Ugh...you guys. D:
I'm so goddamn tired all the time. =_= I can't get myself to do anything lately. It's been raining for about 3 days straight and school isn't doing anything to help my mood. I just hope AB will force me to be energetic. All the crazy usually has me going on a 3-day high even after the convention's over lol.
I'm not cosplaying, but I did stick an Inuyasha pin from about 10 years ago into my hat to show my support. :3 Seriously, I never spend money on fandom, which is why I own virtually nothing related to my interests. XD Except for maybe my precious Sebastian keychain that is currently dangling alongside the keys to my shit van and a 4-GB flash drive that carries practically my entire school life on it. And that's it. |D
Although, if this is ever actually released to the public...O_O You bet your ass I'll be spending at least half my life savings on it. D: Homg, my teeth hurt just looking at it. ASDLSDDJCHIBICIELSOCUTEICANTTAKEIT FFFFFFFF~ D8
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Art: Step by Step
Okay, so some of you watching my DA said on a recent poll that you wanted to see how I go about doing my mediocre artwork, SO. Here's the step-by-step process. D: Boring, I know, but please...bear with me, yeah?'
OMG The piece I did just for this freaking thing took me FOREVER. D8 Of course, I could have just been simple and drawn one figure, but noooo~ I had to go all out and do a freaking 5-figure portrait with a table lined with intricate desserts and blah-blah-blah~~ WHY? Why do I do this to myself? D: This is (of course) more Kuroshitsuji fan art. >_> I called it 'Be My Butler', since it features all the butlers (at least from the anime D:) It was my first time drawing both Butler!Grell and Ash. (Goddamn do I hate Ash. D<)
OKAY SO. Enough ranting. On with it~
Step 1: The first sketch.
Generally, the first sketch isn't anything but getting a basic idea of where I want everything to go. I don't really try at all. In fact, a lot of the time things don't even end up staying where they are (this is not the case here. I did good this time :D). Everything is just sort of a place holder for where I want the basic focus. I'm also really careful of which way things are pointing, like Ciel's (or what's going to be Ciel's) hat and both Sebastian and Agni's arms, so it doesn't feel too cluttered or off-balance.
Lol, it looks so retarded as a JPG. XD Oh well.
The next step is just filling out the skeletons with more precise sketches. This still isn't the final sketch, but I think it's pretty important since I often have a lot of trouble with anatomy and it's good to make sure everything looks okay at least twice over (and by the end, things still look off, but I did the best I could D:) Another thing is that I don't put the faces in. I never sketch faces. To me, putting a face on something is giving it a concrete identity and my sketches are pretty much just intended to be malleable husks that are interchangable. I don't know. Maybe I'm weird. O_o
Still not done sketching...D: Takes forever...Why am I still doing this... >_<;;
Next is the final sketch (FINALLY 8D). I have to be a little more careful about where everything is and how it looks since I can't really pay attention to deformities when I do the final lines. This sketch is just to make sure the basic structure looks good before I add any details (sometimes I end up adding some detail just my brain screams at me to do it >_<).
Finally, that's done. Now, step 2.
Step 2: Lines
For crisp, clean lines, Photoshop sucks. Even the 1px brush has a feathery look that can be sharpened, but looks pixel-y afterward X_x. So I just bring my sketch PSD into Paint Tool SAI, which has an ink pen that is fantastic for clean lines. I have a really shaky hand, though, so straight, precise lines that are also thin are really, really hard for me. Not to mention they take forever and a week. So, I just do the best I can in adding all the detail. Notice how I'm okay with adding the faces now. :) The lines say that the object is complete and can now be given an identity. Yay, weirdness! 8D
Only one step for the lines, thank God lol.
Step 3: Flat Color
Once the lines are done (after about 2 hours of struggle X_x), I can bring the PSD back into Photoshop for flat colors. This normally doesn't take too long since the lines are crisp enough to just do the whole select-with-the-Magic-Wand-tool and fill. Along with basic colors, I add patterns too, since am I total pattern whore. D:
After the colors are all filled in, I like to darken them so the light and shadows looks more dramatic. (Bad idea? :/ You tell me.)
