Flinging Some Art At You, Seeing What Sticks

Considering this is an artist’s blog, I haven’t blogged much about art have I? Well I have several excuses, some of them are even good excuses!

So in order they are –

1. I can’t actually talk about the main project I’ve been slaving over for the last 2 months.
2. Portal2 came out on at the end of April and I got a bit obsessed. Plus I’m really slow at computer games.
3. I’ve injured by right thumb and can’t hold a pen for long.
4. There was an amazing episode of Doctor Who written by Neil Gaiman and it may have fused by brain.
5. Have I mentioned Portal 2 yet?
6. I’ve been working on lots of secret commissions. And this is one of them!

Young Adventurers by *phantoms-siren on deviantART

Wow, babies are surprisingly hard to draw!!

There has also been a return of the squidy fellow, I don’t know where he found the penny farthing or where he could be going in such a hurry, but I’m most curious about how that hat stays on! Really pleased this got added by the Fancysaurus and Tentacles groups on deviantart, always makes me happy when other people like my work enough to want to feature it.

OctoFarthing by *phantoms-siren on deviantART

Speaking of Portal 2 I made this as an experiment in pen control. Due to my hand injuries this was created mostly by holding the pen in my fist rather than with thumb and forefingers. Also used as many workpath tool tricks as I could think of. It’s based on the character of Caroline from the game. You should play it. It’s hilarious.

Say Goodbye, Caroline by *phantoms-siren on deviantART

Similarly this was an experiment following an online tutorial.

Autonomous Collective by *phantoms-siren on deviantART

Day 30 – What Book Are You Reading Right Now?

It’s finally over! Day 30 is here!!!

I’m currently dragging myself through Blameless by Gail Carriger. I was considering using Soulless for Day 11 before I remember that it was exactly as bad as I’d expected a bright pink steampunk book to be, and therefore couldn’t be classed as a disappointment. However the title character of Alexia Tarabotti was just compelling enough to make me buy Changeless (Soulless was given away free at a convention, I would NOT have paid money for it) in the hope that the series might improve as occasionally happens. And it did! Right up until the ending as which point the whole thing collapsed into exactly the kind of drama that stops me reading “romantic” fiction. It was exactly like being punched in the stomach.

Unfortunately Blameless continues in the same vein and its taken me almost two months to get 150 pages into the book and every page has been a battle. And yet, like eating stale popcorn – you don’t like it, it tastes bad and you know it won’t end well – I can’t stop reading it. Alexia Tarabotti remains just this side of likable, and a few of the supporting cast are admittedly awesome (Professor Lyall the dignified werewolf, and Lord Akeldama, a vampire so fruity he’d make Oscar Wilde look like a member of the EDL). I’ve just discovered, with a sinking heart that two more books are planned. I guess I’ll end up reading those too, whether I really want to or not.

Even Better 30 Day Song Challenge – Day 30 – Foist One Last Rarity On Us