Since Instagram became available for Android I’ve been posting like crazy. It’s a great way for me to share my current work online and get instant feedback. I’m able to make quick visual posts about all of the projects I’m working on. It’s like Twitter for pictures. It keeps me working on my #draw365 submissions. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @elliotdahl. Here are a handful of images from the past month.

I’ve been working on a few t-shirt designs recently which are available for purchase on Ephemeral Clothing. The latest in the Ephemeral lineup is Cyclops, the singular all seeing, hungry eye. A fun design to create I got to have fun with the extra design elements surrounding the character. This design will pop out in a crowd and make people ask questions, like most of the Ephemeral shirts. The next one is for Springfest, a music festival at my university. Many students will sport group shirts with their friends so this is my contribution to the mix. They will only be up for a short time and if you want to have it by the time Springfest rolls around you’ll want to order it before April 13th. Both of these shirts are available at EphemeralClothing.com. If you and your friends are looking for a good Springfest shirt share this on Facebook. Stay tuned more art coming soon!

I always have plenty going on but now seems to be an appropriate time to post a few important projects I’m working on. The first being this image of a shirt that I designed for Student Leaders International, a student run organization at my University. SLI works to promote and support students thinking about studying abroad during their college careers. An experience I clearly will never forget. I’m working on a number of t-shirt designs, none of them for Ephemeral but I am working with some talented people to make them happen. For Inflicted With Madness I’ve been helping them get their first line of Maniacal brand clothing up and running. Currently working on designing the e-commerce part of their website. I’ll have more information on them on this site once we finish their online store and start widely promoting their product. I’m also currently working with a documentary photographer, Bruce Farnsworth to promote his new non-profit project that deals with documenting the conservation progress in the Amazon. I’ll have more details and information on this as it develops but for now you can check out the website Rainforeststories.org. To the left is a cropped image of a preliminary sketch I completed for a design currently being reviewed by a prominent record label. As for my personal projects some new opportunities have opened up and my interests drifts between a few mediums.  I have a film finishing up in the planning phases and hoping to start shooting in the next two weeks. The deadline I’m giving myself for this film is June so I’m hoping to have plenty of time to edit and compose the music/sound for it. The film’s working name at the moment is Imposition. Misdirected is coming along, I have two new pieces finished and I just need to find the time to photograph them and post them up. Musically, Tyler and I are always looking for another venue to play at. We have some new mixes we are looking forward to playing the next chance we get. Check out Tyler’s work as DJ Malistraza. I’ll have some of my mixes up soon hopefully.

As the month turns over into March this is a good time to check in with my new years resolutions. So far I’m keeping up better than I thought I would despite being busier than I ever imagined. I’ve finished the first film of this year a month ahead of schedule! It was short, simple, handheld and a compilation of single takes but it took a lot more effort to get the courage to actually finish and post it. I didn’t think about it, I just felt. If you don’t understand the film then clearly I didn’t make it for you. You can view it here “Winter’s On Its Way“. I’m on my way to filling up a moleskine, not sure if it’s on schedule but I’m about a quarter of the way through this one. I’m taking more time to write my thoughts and make notes in this one. Having a hard cover and a small strap to keep it shut makes it feel more private, prestigious and worthy of quality content. Within it’s pages are the plans for my next film. I’ve begun to script and describe every detail. For now the film’s production name is Imposition. This is unlike anything I’ve ever done before so I am putting a lot of time and energy into the planning. I am still in need of a new tripod and a female lead. It’s proving to be surprisingly difficult to cast a single woman for a no speaking role that will probably take less than 10 minutes of actual shooting time. I’ll have more about the details of this film and a call for extras at a later time. On another front Misdirected is coming along, I’ve been working these same 3 pieces for awhile but 2 of them are in their final stages. It’s not worth posting spoiler images. You’ll be able to see them in the gallery when they are finished. It’s all coming along, one day at a time, one breath at a time.

