That Little Distraction

Well well well. School certainly has gotten in the way, hasn't it. I apologize for the long absence, but unfortunately have nothing to offer in penance. Heterochromia's essentially taken a break in the development process, and the pages have stayed at more or less the same state they were when I released last journal's progress figures. In truth, most of the humans on those pages have been drawn, just not... the aliens or backgrounds. Somewhat of a mental block, there. However, because I am oh-so-clever enough to combine schoolwork and pleasure, I am now obligated to finish the first four pages by the end of winter break... January 7th, about three and a half weeks from now. Sounds manageable. We'll see. So much else to do.

Before I Forget...

As seen on my white-board (translated from a salmagundi of French, Japanese and English):

"Page 1:
Pencils - 30%
Inks - 0%
Lettering - 30%
Toning - 0%
--------------
Total - 15%

Page 2:
Pencils - 78%
Inks - 65%
Lettering - 50%
Toning - 0%
--------------
Total - 48%

Page 3:
Pencils - 3%
Inks - 0%
Lettering - 5%
Toning - 0%
--------------
Total - 1.25% "

I'll let you cipher it out.

An Empyreal Return

Well, I neglected to post from France (although in all honesty, I had plenty of opportunity) simply because I had little to update. Let it be known that I did start writing for SeaFox... which, I am reminded, I still owe an explanation post for (for easy reference). Nonetheless, it was real writing this time, not just plotting--something I haven't done (on paper) for too long. I find it difficult to write, however, without a thesaurus or at least a dictionary nearby; not because I feel I must "spice up" my writing with fancier words, but because I often think of words of which I can recall only one sound and the meaning (thus a thesaurus is helpful in that I can look up the meaning and work backwards from there by sounds). When I write without one, the page is dominated with circles marking "filler" phrases to be replaced later. Not to mention strike-throughs of ungodly length for lack of backspace button (assuming I'm writing on paper, with my new French fountain pen).

Off

Off to France for me. Just thought I'd mention... Picking Heterochromia back up after putting it down for Finals. I even checked some writing books out of the library. Good signs, good signs.

Don't expect an update again till at least July. Unless I post from France. We'll see.

Dilemmachromia

I really have no time to be writing this. But as my friend mentioned the other day, "The best writing is done when there is no time." (Okay, so it's not an exact quote, but he should be happy I'm making his message poetic.) But I thought I should check in.

My current dilemma with Heterochromia (it should be noted that I adore being able to link to one page to give a basic explanation) is deletion. I've made it far more developed than I ever wanted, and now, I simply have to get rid of some things. If I keep those things, it simply isn't my original story anymore, it isn't the direction I want to take it. But that also means throwing away material I worked hard on (or, really, saving it for later use in something else). I just need to take a few steps back before I can step forward again, hopefully in the right direction this time :)

On a different note, when I get around to making Heterochromia, I know exactly what the different volumes will be called:

May Will Be Better

Yeah, yeah. A whole month went by, and not one post. I'm a bad person.

In truth, though, I just haven't made any big plot developments, nor any more half-finished concept art to show or anything. At the beginning of the month, I was really rarin' to go... Had the Copics all charged up, ready to color, but then... I just didn't finish anything. And then I kind of went off of Heterochromia because too many plot things weren't working. I didn't get stuck, but I just had to completely overhaul some of the ideas, which I just wasn't ready to do. Especially since I had nothing to replace them with.

I'm over that now, thanks to a combination of lovely HUGE headphones, Death Cab for Cutie (Plans), and sci-fi writing books. Maybe a little Dickens (Oh A Tale of Two Cities, thou art a cruel mistress... "what plate and jewels would tarnish in Tellson's hiding-places, while the depositors rusted in prisons..." Genius.

A Difference in Colouration Between Two Structures Normally Alike in Colour

That is, heterochromia (usually referring to the eye or iris).

