Faces! Faces for everyone!

Ok, so I may not have spent the whole day doing what I was meant to do (which was drawing and writing) - but I did half of what I intended. Drawing.

Anyway, how many faces behind am I? Ok - it's the 28th in Australia, 27th on the other side of the world, and I have done up to day 18.

Oh boy.

So first off today I decided to play around with an application called Alchemy (Click here if you want to try it out - it's free and pretty neat!) and tried to make some faces that way. Here is the result

And I am totally counting this as two faces. You can see where they roughly came from too.

Calling them Monster Royalty. When I use the Alchemy program, it is mostly to make tribal inspired patterns to use for a project (because I suck at designing things).

The sketchbook got a little roughed up from the trip back home - or maybe when I tripped over the bag it was in during the middle of the night.

So the three above are just random sketchs, but two of them look like two already developed characters (or possibly their children). Either way, totally happy with how they turned out! And remember - this isn't the 29 Hands challenge. It's 29 Faces.

Here are some close-ups

Face 21

Face 22

Face 23

Huh? I'm getting somewhat better with the second eye and eyebrows. Sweet!

Also, did you know that I play the clarinet? I mean, I do play it pretty badly, and the instrument is in dire need of a good service. But I can play music.

Anyway - it has taken a few years, but I finally found my clarinet! Dad hid it a while ago and I have been searching for it for a long time. I first got it in grade 3 if I remember correctly - so I have had it for around 12 years. It's been a bit battered up, but each small dent and fix has a story behind it. Maybe I'll write a post later about my musical abilities (or lack thereof).

But, because I found it recently, I decided to draw a picture of a clarinetist (yes - that is the term used. Well, that or clarinet player).

I do have a colour version, but I decided to make it black and white just because I can!

24 faces are completed. 5 to go.

...

I can do this!

And now I have an idea or two to reach that goal... Fantastic!

Anyway, have a wonderful day everyone!

More 29 Faces!

Now with 99.9% more paint!

So I am a little (lot) behind with this challenge... And so I sat down early yesterday morning and started to craft. Then I went out to the Uni to talk to some people about my academics, which dampened my mood when I later talked to Dad about it.

Anyway, I came back after a few hours and sat down at my work area - that was the dining table with all my stuff over it -

And if you look really carefully, you will notice that I did not drop the paint anywhere. Besides all over the newspaper.

- And I crafted with clay, painted with left over paint, and attempted watercolours but after colouring decided to not screw up the picture anymore by adding water.

Here is the run down of the faces.

While waiting for my clay to dry, I painted...

Day 13 - Otherwise known as 'Splat'.

Then I thought he looked rather lonely on the page, so I did...

Day 14 - A Flower Girl

Then I painted the clay and noticed more colours and more empty space on the page, so...

Day 15 - Red, with freckles or a blush. Probably freckles.

Day 16 - I was just trying out hairstyles at this stage.

By the fourth face the clay project was pretty much done.

Day 17 - Prince

It's Owen's birthday present - only a few weeks late! This is the Prince from a game called 'Beautiful Katamari' - which is an odd game but kinda fun (and the music gets stuck in your head if you listen to it long enough).

You can tell how bad I am with clay.

And lastly, at the end of the night, I pulled out my watercolour pencils and drew another face.

Day 18 - At this stage of the night I had no idea what I was doing, but decided that I would continue to do so until I was finished. For the day anyway.

HA! I am now only 7-8 days behind! Muahahaha!!

*Cough*

Now if you would excuse me, I have to pack my bag and charge my laptop very quickly for the trip back home.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Just a quick face

*Sigh*

Dungeons take forever to clean up. And work takes up lots of time.

And then there is a worrying situation with Trin.

Oh. And a Category 2/3 cyclone is heading this way. I actually really really like the rain, the sound of it on the roof, the bright green leaves after it passes...

I don't like hearing zombies from the front room - Mum and Dad are watching the Walking Dead and it must be a pretty intense scene, but the rain is drowning out most of the sound, so yay!

Anyway, here is a quick face that I drew up a little while ago (and I do mean a little while ago, like an hour or so)

A character for a table-top game that I will be playing on the weekend. In chibi form.
Because sometimes you need a chibi in life

So... Day 12: Done!

How many days behind am I? Oh well, at least not as far behind as Mum, and I do nag at her to do some art.

Hehe, have a wonderful day everyone!

