Illustrated Rachel

Here she is!  This is the illustrated version of Rachel.  It will be used for her Kickstarter video.  She added her initials to the background.  (RAD, in case you couldn't tell.  She's as proud of hers as I am of mine.) I've got 8 more illustrations to draw, and 16 or something to color.  At my current pace, I'm getting four drawn, and half of one colored each night.  That's three or four hours of work.  It doesn't feel like I'm getting much accomplished.  But when I consider that it took two or three weeks for Rachel's penciler to do her first page, I don't feel so bad.  

I need to start figuring out how much time it takes to do the illustration and color separately.  Then, perhaps I can start making this into a business.  My goodness, I would love to. As much frustration the hair caused me, I still feel better than I have in months.  It's like I've been missing a crucial nutrient, and getting it back, I realize how sick I was feeling.  

We're thinking about doing a weekly web comic.  It would naturally, feature us! Well, her,  mostly.  She's the funny one.  (Look for my Things My Sweetie Says posts.  Redonk!)  What do you think?  Totally lame idea, or would you read about us and look at my pretty pictures?

Drawing Up a Big Batch of Happy

Rachel and I always try to work together.  She's very much an ideas person, and I'm very much a do-er.  Unfortunately, our combined skills and ideas usually leave some kind of gap.  When she said she wanted a fairly normal, calligraphic logo for her comic, I doodled one.  Lo and behold, she liked it!

Now, we're in the process of putting together a video for a kickstarter page.  For those of you who don't know kickstarter, it's a website where creative people can collect donations to have their projects funded, and pledgers receive fun rewards.  Rachel doesn't like appearing in front of a camera, so we decided to draw her video.  Yes, that's right, I'm DRAWING the video.  I'm not fully animating it, that would be crazy.  I am doing sequential images to complement the sound.

Last night, I managed to draw 4 of the roughly 20 images we'll be using.  I got one partially colored, too.  Drawing black hair is kind of difficult, as it turns out! Nevertheless, those four hours we spent at the computer working on these drawings were some of the most enjoyable ones I've had in a while.  I was seriously sitting at the computer GIGGLING because I was so entertained.  Of all the things I enjoy, making art is the most enjoyable.

May you always have as much fun being productive as I did last night!

Remember the Zornow Challenege?  I do.  I'm still working on it.  When I post the video, you'll have to let me know how I'm doing. :)

Exercise for Moving

What's the workout you should be doing to prepare yourself for an upcoming move?  Yoga!  I'm always an advocate (not that I look it).  

If you're having to lift heavy, awkward objects, hold them for a long time, climb over things in your storage unit/apartment/home while holding them, yoga will prepare you!  

Do you need to not fall into all of your valuable belongings, damaging them, and you?  Yoga can give you the balance you require!

Want the mental stamina to get you through hours of this grueling labor?  Center yourself with this ancient practice!  

All I can say is, I really wouldn't have survived this weekend if I hadn't been working towards that perfect half-moon pose.  

Seeking Balance

What I need most in my life is a center.  Something to ground me, keep me balanced, keep me real.  This has to be something internal, but finding it is very difficult - that's why I need it so badly.  And so, I'm beginning to explore things that will help me out with this.

At a metaphysical store, Rachel chose a necklace for me.  It was a spiral made of dark wood, about 2 inches in diameter.  I wouldn't have chosen it myself, but it stood out to her as something I needed, so bought it.  And - now this is where I'll lose some of you - I found that I am calmer, more rational, more able to deal with whatever may occur if I'm wearing this necklace.  The spiral has always fascinated me, particularly when it surfaces in nature, and seems to grow in personal significance.  Perhaps that is the cause.  Perhaps it is that Rachel chose it, or that some of her super stable energy found a home there.  Perhaps it's all in my head, but in mental matters, that is enough.  The only down side is that it doesn't go with everything!

So today, I begin to explore things that bring balance.  There are several stones that are said to aid in this, and I happen to have a friend who is studying jewelry making. I might throw a commission or two her way!  Among these stones are


Amethyst,                                         Citrine,                                    
 
and Lapis Lazuli.


I'm already kind of nutty about ancient Egypt, and I have a poison ring set with Lapis. I may just find a way to bring more of it into my life.  In addition, I am researching meditative practices.  If I can learn to focus, my world will change for the better.  If anyone has insight, do let me know!