Inky Comics...

So, I've started to draw again. It has been years since I've truly sat down and drew something for myself... but it's actually managed to happen. (Although most of the time is during my lunch or slow days while on the phone at my job)

Pretty Pic of the X-Men from Marvel

 Last week I showed you a quick pic of a female "Wolverine" drawing I created.... I haven't had a chance to actually scan it at home but hopefully once I do I will manage to put it up.

In working on the image I have realized that I miss doing comic related art. So I've started a new pic (the rough outlines are below). Being my friends and I are planning on going to Fan Expo as Gender Swapped Marvel Characters... seemingly mostly variations of the Avengers (being that is the comic most of them have watched... le sigh...) I decided to draw a variation of Wolverine fighting Iron Man.... but it's a female Wolvy and a Female - Steam Punk Iron Man (Thanks to an AWESOME idea by my friend Ang)

Here's a rough sketch of the image... it's now in the process of being inked....

In inking my images... which currently is done with a ball point pen and nothing fancy. I decided to check out how the professionals Ink and Colour their comic images and came across this....

INKING BOOK Free (No Pics)

Inking Book, Actually purchasable from Amazon with Pretty Pictures and All

It's actually pretty interesting! It doesn't have any of the pictures he is discussing but it is very informative on the actual process and descriptions of inking a comic.

I'm now looking at continuing my experiments in drawing and inking (something I used to do a lot in highschool). I've noticed I've really missed it, I think in part I miss being a comic geek... being it's hard to afford a comic habit (especially being X-Men have been my favorites since my preteen's). Comic art is one of those few things that merge the geek and the artist together....

I've been thinking if I continue the Comic Art, which often turns into Costume Creation, and maybe add my love of Collage, Photography and Comic-like art together, I may have something truely unique....

Now I REALLY need to get my space together so I can start truly thinking and planning and especially CREATING!!!!

Until Next Time
Angie :)

Wolverine as a girl!

So Fan Expo is coming up in about a month... if you haven't realized this by now then you haven't been reading this blog close enough... :)

As I discussed last post, I'm seriously planning on being a female version of Wolverine for the Saturday (being I won't be as rushed, nor will I need to drive.... driving with Claws is a No-No LOL).

So as I tend to do, I drew a picture of a female wolverine in the way I was debating on portraying him/her.

This is a regular thing I tend to do. I will draw multiple versions of a haircut before going and getting it done. I will draw multiple versions of a costume before making it.... (Don't mind the pics, they were all taken with my phone at my desk... If I get a chance I'll scan the final image for better quality)

Final Drawing: Female version of Wolverine!

So I've never professed at being the absolute best drawer in the world, but I have been drawing comic characters on and off for 15 odd years. I have recently acknowledged that I really like the comic style body with a little bit of anime-ish facial features thrown in.

Below are the steps it took to draw this. This drawing was a doodle over 2 days at work (yeah, I have my slow moments just like everyone). So enjoy and let me know what you think of this as a costume for Fan Expo... do you think it'll be suitable???

Step 1: Pencil sketch... starting light ink.

Step 2: Inking continued

Step 3: General inking completed...

Step 5: Erase all pencil and start bolder inking

Step 6: Bold ink completed, now to add shadow and details.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the steps... this was drawn on a notepad with regular clicky-pencil and a general black pen.

Until Next Time
Keep Creating
Angie

Cupcakes and Geeks

So I've finished the 4th chapter in Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts (I've linked this a few times, if you need the link just look at the previous blogs :) ) and it's called Finding the Sacred in the Ordinary. In this chapter she recommends taking pictures and finding the joy in things like: Cupcakes, Heart shapes found in nature, Someone opening the door for you.

Cupcakes by the Cakebox in Kitchener, ON

This is a really good idea but I don't think I've fully had a chance to explore all the possibilities that this can allow. So what this means?? I need to take the time to truly explore my idea of "Sacred" and what that means to me. I also need to figure out how I view that.... This alone may be a bit of a journey and may be re-visited every now and then, in order for me to see where it takes us. :)

So, instead of soul searching for my idea of "Sacred", being I'm at work and that may require a little bit more privacy than  my office, I'm going to have a bit of a geek out...

MARVEL!!!!

Yes that one word says everything... if encompasses my whole childhood and the interest that have become more and more prominent in my life since I've accepted my geekdom in general.

