Journals11
Newest
Wi-Fi and Pokemon Platinum
2 min read
I've been busy with my Digital Imaging II class -- it's a bit more complicated than my previous class, but I've been learning some new Photoshop techniques that I can use for my artwork.
I've also been busy with Pokemon Platinum. VERY busy! In the past few weeks I've been battling, catching and training my main team like crazy! My goal is to have them all up to Level 100 by the time I get my Wii and Pokemon Battle Revolution, which is Christmas Day (which is just around the corner)!
My current team:
- Flareon (female)
- Crobat (female -- and SHINY!)
- Banette (male)
- Gardevoir (female)
- Cloyster (male)
- Kangaskhan (female)
On Sunday, I got a new wireless router that's Wi-Fi compatible, so I was able to get Oak's Letter just in time -- Shaymin is soooo CUTE! And today, I went to Toys 'R' Us to download Arceus... *waits patiently for English releases of HeartGold and SoulSilver*
So now that I have Wi-Fi, I have my Friend Code to share with you! If you would like to battle, trade, play games or chat; send me a note here on DA or E-mail me with your own Friend Code! I'll post my Friend Code for Battle Revolution once I get that, too...
Pokemon Platinum
Name: Jupiter
FC: 3653 0589 5525
I'll try to get some artwork up as soon as I can...
I've also been busy with Pokemon Platinum. VERY busy! In the past few weeks I've been battling, catching and training my main team like crazy! My goal is to have them all up to Level 100 by the time I get my Wii and Pokemon Battle Revolution, which is Christmas Day (which is just around the corner)!
My current team:
- Flareon (female)
- Crobat (female -- and SHINY!)
- Banette (male)
- Gardevoir (female)
- Cloyster (male)
- Kangaskhan (female)
On Sunday, I got a new wireless router that's Wi-Fi compatible, so I was able to get Oak's Letter just in time -- Shaymin is soooo CUTE! And today, I went to Toys 'R' Us to download Arceus... *waits patiently for English releases of HeartGold and SoulSilver*
So now that I have Wi-Fi, I have my Friend Code to share with you! If you would like to battle, trade, play games or chat; send me a note here on DA or E-mail me with your own Friend Code! I'll post my Friend Code for Battle Revolution once I get that, too...
Pokemon Platinum
Name: Jupiter
FC: 3653 0589 5525
I'll try to get some artwork up as soon as I can...
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Lots to talk about...
2 min read
I just got my new Wacom Intuos4 Medium tablet, and I love it! A real improvement over the previous model... the surface isn't nearly as slippery so it feels more like drawing on paper. Works perfectly with Painter 11 and Photoshop CS3.
I'm planning to get a few books on landscape drawing/painting. This is one I was flipping through at Barnes and Noble on Monday:
www.amazon.com/Drawing-Scenery…
I've been looking at some Floral Embroidery books published by Dover. They have some really nice pictures of flowers in black and white, ready for coloring in Photoshop/Painter -- a must for a shoujo manga-ka.
In the past couple of weeks, I've recently started a new game in Pokemon Platinum. I must have really raised my Flareon well -- on Monday in Sunnyshore City, I got an Effort Ribbon for her... and I wasn't even trying to get it! Or did that girl know it was my birthday? Oh, well. I have more training to do before attempting to catch Azelf and Uxie -- yesterday I caught Mesprit with help from Flareon (Fire Spin) and Crobat (Mean Look)... although that thing was leading me on a wild goose chase all over the Sinnoh region! Then I can challenge the Elite Four... and Cynthia.
A lot of you probably know that the Wii has gone down in price to $199.99, and is easier to come by than it was when it first came out in 2006. I just ordered one for Christmas, and I'm starting with Pokemon Battle Revolution. Can't wait!
Keep your eyes open for some new illustrations (and improvements to some of the old ones) -- I've gotten a LOT of ideas...
I'm planning to get a few books on landscape drawing/painting. This is one I was flipping through at Barnes and Noble on Monday:
www.amazon.com/Drawing-Scenery…
I've been looking at some Floral Embroidery books published by Dover. They have some really nice pictures of flowers in black and white, ready for coloring in Photoshop/Painter -- a must for a shoujo manga-ka.
