014/02/with-little-help-from-my-friends.html" target="_blank">the metaphoric safe </a>i had stored all my work in? it just burst open! in a nutshell: i decided it's better to share my work than to sit on it. so i started a <a href="http://studioalique.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">tumblr sketchbook</a>, which i have been updating with a doodle everyday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
so what happened? first, common sense. who's going to care that i am making things if i don't show them to anyone? second, i came across this book by <a href="http://austinkleon.com/" target="_blank">austin kleon</a>, "show you work", in which, among many others, i found this motivating quote by <a href="http://danharmon.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">dan harmon</a>:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"find your voice, shout it from the rooftops, and keep doing it until the people that are looking for you find you."</span></b></blockquote>
i am currently working on patterns with fruits, and here are some oranges from my <a href="http://studioalique.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">sketchbook</a>:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdWmwIQRXsh6IiDY0xzinZXlETkUus6Z40Ku3zX36qyvScAKkaGnGn5OR-wwbtVUvOvum2zWux33n0yed4v_0BMMAyxJdCIJxv5m95Rs45WGqy-t9IVCElN5O4A31bMA1XzgqhyphenhyphenAmwIDs/s1600/oranges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdWmwIQRXsh6IiDY0xzinZXlETkUus6Z40Ku3zX36qyvScAKkaGnGn5OR-wwbtVUvOvum2zWux33n0yed4v_0BMMAyxJdCIJxv5m95Rs45WGqy-t9IVCElN5O4A31bMA1XzgqhyphenhyphenAmwIDs/s1600/oranges.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">oranges</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
when a person doesn't make use of something they own, in armenian we ask them, "are you making pickles with it?" if i don't want my oranges to become pickled ones, i'd better shout them from my rooftop.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
shouting from the rooftops.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
throwing out of the pickle jar.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
bursting the safe open.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
just <a href="http://austinkleon.com/show-your-work/" target="_blank">show your work</a>!</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-6041403540504498822014-03-07T22:37:00.000-05:002014-03-07T22:41:10.182-05:00great news!<div style="text-align: justify;">
yes, i have great news to share! and no, it's not another baby. or maybe it is. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
so here it is: my submission to the <a href="http://uppercasemagazine.com/" target="_blank">UPPERCASE magazine</a> surface pattern design guide was accepted! it means my designs will be published in the magazine i can't stop reading and looking at! every page of it unravels a new treasure, and now my work will be on one of those pages!!!! these might seem like too many exclamation marks, but given how happy i am, they're not even close!!!!!!!!!!</div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://uppercasemagazine.com/surfacepattern?mc_cid=50dd2f72da&mc_eid=f3f512b8ae" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J8YObHAEtJYgAdq2Xf0OWDYWJ7jgexVjzxOlNbtX0yEYdIEdNb4DPp9gAqN-N1KXsc3hft92cci_pY5TwGWf2dKCduHRoi2L0B_fs9iLYl4cTOV0z7EetJYX19NodOzY-uF-8Q5590xy/s1600/030614SurfacePatternCover-web.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cover courtesy of Uppercase magazine. cover art by <a href="http://www.janavellana.com/" target="_blank">Jan Avellana</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
what's more: i will be in amazing company. in addition to the other 99 designers who were selected, there will be expert advice from <a href="http://lillarogers.com/" target="_blank">Lilla Rogers</a>, <a href="http://www.teneues.com/shop-us/index.php" target="_blank">teNeues publishing</a>, <a href="http://www.printpattern.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Print and Pattern</a>, and my design hero, <a href="http://jansdotter.com/" target="_blank">Lotta Jansdotter</a>, to name a few.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i honestly can't wait to get my copy. i know it will be packed with valuable information, it will be beautifully designed, and it will be a great read. to find out more about the issue, you can watch the video below where the editor, publisher, and designer Janine Vangool discusses its content, and also shares great tips on how to stand out in the crowd in surface pattern design. and apparently, i have a point of view. watch the video, you'll see what i mean.</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/88447232" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