If you are a poor soul reading my blog who does not know about Marvel, I have two things to say... Go HERE!! and Have you been living under a Rock??? If you are offended then you can quick escape to HERE (Yes this is a link to the New York Times) LOL.

Anyone in the geek community will know that SanDiego Comic Con is going on right now... Le SIGH!!!... and all those involved in the community would love to go and wish we would actually manage to go up (or down respectively) but money is a HUGE ISSUE!!! So Marvel, the rocking company that it is, has set up a virtual coverage of the SDCC 2012. This link will bring you to the hub of a bunch of AWESOME things... especially the liveblogs, that are a totally rocking idea (you can read the completed ones on the link too).

On an un-related/related note you should check out the new Table Top episode... we are having a game night this weekend and maybe some of these games may become part of it!

What I think is funny when I have these moments of talking about how awesome things are, I feel like I'm some promoter... even though I am not involved in ANY of these products. I just love to talk about them LOL!

So, while I go and ponder the concept of Sacred, you can enjoy all the geekdom!

Until next time
Angie

The Geeking Of The Out!

So I'm starting to debate on costuming for Fan Expo!!!!!!! (Can you tell I'm getting excited)

I am really thinking of doing a Female version of a comic character.... mostly I'm planning on being a female "Wolverine" if I can figure it out in time. This would be done for the Saturday showing and the masquerade in the evening (If I can manage to get into it to see... no I'm not competing!).

I kinda liked this image of a female "clone" that marvel made... I would prefer if her hair was short and spiked more like his, but all in all it's pretty cool....

I'm debating on doing my costume more along the version of this....

OOoooooo Or this (yeah I just found it while surfing the internets.... lol)

So.... what I need.... Jeans: Blue or Black..... A black shirt (maybe one I can make look more like armour or something), shit kickers..... and a hair cut (which will be done tomorrow and may need a touch up before the actual Con!

YAY... so much fun!!!!!

Until Next Time
Angie

Creative Community

So I have finished Chapter 3 of the lovely book called Taking Flight... and I have to feel a little proud that I have managed to build a group of friends who are a very strong creative community.

The Book

Chapter 3 was all about finding those who inspire you, are inspired by you and are just inspirational in general. It talks about mentors in art, life and anything else that is exciting and of interest to you.

Here a few blogs by some awesome people that are part of my life:

Captain Creates

 by a lovely knitter and artsy friend Sharmie.

Craftzilla Conquers the World

 by my amazingly crafty friend Gillian

 

Podgy's Ponderings

Which is the amazing rambling and discussions by one of my best friends who is talented in Knitting and very much apart of my artistic/ craft community, while still being a mutual foundation for my life.

52 to Green

This is a blog by one of my friends from University, Kelly, and her trials and tribulations to lead a green life while still being a Techy Single Mother.

All I Need to Know about Shakespeare I learned from Star Trek

This is a suitably geeky, yet intellectual blog by my friend Victoria who is a Journalist in Alberta.

Aside from these lovely people's online community and the many other sites that I read daily (or when they post), I have to admit that I have a very strong personal art community as well.

On Thursday's, when I can make it, there is a lovely knitting group at All Strung Out in Guelph. Which consists of women, and a few men, from 18 to 60+. From being part of this community (even though I don't tend to knit more than one thing a year) I have found friends and other creative individuals who have become inspirational to me. Some are professional hobbyists and others manage to make a living at the crafts they love.

So I am sending out a giant thank you to all those who have been part of my life personally and merely in the digital world! And hope that someday everyone will find the community that inspires, and supports them in all aspects of your life.

Until Next Time...
Keep Creating
Angie

Why do I look....

So today I started doing my usual downward spiral (and I don't mean NIN) when it comes to my blogs.

Instead of having a laissez-faire attitude about whether or not people actually read my blog. I am sitting waiting to see if the number goes up....

What this means? Other than the fact that I've obviously had a fairly slow day at work, is that I'm basing my success as a blogger and my idea of being an interesting individual on whether or not people read and/or comment on my blog. This is totally something I need to work on.

I don't know why we all have such a striving need for approval in some way or another. I wish I was able to just write without others opinions being prominent in the back of my mind. But I have failed yet again to be able to complete something without feeling a need for approval.

This truly bothers me and it should not. I should be able to write and discuss my ongoing journey in life, art and all things without feeling like I am trying to appease some other individuals. I want to be able to scream my ideas out to the world without feeling like someone is going to 'hush' me like I'm in a library.

