So, after bumming around y!Gallery for the last hour — and in particular, coming across this here — I've been inspired to make a belated New Year's resolution:

I will draw (and actually post) a minimum of one thing a month from now until 2011.

I know this probably won't seem like much to most of you... especially those who are fellow fanartists, because almost every other artist I know cranks out two or three pieces a month at a BARE MINIMUM.  But considering that I usually manage one or two things a year (not counting drawbles I do on the fly at cons, most of which NEVER GET SCANNED AND EMAILED TO ME, BLOODY HELL, WTF PEOPLE?), twelve pieces in twelve months is kind of a lot.

And: I need something that's going to light a fire under my hind regions!  Anything that'll get me to draw (and scan/post!), honestly.  Even if it's just a crappy resolution that I can only do my darndest to try and keep... it's still better than no motivation at all.


SO.  After hearts_and_guts is over and done with (read: March), I'll most likely be asking for prompts.  Maybe sooner... since, to keep this resolution in full, I'll have to draw something for February as well.  So, uh... look out for that!  You guys can feel free to start coming up now with things you'd like me to draw.

No promises... but there's certainly a better chance I'll draw something if you ask for it.  lol.

Okay, this is a question for everyone.  Don't just fill out the poll; give me your thoughts.  Even if you don't know me — if you're reading this, I want to hear your opinion!


I've been thinking a lot about custom-made LJ styles* lately (since looking through many of them while working on dethepisode and st_games).  And I've come to the conclusion that there are way more great ones than I myself could ever possibly use.

I'll be honest: some of the default styles I've seen people using are a bit hard on the eyes; or at best, pretty boring.  Yet of those on my f'list, hardly anyone uses a custom layout — despite the fact that they're free, much prettier than the lj default styles, and usually a snap to install.

So, I want to know...

Poll #1419078
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 2

Do you use a custom layout* for your journal?

If you don't, why not?

If someone (say, me) offered to help you pick out/install/customize a layout, would you be up for that?

Would the offer of a matching header and/or icon help persuade you?

Obviously if you answered "yes" to the first question, you can skip the next three. :P

Anyway... don't just vote, comment!  Tell me what you think about this, and why you are for or against custom styles.  I'm really curious, guys.

---

* Let me be clear: when I say "custom layout" or "...style," I'm not talking about taking an LJ default theme (that's those ones you chose from when you go to customize your journal) and changing a few colors, or adding your own header/background.  I'm talking about a layout custom made to be of a higher quality, by someone with a keen aesthetic eye and professional coding skills.

Check out the stuff at mintyapple, for example, to see what I mean.

So, once upon a time I planned to post this whole long thing about the fact that I'm into Metalocalypse now, and why.  But that... sorta never happened (though maybe it still will, who knows).  But!  I did promise all y'all more art.  So I thought I would just jump right into that instead.

As a substitute for the big long explanation, let me just say that most of the characters on this show are quickly becoming some of my favorite characters of all time — and Pickles the Drummer (or should it be "Pickles the Frontman," in this case?) is most certainly among them.  Also?  C'mon, you gotta love a fandom where men in makeup is canon.  I mean, guh.

Anyway, if you like the pic but don't know anything about the character and are curious, please do ask.  But more importantly... if you've never watched the show, OMG DO!  (I especially recommend the "big K" clip.  It both cracks me up and breaks my heart every time.)


...Right.  On to the arts!

( Unofficial notes, cut for those who don't careCollapse )


Title: Color Me Wonderful
Fandom: Metalocalypse
Subject: SNB-era Pickles, portrait
Rating: PG for mild androgyny
Medium: Colored charcoal
Disclaimer: I won't go into what would happen if I owned him. *cough*  But clearly, I do not.
Warning: Uh... man!jewelry?
Notes: You can't tell, but his headband says "slut."  Obviously, I need more practice with fabric folds.  ...Also?  I think I may just have to draw the other members of Snakes N' Barrels, now.  So, uh.  Watch out for that.

Preview:


( I love the 80sCollapse )

All comments (including con-crit), are welcome and encouraged; in fact, anyone who comments may request something for me to draw (please see unofficial note #7 for details).

If you are here from another community, please be so kind as to let me know where you're coming from.  Thank you!

Well, it's been a long time coming... but I finally have art for you.  I actually started this months ago, but had to put it off due to numerous RL demands; it's not technically done yet, since there is a colored version I'm still working on.  I hope to put that up within the next few weeks — whenever I have time to finish it.  But I've decided that I like the lineart so much, it deserves a separate post.

