Wednesday, March 31, 2004
I SO want to be doing artwork or writing right now, but I have 24 Japanese adjectives to learn and I have to look all of them up because the teacher wrote them so quickly on the board right before we left.
Looked at my small sketch pad and I think I can go in and complete some stuff that's been lying around in there since May last year. Boy, my style has changed.
Probably will finish up the 'surprise' pic first though.
I will work on art as a reward for getting the adjectives written up in my notebook, typed up in a chart, put on flashcards and had at least one hour of intense flashcard running. I will not touch the art until these items have been completed.
And no writing either.
My muses are NOT amused...
Just a month and a week and the semester is over, boys!
Looked at my small sketch pad and I think I can go in and complete some stuff that's been lying around in there since May last year. Boy, my style has changed.
Probably will finish up the 'surprise' pic first though.
I will work on art as a reward for getting the adjectives written up in my notebook, typed up in a chart, put on flashcards and had at least one hour of intense flashcard running. I will not touch the art until these items have been completed.
And no writing either.
My muses are NOT amused...
Just a month and a week and the semester is over, boys!
Saturday, March 27, 2004
This is the 200th oekaki I posted. This was done with a different applet that did not provide the best skintone palette.
Hard to believe I have posted 200 oekaki on the website. And I have a bunch more sitting in a folder to post, a few at a time, so I actually HAVE something to post every week.
It is all astradyne's fault for introducing me to this particular addiction, and I love astradyne for doing so!
Now I have to go to sleep so I have the energy to study Japanese this weekend.
Until Monday night, then!
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Yaoicon is going to have a fanfic contest again this year.
Sure wish I could enter "Kokigami" but it looks like it is too old to do so.
They are also doing a fairy tale contest this year. Damnit, I wonder if I can get my a/u Gravi fic done in time - doubt it. It's another story that just seems to grow and grow, and the parts I need to develop are still sitting there, the outlines laughing at me, while other sections just get more and more detailed.
Anyway, you writers should consider it.
~cross-posted at byo blog, crap blog, byo lj and crap lj~
Sure wish I could enter "Kokigami" but it looks like it is too old to do so.
They are also doing a fairy tale contest this year. Damnit, I wonder if I can get my a/u Gravi fic done in time - doubt it. It's another story that just seems to grow and grow, and the parts I need to develop are still sitting there, the outlines laughing at me, while other sections just get more and more detailed.
Anyway, you writers should consider it.
~cross-posted at byo blog, crap blog, byo lj and crap lj~
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Got an interesting revelation at 2:30am in the morning today - E is not proud of his abilities and his accomplishments and no member of his family has ever told him they were proud of him either.
Why does he write? Possibly to get the voices in his head to shut up.
Just what I needed, another tiny tidbit that needs a full-blown section for it to be integrated into the monster story.
Maybe I need to develop this later and make it a one-shot.
*whine* It's still March, my creative month... Why must I have deal with a Japanese quiz on Monday, so my creative urge is being gobbled up with study? *whimper*
~cross-posted at the ramblings blog~
Why does he write? Possibly to get the voices in his head to shut up.
Just what I needed, another tiny tidbit that needs a full-blown section for it to be integrated into the monster story.
Maybe I need to develop this later and make it a one-shot.
*whine* It's still March, my creative month... Why must I have deal with a Japanese quiz on Monday, so my creative urge is being gobbled up with study? *whimper*
~cross-posted at the ramblings blog~
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
To prove the fic what will not end does exist, here is the first few paragraphs of the story. This part may have some slight changes done to it before official release.
The coolness of the bedroom tickled me barely awake. I didn't turn my head, did not open my eyes. Keeping a light but firm grip on my pillow I just instinctively began wiggling my body toward the other side of the bed and the heat I instinctively knew would be there.
After moving a few inches my sluggish brain finally registered the fact I had not impacted against the warmth I was expecting. Pulling my near arm out from under my pillow I sent it blindly searching. As my hand reached waist height my fingers found the indentation where who I was searching for had lain, a slight thermal difference radiating from the shallow crater, letting me know the other occupant of this bed had only recently vacated that spot.
Finally I opened my eyes and twisted my head to confirm what my other senses were telling me; the other side of the bed was abandoned.
Stroking the mattress a few times with my fingertips I surprised myself by sighing, reflecting on the absurdity of the dilemma. After only three months of sleeping together in the same bed I was now used to having a certain someone beside me throughout the nocturnal hours.
