I've Finished NaNoWriMo 2008!

I've finally finished NaNoWriMo 2008. My novel isn't finished yet; but a HUGE chunk is done. I'm still doing 70 Days of Sweat, so I've still got work to do.

I'm a 15, 690 words

I woke up early this morning to throw myself into this writing. I do this every year. I think I can make the deadline of 50,000 words by Sunday; but geez... I do this every year. At least because this is NaNoWriMo, I can detour and experiment, go down plot paths that I might not try otherwise. At least I'm well past my goals for 1000 Club and I'm keeping up with 70 Days of Sweat. Sven would be proud. Well, I'm going to get back to my writing. I've still got 34,310 words to go.

Richard Matheson interview by William Simmons

Richard Matheson interview by William Simmons

Don't worry, I'm writing. I wish I'd kicked this writing into a faster gear sooner; but I do this every year. I was looking up something about premise, and then remembered that I wanted to look up Richard Matheson. He's written a lot of Twilight Zone episodes; and that's part of the feel that I'd like to have in this story. I was hoping he'd have some writing advice. I didn't realize that he's written SO MANY books that became movies that I love. Somewhere in Time, I Am Legend, What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes. All I can say is WOW! So I'm going to read this interview, then...

I'm going to watch FRINGE! I can't help it, I totally LOVE that show!

Electrabela y Dinachica

All thoughts of studying and writing have gone out the window!

Kimba The White Lion Opening Theme 1966

I know that I said that I was going to work on my novel, but I found KIMBA. I also used to watch this when I was five. I swear, Disney ripped this off.

Johnny Sokko

I should be be writing my novel. Actually, I should be doing homework, but I'm getting ready to go and work on my novel. I took a little detour because I found JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT. I used to watch this show when I was five. This show along with KIMBA THE WHITE LION and STAR TREK contributed to my love of all that is science fiction and all that is cheesy.

Why don't you take a look...

Writing and Sweating...FOR 70 DAYS

Okay, so doing NaNoWriMo isn't crazy enough... I'm writing and sweating for 70 days! Anyway you look at it this story is going to get written.

I'm INSANE, but at least I'm losing weight!

Yesterday's meeting at Weight Watchers was good. I lost .8 lbs! I've taken off 9.8 lbs total since I rejoined.

I'm still trying to get all of my school work done (painting, drawing, practicing piano-guitar-flute). I'm so nuts. I've added two more Joggles classes, so I have three total--Studio Journal--Sumputuous Fabrics--Personal Symbols. But this wasn't enough for me....

I'M DOING NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month). I'm posting it publicly, so I'll stick with it.

I really am insane.

Illustration Assignment

I'm getting better at drawing. For my illustration techniques class we have to design a book cover for a poet's (we had a choice of five) chapbook. The final assignment will be done in stratchboard. (Which is hard!) I chose Emily Dickinson. Here's my initial sketch that I'm going to base my scratchboard on. I'm pretty proud of this sketch.

The Sun Hat That Wasn't

In celebration of Spring and eventually Summer and in hopes of this crisis called school ending soon, I decided to begin making some clothes. It's been a long time since I've knit or crocheted. I find I think better when I do (maybe it will help me think for these papers and finals coming up). Anyway (because I'm already digressing), I decided to make some clothes. Besides I've finally been added to Ravelry (yeah!) and I want to join up with Refashionista this May.

So Saturday I decide to start out with a sun hat. Now that my hair is in braids, I figure I won't get hat hair.

I decided to go with the Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn, the color is "Jewels". I said to myself, "It's cheap ($1.29/skein). It's cotton. I can wear it in the Summer. A hat will be simple. I will be too cool." I picked up Knit Simple Spring/Summer 2008 (any excuse to buy new patterns right?) because they had a few cute patterns that I wanted to try.

By Sunday night I knew I had problems. Yes that hat looked cute, but I was already on the brim and this hat was CLEARLY too small. I checked my notes, I had been following the adult size, I did the extra rows for adults... Apparently I have a CHROMDOMIUS MAXIMUS head. The hat was wwwwwaaaayyyy too small. So I had a choice...

1. Finish a hat that is clearly too small and that I"ll have to give away...

or 2. Rip everything out and start all over again.

Which did I choose? Let's say that I'm NOT in a giving mood. So that's where I am. Starting all over again. The pattern calls for an H/8 crochet hook and the crown increasing finishes at 72 stitches. So I've decided to use an I/9 crochet hook and I'll continue increasing beyond 72 stitches. I'll have to keep trying it on until I get it to I size that I'm satisfied with. At least I know that I'm going to look too cool in my hat!

