#i want to be an artist in 2024. my goal is to not quit.

[mymp3]

not gonna do one of those "year in review" art things. but i will say this, even though this was a tough year, im really happy and the things i did end up drawing. lots of little things and comics. just doodles and the occasional piece. just things that made me happy. next year i want to continue that, i just wish and hope i'll continue to draw and that i'll make things i genuinely enjoy. i wanna go into 2024 with a smile. :)

[thirdnap]

Hello,

Here is the life update of my past 4 years.

I began this blog many years ago in 2012 when I was only 14 years old, and I then slowly gained the courage to start posting art at 17 when I joined the K fandom. It's wild to think that I am now 25!

I was never quite consistent in posting since I only shared my art here whenever I felt like it, but it slowed down ever so gradually to basically 1 post a year for Yata’s birthday. This blog helped me with my fear of showing my art to others as I was incredibly embarrassed of my work for a really long time.

I soon moved to the USA from my homeland and attended animation school for 1 year, and then studied illustration and visual development for 4 years and I managed to accomplish many things I never could have imagined. I graduated with honors this past May, was selected by the faculty and head of department as my major’s trustee scholar, completed my 84-page art book thesis, got a few pieces into the Society of Illustrators, and my school even shot a mini docu-film about me, my art and my life where I got to share my upbringing. Art school was very demanding and at times tough but I managed to get a lot out of it :)

In July of this year, I moved to California from Florida and I’m much happier than I’ve ever been. I come from a very small country so I never expected to get this far in the art world. I drew Yata for fun in my bedroom whenever I wanted to and now I’m in LA breaking into the animation industry (receiving my first credit too!)

the drawings I share here are a very very small part of the illustrations I make weekly. I wish I could share them with everyone as I’m very proud of them but I enjoy separating my fandom life from my real life a little too much! Surprisingly I am working as a background artist at the moment despite never drawing backgrounds in this blog lol. I think many of you would be surprised at how different my work is from irl!!

It hasn’t always been great, so I don't want to make it seem like it's been all perfect. I’ve had many hard times too and at the moment I am extremely homesick since I haven't returned home in a long time but I think these are needed sacrifices.

However, I'm excited for 2024. I'm looking forward to growing as an artist and my goal is to continue to have fun with art as much as I have right now. I think I’m lucky to have a great support system including my best friend @fuurais who has been by my side for 10+ years and I managed to convert into a K artist too <3

Thank you for the support, for the kind messages, and for the excitement every time I post. I am always happy when I think of this blog and the friends I made. I unironically think about Yata every day as he is past being my comfort character tbh. I am currently writing this with full-on orange hair that I've had for a few years now lol.

I don’t think I’ll be as active as I was at 17 but I will try to not ghost this blog completely. There are a lot of things I haven’t drawn yet that I really want to do and I'd love to share those drawings with everyone.

Lots of love -

Tael <3

[vndev]

Free VFX & Consultation for NaNoRenO 2024 Jammers!

Hey everyone!  I hope you've had a great time participating in NaNoRenO this year!  I'm Nai from Make Visual Novels, though I imagine more of you know me either through our live team building events in DevTalk, or from the other jams and competitions I run.  I wanted to let you guys know that, for a limited time, I'm offering free consultations for jammers participating in NaNoRenO2024.  With those consultations, I'll also be creating VFX for your title screens to help you make a stronger first impression.

So you might be asking...

Why would I even want a consultation, Nai?

Something went really wrong and you want to know how to fix it .

Something went really right and you want to know how to take advantage of it.

You had an objective that you got close to, but couldn't quite hit it.

You want to go Pro with developing VNs, and you'd like guidance.

You feel lost in some part of the process, and need help setting goals for your circumstances.

You tasted VN Dev, you can't imagine a life without it, and you want tools, resources & opportunities.

Okay, but why you?

I've spent nearly a decade supporting and coaching visual novel developers reaching their personal and professional goals.

I've read over 500 indie visual novels.  I know what your peers are doing, and where they are succeeding and where they're struggling.

I run & judge for the largest sponsored visual novel development competition.  That 500 was a conservative estimate.

My network includes VN engine & game developers, game, book, comic & VN publishers, merchandise providers & manufacturers, marketing professionals, crowdfunding experts, professional programmers, illustrators, animators, graphic designers, VFX artists, 3D Artists(specifically modelling, texturing, rigging, and lighting) editors, pixel artists, Live2D capable artists, authors, narrative designers, translators, composers, musicians, singers, casting directors, voice actors (so many voice actors).And, probably most importantly, people who are living the experiences you're looking for.

In short: If I don't know the answer and/or can't come up with a solution to your very specific goals, I know someone who can.

I'm in.  Now what?

To be eligible for the free consultation and the VFX, you need to have a game submitted to the NaNoRenO 2024 jam page and follow its rules.

Having a list of questions to ask is a good idea.  Having goals is an even better one.  If you don't have goals, we can work on setting them.

For best results, you or a team representative should be present for the consultation.  These are conducted between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM ET on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Message me over on Discord (discord:naidriftlin) or in DevTalk(https://discord.gg/devtalk) to set up a time and day.