and here comes the best part! consider yourself lucky to have read this: you can use the code "USPDG2014" and get a $15 discount off your subscription. just go <a href="http://shop.uppercasemagazine.com/collections/subscribe/products/subscription-starting-with-21-april-2014?mc_cid=50dd2f72da&mc_eid=f3f512b8ae" target="_blank">here</a>. you will not regret it.<br />
<br />
so how was this for great news? it's wonderful news, if you ask me. minus the sleepless nights.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-39374171317337411942014-02-07T20:28:00.003-05:002014-02-07T20:28:58.039-05:00with a little help from my friends<div style="text-align: justify;">
last time we spoke, i was painting coffee. i still am, and it has become an addiction. but i'm not going to show any. why? it turns out i shouldn't be showing so much of my work. why? because clients prefer work that has not been seen before. i found out about this recently when i entered the <a href="http://www.minted.com/julep/2014/01/28/together-again-minted-west-elm-art-challenge/" target="_blank">together again: minted+west elm design challenge</a>. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
now, did you like my introduction? was it subtle enough? i don't think so. please, if you have the time and desire, <a href="http://www.minted.com/designer/studioalique" target="_blank">please do check my entries, and if you like them, please do vote for them</a>! thank you!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i don't want to make you regret you read this post and wasted your time, so here's a little example of my current work. just a tiny little example, the rest is in a waterproof, airtight, insulated, bolted safe.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5acD5I_MJzN6M9cxPOo3EbBddJIPZ56l5Kpe4oYsnVlgTH9BQZHCpsTDBA7gcw5gvRMd_GCFqk5GPCaDAI-vB5WFQq9HVdNbADX2XZtzDzC-jkd0wcY3o77km5bEiFwpFOLe4us5C4pD0/s1600/garden1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5acD5I_MJzN6M9cxPOo3EbBddJIPZ56l5Kpe4oYsnVlgTH9BQZHCpsTDBA7gcw5gvRMd_GCFqk5GPCaDAI-vB5WFQq9HVdNbADX2XZtzDzC-jkd0wcY3o77km5bEiFwpFOLe4us5C4pD0/s1600/garden1.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dream garden, gouache on paper, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />(and please, please, <a href="http://www.minted.com/designer/studioalique" target="_blank">do vote</a>!)<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-31327240820443499092014-01-23T09:05:00.000-05:002014-01-23T09:13:41.309-05:00i blog therefore i am<div style="text-align: justify;">
yes, i am still around. getting more philosophical by the day - i have to, if i need to accept that for the time being, 95% of my creativity (or whatever's left of it), will be spent on how to make my 10 month old sit down for longer than 2 minutes.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
yes, i do exist. even as a shadow of myself. even if i don't feel great. nothing life threatening, but i am slowly convalescing from a hyperactive thyroid which, as it turns out, was the reason, why, well...i haven't felt great lately.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i am at our kitchen table (as opposed to my desk) around which most of my life revolves lately, and i am slowly realizing it's not a bad thing, after all. i remember having read an essay by an armenian writer (or rather my grandfather reading it to us as he did every sunday afternoon, oh, happy days), who was forced to write in the kitchen. and he noticed that the armenian word for kitchen (khoh-a-nots) contains the word "khoh" in it, which means "thought". so here's where thoughts are peeled, deconstructed, chopped, mixed, simmered, and savored. and here's where my idea for the coffee paintings took shape:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>since a day doesn't go by where i don't wake up and make myself an espresso, i should not let a day go by without painting a cup of coffee.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
well, i haven't really stuck to it (the painting part of it, obviously), but i am doing my best, considering.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
here are a few of the many i have been painting over the past month. i do have a plan for these guys. but first i must be able to leave this kitchen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9CoL46rAT-SzyehZ-IxvO2zIVW_h3RTlh79wZgCTbsC4UOVMmFlCD7n2h602vjDStLvkS7uMK15-6wbPeCccHLyyms4YbV2KzrTlgSTctrJrBGHuwjiftSjlP_x_2f1RzuN5H9YdABrq/s1600/coffee-painting-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9CoL46rAT-SzyehZ-IxvO2zIVW_h3RTlh79wZgCTbsC4UOVMmFlCD7n2h602vjDStLvkS7uMK15-6wbPeCccHLyyms4YbV2KzrTlgSTctrJrBGHuwjiftSjlP_x_2f1RzuN5H9YdABrq/s1600/coffee-painting-5.jpg" height="320" width="171" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml1AwtFT697EH4qYvXTu6CBmoTXuttuVzSj0mkbK8Uh57QPAfx374sl-0PxSsrot7uO24Az2JaC8k1JJivEN4DFh6LPSMun7cvtpo4CAZ461DzuD3IyZGth5QcgalY0Sjq1HidPLkr4pW/s1600/coffee-painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml1AwtFT697EH4qYvXTu6CBmoTXuttuVzSj0mkbK8Uh57QPAfx374sl-0PxSsrot7uO24Az2JaC8k1JJivEN4DFh6LPSMun7cvtpo4CAZ461DzuD3IyZGth5QcgalY0Sjq1HidPLkr4pW/s1600/coffee-painting.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></div>
