I know I don't post on here all THAT often (especially in comparison to lots of other artists out there), but I'm fairly pleased with how much I've been able to keep up with it thus far. I only wish I had more to post (and more often). Despite this being a new post, however, I have nothing to show for it. No drawing, no photo, no new image of any kind. I don't have any poems for you guys either. But I'm not a poet, so I don't really feel bad about that last bit.
That's not to say that I'm not working on any projects though. If anything, I have too much to work on between now and the end of May. Comics, drawings, my costume... I've started making a "practice" version of my jacket though, and it's comic along decently. I mean, there are mistakes here and there, but that's what a practice version is for, no? It's eating up a lot of time, but I have no regrets! I'm learning a lot from it, including the fact that I can go at least 1 size smaller on the pattern than I thought I'd need to. Niiice :)
So if I don't have any new arty stuff to upload why am I blogging? I honestly have no idea. Well no, that's not true; I know why. I have a couple of things on my mind and I'm just having trouble sleeping. I'm hoping that continuous rapping on the keyboard will help lure the sandman, so I'm just sort of spewing whatever thoughts come to mind (even when it's completely lacking relevance to art).
If anything I suppose that means I should get a "regular blog" back up and running again. I used to blog quite a bit, and I do miss it. I like writing anyway, but I found it quite therapeutic as it allowed me to organize my thoughts and manifest them. It'd mostly be for me, but I do have to wonder whether anyone would actually want to read my inane ramblings. Haha.
Well, I'm still not feeling sleepy, but I might as well give it another go. Stay classy!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Just a Little Note & Drawing Requests
Hey, Everybody!
First of all, I just wanted to let y'all know that while I finally know what I'll be drawing next, it may be a couple of weeks before I'm able to post it. I still have a project that I'm trying to finish up, and while I've been trying to work on it diligently, it's been pretty slow going. I blame my lack of skill and motivation in drawing backgrounds with perspective. Well that, and the fact that I work full-time with a fluctuating schedule.
Second, I just want to mention something about drawing requests.
I will take them, so if you'd like to ask me for one, feel free :) There's a catch though (oh, but of course there is...).
While I'll try really hard to get around to all of them, the truth is...I might not. The drawings I do for the sketch blog are something I do for fun (and for free)! And so, if I don't have the time or the motivation, it just might not happen. Commissioned work is an entirely different animal though--paid work always takes priority because it's a job. Pretty self-explanatory, no?
Also, if you have a specific request, it's not guaranteed that I'll draw exactly what you asked for. Again, I'll try really hard to fulfill all requests, but if inspiration strikes in a different direction, I'm going to chase it. This is in regards to both the concept of the drawing, as well as the style/medium.
I should also note that I might not necessarily draw the requests in the order of who made the requests when. I'll try to stick to this as much as possible, but exceptions may abound!
And last, but certainly not least, the drawings are in no way an indicator of who I like or how much I like them :D Seriously, just because one person's drawing is in color and another one isn't, or just because one drawing is more "sketchy" compared to another that appears more polished etc. isn't at all a reflection of how I feel about you guys! If anything it's simply a reflection of my level of inspiration/motivation, my state of mind, or just which tools I had handy at the moment that I started drawing, haha. Besides, I like you all anyway!
...Except you there. Yeah, you ;P
Questions? Comments? Feel free to leave 'em here on the blog!
That's all for now. Until next time!
First of all, I just wanted to let y'all know that while I finally know what I'll be drawing next, it may be a couple of weeks before I'm able to post it. I still have a project that I'm trying to finish up, and while I've been trying to work on it diligently, it's been pretty slow going. I blame my lack of skill and motivation in drawing backgrounds with perspective. Well that, and the fact that I work full-time with a fluctuating schedule.
Second, I just want to mention something about drawing requests.
I will take them, so if you'd like to ask me for one, feel free :) There's a catch though (oh, but of course there is...).
While I'll try really hard to get around to all of them, the truth is...I might not. The drawings I do for the sketch blog are something I do for fun (and for free)! And so, if I don't have the time or the motivation, it just might not happen. Commissioned work is an entirely different animal though--paid work always takes priority because it's a job. Pretty self-explanatory, no?
Also, if you have a specific request, it's not guaranteed that I'll draw exactly what you asked for. Again, I'll try really hard to fulfill all requests, but if inspiration strikes in a different direction, I'm going to chase it. This is in regards to both the concept of the drawing, as well as the style/medium.
