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art is fun but not easy...
Natasha by pentapus
astridv
I finished the coloring of the cover page I've been working on, more or less. Normally I know if a piece of art is working but I've stared at this page too long, I just can't tell. About half of the page features a little creek. I'm usually good with water but here I'm stuck a bit. I'm reasonably sure it needs only a few effects for finishing touches, but it's like the final image is in the corner of my mind and I can't focus on it. I think I'll go through all my comics and look for inspiration.

This is neither commissioned work nor fanart... first time in ages. This is a kids book project of my own which I intend to shop around soon and I feel like it has to turn out 100% perfect. I'm way more relaxed when I'm working for a client.

Also a tad worried because it's a pop-up book, and I imagine those are a hard sell. It can't be a coincidence that most of the pop-up books I've seen here were licensed from the US or UK. I love what I got so far, and designing the 3D elements was the most fun and satisfying work I've done in a long, long time. I feel like this is my *thing*. Even in high school I was mostly tinkering in 3D, the only drawings I did were in class. I drew through all my classes. But at home I made models.

Anyway, so I love the pop-up thing but now that the dummy is almost complete, I'm thinking that before I send it out, I might also write an alternative version of this story that would work in good old 2D. Because ultimately I want to illustrate one of my own kids stories for once.

Also, my back hurts because I sat hunched over my desk and it's been raining all day and I haven't had any workout today and bleh, weather, either go all-out winter or springy, please. Not... this!

Found a download for Hansel and Gretel which dl'd super-fast, and the picture isn't half bad either. But the sound is awful and it's not full length. Now I'm torn because this movie is exactly what I want on this rainy day, but I don't want to waste my first viewing on a bad copy.

I shall be patient. (But the opening credits rock, I can already tell.)

Wow, that got rambly. :D

Originally posted at Dreamwidth. Comments: comment count unavailable

Hansel and Gretel isn't out for another two weeks here, so I must admit, I'm tempted by the thought of a download. But I managed to resist with The Hobbit...

Well, let me know if you'd like the link I used (if it's still up, they fade fast). But yeah, I can't really rec it, it's not a good copy. I'm hoping a better one will pop up in a few days.

I would love to watch it at the theatre but I don't know if we'll get an English-language copy. The big movies tend to but I dunno if this one qualifies. (And no way I'm watching Jeremy Renner dubbed!)

On the upside, I saved your fic until it was complete and the past nights I was too tired to read... so I have a nice long story about my favorite assassins to read tonight. :)

Yeah, I'll look for a better one in a few days. I'll see it in theatres anyway, I mainly want a download because a) I'm impatient for the Renner, b) I can't handle gore that well so I want to know when to look away. :P

On the upside, I saved your fic until it was complete and the past nights I was too tired to read... so I have a nice long story about my favorite assassins to read tonight. :)

Yay! *flails happily* I hope you enjoy it, I can't wait to see what you think!

That pop-up book sounds like a fabulous project! I wish I could see it. I shall keep my fingers crossed in the hopes that a publishing house will pick it up.

As for Hansel und Gretel - they filmed (a bit) here in Braunschweig! Apparently, there is a sequence about the burning of a witch which was done on our "Burgplatz" :)
I'm not entirely sure I want to watch that movie. I would have to be in a splatter mood.

:)

I shall keep my fingers crossed in the hopes that a publishing house will pick it up.

Thank you. :)

The movie looks quite splattery indeed... but it also doesn't seem to take itself too seriously so I think I'll be able to deal with the gory parts. I can't take dark violence at all. The more realistic, the worse.

Braunschweig, really? How cool. Did you see them shoot?

I adore pop up books. I'm sure they're expensive to make, but they're very popular here in the US. We even have pop up cards.

I hate that moment in art when you've worked with an image so long that it's impossible to tell whether it's working or not, or whether the brain is just tired of it or in love with it. I've been doing some fiber-arts work that I am seriously unable to parse outside my own emotional reaction. I know that means I'm really stretching myself as an artist, but jeez, I wish it was easier!

I hate that moment in art when you've worked with an image so long that it's impossible to tell whether it's working or not, or whether the brain is just tired of it or in love with it.

Yeah. It helps to mirror the image (which I did and it wasn't encouraging) but sometimes you just need to step back and look at different things for a day or two. So today I purposefully didn't look at it.

I've never heard of fiber-arts, just googled it: looks very interesting!

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit my current project, because it is so silly.

But--I got into kind of a debate about what was a comic. Some people, apparently, believe Dennis the Menace isn't a comic. But that the Bayeux Tapestry *is*. Which I found kind of baffling but fascinating.

I've always loved to work in fiber, and I've finished up a few quilts (it's a traditional art form in my particular locale, but like many really traditional arts, it feels more like something you just do. If that makes sense. Doesn't everybody make applique quilts for loved ones? No? Huh. Weird.)

Anyway, I got this completely batty idea of making a quilt comic book. Totally LOLWHUT, but I am having an absolute blast.

I'm making each 'page' a little quilt (about 12" x 15"). I have a plan for making the stacked quilts work as a 'book', but I'm not sure whether it will work.

I'm calling it The Bayeux Llama, and it's about a llama superhero who battles a jaguar. It's...well, what can I say. I'm sure my blog editor thinks I'm nuts, but I'm having a great time.

Wow, that sound really cool. Do you have any images online?

Drawing a comic is a helluva lot of work to begin with, what must it be like to sew one!

Some people, apparently, believe Dennis the Menace isn't a comic. But that the Bayeux Tapestry *is*. Which I found kind of baffling but fascinating.

Huh, that's a baffling view, indeed.

Of course, the Bayeux tapestry and Dennis are both comics in my book. That's the cool thing, it can be such a versatile medium. Not a silly project at all. Rather, the total opposite!

good luck with your project.

Oooh, I hope things go well with your project. I <3 pop-up books.

Man, I want to watch Hansel and Gretel but not if it's a bad copy. *waits patiently for a better release*

Hee, your icon!

Pentapus made the icon! I love her art style.

I love pop-ups too. I really buy them for myself, because that old fascination is still there. I wish they were more popular here.

Me too. I remember some SGA icons, especially one that has Rodney hugging a ZPM to his chest. <3!

The pop-up sounds awesome! Wishing good things for you.

Let me know what you think of H&G. You know of my love for Jeremy Renner, but I haven't been able to bring myself to see it yet. The trailer did absolutely nothing for me.

Will do. :) Provided I ever find a copy, siigh.

Yo, just found a download with better sound quality and watched it, and you know what, I totally enjoyed it. It was fun. I'm looking forward now to watching it properly at the movies or on DVD (my copy was pretty radically cut). The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, which is as it should be, and it's not an over the top parody either. So yeah, I like!