Please don't remind me...

I'm sure that people who have visited here know that I don't like Valentines day - or Ferris wheels (and by default the guy who made them) - and it all coincides today. Instead, Goodle has decided to tell that it is the Cricket World Cup today, so I have mixed feelings ('cause I don't like that either).

Anyway! I have been in a bit of a bad mental spot recently and nothing was really working, which resulted in this...

You see? This is what happens when I get left alone with nothing to do! I find the chalk and draw on the driveway - which solves the 'nothing to do' problem.

It has been long established in my family that some people are born a cynic - I am one of those people. I'm also the child of a guy who got a degree in philosophy. This probably doesn't count as a face for the 29 Faces Challenge, so I won't make it one.

Continuing through the week, my mood got worse around the Tuesday-Wednesday mark which resulted in these faces...

Day 7

A rough sketch - but I liked it (considering what a bad mood I was in when I did it)
Day 8 and 9

So I decided I was going to make a small series about wishes - something like a before/after thing with some stand-alone wishes in between (does that make sense?)

And on Thursday... I felt better and there were three reasons for that - 1) I wrote five sentences that made me smile - 2) I found an old game that I used to play, which made me draw one of the characters from that game

Yue - the merchant from Rune Factory 2. I really like the art style from the Rune Factory games and you can see the shift from game to game, but its still cool
Day 10

And reason number 3) I bought the lastest game in the series! I can finally play as a female!!! YAY!

I read an article once about someone who justified the lack of female player characters in games by 'guys don't want to play as girls - in case there is romance in the story and have to kiss a guy'. And I was kinda ticked off, because I have been playing males in games for years - YEARS. I have played as guys who kiss females, does the same logic not apply? (Well, maybe not to me 'cause close my eyes and then open them after a good 5 minutes). The person who wrote that article pointed out that flaw. And once when I was talking to Owen about a game called Mass Effect (which he started way before me and still hasn't finished) the following happened;

"Did you play as male Shep, 'cause default Shep is best Shep." - Owen
"No. I played as female, because I'm a female and liked the option." - Me
"... Fair enough." - Owen

Which then lead to a different conversation about how I regretted being nice to characters, because I accidently romanced one of them - which sucked.

So the fact I can now play as a female in the Rune factory series (without being a second generation kid) is great for me. Anyway, I was playing the game when something happened...

Only counts as one face, because I cheated and copy/pasted
Day 11

Mitch would know. He would understand.

*Cough*

One line of spoken dialogue and I heard a bit of a character from an anime I watched. So I did a quick search and confirmed my guess - there are other spoken lines from the game that sound nothing like Tamaki, except for when the character in the game is excited.

...

Where was I? Sorry, I got sidetracked looking at pictures and now my desktop is overflowing with them... Uh... I need to clean it up now.

So Days 7-11: Mission Accomplished! The mission being to get back into the mood of doing creative things.

Now if you excuse me... I have a dungeon to sweep (and some pizza to eat)! Hehe.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Days 4,5 and 6 - A Red-haired Family Unit

Hi all!

How is everyone going?

First off...

HAPPY (Belated) BIRTHDAY OWEN! 

You probably still read this thing, so hi - also can you say 'hi' to Mitch for me?

Moving on.

I've kinda been down in the creative slumps recently (well, actually a few years), I am also a worrywart about everything and current government in the backwards land of Down Under, so my mood has not been the best recently. Most of my free time is spent trying to get to sleep which I have lost a lot of to avoid headaches, so I haven't crossed any books or games off my to-do-list.
However I play for a short burst in the afternoons (after failing to nap) because if one thing bothers me the most in video games, it's people/bosses that I can't beat. And don't even get me started on an X-box game where I completed all the other stories for, but the main one because I couldn't beat a angsty teenage boy (my friend Mitch will vouch for that, since we kept switching after every attempt). I beat all the tougher and more strategic characters, but the guy that keeps running in to attack me? Apparently not.

Urgh.

Where was I? Oh yeah, short bursts and unbeatable characters. The game I have been playing for a while is a game that I do play in short timeframes, because as soon as I hit the two hour mark the game says "Remember to take breaks" (and it rewards breaks too which is a bonus). And there are two people on my map that I had passed at Supanova, and their level is ridiculously high (and 3 characters in their army can transform in high level dragons - it's so not fair when I only have 2 mid-level).