Anatomy Study

I know, I know... I haven't posted in a while, BUT I HAVE BEEN DRAWING EVERYDAY. When I have more time, I'll scan those suckers and post them. I think I mentioned before that I'm studying Anatomy with Goog.

Well, it seems that The Computer Graphics Society has a forum with classes and member help also. So I'm going to do some drawing there too! FUN!!

Day 14

Just doodles, not even complete.

Day 13

I watched the movie Domino today after the cookies left. I did story boards for the first 30 seconds. There were so many cuts. I know, I know... I've got to get used to drawing these things. It's just a lot the first time out. I decided to count this as my official drawing of the day.

First Self Portrait & Day 12

Goog, at ConceptArt.org gave me an assignment to do a self portrait. I'm working on improving both my anatomy drawing (which is nonexistant at the moment) and my digital coloring skills. Goog is my mentor for anatomy. VRM1979 is my mentor for coloring. Because I'd like to do animation, digital film, graphic design, comic books, concept art, illustration, etc. I need to develop these skills. So I'm going back to the basics with mentors.

Unfortunately my self portrait really doesn't look like me..

That's okay. It's all practice. While I was browsing the Drawn website, I saw an entry about a guy named Avid Liongoren who was drawing and posting a picture everyday. I really liked his sites. He does the kinda things that I eventually want to do, combining animation and DV. He's got some really cool stuff.

I'm a little late getting started but I'll have this picture be part of my Draw365 project.

Catching Up On DVDs!

I'm in weird freaky overload right now. I watched Memento.

That movie just blew me away! I'm sure that I'm the last person to see it, but if you haven't seen it yet...

DAMN IT, YOU NEED TO SEE THAT MOVIE!










Then I finally saw Shaun of the Dead.








I think I like Hot Fuzz better.









Still a good time. A lot of good extras on that DVD. I can't believe that Simon Pegg,










is going to play SCOTTY in the new Star Trek movie. Wow!

The Dark Knight Movie

If you been to see the IMAX version of I Am Legend, then you know what I'm excited about. Apparently there was an extended trailer showcasing an awesome sequence between Heath and Christian. Don't worry if you don't have access to an IMAX theater, MTV will be showing the preview on their website starting this Sunday.

Until then, you can look at this...

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

I HAVE A MENTOR!

I think that I've mentioned that I joined the CONCEPT ART forums. Well, someone has answered my request (my plea) for a mentor. This person is a colorist and is going to help me with digital painting! You don't know how excited I am. I still need a mentor for figure drawing/anatomy, character design, perspective, environments/landscapes/worldbuilding, to be honest I need a mentor for %$&*^ing EVERYTHING!

However...

I'm pretty stoked right now. I've got a mentor!

Cock-A-Doodle-DEATH!

I went to the movies with Thugalicious yesterday. We haven't hung out in a while because I've been busy with classes. I pulled out a sketch I was working on and he name it...

Cock-A-Doodle-DEATH!

How cool is that!

Discovering Strange

I was in Barnes and Noble yesterday looking for some animal anatomy reference books (I need to understand REAL critters, if I'm going to make up my own), and I of course had to flip through the comics. I came across something that looked kinda cool...

Emily the Strange!

Then when I got home and took a break to browse the Computer Arts Magazine website, I found an article on her.

Now curiousity is peaked, so I go to visit the website. All I can saw is WOW! Who Knew? Apparently everyone else except me. That just goes to show I study WWWWWAAAAAYYYY too much and need to get out more. Today I'm going to pick up a copy of that comic. I'm definitely adding it to my TBR pile, but I'm putting it at the top. (I also want one of her cats!) Imagine having one of those on your bed at night.

Don't Disturb This Groove!

Even though I'm bogged down with SO MUCH SCHOOL WORK, even though I never have a free moment at my job (that's not actually true, but go with me on this), even though I should be concentrating on "serious" shit; I went ahead and joined a few online art groups today.

Flickr (to host my art)
Concept Art
Deviant Art
Draw Anyway
Illustration Friday
Drawn!

At the ConceptNArt Forum I joined the Beginner's Corner and posted some charcoal's I had done. Now I've got a good marker of where I've been so that six months from now I can marvel at how far I've come.

These are the pictures I posted:

Sketch #1



Sketch #2



Sketch #3