Flat colors are cool and all, but there's a big, bright fireplace behind everything which creates light that wraps around either sides of the figures. I like to create the illusion that the sides are lighter by putting a shadow straight down the middle. Gradients, to the rescue~ (and the abuse of the Multiply layer style D:)
Hey, it's starting to look kinda cool already. :3
Step 4: Shadows
Shadows take by far the longest. I basically have to do three layers of shadows and then smudge the hell out of them in all the right places. And then go back in and add darker shadows where they need be. It's very meticulous and time-consuming, but it looks a lot better than cell-shading (at least in my case. I suck at it. >_>)
Damn you, shadows, for taking so damn long. D:
Step 5: Light
Light is my favorite toy in the world. 8D I love playing with it. The light sources here are the fireplace in the background and the small candle stick on the table. (I put in there purposely to make Ciel's face look a little more sinister and to light Ash up since angel=light, evidently.) I had to pay really close attention here since the angles have to be just right. (Sometimes I forgot and it kinda shows D:) Damn, those desserts were a pain in my ass. >_>
Light~! Glorious light~!
Step 6: Adjusting
This is the final step! Since I toned the colors way down early on, everything looks a little drab and desaturated. Flattening the image and screwing around with levels, hue, saturation, and contrast will fix that. 8D Add in a nice gold border...
...And voila! Done. Finally. X_x My hand hurts.
And, of course my favorite part of this whole piece...
8D
Look at that beautiful, freaking orange...uh...thing. O_o Pastry. I don't even know. But it has ice cream and orange and drizzle and all things that are good in the world. I made myself hungry drawing this. :/
I hope that was at least a little informative. Until next time (when I have my new tablet! 8D)~
OMG The piece I did just for this freaking thing took me FOREVER. D8 Of course, I could have just been simple and drawn one figure, but noooo~ I had to go all out and do a freaking 5-figure portrait with a table lined with intricate desserts and blah-blah-blah~~ WHY? Why do I do this to myself? D: This is (of course) more Kuroshitsuji fan art. >_> I called it 'Be My Butler', since it features all the butlers (at least from the anime D:) It was my first time drawing both Butler!Grell and Ash. (Goddamn do I hate Ash. D<)
OKAY SO. Enough ranting. On with it~
Step 1: The first sketch.
Generally, the first sketch isn't anything but getting a basic idea of where I want everything to go. I don't really try at all. In fact, a lot of the time things don't even end up staying where they are (this is not the case here. I did good this time :D). Everything is just sort of a place holder for where I want the basic focus. I'm also really careful of which way things are pointing, like Ciel's (or what's going to be Ciel's) hat and both Sebastian and Agni's arms, so it doesn't feel too cluttered or off-balance.
Lol, it looks so retarded as a JPG. XD Oh well.
The next step is just filling out the skeletons with more precise sketches. This still isn't the final sketch, but I think it's pretty important since I often have a lot of trouble with anatomy and it's good to make sure everything looks okay at least twice over (and by the end, things still look off, but I did the best I could D:) Another thing is that I don't put the faces in. I never sketch faces. To me, putting a face on something is giving it a concrete identity and my sketches are pretty much just intended to be malleable husks that are interchangable. I don't know. Maybe I'm weird. O_o
Still not done sketching...D: Takes forever...Why am I still doing this... >_<;;
Next is the final sketch (FINALLY 8D). I have to be a little more careful about where everything is and how it looks since I can't really pay attention to deformities when I do the final lines. This sketch is just to make sure the basic structure looks good before I add any details (sometimes I end up adding some detail just my brain screams at me to do it >_<).
Finally, that's done. Now, step 2.