Now to tie the two points together...
I have not been able to draw any of my own characters to a satisfactory level now for a very long time (due to the lost in confidence), but I still get the itch to draw (especially when competing in the 29 Faces), so I drew a family from the game that I have been playing to level my characters up and slaughter beat the people on my map.

So here are the faces!

I used watercolours. Yay~! ... Can you detect the sarcasm? I have to learn how to use them properly.

So from left to right; Gregor, Cordelia and Severa from the game Fire Emblem Awakening. I decided to only paint in the shades of red in the hair and outfits.

Oh, and I had asked Mum for help with Gregor due to him being a more mature age. Turn my back and Mum rubbed out almost half of what I had done and did a semi-realistic face. So I kinda lost the old pose/layout and as I inked, realised that he and Cordelia look a little odd in their pose. Severa was initally smaller, so drew her bigger and made lots of mistakes.

Sorry, you guys aren't here for rants are you? This is why I keep to myself a lot of the time.

Anyway, day 4, 5 and 6 are completed and ready for combat!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

The Immigration Officers of Here

Hi!

I am already behind in the challenge! And I do solomly vow that I will visit most of the people in the challenge. Probably on weekends mostly though.

Anyway, so here's something - I'm in the Writer's Club at Uni, who are putting together an anthology of short stories which I am contributing to. I have a signed contract and everything (the writers are nice, but overly cautious and funny which may be why I like them). So I recently finished my full first draft, and since I am two days behind, decided to draw my two characters that feature in the short stories.

So here are two quick sketchs that were done while watching Castle and Vikings.

Day 2

Olesia is a big alien that handles the Immigrations Office. A bit rough but she normally means well. She can't stand the smell of the hospital and is a good fighter.

Day 3

Suke is a different kind of alien and he eventually becomes Olesia's apprentice. He can't speak the common language properly, but he can understand it. Oh, and he can fly too.

So, days 2 and 3 are completed, as well as my draft. Whew! I feel much better - almost. Someone who created a show that I liked died the other day at 33 years old, so I'm a bit upset. I went to a panel of his when he was in Australia and he was a cool guy, so I feel sorry for his work-mates and family.

Well, I don't want to bum anyone out, so be sure to smile!!
Have a great day everyone!

Restart the clock!

Gurgh...

It's been so long since I have done a post. So... Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Pinch-and-a-Punch-for-the-first-of-the-Month (no backsies by the way)!

And the main reason I am doing one is to get back into the habit of painting/drawing and writing (hopefully). So I noticed AyalaArt is doing another 29 faces challenge, and so I asked Mum if she would do it - Because there is nothing quite like peer-pressuring your mother into doing art.







Mum was doing art, but Trinity is starting her film college tomorrow in Brisbane (which is exciting for all of us) and so Mum was checking in on her.

And so, here is the first face of the new 29 Faces round!

Done with photoshop, this is an early design for a character whose name I do not know. GAH! I just realised there is a shadow missing on her left arm!

Be sure to go and visit other people in the challenge. You might learn a new technique or find a favourite artist, more people join everyday!

Anyway, have a wonderful day everyone!

Why yes, I am an Aussie that likes Halloween

So a trend that I have noticed...
Parents and adults in Australia don't like Halloween because it is 'American' and the kids eat too much candy (to which I would like to point out - they do that everyday. I know because I was a kid once). And my room-mate is on their side saying it is a stupid 'American' tradition and shouldn't be encouraged in Australia.

So, I am that strange Aussie that actually enjoys it. And here is why

1) CANDY! After Easter Sunday, it is the next biggest intake of chocolate and all things sugar.

2) Outfits are awesome! Face it, there really isn't that many excuses to dress up to either scare people or show-off.

3) THIS! Which was horrifying at the time for me, but I love it. Love it, love it, love it. Go watch it, or listen to the soundtrack - it's a win either way for you.

4) Scaring people - A slightly sadistic reason, but once in a while IT IS fun to scare people

5) It seems that many of the cultures around the world and across human history have celebrated the dead and departed souls. I have a love for all these festivals! The colour of Day of the Dead especially.

So whether it is All Hallow Eve, Halloween, All Souls Day - whatever you want to call it, there is always something fun to do or see when there is a festival on, so why be so against one because of how it has been developed in a one particular country? Australian's can put their own stamp on the night as well - we have so many terrible ghost stories in Brisbane alone and look at the Australian Aboriginal to find some of the most scarist spirits and creatures around.

