Internship with Forest and Waves

 Hey guys!

I hope you all are having a good summer so far. I’m writing this post like a letter because I feel so far away from everyone that I feel the need to formally address my missing you guys so much because I miss you guys SO MUCH! Does that make sense?

Anyway, I’m doing well (thanks for asking ;) I was supposed to give myself a break after school because I felt pretty exhausted after the final few weeks but after just few days I got right into my summer internship!

I’m doing a design internship for Ed Juan of Forest and Waves. I found out about Ed from pretty much internet stalking him since he graduated from Calarts in 2008. Since then he’s worked for all the big studios in LA and also Laika as a vis dev artist and is generally amazing (check out his thesis film here). Ed is continuing his work in animation but in more of a freelance position now since he started his new design studio, Forest and Waves. It's an outdoor and surfing company and he designs, illustrates and prints all the stuff himself with the help of one other person and now me! My duties range from ironing tea towels to packaging blankets to researching notions to marketing and also designing! I just finished my first prototype for him, a summer beach bag (he's the guy pictures holding the bag on his shoulder)! We're hoping to get this baby ready for the fall winter catalogue. 

I've also asked Ed to mentor me for animation/design so as the summer progresses I'll be showing him stuff I'm working on. I've been with him for only about 2.5 weeks now and I've already learned a lot about animation, the industry and basically what it takes to make it out there. Really cool stuff.

Oh, also I started a new summer job. I just started working for J. Crew (is that even a surprise for anyone?). I started today and it was actually a lot of fun. I don’t think I’ll be saving ANY money but I’ll definitely have enough chambray shirts to last me for five lifetimes. 

How are you guys doing? I hope you are all having a lot of fun and enjoying yourselves. Leave me love notes, please say hello. I miss all of you guys and I already cannot WAIT for school to start. 

Until next time,

Derek

Demo Reel 2014

The old adage is true but time does fly when you’re having fun. Putting together this demo reel made me remember all those long days and late nights but I don’t really remember how tired I was. I just remember that it was a lot of fun just being in the studio with my buds doing what we love. Awe. Now time to sleep for 4 months. Zzzzzzzzzzz

DateNight with Derek - A cooking show for one

I am so pleased to show the first episode of “Date Night with Derek - A cooking show for one”! On today’s show, I cook spaghetti carbonara! Here is the recipe below. It’s really up to you how much of any of these ingredients you want to put in. If you like the sauce more creamier, add more milk, cheesier, add more cheese, etc. 

step 1 

buy these ingredients:

pasta (a handful is good for one person)

bacon (if you’re feeling fancy, go buy some pancetta)

half white onion

olive oil

salt

pepper

parmigiano reggiano (said in a thick italian accent)! buy a good cheese not the ones that are pre-grated ones. it makes a huge difference! 

1/2 cup of cream

2 eggs

step 2

boil the pasta until al dente. it should be a bit firm when you bite into it. make sure you put salt in the water to flavour the pasta and olive oil so it won’t stick! 

step 3

cut the bacon and onion then cook in a frying pan. i suggest cooking the bacon first then once they’re crispy to take them out. use the residual oil to cook your onions until golden brown.

step 4

combine 2 eggs, half a cup of cream, grated parmesan cheese and pepper to make your sauce. it should be a thick consistency once you’re done. not thick like pancake mix but a bit more watery than that. if you’re making this for two people, just add an extra egg. if you want a richer taste, just use the egg yolks with the cream and cheese. 

step 5 

drain the pasta

step 6

mix everything together in the same bowl you cooked the pasta in. make sure you do this off the heat so you don’t get a scrambled egg sauce. this happened to me once. i still ate it and it was still good. that’s the great thing about this recipe, it’s hard to get it wrong. if you do get it wrong well then… come buddy. get yourself together! 

step 7

eat and enjoy!

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Let me know if you guys actually make this! I’m interested to see how it went for you. Also, let me know abut recipe’s I should try or ones you would like to see in an upcoming episode of “DateNight with Derek”! 

Life Drawing

Here's my favourite drawings from the last two portfolios of the year. I've learned a lot this year and I just hope to keep getting better! 

Napoleon gif!

Sasquatch!

Roughs