Release the flood!

... of arts, which I have been saving for you. Uploaded from my mom's computer, as promised.

Firstly, some D&D things. I colored that picture of Valandra for funsies, because I felt like coloring and that was what came to hand. Didn't mean for her dress to turn out quite so minty, but anyway.

And Ileana got another sketch, because I still love her even though she exploded.

And some older steam mess doodles. Sergeant India Ravelin and Captain Benathy Greene of the good ship Cordelia, as well as Ivy Dale, Lizby and Hickory's insane Conduit mother.

Super old Hunger Games minidoodles I forgot about. Pretty self-explanatory.

So, Matt gave me The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene to read, and it slew me. It's a good thing he was sitting there next to me for the last thirty pages or so, because I was a sobby, snotty mess and needed to be held. Anyway, here's Gus and Hazel being cute.

And there they are again, along with the lyrics to the Amanda Palmer song "Astronaut." Go look it up on YouTube. Fits their relationship pretty well. (Also, I can't seem to ever draw Augustus's face the same way twice, rrr.)

Now, Mistborn things. I gave Matt the first one to read, and then he discovered that his brother had the whole trilogy at home. The other day, he Skype-chatted me something along the lines of "Sazed and Tindwyl are way too cute" and I was like OH NO. THE ENDING WILL DESTROY HIM. I should really draw those two sometime; they are in fact the sweetest couple ever. But in the meantime, have some Vin looking badass. (I rescanned this image; should be better now.)

And then have some Elend looking badass with her. Finished this one up because I love how small she looks, standing next to him.

Right, back to Birthright. I finally drew a picture (albeit a crappily composed one) of the whole gang! From left to right: Matteo, Fidelio, Andra, Nath, and Luca. They've been with me for lots of years, and they've changed some, and a few of them go by different names now, but they're my babies. D'aww.

Kay, I feel better with all that out of my system. Back to previously scheduled OYAN freakout.

Commander Kip
"Wait, Beast Boy had a brain?" "Hahahahaa - hey!"
Normal is overrated!

Houston...

... we have a problem.

*shoos alligators off of landing strip*

No, actually, I have a problem. I cannot currently upload pictures to the Internet from my laptop, or the Internet browser crashes. I do not know why I am having this problem, or how to stop having it, but until I get it figured out, I will have to find time to post from my mom's computer. Ugh. Such a pain.

This makes me sad, because I have drawrings for you. But I guess they'll have to wait. Meanwhile, working furiously on OYAN stuff! Writing like mad, putting costumes together, etc. In absence of pictures, perhaps you'd like an excerpt?

I reentered the cupboard and reached down into the tunnel, feeling the unwelcome heat pass close to my palm. Gripping the cloth-wrapped handle, I raised the torch out of the hole, keeping the flame well away from my body. Luca wriggled up beside me. A bit of dirt tumbled out of his spiky hair. “Well? Is there anything here?”

I ignored him, examining the cupboard walls by the wavering light of the torch. Many, many sharp things. Knives. Saws. Meathooks. Several pairs of shears. Drills. Long, thick nails, like the ones used by the Rumeni to stake down their tents in the summer. Every blade shone clean and silver in the torchlight. For a moment, I entertained the notion of taking one of the knives to replace my confiscated dagger. But they looked too long, the blades too wide or too curved, to fit in my sheath. I squashed down a shiver of discomfort and exited the cupboard.

The dim pool of light fell upon a low trestle table a few yards away. Very long, extending past the reach of the torch. Thick, dark wood. I approached it with caution, hearing Luca’s short breaths close behind me. The tabletop gleamed, polished from countless scrubbings. The smooth, shining surface broken only by the occasional gouge, scratch, or scar. Here and there, an irregular glint-gold stain.

Gold?

Memoria’s blood, a fine golden mist. Staining Fabello’s white shirt. Gold.

“Luca,” I said, low and even, “go back to the tunnel.”

“Why?”

His voice rang in the vast stone chamber, too loud, too high. “Go back to the tunnel,” I repeated. “Now.”

There. Satisfied? Even if not, that's all I can give you at the moment. *sings quietly to self* Se-cret-laboratory... se-cret-laboratory... through the mountain... se-cret-laboratory...

Oh oh oh, and I finally saw the new Star Trek and HOLY CRAP IT WAS AWESOME. Now I'm so glad I watched Wrath of Kahn with my parents all those years ago so I got the references. Now I need to watch Wrath of Kahn again. And then Into Darkness again. So I can drool over Kahnberbatch some more. GOD THAT MAN IS HOT. But anyway. Now every time I hear him talk, all I can think is Angel Islington. Oh well.

Also, I got some new boots. To replace the ones that exploded. And they are pretty sweeeeet.

Commander Kip
"Whoa, are you guys fighting?" "I don't want to talk about it." "What is that even like?"
Normal is overrated!

NAILED IT.

Finished my first year of college, that is.

IT WAS AWESOME.

