New art:



I think I'm getting better with the markers. ( =

It's a sketch, I did it today, why shouldn't it count? Bookmark I'm making for Janson's mom, so I intend to have it finished tomorrow. We found clear contact paper at the dollar store this weekend, so I'm anxious to try it out for a bookmark.

Derek again, referenced from the model I did of his face this morning.

Okay, I realize it's my own fault for putting off my guitar lessons so long, but damn it, I'll never get better if I can barely stand to hold down chords for five minutes a day. Clearly, it's not the guitar, and the old/other one probably wasn't as bad to play as I thought. Are my fingers made of paper or what?

If anyone out there has ideas for how to make playing guitar easier, I'd love to hear them. I tried using a thimble, but it worked too well. My other fingers hurt instead, and I don't exactly have enough room on the neck to fit four thimbles. Nylon strings aren't really a feasible option, either, and I tried to put on a glove, but it was too thick and yet didn't pad quite enough to make it comfortable. Band-aids also don't seem overly convenient.

Graugh. I'm getting better at switching between the few chords I know, but I can't even play several of them without the strings buzzing 'cause my stupid fingers are so weak.

Srsly, guys, I just found an AWESOME resource for art. It took some digging to find what I was looking for, but I found a fully customizeable 3D face modeller: FaceGen Modeller. You can build a face any way you want it, with all sorts of options from age, race, and textures to detailed adjustments on every part of the face, expressions, and you can even have the mouth shaping a specific sound, all with a 360 degree turnaround view.

Check it out, I made Derek, the subject of yesterday's daily sketch:



It's almost exactly as I picture him, exactly what I need to help draw my characters effectively.

The free version seems to have almost all the features of the paid version, aside from some limited export capabilities and that logo on the forehead. But as a reference tool, it's perfect. I have to make more characters now.

Finally, a portrait of the last major protagonist - as it were - from Eyes. And of course, unlike the others, he took up the entire sketchbook page.



Haha, he looks like Link. I hadn't realized the similarity until I actually drew him, though it's still not a perfect depiction. Do any of you know of any references for building or finding a precise facial construction?

I'm sure my bird wing anatomy leaves something to be desired.

I really have to stop putting these off 'til 9:00 pm.



Haha, it's so out of proportion. Goliath from Gargoyles.

Finally got around to doing another sketch from the histories of my characters in Eyes of a Dragon.



Larius and his father relaxing in a faux hot spring - achieved through coals - while on the march with the Therian army, about 1-2 years prior to the story. It's not exactly as I'd like them to look, but I have no intentions of finishing it anyway and I ran short of time. After getting up late and stalling for a bit - after I finally fell asleep around 3:15 - Jans and I went out to wander around a mall shortly after he got home from the flying field and ended up spending three hours walking there. Got to love Square One. We picked up the Pixar shorts collection and I splurged and finally got season one of Gargoyles. I love that show.

And that's about it.

FeralGrinn always does the best surveys, haha. /loser

( Art survey. )

I've been having a hard time getting to sleep the past couple weeks. I really can't guess why.

Jans and I thought we were going to be rescuing his coworker's barbecue today, but all the people he invited ended up showing after all. Jans was actually considering not going until he heard about the others not being able to make it, but we had a lot of fun anyway. We spent hours playing Rock Band. Jans was a little turned off the game mostly because our neighbours like it - late at night, and louder than polite - but we both really enjoyed it. We even discussed picking it up for Wii on the way home, though there are a few issues with that, like price, default songs available, and most importantly, where to put the instruments when not using them. In any case, I rocked pretty hard with the drums and OMG our mall is getting a Game Stop!! We've had so many stores go under to be replaced with doofy clothes stores that I can't get over it. We're going to have to spend some money there just to show our support.

I want to sleeep. I was hoping to get up with Jans to go his flying field and take some more video of him flying, but the alarm's set for 6:30 and I totally don't feel tired now. Grah. Oh well, I'll go read more W.I.T.C.H. or something.

