Hey folks, sorry for my usual absence, things have been messy on my end. My scholastic workload has been fluctuating, some of my most anticipated video games are all being released at the same time, and I've been smashed in the face by (in order) a cold, a sore throat, and now the flu. I do not know or care if the flu is swine related, it's the same thing anyways. I should be on my feet sometime this month, and I have some fun (for me at least) printmaking projects to show off.


In other news, I'm getting a little depressed about the level of my artwork. I don't feel I'm at where I should be for someone less than two years from graduating. I'm hoping to step up the amount of drawing I do after my recovery in hopes of gaining back some confidence.


And finally, here's a Japanese Jazz band I finally tracked down called The Thrill:
[link]
They did the music for Blue Submarine #6, an anime mini series that's one of my favorites. A lot of anime fans regard the Cowboy Bebob soundtrack as one of the best jazz soundtracks ever, but I must respectfully disagree and say that this band is far superior.

While I have a bunch of sketched/half finished Photoshop files, I've been far more busy with my other hobby. This would be miniatures: small, scale models that act as game pieces for various tabletop games that play out like a complex board game. If it makes it easier to understand, I basically paint toy soldiers. Anyways, I've made a new account to post pictures up of these, because I'm at least good enough to place in contests. This new account will ONLY post miniature and other model pictures, I will still continue to post 2D work in this one.

Here's the new one: [link]


In totally unrelated news, I'll be entering an art contest and submitting work for an PDF art booklet being released with one of my favorite bands' new CDs. The contest is to re-imagine a character from an upcoming video game, Bayonetta. While I'd normally be against such blatant fanservice with the character design, the game takes it so over the top it's hard to get truly offended. The link is here: [link]
The rules seem pretty clear and I will be posting this when finished.

The band I mentioned is Celldweller, which really isn't a band so much as one person and a lot of sound mixing software. They're having a promotional PDF artbook released with their new alblum made of user submitted art. Details here:
[link] (the deadline has been extended)
Note, this one includes basically donating your art and the rights thereof to the company, though they are required to give credit to you if they use your work for anything. Thus, my entry, should I get it finished by the deadline, will not show up here.

Finally got around to cleaning out my gallery. There were too many unused folders and projects that I didn't have time to work on. What you see there now is what I'm currently working on. I also deleted some of my old stuff that sucks.

Also of note, and probably more interesting than my cleaning, is that I tried out the new portfolio system DA has up. I must say, I am actually impressed. There are no ads, and while there are still a few things that could be added/tweaked to make it easier to deal with, I really can't complain about a free service. Mine isn't by any means complete, but if you want to see what it looks like here's the address:
[link]

and to sign up
[link]

This is the official DESOLATION journal, and will be updated as time goes on with information about the world and characters that inhabit it. I am no novelist, so don't expect anything mindblowing, this is pretty much just flavor text. I'll also be updating this with previews and such, though I'm going to make an effort to spam people's inboxes. I also need to format this better, but am not really in the know about the workings of DevArt's journal code.

The World
DESOLATION takes place on earth, or a planet much like it, in the far future. A catastrophe has long since wracked the plaet, though at a time still far beyond ours, and brought about drastic change in the world. Few now possess knowledge of this time, all that is known is that this cataclysm all but erased life and blanketted the earth in an intagible substance called Eather.

Humanity had long since possessed an extremely limited psychic potential, but it was far too weak for all but the strongest of minds to realize it. Eather changed this, allowing humans, with practice and patience, to realize their psychic potential, giving them the power to alter the space around them to their own desires. This was fortunate, for without this power, humanity would likely not have survived.

Even then, this change was not instantaneous, it occured over a long period. During this time, many died, unable to adapt to the horrors of the apocalypse. Many fled underground, some to the stars, some into the ocean, and others even braved the horrors of the planet's surface. Those who lived, however, were far more than what was once called humanity. Tempered in fire, they had the power to reconstruct charred planet, to recover and rediscover.

