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Devious Journal Entry
3 min read
So for at least half of last year, I did not have a functional computer.
First world problems, I know, especially since I had been gifted an iPad a couple of years ago. I was dubious of it, using it mainly for Facebook (which my old computer tended not to run well), but losing the computer forced me into a crash course of learning to use the iPad for everything, especially the camera. Because I could not connect the iPad to my printer/scanner, that lost me both the ability to scan my art, and to get at my camera's SD card. It's been obnoxious, even if there are greater problems in the world. Don't get me started on politics.
Anyways, thanks to the graciousness of my in-laws, I am now writing this from my Christmas gift. It's a refurb, because that means Windows 7, and I lost my old pirated Photoshop copy so I'm just learning how to use the Gimp, but I could not be happier anyway! I've updated a few of my art uploads from last year because they were slightly crappy photos of the art rather than scans, and I'll be uploading stuff from this past year, because I finally can.
In other details, our roommates moved out this fall, which has it's good and bad points, but part of the good is it means the opportunity to turn the computer room into a proper man cave. My version of this means it's essentially a small library but at one end I have my computer, and writing and some of the art supplies, and at the other end a big crafting table with all the messier art supplies (glue, foam, dremel tool, soldering iron, wire, saws, etc.). This last year I've been getting more heavily into cosplay, with the build of my own Mad Max costume, and a still in-progress Furiosa arm for my girlfriend. There may be more 3D art on this gallery in the future, although I'll always come back to drawing and painting because I always do.
With all the crap that's gone on this past year, my personal life has been surprisingly good, so I'm trying to focus on the positives without turning a blind eye to what's happening in the public sphere.
Stay safe everyone, may this year be better than the last!
First world problems, I know, especially since I had been gifted an iPad a couple of years ago. I was dubious of it, using it mainly for Facebook (which my old computer tended not to run well), but losing the computer forced me into a crash course of learning to use the iPad for everything, especially the camera. Because I could not connect the iPad to my printer/scanner, that lost me both the ability to scan my art, and to get at my camera's SD card. It's been obnoxious, even if there are greater problems in the world. Don't get me started on politics.
Anyways, thanks to the graciousness of my in-laws, I am now writing this from my Christmas gift. It's a refurb, because that means Windows 7, and I lost my old pirated Photoshop copy so I'm just learning how to use the Gimp, but I could not be happier anyway! I've updated a few of my art uploads from last year because they were slightly crappy photos of the art rather than scans, and I'll be uploading stuff from this past year, because I finally can.
In other details, our roommates moved out this fall, which has it's good and bad points, but part of the good is it means the opportunity to turn the computer room into a proper man cave. My version of this means it's essentially a small library but at one end I have my computer, and writing and some of the art supplies, and at the other end a big crafting table with all the messier art supplies (glue, foam, dremel tool, soldering iron, wire, saws, etc.). This last year I've been getting more heavily into cosplay, with the build of my own Mad Max costume, and a still in-progress Furiosa arm for my girlfriend. There may be more 3D art on this gallery in the future, although I'll always come back to drawing and painting because I always do.
With all the crap that's gone on this past year, my personal life has been surprisingly good, so I'm trying to focus on the positives without turning a blind eye to what's happening in the public sphere.
Stay safe everyone, may this year be better than the last!
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New year, new journal entry
2 min read
I've had a kind of sombre beginning to the new year with a funeral (in-laws' neighbor), and I have some big new year's resolutions that are intimidating and life-changing, so we're less than 24 hours in and I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed already. These are things that need to happen, though, in order for me to live life as I need to live it.
On the artistic front, and less scary, I've been working hard to mimic the painting style of Alex Ross, and I'm hoping to really master that this year. I've made a good start already, and watercolors are a medium I'm intimately familiar with already so I wasn't starting from square one. The main problem I'm seeing is that I'm actually overworking the details, where when I look close at his work it's freer and less detailed and yet comes off looking more realistic than what I'm coming out with. Anyways, thus far I've just been doing head shots and white page/no backgrounds, but you can probably expect my art in the near future to be putting a variety of characters through this style, and hopefully eventually some full pictures with actual backgrounds. I did better on consistently making time for art the whole past year, and I intend to keep on at that.
Here's hoping the new year finds all my Watchers happy and healthy and feeling good about their art!
On the artistic front, and less scary, I've been working hard to mimic the painting style of Alex Ross, and I'm hoping to really master that this year. I've made a good start already, and watercolors are a medium I'm intimately familiar with already so I wasn't starting from square one. The main problem I'm seeing is that I'm actually overworking the details, where when I look close at his work it's freer and less detailed and yet comes off looking more realistic than what I'm coming out with. Anyways, thus far I've just been doing head shots and white page/no backgrounds, but you can probably expect my art in the near future to be putting a variety of characters through this style, and hopefully eventually some full pictures with actual backgrounds. I did better on consistently making time for art the whole past year, and I intend to keep on at that.
