I misunderstood the point of this ride

So I haven't had five minutes to think about doing fanart (much to my chagrin, as I'd dearly love to do something with some Fall Out Boys, among many other subjects). However! Over break I volunteered to do some fanart for a bit of Becky Cloonan/Lindsey Ballato fic tuesdaysgone and fleurdeliser were brainstorming about. (You might remember some preliminary sketches from December!)

( One little illustration here! )

You must read Anticipating Your Next Move; it's ADORABLE and delightfully nerdy. :D Also, hot.

So, um, hey guys? I realized the other day that I have clearly slipped into full-on hibernation mode without even realizing it. It often happens this time of year, even when I'm not in grad school ... I just lose energy for most things that aren't an immediate part of my everyday life. I kind of hate it, but at least it should be turning around soon?

School's pretty awesome right now (I'm working on a much longer, more self-directed project that'll take me up to the end of the year, and I'm very excited about it), and the White Collar finale made me tear up, and life is generally good (apart from a serving of financial stress here, a bit of seasonal glumness there).

Also, I was going to put together a bunch of little pieces of fic illustration from various stories and then post them together, but it looks like I might not manage to finish most of them for awhile, so here's one to share!

This is a scene from theopteryx's amazing little post-apocalyptic no_tags fic, Fog, Sheets, and Thunder. I recommend it highly; the worldbuilding is extensive and engaging, and it's full of tiny intimate moments and painful hope and yes. Check it out. I had to try responding to it on paper as well as with words, though I don't feel as though I really did it justice.



Be well, bbs. <3

It's a glorious, crisp spring day out; I think I'm going to take my sketchbook down to the harbor for most of the day. It's the first weekend in ages that I haven't had to be off on a bus to somewhere else! Not that those weren't lovely trips, but I'm kind of pleased that this week, I get to sit back and let the fangirls (and my band) come to me.

I've been a little stuck with fanart lately, which is no good when I have charity commissions to be working on! But a few weeks back I pulled out all the thumbnails I did for jjtaylor's The Detective's Secret and the Mystery of the Dancing Flowers back in December and started noodling around. It was nice to have something already planned out to jumpstart myself with! I've been meaning to post a new scene from that story every now and then, so here's another.

This piece was a collaborative effort! The windows in the background were designed by the very talented ataratah, who also makes a fantastic art beta. Thanks, bb. ♥

( the red repose poppy. )

Okay, time to get off my ass very soon now; I need to make the most of living so close to the water before I go moving to a landlocked state for two years.

Thank fucking goodness it’s a three-day weekend. I may, at times, have wondered if I was blowing this time of year out of proportion a bit, but really, not so much. Once again, I’m grateful that the windows on my floor don’t open – defenestration of particularly uncooperative faculty members does get a bit tempting now and then. (Seven more months ... and only three more weeks of Admissions season. I'll just keep daydreaming about dyeing my hair outrageous colors the second I can do that again, and maybe other things too.)

It’s just as well that bandom has eaten my brain again, really; it’s a pretty great distraction. A few days ago, I randomly dreamed that Greta Salpeter asked me out on a date and we cuddled in the middle of a big, sunny field (there was some sort of festival setting up nearby). My subconscious isn’t usually so fluffy, but it was nice. Of course, it’s probably only a matter of time before all the Grant Morrison-related ephemera I’ve been consuming catches up to me. (I watched the Disinfo speech a few days ago. I don’t even know, nor am I sure I want to. I do want to finally get back to reading The Invisibles, though.)

Seriously, how did this even happen? Fandom in comics and comics in fandom … I’ve watched the Talking With Gods documentary twice in the last week, so I suppose fanart is only a matter of time, really. Particularly since I seem to have made illustrating jjtaylor my fannish occupation of late.

Speaking of which! It was her birthday yesterday, a fact which helped me decide which scene from “The Detective’s Secret” I’d play with next. (I have a longish list.) Hope you like it, bb; happy belated! ♥

( Not going into the pool. )

It occurred to me recently that I miss using this space for conversation, rather than just as a slightly talky gallery. I’ve seriously gotten out of the habit of commenting and communicating on DW/LJ, and I’m finding getting back into it something of a challenge. Definitely want to do better on that.

In a slightly more interactive vein (and to prove that I do in fact have other fandoms still): there’s an interest-gauging poll going on for trekreversebang right now! That’s the reverse Star Trek bigbang where ficcers sign up to write stories based on fanart; an awesome idea that I’d love to see spread around a bit more. You guys should check it out.

