An Uru related project

So, this week I just got into playing Uru Live or MOUL.  I was apparently what is called an alpha beta tester, so I never played the game online once it was distributed to everyone and had a fee to play.  I didn't want to ask my parents to pay for that.  But now it's free!

Once I linked into Gahreesen I found a helmet I used to kick around back in the day.  As an artist, I became really intrigued by it and began doing research.  Long story short, it's an old Guild of Maintainers helmet, and it looks like this:

 

Then, as a cosplayer, I decided I want to make it.  Thing is, I have never had to make something like that.  All I've done is clothes.  I have a friend helping me out from deviantART who knows how to do this kind of thing.

So once I begin the whole process, I will post my WIP here.  I hope it comes out right, because I want others to cosplay this as well and maybe use this as a guide or to build upon for better results.

Here's a study of the Maintainer's suit from 3/4 view:

Wish me luck!

Planning for Selling

Well, I've come to that point in my life where I'm willing to sell prints of my work at the conventions I go to.  I'm having to build up my fan art selection, so my personal art has been going towards that.  Here's some things to expect:

Yeah, I'm bad about renaming my layers.  I should probably do that...

But yes, top is Neytiri from Avatar, and bottom is Princess Yue from Avatar:  The Last Airbender.

Jewelry

I've been making jewelry as a hobby for a couple of years now, and I only just began to sell them.  I'm not doing so well on the selling part, so I mostly just wait until someone asks to buy (or commission) a piece.

I've always liked the idea of owning a skeleton key, whether it be to open a chest full of memories, or to wear around my neck just for looks, and whenever I got into Steampunk, I started searching eBay for these keys.  I never knew how much people were willing to pay for these things!  It's so hard to buy these keys in bulk, because there is always someone out there willing to pay much more than what I'd like to pay.  It's even harder to buy the ornate keys (which I usually have to buy one at a time expensively).

At first, I was only going to make these necklaces as costume jewelry, for I am into cosplay and wanted to cosplay a Steampunk character wearing a beautiful necklace with a skeleton key.  But then I decided that skeleton key necklaces should proudly be worn any day, and I wear my personal collection of Steampunk inspired necklaces with any outfit they match (I've actually never worn one with my costume yet.  Go figure!).

Now, I say it's Steampunk inspired because I am aware that the Steampunk genre usually has some sort of dystopian society, and in that kind of society they probably didn't wear necklaces like these.  Although, I sort of imagine it like the Great Depression, where any former richly clung to their last memories of the good 'ol days.

For those that do not know, I'm currently writing a book about a world where 20 keys possess 20 different powers, and are passed down from generation to generation to preserve peace around the globe.  The Key Bearers can only have the power of their key if they hold it, and prolonged exposure will result in death.  The story begins with a fire and a girl who has no memory of what happened.  Only the protruding stone of amber fused to her chest can tell her tail, for inside that stone lies the key to her past, present, and future.

My necklaces that feature keys are inspired by my story.  Whether it gets published is questionable, but it will always be my muse.

1.  Reconfigure-  sold

     based on the key of elemental transmutation

2.  Revenant-  sold

     based on the key of revenant communication

3.  Parylull-  not for sale

     based on the key of teleportation

4.  Lineage-  not for sale

     this is the first necklace I ever made

5.  Ethereal-  sold

     features a silver watch gear

I am currently making more to sell that features skeleton keys, and once I am finished with those, I will post them here as well as a link to where I will be selling them.  If you, or anyone you know, are interested in what I make, send out the word!

At a Stand Still

 WIP environment for my senior animation.  I've still got a long way to go with this one...  I like my lamps though.

Currently, I'm taking classes that I'm sure will consume me by mid-terms, but right now I have some time to work on things outside of homework.  I'm nervous about turning in my book for publishing.  I don't know who would read it or even buy it.  I guess that's the risk you have to take.

I'm thinking about startings a vlog, but the only reason I would is to have something else I can put in my portfolio.  I want to combine 2D animation with my live action vlogging as I discuss things that only I really care about.  I think it would be a fun way to integrate my animation skills with my editing skills.  I'd call it The Hopeless Imagination of Rachel Van D. just because all my other titles sucked...

Current Status in Life

I've been told to keep this blog up even though I probably won't turn in any followers.  I just figured since I have no followers I wouldn't have to worry about updating it.

Life seems to throw me some odd lemons that seem too tough to make lemonade out of.  For starters, it's hard for someone like me who has never had a job to find even an internship.  Well there are plenty of internships, but they always ask for the person to know a lot in some program I've never even heard of.  I can't even get an internship in filing things.

I've tried looking for some part and full time jobs in my area, and I found one that may take me, but their add seemed a little desperate and makes me think.  I'll go check it out some time next week.

I have a feeling that no matter how good I am at anything, some sort of road block I never knew could come will get in my way of getting a job.  I'm trying to think positively, but it's a little hard.  There's so much pressure on me finding a job (in my field) before August.  If I can't find anything, I have to crawl back to South Carolina, live under my in-law's roof, and hopefully find any job somewhere close to the nowhere I used to live so that I can start paying off my school debt.

It would be a shame to pay off the bills to a degree I'll never use.

I have been a fan of the Myst games ever since I played the first.  I loved the challenge of each puzzle, and for each game I refused to reference a walkthrough to guide me.  I used a pencil and a sketchpad, and I would say that due to these games, I was not only able to think through something, but to draw environments and creatures and things I wouldn't normally draw.

All of the games had wonderful stories and adventures that took you to gorgeous Ages.  It was always so inspiring, and anytime I get artist's block, I run to one of my Myst games and pop it into my cd drive.

In the first Myst game, the library is full of very interesting stories, all of which I have read.  I don't remember them all now, but I guess that just means i need to go back and read them again.

The one game out of the series that captivated me the most was Myst III:  Exile.  It stars Brad Dourif as the Villain, Saavedro.  Man, did he have a crazy past.  That is one game where I would say it's crucial to read the journal.  Sometimes you can get away with not reading a lick of the journals (but what's the fun in that?), but you lose so much story with Saavedro by neglecting his journal.

I try not to do much fan art, but I can hardly help myself when it comes to something so that has had so much impact on my life.

Christmas Break is Upon Me!

Intro to Sequential is over, sadly.  I rarely get to have a class where I have fun the whole quarter.  I think it also helped that I came into the class knowing almost nothing about sequential art, except for the duh stuff.  Honestly, I don't think I'd ever pursue it as a career, but I think I will keep it up as a fun personal thing to do in my free time.

My biggest fail with this class has been my backgrounds.  I've found that when I am restricted to black and white only, I can't figure out how to handle the background without it being too busy.  Maybe I should have just stuck with busy because I think it's going to cost me more than I want it to.

I'm starting to work in toonBOOM, though, so my focus is now back to animation.  After working in this program and being able to do frame by frame animation from rough tests to completed color, I get a sense of assurance that I am, indeed, graduating from the right major.  Everything from character design to animating seems so natural, and above all else, fun!  I am excited for my future.