Sketch of a Girl

I doodled this two days ago. I at first had a character in mind when I began, but by the time I was done it just looked like a generic girl to me.
I had a lot of fun with the hair.

Late Night Sketches, Part 1

I find myself more often inspired at night than in the morning, and while listening to my music I doodled the following sketches:

They're all originally-based, save for the bottom-left, which is a quick idea for Cloud's outfit in a crossover I'm making with a friend (Silent Hill: Reunion). I will be making an official set of concept art for outfits Cloud could be wearing in it...eventually.

Halloween Costume

It has been a while since I posted here, and I figured it would be a good opportunity to post pictures of my Halloween costume for this year.

I was Harry Mason from the first Silent Hill game. He happens to be my favorite SH protagonist, and I am hoping that I will be able to take this cosplay to a convention someday. I want to change a few things if I do go to a convention. I want to get a better wig, a better pair of jeans and more props (like the pink rubber ball and the epic hammer).

Feathers

I have been finding a lot of black feathers around my yard lately. I have only recently started a collection, putting them into my design journal that I hold to fill with inspirational sources and ideas.

Of course feathers bring a certain game series to mind, but feathers have held a great deal of symbolic significance to many races. Most of them have been spiritual, dealing with our souls and it rising to higher places and levels of understanding. Other meanings have been attributed to various rituals performed by people such as the Native Americans, the Druids, and so forth.
You can read more about how they were used here: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbol-meaning-of-feathers.html

Although it is fascinating to learn what some ancient civilizations did to try and reach enlightenment as well as their gods, I am glad to know a God that does not require a special set of clothes, incantations, or symbols in order to stay in communication.
Too many people get caught up in the rituals. That is not to say we should be doing whatever we want, but rather not focus on frivolous legalism and place emphasis on relationships with others and God.

No matter the sort and object, I love symbolism. Everything you touch seems to be full of meaning and history, and it's a shame that my brain is having a hard time fitting it all in.

Fantasy Races

Seems a lot of fantasy stories either go to the basics in terms of races, or the new ones they create are rarely put into detail, so they stand out.
I have had Zelda on the mind for a while, since I have been replaying Majora's Mask. Most of the races in that series are well known by many, but you can't explain the details behind them. Take the Zora, for example. You can say that they're fish people who have a monarchy and enjoy music, but what else is there to mention? Are they usually friendly, sticklers, xenophobic?

On the other hand, it is also annoying when information about a new race is dumped on your lap and you need to process it all in a very short time. I haven't seen this scenario as often, but it's not a good choice either.

When you come down to it, though, creating a fantasy race is not easy. Sure, you may have a unique idea for their looks in mind. In creating the Ciefians (pronounced like "siphon"), I had certain thoughts of how the species would look. I'm still tweaking it as the days go by.
The hard part, however, is determining their way of life. I could create a checklist for those that have their own fantasy races and see if they have all the details required.

Granted, having all the details about a fantasy race does not mean you need to dump it all to your reader/viewer. It's information that is there in case you need it. It is not only about showing them off to your audience, but giving them dimension.

It's better to show, not tell. If you see or read about a race that seems to have meat in every meal, you'll quickly get the idea that they don't care for plants that much.

My dilemma:
I've had a bit of trouble in determining certain abilities that certain Ciefians have. I solidified that Ciefians with white wings and white/silver eyes can see spirits, and have the ability to sense. The question is what the other Ciefian types should be. I've been brainstorming about it the past few weeks, and I have no definitive plans yet.

My aim is attribute powers that are not over the top, and not generic. For example, I could've chosen 'light' power for the white Ciefians, or I can make water or ice abilities for blue. However, I would prefer to not do that. If I can get beyond cliches and work with unique powers that are not often done, I would be in pretty good shape.

Here are pages from my journal that show my ideas:

Tales of Old

I have always been fond of songs that tell a story from folklore or legend. Arthurian legend is one of my favorites, and it is a shame that most of the media in the form of movies, TV shows, and otherwise have not been able to even come close to the glory of the King Arthur story.