I should also note that I might not necessarily draw the requests in the order of who made the requests when. I'll try to stick to this as much as possible, but exceptions may abound!
And last, but certainly not least, the drawings are in no way an indicator of who I like or how much I like them :D Seriously, just because one person's drawing is in color and another one isn't, or just because one drawing is more "sketchy" compared to another that appears more polished etc. isn't at all a reflection of how I feel about you guys! If anything it's simply a reflection of my level of inspiration/motivation, my state of mind, or just which tools I had handy at the moment that I started drawing, haha. Besides, I like you all anyway!
...Except you there. Yeah, you ;P
Questions? Comments? Feel free to leave 'em here on the blog!
That's all for now. Until next time!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Happy Birthday, Sydney!
Just wanted to say Happy Birthday to the hippest blue-haired girl I know!
She's also the only blue-haired girl I know, but that's beside the point. She's still awesome.
I drew this one in a style mimicking Akira Toriyama's because Sydney came back into work the other night just to pick up a copy of Chrono Trigger for her boyfriend (Akira Toriyama did the character designs for the game). And I say it's merely "mimicking" Toriyama's style because a more faithful rendition would have had far less torso :P
Hope you had a super sweet birthday, Sydney!
She's also the only blue-haired girl I know, but that's beside the point. She's still awesome.
I drew this one in a style mimicking Akira Toriyama's because Sydney came back into work the other night just to pick up a copy of Chrono Trigger for her boyfriend (Akira Toriyama did the character designs for the game). And I say it's merely "mimicking" Toriyama's style because a more faithful rendition would have had far less torso :P
Hope you had a super sweet birthday, Sydney!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
New Toy :D
I just splurged and bought a new sewing machine! We have one at home already, but it's kind of old and nobs are missing. I'm not entirely sure how to use some of the functions (much less what they are) so the lack of instruction manual is vexing. Plus the original pressure foot/pedal died a couple of years ago. I bought a replacement pedal long since then, but it seems to be a more generic kind that doesn't allow you to vary the speed. Not good if you don't know what you're doing. Which I don't.
The machine was on sale at Joann Fabrics for about 50% off. Normally I'd be very suspicious of such a good deal on a machine, but it received good reviews pretty consistently. Anyway, I'm merely a sewing novice, so I don't need a lot of crazy bells and whistles. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can get started on my costume!
Speaking of which, the hat for my costume came a couple of days ago. It's a tad bit big on me (which is surprising considering I have a big head), but it was pretty cheap and only requires minor tweaks. So, overall I am very pleased :)
The machine was on sale at Joann Fabrics for about 50% off. Normally I'd be very suspicious of such a good deal on a machine, but it received good reviews pretty consistently. Anyway, I'm merely a sewing novice, so I don't need a lot of crazy bells and whistles. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can get started on my costume!
Speaking of which, the hat for my costume came a couple of days ago. It's a tad bit big on me (which is surprising considering I have a big head), but it was pretty cheap and only requires minor tweaks. So, overall I am very pleased :)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Cosplay, Part 2!
Okay, it's been decided! I will indeed be cosplaying at Anime Central 2011 :)
...But I'm going to be a jerk-face and not reveal who as until later. Bwah ha ha!
I was at my friend's place last night trying to hammer out details for ACen (by the way, you obviously know who you are, but I'm leaving you somewhat anonymous in case you don't want me telling the whole world your dirty, dirty secret :P). Actually, it was more like we were trying to come to a decision on two details specifically: 1.) Hotel Accommodations, and 2.) Cosplay.
As far as Hotel Accommodations go, it's too late for us to book a room at a nearby hotel so we'll just be commuting back and forth from home everyday. Certainly not as convenient (having a hotel room at the convention really does make a significant difference), but that's okay.
Now, in regards to cosplay, we weren't sure what we were going to do because neither of us have watched anime in a while and therefore didn't have any new characters in mind. We don't want to re-wear the costumes we already had, but we also have time working against us. To get us started I brainstormed a list of ideas, but we ultimately chose 2 costumes that weren't on the list to begin with, haha. To be honest, the character I chose was actually someone I didn't really want to cosplay as, at least, at an anime convention, because there's is nothing remotely Japanese about her--She's an iconic character from an American game franchise (hint hint). In the end though, the relative simplicity of the costume was the clincher.