Before I go work on my actual minicomic for awhile, one more thing I have to share: the spectacle of Pete Wentz interviewing himself. I still love his stupid face.

Oh um, hi internet! /o\ I am kind of swamped these days. I've taken on a number of original comics projects for the summer (not to mention my grad school application). So it looks like I'm just going to have even less time for fandom stuff than usual. (Although, I say this five days before Leverage comes back, so IDK. Grain of salt.)

That said, the fabulous bandombigbang story I drew for has gone live! Only Going One Way, by ataratah and jjtaylor, is a BANDOM/DUE SOUTH CROSSOVER. Yeah. :DDD It is fucking hilarious and cracked-out and amazing, and you should totally go check it out! Not only is the main pairing adorable, but these two have a real gift for writing great secondary characters as well - in both fandoms. (Buck Frobisher, omg. :DDD)

You can see my four illustrations on LJ or on DW. How could I possibly pass up the chance to draw Gerard Way in a Mountie uniform? I had so much fun with this, seriously. It was particularly appropriate, since I started working on it during the drive to/from Canada for my brother's graduation.

Of course, now I've done fanart of Fraser and Kowalski, but not Vecchio ... which means that at some point, I'll have to make time to rectify that. ;)

On a less gleeful note, you've probably all heard about the most recent, sickening bit of fandom racefail by now? But here's a rather belated signal boost, just in case, because I think it's important to be aware of shit like this. (Link goes to the most comprehensive round-up post of the debacle, by amazonziti.) In a nutshell: a SPN fan decided that the tragic (and ongoing) aftermath of the Haiti earthquake would make a great backdrop for her two white dudes to ~find themselves and have hot sex, piling on plenty of painful racist and imperialistic tropes along the way. Her betas, artist, cheerleaders, and quite a few commenters apparently agreed. Eurgh.

I'm sorry for both being so late and so brief on the matter ... I may try and get a post together later about some different instances of pop culture/fannish fail I've been encountering lately (much of it about race). I hope.

I had a fantastic Fourth of July this year; my brother and I made our way through most of the Freedom Trail (the outdoor parts, the wait was too long on the buildings), enjoyed a pretty great view of the fireworks, and wrapped up with the obligatory 1776 viewing. (Once again, I really want to get my hands on a volume of the Adamses' correspondence.) The weather turned suddenly gorgeous, and it was just great to have him to myself for a day or two, so. :D

Of course, now I'm exhausted and sore, which is more than a little sad. Now that I'm past the most intense period of deadlines, maybe I should think about, IDK, moving once in awhile? /o\ At least the sun put a tiny bit of color into my vampire cheeks.

I'm going to go curl up with some Trek fic (finally) and try to sleep early (this promises to be one hell of a week for a number of reasons), but I actually have a tiny bit more fanart to share. I seem to have risen to a new level recently: I take breaks from art by doing other art. :D:

This is a scene from jjtaylor's bandombigbang fic, Gerard Way's (Vampire) Detective Agency. If you haven't read it, you should: it's absolutely delightful. I want so many stories set in that universe.

( The plant gave a shiver and: )

Right. Bed! At some point I would like to babble more about the latter seasons of Due South, or how I'm suddenly getting sucked back into DC comics again, or maybe how Amanda Palmer keeps crossing the streams and freaking me out (LoJ tickets? what?) . . . but it'll have to wait. Night! ♥

So last week I read The Old Straight Track by jjtaylor, in which Frank is a ghost and Gerard is his apartment's next occupant. There are hauntings and seances and metaphors and pining. Highly recommended, though beware the abrupt ending (she's working on the sequel :DDDD).

I love that fic, man.

Also, it was jjtaylor's birthday last week! So I drew this: ( Frank/Gerard, completely SFW )

All I have done this weekend is sit on my bed and draw MCR. (Well, practically.) I suppose I shouldn't do that.

Also, I have developed a stupid craving for obscenely sugary cereal (something I pretty much never eat). Damn you, Gerard Way! Pegwarming. I will never get tired of this fandom.

(This week I keep getting intrusive, personal IMs from people whose SNs I do not recognize. WTF?)

This . . . is a piece of fanart for auburnnothenna and monanotlisa's fantastic (continuing) SgA AU, Ardhanarishvara. (If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for? It's fucking fantastic.) It's not of any particular scene, just two of the (altered) characters.

( John and Ronon. )

I should do more black and white stuff. I've been forgetting how much I love it, even better than computer color, really.