Brave new year

[secondlina]

I'm not too sure what to say about this new year, aside from "Happy New Year, everybody". 2009 went okay, but sorta ended on this extreme fatigue professionally, emotionally and artistically. I seem to have lost some things with the end of 2009 as I was gaining others. I feel a little brain sick, maybe. I'm hoping 2010 will be better - it's full of promise. A new year for comics, for travelling to the USA and to Japan, for comics about travelling (lol) and of course, a brand new year to finally learn the tips and trick to good photoshop coloring (you people on my f-list who color? Please tell me your secrets!)

My internet is still crappy. Link and I bought a new router, more powerful then the scrappy one we had. We assumed our internet stopped a lot because the wireless signal was too weak (the building is full of wireless signals. They interfere). The new router is actually broken. We both agreed our internet connection is cursed.

For new years I didn't do much - I don't havbe many friends in this new city and i'm sure the few I have were quite busy. I just went to see Sherlock Holmes with Link and hate some delicious restaurant food. Sherlock was cool, it kinda felt like someone put a bunch of books in a mixer and added some american movie spirit... But it was still a fun and distracting movie.

I made some drawings for a few secret santas on various communities (Mainly, Slayers and Princess Tutu). If you are on my f-list and I am possibly your secret santa, please don't click on the link to see the picture XD.

Slayers secret santa: click here for image
I call this one "Shadow over your heart". It's a piece about Lina's relation to the villains of the series. It's about her fear of them, her regret over killing some of them and also about her learning from them (as LON is in the group). Both bad and good influences of the "villains" casted a shadow on her heart. But friendly support is present is the form of the hands of her friends (and in a way... didn't zel use to be an enemy? Sorta adds to it.)

Princess tutu secret santa : click here for image
"Told Backwards" is an image showing the protagonists in different roles then the ones from the anime. Ahiru is the heartless golden bird, Tutu is her crow-cursed form. Rue is the female knight looking over her. Fakir is the son of the monster crow. And Mytho is the transforming swan trying to gather missing heart shards. If Princess tutu was a deconstructiong of classic fairytales, I think having Mytho as the heart seeker would have been an interesting deconstruction of the magical girl genre...

S'all for now methinks. I'm gonna go play on the playstation. I got a game called "Mini-ninjas". It's... way too much fun.

-Isa

Comments

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Fantastic art as always my sweet! =D Loved Slayers immensely! :)

Sorry to hear your net connection is ass and you've been feeling depleted emotionally, physically, and artistically :/ I know how that is, and the holidays are good for doing that.

Here's to a better year filled with travel, new comics, and fantastic art baby! *clinks your glass!* ;)

[rose.livejournal.com]

The secret santa picture is absolutely amazing and incredibly inspirational. I cannot get over how much you've grown as an artist over the past year, it's really surreal. I so wish others would take as many risks as you do with your fanart. This piece has such a fresh, epic feel to it. It's completely in character, and very universal. And, again, you know how I love your minimal colouring. This piece showcases your talent for impact at it's finest! I love how much emotion, how much conflict, is wrenched and knitted in just Lina's torso alone! It's like I can see her growth as a character just in her posture! What a blow.

Very, very creative. I hope you've had a wonderful holiday hun and do not give up the fight! I know you are going to kick ass in the comic industry. You have a great head on your shoulders!! xx

[mangaka-chan.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm sort of cheating, because I saw this first here on my f-list so when I saw the message in my inbox I knew if was from you. XD;;

That is absolutely awesome. Actually, scratch that, more like awesome^2. XDDD I love how Tutu looks as the Raven, especially the way you drew the wings and how well the red works with the black. And Rue's design as the Knight is great; I love the buckler on her arm. Fakir's design reminds me of a warlock or dark wizard XD And Mytho looks great as well. Thank you so much! This is truly an awesome Secret Santa gift! &hearts

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Sometimes a bit of "mindless entertainment" is necessary for the brain batteries to recharge. And until you have reliable, it's healthier than getting angry at stupid routers. (I speak from experience.)