Some things to keep in mind: 

Don't ask me to roast your game/be brutal.  I don't do that.  I can provide critique with suggestions and examples.

These consultations will be conducted live on https://twitch.tv/makevisualnovels.  My viewers are typically your peers and VN industry folks, and usually not exceeding 10 concurrent viewers.  A VOD recording will be provided to you to download for 30 days afterwards.

The free VFX for your title screen is eligible for those who complete the consultations.  It will be tailored to your existing title screen visuals and delivered afterwards.  I may opt to stream and record the process of making them.

[sparklingpax]

HEADMASTER JUNIORS IN THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY MUSIC VIDEO

!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNOWWWW I SAW FIRST THING WAKING UP TODAY I LITERALLY FLIPPED TF OUTTT 😭😭😭‼️‼️‼️ LIKE NOT ONE BUT MULTIPLE MASTERFORCE REFERENCES IN 2024.....WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE FR 😭💗💗💞❤️✨‼️🔥🫶✨

wait I'm gonna take fhis opportunity to gush about the video its 1 am im only half awake there will probably be typos sorrY

..

Genuinely would have been ecstatic with just a god ginrai in the bg and I honestly didn't even expect as much but man oh MAN did they give us so much more than that 🥳🥳

oh but lemme say ginrai SLAYEDDD HE LOOKED SO AMAZING AND COOL I was literally squealing "YES GO MY SILLY GOOOO" like the Dork that I am when he was out there doin the exkaiser sword pose w the others 🫶🫶🫶🫶 EEEEEE

and also!!! Let us NOT forget ofc all the other TF series and leaders and characters and such getting their time in the spotlight and the MANY little references to all kinds of stuff everywhere and.....!!!!!! Like I have so much respect for that video 🥹 it's such a detailed, wonderful tribute to everything transformers has been, is, and continues to be. Themes of connections literal and metaphorical and the power and beautythat comes from it. UFFF and Everything was so pretty and wonderful to look at and (⁠ﾉ⁠≧⁠∇⁠≦⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠ ⁠ﾐ⁠ ⁠┻⁠━⁠┻!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very happy with it <3333

and also Yes I did have the thought It would have been cool to see the Pretenders (😭) but I also understand its probably hard enough to tastefully fit in all thr characters they did (and plus! Masterforce Mentioned At All is such a huge W youre not hearing Complaints from me 🫡) and also y'know what. maybe. maybe that was for the best because I might have simply combusted into fucking flames if they did that. Like you all think I'm annoying about those guys NOW but if I saw them animated all pretty and shape andshiny and sharp like that.........or.GOD if they had put their human forms in there...........I would need to be restrained is all I'll say

AND y'know what too it actually also fuels me with even MORE willpower than I already have to work for and eventually finish this illustration degree, somehow hopefully make it to a position where I too can make masterforce references in 4k except OFFICIAL and also have the opportunity to be insufferable about my blorbo of all time and space <333333 stupid silly ass dream of mine that may never happen but mark my WORDS if I get even the slightest opportunity y'all.....I want to do a masterforce centric project someday. Like a real one. Something for the world to see at large. I want to do something with it I really really feel like I could......,! I would achieve one of my few life goals/dreams fr......

GOSH ok anyway sorry I went on for quite a while there and then started derailing the topic at hand SORRYY 😭😭😭 but yea man I love transformers I love being a fan of this franchise I love how many thousands of characters and all the stories and universes and stuff there is and how crazy and cool it all is and that it's been a part of my life for most of my life and it's the reason I'm an artist and god that video will have me emotional for a long ass time *wails* good NIGHT 😭🫶❤️❤️🫶💖✨‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

(-kuni 🫣)

[xiaq]

Hello friends. I mentioned it might happen and now it’s official—A scrubbed version of All Hail the Underdogs will be published as the third book in my Breakaway Series (aka after LRPD and LYNLTP). I signed the contract today⭐️ ⭐️ so you have a week to go download it (until Jan 30)⭐️⭐️ before my publisher requires that I take it down. A word of warning—I’ve changed the scrubbed version Quite a bit from the original in terms of secondary/background characters; you will recognize none of the old Samwell hockey crew. So if you want The Boys (TM) (and Lardo) go download it now or forever hold your peace.

Questions folks might have:

1. What about Matts or Martel/Okezie’s stories?

Matts will be book 4. I'm working on that now. Martel/Okezie will be book 5.

2. Will you turn any of your other fic into published fiction?

I don’t think so. The check please fics were mostly an excuse for me to play in a hockey sandbox and I relied a lot on headcanons/Fanons when writing. That made them easy to scrub and turn into their own thing. Everything else I’ve written I feel is tied much more closely to the source material (HP, Old Guard, Mandalorian, Sherlock, Bond) so A. It’d be hard to scrub and B. I just want to enjoy fic and let people enjoy my fic and not feel like I need to try and monetize all my writing. Especially now that I have this series I can keep expanding. My goal with publishing at all was to start making a name for myself now so that when I retire (maybe early? depending on how things go) I can write as a second career. I've achieved that, now.

