Weekly Review of DOOM.

How much time did you spend on your project?
10 on coloring.

What did you do for hands-on?
Digital Coloring. Water color texturing.

What Research did you do? 
None.

Did you meet with your mentor? What did you talk about?
Yeah, she is suggesting it would be better and more time conscious to print the book out at Kinko's  or something and put it together myself rather than Order it from Lulu. Possibly a good idea.

Were you in class this week?
No. Supposed to write a short thingy though.

What do you think your fulfillment of WISE requirements was?
Going through the muck. Muck it out.

What are your plans for next week? 
Almost done. Complete images and format them.

Water Color Texturing

There is this wonder thing called water colors. They make coloring REALLY easy. And I'm not using them to color my pieces. Do you know why? because Digital Coloring is much easier. But that does not stop me from doing water color texturing.

Basically, I am bored with the non-textured backgrounds of Digital art, and so I have spent a couple days making interesting patterns with water colors, scanned them in, and use them in various places in ze finished images.

Here are some examples.

Admittedly, mine aren't nearly as wispy and un-solid-like.

Using for various backgrounds. Super.

Done with the Special Twelve

So, twelve pieces done.
I'll add the picture once I have access to them. I forgot to add them to my Flash drive....but they're there!
But alas, I still must go and be a machine and just keep popping them out. Sketches are ready to start inking once I get the paper ready today. Need to cut it to the right size. The nib tip for my inking pen is getting crusty as well....should probably replace it. Or learn how to clean it properly. The repeated layering of the ink onto it is making it impossible to use the ink properly and efficiently. The coloring process is down and made easy, I might go back and adjust things before the final product though...

The Tools

So. I guess I haven't really explained the wonderful tools I use in my trade.

There aren't that many truthfully, but I decided to explain them anyway.

First in the Pen and Ink:
I use a special ink called India Ink. Often used by artist and such. It is fast drying and doesn't bleed with water. I work on water color paper for texture and so that the ink doesn't seep through. I can use various sizes of different pen tips to get different types of lines, but mostly I stick with one. Issues I have with this tool is when it screws up, it makes a BIT BLACK MARK. Not fun. But that's what photoshop is for.

Then I use a scanner:

Simple as can be. Stick a piece of paper on it and it transfers it into a digital file. I put this at a very high resolution so that I am capable of adding lots of detail to the work.

After that, I use Photoshop to add color an clean up the picture, removing mistakes and finishing the piece:

I wish I had CS4...that would be so sweeeeeeeet. I have an older version, but it works just as well. It takes time and with a Tablet (above) coloring is much easier as it allows the size of the mark I am making to change with pressure as if it were an actual pen or pencil.

It allows pics like this:

to be awesome sauce. BOOM BABY.

I'm happy as a SQUIRREL...When I'm with Proffessor Quirrel!!

Quote from A Very Potter Musical. Brilliant.

And though it may seem random....it is very relevant. For indeed, it has something to do with squirrels. :D

If you are aware, some where in my story is a character that is a giant squirrel. Here's a glimpse.

Yes. The girl is riding the thing.

But that isn't the point. The area in which my computer is placed shares space (and a ceiling) with a family of squirrels. The skitter and scatter and stuff. But anyway. I was in the midst of working on my pictures on the computer when I heard one make lots of noise that noticeably was not coming from the ceiling any longer.

In stead in was in the wall.

My thoughts were along the lines of "Damn, it's going to die and then smell horrible." Then I realized that it was actually near an access area from our first floor....

Anyway. The point is, I figured out how to get the squirrel. I CAUGHT it. UH HUH.

Here's da proof.

It was great and soft. And adoooorable. Baby squirrels are cute. And annoying...anyway. They distracted me from my work. :/

Formatting A Children's Book Research

In searching for ways to put my book together I have found few options. Often it takes putting everything into a PDF file but no specifications on how.

http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/picture-book-construction-know-your-layout/

This article I read addresses some of those issues, but it goes more into how to make it visually appealing.

The article talks about balancing illustrations and the words, but also mentions examples of books with solely illustrations to tell the story.

