Leaderboard Rankings (again, again)!!

It was such a surprise to log on to theotaku today, and find myself at number 2:DD

My picture was also number two on the front page. I wasn't too happy with the picture, but I'm glad people took time to look at it.

Yeah, I don't know why random things keep on popping up on my laptop screen from the top; I just ignore it-__-;

(edit: I logged in another 12 hours later... I was still number three:O)

How nostalgic

My dad just got back home from the library and shoved this book about Japanese Animation in my face.There was a picture of Ikkyu san (we called it 'yut yow'). I didn't know it was called that~ I remember watching it as a kid when I lived in Hong Kong during the ages of five to around seven *starts bawling* I still have episodes of it on VHS in Cantonese. Myanimelist just informed me there are 298 episodes. I-I don't think I've seen that many.

I would totally watch it all if I had the time and patience.

When I went to Kinkakuji in 2005 and 2008, my mum pointed out that was where he lived! I was always upset when they talked about his separation issues with his mother, and how he got a man tou tied around him when he was a baby:( でもね、本当に懐かしすぎる！OPとEDは今聞いているんだ。

I saw a girl I gifted chibi bait to on tinierme had a hard time accepting 'crappy gifts from people'. In that case I wish I could take back my gift you *$#%&. I don't mind if people give me doubles of what I already own or items that aren't rare. I'm always up for presents. I just thought I'd give bait because it's usable and on sale AND OH LOOK the event this week requires you to catch 20 fish a day. Isn't that nice?

*sigh* I wish I had the patience to finish this already... after 4 months.

Namie-kun's Tohou artbook arrived!!

It actually arrived on Monday (the 7th~ it is now the 12th) at my front door. I was so happy and full of squee. She packaged it nicely with the extra goodies inside the book. I was wondering how the prints would come-- but the book was bigger in dimensions than I expected it to be.

Time for some shoddy webcam pictures which I took to show Steel of http://thoughteclipse.blog.com/

The extras I got with it! Bunbunmaru (amusing read... Cirno Shimeji!!1), Vocaloid 'MUSIC' print and a special chibi print.

 I asked her to sign it for me! And she did! Says 'Thankyou for for Preorder' lol~ she even drew a Reimu <3

The prints are on a thin, shiny photo-paper like texture. It's very good quality, but I'm so scared of wreaking them if I put it on my wall. I'm usually less weary with just... paper prints:D

NOW the book itself is amazing. There truely is over 40 pieces that have not touched the internet, and there are probably around 60 or so in the book. The first half or so of the book has a more background/ concept art/ sketchy feel (which I love). Kinda like the stuff she posts on her blog here. She manages to fit around four pictures on a single sided page.

It then diverges onto the stuff she posts on dA, and things that look more 'polished'. Then finally, guest art.

I have nothing bad to say about this. I love it. Heck you'd probably like it even if you aren't into Touhou. And if she released anything else I would buy it (even though this book cost me a month's worth of pocket monniez).

WIP:

And then last Sunday my dad's friend's wife and daughter came to Australia for a short holiday before the daughter stays behind here to study (lol, does this sentence even make sense?). She got me some Bourjois mascara and eyeliner. Sad because I just opened my fiberwig... and sad again because I don't use pencil eyeliner.

... sad for a third time because even someone I've met three times knows that I need to cover up my face to go outside:/ Nahh, but it's okay, I wear significantly less eyeliner nowadays than when I was 13 partly because I wanted to look like Billie Joe.

Namie-kun's Touhou artbook update II

(small review on the artbook here --> http://cheriepy.blogspot.com/2011/02/namie-kuns-tohou-artbook-arrived.html)

OMG;klajdf;kajdf I was the first winner for a print (order number 4)! SO HAPPY ;u; I chose the Vocaloid one. Hopefully I'll get that too~ I asked Namie-kun to sign the book for me. Since I was one of the first fifteen to order, I also recieve a never before seen print *waku waku* , a pre- order discount and a secret gift (something to do with Ayayaayayaa).

I also just saw 'The Green Hornet' today with my friends in the city. Hey, it was actually good. I still don't know who Jay Chau is, but he looks cool doing martial arts:D

Old WIP:

When I was colouring this, I thought it looked like Byakuren. Everything looks like Touhou to me.

I was playing around with my Rin/ Len shimeji, and look what they did? Dawww, so adora-bubble I want to huggle them.

I did this last year to remind myself of the SAI tools. There's not that many, and yet I still haven't actually figured how to utilze everything 100%. For instance, pen and inkpen look the same to me, but apparently inkpen is 40% sharper. I like the pen tool more.