That is why I am so fond of Heather Dale's music. I recently bought more of her songs from iTunes, one of my favorites from this new batch being her retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Many paintings and drawings have been made of the Green Knight that showed up in the halls of King Arthur. Many have depicted him as a man with a long beard, dressed in green and having all green features, such as hair and skin. I personally envisioned him as a knight having a helmet similar to a crusader, looking very menacing and able for a challenge.



I attempted my own rendition of how I envisioned this knight. Many have wondered what he represented in his particular tale, and while I have no interpretation to add, I find this level of mystery only adding to the effect of his lore and presence in King Arthur's court.

On the Street

I've had this sinking feeling before, sometimes while doing my artwork or college homework and wondering: will I even be able to get a job with this degree? Will I leave my place of education and be left stranded in a highly competitive world? Despite my fear, I remain as hopeful as I can as I imagine the possibilities of the future.

Put a Twist on What You Know

Many artists are too quick to proclaim that their artwork is made for themselves only. That is all they have in mind when they complete a piece. Yet, these same people constantly seek attention and praise for what they have done and posted on the Internet. I think that the intention of art is not only to express oneself, but to showcase an atmosphere, feeling, and such that others can relate to or find interesting. Not everyone will understand your work, not everyone will like it, but some will find connections to it. Just imagine: your work can reach someone.

Of course, it is not as simple a task as it seems. I have drawn original concepts, and characters owned by others. While I do not believe that my work has made no impact at all, it has more potential than I am currently conveying. The key is bringing it out.

I have contemplated what I could do. Perhaps it would be best to touch on personal issues, to enhance the feelings behind such efforts, yet the subject of those possible pieces of art fail me. So many emotions have been touched upon in art: happiness, anger, sadness. Then again, these are too general. Often we see an image of a child crying, or someone screaming in rage. In what way can I show an underrepresented emotion or experience, one that I myself have gone through, and showcase it in a way that others may understand?

It will not be easy. I have had a comfortable life, with little dramatic surprises along the way. Yet if I can list interesting things about myself and my thoughts, then maybe I can start to get an idea of what I should be doing. Even if these immediate thoughts do not work, they might inspire me to something better.
-I am a picky sleeper. Irritations such as moonlight, noise except for a fan, and my body's stubbornness keep me up at night. This is more relevant in my dorm, where a college campus is rarely quiet all the time. Yet I cannot help but be annoyed by it. It takes me about an hour to fall asleep each night, which is both good and bad. Good, for it allows me to think over creative issues without distractions, yet it keeps me up.
-I spend far too much time on the computer.
-Many speak of music being their life, and here I have been neglecting to play my piano for months (I have been quite busy).
-My archaeology teacher mentioned something very interesting in our last class. He mentioned that he did not want to make the class based around memorizing facts and then having us spout them back for a final. He claimed this was indocrination, not education.
-Learning archaeology and history of the sites at the time of early Christianity has gotten me more familiar with my faith.
-A few hours ago, I watched the ISS go by, while I discussed astronomy with my father. The science of astronomy and the night sky in general has always fascinated me. Many artists over the years have been influenced by it, and even now it still holds unspeakable beauty.
-I have gone over old writings from just 3 years ago, and I can see so much change in myself already.
-I wonder if people are drawn to cliches simply because it is what they are familiar with?
-The songs of today are so limited in their subjects. Love, hate, hopes, shattered dreams. I appreciate more variety than that.
-I fear that I will one day graduate from college and find no job.
-Now that my brother has become engaged, it almost seems as though I am supposed to find myself a significant other already, which irritates me. I am not ready for a relationship yet.
-My 21st birthday is coming in a day and I am not eager nor dreadful. So many are under the illusion that something forbidden must be excellent.
-I am becoming more interested in my ancestry. I would love to go back 1, maybe even 2 thousand years to see who my ancestors were. I am not expecting any familiar names, but I would still love to know.
-I wonder if my work will become recognizable.

This may have been a relatively good exercise for myself.

Passageway

There is an archway at one edge of my campus that I pass by on the way to my science class. I think the lighting, the location of it, how it looks, and the fact that I only see it at a quiet time of night strikes a chord with me. I suppose the idea of a passageway to leave the campus or not, what with the mysterious lighting makes it seem mystical, or just interesting.
I've imagined an image of myself with my backpack, walking past it and missing the opportunity to walk through it. That would be a fitting picture, because that is the feeling I have right now.