Step 2: Lines
For crisp, clean lines, Photoshop sucks. Even the 1px brush has a feathery look that can be sharpened, but looks pixel-y afterward X_x. So I just bring my sketch PSD into Paint Tool SAI, which has an ink pen that is fantastic for clean lines. I have a really shaky hand, though, so straight, precise lines that are also thin are really, really hard for me. Not to mention they take forever and a week. So, I just do the best I can in adding all the detail. Notice how I'm okay with adding the faces now. :) The lines say that the object is complete and can now be given an identity. Yay, weirdness! 8D
Only one step for the lines, thank God lol.
Step 3: Flat Color
Once the lines are done (after about 2 hours of struggle X_x), I can bring the PSD back into Photoshop for flat colors. This normally doesn't take too long since the lines are crisp enough to just do the whole select-with-the-Magic-Wand-tool and fill. Along with basic colors, I add patterns too, since am I total pattern whore. D:
After the colors are all filled in, I like to darken them so the light and shadows looks more dramatic. (Bad idea? :/ You tell me.)
Flat colors are cool and all, but there's a big, bright fireplace behind everything which creates light that wraps around either sides of the figures. I like to create the illusion that the sides are lighter by putting a shadow straight down the middle. Gradients, to the rescue~ (and the abuse of the Multiply layer style D:)
Hey, it's starting to look kinda cool already. :3
Step 4: Shadows
Shadows take by far the longest. I basically have to do three layers of shadows and then smudge the hell out of them in all the right places. And then go back in and add darker shadows where they need be. It's very meticulous and time-consuming, but it looks a lot better than cell-shading (at least in my case. I suck at it. >_>)
Damn you, shadows, for taking so damn long. D:
Step 5: Light
Light is my favorite toy in the world. 8D I love playing with it. The light sources here are the fireplace in the background and the small candle stick on the table. (I put in there purposely to make Ciel's face look a little more sinister and to light Ash up since angel=light, evidently.) I had to pay really close attention here since the angles have to be just right. (Sometimes I forgot and it kinda shows D:) Damn, those desserts were a pain in my ass. >_>
Light~! Glorious light~!
Step 6: Adjusting
This is the final step! Since I toned the colors way down early on, everything looks a little drab and desaturated. Flattening the image and screwing around with levels, hue, saturation, and contrast will fix that. 8D Add in a nice gold border...
...And voila! Done. Finally. X_x My hand hurts.
And, of course my favorite part of this whole piece...
8D
Look at that beautiful, freaking orange...uh...thing. O_o Pastry. I don't even know. But it has ice cream and orange and drizzle and all things that are good in the world. I made myself hungry drawing this. :/
I hope that was at least a little informative. Until next time (when I have my new tablet! 8D)~
Friday, March 5, 2010
busy busy busy
So I finished my DVD cover design completely. I like how it came out, more or less. I just wish I wasn't so crazy with light. >_>
The back panel came out a little more purple than I had intended, but I had to somehow tie it in with the front with that mango-orange color and the purple, so yeah...not the colors I wanted. I initially wanted just yellow and blue, since they're more representational of the story in the first place. OH WELL. At least it's an assignment I don't have to worry about anymore.
I have more Kuro arts that have yet to be finished, so I'll just post the WIPs up here. D: I have to get all my commissions done soon so can finally buy a new goddamn tablet. >_> Mine is like the shittiest of the shitty.
I don't know if you guys remember this one post, but I said I'd found the naked Ciel base and was gonna do a bunch of outfit designs. They're all based on food. :3 The first one here is berries n' cream, and the other one is the sketch of apple and cinnamon. :3 The berries n' cream one is probably way too gay. D: Whoops.
I held a poll on my devArt about whether I should do a Sailor Moon/Kuroshitsuji crossover, and the yes answer just barely outweighed the no answer, so this is for all of those who voted no on that poll. 8D
Ciel's murder face. Let him show you it. Complete with pigtails. XD I still want to add Grell and UT and a bunch of others, but like hell that will ever get done, amirite? D:
*fail*
The back panel came out a little more purple than I had intended, but I had to somehow tie it in with the front with that mango-orange color and the purple, so yeah...not the colors I wanted. I initially wanted just yellow and blue, since they're more representational of the story in the first place. OH WELL. At least it's an assignment I don't have to worry about anymore.
