I haven't updated since February?! Sheeeeee-it, son! I'm sorry all my sexy people. I'm gonna make it up to you right now.
Life has been... confusing, as of late. Fuck, 2014 has been shitting all over my tiny-ass corner of the Universe from the start! Although this past week has seen the fruits of labor pop off the tree like so many delicious oranges. I'm finally back to school, I have a bunch of commissions on the table and waiting for me to start, and I'm more or less whoring myself in every real world and digital outlet I can find to get exposure for my art and cartoons. Like this! Here is a thing I did for a buddy's birthday. Isn't it sexy? He said he's going to print it on canvas and put it on his wall next to the "Superman vs Ubermensch" piece. Excitement! Exposure! Sexy-fine!
BAM! Lookit that bacon sizzle!
The confusing part? Other than feeling like I'm in over my head with all the projects I'm taking on and classes wanting all my attention already, I had a bit of a rough patch with my girlfriend two months or so ago. I'm not sure if I want to stay in a relationship at the moment or if I want to be single. I still do like this woman, and I care for her a hell of a lot, but I just don't know if being in a relationship is a good choice for me right now. It is incredibly confusing and there's never a good time to say "Hey, chica, I think I want to break up." Argh.
Then, a month ago we lost a man who was a brother to me in all but blood. 1st Lieutenant Robert Francis Kelly was 24 years young, and already the pinnacle of what a man should be. 5th degree master at the local dojo, teaching himself multiple other forms of martial arts as well as a scholar, artist, writer, linguist, gamer, aspiring voice actor and the best of all of us in too many ways to count. He was involved in a traffic incident and the resulting trauma eventually won the fight over his body. I had, apparently, been put on the visitors list for him as his blood brother, which was nothing short of a punch in the gut. The following days had me skipping work, crying my eyes out, getting no sleep and finally agreeing with the family to pull the plug. If any of you have never experienced this before... I hope and pray you don't even come within the vicinity of the situation. They even had me kick off the eulogies at his service. FUCK. I blacked out halfway through my speech, then I hear about the things I said that I don't remember and I feel bad because they were good and from the heart, as intended, but I don't remember them.
He now rests peacefully not 5 minutes from my house. His eldest sister bought the plot next to him and is moving back from Washington to raise her children here and be closer to the family. His second oldest sister is going to be married next month to an amazing guy and rising home brewer (the important things stand out). His father and stepmother are doing well and I really need to go visit them soon. It has been more than a couple weeks and I feel like shit for it...
Ugh. Love Bob to death (lol?) but I need to move on from the subject before the rum takes hold and I become a blubbering heap of uselessness on the floor.
So what's next? Hmm... My parents and I were struggling for a bit while dad was unemployed for a while. That was fun. Lots of stress. Dad has a job now, though. He's teaching Rider's Edge and heading the bike rental department up at the Harley Dealership. Fun fun!
I think I mentioned school started this week? Digital Media Tools on Monday and Wednesday, where I learn how to use Adobe Illustrator and a little of Fireworks. Adobe apparently doesn't like Fireworks anymore, so they won't be making any new versions of it. Why the fuck not? Bah! Illustrator looks like it'll be fun though. I can't wait for the typography project. Oh, buddy, you guys'll love to see that plastered everywhere. Then I have Public Speaking online. I had no idea what I was in for until I opened up Moodle and HOLY I HAVE HOW MANY ASSIGNMENTS DUE IN THE FIRST HOUR WHAT. I thought it would be easy. Speaking in a serious situation and hogging the limelight are two completely different forms of art that will be difficult to separate as needed. But I guess nothing good was ever easy to attain, eh?
OH! Speaking of art, however. I teamed up with a friend of mine. Its an artistic endeavor, you see. Called Alliance Manga. He's been struggling along with it because a few of his previous partners disappeared on him. No bueno. So he called me up and we worked out a deal. I'll be getting the premise and concept art of my own comic soon. Its taken a little bit to work out some of the characters. I'm excited to use this a spring board into my own thing, though! We're going to be at the local anime convention, Animazement, this weekend to sell prints and little chibi things. I'm fucking stoked! If you guys like my art and are on facebook, please follow us! I'll also be making a page for just my art soon, so keep an eye out for that too, yeah? Here's something else for you all to enjoy! These are four of the characters I've been working on.
Tiny sketch dump of lady and face practice! Huzzah! Top left is Dirigible, who is about to go UFO hunting based off a child's picture drawing that was sent to her radio show, "Dark Skies, Dark Eyes." Top right is Krystal being adorable and not saying things. Bottom left is Grimm freaking out over something. Bottom right is Amanda, I only just figured out how she looks, she seems like she just took care of a problem.
I've been drawing like a madman recently to get all my stuff ready to the convention. I'm getting it all printed tomorrow morning.... er... today in a few hours. Ha ha... Hope the rum is out of my system by then... hmm... Anyway! Yes. Drawing. So much free time at work. Luckily, as long as I get done with what I have to do, my supervisor doesn't care what I do on my downtime (as long as I don't mention it). So, as a result, I've gone through 4 sketch books since the start of the year. Fuck, what? That's waaaaaay more than I've ever done before. Feels so good, man. Nothing quite like getting into that "Zone" and just scratching at the page, erasing, scratching again and creating something from your mind that otherwise would never have left in the first place. FUCK. I need to draw more. My hand is itchy. See? Now I'm rambling. Quick! New topic!
Boobs!
...
Not really what I had in mind... I might be tapped out for now. 4 AM, rum & ginger ale and need to get up early are not a fun combination.
Alright. Bed time, kids. Love all you sexy faces out there. I'll give you guys some updates from the convention as I get pics and whatnot. Gonna be fun fun fun!
Holy fuck, I'm selling my own art. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
Stay gold, kids!
