Ever know all the theory, all the rules, all the tips... and just suck *completely* at applying them?
I cannot make dynamic lines in figures work for me. It just doesn't happen. I *know" how it's supposed to work. But it's like my brain says 'No! Bones can't squash and stretch and curve like that! Stop defying anatomy!'

For an artist, I'm uncreative and unimaginative. My ultimate goal is realism because I can just translate the real world to paper without having to interpret it artistically. I have zero art education (which is probably painfully obvious to anyone who has) and have no intention of getting one either (I'm a Unix Sysadmin. Taking time off work to do an art degree would be a huge waste of time, because I don't want a career in art)

I guess this means ultimately I'm pretty screwed and will have to continue to fumble along with my painfully logical brain. Ah well. At least people will know why

Today marks the launch of 'Dreamless', a brand new graphic novel written by Bobby Crosby (Marry Me, Last Blood) and illustrated by yours truly.

[link]

Updates will be on Mondays. Because I don't have enough to do already, lol (Phoenix Requiem will continue to update Mon/Thur each week!)

Finally, Inverloch 2 & 3 are now available on Indy Planet. It's kind of a shame that I had to go digital print on demand, but the published versions just weren't selling enough for the publisher to be happy. Maybe better luck with Phoenix? So far, not

Tinyurl / psychotic-Dragon / Shadilyn ftw! Now with links!

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

I wonder if I should put up some of my really old artwork here. None of it is representative of my skill these days of course, and most of it embarrasses me But there are a couple of gems that I think most people won't have seen because they don't know about my 'other' website.

I just think that most people won't read the information and won't realise it's old and start dishing out critiques. I dunno. =/

Okay, I think I just submitted the Haunted Jonas painting as a print, but I've not done this before =/

So I did a painting. And I had fun! Although now it's done I'm starting to see all the flaws (need to force myself to do more light/dark contrast, darnit), but I certainly feel like I outdid myself. I didn't actually expect to produce something I was actually proud of for once.

ANYWAY!

I want to do more paintings, but my problem is I'm terrible at coming up with ideas. I'm thinking of doing something with Robyn set in the wars, next.

But if anybody else has some cool ideas (of my characters, of course...), anything you'd like to see them painted in... leave a comment! ^_^

So, I was looking at all my old files at the weekend. From the old days before I started doing comics, and spent all my free time trying to learn how to paint digitally.

It was then that I realised I haven't completed a full traditional-style painting - the sort with full backgrounds, and no lineart - since 2004. I've done a handful of character portraits, but as far as I'm concerned, they don't count

So I've decided to do a painting, and with any luck, this time I'll finish it. Time to see if I've learnt anything from doing all those comic frame backgrounds!