Well that, and the fact that my friend would be cosplaying as a somewhat complementary character :P
I'll need to start hunting for components and a pattern or two for this one. The costume is "simple" in that there are only a few key pieces that you need, but whether or not you can find those key pieces...well that's a whole other animal. Wish me luck!
...But I'm going to be a jerk-face and not reveal who as until later. Bwah ha ha!
I was at my friend's place last night trying to hammer out details for ACen (by the way, you obviously know who you are, but I'm leaving you somewhat anonymous in case you don't want me telling the whole world your dirty, dirty secret :P). Actually, it was more like we were trying to come to a decision on two details specifically: 1.) Hotel Accommodations, and 2.) Cosplay.
As far as Hotel Accommodations go, it's too late for us to book a room at a nearby hotel so we'll just be commuting back and forth from home everyday. Certainly not as convenient (having a hotel room at the convention really does make a significant difference), but that's okay.
Now, in regards to cosplay, we weren't sure what we were going to do because neither of us have watched anime in a while and therefore didn't have any new characters in mind. We don't want to re-wear the costumes we already had, but we also have time working against us. To get us started I brainstormed a list of ideas, but we ultimately chose 2 costumes that weren't on the list to begin with, haha. To be honest, the character I chose was actually someone I didn't really want to cosplay as, at least, at an anime convention, because there's is nothing remotely Japanese about her--She's an iconic character from an American game franchise (hint hint). In the end though, the relative simplicity of the costume was the clincher.
Well that, and the fact that my friend would be cosplaying as a somewhat complementary character :P
I'll need to start hunting for components and a pattern or two for this one. The costume is "simple" in that there are only a few key pieces that you need, but whether or not you can find those key pieces...well that's a whole other animal. Wish me luck!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Cosplay
Know what it is? Great. Convinced that I just made up the word? Then read this (I wouldn't count on Wikipedia as being the infallible authority of information, but it's a good place to start).
Now then. Cosplay. I like cosplay. I like observing the costumes that cosplayers pour their very hearts and souls into. I enjoy laughing at the humorous and ironic cosplays meant to entertain the masses, and I especially love marveling at the costumes so gorgeous, so awe-inspiring, so masterfully crafted that they imbue even the most fictional characters with realness, three-dimensionality and life.
But I don't just like admiring other cosplays. I like cosplaying myself as well...
If you picked up on my hesitance at that admission (the ellipses probably gave me away), it's really only because cosplayers, anime fans, otaku etc. get a really bad rap. Honestly, I completely understand why. Extremist fanboys/girls who have no grasp on reality, social decorum and personal hygiene make all of us look bad. And awkward. And smelly.
The thing is, there are a lot of people out there who cosplay and are completely normal (present company included, thank you very much)! We haven't convinced ourselves that we've become whoever we're dressing up as. We don't all stay "in character" when we're in the costumes and demand to be referred to as such. We don't all shout obnoxious and random Japanese phrases. We don't all snort asthmatically when we laugh.
We all do, however, have enthusiasm, and for some of us, a passion, for great storytelling, artistry and transformational design challenges... In short, people who love cosplay are people who love art and theater.
Oh, plus some people dig modeling as a hobby. Particularly as cosplay modeling doesn't demand eating disorders... ba-zing!
Strictly in terms of dressing up at anime conventions, I haven't cosplayed a whole lot--I've done it 4 times, but I've only made 2 costumes for myself (I wore each costume twice, which may or may not be a faux pas in the cosplay subculture). Even so, I've loved making my own costumes ever since I was a kid. Halloween was more or less my favorite holiday because it was an opportunity to make a sweet costume that I knew no one else was going to be wearing. Plus the candy was an added plus...
As the anime convention, Anime Central, is about to roll around again in May, I find myself without a cosplay idea for this year. Considering I've worn both my costumes twice each, I refuse to wear them again--at least, anytime soon. Unfortunately, I haven't really kept up with much anime either, so I'm afraid my pool of familiarity has run a bit dry.
There are plenty of female characters that I like, but I personally only like attempting the characters that I can at least achieve a vague resemblance to. This is less in regards to facial structure and more in terms of physique.
