Secondlina's Panels

 

Namesake Image! This is the color cover for chapter 2 (see, I told you guys I was ahead). 

Lately i've been drawing while watching Disney movies. I re-watched "The rescuers down under" and watched for the first time Tinkerbell's Movie. I had never seen that movie, and didn't really want to that much, since it looked more kiddish then normal Disneys. Turns out, it was okay. It was really kiddish, but I have to admit I loved the opening sequence (aside for the cheesy narration) where Tink was born. I was a little bugged by the fact that Tink could speak (it violates Peter Pan's original story) but I liked the fact that fairies had a specific ability. Then I had to get over the fact that Tink had Katara's voice and that Glinda was another one of the fairies. Though the whole Katara thing gives the parts where Tink is manipulating water a fun new dimension. The fairy friends are okay. I found them kinda funny, aside from the stupid Tinkers WHO TRY TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY. Tinkerbell turns out to be the fairy of Lost Things. I kinda liked that. I was amused that, at the end of the movie, she returns a toy to a little girl called Wendy. Well, if it's the same Wendy that meets Peter Pan, it's kinda ironic that the little girl that first inspired Tinkerbell will be the future target of her hatred. 

In any case, cute movie. Definitely watchable. But also REALLY aimed at kids. A good thing to watch while doing something else or if you have kids.

Rescuers was still as awesome as I remembered. GIANT. EAGLE.

My parents came by yesterday to visit and bring a brand new drawing table. The Ottawa university just gutted my mom's department. A good bit of furniture was gotten rid of, including a giant drawing/light table. My parents saved the table from a faith in the trash. So now I have a 30-year table who is in great shape! I think nobody was using it. Not since the internet lets people print stuff rather then trace it for presentations (It's the children's education department). We then ate a restaurant and they left.

Today my friend Sandra. We went on a quest for screws (to fix the chair of the drawing table), ate food, drew a bunch and watched "Secret of Kells". By the by, Secret of Kells is a magnificent European chidren's animation. All of you who love animation, please rent it. It's...amazing. The storyline is a bit harder to follow (it's not built like an american movie), but it's amazing none the less. Don't believe me? Check it out. 

*laughs* All I talk about is drawing, animated movies and food! Shows you guys what I do as of late. I'm busy, yet not busy at the same time. It's a little odd. But I think this weekend showed that I should go out more.

- Isa

 

I set aside Namesake a bit for an evening to work on a few pending things (apologies to all those involved). The first of these being this Slayers group picture! I really like how it turned out!

I also tried to draw some ladies in corsets but failed. I really can't draw sexy things. Even when I try it winds up as "cute". torreadora  and skybison  are awesome at drawing sexy things. Did you guys find a tutorial on the sexy? Or are you just blessed with the power of sex appeal? I seem to have gotten the power to draw really cohesive groups. Is it better then the power of sexy? I do not know. It probably sells less. *laughs*

Awesome thing of the day : MODCLOTH. It's a neat little website where you can buy vintage clothing. I found that a while ago after ranting that I longed for stuff styled in the 50's. It's actually not that expensive (50$ per dress is the average, which is decent considering the crap you can get for 50$ in other clothing stores) and all the dresses and shirts have a really nice retro feel. I just got myself two dresses, you know, as a pat on the back for doing a good job at work. Good, Isa, good.

Watching Pocahontas and the Lion King while drawing. Anybody else finds Pocahontas has a bit of a childish dialogue in the first part of the film? It feels like it's been written for a younger character. Weird.

- Isa

 

Today Marco left. He was Link's old roomate in Toronto and had just spent 2 years teaching in Tokyo. He really loves Japan, and he loved being back. He brought us one of those wind chimes you always see in anime. I love the sound it makes. This was a really fun visit for everyone. I loved it.

In other Japan related news, Satoshi Kon died. He's the director that gave us awesome movies like Millenium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika. I'm sad he died. I was hoping to see so many more movies made in his distinctive style. If you've never seen his movie, definitely check them out. Most of them drabble in the strange. But I recommend Tokyo Godfathers to people who don't like mind screws and love stories full of love and good cheer. That movie just really tugs the heartstrings over and over.

I'm just working on Namesake pages right now. And sketching on the side, silly things like the ones on top. 

A cute Medusa, some Aang and Katara fluff (trying to meditate!) and Jasmine Talking to the Genie. I always wondered if those two ever really interacted. You know, in the tv series or the sequels or something. I always imagined them as bestest buddies, but I can't even recall if they ever had a significant conversation...

- Isa

 

Link is sweet and supportive of my pain. And rubs my belly. And then says things that are weird. Weird, but adorable. And a little disturbing. 

I decided to do as you all told me and take a giant break tonight. The artist is "sick". So watched my recently-purchased-but-not-yet-opened version of Disney's Tarzan.



Yeah baby.

I adore this Disney movie. Everything about it pleases me. I kinda like this adaptation of Tarzan. I read the original, but found it a bit cruel. And other adaptations are just... corny. This one gives us a strangely realistic edge to how Tarzan walks and acts. I love it. Also, VINE SURFING. I'm really intrigued by Tarzan's parents in the opening sequence. I want to hear what their story is. They are apparently awesome enough to escape a boat one FIRE (why is it on fire?) and build an extremly cool house in the middle of the jungle. with teamwork. No wonder Tarzan is awesome. His parents were carriers of the awesome DNA. And then he was raised by fearless and loving gorillas. Yeah. 