Happy birthday Luka + Dhiea's artbook 「新約」 (+ scans link)

It was Luka's second birthday yesterday (30th of Jan). She still has one of the best voices for Vocaloid, in my opinon. I actually quite like Nekomura Iroha's voice as well (the Hello Kitty Vocaloid!)- but yeah, her cute looks don't match her deep, mature voice and she doesn't have enough songs floating around. Luka FTW.

Of course Luka's birthday cake has a tuna on it. Of course.

On Saturday, my friend bought back to me Dhiea's artbook from C79. Find her here. So happy! And grateful! And thankful! I wanted to pay him back, but he insisted on giving it to me as a present ;u;

(edit: someone scanned the whole thing. You can see it here. Lol, maybe one day if I'm bored enough/ have time I'll translate the story with notes =w=)

It's 40 pages, printed on high quality paper. Her illustrations are simply stunning, but I was disappointed that 98% of the pictures can be found high resolution on the internet. There were only three I hadn't seen before, but they were in the preview on the banner (just smaller size) in an advertisement for this book, so I kinda count that as having seen the artwork.

The book is split into two sections--

1.) Original (as the title says; her characters such as Dhiea Seville)

2.) Parody (basically fanart)

There was also a short story at the back, two character sheets and a message from Dhiea. I found it a little 'silly' (forgive for the lack of a more suitable word) that she had the cover printed on the inside again. I got hyped up for the book when some of the stuff she submitted on pixiv in December made weekly and monthly ranking. Noticeably the pieces 'feeling heart' and the fanart for Sound Horizon's 'Marchen' is missing GAH. I was looking forward to seeing it in print.

Here are some of the pieces which were not in it Q_Q

Flandre + Remilia

Vocaloid! Saihate (the 'Feeling Heart' piece)

The 'Marchen' piece. She called it 'Seven days of light, seven days of darkness' (七つの光、七つの闇)

There was also many pieces of her original art that I'm sure she would have drawn between 16-18 that didn't make the cut. I thought the first two would at least be in it, because it they were used as banners to advertise the book itself!

Oh well, but overall, I'm happy with it. Now, I'm waiting for Namie-kun's Touhou Fanbook to arrive sometime between this week and next week. Waiting. Painfully (because some lucky people who went to Waicon the past weekend already purchased their copy minus the shipping price and the extra waiting. GAHHHHHH). I think Namie's artbook is also 40 pages.

Dhiea's art book = 500 yen

Namie's art book = $30 AUD

I hope it's worth it.

(edit: arggh actually some of those pieces were printed in other artbooks-- like the 'Feeling Heart' piece released at C79 as well:)

You know you're going crazy when...

You keep on picking up your tablet pen (when your tablet is in a box) and trying to use it as a normal pen orz.

119 has posted up at least seven things in the past two days ALL HIGH AND AMAZING QUALITY for the Touhou comp. I swear, I don't know if going on dA or pixiv gives me more demotivation. At least... I'm out of my lineart block. I had a hard time colouring skin today... it took five tries to get it right. Must work hard for my submission. It's not particularly great, creative, imaginative or inspiring-- just more the usual from me, but at least I'm working on something. I'm going to finish cutting out my material for Ciel's suit tomorrow, and  hopefully get started on the background for my picture and get some colour themes.

Before I forget

entered this picture into a competition on pixiv; it's almost at 600 views in a week~ ohhh kinda ashamed and embarrased because it's not that great, and I gave it a silly title, but I would be so estatic if it makes it through to the second round:D Working on Satori as the next attackkkkk (and I'm currently working on three pictures at once *again*). Digging out old cds and listening to Matchbook Romance gahhh I need to get into bands that are still actually producing new music:/ Night.

Current WIP. It's getting cleanerrrrr. Still haven't figured out how to crop in SAI- there's also no photoshop on the comp I'm using now so haha, white, filler space and extra extra large.

Resolution

Listening to Jack's Mannequin and Motion City Soundtrack makes me depressed about the new year:S I don't know, lately I haven't been feeling very good in general even when I hang around a lot of people. I still have a whole heap of books I haven't touched, gigabytes upon gigabytes of drama + anime + movies + American TV shows to watch,Touhou games to play and I haven't touched my tablet or drawn anything for at least two weeks.

I have to say, this is the first time in years that I've felt like this. I wonder what's wrong with me... I feel the apathy in life is taking over again.

I guess I need to be more motivated, stand up for myself, speak up more and look after myself. Also the usual of being less short tempered, being kind and tolerant towards others.

On a happier note, I'm digging out my old cds and listening to them;; P!ATD *hugs album*