Winston Joel - What a cutie.

 

Winston Joel (Richie Pope's character from the Idealists game) is adorable -- just look at those eyes! I've been working on his spaces over the last couple days and wanted to share a peek of his room. This guy is immaculate.

He lives just outside the city - about 20 minutes by train. The air is cleaner out here and there are plenty of spaces around where a person can sit and daydream. He doesn't mind the commute -- in fact, it gives him a bit more time to relax and binge on another chapter. Best sellers or indie-publishing... it doesn't really matter. 

I had a great time working on his room -- as you can see, he's a big fan of Francesca Buchko's artwork (heh heh -- thanks Francesca, for the use of your awesome work for the wall-art in this scene!) 

I did a couple more backgrounds done this last week and sat around with Francesca Buchko as she worked on a couple more public spaces for the Idealists to explore. Maybe she'll share some of her process? We'll see! 

Wish me luck!

---Lindsay Nohl

Grown- Up Club's Swappydazzle Event!

We recently had the pleasure of partnering with Grown-Up Club to host Swappydazzle! It was a fun-for-all holiday event that included a potluck dinner, ornament making, and white elephant gift exchange!



As guests arrived, they were able to sample some of the delicious baked goods, traditional dishes, and organic recipes. Everyone mingled, ate, and made their way over the the ornament making station led by Light Grey Art Lab!



Lindsay led participants through demonstrations on felted ornaments and crafts. You can see of the adorable creatures and interesting creations on our flickr page here! We then had the white elephant gift exchange that including a wide variety of homemade gifts, paper mache costumes, thrift store finds, and more.



Grown-Up Club is a local organization that hosts meet ups, presentations, and participatory fun events for adults. Since 2013, they have hosted a variety of singles exchanges, open mic nights, craft nights, and games at locations such as Common Roots Cafe, the Walker Open Field, Bryant Lake Bowl, and more.



If you want to check out Grown-Up Club and get involved, you can see their facebook page and website here! You can also see more photographs from this event on the Light Grey Flickr page.

Boys + Coffee

You need a job, and you need a job bad. The local coffee shop isn’t a bad option—it’s one of the more popular hangouts, so you’d be able to see all of your friends pretty frequently. Not to mention the free coffee. And then there’s Joko. He looks like trouble. But he works in the coffee shop’s kitchen, and though he talks tough, you wonder what he’s really about…

Hello and Happy New Year! I’ve been really fortunate to be able to help Lindsay a tiny (tiny) bit with Great Personality: The Idealists over the last few weeks. Man, it is just about the coolest project EVER. I kind of wish I could just work on this all day every day. I love all of the characters, and I really love the stories Lindsay has been cooking up for these guys. It’s hard to have a favorite, but I can definitely say that Shanti Rittgers’s Joko is on my list. Above is a little preview featuring him in one of the backgrounds I created. That’s the other really fun part about this project: we’ve been fleshing out the Great Personality world. Not only will you learn more about the people, but you’ll learn more about the city they live in. Tell you a little secret? I LOVE cities. So this is basically a dream project.

We’ve got a few more sneak peeks for you in the upcoming weeks till the ACTUAL RELEASE OF THE GAME. Eeeeeee!!! I’ll talk with y’all soon!

—Francesca

Light Grey Cookie Party- Recap!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by last week for our annual Light Grey Cookie Party! We had a wonderful time tasting the holiday cookies, making hot chocolate, and celebrating the end of the year with all of you!



This year's Light Grey Cookie Party featured a HUGE selection of baked goods, bars, frosted treats, and more! Throughout the afternoon, we taste tested many of the holiday creations and were able to vote on some of the most interesting, best looking, and best tasting desserts! The winners included Ian's frosted sugar cookies (seen above), Anna's traditional gingerbread, and Jason's orange, ginger, and cranberry cookies!



If you missed the party or want to see more details, you can check out all of the photographs from the Light Grey Cookie Party on the Light Grey Flickr page here!

Thanks for celebrating with us, and we hope to see you in 2015!

Podcast: Resolution Rundown

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Resolution Rundown
Length: 01:07:43
Synopsis: Wait, 2015 is here already? That means it's resolution time again! On this week's podcast we take a look back at our 2014 resolutions to evaluate our many successes (and even more failures). We go on to discuss the purpose of resolutions, what makes a realistic yearly goal, and think about making goals that stretch much further than a year. Then we all make bold and binding resolutions for 2015!