In the past couple of weeks, I've recently started a new game in Pokemon Platinum. I must have really raised my Flareon well -- on Monday in Sunnyshore City, I got an Effort Ribbon for her... and I wasn't even trying to get it! Or did that girl know it was my birthday? Oh, well. I have more training to do before attempting to catch Azelf and Uxie -- yesterday I caught Mesprit with help from Flareon (Fire Spin) and Crobat (Mean Look)... although that thing was leading me on a wild goose chase all over the Sinnoh region! Then I can challenge the Elite Four... and Cynthia.
A lot of you probably know that the Wii has gone down in price to $199.99, and is easier to come by than it was when it first came out in 2006. I just ordered one for Christmas, and I'm starting with Pokemon Battle Revolution. Can't wait!
Keep your eyes open for some new illustrations (and improvements to some of the old ones) -- I've gotten a LOT of ideas...
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
My birthday is one month from today... on October 5, I will be turning 30!
I've recently ordered my birthday present -- the Wacom Intuos4 Medium! Having read the reviews on Amazon, I already knew this was something I wanted.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001…
In the meantime, I just got Corel Painter 11 from eBay for a very good price -- only $149 with FREE shipping! I just installed it this morning and I LOVE the new and enhanced features. Especially the new Marker brushes, the color support for Adobe Photoshop, and... well, the installation was a breeze and there haven't been any crashes (knock on wood!)
For those interested in getting Corel Painter 11 for such a good price (retail is $429!), here's a link:
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?…
And just so you all know, my Copic Color Swatches are compatible with Painter 11. I might consider updating the picture, but here's the link:
flareon-jupiter.deviantart.com…
Happy painting!
I've recently ordered my birthday present -- the Wacom Intuos4 Medium! Having read the reviews on Amazon, I already knew this was something I wanted.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001…
In the meantime, I just got Corel Painter 11 from eBay for a very good price -- only $149 with FREE shipping! I just installed it this morning and I LOVE the new and enhanced features. Especially the new Marker brushes, the color support for Adobe Photoshop, and... well, the installation was a breeze and there haven't been any crashes (knock on wood!)
For those interested in getting Corel Painter 11 for such a good price (retail is $429!), here's a link:
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?…
And just so you all know, my Copic Color Swatches are compatible with Painter 11. I might consider updating the picture, but here's the link:
flareon-jupiter.deviantart.com…
Happy painting!
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Character Designs... and Otakon!
5 min read
Currently filling my sketchbook with my character designs/sketches... I started things off with a sketch of Flareon (since her name is first in the title!).
I have been using CG techniques to my advantage, but I'd also like to try working with traditional methods. Colored pencils (I have three different brands: Prismacolor, Crayola, and Prang) are fun and easy to work with. They are also economical...
UPDATE:
Just finished Otakon 2009... already looking forward to next year. Here's my feedback...
The good:
- Purchased more of the original Japanese manga, "Pokemon Special" (as seen on Serebii.net) from Sasuga Books. Just like at previous conventions, I got whatever I could find or afford. I can always order from Sagusa's website (they offer free shipping for orders over $40!). I still have nine more books to go before I'm up to date (missing 23-24 and 26-32), but from what I've been reading on various sources (such as Bulbapedia), the series hasn't ended yet... oh, well -- I have something to add to my birthday/Christmas wishlist!
- I also got two Copic Ciao Colorless Blenders, two out-of-print Japanese instructional books published by Graphic-Sha (one on creating Fanzines and one on Webpage design -- neither books were published in English), and a Japanese figurine of Dawn/Hikari and Buneary (kawaii!)
- Yesterday, I got a cute Japanese hand fan (perfect for hot summer days!) at the MangaGamers/Bishoujo Game Pavillion for FREE, just for stopping by! By the time I got there, they had already run out of Game Demo DVDs... but I'm happy with the fan.