Now if I woke in the middle of the night I expected to hear soft breathing, sometimes feeling it brush across the back of my neck because a nose was tucked into its curve and a body was curled around mine.
Now I expected the mingled aromas of menthol cigarettes, strawberry scented and flavored lubricant, sweat, expensive sweet pastries, semen, strawberry pocky, cheap American beer and the distinctive pong of sexual activity to be lingering in the enclosed space.
Now I expected to see his shadowed form less than a hand's length away, his tousled spiky hair the only part of him peeking out from under the covers when the air was chilled or the delicious naked curve of his moon-kissed body if the room was balmy.
Now I expected the sensation of warm soft skin nestled against mine. If he was turned toward me, an arm, a leg, or both would be draped across me and his body would be pressed soothingly against mine, his face cradled in the crook of my neck or on my shoulder. If he was turned away from me, his back and bottom would curve along my body and the back of his silky head would rest on his pillow next to my shoulder.
Occasionally the sensation of the sheet glued to my ass or groin because of dried lube or love penetrated my muzzy awareness as I shifted sleeping positions and I would attempt to extract myself from the clinging, sticking fabric before lapsing back into dormancy. But even in my semi-conscious state I would never attempt to extract myself from his connection. Some part of me is always compelled to remain in contact with him while I drift back to my dreams, even if our link is just our entwined feet, or slumber eludes me.
And no, you aren't supposed to know who is speaking. You find that out about 20 pages into it, with identities being hidden on purpose. That's one of the reasons this has been a challenge to do, not revealing who is talking, acting and reacting.
The coolness of the bedroom tickled me barely awake. I didn't turn my head, did not open my eyes. Keeping a light but firm grip on my pillow I just instinctively began wiggling my body toward the other side of the bed and the heat I instinctively knew would be there.
After moving a few inches my sluggish brain finally registered the fact I had not impacted against the warmth I was expecting. Pulling my near arm out from under my pillow I sent it blindly searching. As my hand reached waist height my fingers found the indentation where who I was searching for had lain, a slight thermal difference radiating from the shallow crater, letting me know the other occupant of this bed had only recently vacated that spot.
Finally I opened my eyes and twisted my head to confirm what my other senses were telling me; the other side of the bed was abandoned.
Stroking the mattress a few times with my fingertips I surprised myself by sighing, reflecting on the absurdity of the dilemma. After only three months of sleeping together in the same bed I was now used to having a certain someone beside me throughout the nocturnal hours.
Now if I woke in the middle of the night I expected to hear soft breathing, sometimes feeling it brush across the back of my neck because a nose was tucked into its curve and a body was curled around mine.
Now I expected the mingled aromas of menthol cigarettes, strawberry scented and flavored lubricant, sweat, expensive sweet pastries, semen, strawberry pocky, cheap American beer and the distinctive pong of sexual activity to be lingering in the enclosed space.
Now I expected to see his shadowed form less than a hand's length away, his tousled spiky hair the only part of him peeking out from under the covers when the air was chilled or the delicious naked curve of his moon-kissed body if the room was balmy.
Now I expected the sensation of warm soft skin nestled against mine. If he was turned toward me, an arm, a leg, or both would be draped across me and his body would be pressed soothingly against mine, his face cradled in the crook of my neck or on my shoulder. If he was turned away from me, his back and bottom would curve along my body and the back of his silky head would rest on his pillow next to my shoulder.
Occasionally the sensation of the sheet glued to my ass or groin because of dried lube or love penetrated my muzzy awareness as I shifted sleeping positions and I would attempt to extract myself from the clinging, sticking fabric before lapsing back into dormancy. But even in my semi-conscious state I would never attempt to extract myself from his connection. Some part of me is always compelled to remain in contact with him while I drift back to my dreams, even if our link is just our entwined feet, or slumber eludes me.
And no, you aren't supposed to know who is speaking. You find that out about 20 pages into it, with identities being hidden on purpose. That's one of the reasons this has been a challenge to do, not revealing who is talking, acting and reacting.
Monday, March 22, 2004
Once again, as I go through the latest working hard copy of the fic that will not end I find little things I want to add.
Yesterday I re-read a scene I thought I had pretty much completed, then I realized, what happened to the condom? The boys finished and passed out without cleaning up, so something had to happen to it. And no, it's not stuck 'up' anything. I even wrote it in pink on the page - what happened to the condom?