3. After you take it down will you still share downloaded versions if people lose their copy or miss the deadline?

My publishing contract doesn’t allow that, but I’ll make a post just like I did for LRPD where folks with copies can share them with folks who need copies. I’m absolutely not going to hold the story hostage. If you don’t want to pay for the new version, you 100% won’t have to.

4. When will it be published?

Book two will be out in late spring or early summer 2023. Book three will likely be spring of 2024 but nothing official yet considering I just signed the contract today.

5. Will the same cover artist do the art? Provided Jick is still down, yes! We are all about supporting fantastically talented fan artists (and continuity) in this house.

6. Will you keep writing fic?

Of course! I'm writing a new HP fic now and I have a Witcher fic idea percolating. My writing might slow down with Real Life work stuff and publishing stuff, but like...the majority of my friends are here. I learned to write here. I like it here. Why would I leave?

[teenytraveler]

ART VS ARTIST 2023!

Man, what a year! I read what I wrote for my previous art vs artist in 2022 and thought "wow, how positive I sounded!" A long text ahead - you have been warned!

This year truly was a mix of pure chaos and a quiet void at the same time. Many life changes happened in my first year of adulthood. As I tried to navigate myself in this new environment, I got to experience many things for the first time - I landed my first job, bought my first PC, got to take part in many weddings of my closest friends and family members, went on a trip to another country with my friends and got to meet my work colleagues.

I also isolated myself at home as my home became my work place, developed bad habits of spending all day in front of my PC, lost joy in the work I at first found interesting, lost faith in what I can do and in myself, too. Somewhere along the way, trying to make good, rational, adult decisions, I kind of lost myself. I felt left behind as people moved on to the next stage in their life. I wanted to do art but lost my drive for drawing. I gave up and quit my job, and now I'm slowly getting back on my feet again. I keep reminding myself that it's not the end of the world, even tho for so many people out there the end of their world is happeninig as we speak, every single day.

I came back with full force in December, my will to do art strong and steady, with new plans and goals forming in my head. I am still uncertain about many things I want to do, but I'll never know if any of them work until I try them, right?

Thank you for still sticking with me, despite me being in and out. Seeing my art getting noticed and seeing you reacting to it makes me so happy and warms my heart every single time! To every and each of you, from the bottom of my heart - thank you, for being here, reading this.

I don't have any expectations for the next year, just one request - dear 2024, please be kind to us.

(threw in some of the sketches undercut since I doodled so much in December!)

[project-pidw]

Hello everyone who's followed me here! The poll ended a while ago and it looks like people are interested in doing this so here's the blog where all further information about such a project will be placed!

Due to the fact that I've never run a fandom event before, this is going to take me quite a bit of time to organize, plus I've currently got a lot on my plate irl right now (such as writing and producing a musical from now until the end of the year which I am very hyped about but also I assume it's going to take up a lot of time) so bear with me as I organize my own thoughts before bringing more people on board

In short here's a generalized timeline for things off the top of my head (and is by no means all inclusive or a hard and fast timeline, this is just to give people general expectations)

Now (June 2024) - October 2024: Organizing all the feedback from the comments on the original post, coming up with organizational structures and outlining how many roles would be needed in order to put an event like this together

November 2024-December 2024: Mod applications and interest checks open

January 2025: Interest Check results are released and Mod application results are sent out

February 2025: Mods look over organizational structures, give feedback for how the event is organized, finish getting everything ready for people to contribute to the project

March 2025-April 2025: Sign ups are sent out for writers/artists/betas, distinguishing between people who would like to write pre-blackening arcs and post-blackening arcs (in my mind there would be an application process similar to that of a zine for writers and artists thay would like to create hard and fast canonically referenced events in PIDW but EVERYONE would be open to write general wife number whatever chapters OR Binghe gets massive power up chapters, for those that want to participate but don't wanna write smut, including people that don't sign up within the "event" time frame, allowing PIDW to be an ever changing living document that essentially never has to end however this system would remain open to changes depending on what people would like to see most)

May 2025: Results are sent out for people writing pre-blackening arcs and discord invites are sent out to all participants in the project

June 2025 - March 2026: Creation period, potentially longer or shorter depending on interest check results since the goal would be to create chapters with ridiculously long word counts for the sake of the bit

April 2026-???: Release of the project to ao3, with a new creator's work being posted each week at first and then speeding up to a daily reveal until all works are revealed in the collection, functioning similarly to a hypothetical Airplane's writing schedule

Once again this is all just... REALLY vauge outlines and the speculation of someone that has no idea how long it takes to put on an event like this, I would imagine that in actuality it would take much longer to do so, and life tends to interfere in things in mysterious ways so I would not be surprised if this does not end up accurate to the actual timeline, but just to give people a general idea of when a large scale project like this would be able to take place!

[citrus-cactus]

Citrus' Art Summary 2023!

The year is almost over, so here's my art summary for 2023! I got this template from here. This is my third year in a row being able to populate every month with a finished(/digital) piece (and really, I did a LOT more than what's shown here!), so that feels like something to celebrate!