I was going to draw something patriotic for Independence Day, but instead, I give you raver clowns.



It had to do with some techno music coming out of the shrine circus in our mall parking lot. Actually, the characters are DeeDee from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. 'Cause if they're going to be scantily clad raver clowns, they'd at least better be hot clowns.

I figured I was done when I failed to draw anything for the first two days of the month, but a sketch kind of happened today, so maybe I can start something going yet.



Saw some socks or boot covers or something in that style in a banner ad, and the rest kind of drew itself. She strikes me as an airship captain.

Yeah, I guess I'm not doing the sketch a day for a month thing, haha. I spent time today not planning, not brainstorming, but actually writing. No idea how much I wrote, 'cause it was all within the first two chapters, adding and adjusting as I try to delve back into the story, but I'm pleased anyway. I also played Risk with the map I drew with the armies in the story. Good times.

It's so weird that tomorrow is Friday.

FREE DINNER AT MANDARIN TONIGHT?? Damn it, it's only open to citizens!

... we're going anyway.

EDIT: Haha, people were lined up around the block to get in. We went to a take-out Chinese place around the corner instead.

And oops, I totally forgot to draw something today. o =

I'm tempted to join feral_grinn in her challenge to do a sketch every day for the month of July, if I'm not all drawn out after this weekend!

( I got to hand it to you... )

New art:



Finally got around to drawing the character whose design has been the most complete since I originally started writing the precursor to Eyes in middle school. XD

That and somewhat related matters brought me to draw the following today.

( Shirtless dudes at 12:00! )

Response from the first agent came quicker than I was expecting.

Can you guess what it was?

I already sent out another query last night. I'll have to wait up to two weeks before I know anything about this one - unfortunately, they don't respond to those they're not interested in - but still isn't that bad. I could try sending off another query or two in the meantime. Simultaneous submissions aren't so discouraged among agents as with publishers.

Well, my new employer certainly isn't kidding around with the background check. Sorry, J-Dawg, they can't accept your reference letter. Thanks, though! I really appreciate your sending it. On the bright side, it looks like I won't be working for a little while still, so we can still go to the zoo on a weekday in the near future.

I bought more markers today. Curse you, nearest art store! Why must you keep selling Trias cheap? Actually, I can't complain about that, even if it is an irresistable expense. I might not have gotten into the Trias at all, or at least as soon, if that store hadn't been selling them for $2/marker. The problem was I was tempted to get two sets today. =P

So, it's a good thing I ended up going out to the softball game last night. I made nine players. Didn't even have anyone to spare to keep score when we were in the field, so we didn't know the opposition's score 'til the end of the game. We lost again, but I had fun playing, even if it was sweltering and I was playing in jeans 'cause I wasn't expecting to play every inning.

Haven't done much else with my time since Jans left. I started reading W.I.T.C.H. comics online, past the ones that have been released in North America. It's such a good comic, but it gets depressing! Maybe that's why Disney stopped releasing it. Though, after watching part of the cartoon, I can understand why it might not have hit off. Bah. Oh well.

I should get back to work on some art. Hopefully these new shades of purple add some variety to the ones I already had...

Wish me luck, guys. I sent off a query to an agent for Aurius. I think I'm going to like this process a lot better than querying publishers. E-mail seems to be a common submission format and response times are measured in days rather than months.

Jans got up at 4:00 this morning to head to a gaming convention in Ohio. Four a.m. I went back to sleep 'til 8:00, but considering I wasn't able to fall asleep 'til 11:30 or so, I could really stand to have a nap about now. But, turns out that even though I wasn't put on the roster for tonight's softball game, I've been asked to bring my glove anyway, in case they need someone to sub in. It's easier to convince myself to get out of the house for that reason than just going to take pictures.

New art:



Quick character design pictures are so relaxing to do. Still have three more characters from Eyes to draw. Gah. I'm taking way too long with these.