I have more Kuro arts that have yet to be finished, so I'll just post the WIPs up here. D: I have to get all my commissions done soon so can finally buy a new goddamn tablet. >_> Mine is like the shittiest of the shitty.
I don't know if you guys remember this one post, but I said I'd found the naked Ciel base and was gonna do a bunch of outfit designs. They're all based on food. :3 The first one here is berries n' cream, and the other one is the sketch of apple and cinnamon. :3 The berries n' cream one is probably way too gay. D: Whoops.
I held a poll on my devArt about whether I should do a Sailor Moon/Kuroshitsuji crossover, and the yes answer just barely outweighed the no answer, so this is for all of those who voted no on that poll. 8D
Ciel's murder face. Let him show you it. Complete with pigtails. XD I still want to add Grell and UT and a bunch of others, but like hell that will ever get done, amirite? D:
*fail*
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
*discouraged*
Well, I worked on some stuff today. D: In my Flash class, I'm doing a site for my artwork, but since all I've been doing lately is fanart, it's hard to find stuff for it. So, I'm making the site and posting up artwork based on my OCs. I love my OCs, but since no one else does, it seems like a kind of futile effort to work so hard on them. I plan on writing a graphic novel one day in the very, very distant future. =_=
I figure maybe people don't care so much about them because they don't know my OCs. how can you care about a character you don't know, right? XD Well, here's a brief description (mostly because I need to get it out there, not that anyone really cares. D:)
Pic of the main chara's as seen previously:
Center: "Benjamin Meliora" - In a world where dark forces rule over the entire human population through chosen people who channel dark spirits through their bodies, Meliora is taken from his family at a young age to spend a good deal of his life in a cruel penitentiary for children who refuse to accept the dark forces as their rulers. By law, all children who refuse to convert by age 16 are placed in a gas chamber where they are given three days to choose either conversion or death. Upon escaping the chamber at age 16 (in turn, sacrificing the life of his cell mate, Irene, and a prison guard who was his uncle), Meliora stumbles upon a group of mercenaries who fight for the light spirits, Meliora's chosen faith. He is accepted among the mercenaries and told of the prophecy called Seraph's Altar; one in which a channeler of light spirits will appear to the world and lead the mercenaries to a golden age of prosperity...by murdering the dark channelers and all of their followers and an enormous genocide called "The Cleansing". Much to sweet, innocent Meliora's chagrin, the mercenaries work toward that goal, killing off one dark channeler at a time.
Right of Meliora: "Jonathan Eldridge" - The son of the current patriarch, Jonathan leads the mercenaries in place of his father, who is dying of a blood disease. He is very stern and his belief in the coming of the Seraph's Altar and the reign of the light spirits is completely unwavering. He accepts Meliora as one of their own on the condition that he learn to fight in order to kill dark chanellers for the sake of their cause. Jonathan is unforgiving of those who favor dark spirits and therefore has no issue murdering them, claiming they are "but a stain on what the world could be." The story of Seraph's Altar is depicted on the white sashes he wears. He is the only mercenary other than the patriarch who is allowed to wear black, as "his holiness overshadows any darkness that may befall him." He also wields a long sword.
Left of Meliora: "Isabel Rochette" - The matriarch of the mercenaries, Rochette was appointed to such a status not because of any relation to Jonathan, but rather because she is more capable and knowledgeable than perhaps any other mercenary. She is very reserved, quiet, serious and only speaks truths; in fact she carries a book on her hip called 'The Book of Truths' and is often seen reading it and reciting from it, though no one else has ever seen its pages. While she carries herself pleasantly, she has a sinister aura about her that makes Meliora uneasy. It is later revealed that she wants to eliminate all channellers...not just the dark ones, in favor of humans leading their own race without the aid of divine forces. Meliora notices that Jonathan is the only one who knows the true Rochette and often wonders why he is afraid of let her out of his sight...She wields a large wooden club adorned with metal wire. She sets it on fire like an enormous torch during battle.