Though humanity has since rebuilt, there are still many threats to contend with. Humans are no longer alone. While some retained what made them human, others cast off these limitations in order to adapt. Not only this, but many of humanity's sins, remnants of the times before the apocalypse, wander the surface. Humans are just scattered traces of what they once were, surrounded by desolation.


The Factions

Gearsun Alliance
The largest body of humans, the Gearsun Alliance is largely responsible for restoring humanity to prominence. They still seek ways to improve society, and worship the sun in the form of a mighty gear, believing it to be a symbol of hope and progress.

Members

Marcus
Comander of the Gearblades, he is a powerful martial force, and trains endlessly to improve his battle prowess.
[link]
Gearblades
Prodigal swordsmen who utilize their psychic powers to enhance their abilities, they are the symbol of Gearsun's military power. They wield blades forged from the mighty gears their nation finds burried in the red sands of the surrounding desert.

Nadia 'Iron Maiden'
more soon!


Id
A loose organization of ex-combat clones, Id is dedicated to finding its own identity. Having been born without a founding culture and free from the shackels of their previous masters, the Id is a group which seeks to gain wholeness and fullness, though self discovery or simply by devouring and assimilating the culture of others.

Members

Nail
A horrible beast of a creature, Nail abhors the shape he was given. While he has enough restraint to follow the orders of his nation, he is spiteful and cruel, taking out his rage on any who cross him. He fights with huge nails imbued with powerful nanomachines that invade and attempt to control their target.
[link]
Nail Thralls
More like puppets than soldiers, their minds have been dominated by Nail's nanomachines, and they tirelessly follow orders until they meet death on the battlefield or waste away into nothingness.

Adam Ingrid
The remnant of an A.I. project, 'he' now searches the wastes for a means to replicate his kind and start a new strain of robotic life. He travels surrounded by his previous attempts, inferior replicants of himself and similar creations who look to him for guidance.
[link]

Pods
Check my scraps for a preview.


Mind's Eye
A shadowy organization which claims to be bringing about the final evolution of mankind, they possess staggering psychic powers and forego the use of conventional weaponry.

Members

Mourning Star
Mind's Eye's shock troopers, they move like wrecking balls on the battlefield, charging and shattering through the enemy's lines and scattering their battle formations.
[link]

Well, I'm just finishing up with this episode of DAWGS, and I figured I'd post some of the stuff I have in the works. I would have gotten to a lot of this already, but Job searching has kept me busy, but has proved fruitless anyways. Nobody wants a summer hire in this market.

Anyways, DESOLATION should be getting plenty of updates, I have a ton of concepts I need to scan, and at least half the gallery is completely outdated. The setting has several different factions, which I need to flesh out visually. Though I've only posted concepts from two, I have sketches and background for several more. I'll expand on the list as I post things, but I'll start with the two I've posted:

The Gearsun Alliance: This is a group of humans and cyborgs committed to restoring humanity to its previous glory. The gear is a key motif in their appearance, as they revere it as a symbol of progress and technology. Marcus, the head of the Gearblades, has been posted already. I've come very close to posting a picture of Mira, one of the other lead characters and bearer of the title 'Iron Maiden,' but I feel she could use just a bit of improvement.

Id: A loose organization of ex-combat clones, Id is dedicated to finding its own identity. Having been born without a founding culture and free from the shackels of their previous masters, the Id is a group which seeks to gain wholeness and fullness, though self discovery or simply by devouring and assimilating the culture of others. Hammer and Nail (note: Nail is now the guy with the claws) are from this faction, though both are in for a bit of revision, especially Hammer.

I realize this is quite a lot of hot air at the moment, but I feel I've been neglecting this project for too long, especially since I have many of the concepts already finished, just not scanned in and beautified in glorious (or eye melting) color. Hopefully, the time I will not be spending earning money will instead bear fruit in other ways.


And now, a to-do list:
-Finish DAWGS EP4 (4 more pages)
-Rough for Mourning Star (70% complete)
-Gift for a friend (kinda sketched)
-Over 3,000 hit thanks (dinosaurs with guns)
-DESOLATION!!!11one