Show Notes:
Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition
GlichCon
Last chance to sign up for the Boss Rush Call for Art

Podcast: Cloud Castles

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Cloud Castles
Length: 00:53:34
Synopsis: New Years Resolutions are on everyone's mind, and on this week's podcast we dive into the eternal question of 'What if?' It's easy for small plans to spiral into grand strategy if you keep asking 'What if?' and with roughly one billion decisions to make a year, there's bound to be a few you look back on in speculative wonder.

Show Notes:
GlichCon
Boss Rush Call for Art

Podcast: Another Man's Treasure

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Another Man's Treasure
Length: 01:08:10
Synopsis: The year is nearly at an end, and the Light Grey crew gleefully attended at least six different holiday parties this weekend. Cookies were consumed, games were played, and plenty of gifts were ferociously unwrapped. On this week's festive podcast, Lindsay, Francesca, Chris, and Jenny talk about the act of giving. Inspired by the old adage, 'One man's trash is another man's treasure,' we discuss some of the more esoteric points of gift giving, reminisce about some of the stranger gifts we've given or received, and talk about the huge commitment that is making your gifts by hand.

Great Personality: The Idealists Game is coming soon!

We are thrilled to announce the release of the second Great Personality Video Game coming the end January! Great Personality is a interactive dating game and visual novel based on the Myers- Briggs personality types. In this choose-your-own adventure style game, you will meet, befriend and fall in love with many characters, all while discovering the science behind ambiance, mood and attraction. It is a journey of romance, creativity, and surprise!

Character by Richie Pope

If you fell in love with the characters from the first Great Personality Game, the Guardians, you will certainly enjoy meeting all of the Idealists! They are fun-loving, optimistic, and complex individuals with deep emotional understanding and sense of self purpose. Discover the motives and passions of the idealists characters, all while finding your own hopes, desires, and connections in the process!

Character by Claire Hummel

Get to know these fascinating characters while immersed in artist-made world! All of the backgrounds, characters, and animations are part of a massive collaboration by 50+ animators, illustrators, and artists from around the globe. These individual assets and brought to life through the research, additional artwork, storyline, and coding of the Lindsay Nohl and the Light Grey Team.

**You can play the first Great Personality: The Guardians Game here! You can also support the project and find more information about the artists who made this possible on the Light Grey website here!

CALL FOR ART : BOSS RUSH

You've survived wave after wave of enemy forces... You have just enough energy and precious few supplies to last through the final stages. The music quickens and you have a sinking suspicion that the checkpoint you just past was the last one for a very long time. Can you survive the final boss rush?

EDIT 1/12/15 : THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT SUBMITTED! WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING THE FINAL LIST OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS SHORTLY!


BOSS RUSH!
Battles with the bad guys
Opens Friday March 20, 2015
7 - 10pm

at Light Grey Art Lab
118 E. 26th Street #101
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
612.239.2047

We are looking for artists interested in preserving their favorite climactic videogame moment in our newest exhibition BOSS RUSH!.
Think of all of those console games -- from NES to Atari Jaguar to PS4. PC games, arcade classics, MMOs, ... any and every kind of game you've played, and any and every kind of boss you've encountered...

While we may not always admit it, everyone loves the bad guy. Years after the closing credits roll on our favorite videogames, memories of classic boss encounters like Psycho Mantis, Kefka, Ganon, and Pyramid Head live on in infamy. Light Grey Art Lab’s newest exhibition, BOSS RUSH!, celebrates our love/hate relationship with the bad guys.

A Boss Rush is the nail-biting series of battles against the game’s previously defeated bosses before facing the grand finale. It’s the penultimate test of skill and reflexes, and a reminder of all the obstacles you’ve overcome. In BOSS RUSH!, dozens of artists will be creating work to celebrate the most vile, treacherous, or misunderstood enemies in history’s most memorable videogame battles.

The opening reception will be March 20, 2015 at Light Grey Art Lab!


****************

If you are interested in creating a piece for our upcoming March exhibition, put your name, email and links below in the comments section by January 5th! Participating artists will be notified by email of all of the details of the show within a couple days of the call for art closing! As always, participating artists will have their work displayed all along the walls at Light Grey Art Lab for the month of the show as well as permanently archived on our online gallery!

Example:
Lindsay Nohl
hello@lightgreyartlab.com
lindsaynohl.com


AND! SUPER SPECIAL NEWS!
The show won't end there!
We've been invited to take this show on the road! (Well, just a stone's throw down the road!)

GLITCHCON has invited us to showcase the best of the best pieces during a special, limited time exhibition at GLITCHCON on Saturday March 28th!

Guest jurors (TBA!) will be taking a sneak peek after all art is submitted and awarding 10 pieces a special honor prior, which will be awarded at GLITCHCON.

