Started and done in one day. Was supposed to upload this yesterday, but there were issues in Wordpress that I only managed to solve today. Felt really dumb coz it was just a simple fix I should have thought of earlier.
Only today I realized the shadows on the clothes are off if he’s facing the sun. Oh well. Error noted. NEXT!
Wanted to try an action pose, so why not a flying kick? Also trying out the method where a texture is placed over the piece to give it some grittiness. Easiest thing to do is to scan a blank A4 and see how it works.
Moving on, moving on.
Finally finished this piece. Not that it’s really finished, but I just know that if I keep picking on it, it’ll never see the light of day.
It just started with the guy in the suit at the far left. Then started with a girl on the opposite page running in the opposite direction… which was then I wondered what if I just keep adding people rushing towards each other?
Took me a while, but at least it was a good exercise in figuring how to create different characters doing different movements.
This image is large: 1799px × 620px.
Next stop, smaller pieces.
Rites of Spring is an annual musical event held in my alma mater, Vanderbilt University. Happens every spring, which is around now. It’s surprisingly a pretty big event these days; back when I was there it was a modest affair with only one guest singer a year. The students organizing the event thus advertised any way they could.
This was one memorable example. This guy was just standing next to the dining hall (so people would definitely see him) with three fire batons wielded Zoro-style. All to attract attention to the writing on his chest.
After a cold winter, shenanigans like this was a welcome way to greet spring. Rites is Coming!!!!
What started as a simple movement study ended up into something fun.
One side done. Other side next.
Something simple I started working on turned into something fun. Putting up some parts of it first, hoping to put up the complete version soon.
Found this DeviantArt account, whose artist has recently passed away. Found it while browsing other artist whom pointed out her site.
http://hakubaikou.deviantart.com/
It is sad to hear someone as skilled as her being gone (her Pirate “vs” Ninja with rum and sake? Inspirational.), yet it is heartening to note that an archive of her work lives on, accessible to anyone visiting her site. There’s no question of what she loved and lived for because it’s all there for anyone to see. Nor there’s doubt who loved and enjoyed her works; it’s all recorded and visible as per how DeviantArt works.
As Wired puts it when Randy Pausch died, the Internet has created a new phenomenon: a distributed funeral. Being a DeviantArt account means that not only Hakubaikou’s lifework is as permanent and accessible as the Internet itself, her family will also be able to see how people around the world mourned her. On DeviantArt and on the Googleverse.
“Still, at whatever scale and medium chosen, all these death rituals retain their universal purpose. They all provide convincing evidence that though the star may die, the universe continues. Though the Marine is gone, the corps lives on.” - The aforementioned Wired article
Sad news and yet, a pretty cool outcome.
I got a phone call on Wednesday that my old martial arts master, Master Lee, has passed away. The man meant a lot to me and my family, so I took a couple days emergency leave and booked a flight to KB in order to attend Friday’s funeral.
Made some chocolate chip pancakes today. A old Canadian friend suggested I use the sandwich toaster instead of a pan, and it sounded like a simple idea. Turned out it is simple; just mix Pillsbury pancake mix with some chocolate chips, and pour a small batch inside each bowl. Didn’t even need to grease the base because it’s non-stick, so the whole batch’s grease free.
Those looking up on last Monday night would have seen this interesting treat:
Venus and Jupiter aligned with the Moon to form a smiley. This picture was taken in Australia, and curiously, the more north you are, the more it’s rotated to your left. In Malaysia, you get to see it vertically aligned, like so and so. The Klang Valley view is spectacular because there were no stars visible thanks to the city lights. I saw this in an open parking lot and all I saw in the dark sky was nothing but the suspended smiley. Eerie yet beautiful.
Those in the Western hemisphere get to see a frown. Lucky us! Apparently, those here looking up last night got frowned upon as well, as the alignment has shifted a bit.
Some websites mention we’ll only get to see this again on 2036. Not sure if that means a 28-year cycle, but it does imply the smiling face has appeared in the past. Which brings up an thought…..
… did past Emperors look up and felt the Celestial Heavens were smiling upon their deeds?
On second thought, did Celestial Frowns lead to royal executions?
