It's final crunch time at school and I'm pulling all nighters

Here's a poster rough for my project. We did a fun game concept art assignment where most of us kinda skimp on the environment, lol.

I love this sketch and hope the final turns out well. I only have a few hours to finish it. This project thought me how much I need to catch up concept designing.

I've decided to start this post early in hopes of getting some time to make up anything I've missed.

So lets take a look at last year's list:

• 
  Sketch a A day
• More online sales
• Finish Galactic Divine (20 pages)
• Work on Oeclair story (roughs)
• Get more commission work

A few other things to note is that I was supposed to have Oecliar as a webcomic by now. Of course I didn't plan to go to Ringling this year either. Same with the whole con traveling thing too. I wont have much time just to make stuff let alone travel.

The sketch a day part has been replaced by my Illust class weekend sketch assignment. We also have one for the winter break but I don't think we have one for next term. I need to be more orginized about my process though and keep things in one book.

I don't see my online sales getting any better untill I become more known. I'll still up date my store but I'll be focusing on getting my stuff into stores and making more sales at cons.

I haven't finished GD but I do have the layouts down so I just might make this goal for this year. I need to finish this and start on a new project. Seems like people really like Oeclair so I'll be continuing it next.

I have been getting more commissions and I really appreciate them. However, I know that I won't be taking them during school unless its simple one shot things I can get done in one setting. My commissioners of longer projects has been paitient but its really not respectful to them for me to make them wait.

My 2012 Goals:

• Fill a whole sketch book
• Finish my AA degree
• Get a summer internship or take online design class
• Start on portfolio site
• Submit to Spectrum
• Submit to Society of Illustrators
• Get a full page in Exotique
• Submit to magazines
• Create a Zero to illo campaign
• Decide on my commercial style
• Submit to Yen+ contest

 Most of my goals overlap each other in that if I complete one, it completes the other. I do have some other types of soft goals that I haven't decided yet and one is weither I should start Oeclair this year and how it will look like. Another one is saving money for school. So there'll a lot of scholorship/contest submitting. I was thinking of going to Illustration master class but that opend up to early and I think I need to work on my figure skills some more.

 I'll also be going to mostly local cons: Olando anime day, Megacon, Khaotickon(maybe), FAE, metrocon, Oasis(maybe), supercon, AF0(paneling only), NYCC, Shadocon, Chibipa (maybe), And maybe Akon if I win the art contest.

After I've taken better control of my money issues, I'd like to venture out to more business orientated cons like Dcon, cartoon animation expo, Illuxcon and some others.

yeah this is a long post =) 

I just don't like sticking with one style unless its for commission work. In a way it makes it hard to price my work since some styles take a lot longer then others.

Anyways, the main point of this post to talk about new stuff that I've learned in school. My professor had an awesome demo today (oct. 17. 2011) in life drawing class. It was painting demo that basic told me what I've been doing inuitivily in my actual paint class. For some reason I don't do this digitally but now that I've seen him work I have no problem with it.

I'm talking about line less art. I actually like lines in art and its quicker to finish off but since my lines tend to be mess I'm just going to accept and not do inks any more. Even in my more anime cell gradient work I tend to just paint over the lines for corrections or what not. Its funny cause many artist who start with lines have a problem going lineless. I don't have any problem, just that inking has always been a 'step' in the process. So its more like I have to change a habit. With more paintings I make the more lose I am with lines and I figure 'why bother' so no more line work from my personal works!

I love inking by hand. The nibs and brushes just feel so good and I wish bw comics was more popular to sell. For months now, I've been wondering what I can do to still have that joy when making comic pages but figure how to color it. you're wondering 'well you color great how hard it is to do comics?' well I've got a peve for all things looking the same. If a style doesn't match the story it just doesnt work. Well the shiny anime desu doesn't match (well It rarely match for anything I like making lol) for any of my comics. I can't go fully painted either cause that would take too much time and I'm not making bank on this.

So my lastest illustration is a test of what I'd love to do for Oeclair. It satisfies my love of inking, and a quicker way to color and add texture. I'm still messing with it so after I make more pages the better it will be. In the mean time, I find this really unique look and hope it will give me a leg up (and get to keep the wonderful original pages =) in building an audiance.

I've also been thinking of what techinques to do for my other comics. Previalge will keep to a slick traditional manga style of BW inks and tones only. End Reaction will have a concept art/ speed painting look and Fragmented sky...

Fragmented sky is still in testing stage. My illustration media teacher showed this really cool monotype techinque that was my answer to what I wanted this comic to look like. I haven't actually done this techinque my self and I'll have to do some test illustrations to see what the method so be when creating pages. Its a wonder full use of textured watercolor paper with pressed on oil that was painted on glass. It transfers the brushes wonderfully and picks up such nice textures. I still need to figure out what I'd like to do to finish up the shading and colors.

Well I don't want to over do this post either. I'll post more about Frameted sky when I have actual test art to look at.