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enjoy your coffee. enjoy your day.</div>
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<br />alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-77203598482597608482013-12-06T11:49:00.001-05:002013-12-06T13:01:08.093-05:00a matter of time<div style="text-align: justify;">
i don't know much about the theory of relativity, but my perception of the time i spend working/creating seems very relative to me. here's my observation: when you're a work-at-home parent, the time you can spend on work is short. so each project seems to take longer. obviously you're spending the same amount of total time to accomplish a given task, but the increments are so small that time seems to stretch. so you have less time, but spend the same amount of time, and then feel like you're spending more time. how is that for relativity?</div>
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i came to this realization recently, when i made this tiny painting for a friend who needed it for a school fundraiser. each picture below was taken on a different day.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETTzICaLx6OX8jC2Y6uFg9ZjA04sp4hRcFjt-aSkba5ignwQrZCpQJtGJTXnQ_6gl5U6BemgchZK0LaCIsoDwWTFI3tXcYT8tjNqBBdJd9FNhTPiQfLDUTwoxP-jHsYSwPQRwmWa8sIp1/s1600/12-6-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETTzICaLx6OX8jC2Y6uFg9ZjA04sp4hRcFjt-aSkba5ignwQrZCpQJtGJTXnQ_6gl5U6BemgchZK0LaCIsoDwWTFI3tXcYT8tjNqBBdJd9FNhTPiQfLDUTwoxP-jHsYSwPQRwmWa8sIp1/s320/12-6-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 1: sketch</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u9KdS3tEQmRhTlnNg0Vs7WbZMh7cBd9sj-fHuRC01hN1JmyyBQx6GNeqyBg18WCmT5y9R70FQCSRaPZT3rBAqTcwBnRAAuHWtIeSgAFiYQliabpa1SN3VI4EYnuiYUhVDZyH3sk4GQa_/s1600/12-6-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u9KdS3tEQmRhTlnNg0Vs7WbZMh7cBd9sj-fHuRC01hN1JmyyBQx6GNeqyBg18WCmT5y9R70FQCSRaPZT3rBAqTcwBnRAAuHWtIeSgAFiYQliabpa1SN3VI4EYnuiYUhVDZyH3sk4GQa_/s320/12-6-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 2: color palette</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYJKQllSi1F4qNqMBc9pOiFOd7uaALjlm29lHF1V3pGlTJg7g3ZAK_fxsWXYO1_4QuZXAowee3LVQ8GEjZ8_8DiSUaNjr5fF5qGknpiNZGKPkDLEDoERY2XCdOfpXNZgWgssSSNEwsDLa/s1600/12-6-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYJKQllSi1F4qNqMBc9pOiFOd7uaALjlm29lHF1V3pGlTJg7g3ZAK_fxsWXYO1_4QuZXAowee3LVQ8GEjZ8_8DiSUaNjr5fF5qGknpiNZGKPkDLEDoERY2XCdOfpXNZgWgssSSNEwsDLa/s320/12-6-03.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 3: start painting</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsLZe7KcZBiDPd_V1q2mywHL188cXAiLj7jSbhATV9M1CEeYZHLJ-tfW0Xy-zsJEyeYqbvVVyenIsZyotDFcE5bNVJ1tpv_ItBwurCXhbm0-O7kSwZ3w3oXXn2Okh1F7Idi3O4v25JmPJ/s1600/12-6-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsLZe7KcZBiDPd_V1q2mywHL188cXAiLj7jSbhATV9M1CEeYZHLJ-tfW0Xy-zsJEyeYqbvVVyenIsZyotDFcE5bNVJ1tpv_ItBwurCXhbm0-O7kSwZ3w3oXXn2Okh1F7Idi3O4v25JmPJ/s320/12-6-04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 4</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHch3fvilkwRZqOruS_jXFr8Cv8iT_hyphenhyphenmP6o0r4UMtQ8K4pfAABuAAO9nn8tBeyTK1Z84lyQSpKQg6zvEffFdCB9XAqlIwSeJGp3muLbHUZokn_f3hLrWirNg7B60V2xQQtFCgW2XOq9Kb/s1600/12-6-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHch3fvilkwRZqOruS_jXFr8Cv8iT_hyphenhyphenmP6o0r4UMtQ8K4pfAABuAAO9nn8tBeyTK1Z84lyQSpKQg6zvEffFdCB9XAqlIwSeJGp3muLbHUZokn_f3hLrWirNg7B60V2xQQtFCgW2XOq9Kb/s320/12-6-05.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 5</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4pWktzQ9_OLWmVZEyVDGpmIkYq-hYmsHtutHwM4CMsC9ZtQUgLv-35VjovR4BtTpo52-SvGiShKD5UYktTQ7jiOojyPcdOiqvnzd3BDujEd_D4w1ZlkNrcyEUbz6mqAJVn7JIzVUPZQ8/s1600/12-6-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4pWktzQ9_OLWmVZEyVDGpmIkYq-hYmsHtutHwM4CMsC9ZtQUgLv-35VjovR4BtTpo52-SvGiShKD5UYktTQ7jiOojyPcdOiqvnzd3BDujEd_D4w1ZlkNrcyEUbz6mqAJVn7JIzVUPZQ8/s320/12-6-06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf_ajCM2lB-n3fd_NmoP7cmNEzeUIDqTwVCpHbGTKf0fzGs1M4ilgq3-5dnVxznTFVQpAi-v0xXcd91JWlhFEluuot7T_ApoOH2I4nE_vy6uVQP9Aeemm76SRKp3vzCWtyQB6N2rGeD4A/s1600/12-6-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf_ajCM2lB-n3fd_NmoP7cmNEzeUIDqTwVCpHbGTKf0fzGs1M4ilgq3-5dnVxznTFVQpAi-v0xXcd91JWlhFEluuot7T_ApoOH2I4nE_vy6uVQP9Aeemm76SRKp3vzCWtyQB6N2rGeD4A/s320/12-6-07.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">day 7: done!</td></tr>
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i am still confused about time, though...does it really stretch when you have kids? or does it fly? which one is it? maybe both? neither?</div>
