| plastic shards | conceptual illustration design

... to Plastic Shards studio, the online creative outlet for illlustrator designer Matthew M. Laskowski. Among illustration, graphic, and photography work, you'll also find here a growing learning center great for prospective digital artists.

You can find me on on serveral social networking services for artists! Click on the logo of the corresponding service to view my account.
I typically go by the name "fox-orian" around the internet.

Also, why not add Plastic Shards to your Delicious?

Bookmark Plastic Shards on Delicious

Plastic Shards hosting by (mt) and *XENOSTARS

INSPIRATIONS:
Kristian Donaldson - Prodigal Nine
Feng Zhu Design
SHING WORKS - THE MEEK

FRIENDS:
James Buck - Buckwolfe
Tyler Edlin
Jamie Griffard
Dershing Helmer - Alexds1
Jessica Luong - YanYu
William Gibbons - Ashwara | Para-Ten
Scott Maynard - TehKiah | Happle Tea
Ten Thousand Masks Studios

CLIENTS:
Northeastern Alumni Magazine
Axolot Games [Website coming soon]

SPECIAL THANKS:
ESPER ONLINE MAGAZINE - Feature in Issue 3 | VIACOMIT Feature | FFFOUND! Feature | FLYLYF Feature | KANYE WEST BLOG Feature | LooksLikeGoodDesign Feature

December 2nd, 2009: Update to the gallery. A number of new works. Click the small thumbnails below to cycle through all the new additions!
August 31st, 2009: Updated the gallery with four new artworks! These artworks are highlighted with an orange border. Go check them out!

Also complete is the Links section of the content tabs irectly to the left here. These links contain my friends, personal inspirations, and those who have given me significant features.

Updates to the blog coming soon!
August 12th, 2009: Special thanks to FFFound for featuring me recently! Welcome all you new incoming visitors to my humble digs on the internet! I appreaciate all of the subsequent features you guys have been giving me. It's nice to know that I'm appreciated as an artist!

It's about time I update the links in the links tab over there... so I guess I'll finally get on that!
July 2009: Announcing the new launch of Plastic Shards v2! An all new design, identity, and work! Expect things to change a lot while you visit from time to time! This current design is a work in progress.
[No other previous updates available!]

Perspective & Composition Part 1: Perspective
Chapter 1: One Point Perspective
Chapter 2: Two Point Perspective
Chapter 3: Three Point Perspective
Chapter 4: Special Perspective Circumstances
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Perspective & Composition Part 2: Composition
Chapter 5: Creating a Compositional Framework
Chapter 6: The Theories of Compositional Design
Chapter 7: Making a Thoughtful Composition
Chapter 8: Get Inspired
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Perspective & Composition Part 3: In Characters
Coming soon!

Perspective & Composition Part 4: Light & Shadow
Coming soon!

Wacom Tablet Adobe Photoshop & Corel Painter Guide
Chapter 1: Choosing and setting up your tablet for painting
Chapter 2: Tips and recommendations for drawing digitally
Chapter 3: Techniques for painting digitally
Chapter 4: Other things to know
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Photoshop Coloring via Adjustment Layers
Chapter 1: What are adjustment layers and layer masks?
Chapter 2: Using these to color digitally, full step-by-step demo
Chapter 3: Extra tips on using adjustment layers and layer masks
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Comic & Manga Style Halftone Screen Patterning
Chapter 1: What is halftoning?
Chapter 2: How to apply halftones digitally, full step-by-step demo
Chapter 3: Using your results for screen viewing or for print
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Steam, Smoke, and Vapor Effects
Chapter 1: Recommended brush settings
Chapter 2: The technique
Chapter 3: Observing the differences between steam and smoke
[View this tutorial on deviantART]

Check out the Plastic Shards blog for updates, recent events, personal opinions, answered questions, tips, and inspiring finds.
It's small at the moment, but check back or subscribe to keep track of updates and new articles!

Matt Laskowski is an aspiring professional illustrator and conceptual designer with a BFA in Illustration from The Art Institute of Boston, in Boston Massachusetts. Between the wide gamut of architecture, institutions, and public transportation, the unique city of Boston itself has become a large influence in his work.

He enjoys creating characters, vehicles, and environments alike. His style tends to lean much more toward the technical rather than the organic. His mind loves to think about mechanical things, gadgetry, urban life, and how these things become worn over time.

He is an avid gamer, music lover, conversationalist, and explorer.

Illustration: Line art, coloring, digital painting, for print, game graphics, graphic novelling or comics, etc.
Conceptual Design: Environmental, character, vehicular & tech, scenes, studies, narrative boards, and backgrounding.
Graphic Design: Typography. Design for print and screen viewing.

High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite software, the use of Wacom Graphic Tablets, Windows + Mac OS, and digital photography equipment.

Homebase is Boston, MA, but doing work internationally over the internet is possible.
Plastic Shards currently has no contractually binding obligations.

Looking to hire and want to find out more? Feel free to download and review my resume and portfolio booklet.

[ Download Resume - Updated Fall 2009 ]

[ Download PDF Portfolio - Updated Fall 2009 ]

Note: The resume and PDF portfolio available to download here contain limited contact information and low resolution images.
If you are a client seeking potential talent, please feel free to contact me via email for full contact info and a high quality PDF.

For all email communication,
email me at matt@plasticshards.com

To contact me about a possible commission, job, or the use of my artwork,
email me at matt@plasticshards.com as well, and use your name and company/group in the subject.

Feel free to visit my Etsy store to arrange purchasing a print! [Click here to go there!]
Prints are available of my work, and can be made specially on demand.
Email me if you're interested in a print, and I can provide a price quote based on how much it would cost
me to print it and ship it to you.
All prints are printed with genuine premium Epson equipment, inks, and papers. Standard papers include up to 13 x 19 inch matte and glossy paper. Larger sizes and specialty papers can be used upon request. All prints are dated, numbered, and signed personally! Those buying a print also get a special desktop wallpaper pack of my work!

For all other questions, including ones about my work and tutorials, feel free to email me as well!
I'm eager to help fellow artists, and if your question is really good, it may provide me with content for
my blog. Don't be shy!