013

Joe DellaGatta's original character Holy Diver.

012

Princess Ashe (Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca). Final Fantasy XII.

011

I have really got to start working on my ability to draw likenesses.

010

Red Mage. Final Fantasy IX.

009

008

Pandora. GH2.

007

Savonnah the Forlorn.

006

005

Zell Dincht. Final Fantasy VIII.

004

Blank. Final Fantasy IX.

003

002

Bateau.
I'll do him again.
I'll do him better.
HATE the ponytail.

001

Here we go.

2011, It's Like 2010 But with a 1 at the End!

So another year, another "who fucking cares?"

Wow. Crass. That was crass. It's the beginning of the year, and even by writing about 2011 I'm buying into the bullshit of "starting over" by contributing a journal like many others have posted before me (and with sweeter sentiments), so what am I complaining about really? Most if not all of us counted down aloud or in our mind to midnight as the ball dropped in Times Square with a little "LIVE" in the corner of the tv even though not all of us live on the east coast and so then the "LIVE" is just perplexing and insincere because it's being rebroadcast, so in the end I guess it's pretty much ingrained in our culture that the beginning of the year is a time of resolutions and rebirths and reboots, and I'm no different than anyone else. Oh, I guess it's also the start of a new decade that VH1 will do a show about, asking us if we remember it before it's even fucking over.

"I wonder what 2011 will be like?"

Well, what was the 31st of December like? And what was today like? Now just throw in the usual tragedy, disappointment, loss, gain, pleasantness and triumphs (like how I started that with negative things then switched to their positive counterparts?) It's like the Dude said, "Oh, you know, strikes and gutters, ups and downs." Re: Life.

So really we're all excited because the future looks bright because it's not here yet— beating us to a pulp with the weight of all our worries and throwing terribly inconvenient curveballs, all while wearing the drabbest grey because it's the present now— and ultimately it all boils down to the fact that we get to write "11" on our bill payments and our artwork instead of "10", and we're all a little closer to the end. I mean come on, for some this will be their last year; they'll never get to see 2012 and THEN get to find out whether or not the Mayans were full of shit (SPOILER! they were, they are. or not. who cares?). Of course, others will live for many many New Years Eves to come. Strikes = The latter. Gutters = the other thing.

But of course even that isn't an entirely correct sentiment, because really the start of a new year is just like any holiday we observe- it's a time where we concentrate our efforts on one particular aspect of something we should be doing all the time anyway if we knew what was good for us. Christmas = giving. New Years = Bettering ourselves, setting goals and being hopeful and unwavering in our pursuits. We should always be doing these things, not just when the calendar tells us it is time. (But boy, that is tiring, isn't it? If only there were more hours in the day, amirite?). I guess what I'm saying is... fuck tradition?

Ultimately, OF COURSE, I'm a hypocrite (WHO ISN'T?!). Earlier tonight I made a checklist to print out and map my day as an unemployment-insurance-collecting "comic artist." Tradition dictated I do so! What was I supposed to do? NOT observe the notion to try and be less of a lay-about piece of shit? Oh, I'm all over that with tasks like "exercise" and "read" and "go for a walk" and "smoke less" and "job hunt more" and "how about some sit ups" and all that shit. "Draw more. Like CRAZY more, because seriously, what are you doing?" I have no idea. Talking to myself? Talking to myself.

Enh. Happy New Year.

.

4 Slips of Paper 03

*SIGH* From left to right: Falkor the Luckdragon, Seraphimera (original character), Rorschach, Samus Aran, and Daredevil.

A note on Falkor-
I am not a fan of Neverending Story. The movie scared me. I was too young. Hated lightning. All I understood was the stupid book was connected to the lightning, and that kid kept fucking with the book and I was like, "I'm done." I have NO idea how Falkor wound up on a slip of paper.

Kate Kane/Batwoman

Movember 2010

This gif chronicles my mustache growth for the 30 days of November, also known as Movember, where people grow mustaches to raise awareness and donations for prostate and testicular cancer.

Well, What Are You Waiting For?

Four Slips of Paper 02

From left to right: Madman (Image), Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII), Mario & Shy Guys (Super Mario Bros.), and the sorceress Edea (Final Fantasy VIII). ("Mario & Shy Guy" was on one slip of paper)

Four Slips of Paper

Three years ago when I first moved to CA and was living with my sister in Long Beach I wrote down a bunch of characters' names on slips of paper and put them in a bowl. I would have my sister pull one out and I drew and colored whatever random character she picked. I drew three and stopped. The slips of paper have sat in an ashtray ever since then.

I've been having artist's block(?) lately, so today I grabbed four slips of paper and drew whatever characters I picked into my moleskin with one thing in mind- Don't worry about it. Make it work.

The four characters in this instance actually gel together pretty well. I've already picked the next four, and they're a little more of an eclectic bunch (UNDERSTATEMENT). So yes, I'll be doing more of these.

From left to right: Laguna Loire (Final Fantasy VIII), Glenn (Chrono Cross), Teekl & Klarion (DC) and Kamandi (DC).

Lantern Eddie

Was warming up today and drew my character Eddie as a Green Lantern. He is not a very responsible nor heroic individual, so it tickles me to see him striking this pose in GL garb.

The circle discs on his feet are a nod to Mister Miracle, because I LOVE THOSE DISCS. I know GLs don't really need those to fly around. We'll just pretend Eddie doesn't know exactly how the ring works, ok?

I guess this is a 2-day late Halloween-ish thing, now that I think about it.