We Come in Peace

Tsk tsk... those naiive scientists! They are busy making AIs, but don't they know, as soon as the computers become sentient, they'll rise against us. You know it!
And they know how to lie too. Don't trust them when they say, 'We Come in Peace'

These are very recent (hot as hot potatoes!) illustrations I did for a snowboard design competition. There are many things I'd like to fix still, but I would love to ride snowboard with my own designs. I used to snowboard a lot in my teens until it got boring. It gets boring if one's too chicken shit to jump at all (not that I'm particularly good at downhill either. Sports hurts). Due to my fear of jumping, my five-year love affair ended. I think having a butt-ugly board also contributed to my demise. Back then, there were no girl boards. Seriously. If I win this competition, I'll go snowboarding. Promise to myself. My second design is 'Daruma'. It's a Japanese wish doll. I made a new year's promo for this, so more explanation closer to the new years. If I had more time, I would've fixed scattered flowers more... you both win and lose with randomness.
Also check out my friend Ian's awesome submission too!

...
Okay, I tried to act all detached and cool about things... but this Christmas scares me chestnuts! I work every Christmas at my parents' custom embroidery store in a mall. We've been there just over 10 years. And every Christmas has been absolute insanity. There were so many customers, we couldn't sit, drink or eat. All four of us (and sometimes more) worked in a small store in frenzy. We once had to work 27 hours straight (embroidering embroidering...). But this year... there is NOBODY in the mall. I've been going to the store to help out, but I'm not needed. We just sit and watch highschool kids browsing around. Yes, economy is collapsing and it's depressing. Also, thanks to media scary tactics, people don't spend money even if they have some. Making things worse.

Rich and supposedly-smart people in Wallstreet ruining for everybody in the world. Like Alfred said in that Batman movie, "Some men just want to watch the world burn".
How are we illustrators survive in this harsh economic times? I simply don't know.
I wish I didn't quit that job at a coffee shop.