I started getting a little giggly about it, putting the poor boys in various realizations in my head, talking to rat a little about it and finding I would need to add a big chunk of humour to the section to make it work. Still haven't decided who will get to 'wear' the stuck-on "rubber ring o' love", though I am inclined toward E. He would be a joy to abuse, feeling disgusted by it, a dried-to-a-cement-attachment to his pubic hair and skin so it's gonna hurt if he tries to rip it off without soaking first. Lube does leave hard crustiness on the skin if it's not cleaned off immediately. Of course, rat leapt to the 'other' residue not related to semen and how it might smell bad. I countered with the fact if all fluids have dried up, like dried dog poo, the smell would not be a biggie. It was one of those times I wished my anal sex book had already arrived from amazon.com so I could reference the situation specifically.
After the poo chat I started considering how to get both boys reactions into the plot. Having E thinking, and laughing quietly about, what S's reaction would have been, finding it stuck to one of his butt-cheeks could work. Of course, it is tempting to give it to S, who would probably spin around like a dog chasing his tail as he tried to see what was glued to his ass. So I figure, give it to E, who would then imagine S in these stupid scenarios while E is trying to keep his pubic hair intact as he gently pulls on the offensive thing.
I do think up weird but valid details.
Yesterday I re-read a scene I thought I had pretty much completed, then I realized, what happened to the condom? The boys finished and passed out without cleaning up, so something had to happen to it. And no, it's not stuck 'up' anything. I even wrote it in pink on the page - what happened to the condom?
I started getting a little giggly about it, putting the poor boys in various realizations in my head, talking to rat a little about it and finding I would need to add a big chunk of humour to the section to make it work. Still haven't decided who will get to 'wear' the stuck-on "rubber ring o' love", though I am inclined toward E. He would be a joy to abuse, feeling disgusted by it, a dried-to-a-cement-attachment to his pubic hair and skin so it's gonna hurt if he tries to rip it off without soaking first. Lube does leave hard crustiness on the skin if it's not cleaned off immediately. Of course, rat leapt to the 'other' residue not related to semen and how it might smell bad. I countered with the fact if all fluids have dried up, like dried dog poo, the smell would not be a biggie. It was one of those times I wished my anal sex book had already arrived from amazon.com so I could reference the situation specifically.
After the poo chat I started considering how to get both boys reactions into the plot. Having E thinking, and laughing quietly about, what S's reaction would have been, finding it stuck to one of his butt-cheeks could work. Of course, it is tempting to give it to S, who would probably spin around like a dog chasing his tail as he tried to see what was glued to his ass. So I figure, give it to E, who would then imagine S in these stupid scenarios while E is trying to keep his pubic hair intact as he gently pulls on the offensive thing.
I do think up weird but valid details.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
Wrote a little today and did not do any Japanese homework.
Friday, March 19, 2004
Took my sketchbook to work today to try and finish off the latest drawing. Didn't happen. But it was good I brought all my tools with me because some interesting things occurred.
When I showed my drawing to one student in the lab she asked what I had looked at to draw from. I kinda did a double eye-blink at her and said I looked at nothing, it came from my brain. She found that hard to believe initially. I explained how when I first began drawing in this style I did look at various charas but I never actually copied them. I would look at the artwork, then put it down, walk to another room, and begin drawing, just using the image in my brain. I studied eye and hair shapes to try and capture the chara.
Yes, sometimes I do reference specific poses by looking at them and drawing from them but I do a lot of changing to my drawing. Those Anime Pose Reference books are indispensable for finding the 'shells' of my drawings. I can copy VERY well, so I avoid it as much as possible, trying to get my own style to come out. I copy to learn how things work and sometimes use those copies for reference.
Anyway, I showed the piece around during the morning and got some oohs and ahs over it. Some people around here forget I actually have a degree in art, something I find a little humourous. I am not just a paper pusher, computer puncher and teacher wrangler, you know, people.
Later, during the Anime Club meeting, I noticed a guy in the back with some nice drawings so I started talking to him. He can copy really well and has a nice pencil line. So I talked to him about trying to take what he was learning from his copying and doing his own work, not looking at anything. He had a difficult time wrapping his head around that concept. At one point I walked to my office, got my stuff and brought them back for him to see. He had never seen a stump before so I explained and demonstrated how it worked. He is not 'setting' his pencil lead into the paper so he is getting all sorts of smearing. He knew something about different leads but was envious of my tin of drawing pencils with the various softness/hardness factors. He did not know about how wonderful a kneaded eraser was to not only take out mistakes but to add highlights. He and another guy did go the tiniest bit slack-jaw when I showed them my one drawing - yes, the charas are clothed in this drawing! In fact, I plan to use PS 'screentones' on the shirts and probably something for the bg.