Dress up as a Drop Bear! Wail like a Bunyip! Stomp around and jump out like the Yowie!

But if people are anything like my room-mate, they won't stop whingeing until the whole thing is over.

So here is some stuff I did today, 'cause tomorrow I need to start studying for my exams.

First off...!

Mortica, Wednesday and Marie Antoinette.

For something spook-tacular. I have actually watched some of the old 1960s episodes in the past few days. I can't use watercolours to save my picture at all.

I also went shopping today. Dad would laugh, and Owen certainly rolled his eyes when he looked through the bag. Dolls. I bought Monster High dolls.

The two on the left (Spider and Centaur/Harpy) are the new ones. I also bought one for Mum, but that is staying in the parcel until she gets it.

I also went into Uni to a pop-up exhibition at the Antiquities Museum about Curiousity Cabinets done by some of the students/interns from one of my Classes. It was good, and I saw some of my other Uni-mates. I also had Owen with me, who was clearly out of his depth (and only sticking around because I said he could have the candy I left out for trick-or-treaters when we got back and he wore the witch hat). But he did well.

So here is one embarrassing picture from his candy 'haul'.

Look! He did wear the hat. Watching QI and eating a Wizz Fizz. Wait, are Wizz Fizz's eaten or just absorbed?

He is going to kill me after he sees this.

So, now Beetlejuice is on. And I haven't seen it yet, so if you excuse me, my Halloween is just getting started (and Owen has left the candy on the table - so it's mine now).

Happy Hallow's Eve and All Souls Day everyone! Have a great day and spooky night!

A Studio Ghibli Showcase

How is everyone going today?

I took Mitch and Owen to the cinemas today. They were playing a few Studio Ghibli movies and two documentaries. While Studio Ghibli is most renowned for Hayao Miyazaki films (like 'Princess Mononoke', 'Laputa Castle in the Sky', 'Spirited Away' etc) there are other movies. So on the agenda today was 'The Wind Rises' and 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya'.

Both movies are around 2 hours each, but it wasn't a Lord of the Rings 3 hour movie or marathon, so that is always a plus.

I liked both of them, had to cover my eyes in 'The Wind Rises' a handful of times (look, I just do not like romance - of any kind), but I really did love the style of 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya' even though it had a downer ending. It was very amusing close to the end of the movie when I looked over at Owen and asked if he was going to complain about the lack of gravity. He didn't because gravity started to work again, then... His face fell as me and Mitch laughed.

It was a good day, and I left feeling drained as well as a little bit upset. 1) That no matter what I can do, there will always be someone better. 2) Why can I never write a piece of music that I am happy with (this thought came about as I remembered just how extensive the movie composer's repertoire is).

Mum is not allowed to say anything about anything else - she knows a third reason, but she is only allowed to reply to the two on here

Still a wonderful day that I got to spend with friends, but I am a bit tired, and I should be doing work. I'm not going to, I'm just going to work on a side project for a little bit.

So what are your favourite Studio Ghibli movies? Have you seen them before? Do you have another favourite foreign film? Mine is 'Library Wars', but I'm completely bias with that.

Have a fantastic day everyone!

Life is...

Busy, busy, busy.
Sleep, oversleep.

So I have been incredibly slack with work. I'm meant to be writing an essay on the Reneissance debate of Disegno (that Vasari praised highly in Florentine artists, mostly Michelangelo) and Colore (which Dolce and other Venetian humanists valued in art). A week ago, I was in the newly finished driftwood studio painting with Mum when Dad came in and we talked about the topic. More about how we should be grateful to the debate between these 16th Century artists and writers because it provides us with an insight into the process of creating art as well as what particular audiences valued.

Naturally, I believe art should have elements of both (and most art do). Anyway, as I said I was painting with Mum. I had drawn/designed an image in my idea book that I had wanted to paint. With my book in hand, I grabbed two canvas and applied paint. And then it was a process of me matching the image 'correctly' and fixing all my mistakes (much to Mum's annoance when I started to sigh or groan - but I am a perfectionist)

SO! Here are the pictures of the finished product.

So this looks a bit weird to me...

Ah, much better! I kept the backgrounds plain because I was too afraid that I would screw up the painting.