So I'm going to shout.... I will shout and shout and shout and one day I will be able to write without feeling like I need a following or approval. Maybe the only answer is to just keep my nose to the grindstone and keep going.

I should just write and if someone comments then I can read that, but other than that I should avoid looking at the tracking pages.

Maybe we should start a mantra.... "I am successful individual, I enjoy my art, my family and my blog, I have a job I love, I am successful in everything I do, I am happy, health, safe and strong, I am rewarded for my hard work, I am surrounded by people that love me and are supportive of anything I choose to do, I am comfortable monetarily and am truly happy with where my life is at, I have strong and supportive roll models whether I know them personally or not, I am happy being me."

Well that's a good start.... If there is anything else that I feel should be added I will update the mantra in further posts. Heck just writing that out makes me feel all glowy inside.

Until next time
Keep Creating.
Angie

Too many Cons, not enough time...

To those of you who know me, and some who don't, you will soon come to realize that I have a very LARGE geek streak! At times I tend to tone it down as well as I can (as in at "Work") but most of the time I am proud to be a little geeky, a little punk and a little bit everything else.

Today I have a big "Le Sigh" about not ever nearly having enough money in order to all the Geeky things I would love to do.

One of the big things is having to choose between Cons....

Yes I know, who goes to conventions (and if you don't know what that means, then shame on you). Well I do! My husband and I have an ongoing date (as in this year it will be SANS MONKEY!!! and even A HOTEL!!!!!!!) at Fan Expo! If you don't know all the amazingness of Fan Expo then go check it out! It is a menagerie of all things geeky... Including this year's top stars of Stan Freekin Lee, Patrick Steward and Kevin Smith... whom I'm really hoping to see in action at the Jay & Silent Bob Get Old performance if my budget can handle it. 

What I am "Le Sighing" about is the fact that Polaris is on this weekend and I wish I had it in my budget to go this year. Mainly for the fact that I have a slight *cough* thing for Wil Wheaton. I don't know what it is but I think I have a border line obsession... heck my husband even makes comments LOL. Now I am not the kind of person to go up to him and totally geek out but I just may.... Instead it's this ongoing thing...

A story... when I was little I was a huge Star Trek the Next Generation fan. My dad and I watched it religiously, and I was at that right age to have a total kid crush on Wesley Crusher. I know, pathetic, but what can you say to a kid.... As I was watching the Guild when I was pregnant with my daughter (being I wasn't allowed to work) I was totally fascinated by this jerk of a character called Fawkes. Low and Behold it's my old childhood crush.... When I found that out I TOTALLY freaked out. Now once discovering this I started following his blog and has since very much enjoyed everything he has come to create in a career and as a Geek Icon. I am now an avid watcher of Table Top and follower of his Twitter feed.

What this has to do with conventions??? Well, Mr. Wil Wheaton will be attending Polaris, and I so don't have an extra $100 for entry, and possibly pics, and parking, in my budget after planning for Fan Expo this year.

So I "Le Sigh" and someday, when it is meant to be, I will meet all those I find to be interesting individuals. Those who inspire me to enjoy and embrace all the different parts of me, from the artist, to the geek and so on.

Until next time...
Angie

Fears, Obstacles and the Chorus of Idiots.

So as I had mentioned before I have finished chapter 2... which is namely about identifying and facing your fears. My issue?? I'm not really afraid of completion or creation. If anything at times I tend to be overconfident and believe that I can create/re-create most art I see....

I understand that there are a lot of reasons to have fears in the creation and the path of art. There are the fears of failure, persistence and rebuttal. But I have never truly feared any of these items. Instead my issues tend to consist of a lack of funding and what I like to call the Chorus of Idiots.

The chorus of idiots is that nagging discussion in the back of your head that seems to enjoy stating the most negative sentiments you can think of. Often they are along the lines of "why bother" and "what's the point" but I have managed to smack and beat the chorus down to a not so subtle mutter most the time. My chorus seldom seems to reflect my commitment or creation of art. Instead it they tend to be more centered around large sentiments that I know I am unable to do anything about.

So I'll keep beating back my chorus, and try to budget my funding within my desires to create. I still need to get my space together. It's just a matter of time... but patience is a virtue... right??

 So I will keep reading on and trying to find time between work, family and my 16 month old to get my art space together. When it finally is successful you will be one of the first to see it. :)

Until next time...
Angie