Left of Rochette: "Marcus Eldridge" - The younger brother of Jonathan, Marcus is resentful of his brother for being next in line for patriarch, but more so because he himself had been ostracized by the entire clan due to his dark hair and wild nature. While never wishing to oppose the mercenary's cause, he is rebellious and tends to push boundaries and lash out for the sake of attention. Jonathan views his brother's behavior as 'appalling' and often times refuses to acknowledge him as family, choosing to only associate with him during battle. Meliora finds a friend in Marcus while Marcus claims, quite loudly, that Meliora 'is like the brother he never had.' The children and teenagers of the mercenaries tend to flock to Marcus as they see him as a breath of fresh air and rebellious fun in a stiflingly traditional atmosphere. Despite his childishness, Marcus wishes he could be more composed and ends up falling in love with Rochette for her reserved and regal charm. He wields two bizarre, sword-like blades that curve out on either side and are connected by a long, gold chain called 'Hook Shanks'...Or as he calls them, 'Stab Grapples'. lol
Right of Jonathan: "Celia Mally" - Orphaned at a young age, Celia was taken in and adopted by Jonathan, who was a close friend of her father. A tomboy who loves discovering and building things, Celia has a wild streak that more often than not, sends Jonathan up the wall as he tries to raise her to be a proper lady. At age 9, she is not only family to both Jonathan and Marcus, but also a valuable asset to the mercenaries due to her uncanny ability to build elaborate traps out of practically nothing. She and Meliora both hold the same contempt for killing people, no matter what their faith, but continue to stay loyal to the people they have grown to know as family. Despite her carefree demeanor, Celia often has night terrors about the murder of her father.
RIGHT! D: That's all of them. I hope they sound half-way appealing. >_>
Oh, and here's more Meliora art.
A better look at his clothes. Mercenaries can't wear dark colors...
I figure maybe people don't care so much about them because they don't know my OCs. how can you care about a character you don't know, right? XD Well, here's a brief description (mostly because I need to get it out there, not that anyone really cares. D:)
Pic of the main chara's as seen previously:
Center: "Benjamin Meliora" - In a world where dark forces rule over the entire human population through chosen people who channel dark spirits through their bodies, Meliora is taken from his family at a young age to spend a good deal of his life in a cruel penitentiary for children who refuse to accept the dark forces as their rulers. By law, all children who refuse to convert by age 16 are placed in a gas chamber where they are given three days to choose either conversion or death. Upon escaping the chamber at age 16 (in turn, sacrificing the life of his cell mate, Irene, and a prison guard who was his uncle), Meliora stumbles upon a group of mercenaries who fight for the light spirits, Meliora's chosen faith. He is accepted among the mercenaries and told of the prophecy called Seraph's Altar; one in which a channeler of light spirits will appear to the world and lead the mercenaries to a golden age of prosperity...by murdering the dark channelers and all of their followers and an enormous genocide called "The Cleansing". Much to sweet, innocent Meliora's chagrin, the mercenaries work toward that goal, killing off one dark channeler at a time.
Right of Meliora: "Jonathan Eldridge" - The son of the current patriarch, Jonathan leads the mercenaries in place of his father, who is dying of a blood disease. He is very stern and his belief in the coming of the Seraph's Altar and the reign of the light spirits is completely unwavering. He accepts Meliora as one of their own on the condition that he learn to fight in order to kill dark chanellers for the sake of their cause. Jonathan is unforgiving of those who favor dark spirits and therefore has no issue murdering them, claiming they are "but a stain on what the world could be." The story of Seraph's Altar is depicted on the white sashes he wears. He is the only mercenary other than the patriarch who is allowed to wear black, as "his holiness overshadows any darkness that may befall him." He also wields a long sword.