Is it safe to continue plotting an invasion of Disneyland one of these days? >:D

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

*clinks and drinks*

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like taking a lot of risk with my fanart (drawing things like this or Toph when she sees veins in everyone or other things)... Unfortunately, it really doesn't make me a very popular fanartist. If anything, I get a lot of "Weird and scary comments". But I still prefer to draw something with more story and substance then "OMG they are kissing lol fav me" type of fanarts.

I love drawing Lina's torso and hair. I don''t know why!

Thank you for all the kind words!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I also had an "Aw shoot" moment since my photobucket account is under secondlina, but whatever. I think you would have reconized the style anyways! I think Rue would make a pretty cool knight. Very driven. And fakir as a wizard kinda work - Kraehe did do a spell, what if he had some kind of blood magic?

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yes of course! Disneyland is DEFINITELY a target. We owe it to ourselves for being so nice!!! XD

[rose.livejournal.com]

What! Oh wow, I would rage if I ever saw someone say "weird and scary" about something like this. What you produced here is like, 101% more in character than ANY of the popular shipper pieces out there. I mean, I don't mind shipping (it's plum fine and all when not taken seriously) but the way one views a character is an opinion, and not everyone is going to share the same opinion! And with shipping, this is more obvious than ever. But this piece you produced is the type of thing that bridges the gap between the fandom that shipping tends to split over. At least, I'd like to think so. :(

Please, ignore anyone who doesn't "get" what you do. I love it, I showed bumblebees (hope you don't mind?) and she loved it, too and I know many others would as well. If more individuals like you were active in the community, I know we'd see a rise in new faces. Risk is good! It breathes life into what's seemingly drained. :( It makes everyone think and re-assess things from angles they may have never considered if it weren't for that one person taking said risk.

Bah!

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

I saw just Sherlock Holmes twice. @_@ The soundtrack is invading my mind!

'Mini-ninjas' sounds like a cute game. =3

[elfgrove.livejournal.com]

Aww. I hope 2010 kicks off to something a bit happier than the nd of 2009 quickly.
Traveling to the US? Give me a ring if you end up in South California! I'd love to get a chance to meet you in real life.
(Haha, I wish I could help you on digital coloring, but mine's not so hot.)

Participating in both community Secret Santas can be a bit crazy, huh?
I just wanted to say, I adore both images. I manage shippy cuteness, but you put so much depth and meaning in your art, it's so much more interesting to look at!

Happy New Year, Isa'!

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

I really am all for smuggling you and yours over the border in B.C. to trek down the West Coast to California. Just remember that if our dreams, schemes and plottings ever become reality. ^_-

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Loverly arts m'dear!! I LOVE the Tutu one especially...

Sucks about the internet connection. Maybe it's the area where you're at. Sometimes that happens. Maybe it can be cleared up sometime...

Maybe this new year will be better for the both of us.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Great art!

[pharoah999.livejournal.com]

i so loved your slayers drawing! its filled with so much emotion! great job! ive enjoyed your drawings since i found you and i hope you continue!

[izo-chan.livejournal.com]

As always, your art is AMAZING! <3 I really love your Slayers piece -- it's very powerful (and did I see Fibby in there lol? :p *dorky happy fangirl moment*) and I love that you DID add Xellos to the "shadows", because all things considered he really isn't on her side at all. He just happens to have goals that coincide with her own most of the time. Beautiful piece! I always love seeing your art. (I wish I could get half as many drawings out on paper as you do -- I'm so slow... ^^;)

Here's hoping that 2010 brings renewed spirit and hope and good things to come for us all! :D

As for coloring in Photoshop -- I really wish I had some decent advice, but all I really do is use my tablet, select some color, and color like I would with a pencil on different layers for different parts. ^^; I don't know how else to explain it. *useless lol*