Future Skills Looking Mighty Nice

I've been a naughty person and started focusing on something off the beaten path... aka Writing Copy I blame my former Graphic Design Teacher Don Lais for this completely lol. I'm not gonna post anything here just yet because I'm keeping things top secret (not that anyone cares particularly) but I have a feeling I'm on to something good that's actually making me very confident in my brain skills. What I will tell you is that I just finished the thumbnails and character designs for a few pieces and will begin to get the real work underway. Also it's entirely original, no fanart this time (sorry to disappoint you). And hopefully I will have these done before I start a real job (which hopefully I can get soon so I can pay off my medical bills and help with the household because my friends have been ubersaints).

So yes I am excited, very excited, TOO EXCITED even to get this stuff done so that I may show it off and even put it into my portfolio.

Also for anyone who hasn't seen the Doctor Who pieces I finished recently, head over to my art gallery on Deviantart you won't regret it.
Here's a teaser at what to expect:

In New York! + Other Stuff!

So yay other stuff! I made the big move to New York mid December to live with my friends April and Brian Williams. Getting used to the new weather and such but so far so good, just looking for a real job so I can start helping out with the expenses and to save up for a few things I need.
Christmas was a blast! I got a lot of very nice things, probably the best roundup of loot in years (or years worth in one year). Including a book about Art Deco, a Zira figure from Planet of the Apes, the Q Fan Collective DVD (because I have a thing for John DeLancie <3), and Robbie the Robot. I had great meals with April's family and really enjoyed myself, taking a lot of pressure off from everything happening in the last year.
As for art, I did a few pieces since I got my drafting table set up. But the major Doctor Who commission I got is almost done, which is great. I can't wait to get that out of my hair!
My drafting table is under attack by Gallifrey!


But yes, I've eased up a bit. My foot is still *meh* but not hurting any worse at the moment. I did manage to get a few things scanned before I left school, including the Life and Macra Terror pieces. They both have been retouched so I feel much better about them now.

Life:


The Macra Terror:


I do however miss everyone I left behind in Vegas, I didn't realize it until recently. But thank goodness for the likes of Facebook and Twitter right? :3 Also if anyone uses Skype, I'll gladly add you to my contacts. I need to put that thing to use at some point!

Just a random tidbit, I did my first Anime related piece of fanart recently based on The Slayers....


So anyway I hope everyone is doing ok! *HUG*
D

More on the Horizon

I just got out of a meeting with my Academic Director and as far as things go I might just be able to transfer to the East Coast. Which is good news for me because Las Vegas is doing whatever possible to drive me out of town. I think the fresh air and nature will do good things for me, if I'm not at ease with my environment then I'm not going to do well no matter what I do. Plus I DO NOT want to spend another summer here, nor would I want to move during the summer either. I learned my lesson when I came here in August all those years ago. So anyway East Coast, looking mighty fine as of right now! I mean good people and good everything!

On the art front, not a whole lot done but I did get this piece for Skip almost finished for his project. So far I'm proud of what I accomplished on it. It's 15x20 on hot press illustration board, I used only Prismacolor Markers and opaque white watercolors.
Here's what it looks like so far:


I'm working on a few commissions at the moment including a 13 page Child friendly Doctor Who piece and some artwork for a friend that renewed my Deviantart subscription (love ya!). Look forward to it!

Things Go Round and Round

Things seem to be looking up for old Gil... err Danielle. Things outside of work and school, can't say what just yet, but I have a feeling that aside from all the injuries I've collected as of late, fate could possibly cushion my future.

I've been working on a piece for a friend of mine which is turning out to be the best (and most difficult) thing in recent memory. It's all cool though, I'm really excited with it so far and can't wait to post it.

In other news, I'm looking forward to moving soon. I have pretty much 90% of my stuff squared away when the time comes. I just need to tie up loose ends in Vegas some of which include school and settlements. But, I look forward to a time when I can finally catch a breath and start doing things I really want to do for a living and not have so much drama in my life. A customer told me that there are places in which you know you aren't welcome, that you weren't meant to be. Signs have been pointed out to me that I'm not safe here in Vegas, I've had too many close calls, and too many real accidents to feel at ease in this city. The city itself will find a way to drive you out. And now it's my time. I just want to thank all of my friends who have been with me throughout this time in my life, it's been hard, but I couldn't have gotten through it without you all. (You know who you are!)

Also, a shout out to my friends Leanne and Rod who have gone through some tough shit lately and deserve some cheering up. And to April and Brian on getting hitched recently, you guys are awesome!