This other article dictates why it is so hard to find things on formatting children's picture books. http://stason.org/TULARC/writing/misc-writing/1-6-How-do-I-format-a-picture-book-What-about-illustrations.html The reason being, that most people who submit children's books for publishing send in the text first and then get assigned an illustrator once the story is signed off.

This is frustrating.

What I will have to do is either mess around in page maker or make the physical book by hand. I'm feeling that this may be the better option now...

Weekly Review 6

How much time did you spend on your project?
7 Hours on sketching and inking, 2 On Journaling

What did you do for hands-on?
Sketched and Inked 2 pages (so far) and have two more sketches ready to be traced onto final paper.

What Research did you do?
Didn't do anything specific, just looking for reference on google. Learned how to draw a squirrel and a kangaroo. Aaaaaand I had a great idea for research that would help me with my project. Look up formatting a book. 

Did you meet with your mentor? What did you talk about?
Not yet.

Were you in class this week?
Yes I was. Show and tell and all that snazzy stuff.

What do you think your fulfillment of WISE requirements was?
Did journals...Came to class...Did hours...Bare minimum this week, journal and research wise but kicking butt with hands on.

What are your plans for next week?   
Complete the 12 sketches I want for may. All twelve. I only have 5 to go. Then I can ink and start coloring.  

Sketching Progress

Did two sketches tonight. It's looking more more likely I'll finish the 12 pieces by May. Which is good.
In general, today was good. Inked two pieces (admittedly one had very little detail in the pen-work and most of it's coolness will come with the colors) and sketched 2 pieces. The ink was very mean to me. I have some clean up to do in photoshop before I can start coloring one of the pieces. Hopefully I will completely transfer them to the final paper so I can work on them over the weekend tomorrow. I have a field trip this Friday to a Print Workshop, which should be fun and interesting but probably won't help with my project. I guess I can use it as "research". Different prospective mediums to use for illustrating a book and all that.

In other news, I have finally looked at pictures of squirrels and learned how to draw them properly. I googled them 7th period and did 5 quick sketches. Which is really the only way to learn. According to Miss Gergley, this counts as Research. Which is awesome. I shall do a journal soon dedicated solely to how I use google to get a general idea of what I want to draw.  :D

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw....Blasted little buggers are in my ceilings. GO AWAY.

But the purpose of this is to learn how to draw them, which I have (Hurrah!) and now I have to learn to draw kangaroos and then draw a cross between the two which is adorable and terrifying at the same time. Of course I may just go with a giant squirrel. Hmmmm...Things to ponder.

Imaginism Studios

The way that I see it, this studio...is awesome. I've been following their blogs and stuff through a website for a few years now, and it's incredible just how amazing they are. The main guy I think his name is Bobby Chu. The studio is Toronto Canada. I feel like all these amazing artist are in Canada.

Like ktshy (internet name). Her stuff is brilliant and awesome. Check it out. http://ktshy.deviantart.com/

Or like Bryan Lee O'malley who wrote the comic book sensations Scott Pilgrim! Also incredible....and Canadian...

But to the point. Imaginism Studios...they are just too cool. I mean...look at his stuff!!

It's APPA. Who doesn't love Appa? (And for those who are unaware, Appa is a flying bison from the hit TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender. But how could you not know that?)

This is titled "Beam Me Up Scotty" What's not to love?

Winnie the Pooh Winnie the Pooh...Cuddly Fuzzy...What are the words?

They also have did the designs for a good number of the characters from the Alice In Wonderland movie from last year! I'm not exactly a big fan of the movie, but the visuals were indeed incredible.

Sooooooooooooo detailed...Just looking at the art is so motivational. I don't know what to do with myself...I've seen over live-streaming videos works in progress come to life with incredible detail that seems effortless...it's scary!