Which, as it happens (by no coincidence at all), is the name of the comic for which I may now present some concept art. But first, an explanation of the story:
Some time ago (between ten and eighteen years prior to the story), an alien race called the Satekae came to Earth seeking its natural resources. The resident humans of the time, however, naturally objected to Satekae taking control of their resources. The conflict elevated to an all-out war. The great majority of humans were killed, but a limited number were taken as workers by the Satekae. For some time after, the humans were to severely oppressed that much of their knowledge and culture were lost. Now, however, the shock of enslavement is wearing off, and with it, the instinct to become free grows. Panima heads plans for rebellion against the Satekae, her methods favoring violence and vengeance over preservation of what is left of mankind. When Tamino, a man from the "superpower" government (in a similar way as the United States of America are considered a "superpower") of the galaxy shows up, however, Pan finds herself switching tactics, instead trying to gain his favor so that he will convince others from his government to order humans' freedom. What a long-winded explanation. But, I haven't written anything in a while... Give me a break.

Final Stretch

Aaaaand, we've reached it folks... The final stretch before Spring Break. Let's hope I can survive.

Shamefully, it's been probably over a month since I last posted. In the interest of full disclosure, though, both a lot of stuff and very little has been happening lately. That is, a lot of stuff has happened. After all, how does a month go by with no events? On the other hand, however, I feel I've made very little progress. Not necessarily little progress in my art-- I've actually managed to complete seven thumbnails of comic pages, as well as multiple character designs. Not necessarily little progress in my social life: I finally have a boyfriend, got to see some of my friends who graduated and moved away last year, and I met many new relatives earlier this month whom I had never met before. Academics have been moving fast, too; I'm really enjoying my Theatre Tech class, Honors English is... sweeping me along, and I feel like I'm struggling to stay afloat in Biology, despite my remarkable grades. But, I'm still in the same place, in the same mind (thus very little has been happening). Am I a rock, steadfast as life moves by me? Oh, what a cliché claim. Maybe I've just cut myself off from the world; I haven't yet made much of a dent in it. Perhaps that's what I need. A dent to point to and say, "That was me. This is mine."

Hello Again, I Haven't Died

Once again, I apologize for the lack of updates-- I don't even really have an excuse this time. Well actually, I do: I've done so many sketches that when I try to merge the sketches, Photoshop crashes. It's true. So I thought I'd try finishing a sketch before I post it. And then I did some character concept pages, yet to be finished, but close. I'm also working on thumbnails for some pages of a new sci-fi I'm working on. I would post them, but they're really rough, and since I haven't designed the aliens yet, I've substitued Daleks XD Maybe I'll post the thumbs if I go back and add the aliens in.

Come to think of it, I did finish something, and I think you're going to like it:
http://www.geocities.com/prizm_wolfdance/Rotoscope1.swf
Mais ouis. Hope you don't mind the watermark-- I don't want it stolen.

In other news, I have entered the next year of my life (but I won't tell you which one ^_~ ) And because of that, I now HAVE A WII. So don't expect a lot of updates after this XD It was a big surprise-- I never expected to get one, much less from the person who gave it to me. Not only that, they gave me The Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess, and my boyfriend gave me Harvest Moon (for Gamecube) I'm so excited!

I also saw Music and Lyrics. I thought it was pretty good (which should count for something, since I don't really like romantic comedies, and think Hugh Grant can be kind of iffy sometimes (though I do like Drew Barimore) )

Day One

Ar, I apologize for the lack of updates x_x I've been very, very busy recently, mostly due to Finals. But! I am working. There will soon be things upon which to feast the eyes; character designs, other concept pictures, and perhaps even a little rotoscoping venture of mine.

Today was the first day of second semester, including a period of independent study. This means that, every other day, I will have just over two free hours in which to animate to my heart's content :D Be expecting great things from me! I'm excited and optimistic.

So, I don't really have anything relating to my story(ies) ready to show you, but I guess I can post some sketches I have done of my friend's novel. Apparently, I've been imagining most of her characters completely wrong, though. It's her fault anyway, for not describing them, so there. Anyway, enjoy, even if you have no idea what these sketches are of:

I hate drawing stacks of books. They are obscenely hard, and not all that satisfying at times. They're all... skew. Ah well. That's what that thing is by the door, by the way (with the triangular prism floating over it)

Also, I'm now obsessed with the show with Zefrank.

Snow Day and Storyboarding

Snow pours down over the whole area, and school is canceled--Meaning, a four-day weekend (thanks to MLK) .