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or maybe there's just no such thing as time…hmmm…i don't really care as long as i can make time for painting.<br />
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alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-10206921301425063432013-11-10T18:53:00.000-05:002013-11-10T18:54:52.377-05:00i've gotta do what i've gotta do...<div style="text-align: justify;">
warning: this post will be pure and shameless self-promotion (well, the whole concept of a personal blog is self-promotion in a way, but you know what i mean).</div>
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if, unlike me, you're the proud owner of a member of the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Galaxy families, (or know someone who is), and would like to dress them up for the holidays (or would simply like to know what i am so excited about), you can now check out <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/alik-arzoumanian.html" target="_blank">my collection</a> for the amazing <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/" target="_blank">Keka</a> cases.</div>
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here are my favorites (all images courtesy of Keka):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JAoP1vzTK7Po3x7ufP9N7BHANjb6JZKatGGPQfXwr8Nsh6_8z8R3LTucylO300pbJle792sHNkFE7PtZ5vAonJIR7IIWJ28WU16Q4RmlSAv82x_M5Gidb1idas70o0ZM9cC7K9NLe3KT/s1600/111013-flower.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JAoP1vzTK7Po3x7ufP9N7BHANjb6JZKatGGPQfXwr8Nsh6_8z8R3LTucylO300pbJle792sHNkFE7PtZ5vAonJIR7IIWJ28WU16Q4RmlSAv82x_M5Gidb1idas70o0ZM9cC7K9NLe3KT/s320/111013-flower.jpeg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrr9L2kKd-sBoDBqQfL2afN3CN6syHHQkkqrT8nLbJqlRjoomyHD0PJ1qiCRw0-LQ8kaN51yvJnYvvC5v-T_HjBQK9_1HTCUBxJRZL__vINLSzBR98SMemhq_gWPhRtcyWwWQQmx3vIYU/s1600/111013-peppers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrr9L2kKd-sBoDBqQfL2afN3CN6syHHQkkqrT8nLbJqlRjoomyHD0PJ1qiCRw0-LQ8kaN51yvJnYvvC5v-T_HjBQK9_1HTCUBxJRZL__vINLSzBR98SMemhq_gWPhRtcyWwWQQmx3vIYU/s320/111013-peppers.jpeg" width="219" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGta1dKp9p-tpAh9sMcx2MzuqcOODpaxGz1_vW-lo2euEKHjYLvco1DfAURTC1J3VbfIAc8cWpQikvyxhngWLCSKQY3vlvsgX6_-8_1Mba-w6n9Z968K-NyomjIHPS5kTtQSZzTG6usSeo/s1600/111013-umbrella.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGta1dKp9p-tpAh9sMcx2MzuqcOODpaxGz1_vW-lo2euEKHjYLvco1DfAURTC1J3VbfIAc8cWpQikvyxhngWLCSKQY3vlvsgX6_-8_1Mba-w6n9Z968K-NyomjIHPS5kTtQSZzTG6usSeo/s320/111013-umbrella.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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do <i>you</i> have a favorite?<br />
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i am currently working on new designs, is there something you would like to see?<br />
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and in case my designs are not your style, you can check out the collections of fellow designers <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/esther-cox.html" target="_blank">Esther Cox</a>, <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/kathryn-pledger.html" target="_blank">Kathryn Pledger</a>,<a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/simi-gauba.html" target="_blank"> Simi Gauba</a>, <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/nicole-tamarin.html" target="_blank">Nicole Tamarin</a>, <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/onneke-van-waardenburg.html" target="_blank">Onneke</a>, <a href="http://www.kekacase.com/designer-cases/zoe-attwell.html" target="_blank">Zoe Attwell</a>, among many, many others. it's such a diverse group of designers, there is something for everyone!</div>
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end of self-promotion. done.alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-45503462343895439962013-10-03T21:11:00.000-04:002013-10-03T21:16:01.916-04:00other than pasta<div style="text-align: justify;">
it's been so long that i thought i wouldn't be able to log in. so, what do i have to say for myself? not much, except that i have been absent online, only because i have been present 24/7 offline. i hope you would agree that cultivating my real self (and its little dependents) is more important than embellishing the virtual one. even if "cultivating" means mainly "feeding". somebody's got to do it, and doing it right is a full-time job. having said that, i always try to make some time to make something other than supper. here's what i did lately: my submissions to the<a href="http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it/en/illustrators-exhibition/1032.html" target="_blank"> bologna children's book fair illustrators' exhibition</a> which i enter every year hoping this will be the year when someone thinks my work is worth showing.</div>