Technically some of these choices don’t match up with their post dates; I counted some months as “when I was primarily working on them” and some as “when I actually published them,” but the sentiment remains. Like I said, it was a busy year! :)

Some more rambling + links to all featured artwork beneath the cut:

I remember last year I was quite worried about/was actually teetering on the edge of artistic burnout. There were definitely some months during this year that I felt a bit overwhelmed (particularly during the summer, when I was working on a 5-illustration series in a style that was DEFINITELY outside my norm, PLUS a bunch of other stuff), but I also appreciated the stylistic variety, and doing a lot of sketchbook drawings/marginalia that were(/are) just for me, so they never had to be "finished” or even "good." Even though almost everything pictured here is Digimon(/anime) art, I did experiment with a more "realistic" style for the Dracula Daily series (Aug/Sept), as well as trying to relearn the "Disney" style I started drawing in waaaaaaay back in high school, only now with a LOT more understanding of facial structure and anatomy. Largely, this style shake-up has been incredibly freeing (these are still sketchbook-only studies at this point, but I'm planning on some digital illustrations in the Disney style in 2024). I'm sure they still look pretty anime-influenced, and I'm not sure I'll ever truly be able to escape that, but honestly I don't mind; the anime aesthetic IS a part of my preference/style!

Let's see, the prevailing fandoms for what's shown here are Digimon Survive and Adventure 02. I really want to draw more Survive art next year!! Really happy with the collabo between @vidramon and myself (July), and honestly most (if not all) of these pieces. I worked hard, I branched out, I took on some really ambitious projects, and finished a ton of things (looking at you, March! That Knight drawing was a WIP for an entire year, but I finished it instead of abandoning it, which is what usually happens when things sit around that long!). Ultimately, I believe I told (and helped tell!) some great stories through my creative projects and art this year, which is my true goal forever and always.

Honestly I'm happiest with April's drawing. That one was a ton of fun to do, but I would have to work really hard to replicate that coloring style because I don't remember my brushes/settings, ahaha. Sadly this is how it usually goes with coloring for me; I make it up as I go almost every single time, which is why series are so difficult for me. I am nothing if not inconsistent -_-;

I would be remiss to mention that a huge part of my productivity this year was due to setting and tracking monthly goals for myself. I gotta thank everyone on the @campdigimonth server for their help in keeping me organized and motivated throughout the year! I plan on continuing my creative check-in posts in 2024.

Next year, I want to a) make more Survive art (particularly with Survive Week coming up), b) draw some more flippin' gargoyles (CRIIIINGE, but no, cringe is dead, I'mma do what I want!), and c) keep working on my personal project! And I am, once again, thinking about bookbinding. That's a "maybe" for next year as well!

Descriptions and links to the full artwork pictured for each month:

January: Survive Week, Day 5

February: Survive Gang Aromantic Week

March: Knight Unryuuji and Friend

April: “Rose-Tinted” fic illustration

May: Happy Birthday Vi!

June: Happy Birthday Haru Shinkai!

July: Happy 1st Anniversary Survive! (aka BEST SOCK FRIENDS)

August: Dracula, September 13

September: Dracula, September 20

October: Adv 02 Countdown Event, Day 7

November: “Boo!” on the Cob

December: Digimon Secret Santa 2023

[crescencestudio]

Devlog #34 | 08.27.23

Hi everyone!

Another month has flown by, and we are already entering the month of September soon! It's crazy it's already Fall......... Hope you all have been doing well <3

Since we're getting into the latter half of the year, I wanted to sit down and talk to you about the usual monthly progress as well as do a check in on where Alaris is sitting. This is a longer one, so without further ado, let's dive in, shall we?

Writing

We continue to move forward with writing. But it's extremely refreshing this month since I've Finally moved into Etza's route! Already, the route is feeling relatively different from the past three routes I've been writing---not necessarily because the past three routes are repetitive, but moreso because Etza's route (and the Fae ones moving forward) is very different regarding plot content. I can't say much more than that because then we start getting into spoiler territory. But it's been exciting since Etza, Kuna'a, and Aisa have always been the "final stage" of writing for Alaris to me.

I'm aiming to have Etza's first draft done by the end of next month. We'll check in next month to see my progress, but that's my goal at least! I also wrapped up the finishing touches for Druk's route this past month and moved his onto developmental editing, so we are just moving into New Stages all across the board yay!

Art

Most of my attention was actually on art this month though! Specifically, on finalizing Kickstarter merchandise so I can ship it out. I finished the updated Mermay prints as well as the character postcards.

they r beauty they r grace

I will have some extra prints that I'm happy to send off. Obviously, you will have to pay for them LOL. But if you're interested in any, I'll have an extremely limited stock. Patrons will get first dibs, so if you are interested but aren't subscribed to my Patreon, I'd recommend getting on that for this upcoming month since I will not be restocking the Mermay prints ever again!

We also continued to get backgrounds from Vui. These are spoiler territory, so I will not be showing them this month teehee. But they're beautiful per usual Vui fashion!

Check-In

Now that we're in the latter half of the year, I wanted to talk to you all about overall Alaris progress and some more specific parts of development.