Bobby Chu does these online classes where he gives a topic out over his feed and people have to draw it in a hour or two. Limited time frame is the point. And then he chooses which one he likes and he'll give them a the piece he was working on at that time as well. Sometimes it will be guest artists who are well known for the their styles in movies and such. They've had Chris Sanders who was worked on Lilo and Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon, and others I can't remember. (But that last one blew me away.) Oh and the guy who directed/designed for Ice Age. Meh. But anyway, there is a huge following...it's great..:P

Here's the Blog! http://imaginismstudios.blogspot.com/

And this is so brilliant as well...

Well...Good night. :)

One Day One Sketch

Page 16 Sketch

So THIS was completed today.

My tribal warriors look AWESOME. WHAT.

I really am in love with the staff. But to get to the point. This, was completed in one day of work. It doesn't seem like a lot. But it is to me. I'll need to trace this on to my good paper and then ink it, but it is progress. If I can do one of these each day for the next week, I'll have 9 pages in detail sketch. Then inked (because I won't want to stop) and then sorta colored. Still waiting on that...

Detail stinks, but I must learn to love it. Learn to love it....learn to love it. Guh.

MOTIVATIONAL POSTER.

It's a little sad because I'm not doing crew anymore....but the message is right. :D

Mentor Meeting 3/29/11

Hmmmmmmm....not much to talk about. We went through the steps. Asked me how I was doing. I shared my worries. I got suggestions on that tree-man I drew.

I asked her about my worries about have the pieces sync. We I see all the pages together, I don't want the colors to be so drastically different that they don't look good together. I'll be waiting until I can look at all the pages together to decide on set color pallets.

Mrs. Spence suggested printing thumbnails of the pages together (when they are done) and just messing with water colors to see what works. We'll see what happens.

In Other Fabulous News...

Finished with inking that second page. Which isn't really the second page because I'm not doing these in chronological order at the moment....Perhaps later.

BUT. Here it is.

I think it looks pretty snazzy.

As I was looking at it though, I thought to my self, "Hmmmm...I should add some building in the background over the treeline."

And if that isn't a great idea, I don't know what is. But we'll see if that actually ever happens.

In other fabulous news (heh, my title) I was flipping through the book Marley has lent me and it brings to attention my need for a color pallet. Hurrah. I have one page that actually has color. But will those colors work for other pages is the question? I will find out in a month. Need to have 12 pages complete No matter what. :/

Looks super cheery right? I love it. For serious. My brother doesn't like the dragon's colors though....hmmmmmmm. I'll probably ignore him.

But as I was saying, the book Marley lent me brings to attention the importance of a color pallets and the importance of how I want to color the piece. I probably will finish this with simple shading, but I have to keep value in mind as well (contrasting colors, lights dark, the works). It also has some neat tips on character design.

Now I need to get moving.

Sooooo Behind It isn't Even Funny. Ha.

So. I have been lost on the road of life. It....is not a pretty road to be on, but it is twisty and turny with many forks in which people tend to end up in ditches if they follow. But it is probably....OK for me to come out now. Stop slacking. Stop being lame in general. GET INKING DONE. I have to have twelve pages (AT LEAST) done by May. I got a month. ONE MONTH. GOTTA GET-A-MOVING.

Frustration.

One word to describe my current and continuous state of mind. I feel....the need for rant. But since I have already provided a little tiny one (that is all about my faults and failures with little detail) I will instead provide a list.

• 3 Sketches this week
• Finish Inking 2 (at home)
• Photograph/Scan works in progress
• Look through Book given to me by Marley (lovely girl there)
• Go to that Fuzzy Publishing website (you know, I think it is actually called something else, but for the life of me I can't remember) and do some research on the type of publishing they provide. (It's not self publishing)
• Get Colors on One more Page. 
• Meet up with In Shik Lee (Perhaps she'll be nice and firm and tell me to move my butt)
• Finish Research for Rain Warrior Design (and upload)
• Research squirrels.

The Drawings Are coming Along

So to show people I actually indeed am doing things, HERE are some pretty  pictures.

Sketch of a Page (I forget which one)

Inked Page

The Coloring for this last one is pretty much done (need to do some shading) but I think I will leave it incomplete until all the inking is done so that I can make sure the color schemes are compatible on each page. :) The Dragon was fun.