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the series is called "rainy days" and it had been on my mind for a while.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUurNWjLuchpFnzHAYdxV4qlxB2TMVEsPsKctcUNnjvPmUJhLw5Jtn5bZ_0EG7xF5k-NGMUv-ARGr76AqTAzYii-S_5bpSlyTtd2n-kQxZBAYmsEVNC3Ta9HPqc03-pUqwTgwdxPCsR3S/s1600/rainydays1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUurNWjLuchpFnzHAYdxV4qlxB2TMVEsPsKctcUNnjvPmUJhLw5Jtn5bZ_0EG7xF5k-NGMUv-ARGr76AqTAzYii-S_5bpSlyTtd2n-kQxZBAYmsEVNC3Ta9HPqc03-pUqwTgwdxPCsR3S/s400/rainydays1.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">car</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U_Cnztb5ai6avvN19YKrMlWD9eDScFEafKgYcFclhXtgC_lFySpPBG8RSEIq5-P0aaPbuJ-1bECqDiYeCvanSKQSDqZPvySon79g9C64Ih17my82YiEdymcjCmCW0Z1qg1g4bvOn-Ndz/s1600/rainydays2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U_Cnztb5ai6avvN19YKrMlWD9eDScFEafKgYcFclhXtgC_lFySpPBG8RSEIq5-P0aaPbuJ-1bECqDiYeCvanSKQSDqZPvySon79g9C64Ih17my82YiEdymcjCmCW0Z1qg1g4bvOn-Ndz/s400/rainydays2.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTvTzA7A3sVPn5HIWo1mpHy56hbmV6TYQafNSARcPDSaWejQuRwFO8ztwDVVmCHzRqfs94VTpJtqhHSwrCSppJjh0nrgYkHQOuaO0AFGZWaMhGuA55iWciPanO5Q7WknHEyHlQJOov1C_/s1600/rainydays3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTvTzA7A3sVPn5HIWo1mpHy56hbmV6TYQafNSARcPDSaWejQuRwFO8ztwDVVmCHzRqfs94VTpJtqhHSwrCSppJjh0nrgYkHQOuaO0AFGZWaMhGuA55iWciPanO5Q7WknHEyHlQJOov1C_/s400/rainydays3.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">turtle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpflVCFfCYUssC9iRgNrY76W3EbwngXYgnOQqwQET2_Hc4vzNJZczJzCOOgbs7cMjrwDoojSjh0-X6mukOgbashT2Di68xzI3_Zq8xDAFjUVY4Pn-63AV8A72oFbEz-M6ZrMJnC8YSEwd/s1600/rainydays4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpflVCFfCYUssC9iRgNrY76W3EbwngXYgnOQqwQET2_Hc4vzNJZczJzCOOgbs7cMjrwDoojSjh0-X6mukOgbashT2Di68xzI3_Zq8xDAFjUVY4Pn-63AV8A72oFbEz-M6ZrMJnC8YSEwd/s400/rainydays4.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51EEtUGUyiAnmmlriR2BQKf8g3vs0eGipOP-AzzML0J-tbAjBXpKvZypCmQ79XBnHMAoNDWhaYb3GF3bcNLa8-0VI40_BrK9Gb65MLbrlC4P2mTvoG_pGx8pzFTVqpITkycBmR0AWh34n/s1600/rainydays5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51EEtUGUyiAnmmlriR2BQKf8g3vs0eGipOP-AzzML0J-tbAjBXpKvZypCmQ79XBnHMAoNDWhaYb3GF3bcNLa8-0VI40_BrK9Gb65MLbrlC4P2mTvoG_pGx8pzFTVqpITkycBmR0AWh34n/s400/rainydays5.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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are they any good? i like them, otherwise i wouldn't submit and share them, obviously.</div>
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i am not sure when i will be back online. hopefully soon. when i make something i like. other than pasta. </div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-53033988072385744552013-08-16T16:19:00.000-04:002013-08-16T20:54:07.408-04:00the piece of paper that traveled far and wide<div style="text-align: justify;">
dinner is almost ready (leftovers and rice), babies are napping(still), i made coffee (decaf is a poor substitute, but otherwise my baby will go nuts), and i can finally write about what i did earlier today.</div>
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years ago, when i was going through yet another "creatively challenged" period, i decided to try painting on paper grocery bags. i cut a piece out and sewed a border around it. i am not sure why i did that, i remember enjoying the meditative state trying to sew a straight line put me in. i made only one of those and had no idea what to paint on it. so my useless exercise in trying something new made me creatively stuck, a level or two below that of being challenged. but i liked the look and feel of that small brown rectangle, and didn't have the heart to throw it away. and i always kept it near me just in case inspiration struck. so the piece of paper was in one of the many boxes that waited with us for my husband's student visa before moving to england. it was in my carry-on bag on the plane to london. it stayed in my sketchbook for a year and a half, returned with us to boston, still in the sketchbook until our daughter was born. it moved from one sketchbook to the next, from one apartment to the other. it's been on my desk between pieces of scrap paper since our son was born. and today as i was getting ready to take a mini-brain-vacation and paint, it stuck its tiny corner out, as if saying "hey!". luckily for the recycled piece of paper, my daughter had hidden my ruler, and i wasn't able to measure and cut the usual small rectangular piece from my bristol pad, so i thought "whatever", and painted this.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieg6zbj8Dc2hrfDl5YIr4l2-QYo2WZIIT5Byw7TlySYFr7CIE0EDa9n2QN-VAF6DAYMWEjRcTzVY2S4lI0p7Tb1BI5RZnMWCWn9iQH9HbcinsttMw0reP4v6PZlXjDHtXJa4dFvs3Y5A-/s1600/0816-front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieg6zbj8Dc2hrfDl5YIr4l2-QYo2WZIIT5Byw7TlySYFr7CIE0EDa9n2QN-VAF6DAYMWEjRcTzVY2S4lI0p7Tb1BI5RZnMWCWn9iQH9HbcinsttMw0reP4v6PZlXjDHtXJa4dFvs3Y5A-/s400/0816-front.