Here's hoping the new year finds all my Watchers happy and healthy and feeling good about their art!
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Devious Journal Entry
1 min read
I should really update this thing more than once a year. As anyone watching my gallery for a while would probably notice, in the last year I discovered Steam Powered Giraffe. I'm also thoroughly addicted to Tumblr by now. It may be the best place to get my attention, these days. It's been a very full year, and although I'm happily settled in my job at the Veterinarian, things have been tumultuous on other fronts, with a move of residence, gender exploration, and ongoing car trouble.
I've been fairly productive on the art front this winter, although I'm not really doing commissions right now. Something is working, and I don't want ti interrupt that.
As always, I will try to respond to comments on my art, but I may be ridiculously slow at it. Thank you again to everyone who watches/faves/comments, every one of you is a huge boon to my ever-struggling self esteem, and I appreciate you all.
I've been fairly productive on the art front this winter, although I'm not really doing commissions right now. Something is working, and I don't want ti interrupt that.
As always, I will try to respond to comments on my art, but I may be ridiculously slow at it. Thank you again to everyone who watches/faves/comments, every one of you is a huge boon to my ever-struggling self esteem, and I appreciate you all.
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Devious Journal Entry
1 min read
I've had a rough time for a while, but I'd like to think I'm coming out of it now, with a new job at a veterinarian (It's so good to finally be employed, even if we're still living hand to mouth), a new cat, and some sense of having climbed out of the pit.
That said, I haven't been fantastically productive on the art front, although I do have a small backlog of stuff that was posted on Tumblr but not here. Will try to work on updating my DA gallery, now, although more of what I've done in the past year is likely to wind up in scraps than the gallery proper.
It's also badly in need of updating, and intimidating because there's just so MUCH to post, but I have a second account for photography at Reyphotos! Feel free to check it out!
That said, I haven't been fantastically productive on the art front, although I do have a small backlog of stuff that was posted on Tumblr but not here. Will try to work on updating my DA gallery, now, although more of what I've done in the past year is likely to wind up in scraps than the gallery proper.
It's also badly in need of updating, and intimidating because there's just so MUCH to post, but I have a second account for photography at Reyphotos! Feel free to check it out!
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Devious Journal Entry
2 min read
I'm... still mourning my cat, every day, but I'm also on the verge of getting a new cat. It won't be the same, but there's a space in my life waiting to be filled by someone furry.
On that note, money to pay for a cat would be helpful, and as always I am open for commissions.
I like to email sketches and get feedback to make sure I've got the details right before I ink and finish the picture. All art will be inked with Pigma microns, but for color portraits you can pick either traditional media(marker + colored pencil), or digital coloring. If you don't have a preference, I'll use whichever seems to fit that portrait best. If you'll pay shipping, I'm also happy to mail you the original artwork.
Options are as follows:
Black and white line art, no background, $15
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
Color portrait, no background, $20
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
Color portrait with simple background, $30
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
I'm not going to do a detailed cityscape with hidden other characters as a background, or at least not for $35, but as in the samples it will be a nice basic backdrop and some actual composition that gives the piece a finished look.
If you want to commission me for something above and beyond the offerings here, just let me know!I'm very flexible if you have a specific pose or mood or something you want in your picture. I reserve the right to display the finished work here with a notice that the character is copyrighted to you, unless you specifically ask me not to.
Contact me here, on LJ, on Dreamwidth, or by email (rey at crackmonkeyproductions dot net). Accepting payment via Paypal.
On that note, money to pay for a cat would be helpful, and as always I am open for commissions.
I like to email sketches and get feedback to make sure I've got the details right before I ink and finish the picture. All art will be inked with Pigma microns, but for color portraits you can pick either traditional media(marker + colored pencil), or digital coloring. If you don't have a preference, I'll use whichever seems to fit that portrait best. If you'll pay shipping, I'm also happy to mail you the original artwork.
Options are as follows:
Black and white line art, no background, $15
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
Color portrait, no background, $20
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
Color portrait with simple background, $30
Exhibits A, B, C, D, E, & F.
I'm not going to do a detailed cityscape with hidden other characters as a background, or at least not for $35, but as in the samples it will be a nice basic backdrop and some actual composition that gives the piece a finished look.
If you want to commission me for something above and beyond the offerings here, just let me know!I'm very flexible if you have a specific pose or mood or something you want in your picture. I reserve the right to display the finished work here with a notice that the character is copyrighted to you, unless you specifically ask me not to.
Contact me here, on LJ, on Dreamwidth, or by email (rey at crackmonkeyproductions dot net). Accepting payment via Paypal.
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