A personal short film dedicated to Hannah Lee.

“Been the child of creation, now it’s time to father the fruition” – my dreams.

I’ve updated the Misdirected page with new completed additions to the body of work. These have been done for weeks but I just got around to shooting high resolution images of them. I have 3 more pieces currently in production thanks to a spurt of creative energy. But it’s like I’ve said before the high I feel from creation is very addicting. I have a feeling these next few pieces will come to me quite easily. Here is a snapshot of piece number 9 entitled Self-Actualization that is nearly completed. The height and size of the frame made it very difficult to work on but slaking the challenge proved to be very satisfying. The three levels depicted in the circles describe the past, present and pre-thought.

Piece number 5 entitled Demons is now viewable on the Misdirected site. The image itself is an explanation of the name. A clashing of holy sanctity with inner dwelling demons that feed on fear. Allow the piece to speak to you the individual instead of looking for deeper meanings where there are none.

2012 is here now and the end of the world is coming closer one second at a time. So I’ve decided to post some of my personal new years resolutions so that I can be held accountable for my promises. This next year is about moving into a new space of self-learning. Last year this time I was sailing around the world and taking in so many different and new experiences that it’s time to put some of it to use. The last eight months have been consumed by trying to process the experiences I had while abroad and how it effects the way I see and interpret my reality. I have been changed in more ways than I am consciously aware of and realize more faults in myself than I’m ready to admit. What I do know is how to create. With a new appreciation for my gifts, skills, education and resources I hope to artistically produce at a level that will come close to satisfying my creative hunger.

• Direct and produce 4 short films this year.
• Finish the other 7 pieces of Misdirected.
• De-formalize Hive Orient. Create a space for me to convey my musical finds and get into your ears faster. Stop kidding myself, I know nothing about music but I do know what I like and don’t like.
• Figure drawing once a week.
• Fill a moleskin every two months.
• Learn a language that I have never spoken.

Example of a digital quick figure sketch.

Ephemeral Clothing:

• Re-brand and design a new layout for the website and the vibe I’m trying to create.
• Allow Ephemeral to represent more than a business to me. It has taught me so much already but mostly that there is not much space in the marketplace for another t-shirt company. I’m going to continue to make designs for myself because that was the whole reason I created Ephemeral in the first place. Those who are interested will still be able to buy shirts.
• The new logo for Ephemeral is influenced by a necklace I wear around my neck from South Africa. It’s connected loops represent the infinite nature of existence and I tried to capture that with the logo. Similar symbols for infinity have crossed continents and are found in many different cultures and religions around the world. The new logo has a horizontal line crossing through the middle representing a boundary of conscious awareness. The connected loops represent the interconnectedness of the universe. What better symbolism to represent what Ephemeral means to me.

First day of December. Which means no more Novembeard. First self-portait I’ve done digitally in a long time. On a side-note my good friend Sarah Burnand is starting up a zine to exhibit the artists of our present generation. They have gathered talented people from all around the country to learn more about their artistic expressions. Check it out and give it a follow http://coastalculture.tumblr.com/. I hope to get on there one day soon!

New design up in the Ephemeral Store! This design was mostly developed from a sketch done months ago and took new form in a recent dream. This particular dream stood out amongst the rest of my trippy, reality altering dreams. This dream involved calling out to a girl with a name that was literally “∆”. It wasn’t said verbally but described visually. It made me think about verbal/visual communication and how close the two can really be. Selling price of $22.40, printed on American Apparel slim fitting jersey t-shirt.

Click to see the large size.

Jumping around to the 7th piece of the series. This stippled drawing is meant to represent the forces of nature in all of its beauty and demonstrate a sense of belonging. The image on the left is what the large scale drawing is based on. In my sketchbook it has a diameter of no more than four inches. The image on the right is a cropped peak at the final piece that spreads over an area greater than 12 inches. Every speck serves a purpose.

“You are a human being, acting only as you were created to.”