Life is Fun & Colourful

Life is Boring & Monochrome

In case it is hard to tell, I have two opposing views on life...

1) I enjoy life and most of the people in it for giving this small world a huge variety of ideas/inspiration/colour

2) I dislike life (hate is too strong a word) and the idiots in it that take away the variety and spice that makes the world alive.

It is rather funny, out of me and Trin, I'm the happier one yet I have the bleakest outlook on life and expect the worse in people (as well as understand some of the underlying principles that govern politics and people). While Trin is angry and upset a lot of the time recently, she has a bright outlook, seems (to me) to be very naive when it comes to the world and expects everyone to be 'good'.

We fight a lot nowadays and I don't think she likes it when I'm around.

Anyway! Like the painting? I better get back to cleaning my room so that I can then start on Vasari and Dolce and Michelangelo and Titan and some-other-dude-whose-name-I-have-forgotten. ... Busy, busy, busy!

Have a wonderful day everyone! I hope you all see that bright side of life!


P.S. Happy (Very Late) Belated Birthday Stacy! Hope you had a great day!
P.P.S. I totally did not mean to slightly reference Monty Python. But since I did...

I think I broke my back!

Hello everyone!

Long time no see (Yes I can see you through the computer screen - especially if your computer has a camera attached). Sorry for the dramatic title, but I don't think my back is in that state.

Yet.

I have been lugging thick textbooks for an essay on proto-Medieval museums around the whole day though. This is including going from Uni to the State Library, then back to Uni (to drop off documents for the Writers Club), then back to the State Library (with a side trip into the Museum because I don't care how heavy my bag, is I will go) then back to the train station and a 800m up-down-uphill walk. So... around 4 hours.

Yes! So I have been really slack, but since everything is happening for me this week, I thought I should post as a update - and go see everyone else to apologise for being lazy.

Well, first off, as I said above (and maybe before) I am part of my University's Writers Club and we just started up a magazine to celebrate writing (and poke fun at things) called Scribble & Scribe - because that is really what most of us do. We use both real names and fake names (such as Henry the Goat who complained about Loud Larry from tutorials) and have a wide range of stories and features like various stories, food (for a Uni student's budget), horoscopes (which you should always follow) and dating advice (Most common was 'BURN IT ALL', but that may have been an overeaction). And, oh yeah. I did a comic for it.

Well I laughed at least.

I better get back to reading for the essay (and probably my debate on Divination). It's the EKKA public holiday tomorrow, but I will be going on Friday instead with my lovely sister instead. And after I move houses.

...

Lots of work to do.


Anyway, hope you all have a fantastic and wonderful day!

Oh for the LOVE of-!

What day is it?
February 20th? No? 27th?! This is what happens when I don't check the date. And get busy...

Well, Uni starts next week, and I am very happy to be going back. Breaks are great and all, but you need stuff to do (besides work). I didn't get around to doing half the stuff that I wanted to though... So I guess that will be weekends!

The last face I did was Day 18, so I am 9 faces behind. Sorry, I'm Captain Obvious today. Mentally drained. Not drained enough to set up a tripod and do some art.

I did have a camera set up and recording the making of this one, but the camera turned off and the file was lost.

Robyn pre-hair cut. Stubborn and stand-off, she misses the time her little siblings idolised her.

Now, for something a little bit different... Inspired by AlayaArt - the wonderful creator and host of the 29 faces challenge - I recorded myself drawing Robyn (and the Green Dude below). It was a little bit weird watching it back, mostly because I watch it in real-time without the action replay. Mum made a comment once that I had gotten quicker at drawing - and it is true, from taking 40 minutes to draw one face (perfectionist remember?) I now take between 10-15 minutes.

Anyway, if you want to watch, feel free. Music comes from the Cirque De Soleil performance that I went to 1.5 years ago. (on a quick side note - that feels like a lifetime ago)

I tried the crayons Mum had used for some of her faces. The default colour that I choose is green almost every time - probably because it is my favourite colour

And another video. Just because I had it.

So days 19, 20 and 21: Done! That's it! No one talk to me about my slackness in this challenge. I already punish myself enough for that.
I have more faces that I have done (and I was meant to post those first) but someone wiped the memory card so I need to retake the pictures.

Anyway, have a wonderful day everyone!

Oh, there is something else. A preview for the next face. Maybe, it will probably be done in March.

And there is a perfectly reasonable explanation to why I have a baby name book. It was 10 cents and I like names.