Artists selected will be mailed their Best of Show awards preceding the closing of the exhibition and their work will be featured front and center on the Light Grey Art Lab BOSS RUSH! web page. Those 10 pieces will be framed and on display during GLITCHCON 2015 alongside a slideshow of the other wonderful pieces in the exhibition!

Artists will be notified in advance of any awards in the event that you'd like to join us for the exhibition opening and awards ceremony!

So!

We're looking forward to this show like crazy!
Submit your links below by January 5th and help us spread the word!
Thanks, guys!

Questions? Send us a note!
hello@lightgreyartlab.com

Podcast: Twelve Days of Boardgames

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Twelve Days of Boardgames
Length: 00:53:59
Synopsis: The holidays are upon us and it's time for festive parties, family excursions, group activities, and plenty of cutthroat competition! What better way to liven up your next holiday jubilee than to pull out a rousing boardgame for all to enjoy! On this week's podcast, Lindsay, Chris and Jenny share a slew of our favorite board/card/tabletop games for every situation imaginable. If you're looking for your next party hit, a game that's good for the whole family, or something to play with your significant other on a chilly night, we've got you covered with plenty of recommendations that are sure to please!

Show Notes:
Dungeons & Dragons 5e Basic Rules PDF
Game Night - Stay Frosty
Light Grey Art Lab Cookie Party

Craft Fair & Bake Sale this weekend!

If you are looking for some amazing, handcrafted and local gifts, stop by the Minnehaha Free Space this Saturday from 1-5pm for the Craft Fair & Bake Sale! Among tons of other great makers, Light Grey Art Lab will have a booth full of art prints, books, decks, and collaborative projects! We will have featured works and zines from past exhibitions and tons of one-of-a-kind pieces. We would love to see you there!

If you are a local artist who would like to be a part of the craft fair, they are still accepting applications. You can find more information about how to get involved, sign up for a booth, or attend the event on the facebook event page.

Podcast: The Good, The Bad, And The Awkward

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

The Good, The Bad, And The Awkward
Length: 01:29:16
Synopsis: On this week's podcast, Jenny, Francesca, Lindsay and Chris talk about the good, the bad, and the awkward. We cover a range of topic, such as the sacrifices it takes to do what you love, forcing yourself to network and meet new people even if it goes against your hermit-like tendencies, the joys of a shared distraction, and much more.

Show Notes:
Game Night - Stay Frosty
Make My Holiday Art Swap Pairs Announced
Swappydazzle!
Light Grey Art Lab Cookie Party

Make My Holiday pairs announced!

Thanks to everyone that signed up for our Make My Holiday art swap!
Tis the season to be thinking of others -- and we're happy to facilitate our third annual art swap with you guys!
If you signed up -- Go check your email for a note from me with a list of partners for this year's art-gift exchange!

And here we go!!

Here's a quick reminder on what's next!
Now that you've got the name (and email) of your partner, send a quick email to say hello within the next week, introduce yourself, and maybe even ask a couple questions so you can get to know them! One thing we love about Make My Holiday art swap is that you might just meet someone from a different background, a different kind of art, and our world becomes a little smaller and more connected! We hope you guys have a blast sending fun things to each other!! Think of it as a way to swap, sure, but also a way to get to know another really awesome person a little better!

One quick note! Keep an eye out and peek in your spam filter every now and again in case someone is trying to contact you! Since we have people joining us from lots of different places around the world, it'll be especially important to get their info as soon as you can so you'll be able to send out your present by DECEMBER 24th!

THEN!
Once you receive a gift from your partner we'd love to see what you got! We'll be featuring gifts on the blog from all recipients that care to send them on in! Just send us an email at hello@lightgreyartlab.com with a photo of you with your gift and the name of the awesome artist that sent you a package and we'll give them a shout out!

Thanks again and take a peek and check your in-boxes for a note from us!
Happy swapping!
:)

<3 -- Lindsay

Light Grey Game Night: Stay Frosty

Your eyelids are frozen shut, your feet have lost all feeling, and your fingers are turning black from frostbite. That must mean it's time for another Light Grey Game Night! That's right, mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 17th from 6:30 to 9:30 PM!

As you might remember, we're attaching a theme to each night to help people narrow down what games they might want to bring (although you're still welcome to bring whatever you'd like!). This week's theme is Stay Frosty!

We'll be playing games that take place in the frigid frozen tundra. We'll be rolling to avoid frostbite (and zombie bites) in Dead of Winter, and hoarding supplies to survive in Arctic Scavengers. Or maybe you'd like to crush those annoying Tundra Orcs in Summoner Wars, make a frigid team with Iceman and Emma Frost in Marvel Dice Masters, or break layer after layer of 'Ice' in Android: Netrunner, among plenty of others! If you have a favorite boardgame, bring it!