When I showed my drawing to one student in the lab she asked what I had looked at to draw from. I kinda did a double eye-blink at her and said I looked at nothing, it came from my brain. She found that hard to believe initially. I explained how when I first began drawing in this style I did look at various charas but I never actually copied them. I would look at the artwork, then put it down, walk to another room, and begin drawing, just using the image in my brain. I studied eye and hair shapes to try and capture the chara.
Yes, sometimes I do reference specific poses by looking at them and drawing from them but I do a lot of changing to my drawing. Those Anime Pose Reference books are indispensable for finding the 'shells' of my drawings. I can copy VERY well, so I avoid it as much as possible, trying to get my own style to come out. I copy to learn how things work and sometimes use those copies for reference.
Anyway, I showed the piece around during the morning and got some oohs and ahs over it. Some people around here forget I actually have a degree in art, something I find a little humourous. I am not just a paper pusher, computer puncher and teacher wrangler, you know, people.
Later, during the Anime Club meeting, I noticed a guy in the back with some nice drawings so I started talking to him. He can copy really well and has a nice pencil line. So I talked to him about trying to take what he was learning from his copying and doing his own work, not looking at anything. He had a difficult time wrapping his head around that concept. At one point I walked to my office, got my stuff and brought them back for him to see. He had never seen a stump before so I explained and demonstrated how it worked. He is not 'setting' his pencil lead into the paper so he is getting all sorts of smearing. He knew something about different leads but was envious of my tin of drawing pencils with the various softness/hardness factors. He did not know about how wonderful a kneaded eraser was to not only take out mistakes but to add highlights. He and another guy did go the tiniest bit slack-jaw when I showed them my one drawing - yes, the charas are clothed in this drawing! In fact, I plan to use PS 'screentones' on the shirts and probably something for the bg.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
This tidbit has been lying around for a while - not even remotely developed...
I hear the muted sounds of the surf crashing against the sand through the open French doors. The pre-dawn breeze lightly pushes the curtains away from the doors and into the room. I can detect the salty scent of the water being carried on the gentle zephyrs. They caress my naked skin and raise goose bumps in their wake. It is a sensuous feeling.
I slowly pull the sheet down so I do not disturb the sleeping form gradually being revealed. He is on his stomach so his lovely rump is exposed to the early morning sunlight softened by the gently rippling curtains. His face is buried in the pillow, shadowed by his feathery hair. His lips still curve in a minute smile left over from last night's "sleep-tight" tumble.
I think it is time for breakfast.
Something I threw together back in February, to help scratch the creative itch.
Every element of this image was done in the computer. The faces were done in an oekaki applet. Everything else was done in Photoshop.
Monday, March 15, 2004
Have a new drawing in the works.
Tentatively called "Surprise", and no, it has nothing to do with sex.
Since I have no story to go with it I am thinking about having a fic contest for it. Of course, I need to get the fiction section up on the website.
Hasn't helped matters the computer is acting flaky and the hosting site is going to need a re-start. I did not get much done at all this Spring Break, not what I had planned. The fact a piece of art actually happened during this time was a nice surprise. It is almost done.
I am currently downloading everything from the burton hosting site so they can reset everything. It is taking for-fucking-ever with this 56k modem. I have been downloading for hours and it is still going on.
Printed up the fic that will not end (can't believe I have been writing on it for a year now) and have found a few places I want to add commas, a few places to add a few words or better descriptions, a few notes in sections not developed, etc. I did not get the section I have hand-written into the manuscript this weekend. I definitely need to either integrate all the sex scenes I have at the end of the monster throughout the story or maybe move some of them to another story all together. I guess when I first started writing this I got more into motivations, etc., then found the sex later. All the sex has to occur after the unveiling of the speaker though, or the cat will be out of the bag. Or should I say, the penis out of the pants. It still has a LOT of work to be done to it before it gets released. Still need to get all the therapy sequences together, especially since I need to write a lot more on it and the muse is not giving me anything. I suspect if I actually sat down in front of the laptop with the intent to write I might get something.
I have two stories that only need a few elements each to be released. Maybe after the semester is over, in about a month and a half.
I am itching to produce. March seems to be a good month for me for some reason. Haven't done as much as I would like to this month, not compared to last year.
Back to it.
Tentatively called "Surprise", and no, it has nothing to do with sex.
Since I have no story to go with it I am thinking about having a fic contest for it. Of course, I need to get the fiction section up on the website.