Left of Meliora: "Isabel Rochette" - The matriarch of the mercenaries, Rochette was appointed to such a status not because of any relation to Jonathan, but rather because she is more capable and knowledgeable than perhaps any other mercenary. She is very reserved, quiet, serious and only speaks truths; in fact she carries a book on her hip called 'The Book of Truths' and is often seen reading it and reciting from it, though no one else has ever seen its pages. While she carries herself pleasantly, she has a sinister aura about her that makes Meliora uneasy. It is later revealed that she wants to eliminate all channellers...not just the dark ones, in favor of humans leading their own race without the aid of divine forces. Meliora notices that Jonathan is the only one who knows the true Rochette and often wonders why he is afraid of let her out of his sight...She wields a large wooden club adorned with metal wire. She sets it on fire like an enormous torch during battle.
Left of Rochette: "Marcus Eldridge" - The younger brother of Jonathan, Marcus is resentful of his brother for being next in line for patriarch, but more so because he himself had been ostracized by the entire clan due to his dark hair and wild nature. While never wishing to oppose the mercenary's cause, he is rebellious and tends to push boundaries and lash out for the sake of attention. Jonathan views his brother's behavior as 'appalling' and often times refuses to acknowledge him as family, choosing to only associate with him during battle. Meliora finds a friend in Marcus while Marcus claims, quite loudly, that Meliora 'is like the brother he never had.' The children and teenagers of the mercenaries tend to flock to Marcus as they see him as a breath of fresh air and rebellious fun in a stiflingly traditional atmosphere. Despite his childishness, Marcus wishes he could be more composed and ends up falling in love with Rochette for her reserved and regal charm. He wields two bizarre, sword-like blades that curve out on either side and are connected by a long, gold chain called 'Hook Shanks'...Or as he calls them, 'Stab Grapples'. lol
Right of Jonathan: "Celia Mally" - Orphaned at a young age, Celia was taken in and adopted by Jonathan, who was a close friend of her father. A tomboy who loves discovering and building things, Celia has a wild streak that more often than not, sends Jonathan up the wall as he tries to raise her to be a proper lady. At age 9, she is not only family to both Jonathan and Marcus, but also a valuable asset to the mercenaries due to her uncanny ability to build elaborate traps out of practically nothing. She and Meliora both hold the same contempt for killing people, no matter what their faith, but continue to stay loyal to the people they have grown to know as family. Despite her carefree demeanor, Celia often has night terrors about the murder of her father.
RIGHT! D: That's all of them. I hope they sound half-way appealing. >_>
Oh, and here's more Meliora art.
A better look at his clothes. Mercenaries can't wear dark colors...
Monday, March 1, 2010
*moar frustration*
School has so totally destroyed my muse. D: It's like it took everything I loved about what I do for pleasure (i.e. html coding, photoshop, designing layouts, etc.), squeezed all the bad stuff out of it, mixed it with math and deadlines, and then threw it in my face, all the while yelling at me to get off my ass and make some goddamn money. X_x I hate you, school.
I have to go into the city this weekend to paint murals on the windows of unoccupied buildings as a community project. Then I have to take butt-loads of pictures because I'm doing the project website. D| Not really looking forward to it. I should be. I really should be. >: It's great opportunity and all that jazz...
What I really wanna do is draw the Kuroshitsuji cast in Sailor Moon uniforms and then post it fucking everywhere, leaving dumb comments like "the boots are totally canon! 8D" Goddamnit, I just wanna play in my fucking sandbox again! AKLASKLMLKM! Fuck you ActionScript 3.0 and your all your buggy shit! D:
I have to go into the city this weekend to paint murals on the windows of unoccupied buildings as a community project. Then I have to take butt-loads of pictures because I'm doing the project website. D| Not really looking forward to it. I should be. I really should be. >: It's great opportunity and all that jazz...
What I really wanna do is draw the Kuroshitsuji cast in Sailor Moon uniforms and then post it fucking everywhere, leaving dumb comments like "the boots are totally canon! 8D" Goddamnit, I just wanna play in my fucking sandbox again! AKLASKLMLKM! Fuck you ActionScript 3.0 and your all your buggy shit! D:
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