Before this potentially wanders into some uncomfortably murky waters, allow me to say that I know what I am and I know what I'm not. I'm not a delicately thin (or even indelicately thin) little waif much less anyone with an enviable body, and I'm okay with that. I would sincerely encourage people of any physique to dress up as whoever the heck they wanted to, regardless of what they look like. However, it'll be a VERY long time (if ever at all) before I cosplay as someone who looks like one of the Sailor Scouts or Faye Valentine.
The tricky thing is that there are very few characters in anime who have a larger build. The few there are, are usually unimportant side-characters who often serve as comic foils. Considering this, characters I take interest in cosplaying are usually from a series with a "rounder" artistic style, or a concept that welcomes a great deal of free interpretation.
With Anime Central being just over 1.5 months away, I need to decide (and quicky) whether or not I'll be cosplaying this year. Honestly, I think I would be a little sad if I didn't. But who would I cosplay as? And if I cosplay, will I have enough time, energy and money to pull it off? More to come when I'm not about ready to pass out at the keyboard...
Now then. Cosplay. I like cosplay. I like observing the costumes that cosplayers pour their very hearts and souls into. I enjoy laughing at the humorous and ironic cosplays meant to entertain the masses, and I especially love marveling at the costumes so gorgeous, so awe-inspiring, so masterfully crafted that they imbue even the most fictional characters with realness, three-dimensionality and life.
But I don't just like admiring other cosplays. I like cosplaying myself as well...
If you picked up on my hesitance at that admission (the ellipses probably gave me away), it's really only because cosplayers, anime fans, otaku etc. get a really bad rap. Honestly, I completely understand why. Extremist fanboys/girls who have no grasp on reality, social decorum and personal hygiene make all of us look bad. And awkward. And smelly.
The thing is, there are a lot of people out there who cosplay and are completely normal (present company included, thank you very much)! We haven't convinced ourselves that we've become whoever we're dressing up as. We don't all stay "in character" when we're in the costumes and demand to be referred to as such. We don't all shout obnoxious and random Japanese phrases. We don't all snort asthmatically when we laugh.
We all do, however, have enthusiasm, and for some of us, a passion, for great storytelling, artistry and transformational design challenges... In short, people who love cosplay are people who love art and theater.
Oh, plus some people dig modeling as a hobby. Particularly as cosplay modeling doesn't demand eating disorders... ba-zing!
Strictly in terms of dressing up at anime conventions, I haven't cosplayed a whole lot--I've done it 4 times, but I've only made 2 costumes for myself (I wore each costume twice, which may or may not be a faux pas in the cosplay subculture). Even so, I've loved making my own costumes ever since I was a kid. Halloween was more or less my favorite holiday because it was an opportunity to make a sweet costume that I knew no one else was going to be wearing. Plus the candy was an added plus...
As the anime convention, Anime Central, is about to roll around again in May, I find myself without a cosplay idea for this year. Considering I've worn both my costumes twice each, I refuse to wear them again--at least, anytime soon. Unfortunately, I haven't really kept up with much anime either, so I'm afraid my pool of familiarity has run a bit dry.
There are plenty of female characters that I like, but I personally only like attempting the characters that I can at least achieve a vague resemblance to. This is less in regards to facial structure and more in terms of physique.
Before this potentially wanders into some uncomfortably murky waters, allow me to say that I know what I am and I know what I'm not. I'm not a delicately thin (or even indelicately thin) little waif much less anyone with an enviable body, and I'm okay with that. I would sincerely encourage people of any physique to dress up as whoever the heck they wanted to, regardless of what they look like. However, it'll be a VERY long time (if ever at all) before I cosplay as someone who looks like one of the Sailor Scouts or Faye Valentine.
The tricky thing is that there are very few characters in anime who have a larger build. The few there are, are usually unimportant side-characters who often serve as comic foils. Considering this, characters I take interest in cosplaying are usually from a series with a "rounder" artistic style, or a concept that welcomes a great deal of free interpretation.
With Anime Central being just over 1.5 months away, I need to decide (and quicky) whether or not I'll be cosplaying this year. Honestly, I think I would be a little sad if I didn't. But who would I cosplay as? And if I cosplay, will I have enough time, energy and money to pull it off? More to come when I'm not about ready to pass out at the keyboard...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Adventure Time (With Hungry Hungry Hobos)!
Meet Patrick and Sydney, two more of my fabulous co-workers (collectively known as the foosball team, Hungry Hungry Hobos).
A few weeks ago I was feeling incredibly agitated and posted to my facebook page with this update:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)