Withdrawal symptoms and a face

Hi all!
How is everyone going with the 29 faces challenge? Getting through it?

Work is eating all my spare time and very tiring - Murphy's Law was in full effect today
And also, one of my manga series is being borrowed by a friend. I had a dream that I was hunting demons down and was talking to characters in the series. I prefer to read rather than watch the anime (and then I still prefer a physical copy rather than read via the Internet), and ALL 10 VOLUMES ARE BEING LOANED!! The good news I know why my friend lives, so if it gets really bad (like two months from now and I still don't have the collection back in my hands) I can go to his house and get it back.
Maybe grab some old-school Doctor Who while I'm at it.

Anyway, face for Day 18. Inspired by the series Blue Exorcist by Kazue Katō, because it has cool art, I like the story, and it is always funny when the son of Satan gets friend-zoned. Ha!

There is no shading, it was just a quick drawing to get some stress out. I am most proud of the sleeping hobgoblin and the emblem on the vest. I suck at backgrounds...

The sketch I did at work, that brief moment that is lunch. As you can see, I did not deviate much (if at all) from the original.

I might put on the other arm guard later.
Day 18: Completed! Only two-three days behind now!
I'm hoping to get to an art historian talk on Manet tomorrow in Brisbane, so I have to make a decision in the morning. And to deal with the withdrawal of manga, I am watching 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' - yeah, either way, both waste time (although lower stress levels back to normal)!

Anyway, have a wonderful day everyone! Remember to visit everyone else in the challenge!

Celebrating half a century and 150 years!

No, I am not turning 50, or 150. Rather, Dad has hit the 50 milestone and despite his protests about it, I used logic and beat him into at least acknowledging it. The logic that I used was "But Dad, in cricket you cheer if someone gets half a century. That just takes 1 day, it takes 50 years for everyone else to reach that mark."
While using that argument (I use that term in the way it's used for writing an essay), Dad was listening to the cricket match - So there really wasn't any good comeback. The letter I left for him on his present today was "Because you have to celebrate when someone hits 50".

BUT!! Dad shares his birthday with the great Banjo Paterson. If you have never heard of him (and most probably haven't), you might know this instead...

The unofficial Australian national anthem - Waltzing Matilda

Or maybe...

The Man from Snowy River - featuring footage from the movie with the same name

And then there is

Hehehe! A Bush Christening

Yes, Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson has a long rap sheet (compared to some), but I know him best as a poet about the Australian bush. You could go into the whole debate about his 'romantic' bush and Henry Lawson's 'dangerous' bush, but I think the argument is invalid because both a true (in a way) and I don't particularly care. I prefer Banjo Paterson's poetry. And here's why;

In our family, Mum's dad (so my Pop - although I never got to meet him) was fan of Banjo Paterson's work and could recite all of the poems by heart. So Mum did read them to us when we were younger, although Trin and I never really did understand what was going on (although we did like them). Now that I'm old enough, and have done an art history course (in which the Australian art and the themes around it were briefly visited) I can understand why the poems are so important to an identity and culture (even though I live on the coast and not in the bush).

Of course I'm not an expert - other people are - but I can just understand it. It's funny how much I learn when I read for enjoyment or to research deeper. And so that is my scholar reasoning to why I like them, my emotional side is that the poems have sentimental value to Mum and me, and to put it simply, I just really like the poems. I haven't read all of them, but one day I will.

Mum's copy has her father's name in it, and no cover so it's very carefully handled.

So, in honour of Banjo Paterson's 150th Birthday (and Dad's) here is the face for Day 17 2014!

A bit hot isn't it? I suck at backgrounds. Anyway, Mum did the hand and then I turned my back for two seconds and BAM! There's a horse and jockey.

Day 17:*Wipe sweat from brow* Whew, I was starting to run low on ideas! Well, there's always tomorrow...
And hey, if any of you guys are interested in some of the other Banjo poems here's a link to Australian Geographic's Top 10.

Yikes! That was a longer post than I thought it would be! Well, have a wonderful day everyone!

QUICK! Before I get caught!

I have to get up early in the morning. It will take all my willpower and several alarms. Mum told me to bed 40 minutes ago. But I'm so far behind in the challenge, I just needed to do ONE face. So I cranked this one out.