Perhaps its because I'm worried I'll just let this blog die that I feel very anxious to update again... Afterall, it has onlhy been three days since my first post. Nonetheless, I wouldn't post if I didn't have some sort of news, and here it is:


Although hard to see at that size (click for bigger size), as well as very rough and by no means finished, this is the opening sequence (or at least, what is currently planned to be the first sequence) for an animation I hope to do in the near future. In all honesty, I didn't know what was happening in the scene when I wrote/drew it for this--I don't really know what all I'm going to animate. Ah well, it seemed natural. Plus, I do really like the second and third frames... especially for the small amount of time in which I sketched them. I should work with my tablet more often.

Azeri Itsas

This particular blog, in essence, exists to track a creative journey. How cliché sounding, eh? It's true, though-- Would I lie to the general public? ~_^ As my first post, this is also my Artist's Statement. I will be learning to animate, hopefully, as well as improve my general drawing, HTML/CSS/web design, and writing skills. I've got a lot to learn, but I think I have a good start and a great amount of ambition. And so, I begin, with my new website, AzeriItsas. [Which has not yet been published, but will be up soon, hopefully]

The name Azeri Itsas is from Basque: "Sea Fox" (or, word-for-word, "Fox Sea"...). You see, the original name was intended to be Navy [blue] Fox. However, I prefered the sound of "Azeri Itsas" to "Azeri Itsasurdin"... less long-winded, as well as less intimidating. I do have to admit that I don't speak Basque... I merely wanted something that meant "Fox," but had a better sound. I went through a lot of languages... Zorro, Renarde, Volpo, Volp, Vulp, etc (many stemmed from "Vulpes," the scientific name for foxes) And why "Sea Fox"? [or originally, why "Navy Fox"?] A lengthy dissertation, for which I apologize:

My online alias is Konayashi, given to me by friends who needed a better name than my real one to call me when speaking Japanese (my real name has an incredible number of sounds difficult to pronounce in Japanese) . It stems from "kon," the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound a fox makes, if I am correct. Also "hayai," meaning agile, clever, nimble, or something to that effect (or possibly that is only the name for the kanji... 捷い Unfortunately, I do not possess a great knowledge of the Japaneses' kanji system) My new blog has maintained this name. This was perverted by bad memory, and became "ayashi." So essentially, and by exceedingly manipulated translation, my name is "clever fox" [more accurately, it'd be something like "yip swift" Hohoho XD ] "Kon," as a kanji, can also mean "now," "spirit," or "navy blue." Thus, I have played on "fox" and "navy" from the same word to get Azeri Itsas.
[Edit] After additional research, fueled by the title "Ayashi no Ceres" (a manga series by Yuu Watase, by the way) I discovered that "ayashi" was indeed the word my friend had suggested; however, it is occasionally spelled with an extra "i" at the end (something to do with adjectives? Just a guess at Japanese grammar) thus my difficulty in finding the word using a translator. I still believe that she was mistaken in suggesting it--rather than the intended meaning, "mysterious," the kanji 怪しい is usually translated, "dubious," "suspicious," or "doubtful." Though there is a different kanji with the same meaning, but with a root that can mean "attractive," "bewitching," and "calamity" : 妖しい . To my amusement, the same root is used in 妖艶 (youen), translating, as I understand, "fascinating," and "voluptuous" as well as another word, 妖術 (youjutsu) : "black magic," "black art," "witchcraft," "sorcery." And other words, of course... (youkai). Ah, fun with language. However, I like "hayai." I know what I want it to mean, and how it best translates. [/Edit] Quite incidentally, (although it seems as though they would be connected, the two reasons are unconnected except by this website's name) myself and my fellow artist Koru created a manga / graphic novel named "Sea Fox"... another reason for me to settle on "Azeri Itsas" versus "Azeri Itsasurdin."

Undoubtedly, I will discuss this book later, as well as many other current projects. However, it occurs to me that this particular entry has gone a bit long... I don't want to drive people away by sheer length. For now, know that I have a deviantArt account, on which I have posted much of my art: http://konayashi.deviantart.com Please check that out ^_^

As a last note, please feel free to correct me on any of my language mistakes, by the way. Language is another subject I find interesting, and I'm always interested to learn more, about just about any language.