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bag painting - front</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaZ_WVhzxXWnkDLmoP1sKSi1uaaynFRqIlEH_6iRX4tiQe8ChNxEWbnBc6oDOXREuoORjSy9oltNFSezf1xX7Fh7LTmXa9XFFUCHjWaIN_g977-qUSNd46MstpEGYxBklCOsDijEUU8qd/s1600/0816-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaZ_WVhzxXWnkDLmoP1sKSi1uaaynFRqIlEH_6iRX4tiQe8ChNxEWbnBc6oDOXREuoORjSy9oltNFSezf1xX7Fh7LTmXa9XFFUCHjWaIN_g977-qUSNd46MstpEGYxBklCOsDijEUU8qd/s400/0816-back.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bag painting - back</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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now the paper is on my wall. i would say that's a few levels above being stuck on my desk.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-84734997964775363742013-08-02T16:23:00.000-04:002013-08-02T16:23:24.693-04:00on a negative note...<div style="text-align: justify;">
hmmm...where do i start? i have been feeling overwhelmed and a little stuck and all that stuff. busy, exhausted, and very behind on my to-do list. i feel like i need a vacation. i want to be away from this laptop, inbox, blog, pinterest, facebook, all those virtual accessories that clog my life. i need to reboot my mind. so today i decided to take a break and paint a little.<br />
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to watch the paint flow, mix in a drop of water with my brush, look at the paint breathe through those little bubbles, spread the gouache on the soft piece of paper, all of these never fail to clear up my busy brain. i even enjoyed picking up the normally annoying pieces of lint that seem to appear from nowhere. it's not that i am not happy when i work digitally (i need to write about how much i like that some other time), but the lack of physical contact with what i am making feels toxic after a while, and painting acts like detox. it's like reading the news online for months, and then picking up a newspaper at a café and realizing how time slows down when you touch a piece of paper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHckMrddmoapyYHeUhIQ43vEkPtmVNquGNk01nXDkFcityZcL8N6oDIHfxXpUn95GQq5le5F9stK4LFYrrYgwhzUnM_RTJ-Un5PG4FBcplDCroqowmfos2Z5XeBSKNEDHPwowXf2oglUp/s1600/0802fresh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHckMrddmoapyYHeUhIQ43vEkPtmVNquGNk01nXDkFcityZcL8N6oDIHfxXpUn95GQq5le5F9stK4LFYrrYgwhzUnM_RTJ-Un5PG4FBcplDCroqowmfos2Z5XeBSKNEDHPwowXf2oglUp/s400/0802fresh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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anyway, above is a snapshot from this morning. it's the concept for the second pattern in fresh!, a collection i had started <a href="http://www.studioalique.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-truth-about-watermelons.html" target="_blank">a few weeks ago</a> and which was still where i had left it, until today.<br />
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to end on a negative note (why not?), the surface pattern design project for the kids products i was working on fell through (blogged about it <a href="http://www.studioalique.blogspot.com/2013/05/what-was-i-thinking.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.studioalique.blogspot.com/2013/06/in-which-she-naps-and-i-dream.html" target="_blank">here</a>), so that didn't feel very good. on the flip side, i am free now to use those designs anyway and anywhere i want. they are now on my <a href="http://www.studioalique.com/pattern/" target="_blank">website</a>. there's a positive to every negative.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-39918529705245145172013-07-12T15:42:00.000-04:002013-07-12T15:55:54.506-04:00the truth about watermelons<div style="text-align: justify;">
i will try not to apologize for not blogging. i usually apologize for anything, being 2 minutes late, being 2 minutes early, even for being on time! but not today. i have been busy busy busy and something had got to give, and it wasn't going to be feeding my baby, so...</div>
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speaking of food, for some obscure reason i have been receiving Rachael Ray cooking magazines i haven't subscribed to, and although i find nothing in there that inspires me to cook, the other day i saw these beautiful photos in the latest issue:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7WaUdY2HEROF6WfUX1rQFOEQ4qJebgYkYxjLeGTJx4jc5-sD4GmWrn7pzY3VZfWV5N8KxxS-f5sCLsOKfns1Is1_ruMHHG1H2XcrpnDX48Sbyt6CSzFnfa9SvHaVPZHyrLh4iJLReeeC/s1600/0712getfresh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7WaUdY2HEROF6WfUX1rQFOEQ4qJebgYkYxjLeGTJx4jc5-sD4GmWrn7pzY3VZfWV5N8KxxS-f5sCLsOKfns1Is1_ruMHHG1H2XcrpnDX48Sbyt6CSzFnfa9SvHaVPZHyrLh4iJLReeeC/s400/0712getfresh.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"get fresh with watermelon", photos by <a href="http://plamenpetkov.com/" target="_blank">Plamen Petkov</a></td></tr>