Hasn't helped matters the computer is acting flaky and the hosting site is going to need a re-start. I did not get much done at all this Spring Break, not what I had planned. The fact a piece of art actually happened during this time was a nice surprise. It is almost done.
I am currently downloading everything from the burton hosting site so they can reset everything. It is taking for-fucking-ever with this 56k modem. I have been downloading for hours and it is still going on.
Printed up the fic that will not end (can't believe I have been writing on it for a year now) and have found a few places I want to add commas, a few places to add a few words or better descriptions, a few notes in sections not developed, etc. I did not get the section I have hand-written into the manuscript this weekend. I definitely need to either integrate all the sex scenes I have at the end of the monster throughout the story or maybe move some of them to another story all together. I guess when I first started writing this I got more into motivations, etc., then found the sex later. All the sex has to occur after the unveiling of the speaker though, or the cat will be out of the bag. Or should I say, the penis out of the pants. It still has a LOT of work to be done to it before it gets released. Still need to get all the therapy sequences together, especially since I need to write a lot more on it and the muse is not giving me anything. I suspect if I actually sat down in front of the laptop with the intent to write I might get something.
I have two stories that only need a few elements each to be released. Maybe after the semester is over, in about a month and a half.
I am itching to produce. March seems to be a good month for me for some reason. Haven't done as much as I would like to this month, not compared to last year.
Back to it.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Started another E&S pic, because Evan demanded it. Grunt is pissed because he is not getting in enough writing time.
Evan is also loudly pestering me about doing an Eclipse pic. He keeps leading me to paper and pencil but I would prefer to do some test-runs with oekaki first. The idea of drawing something beside Gravi with pencil will probably shake up some folks. They may think I am no longer interested in the universe. Since I draw lots of other charas with oekaki they should know better.
Hopefully the new install will be completed by the weekend so I can do a bunch of oekaki. I miss it!
Evan is also loudly pestering me about doing an Eclipse pic. He keeps leading me to paper and pencil but I would prefer to do some test-runs with oekaki first. The idea of drawing something beside Gravi with pencil will probably shake up some folks. They may think I am no longer interested in the universe. Since I draw lots of other charas with oekaki they should know better.
Hopefully the new install will be completed by the weekend so I can do a bunch of oekaki. I miss it!
Sunday, March 07, 2004
These have been lying around for a little while. Once again, boys in bed snuggling, awwww...
Just thumbnails for now.
This is an illustration for my one-shot, "Serenade". It was probably wrong of me to draw this, since it gives away the secret of the story, but hey, the muse yells, "draw this, draw now!" and I really have no control over it.
This one came about because someone on a ml asked for a fanartist for a particular scene in one of her fic chapters. Without reading it I declined because I had too much to do. Then I read the part of the fic she wanted the illio for (she posted the section at the ml) and I was a goner... I have to get this sliced and posted soon so the writer can see what I did, because she has not seen it yet. The fic is called "Things Happen" and you can find it at the Gravitation archive, gurabiteshiyon.net, here. Things Happen, l_n's "Inertia", Aja's "Commitment" and kokoroita's "Way of the Sword" (a Gravi/Kenshin Xover) are just four of the nice fics there.
The usual suspects can expect the usual large and meaty files in the next few days. And I did make the initial pics larger than usual. The files for the website will be slightly small in dimension.
Just thumbnails for now.
This is an illustration for my one-shot, "Serenade". It was probably wrong of me to draw this, since it gives away the secret of the story, but hey, the muse yells, "draw this, draw now!" and I really have no control over it.
This one came about because someone on a ml asked for a fanartist for a particular scene in one of her fic chapters. Without reading it I declined because I had too much to do. Then I read the part of the fic she wanted the illio for (she posted the section at the ml) and I was a goner... I have to get this sliced and posted soon so the writer can see what I did, because she has not seen it yet. The fic is called "Things Happen" and you can find it at the Gravitation archive, gurabiteshiyon.net, here. Things Happen, l_n's "Inertia", Aja's "Commitment" and kokoroita's "Way of the Sword" (a Gravi/Kenshin Xover) are just four of the nice fics there.
The usual suspects can expect the usual large and meaty files in the next few days. And I did make the initial pics larger than usual. The files for the website will be slightly small in dimension.
Monday, March 01, 2004
You know, I still think it is wild the site has had 2000 hits, especially since I kinda sorta hide it. I know it's not a lot compared to most sites, but I don't advertise it much on purpose.
Wow, this happened when I was not looking...
I really want to be doing some writing and artwork. *pout*
