I found some time to practice on observational sketching, which I used to do a lot in the past when I first got into pen lineart. (These days I simply doodle mindless crap in my notebook too much..) Here are two of Ohno’s:
01. 「天然ですよ、こいつ！」He’s such a natural, Satoshi.
02. In the spotlight. The photo of Ohno mid-jump is so amazing, yet my sketch doesn’t do justice to the elegance portrayed at all.
That’s all for now, I might post more sketches on different subjects in the days to come.
01.
(courtesy of fromapapercup, 2007, because she let me ❤ )
I borrowed this particular photo for the purpose of illustrating some things, and after a round of psd, I showed g the results. Well you see, the thing about black and white photos is that the lack of colour obscures the sometimes unfortunate palette, in this case those hideous tones of green, the composition presents.
Now I can’t tell real grass from weed because it’s too much of a mess, methinks. It makes me wish that she was on an artificial grass patch when she snapped that shot. This is how it should look like:
02.
The benefits of an artificial grass patch include the time and effort it saves you on its maintenance that frees up enough time for you to organise a picnic with some sophisticated pocky, milk tea and delectably sexy ice pop made with bloody real fruit juices, with an entourage of your classified potentials to boot.
Besides, you honestly wouldn’t mind being on it barefoot cause there’ll hardly be any insect heading in the direction of your little tea party anyway.
03.
On the other hand, when it comes to the real kind of grass you find in green meadows and on mountain tops, treading on it is definitely out of the question.
When you imagine the unknown lurking beneath the soles of your shoeless feet, the dreadfulness – very much like accidentally stepping on a delicate animal, for example a beautiful swan – the kind that sends you leaping, shoots up both legs and much more if you actually do happen to step onto it.
The feeling clings like a leech you can’t shake off. (come to think of it, some people are also like leeches, no? just saying, lol)
04.
In the event that you really squashed the poor creature, an overwhelming gut-churning sensation would follow, not in the breathtaking way but that of which automatically renders you breathless, don’t you think?
*gasp! gasp!*
05.
A situation like this can be fatal, so at the very least, get the hotties to dial home first. You would be considered lucky if you even happen to have an inhaler along in your black picnic box.
On closer inspection, though, it says:
06.
However it does the trick of restoring your breath is beyond me. In your state of semi-consciousness, you woefully spin a coin – behold! your personal totem! – and wills it not to fall, while going off on a tangent, thinking maybe you’d still like to hop by (for the reason why they invented convenience stores) and extract inspiration nested within the synapses of your neighbour’s head after all.
Probably because your own originality has long emigrated to limbo and refused to find its way back.
07.
Dang! It dawned upon me swiftly that in reality that the green grass tones are still hideous, and the results of ignoring that in favour of black and white will barely make the cut as anything very awe-inspiring.
So I guess in future, having gained this insight, I would have to happily make do with a highly feathered standard blue border effect, using psd, framing every picture hereafter.
P/s: Oh by the way, if you haven’t noticed, I’ve given the picture a watermark – how’s that FTW! So uber original I can’t help but heart it ❤ The other day, I also read a wonderful article by Keri Smith which you can find HERE.
Watching Case 39 recently had me google for the amazing child actress, whom I found out to be Jodelle Ferland who also starred in Silent Hill the horror film that had created a lasting impression when I saw it about four years back, and both were filmed around the same time. She’s 15 now, no longer a “child”, but I think Jodelle has really unique features that you might find a wee bit asian, if you squint (my mind keeps morphing this drawing into Inoue Mao lol). At the age of 11 she pulled off such a difficult and easily stereotyped role in Case 39, which was truly impressive. I can’t even comprehend what I was thinking at that age, let alone make putting myself in another’s shoe seem so effortless.
It’s been a while! Two sketches born while taking a break in the office; obviously #2 took more time, because awww she’s so so so cute <3 (but I drew a terrible hand, what happened!) Oh, and my hair’s wavy like hers now.
Work has been good so far (y)
A couple of selected sketches out of the whole lot that I did while cracking up at the video. Sketched in black ink on paper, coloured in Photoshop – I had to force myself to stay away from the Smooth Round brushes :< Colour scheme was referenced from arnistotle @ DA. Comments are greatly appreciated! <3
Clearly I’ve never known of the hassle that comes attached with the beautiful picture depicted by “WINTER” until I started shopping for appropriate clothes, and then deciding what exactly to wear is altogether a different issue. Due to my non-existent fashion sense, I painstakingly mixed and matched them, noting down so I would be at least a mile away from becoming a walking fashion disaster on the streets of ZOMG Japan.
First of the many firsts of this year (oh, did I mention we are ALL freaking celebrating our twenty firsts?): a holiday trip with the family to Nagoya and Osaka during winter from Jan 15-22. Is this too awesome or what??
I know it’s been long overdue – one year, spell y.e.a.r – the concert report for the finale of AAA 08 in Shanghai, but heck! Without finishing it, I’ll owe myself another one *with a kazillion and satozillion moments worth spazzing about*, that is Arashi’s 5×10 Anniversary concert in Nagoya Dome~~~~~~!!! Finale show :D This is so thrilling – the mental image of meeting them upfront again in Jappoland – that I might just pass out from an Arashi overdose at the concert XD
So far things are looking good; I’ve recovered from my bout of illnesses and more than ready to embrace the chilly winds (and snow? pretty please??); my packing is almost done and I’m only missing several items like a new wallet and a light coloured scarf; I got new brown coloured contacts today when I went to have my eyes checked, etc. Yet the itinerary is still undone. Omg.
Hello!Japan in about 24 hours :)