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they now live on my wall and have inspired me to start a new collection: fresh! here's the first pattern.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7kIbG4kR9lKABoAqDNdtSbU4SbwkOC9PZtRoGRmxtfyHvsO52x1jqFD0J9ca6RuN66Lh0tBMZGTY6UwdB1vKDrBym6KwPARbQiPVmaElWhfLZfff3-02AkEnlHykM3-4ojnqS0TF0GFh/s1600/0712watermelon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7kIbG4kR9lKABoAqDNdtSbU4SbwkOC9PZtRoGRmxtfyHvsO52x1jqFD0J9ca6RuN66Lh0tBMZGTY6UwdB1vKDrBym6KwPARbQiPVmaElWhfLZfff3-02AkEnlHykM3-4ojnqS0TF0GFh/s400/0712watermelon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fresh!</td></tr>
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so this week's first lesson is: never underestimate the usefulness of a useless cooking magazine.<br />
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lesson two: it turns out watermelon is a vegetable and not a fruit.<br />
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at least you did not read this post in vain... (can you discern the subtle apology? i can't help myself, can i?)</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-43445148661379759832013-06-14T16:35:00.000-04:002013-06-14T16:35:39.695-04:00in which she naps and i dream<div style="text-align: justify;">
the other day when my daughter woke up from her afternoon nap, and i asked her, as usual, "did you have a good nap?", she said "yes", and added, "what did <i>you</i> do?" i told her i worked. but it really didn't feel like work.</div>
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i did this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEaJgs36CZto9B__PQQ7u3015qzlyTcogltsBiEWS9k1fxi7wyQ-TnnHGUIqQOifLnC2i1ANYaU_z5jy8-ZYtDKcYKhyRuaSbRDL1BHww1bv13qzoYNaFQYG5Fo2jaR6OYIN9jcRiW0tK/s1600/0614-rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEaJgs36CZto9B__PQQ7u3015qzlyTcogltsBiEWS9k1fxi7wyQ-TnnHGUIqQOifLnC2i1ANYaU_z5jy8-ZYtDKcYKhyRuaSbRDL1BHww1bv13qzoYNaFQYG5Fo2jaR6OYIN9jcRiW0tK/s400/0614-rooster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and next time you napped i did this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdVgND5JOKCIK3o3PRs2g2o1TJdMnX47iWzidWk5qZM5q5MlgfJ8DpnLarqUaPjy8P5M-PtAeptelaxUWCGxe83DLegLrSW09jxFr_xv7mQirrQb06cOIwlZ9JOhSlma26FFCgfoQcWhU/s1600/0614-monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdVgND5JOKCIK3o3PRs2g2o1TJdMnX47iWzidWk5qZM5q5MlgfJ8DpnLarqUaPjy8P5M-PtAeptelaxUWCGxe83DLegLrSW09jxFr_xv7mQirrQb06cOIwlZ9JOhSlma26FFCgfoQcWhU/s400/0614-monkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and then you napped many more times, and i made many more of those, and came up with this, which is still a work in progress, so please keep up the nice and long naps!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2haV6dU9-UTM5dCa-8-i_955_q6qq160Cu_dRPYcozFlfsf0QFeK338cQbjTzjfsMoTjHpE40E91Bq_sJr4F3IcDlUaP4TKJ-XUacC7BoYNyN15jPN1JYykhGmZvteYJmDxzUWv-yBFQ/s1600/0614-zodiac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2haV6dU9-UTM5dCa-8-i_955_q6qq160Cu_dRPYcozFlfsf0QFeK338cQbjTzjfsMoTjHpE40E91Bq_sJr4F3IcDlUaP4TKJ-XUacC7BoYNyN15jPN1JYykhGmZvteYJmDxzUWv-yBFQ/s400/0614-zodiac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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so while you were napping, my lovely, and having sweet dreams, i was trying to make <i>my</i> dreams come true. little by little. but sometimes, like now, i wish i could just nap as sweetly as <i>you</i> do.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-43137363840503138952013-05-30T21:53:00.000-04:002013-05-30T21:55:02.923-04:00MOYO 4 is here!<div style="text-align: justify;">
...and i am in it! this was such great news to come home to. my ankles hurt and my eyelids are drooping, so unfortunately i can't read the <a href="http://issuu.com/moyomagazine/docs/moyo_magazine_issue_4" target="_blank">issue</a> right now (what do ankles have to do with reading, you ask? i say, don't ask) - but i can proudly share the fact that my design (remember <a href="http://studioalique.blogspot.com/2013/03/back-when-i-didnt-have-blog-part-i.html" target="_blank">the time i thought i was lucky?</a>) was the first runner-up in the MOYO Floral Twist Design Brief. congrats to the winner, <a href="http://antonijam.com/illustrations-and-character-design.html" target="_blank">Antonija M</a>, second runner-up, fellow designer friend <a href="http://www.majobv.com/" target="_blank">Majo BV</a>, and third runner-up, <a href="http://fabricdrawer.com.au/about.php" target="_blank">Rebecca Beck</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXnn8GWYys_tTtiKpI3OOwgw5ngxZiwfrCztCa6qQ4kFn6izEFKV_QbEfxxVDXG_ZaGplTGRiFFjxEvf0-d8MumaXD0brHS0CvF0Y_GGn4pXgFzOLn0oy7Cx2K8H-vpdyKPM5uJ1C1ayd/s1600/0530moyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXnn8GWYys_tTtiKpI3OOwgw5ngxZiwfrCztCa6qQ4kFn6izEFKV_QbEfxxVDXG_ZaGplTGRiFFjxEvf0-d8MumaXD0brHS0CvF0Y_GGn4pXgFzOLn0oy7Cx2K8H-vpdyKPM5uJ1C1ayd/s400/0530moyo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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below are my entries:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbP4Pf4xcVb2jA9C6hcwYLkgRP4ZJsX-WhuPf9HSe6-yx3OgeCwxTXHyOTJrgU9uwXYelPiFDLb1d6ggq_iBfi_bF3Z2mIbxe68nvvuLiKeX5cteFTnJRfWdRkykSTCiEcwT_zmfCuWOk/s1600/alik-arzoumanian-flower-bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbP4Pf4xcVb2jA9C6hcwYLkgRP4ZJsX-WhuPf9HSe6-yx3OgeCwxTXHyOTJrgU9uwXYelPiFDLb1d6ggq_iBfi_bF3Z2mIbxe68nvvuLiKeX5cteFTnJRfWdRkykSTCiEcwT_zmfCuWOk/s400/alik-arzoumanian-flower-bed.