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. :/

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.

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.

Mentor Meeting 3/8/11

Had a meeting with Mrs. Spence today. It went super fabulous. We looked at my story board, while I explained the story to her. She had some suggestions about the view and angle of certain panels/pages. I'm still conflicted about using text in the story. She suggested that I use quotes. The one she had going through her head being from Alice In Wonderland. "Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Luckily...my story wont be half as scary as Alice in Wonderland. 

Actually wouldn't mind if I didn't intend this for children.

Just brilliant. :)

She likes that I will be combining digital and traditional media for the pieces. I will be inking the drawings on 8x12 pieces of watercolor paper and then scanning them to digitally color them. Experimentation is encouraged.


Mrs. Spence also suggested that I try and contact the Family Reading Partnership about getting some interviews. Apparently I can just drop her name...AND THEY WILL DO MY BIDDING. Well...I'm not sure about that, but they would be willing to help out. 


Also, she encourages me to check out Lulu.com soon so that I can get an idea of a deadline. Probably a good idea. Should do that tonight.

Convinced

For the last week I've been teetering on switching to a new tangent for a story. I sort of wanted to go the more dark story thing. But my sister referred that to be like graphic novel-ish. I don't want to do a graphic novel....So I need to stay with my original story.

So what was my original story.

My original idea was to tell a story about how a girl's imagination got away from her as she walked home. It would be full of fantasy and armies of squirrels...but I couldn't find a plot for it. So I decided to abandon it.

The reason I couldn't find a plot for it...mostly has to do with how I designed the main character. She was designed based on me as a kid. I used to walk home and imagine things to entertain me, make up stories for why the white picket fence was falling apart and so on. So the reason I couldn't com up with a plot has to do with it being to closely related to my actual experiences. So I need to distance it from me. I am currently working on redesigning the character and actually giving her her own personality.

My sister Clair was here this past weekend, and we started talking about it. She was the one to convince me to stay the course and make the plot. If I were to not write a children's book, it would make a lot more of what I'm reasearching a lot less meaningful. I intend to use children for feeback. I'll tell them the story, show them some pictures, and maybe they can give me some suggestions. It will be great fun.

So the story...(I actually have something!! YES!!)

It suddenly came to me during Econ today. With much inspiration from my sister's suggestions...yeah.

Here we go:

It starts out with a little girl walking home from school. She's got her back pack full of books and is in about 3rd or 4th grade. As she walks, she starts to imagine things. Like all the houses are castles, the dogs in the yards are dragons and the cats can talk and they sit in the sun with jewelry decorating them. Things are suddenly magical. I hope to have reminders of reality every once in awhile.

Anyway, she ends up rescuing this squirrel creature (I have him designed from my previous attempt at the story, he's very cute.) She either rescues him from a trap, or awakens him from a sleep he couldn't wake from on his own. This thing is a lot bigger than her. In reality, he either doesn't exist at all or is an actual squirrel. I want it to be an actual squirrel. Suddenly they are attacked by the sky/water knights! They come down from the sky, and the girl and her squirrel friend must best them!! It might be through might or perhaps some trickery, I'm am not sure yet. Or they might just runnaway. Considering that in reality this is just rain, I would assume running to shelter would qualify as winning. Or perhaps use of an umbrella sword? I don't know.

Finally, they arrive at the goal, her (house) Castle! But as they are appoaching they go under the gate (perhaps this is where they escape the rain) and go up to the courtyard (front porch) and are ready to open the castle doors...when a ferocious monsterous BEAR appears. And there is no hope what so ever as the bear throws a bag over her...then black. It then reveals a scene of a bemused parent (father or mother? I want it to be father! Then I can make him humongous, cuddly, and adorable. As well as squinty.) who is drying off their daughter after she got caught in the rain. She is protesting. The End. :)

And perhaps there will be an extra page showing surprise at the squirrel who is either freaking out or relaxing in a rather humane way. Maybe perhaps a hint that what she imagined could be reality. Yes. I like this. Now to physically design her, her dad (yes, I have decided, and the fuzzy creature). I must remember to make her have an actual personality!

Be prepared for art dumps sometime soon.