As of right now, we have about 210k written for Alaris (including the demo). And the end estimate is about 350k. For art assets, we have 20 CGs out of an estimated 48 CGs finished and/or sketched out. For BGs, we are on background 18 out of 25. The GUI is for the most part finished, save for some small finishing touches. And we have 6 out of 8 original tracks completely done.

If it's not clear, Alaris will definitely be a 2024 release rather than an end of 2023 release, which may be disappointing news for those of you eager for Alaris. But realistically, even if I make absolutely cracked progress on the assets from now until the end of the year, I would still need time to polish the full game, especially considering how long it took me to polish intertwine for Otojam, which was significantly smaller. And that's excluding my team members, who I don't want to force into a crunching position. All that being said, I hope to get some playable content to you all before the end of the year, namely the updated demo and maybe Kayn's beta build!

I wanted to take a moment to mention one thing concerning the updated demo. As you all may know from past devlogs, I've updated many of the assets for the enhanced demo. Initially, I had wanted to release the updated demo quite a while back, but there was one set of assets that ended up getting held up in production. For full transparency, since I've talked about the updated demo for a while but haven't been able to show much more progress beyond that, I wanted to touch on (generally) why it's been held up, mainly because I don't want you all to think I'm just Not Delivering on it!

My GUI artist is the same person who made the Alaris logo (re.Alice). She's wonderfully talented, which is why I wanted to work with her for the Alaris GUI as well! As many may know, sometimes life happens and so without getting into any specifics, this is what has been holding up the enhanced demo since I haven't been able to update and code in the new GUI.

Based on recent updates from Alice, I'm hopeful that I'll be receiving the new GUI this upcoming month, and I'd love to release the updated demo (T e n t a t i v e l y) in October! Of course, when the September devlog comes around I'll be able to update you all more concretely. But I wanted to communicate where things currently (and have been) standing since I've been wanting you all to experience the updated demo so badly but didn't want you all to feel like I've been forgetting about it/dropping the ball on it/etc. etc. etc.

Thank you, as always for being so patient and supportive of me! As we head into this final half of the year (jesus), I hope the progress I've been making behind the scenes for Alaris will start to come to fruition through the enhanced demo and some playable beta builds of the individual routes <3

Market Research

I did ~some~ market research this month, but it's honestly been pretty sparse, mainly because my usual market research time was actually replaced by Jam Time this month.

Specifically, if you didn't get the chance to check them out, I helped with two games this month for a 10 day jam. I think they're both pretty top-notch if I'm allowed to humbly brag since the teams behind them were very talented!

The first is Oblivisci Memorias

After receiving a mysterious request, you create a potion meant to erase memories. But the process is a grueling one, and as you add ingredients to your potion, you may find yourself reminiscing on memories you thought you had long since suppressed.

And the second is Titan Arum

Alone, you find yourself catsitting in your family's new house as they traipse through Europe. But incidents slowly signal to you that something's... off about this house. What story exists behind its walls? And more importantly, are you brave enough to uncover it?

[templetogavage]

Weekly Weighing (02/25/24 to 03/02/24)

Here are 7 posts I enjoyed from the week of 02/25/24 to 03/02/2024.

1. https://www.tumblr.com/softjigglyprince/743601282140504065

Let's start off with @broaderstrokes. There's a lot of fat hanging off this superchub, and the lighting and the pose do a lot to highlight every inch of it.

2. https://www.tumblr.com/ryanporker/743443319671095296/alright-these-feel-like-pictures-i-wouldve-found

There's already plenty to like about these images, but the caption really cinched it for me. It's true- this looks very much like a case of achieving gaining goals.

3. https://www.tumblr.com/ginger-binge/743521056791330816/get-more-from-gingerbinge-on-patreon

If you're even slightly into teasing/degradation, this preview will definitely make you consider checking out this encourager's Patreon. Thanks to @ginger-binge for drawing my attention to him

4. https://www.tumblr.com/gaininggalore/743585289569812480/cinnamontoastken

CinnamonToastKen is a YouTuber/Twitch streamer whose content I mostly wouldn't recommend, but his weight gain is something I'm happy to appreciate from a distance.

5. https://www.tumblr.com/thespiderpig1999/743652819444400128/gaming-is-a-gainers-best-friend

I don't believe I've featured @thespiderpig1999 previously. This photo ties into my favorite idle fantasy, the gaining gamer boyfriend. Excellent use of a prop to turn a simple belly shot into something greater.

6. https://www.tumblr.com/naughtynoodle056/743777800843051008/heres-my-list-of-black-gainers-artists-and

I checked out quite a few names from this list of black feedist Tumblr users. Most of their blogs aren't for me, as while I respect and wish well for women into this kink, I'm too gay to want to see regular posting of photos of them. However, this is exactly the kind of list that ought to be spread- a curated list of folks who aren't getting enough exposure without the help. So I'm sharing it for anyone who follows me who might appreciate this sort of thing.

