J-Art

Juno in Markers

2008-07-19T11:45:00.001-07:00

One of the pieces I did for Rally's Donation Drive of Juno in markers. This was a fun project though it took longer than I would have liked. It's 9in by 12in using both Copics and Prismacolor markers. I'm gonna try to do another one like this to put in the Otakon Art Show for Rally's Donation Drive as well.

Otakon is coming up pretty fast and I planned to do more sketchcards. Now that I have a good selection of markers it should be a lot easier to accomplish but I still need to go pick up some new bristol board. I haven't been arting lately to tell the truth - I've been working on my music. Which is a good thing but also a bad thing - I've fallen away from my art because of it, music being my first passion. So getting back into SCD has been tough. But I'm working on some inking and pencils for Chapter 8 now. Hopefully I can regain the steam.

Marker!

2008-06-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

First piece of marker work that I've done since 2003. Applied a lot of my digital tricks to the shading - it's not too bad but it's not that great either. But it's a start. And it's Rally! Who I've never drawn before. :D

Here's my second one:
Which turned out a lot better but the scanner really just can't capture the right.. well, anything. But woot - hopefully I can finish a few more before I leave.

Third I did Iron Man - same pose as my big picture. Actually was able to duplicate it pretty well with the exception of the hands/arms and details of the armor. I think this one turned out loads better marker wise. Course, it is Tony Stark. Maybe I'll do my boy Remy next. XD

Ace o' hearts or Ace o' diamonds, cher? Yer choice.

And I think that's all for this con. Needed to start a few days earlier than just the day before. :/

ACen and Colors!

2008-05-13T22:00:00.001-07:00

I haven't gotten to work on Chapter 8 as much as I would have liked to lately but here are some of the shots out of it of what I've gotten to do so far. I like how my style has matured here lately. I'm starting to fall in love with it again. :D

I'll be at Anime Central this weekend. I'm happy to be showcasing off some new art finally. I'm gonna take along a colored version of Rogue and Gally (which Sloo did. It's awesome!) and a few new SCD pieces.

More lately though I've been working on music rather than art. Art's suffering because of it as I work on SCD Chapter 1 for Diamond Distribution. It'll be worth it. CDs go on preorder today. I hope to god it gets enough support to be seen through. *crosses fingers*

Gally and Letting Go

2008-04-30T22:05:00.001-07:00

Finished Gally while at New York Comic Con and was very thankful that she didn't sell since I wouldn't have had any scan of her at all. I'm very happy with this one and I'm glad I took my time on her.

It was hard to get the originals to sell at NYCC. They were in a big portfolio with the prints so they weren't right now there for people to see and buy. Rogue did leave us however and she was the only original that sold. I'm planning to redo the pencils for Gambit and finish Storm for Anime Central as well as think of some other art to do. Anyone have any recommendations?

Rogue

2008-04-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

This is number 3 of 8 of the images I'm gonna have for sale at New York Comic Con and thereafter, if they don't sell in New York. Rogue! Sam is convinced that I subconsiouslessly am Rogue what with my obsession with all things cajun, duo-colored hair (usually - I've been slacking off lately), souther twang, and love for green... amongst other things. I can't remember what all she said. But I like this one. I really wanted to go for different on the face and in the eyes. Damn me if she came out looking just like Juno or any of my other faved characters. Spent a lot of time designing her hairstyle. I'm very pleased. I'll be sad to see her go if she sells.

Orphaned Works Bill

2008-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

There's a LOT of hoopla going on about this but to state the simple facts:

This is a bill which seeks to limit liability for artists, educators and others who make a “reasonably diligent search” to find a copyright holder but cannot, is a significant improvement over the draft bill proposed by the Copyright Office in February.

What the bill does (as stated by www.publicknowledge.org)

It prohibits injunctions when the user of an orphan work “recasts, transforms, adapts or integrates the [orphan] work with the [user’s] original expression in a new work of authorship….” This ensures that the publication of transformative works that may include the entirety of an orphan work will not be able to be stopped by a court.
It requires the Copyright Office to make available information that will help users understand what might constitute a reasonably diligent search.
The bill makes clear that in determining the “reasonable compensation” an orphan works user must pay should the orphan works owner reappear, the owner has the burden of establishing the amount that a willing buyer and willing seller would have agreed to.
The bill eliminates a provision that would have required the rules to sunset after 5 years.

While this bill does not "legalize" theft as many are taking it to mean, it does put more emphasis on the registration of the individual's works. If you use "poor man's copyright" for example your work is not protected in court. This bill does not protect users against damages, nor does it provide any safe harbor clauses if an orphaned works' owner appears - e.g. a clause which prohibits any payment if a user immediately ceases using the orphan work when an owner reappears, to apply both to commercial and non-commercial uses.

This obviously has concerns for small artists who work to make profit off their works and especially those who do not have works registered with the copyright office.

The bill is on the fast track and is expected to be in front of the subcommittee this Wednesday. If you disagree with this bill please sign the petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/dAvsOW/petition.html

And to get ahead of the game, start getting your arts, writings, etc together for registration at the copyright office:
www.copyright.gov

It costs a little more than $30 to get a bulk sum of stuff registered. So get to it.

Your Good Friend Sweeney

2008-04-11T10:14:00.001-07:00

So I'm not so happy with Mrs. Lovette but I'm pretty happy with Mr. T there.

I was recently told a few times that my style had gotten jagged and harsh. Which is weird to me I guess because I thought it always had been harsh. I wonder if it's the digital inking on the comic - this one's not digitally inked, obviously. Comments like that always make me think way too hard and way too long. Damn my insatiable need to please people. :/

Snikt, baby

2008-04-07T20:08:00.001-07:00

So one of the things I'm working on here lately is a slew of fanart images for New York Comic Con which is coming up here next week. My plan is to do fanart of Storm, Batman, the Joker, Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovette, Gally/Alita, Gambit and Rogue. Sweeney's gonna be the next fanart I post and it's turned out quite nicely I think. :)

This blog was created...

2008-04-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

With the intentions of being an Art blog. I draw lots of stuff. Okay, I draw lots of crap. Some of which is kinda neat. As a sort of interlude between comics this site will be where you can find the mystical magical artistic rantings of the Juno. If you wish to find the mystical magical rantings of my mind you can check out jLife aka vague-inklings.

If you wondering what this is all about, you should probably start here.