Mal Meshinski Illustration and Design

So as I vowed to start using the wonderful world of Tumblr once more, I should update on a new project I have going on. I am excited to announce that I signed to Illustrate my first children’s book. I am incredibly excited about this project. The illustrations desired are fairly simple in the style of Shel Silverstien. So that will be a bit of a challenge for me. As most of you know, my work is fairly detailed. It will be a fun, new adventure.

SOO yes. I have been abusing tumblr. 

No I have not been updating. 

I apologize to all 4 of my active followers. 

Much has happened since we last spoke. Turns out, after a long looong haul at an intense school, they give you this shiny piece of paper that is worth more than your life. Oh, then they throw you a little party. Hooray! So this is an inside peak to Graduation, Student Gallery Opening Night, and a little bit of nonsense.

Many apologies for the last of updates, truly. A lot is in the works on my end. Including talks with a high end publisher for a book/Illustration contract with a partner Author from Alberta. 

Until next time, peace, love and madness,

  For anyone who has ever told me (a recent art school grad), that "Art School" isn't "Real School", I can finally confirm, after four years, that you are right.

  It’s not real school.

  If you mean not losing years off our lives due to countless parties filled with binge drinking and anonymous sex. Or missing out on football game weekends, campus rituals and that whole "Greek Week" thing, you are so right.

  Poor us.

  Apart from all the finger painting and all that glue we ate, we did figure out a few things. And after we passed that entry-level undergrad class with all those magic markers that smelled of their respective fruit, we realized that Art School is not "real school".

  So why then did we actually choose to spend four years in an art (“What the heck will you do after graduation?”) school, working side by side with professionals in our respective fields?  Our instructors. Working professionals. The people, who design your cars, make your movies; fill your magazines and your children's storybooks. They were and still are our teachers, and our friends.

  You see, there is something that students at "real school" still have yet to learn. Art school is not real school.

  It’s Real Life.

  Because in art school, our friends are also our rivals. But they are our honest sounding boards, our classmates, and our colleagues.  And our greatest doubts personified. In spending time with these soon-to-be real world professionals, we jump over the hurdle known as “the college years”.

  Because in art school, we work more on a single project than you did in an entire semester. Because every night, is an "all nighter". Because we understand that missing a homework deadline is a reason to get fired in the “real world”. (You don't get that fear in a “real school” do you?) Time, any student’s greatest enemy, becomes our greatest teacher and trainer of soon-to-be real life skills.

  Because in those four years we spend in art school, we accumulate lines on our faces and permanent ink stains under our nails. We may not have had the quintessential "college experience". But when you go to a job interview and hand in a 23 row, section D, seat 2 ticket stub to that college game, (Oh, I'm sorry. I meant your resume.) and you receive the blank stare; we won't take pity on you.

  Because most of the time, real school educates you on a subject but real school does not actually prepare you for "real life."

  How lucky are we to have worked on getting a head start on real life. When we go out into the real world and hand our portfolio to one of our colleagues or our friends, or our "rivals", they understand. Immediately. We share the common knowledge amassed in a way that would only otherwise be accumulated in a secret society. It’s the permanent "ink stain" splattered across their eyes like a lightning bug on a summer’s eve.

  Creative meets creative.

  You see, real school students never really have or even understand the knowledge shared - simply by the passing of a portfolio. It’s proof of the time-earned character lines on our faces.  Something that is and will ultimately, always remain unspoken.

  And forever.

  That video game you played yesterday? We created it.

  That car you orgasmed over last Monday, when you thought no one saw? We designed it. (Oh, and we totally saw you.)

  That book you read to your son every night because he insists on the one with the lion pictures? We illustrated it.

  That movie you are seeing this weekend, or the email magazine you wait for monthly, the computer you are looking at right now. Hell, even the font on this screen! Can you even name this font? We can.

  Yep. You are right.

  We did not go to "real school"

I have been neglecting my tumblr as of late. I think it is fairly justified as I have 2 weeks until I graduate and I am out of here. But I thought I would throw a piece I have been working on out there. This is the last piece for my senior wall. Almost there. Almost there.

The narrative of this piece is simple. It is a cover for a "Dream Interpretation" book. Basically, creative license wins, full out. Have at it all.

Mal