His name is Hyde, and he has appeared (not as a fully developed character mind you) on this blog before. Damn! I forgot to 'whiten' the eye! I knew it! I knew I forgot something

Day... 10: Complete!
Thanks everyone and I hope you all have a wonderful day (or night)!

New things

How is everyone?

According to some people, they are always surprised with the things I do. I have lived a sheltered life (as Dad will often point out) but sometimes I do things that are way out of my comfort zone. From my schooling days people were surprised when I volunteer for things that I wouldn't be able to do normally, speak my mind and make a huge teenage rugby player back down. I generally put it down to my ability to remember many details and adapt to situations - Being left overseas has helped with both of those skills.

Anyway, the point is that I attempt a lot of things, I don't always succeed (in fact, I'm lucky if I do), I just enjoy a variety of things. That said I will not sit through a zombie film. I don't care what the setting is, if someone is infected, they become aggressive/violent, skin changes colour, the infection passes onto other people and can only be killed with a bashed in head, then it is a ZOMBIE!

...

Sorry, Mum and Dad had me sit and watch a sci-fi movie, but as soon as the zombies appeared (Dad insists that they were zombie-like but there is no difference) I immediately went "Nope, not watching this", so I put on headphones and played a game.

Where was I again? Oh yeah, so I tried to do something different for the faces today. First off, they are both ACEOs - something that I haven't done for a very long time. One of them is incomplete and I plan to try out some water colour techniques, the other took 3+ hours to do. Luckily I had something to listen to while doing so.

Pointillism inspired and a bit of Colour Field. I liked trying out the technique, although I had no idea what I was painting in while doing it!

It was a overcast day here and raining in the morning. I could tell - besides hearing the rain my hair was curly.

Day 8 and 9: Mission accomplished!
Have a wonderful day everyone!

P.S. I finished the Professor Layton game yesterday and burst out into tears. Mum started to laugh at me, but she is a sympathetic crier and so we were both crying. And laughing at how hopeless the both of us are.

Puzzle solved!

Hello!

So I realised I am a two days behind. And I have a perfectly reasonable excuse (almost as good as Mum's). I've been busy.

Very busy.

...

...

Solving puzzles...

What?! 

It just happens ok? And it's always "Oh, I'll just finish this puzzle and then go to bed" but NO! That never happens! 

Ever!

*Cough*

So, yeah... I've been playing the Professor Layton games for a long time. Originally I thought it was a stupid idea for a game (really, Brainteasers?), but someone gave me the game as a present many years ago (2008 - That's six years ago!) and I've been playing it ever since. Me and Mum sometimes sit up at the bench, a 3DS and a DS in hand and solve puzzles. Occasionally switching when we get stuck on one.
Anyway, I'm playing the last game right now, and I'm making it last as long as I possibly can. It's really testing my willpower.

And here are the faces for days 6 and 7!
I call it "I Found Another One!"

It is a little known fact that puzzles hide in bushes like wild Pokemon. I plan to eventually colour the picture (and draw the hands), but I'm happy with this right now.

Oh! The character at the front is Luke Triton and of course, the Professor is up the back.
Day 6 and 7: A true gentle(wo)man leaves no face undone!
One day, I'm going to get into trouble doing things like that... *Sigh*

Well, have a wonderful day everyone!

P.S. This is how I felt when I suggested drawing Professor Layton and Luke as catch-up to Mum and she said it was like solving a puzzle.

Don't Draw and be Angry

Hello all!

I had a pretty decent day. Until after dinner where someone *coughDadcough* made a comment and I turned sour.
So, I did not feel like drawing anything. At all. It was all horrible and wrong.

So here is the face that came out of that bad mood.

I'm pretty sure I saw a picture like this. Donald Duck? Scrooge? Daffy Duck? I forgot, but it seems awfully familiar to me

Day 3: Completed!
Have a fantastic day everyone!

A quick face

Hello all!

Had a chaotic day with train lines being repaired and having to bus back (thank goodness Translink - the transport company in Queensland - had express buses). A lot of waiting at the train station.
Got home had a tea with Trin and talked to Mum at the bench, dinner, then Trin dragged me off to watch 'Frozen' with her.
I liked it.

I'm going to post some of the photos from the New Lunar Year festival tomorrow with a face.
Hopefully.

Anyway, the quality of today's face is lower (like really low) compared to the animation yesterday. I drew it on the back of a newspaper while waiting.

What?! I was desperate!