So grab your friends, family or favorite stack of board games, and come play with us! RSVP via our Facebook event, and feel free to share! The more the merrier!

Light Grey Cookie Party!

We invite you to join us on December 21st from 1-3pm for our annual holiday cookie party! Stop by Light Grey Art Lab for special holiday treats, music, and good company!



This is a cookie swap, so bake a batch of your favorite cookies, sweets, or bars to trade! Whether you bring granny's favorites or an old family recipe, all treats are welcome. Prizes will be awarded for best looking, best tasting, and "most unique" cookies!

You can find all of the details on the facebook event page, tell us what cookies you want to bring, and invite your friends!

We will see you soon!

Podcast: Winter Blues

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Winter Blues
Length: 00:55:53
Synopsis: Thanksgiving is over in Minneapolis and now the Light Grey Art Lab team is cold, overbooked, overstuffed, overstressed and SOME of us are already sick of this long, frosty season. On this week's podcast, Lindsay, Francesca, and Chris talk about our own remedies for staying cheery in this season of joylessness and our plans to tackle this godforsaken time of forced reflection and solitude.

Show Notes:
Game Night - Emergency!
Make My Holiday ArtSwap
Swappydazzle!
Light Grey Art Lab Cookie Party

Make My Holiday! Art Swap Sign-up!

EDIT: 12.7.14 -- Thanks guys! We are just sorting all the names and will email everyone with their partner's info shortly! Thanks again for signing up for our 3rd Make My Holiday art swap!


We're hosting the third annual Make My Holiday art swap!
This will be the third year we're hosting and we are SUPER excited to have you join us!

Just sign up in the comments section with your name and email and we'll pair you with another artist from around the world!
Like this:

Lindsay Nohl
hello@lightgreyartlab.com


Everyone is welcome to join in -- it's all about the love of art, other creative people, and just spreading the love around during the holidays!


Sign ups end December 6th, so tell your arty friends! We'll email everyone with their partner on December 7th! Then! All you have to do is send a note to your partner to request their home address and send them a piece of work made by you!

In the past people have sent prints, original paintings, zines, jewelry, ornaments, art-books, drawings and other fun things! There is no real limit to what you can send your partner, just a couple tiny rules for signing up!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

1. Send a piece of work made by you!
2. Only sign up if you can promise not to leave your buddy hanging!
3. No need to make anything new -- but if you'd like to, feel free! In fact, it might be fun to do a little research on your partner and make them something special!

We hope you can join us in making the tail end of 2014 amazing!

Questions? Send us a note! Hello@lightgreyartlab.com!
---Lindsay

Light Grey Game Night: Emergency!

Outbreaks! Fire! Explosions! Life or death, split second decision making! All these tense words and exclamation points could only mean one thing!!! It's time for another Light Grey Game Night! That's right, mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 3rd from 6:30 to 9:30 PM!

As you might remember, we're attaching a theme to each night to help people narrow down what games they might want to bring (although you're still welcome to bring whatever you'd like!). This week's theme is Emergency!

We'll be playing games about overcoming disastrous situations with bravery, cunning and solid teamwork. We'll be heroic firefighters overcoming a ferocious fire in Flash Point, or a global team of specialists fighting four deadly epidemics at once in the co-op classic Pandemic! Or maybe we'll watch in horrific glee as monsters destroy our beloved New York City in the newly released King of New York, among plenty of others! If you have a favorite boardgame, bring it!

So grab your friends, family or favorite stack of board games, and come play with us! RSVP via our Facebook event, and feel free to share! The more the merrier!

Podcast: All In The Dice

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

All In The Dice
Length: 00:48:06
Synopsis: Lady Luck can be a cruel mistress and after a string of bad luck, Lindsay, Chris and Francesca chat about that wild dice roll we call life. When it comes to your career, your health, your love life, and your D&D sessions, sometimes you strike it rich and sometimes you fall right down a treacherous ravine.

Podcast: Your Best Estimate

Download the MP3, stream directly on Stitcher, or subscribe via iTunes!

Your Best Estimate
Length: 00:52:33
Synopsis: Estimation is a difficult but crucial skill for an artist for hire. It helps determine the worth of your time, the feasibility of a project, and shapes how you are able to build your career. On this week's podcast, Lindsay, Jenny, Chris, and Francesca talk about estimating for clients, for scheduling, for grant writing, and for your own sanity.

Show Notes:
Iceland 2015 : Artists in Residence