- Went to the "Conceptual Storytelling" Workshop on Saturday. Got some good pointers on writing my script and designing my layouts. I took notes... I was a little disappointed that they didn't get to anything on character design (which was mentioned in the description), but the two hours just went by so fast...
- Watched some episodes of Pokemon on Friday and Sunday afternoon (decided to skip the other Workshop I was thinking about). While "Battle Frontier" isn't one of my favorite seasons, I really had a good time laughing along with other Pokemon fans (mostly teens and young adults). The "Golden Sudowoodo" episode got a lot of laughs, and I strongly agree with what one girl who sat behind me shouted: "JAMES IS SEXY!"
- Lots of great artwork at the Art Show, and many talented artists in the Alley. To all of you who were there -- keep up the great work!
And now... the bad:
- Got in line Thursday night around 6pm, expecting to have my badge in 15-30 minutes. No such luck -- I didn't get my badge until after 8pm...
- The delays on Friday. The Charles Street entrance for those who had gotten their badges the night before (myself included, of course!) was supposed to open at 8:30 -- but we had to wait until at least a half-hour. And the Dealer's Room... not only was there what seemed to be an hour-long delay, but the line was cut off at a certain point. It must have been 1:30 or so before I finally got there. I guess delays can't be helped if the staff wants everything to be perfect for the attendees (especially on the first day of the con!), but hopefully this issue will be resolved next year.
- Very, VERY crowded on Friday (the Dealer's Room was a total zoo!). No surprise there, but I came home with a headache from all the noise...
- Violation of the rules. I saw a lot of people with offensive signs, such as asking for money; for example, a dollar to pose for a photo with them in their costume. Speaking of photos, there were people taking pictures with their cell phones in areas where photography was not allowed, including the Art Show. They were taking pictures of the most popular artwork so they wouldn't have to purchase/bid on them. That's considered ART THEFT, isn't it!?
Otakon's policies (in case you're curious):
www.otakon.com/policies.asp
I'm hoping they'll increase the security there next year...
- The main outdoor terrace on the third floor, which overlooks Pratt Street, is currently being renovated. I always liked going out to the terrace, so I could sit by the fountain to get some sun and fresh air, as well as relax and read my favorite manga. Not this year. But next year... I'm sure the new terrace is going to be beautiful.
- I wasn't there at the time, but it turned out that the "Philosophy of Bleach" panel had VERY LITTLE to do with Bleach. I couldn't believe something like that could happen. Click the link below:
board.otakon.com/index.php?sho…
Overall, I still had a good time this weekend. Again, I can't wait until next summer...
I have been using CG techniques to my advantage, but I'd also like to try working with traditional methods. Colored pencils (I have three different brands: Prismacolor, Crayola, and Prang) are fun and easy to work with. They are also economical...
UPDATE:
Just finished Otakon 2009... already looking forward to next year. Here's my feedback...
The good:
- Purchased more of the original Japanese manga, "Pokemon Special" (as seen on Serebii.net) from Sasuga Books. Just like at previous conventions, I got whatever I could find or afford. I can always order from Sagusa's website (they offer free shipping for orders over $40!). I still have nine more books to go before I'm up to date (missing 23-24 and 26-32), but from what I've been reading on various sources (such as Bulbapedia), the series hasn't ended yet... oh, well -- I have something to add to my birthday/Christmas wishlist!
- I also got two Copic Ciao Colorless Blenders, two out-of-print Japanese instructional books published by Graphic-Sha (one on creating Fanzines and one on Webpage design -- neither books were published in English), and a Japanese figurine of Dawn/Hikari and Buneary (kawaii!)
- Yesterday, I got a cute Japanese hand fan (perfect for hot summer days!) at the MangaGamers/Bishoujo Game Pavillion for FREE, just for stopping by! By the time I got there, they had already run out of Game Demo DVDs... but I'm happy with the fan.
- Went to the "Conceptual Storytelling" Workshop on Saturday. Got some good pointers on writing my script and designing my layouts. I took notes... I was a little disappointed that they didn't get to anything on character design (which was mentioned in the description), but the two hours just went by so fast...