I'm sorry! I took the photo on my phone, and it's a really small picture, and it had this weight loss ad so I cut that out... Anyway, meet - uh - Michel. (Yeah, that works)

Day 2: Done. It was inspired by one of the women that passed by.
 Sorry about disappointing all you nice visitors after all the nice comments on the first face. Regrettably, I will not be doing cartoons everyday, but maybe a few small ones here and there.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

2013 Retrospective: Part 1

Happy (Late) New Year everyone! It's been busy here already... On the first day of the new year, Trinity single-handedly (its a word, I checked) wiped Europe an most of America off the map. In a game called 'Pandemic'. It's really fun, although to win you have to cooperate, and Trin just decided to hang out in Asia.
Trin has had guests over or going out herself every second day. I've been trying to write and draw, but thanks several things I am never able to. Mum has been busy with work. Dad had been, well, Dad. And Mum, Trin and I just had a boxing lesson yesterday. Mum almost collapsed trying to pick up a water bottle, I became light-headed, and Trin fell to the ground after half a push-up (in the first 10 minutes). And today, our muscles are killing us.
Yay.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to post, since I haven't done anything. And I'm trying to do something with Mum, so instead here is some things I've been to.

1 - The EKKA 
The Ekka is a major agricultural event in Brisbane and goes for around 10 days. I went once when I was really little (before I could really make any memories) and had never been again. Until last year. As luck would have it, the University was closed for the public day and I bought myself a ticket.

A breakdown of the main events...

• I embarrassed myself by first off, going by myself. Usually not that bothered, until I got to the flying swings and was placed with a group of three because I bought a single ticket. The group were very nice about the whole thing
• Dagwood Dogs!! I don't think anyone could really understand what's so good about them (calourie-wise it's nothing), but I like them. I was fairly obsessed with eating them there mostly because it would be another year before I eat them again.
• Animals!! Lots and lots and lots. And somewhere in the petting area a virus mutated and infected all the little kids and their parents. It's a good thing I stayed away from that area (it was very crowded). I did go see the dogs and play with the Greyhounds. I totally blame Mum for my love of them (and all animals).
• Rides! I love rides. Here are some videos of them.

 *Cough* Moving on

• I got a Kewpie doll! Ok, it's plastic, but I love them! It also reminds me of a favourite Australian play of mine - 'The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' (Don't watch the English movie, they screw up the ending).
• The events, there was an Livestock show, which I didn't see because I was busy watching a Horseshoe Making competition. And eating my lunch. In the shade. 'Cause I was badly sunburnt an hour and half into the day. *Sigh*
• Ok, so lots of things happened, but at the end...

The show went for 20-30 minutes. I recorded all of it. It was AWESOME!

Unfortunately I can't upload big files, so here's the start of it!

2 - Volunteering at the Anthropology Museum

• The Antiques Museum has a list running out the door on people who want to volunteer but can't due to numbers. On the floor below, is the hardly visited Anthropology Museum. All 5 volunteers are girls. We work under Kiri (who is from Papua New Guinea if I remember correctly)  in cataloging and checking all the wonderful items. I normally work with Janine, a journalist student from Germany (apparently I'm the first person to say her name correctly). However the last time I was in there which was just after Uni finished, it was just me and Kiri. And there was something really interesting in that area...

"Hey Kiri, why are there shoes in the list?"
"Ah, those are black magic shoes. A group that wanted someone dead would call the Kurdaitcha - magic men. They were avoided by people and because of what they do, their shoes are made out of emu feathers so they don't make a sound and are considered taboo, filled with black magic."

I was told to avoid that shelf, but mark it for Kiri to do (and there is a really cool reason for that, but this post is already too long so I'll save it for another time). I have seen many wondrous things from musical instruments, art, decorative masks, stone tools, shell jewellery to - uh... - pubic covers. It really is a lot of fun.

3 - Passed my first year of University

• So I must be doing something right. Albeit I have suffered several huge blows to self-confidence and have yet to recover completely from them. I had fun though. I got lots of ideas and knowledge and I'm loving it. Most of it anyway...

OK, so, yeah. Part 1. Sorry about this. I just really don't have anything ready to post.

Anyway, have a fantastic day everyone! Hope the firework brought a smile to your face (or maybe the thought of me staring a pubic covers having no idea what they were or what gender they were for - That thought worries Dad). Haha!