7. https://www.tumblr.com/mattyhalled1/743918037016756224, https://www.tumblr.com/mattyhalled1/743879218317950976/sometimes-i-get-discouraged-with-my-slow-gain-and

I was facing a choice between two gorgeous men with excellent, dramatic before and after comparison photos, and I have elected not to choose. Here they both are in all their glory.

And that’s this week’s Weekly Weighing!

[dropintomanga]

Does Shonen Jump Really Have to Be the Grand Goal?

"The first place I submitted a manga to was Shonen Jump. I want to brag to the me back then, saying that I’m a Jump challenger now!" - Ken Wakui

Even though I'm in my '40s, I still love Shonen Jump stuff. I grew up on Dragon Ball. From Naruto to Demon Slayer to My Hero Academia to whatever's next, I've been there and will continue to see what Jump does. I remember once upon a time where the future of Shonen Jump was somewhat in question before My Hero Academia blew up.

Yet lately and especially after My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen ended, I've been thinking about fans who grow up via Shonen Jump series and wanting to be a part of the phenomenon. What if they want to be mangaka for the same magazine that drove their youth?

But what if those same folks got rejected? What if they learned that Shonen Jump isn't the be-it end-all of manga?

The best example of a Shonen Jump rejected mangaka is Hajime Isayama of Attack on Titan. Once told by Shueisha editorial to change things to his story and art in his submission for Attack on Titan, Isayama went to Kodansha Publishing instead. And you can say the rest was history.

Now we have another 2nd example in Ken Wakui, whose hit manga, Tokyo Revengers, became a global phenomenon. He tried to get a manga into Shonen Jump a long time ago, but was rejected. Wakui said that editorial told him to draw his story elsewhere where they would appreciate his interests. Wakui would go on to Kodansha and start off with Shinjuku Swan before creating Tokyo Revengers. He's currently back on Shonen Jump with Astro Royale, which is a story about a young heir to a yakuza family trying to help the world after a meteor hit the planet and gave a lot of people superpowers.

One can argue that Wakui went from, in the theme of WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes, undesirable to undeniable. Astro Royale has only been around since April 2024, but it's clear that Wakui intends to be a main-stay in Jump. He sounded like he always wanted to be a part of Shonen Jump.

And now I think about fans turned artists who aspire to draw for Shonen Jump. Over the summer, I've noticed how many artists tried to pitch manga ideas to manga industry professionals at U.S. anime conventions. Viz Media has taken notice of this demand and started a program for one-shot manga for future manga artists. Yet I sometimes wonder how many of them know what it actually takes to make it to Jump.

And I think about this statement from Takehiko Inoue in an interview alongside Akira Toriyama spotlighting 50 years of Shonen Jump in 2018.

Then I see threads like this one on Reddit about whether it's okay to apply for Shonen Jump after having experience on other platforms like Webtoons.

It sounds like things haven't changed. Some people still find so much value in the Jump brand.

That's why I want to say that it's okay to draw for other publishers and outlets (especially for Japanese creators). The thing is about people who follow Jump (especially here in the West) can be a bit insular with their manga tastes. You get an exciting breadth of manga, but it's not the full picture. There's also exposure to some of the nasty aspects of shonen fandom like leak/spoiler culture. Another thing is that fans love to compare shonen titles (past and present) quite a lot. Some are still obsessed with a "Big 3" ideal that isn't highly relevant anymore.

Sure, there's a lot of fame and attention with being associated with Jump. But creators have to deal with the vicious weekly ranking system where deserving stories sometimes get the axe out of nowhere. There's also the problem of trying to end the story the way you want and not being able to because popularity has a curse in where certain plots get throw aside and the main plot gets drawn out longer than it should. I sometimes argue that Shueisha series focus a bit too much on style over substance at times.

That's why I appreciate the American Manga Awards. The staff behind the ceremony have done a great job in acknowledging manga from all genres and publishers (not just Viz Media's Shonen Jump). Mangaka have shown appreciation in knowing that they're being recognized by folks who know the manga world is more than just Jump. Shonen Jump may have started it all for many of us and provided value in our lives. One can use that value in a way to help promote non-Jump and other non-mainstream stories that are worthy of recognition.

The beauty of manga, whether it's the creator side or the fan side, is that there's something for everyone of all kinds of backgrounds. That should be the grand goal to promote when it comes to making manga and showcasing its rich diverseness. Manga comes from all kinds of notable places, not just the brand names.

[mochibuni]

Monthly Update - September

Like every month these last few years, I'm always shocked that the next month has come lol. I actually did and didn't meet my traditional art goals last month, and by that I mean I actually did make quite a few pieces with different supplies and I feel that I learned and improved so much. I didn't get as far with watercolors as I wanted, because I found out on my first attempt with them I was vastly unskilled with them and needed even more baby steps! I do plan on revisiting watercolors in the future, so I'll need to pick up a work book for then.

This month I have so many ideas for pieces I'd like to do, as well as get back to ones I started earlier this year. I also joined a mobile wallpaper project which will take some precedence. All the WIPs I've seen have been so nice, I hope you guys like it when it's released!