- Watched some episodes of Pokemon on Friday and Sunday afternoon (decided to skip the other Workshop I was thinking about). While "Battle Frontier" isn't one of my favorite seasons, I really had a good time laughing along with other Pokemon fans (mostly teens and young adults). The "Golden Sudowoodo" episode got a lot of laughs, and I strongly agree with what one girl who sat behind me shouted: "JAMES IS SEXY!"
- Lots of great artwork at the Art Show, and many talented artists in the Alley. To all of you who were there -- keep up the great work!
And now... the bad:
- Got in line Thursday night around 6pm, expecting to have my badge in 15-30 minutes. No such luck -- I didn't get my badge until after 8pm...
- The delays on Friday. The Charles Street entrance for those who had gotten their badges the night before (myself included, of course!) was supposed to open at 8:30 -- but we had to wait until at least a half-hour. And the Dealer's Room... not only was there what seemed to be an hour-long delay, but the line was cut off at a certain point. It must have been 1:30 or so before I finally got there. I guess delays can't be helped if the staff wants everything to be perfect for the attendees (especially on the first day of the con!), but hopefully this issue will be resolved next year.
- Very, VERY crowded on Friday (the Dealer's Room was a total zoo!). No surprise there, but I came home with a headache from all the noise...
- Violation of the rules. I saw a lot of people with offensive signs, such as asking for money; for example, a dollar to pose for a photo with them in their costume. Speaking of photos, there were people taking pictures with their cell phones in areas where photography was not allowed, including the Art Show. They were taking pictures of the most popular artwork so they wouldn't have to purchase/bid on them. That's considered ART THEFT, isn't it!?
Otakon's policies (in case you're curious):
www.otakon.com/policies.asp
I'm hoping they'll increase the security there next year...
- The main outdoor terrace on the third floor, which overlooks Pratt Street, is currently being renovated. I always liked going out to the terrace, so I could sit by the fountain to get some sun and fresh air, as well as relax and read my favorite manga. Not this year. But next year... I'm sure the new terrace is going to be beautiful.
- I wasn't there at the time, but it turned out that the "Philosophy of Bleach" panel had VERY LITTLE to do with Bleach. I couldn't believe something like that could happen. Click the link below:
board.otakon.com/index.php?sho…
Overall, I still had a good time this weekend. Again, I can't wait until next summer...
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Photoshop CS3...
2 min read
Once again, eBay has come through for me. I recently got Photoshop CS3 Extended for the low, LOW price of $73.95 -- brand new and factory sealed! I just installed it yesterday, and I already enjoy using it at home just as much as I did in my Digital Imaging class (which just ended). I have plans to put together a portfolio of illustrations this summer.
I just got a new book -- Digital Character Painting Using Photoshop CS3.
www.amazon.com/Digital-Charact…
While the illustrations in the book aren't "manga" style, it has some really helpful hints on character design. There are also some impressive coloring techniques, including blending and textures. The included CD-Rom has some nice textures, patterns and brushes as well.
I'm also waiting for another book to come in the mail -- Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible.
www.amazon.com/Bold-Visions-Di…
Based on the reviews I've read, this book looks helpful for creating landscapes and backgrounds. It doesn't have as many pages as the other book, nor does it come with a CD-Rom... but I'm still looking forward to it.
And now that I have Photoshop CS3, I can try out some new illustration techniques. Look forward to them!
I just got a new book -- Digital Character Painting Using Photoshop CS3.
www.amazon.com/Digital-Charact…
While the illustrations in the book aren't "manga" style, it has some really helpful hints on character design. There are also some impressive coloring techniques, including blending and textures. The included CD-Rom has some nice textures, patterns and brushes as well.
I'm also waiting for another book to come in the mail -- Bold Visions: A Digital Painting Bible.
www.amazon.com/Bold-Visions-Di…
Based on the reviews I've read, this book looks helpful for creating landscapes and backgrounds. It doesn't have as many pages as the other book, nor does it come with a CD-Rom... but I'm still looking forward to it.
And now that I have Photoshop CS3, I can try out some new illustration techniques. Look forward to them!
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In