I know it's been a while, but in light of LJ's newly lifted restrictions, I definitely plan to be drawing and posting more.  For now... here's what may hopefully be the first of many:


( Unofficial notes, cut for those who don't careCollapse )


Title: N/A; lineart for "Grief"
Fandom: Harry Potter
Subject: James/Sirius
Rating: NC-17 for sex and partial nudity
Medium: Rough pencil sketch, cleaned up in Photoshop.  References used.
Disclaimer: James Potter, Sirius Black, and the HP universe belong to J. K. Rowling.  This art is not intended for underaged viewing.
Warning: NWS; angst, dubious consent... man!tears.
Notes: I like to think there is a backstory here.  My version goes something like this: ( spoilersCollapse )

...Of course, that's not set in stone; it's just one possibility.  Interpret this as you will, basically.

Preview:


( You can keep the shirt on.Collapse )


All comments (including con-crit), are welcome and appreciated; in fact, anyone who comments may request something for me to draw (please see unofficial note #4 for details).

If you are here from another community, please be so kind as to let me know where you're coming from.  Thank you!

Well, as promised (twice now; if anyone actually noticed), here are some sentence drabbles for you all in honor of my birthday.  And a couple of these are actually from requests, so yay on that as well. :P


Notes:

- The first PotC drabble is for drbillbongo.  (I also have your BBM one written, so that might be in the next batch.)  As to the pairing — you said Norrington/anyone.  So it's your own fault. *g*

- The second for PotC is actually a reference to a ficlet I'm working on (which is finished, but waiting to be beta read *cough*).  This is based on a line I liked but couldn't fit into the fic, so figured it would make a good drabble instead.

- The HP is for moshi, who's been waiting an insane amount of time for it.  Erm... sorry it took this long, darling. *guilty blush*

- kriken, your H/D's done... but didn't fit with Mosh's S/S, and I didn't want them competing for attention.  Should be up with the next batch, though.


( 2 PotC: Norrington/Elizabeth (Will/Elizabeth), Jack/NorringtonCollapse )

( 2 GO: War (War and DEATH), Aziraphale/CrowleyCollapse )

( 1 HP: Snape/Black (Harry, Remus)Collapse )


If anyone's interested (who hasn't read them all yet), more of these are here: one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven.

Feedback (including con-crit) would be lovely, as always. :)  And remember, anyone who comments is free to request up to three of these little things: give me a character or pairing and I'll [do my best to] write it for you!

Even if you already have some coming, don't hesitate to ask for more; I can always use the inspiration.  Just be sure it's a fandom I'm familiar with, and no crossovers (sorry... they're just too difficult for this venue).



ETA: On second thought, I've decided to take out the Lost drabble — it was getting kind of burried among the others, and I don't really think anyone would have noticed it.  Five's not too few, I suppose; I'll just repost that one with a different batch.

Honestly, what's more appropriate for these two than to have been born on April Fool's Day? :D  And in their honor, I have sentence drabbles for you all.  Non-HP ones, too, of course, so don't worry.  Um, yay?


(And, er... I wrote twincest, even.  Which is all kriken's fault, really.  She may even remember why.)

( 4 HP: Fred and George, Fred/George/Lavender, Fred/GeorgeCollapse )


( 1 AtS: Fred (Fred/Gunn, Fred/Wesley) / 2 PotC: Jack, NorringtonCollapse )


I was going to include an Alias one with these, too... but felt like it might be kinda wasted.  Show of hands, who here actually follows that?

Anyway, more of these are here: one, two, three, four, five, and six.  I should also note that moshi is currently doing sentence drabble requests as well, so everyone who likes these should get in on that.  I'm sure she's much better at them than I am. :P

 

So, poll-cutting may be a bad idea, methinks. :\

At least with little ones that don't take up much room (long stuff should always be cut, obviously).  I mean... out of the 30+ people who have me friended, only 8 voted in Monday's poll.  I highly suspect that at least some of that was due to the poll not being out in the open.  When you're scrolling along your friends page and see some radio buttons, it's easy enough to just pick one and click "submit," right?

Ok, I do realize that of those 30+ people not everyone actually reads my journal, and among those that do not everyone cares about Harry Potter or fanart.  But I could really use more votes, guys.  (And linking the poll on 12am_nosh or hp_fringeart would be really lame, right?  Yeah... I probably won't do that.)


I'll even gladly reward you with sentence drabbles:

Everyone who votes (including those that already have) may comment here with up to 3 characters or pairings and I will write something for each.  Just as long as it's a fandom I'm familiar with: that's HP, Buffyverse, Pirates of the Caribbean, Good Omens, or... well, if in doubt — ask, basically.


And speaking of requests: this weekend I will be working on/finishing up those celebratory drawbles I promised you all a while ago; if all goes well, they will be posted next week, maybe even as soon as Monday. :):)

That said, I'd like anyone who may've missed it to be aware that there is still one request spot left.  And it will go to the next person who asks for it.  ETA: Taken!