The main things I'd like to get done before the end of the year, in some kind of chrono order:

1) Snake wallpaper

2) Outers Witches around a cauldron (for Halloween)

3) Triple Moon Goddess

4) Furby Venus

5) New icon and banner

6) Logo work for Vchan

I think this might be a little ambitious of me for the remaining months of 2024 because, and many of you already know this, my physical health is still pretty crap and it just feels worse because it's been so frustrating for me mentally to be less active and having chronic pain. Some days it drives me a little nuts, ngl. I've also been told it's pretty likely my frozen shoulders will be along term recovery since I've already passed the normal recovery time and they aren't improving. The idea of this kind of pain and limited mobility continuing for at least another year is pretty discouraging, so I'm taking the time to give myself more self care and yell at myself when I feel guilty for it.

I've mentioned previously I wanted to do more blog posts and entertained the idea of including reviews and recs on books and other media I've been in to, and that might just become a thing I do since I'm drawing less. These will still be free membership level.

Tarkin's health continues to decline, so streaming is still on hold.

Other than that, the art community feels like it's really taking off on BlueSky. If you're there and want to follow Magical Girl artists, please find my starter pack here for just that purpose: https://go.bsky.app/MvU3rEC Originally posted on Patreon, click here to become a free member!

[rviner]

Rolling Stone, July 2024

You’ve made a big splash in the music scene recently. How does it feel to be suddenly thrust into the spotlight, and how are you handling the rapid rise in your career?

I want to take it day by day and enjoy it as much as I can. It is overwhelming and does not feel real, so I am pinching myself and blinking a lot. I heard somewhere that if you blink a lot, it makes you remember things more vividly. So, I do that in case this all goes away so I can remember.

Your music has been described as having a unique blend of influences. How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard your work before?

I do not think music can be described for someone else. People decide for themselves when they listen to it. How it makes them feel, what they hear in it. So, all I would just say to them is to listen and choose for yourself what you think it is.

You’ve mentioned your love for Old Hollywood in a previous interview. How does that era inspire your style and your approach to being an artist today?

I love the elegance and the dramatic flair of it, and I love how it presents life as a grand narrative filled with glamour and passion. It inspires me a lot, I want to try and bring some of the charm into how I express myself.

As someone who’s relatively new to the industry, what has been the most surprising or challenging aspect of navigating the music world?

I think how fast it is has surprised me. There is a lot of expectation and pressure but I am not sure from where. It is almost invisible, a feeling instead of a real pressure. That is something I still am not used to.

Growing up in Astrakhan, Russia, must have been quite different from life in America. How did your early experiences shape your view of the world and your music?

My home was somewhere with stark contrasts. Beautiful but with deep poverty. It taught me that there is balance to everything. Do we focus on the bad or the good. In Russia we sometimes say "the knife cuts the fruit and cuts the throat." anything can be good or bad, it depends how you use the knife.

"Dance Alone" has been a huge hit. What was the creative process like for that track, and did you expect it to resonate with so many people?

I enjoy everything about the song, how you can dance to it and it is there to serve an honest purpose. I knew women would relate to it as soon as I wrote it. I do not need to say now why they do, the lyrics say it. And if any man is still confused about it, then there is no helping him. But it wasn't for them, anyway.

Now that your music is reaching a wider audience, how do you stay connected to your roots and the things that inspire you?

Those things are in us no matter where we go or what we do. That is what Forever Winter is about, there are things that stay with us, or we are also still with them. I am in New York right now but I am still at home in Russia and I always will be.

What’s one thing about you and your life that you wish more people understood?

Maybe I would like them to know that I am smarter in Russian than I sound in English. Also...yes, this is my happy face. I smile on the inside. And...I think wearing red lipstick can solve any problem you have.

Looking ahead, what are some goals you have for your music career? Are there any specific dreams you’re hoping to achieve?

I feel like I am already in a dream, and I find it hard to think far ahead right now. As long as I can keep doing what I love, I am happy.

[poupeesdecirque]

Travel Blog - HanaCon - 11/05/2024

It has been some time since my last travel blog entry. I can tell this one is shorter as I didn't stay at the con for long (just about 4,5 hours), but still I want to show you some impressions from the small convention.

As announced I wanted to wear the 3rd uniform again, I got new boots, had repaired a bit of damage and got a new wig to wear. Also first time with the Innocence.

As Hannover is just 1hr from here I got ready before I left home completely.

I arrived before the Convention opened, it was their first time so the organisation needs to grow and learn but I think they did a good job.

The location itself is cure and fitting but they were surely overwhelmed by the amount of people that came. You could tell they poured a lot of love into the details here.

As I felt terrible after an uber exhausting week at work I was looking forward to the con but the day it was I had quite hit rock bottom and just aimed to go there for a bit and head home again once I wasn't feeling it anymore. So my goal for now was to at least see a few of the events they had on the schedule.

The first started right after they opened it was a workshop about dynamic poses for Cosplay Photography and that one was surely interesting and I was able to answer questions and discuss, this was really good I like it.

It has been some time since I attended workshops but it was up to a great start.

While I sat in the workshop I noticed someone from the hallway recognized my cosplay and I hoped to see them later on again. Being recognized is the best.

