Road to Artdom

In The Mix

I've begun writing a weekly column every Thursdays at Michael Davis World. The column, In The Mix, follows my journey as an emerging artist.

In The Mix- Thursdays

Labels: announcements, art, writing

My Art Featured in James Gunn's "Sparky and Mikaela" for XBOX Live

My illustrations Send in the Clowns, I'm With Stupid, and FU Dice will be featured in James Gunn's Sparky and Mikaela for XBOX Live “Horror Directors Do Comedy” series. Gunn says, "Sparky and Mikaela is the story of a raccoon/human superhero team. They fight crime in both the forest world and in the world of human beings. I think of it as my first "message" piece.

After generations of us humans warring with our natural enemies, raccoons, it's a plea for us all to just get along. It's also a plea for more shows with girls wearing sexy superhero outfits fighting along Muppet-type procyonids." Sparky and Mikaela will debut on XBOX LIVE on December 24th. Just a few weeks after XBOX LIVE it will go to MSN.com and Zune, and will thereafter be available in numerous other places on the web, TV, and DVD. Unlike the XBox version, some of these versions will be the Director's Cut -- uncensored, pure, and untouched.

Kudos to Mercedes Blackehart!

All photos by VANCE. Poster by Marci Holmes.

The XBOX Live series features comedy shorts by horror directors, including Slither's James Gunn, Saw's James Wan, Hard Candy and 30 Days of Night's David Slade, Hatchett's Adam Green, May's Lucky McKee, Amityville Horror's Andrew Douglas, and more. "Almost every director we approached wanted to do this to show their comedic vision," Safran Digital Group CEO Peter Safran said. "Most of these guys know the Xbox demographic are also big fans of horror and the supernatural and realized this was the platform where they should be."

Labels: announcements, art, illustration

Air Force Art Gala

Phoenix Warrior Training for Combat Rifle

McGuire Air Force Base

Fort Dix, NJ

20 x 30 in, Mixed Media, by Tatiana EL-Khouri 2008

Collection of the Pentagon

Commissioned by the Air Force Program

Above is the final painting I created for the US Air Force. It was presented at the Air Force Art Gala in Washington DC at Bolling Air Force Base along with 150 talented artists. Visiting the Nation's capital and being among so much history made me very proud of my artistic contributions to the country and its brave servicemen and women.

If you are interested in buying a print of the painting, visit the link below:

Purchase Prints

Press Coverage of my Air Force Art Trip:

http://www.mcguire.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123107378

http://www.mcguire.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123103922

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123107426

Labels: airforce, art, assignment, exhibition, travels

Straight No Chaser Updates

It has been a pleasure illustrating Michael Davis' column Straight No Chaser for www.ComicMix.com As of Friday, October 31st, Straight No Chaser #90: My Way; was the last article for Comic Mix. Don't fret- the column and my illustrations will have a new home! www.MichaelDavisWorld.com

Here are some of my latest illustrations for Comic Mix:

Air Force Art Program: USAF EC trip

Last week I was privileged to represent the U.S. Air Force Art Program and visit the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center to document the Air Force Phoenix Warrior Training Course and Air Force Exercise Eagle Flag. I was joined by fellow artists James Bennett, William Frake (Ice Age- Creator of Scrat) John Finger , Steven Walker; and escorted by Tech. Sgt Scott Sturkol.

It was an amazing experience that has left me with many great memories, insightful information and over 2000+ images of photo reference to sift through. I will be making a couple of paintings that I will then be giving to the Pentagon to be apart of the U.S. Air Force's Art Collection.

To see more images of the other artists and myself go to the USAF EC and see a feature by our guide, Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
http://www.expeditionarycenter.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123103914

Labels: airforce, illustration, travels

Illustration West 47 Call for Entries Artwork & Comic Con

Illustration West 47- Call for Entries Artwork
Copyright 2008 Tatiana

As the Show Chair for the Society of Illustrators Las Angeles, it has been a labor of love organizing Illustration West 47. The Student Call for Entries are currently being accepted. For more information please download the PDF here: http://www.si-la.org/Student_CFE.pdf

The Professional Call for Entires will be opening soon. We have an exciting caliber of judges lined up for this years competition that reflect the diversity of our categories from art directors, entertainment executives, illustrators, editors, and comic book professionals.

We have combined two existing categories, Entertainment and Visual Development, into one category. Doing so has allowed us to add a brand new category, Comic Books/ Graphic Novels. This year will be our first year having presence at San Diego Comic Con with an exhibitor booth and panel.

We are booth #2616. We will be in the main exhibit space located across from and next to Dark Horse Comics, Bongo Comics / Simpsons, and the industry machine known as Marvel Entertainment.

Our Panel:
Saturday, JULY 26 3:30-4:30pm
ROOM 30AB

Labels: comiccon, exhibition, illustration, sila

Career Day

I had the pleasure of presenting at a wonderful Career Day to 3rd - 5th graders. It really excited me to be invited to present my career as an artist and designer to the students among lawyers, city planners, bankers, and a multitude of other traditional jobs. The students openness and intrigue of the arts was very refreshing.