He Ran Away

Barry Deustch...Ran away. But that doesn't mean I didn't get some useful information!

Basically I went to his presentation (which was fabulously amusing) and then he was like "I see there are cartoonist in the audience, so feel free to come speak to me." And I was so going to go over, but then a friend asked me a question about AP Art. When I was done...he had his backpack on and sped out of the class room and I was like:







Yeah....Well anyway, I discovered that Mr. Deutsch and I had a lot in common. Such a procrastination. Best thing EVER.

Not really, but it's nice to know that I'm not alone.

His methods of completing pages using his Wacom Tablet (See Here) was cool but nothing I hadn't seen before. I really enjoyed his humore though! :)  Anywho, he apparently also has issues with completing work. I'm not sure if this is a trait of artists or just lazy people...probably the later. Which is bad. ah well.
Now back to doing work for this project.

Clarrification

It has been brought to my attention that people may find it odd that I am working on my project during my art class. Due to this confusion, I feel the need to clarify some aspects for some people.

This year I am talking an AP Art course. This requires that you complete 24 works by the end of the year to be submitted for evaluation. Twelve of these pieces will be in the Breadth Section. A section where the artist is supposed to show their ability and diversity with works. Either with media or with the subject the works consist of. The other twelve pieces are part of the Concentration section. The concentration is where the artist takes an idea and creates a series of works that follow this idea. For this, I am it as an overlap. The theme I am using is the story for my book. The story about the over-imaginative little girl who has adventures when she walks home from school.

Twelve pages from my illustrated book will be part of my AP Portfolio. You must understand, my story is not 12 pages long. Nor is it merely 15. My story is, as of now, over 30 pages long. And I still feel their are gaps in my story board I may fill in later. So I am not double dipping. I will be working the same amount on each page and I will choose my favorite and most well composed for my portfolio. But this is an art project, and I am doing more for WISE than I am for my AP Art, which is extremely important to me.

I hope that clarifys some things.

Goals For this Week

• Decide on Size of  of pages. May just work on 12x8 1/2 water color paper (cut by self). 
• Design pages more in depth
• Decided on inking by hand and coloring digitally. Methods with digital?
• Talk to Barry Deustch (may be screwed up due to snow day)
• Talk to Anne Mazer 
• Research costs of publishing vs. self publishing
• Mentor Meeting Tuesday with Mrs. Spence
• Do....more research.

Leo Lionni Research

For you Gwen.

So, Leo Lionni has been recommended to me, by my lovely sister. :)

And to tell the truth, I thought I had no idea who he was. But now that I have seen his books....I REMEMBER!!!

Though I don't remember the stories, his style is burned in my mind. Here, have a video!

I feel as though I am Frederick....HE is poet and he knows it. :D Though....I'm not a poet.

And this one is very good too...:)

Inspirational works are very important...:D

I'm being productive. I swear.

Sooooooooooooo.

I really need to get a move on. I finally redesigned my character.

The girl was like this first:

First Design (This is a girl. Just FYI)

I actually liked the design...but it wasn't going to work with how I wanted my story to go. :/

So here is a redesign (IN COLOR!!) that I like more. She has freckles. :D

It works a lot better. I'm not sure about the colors (I had lots of issues) it seems too bluuuuuuuue. Ah well. still I got it down. I upload designs of the father and squirrel this weekend. And perhaps of the knights in the story. I am not looking forward to drawing armor. I better get references.

Does anyone have name suggestions?

Barry Deutsch

Next week I've been informed that there is a graphic novelist (Barry Deutsch) that is coming to the Ithaca school district. I was originally informed by Mrs. Gergley. I thought I would have to go to Fall Creek Elementary to meet up with him. Turns out he's also coming to the high school, which is awesome. I can more easily talk to him this way. That is one thing to look forward to next week!

I finished the character (re)design for my story, I'll upload that later today, after I edit it on the computer.

Other wise...I need to get a start on the sketches for each page. I need to think logically from now on. Yessssssssssssss. Planning...

MOTIVATIONAL POSTER!!!

I feel better already. :)