I hopped right into the next one after that which was "Level up your cosplay" in which a lot of information was given about little tricks to enhance your cosplays, like how heavier wigs can be worn better, that a hand steamer can be really helpful and weathering your costume gives more depth.

Sadly I felt how I had trouble to focus more and more, therefore I kinda didn't pay attention at the end and didn't engage as much as in the other workshop.

I decided to enjoy my little lunch snack at that point. I did that outside, here are a few shots from the area around the building:

I went inside again to check the artist alley, the merchant room, the café etc.

The artist alley was quite small as well, about 6 artists were there and some items were already sold out as I went to the workshops first. The merchant room had 4 merchants, then you had a bring & buy (didn't take photos here) and at the 2nd floor there was the café with two more artists and the games area. Also the stage for perfomances. It was quite crowded and I wasn't really into the merch they had, therefore I didn't buy a thing.

I had planned to watch some performances later on but a bunch were around the same time as the workshops so I skipped. They even had a band from Japan for the evening, I had planned to see that too but as said I didn't stay that long.

Back outside I found the cosplayer from before again, to my luck there was only one Valentino from Hazbin Hotel and .... it was the Cross Marian from the Bookfair, now you know why the header image shows a Valentino and an Allen :') we didn't take photos together so I drew us.

We talked a bit about things, I explained how I made the Innocence and we just chatted along about plans for next conventions. Also if you are around me and you say you don't feel well I will start to pamper you, so, yes, Valentino used Tim as cushion. And pls for the love of everything try to drink more at conventions. I just drank a bit too little during the day and already felt it quite hard.

I have to say for the fact I wasn't satisfied with the make up as I left home I ... think the eyebrows came out pretty nice this time.

I went home around 14:40 again, I felt like it was about time. No cosplay photoshooting time time, as you can see ... I have selfies.

And I left my glasses at home which was a bad idea, I would have needed them.

[mi4011mariaperera]

Scene 9 - Work In progress/ complete

12/05/2024

I have to admit, it's been a few days since I last updated the blog. I wanted to update it for Friday's section of the work but I was tired. Saturday was by off day since my best friend came over to help me with the MI4017 interview. What can I say? an artist needs their fair share of a break sometimes. Now that this break's over, I'm back online to share everything I've been doing for the animation from last Friday to the work I completed today.

My Goal for the weekend was to complete the 'scene 19' animation, to get the reference videos and to get started on line-testing for another scene.

Let's start with my process work for 'scene 9'

Friday's lectures were pretty chill with Trishan. He taught us how to use Premiere pro to edit scenes in our animation. Since the projector wasn't working, he taught us using zoom (or google classrooms)

Since I wanted to get started with scene 9, I asked Trishan to show me how to create a zoom out effect of a background and learned that it could be done through 'scale'.

Afterwards, I completed all the hand drawings on Krita and exported them to photoshop for finishing touches.

Work on Krita -

Work completed on Photoshop

I'll have to admit, coloring takes quite alot of effort compared to just working on line-testing first. During this coming week I hope to complete line work for all the scenes. Effects and coloring will be focused on the week after.

Today (Sunday), I focused on the editing on Premiere Pro. I tried my best to have all 24 frames time in smoothly within the 2 second duration of the clip.

This is the 2 second animation I created for 'scene 9'.

(I'm starting to think that the bubbles I added at the beginning might seem the bit off. But I will get Dinendri's and Trishan's feedback and then make changes.)

That's all for this post. Thank you for reading.

[longarmsmagee]

News Years Update: 2024!!!

Ello Ello everyone, and welcome to the year year! I have settled myself into January, and have some things to share with you!

So, to start, I want to apologize for being inactive with my own posts, art, etc. I've been making stuff, just failed to post it, and I do really like sharing my stuff with everyone. I've made a list of 2024 Goals I'd like to achieve (some personal, some general), and one of them is to share more on here and other places! I'll be breaking down the others below.

ART GOALS! I am planning on practicing more body types and body variety, as I am very much a same face, same body person. I want to change this, and improve my art and knowledge. I know I'm a fairly decent artist, but there is still so much I can't do and only I can change that. So expect a decent amount of experimental art throughout the year, alongside my usual AU and OC posting!

SOCIALS! I'll be trying to keep up with socials more this year, as I have been slacking. Currently, I am balancing Tumblr, Bluesky and Ko-fi for Socials and Promotion. They've been pretty dry for the last few months because again, I haven't really been taking the time to post anything. That's gonna change, I love sharing my works and progress with yall and it makes me happy when people enjoy what I make.

COMMISSIONS/STICKERS! I need to overhaul and update my comms, mainly the examples I have. I feel some of them might me misleading or not quite representative enough, so I'll be getting those done. My goal is to have them updated and open again sometime in February. I'll also be running a new Interest Check for some new stickers. This check will be much larger and give you plenty of options to choose/suggest for what you might like to see me make in my style! I'm also hoping to do some research into other types of merch like pins or charms, but do not expect to see any merch like that any time soon. You will be able to find all of these on my Ko-fi!

That's all for now, I hope to see yall around, and I can't wait to get back in my groove this year! Cheers!!!