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flower bed<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IRbHSCfhre9FMje_plxTDv9nz5ljBm9mJ533RTvK56dEurZduLFVcoApaDjF2bMP1_a_LmrIrdgVvk6pW4FbthzKdku3q2aTC8qAT9N9sz0PWk0E92bovK25QIZhTpQBlOhFklB0euIV/s1600/alik-arzoumanian-flower-people.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IRbHSCfhre9FMje_plxTDv9nz5ljBm9mJ533RTvK56dEurZduLFVcoApaDjF2bMP1_a_LmrIrdgVvk6pW4FbthzKdku3q2aTC8qAT9N9sz0PWk0E92bovK25QIZhTpQBlOhFklB0euIV/s400/alik-arzoumanian-flower-people.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flower people</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73PWbosSoWmoZyBrm47NAJBMVrK9kCbITzLj1ToyarCMwEwXOxDUaKGBKMljht-d0EyZQB4yehDmx_VWWsouRHeJIHlfws8aRAK0HrI990IYt888WpCAbYuh4aEt4NoF1TIW4BjYfT9xE/s1600/alik-arzoumanian-flower-stems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73PWbosSoWmoZyBrm47NAJBMVrK9kCbITzLj1ToyarCMwEwXOxDUaKGBKMljht-d0EyZQB4yehDmx_VWWsouRHeJIHlfws8aRAK0HrI990IYt888WpCAbYuh4aEt4NoF1TIW4BjYfT9xE/s400/alik-arzoumanian-flower-stems.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flower stems</td></tr>
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these are from my flower power collection, and they are the first florals i have ever designed. i am glad the judges thought they are "simple and effective". i always strive for simple, bold and playful.</div>
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ok, this was old work. next time i will share new work. i am working on it.</div>
alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-888173692794862098.post-85030103767785176852013-05-24T15:16:00.000-04:002013-05-24T15:19:19.742-04:00i don't have time to write this!<div style="text-align: justify;">
i am not sure how much time i have before my baby wakes up - just checked on him and came back - so i have to make this one brief. here i am, drinking tea with one hand- tea bag tea, no time to make real tea - eating mana'eesh with the other- google that if you don't know what it is, no time to go off topic - and typing with both. this week, whenever i have a small window of free time that i can spend awake, i have been drawing these characters for a kids' product i am working on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzLmcxUn-7KMWSIzZXekVRnk2XMX6d6-9SIVUOhrHKC__r4MzC98DLFub6DomH9WVnThMT1CnRkDXs59JnLT2alZJEFlNxFZI44GQk7r8BIDsdQJDJMts6JebT5qzjJSgODhxRs_ruddS/s1600/0424dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzLmcxUn-7KMWSIzZXekVRnk2XMX6d6-9SIVUOhrHKC__r4MzC98DLFub6DomH9WVnThMT1CnRkDXs59JnLT2alZJEFlNxFZI44GQk7r8BIDsdQJDJMts6JebT5qzjJSgODhxRs_ruddS/s400/0424dragon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1D3sbBYF7QBTy8uWHQmH2fulFssPHz4-AFVNZdGyp4AUeaRHHvZqERO-Ze4E0xD6mD6ggIddkGRQ9_Wp79_K_fu-sKFbFNnzMO9HT3U9bvngBqgZTzNCFSllTfl8qc-_UFXx919W5uWG/s1600/0424rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1D3sbBYF7QBTy8uWHQmH2fulFssPHz4-AFVNZdGyp4AUeaRHHvZqERO-Ze4E0xD6mD6ggIddkGRQ9_Wp79_K_fu-sKFbFNnzMO9HT3U9bvngBqgZTzNCFSllTfl8qc-_UFXx919W5uWG/s400/0424rooster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi3FLOmuKRpmmlvfe8rSqlscZJJnunopTuxBXQk6lwsCRho5zOwUnKri5YGWvgyh992XFFCU5iWzHHzu4zUO0fB4txghcB4p1ZdmPsJQi-_H6V3fSkQ2HGvgEBOxWKZIq8s8PdI1FwuI8/s1600/0524horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTi3FLOmuKRpmmlvfe8rSqlscZJJnunopTuxBXQk6lwsCRho5zOwUnKri5YGWvgyh992XFFCU5iWzHHzu4zUO0fB4txghcB4p1ZdmPsJQi-_H6V3fSkQ2HGvgEBOxWKZIq8s8PdI1FwuI8/s400/0524horse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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i am sure you can guess the theme.<br />
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i would like to draw worms. i am tired of owls. today designer <a href="http://onneke.com/" target="_blank">Onneke</a> feels <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=533312790048578&set=a.143115775734950.26046.118075381572323&type=1&theater" target="_blank">fish are the new owl</a>. i love them. i think worms would be great too.</div>
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everyone is still asleep . yes! now i can post this and maybe get some rest.alik arzoumanianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12459088402677053851noreply@blogger.com4