Alas My Right Ankle, I Knew Thee Well

It's been yet another long pause in my blogging abilities my friends! My apologies.
A lot has happened since the last post, including the fact that I lost a fight with a truck and ended up with a broken ankle. The worst part (besides not going to work and the ankle) was the fact that my glasses fell off my head and were repeatedly run over by passing cars. I did manage to get one of the lenses back, so for about a week I used it as a monocle.

Anyway while I was out I got a lot of work done, and I managed to finish the pages to a comic I was working on as well as start and finish the piece on the show Life I've been meaning to do. I also got a lot of chibi figurines done as well.
Well here are some photos of said pieces, enjoy!


A sketch of Snape (I'm currently finishing up the audios read by Stephen Fry, thanks again Leanne!)

Back into the Groove (Art and Work wise)

I started my first day of work since coming back from New York today. And it was great! I never lost a beat and it was as if I never left! What clinched it for me was a customer saying to me in the Drive Thru that I had the best customer service she had ever seen! And being in Las Vegas I take that to heart. For a city dominated on hospitality services to be able to stand out makes me feel special. It really does make me feel good to hear that, and not only once but twice in the same day! I'll pat myself on the back now...
And about the art. A few days into returning to Vegas I actually had the inspiration and willingness to get a few pieces done. Posted below for whoever hasn't seen them on my Deviantart Gallery. And I fought to create a logo for myself as well. I'm not too sure how well I pulled it off, but I'm at a loss when it comes to creating anything for my personal use.
Anyway the illustrations are a mix of traditional and digital art, the figures having been rendered with my trusty Prismacolor markers. Anyway enjoy!

Italian Spiderman (seriously look it up on Youtube)


The Great Machine (aka Mitchell Hundred) from the comic Ex Machina


And a logo...

She Might Be Saved...For Now

I got a call from my boss at work today, there might be a way to save my job for the time being, it only involves being open to EVERYTHING THEY THROW AT ME SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. The worst part being I'd only be guaranteed 12 hours if that. She lost two of the baristas that usually work night shifts, so if I go back I would have to open and close on multiple days. The only problem I have with this is that I hate working night shifts, not because it's too much work, but that it's too easy. Around 4pm the store winds down, and really I don't feel like I belong there at that time, my place (and where I operate the best) is in the opening/morning crew where it's too busy to look at a clock. I like to keep myself preoccupied. Also, I don't have good work shoes. The ones I wear to work have been worn out so badly you can see my socks through the rubber on the bottom of the shoe.

As you would have guessed, this is going to be another call for commissions if anyone is interested in helping out. I need to keep this job, I don't want to have to train for a new one yet again. Not just yet at least. I might actually have to look into a second job to pay my rent while I'm in school. I can't live on an estimated 12 hours a week paycheck.
So it's out there if anyone wants anything done, I'll even do design work if anyone needs a logo for layout done (I will post more examples of my design portfolio for whoever is interested).

Note me if you are, I'll be more than glad to have the work. It's all helping me get some practice in anyway.

I'm heading home on Wednesday, I'm sure I'll get sick again going from 60 some degrees in New York to 110 and hotter in Vegas. But I have lots of artwork to color and post not only for fanfics I've been drawing for, but also for the Dommi project I've been working on with April French. Yay for originality!

Anyway, cheers everyone. And for my stateside friends, I hope you all had a great 4th of July. For my friends at AILV, I hope you enjoyed the NICE BREAK we got and are looking forward to school next week.

Precious Programs and some Art!

Whoever actually reads anything I post will remember that right before finals week at AILV all of my Adobe Creative Suite programs went MIA, well that and it gave me the giant middle finger. Well my friend Brian managed to get them back thanks in no part to Adobe, whose costumer support seriously lacks any kind of real help. Not to mention it's really hard to take someone in tech support located in India seriously when they tell me their names are Joanne, Billy, and Scott. I hate you all for keeping me on hold for almost two hours not even giving me any help! *fumes*
Anyway, programs are back and I owe him a logo now that I have my precious InDesign and Illustrator CS3 programs back.

And now some artwork.
Since I got to New York I've been doing a bunch of stuff for my friend April who has spoiled me to no end since I got here. She's an awesome friend and a great writer, so I'm happy to be with good company. So some of the following pieces are from a Kaldor City fic she's been working on. I'm also throwing the progress on the Klaus Nomi portrait I've been working on. I did color a few of the scenes with markers, I might scan them or wait until I have my tablet back to color them digitally.

In the meantime enjoy!







Klaus Nomi WIP 2