I love how expressive Jane is. I think she's one of the Disney "girls" with the most cartoonist expressions. And the cutest giggle. I actually think the brand new Rapunzel and her are kinda alike. Maybe that's why I already love Rapunzel.

- Isa

So, I went up to Ottawa this weekend for my brother's birthday. It was a really brief, but fun visit. My little brother is now internationally legal (21 years old). To celebrate, we went to see Despicable Me. My brother doesn't really watch a lot of animated movies lately due to his friends not liking them much. So we decided it would be fun to do that.

( Art and review under cut for spoilers )

Anyways. I'm going to go take the subway to work now. So tired this morning. And it's raining A LOT. Grrr.

-Isa

I ended up finishing a few other bag designs for my editor (this is one of them). I'm not really sure what this drawing means. When I look at it I think of Doctor Who for some reason. Super-magical-teleporting-coat man? With girl?

I have a thing for magical garments. Magic cloaks, seven league boots, magic dresses made from sunlight, Jordis eye-visor thingie... There's so many of these in fairy tales and the media. Maybe one day i'll draw a giant fanart with all of them.

Okay. I need to find a bit of free time to make "Secondlina" comics. I have so many ideas and I just don't have the time to draw them. Lots of funny things happened lately. and I want to draw fancomics too (Toy Story mostly. Ah, the possibilities). Maybe I should take a day every week to draw all the comics for the week or something? I kinda feel like I "owe" the journal some comics. *laughs*. But i've been pretty taken with my illustration work so most of the updates have been that. I'm still kinda sorry *laughs*.

The heat wave wasn't so bad yesterday (there was a lot of wind). But today? Today, it is nothing but wiggling backgrounds and sticky leather chairs waiting for me. Urgh.

I just bought the "Art of Toy Story 3". I was happy to learn that in February 2011, the "Art of beauty and the beast" will be available for purchase. I guess with all the "Artbook" fad starting Disney decided to do releases of the material used in it's older more popular films? Well, i'm not complaining. Come to mama, sweet, sweet sketches.

I'm really enjoying owning these artbooks. I,m not so much interested in the aniamtion process. I'm more into the designs and preliminary sketches. "The art of How to train your dragon" gave me a HUGE drawing technique boost (thanks again, lycorne !)

I'm also on some weird trip of trying to locate and purchase old comics I enjoyed from the library. A few are out of print and hard to find in Québec. I guess it's a modern equivalent of hunting? Sssh. I'm hunting wabbit comics.

- Isa

 
So I finally saw Toy Story 3. It was pretty good. I'm not gonna mention anything spoilerific here, but let's just say, I love all three movies. And I'm totally one of those kids that used to think my toys were alive (hahaha, used to?). Buzz and Jessie are part of my favorite Pixar couples. Pixar, why are you so good at making various weird things/people fall deep in love? I mean really? 

Spanish mode. That is all.

I made some sketches with mild spoilers, so click this link if you've seen the movie and want to see the sketches.

Aside from that, today was a holiday in Québec. It's Baptist Day, a summer solstice celebration actively protected by canadian francophones. It's a french holiday popular in France that became a symbol and celebration of the french canadian culture after the french sold Québec to the English. I'm not very patriotic, so I just drew today, but it's cool to see people celebrate.

Yesterday there was an earthquake in Montréal and Ottawa. It shook more in Ottawa. My brother, mother and friends were evacuated from the shaking university of Ottawa buildings. It was a 5.6 earthquake, but no one was injured. 

A friend of mine, the amusing Moggy from vonandmoggy  is about the undergo surgery. Here is a little drawing for her and her comic artist boyfriend. You have my support you guys!



- Isa

Pixar, stop hogging all the awesome.

I mean, really.

(SPOILER FREE) Up was amazing, animation and story wise. It proposes a very touching introduction and looks into serious issues the same way Wall-e did - with wit, humor and killer animation. It talks about adventure and how it's easy to miss (or rather how it's easy to think you never had one when you're whole life is one), it talks about death and moving on, it talks about friendship and it talks about the little boring things that make up a life, or rather an adventure, and make it worth living. The boring stuff, the tiny boring stuff is so beautiful in this movie. It's a good reminder to us about life and adventure.

The characters are somewhat stereotyped, but strung together... they rock.

I have a little soft spot for Doug, the talking Dog and Ellie, the main character's late wife, who barely appears in the film, but serves as a inspiring guide to the main character, who is still grieving.

So to resume, if you like Pixar, and even if you don't, Up is pretty amazing. Maybe a little childish, but the mind blowing animation will keep you distracted during those moments aimed at the kiddies.

Also, the opening short film (a new tradition at Pixar is that every major motion picture is matched with two short films - one shown in theaters and one on the DVD extras. They are opening the Vancouver studios to work on these and direct to DvDs movies) is hilarious.
Anyways, off to work with me. I'm doing crap long hours until friday. *sigh* I'll have to ask my boss why she is trying to destroy us all. *laughs* Everybody at the office is pretty tired and looking forward to next week, when we don't have a huge conference-contract taking over our lives.

-Isa

 Meant to do this a while back. Gosh, the results scrare me! I've seen almost all the list.
 x = seen it
o = partially seen it
bold = loved

( Click here for the ultimate animation meme (Yes, i'm finally catching up on my memes) )

Personal addition:
Happily ever after? Anybody remembers the snow white version with all the female dwarves? I LOVED IT.

So yeah... is it sad that i've seen the majority of this list? This gives me a good list to follow for my future purchases though!

-Isa