I averaged six hours of sleep a night (the six hours between 2 and 8 am.) I survived three grueling semesters of Great Con. I got used to having a roommate and living in a tiny space. I slung bacon at people for money (hehe, that sounded dirty.) I introduced Mistborn to people. I played Dungeons and Dragons for the first time and discovered that psyonic is always the right choice. I got deeply involved in an online roleplay, which I hadn't done since my first year of high school with the Picnic Club. Speaking of which, I made several fast friends that I will probably keep in touch with for the rest of my life. I got intellectually married to a lovely young lady, with whom I will also be rooming next year. I went streaking through the prairie in the middle of the night with aforesaid intellectual wife. I gained a few little brothers, all of whom are bigger than me and have already agreed to be the crazy/eccentric uncles of my future children. I rode in a five-passenger car with six other people. I finally watched Sherlock, and Avatar, and Korra, and most of Downton Abbey. I played in the leaves. I went sledding and managed to avoid serious injury. I passed my classes. I only slept through music theory a couple times. I refrained from drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and sleeping around. I voted. I did my own laundry. I started dating a sweet, nerdy, clever saxophone player. We kissed in the rain. I cried when we said goodbye for the summer.

So now I'm sitting in my house listening to Radioactive by Imagine Dragons on infinite repeat because it reminds me of school. And while it is nice to see my family, and have my own room for a change, and enough space in the closet for all of my clothes, I can't wait to it to be September so I can go back. I miss my friends, and my boyfriend, and my wife. I miss them so much it hurts.

But in any case, I thoroughly enjoyed my first year, and I'm looking forward to three more equally wonderful years.

Now I shall go drown my sorrows in the Internet.



Commander Kip
"That's Lin Beifong. She is the baddest of asses."
Normal is overrated!

Time for finals!

That means it's time for doodle procrastination. Woot!

I've been drawing lots of Angeli lately because figuring out how six wings fit on one back is quite an ordeal.

See, another one. It could be Consolata, Memoria's sister.

Speaking of Birthright, I attempted to draw the scene where Andra and the boys are trying to escape the warehouse where Fabello's thugs have them trapped. I don't like the composition, but I do like Andra and Matteo's faces.

And now, Mistborn. 

Because Vin is one of my favorite badass lady heroines ever.

Also, she and Elend are so adorable together. (I gave up on drawing Vin's clothes becase mistcloak is more important than clothes.)

And now, change of pace. I've been thinking about my teenage spies lately. It would be so fun to make their story more original and actually use them for things. The lovely Baeli with her sexy messy bun.

Timo and Baeli flirting their heads off. "No. I'm not fixing it again." "But I broke it!" "Your point?" "You're morally obligated to fix it now." "Am not either."

And there they are doing homework together. Because in addition to being hot together, they are also best friends. It's pretty great. Also, I gave up on Timo's legs, in case you couldn't tell.

 Not to switch topics abruptly or anything, but let's have some Magical Steampunk Gypsies now. Specifically, my sassy gypsy viper and her garroting wire. (Gave up on her hands. Surprise.)

And here is Katia's new sky pirate character, Gideon the ship's boy. He's like whoa adorable.

And then there was Drama with a D between Erik and Suvoi, and there was angst and sexual tension  and they just need to bang already but they can't because he killed her family but she doesn't know that yet and just gaaaaaaaaah drama. It's awful, but I love it so much.

And switching again, here's a jaguar-centaur lady I made up for my treasure hunters to hang out with. She's a sihiri dawa and yes, I realize her boobs are showing. Get over it.

And here's a random faerie, which means it's prolly time to make another faerie door. I think I shall name her Speckle.

And here's the Marquis de Cabaras, the slimy git himself. Actually, I like him lots, but he is pretty slimy. (Neverwhere is so fantastic. I'm still not done reading it, but I love Neil Gaiman's style.)

Tenth Doctah! I still can't draw David Tennant, but whatever, he's still frickin' awesome. I'm watching Ten's seasons again with Matt because he hasn't seem them yet, and it's so fantastic, I can't even gah.

And lastly, Laini Taylor announced the title of her last book, Dreams of Gods and Monsters! I might just die of excitement. Anyway, to celebrate/procrastinate, I drew Akiva and Madrigal makin' out. Because they're sexy beasts.

So yep, that's what's been happening in the margins of my notes for the semester. More doodles later, perhaps.

But first, finals. Yeah.

Commander Kip
"Am I the only one who sees the foamy white stuff flying everywhere?"
Normal is overrated!

Neverwhere

So right before break, Matt told me that Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere had been turned into a BBC radio show. I hadn't read Neverwhere, but I listened to it over break anyway, and it was so friggen incredible. So many sexy accents, I can't even. James McAfriggenvoy, you guys. Oh God. 

Anyway, I drawled these pictures while I was listening, because apparently I am incapable of sitting still and doing nothing with my hands. First impressions of Richard and Door:

Richard:

Door:

And then I went and purchased a used paperback copy of the book for less than five dollars and drew Door again. The part at the very beginning where she's running from Croup and Vandimar in the sewers.

I know the book says she has short hair, but I keep picturing her with some longer tendrils. Dunno why.

And then, on a completely different subject, our Teen Titans extended marathon is going swimmingly, and by swimmingly I mean very very slowly. But it is going. And I just want to say that every episode I see is further re-convincing me that Robin and Raven are seriously a thing. I mean, in Switched, I was so pissed because at the end when they swapped bodies back, Raven was the one who saved Robin from falling to his death, but since she was in Starfire's body at the time, Star got all the credit. Gosh darn it. Also, Raven has actual hand-to-hand combat skills. Because she's that badass.

And on another completely unrelated note, I drew another mug shot self-portrait and only liked this part, so this part's the only part you get to see.

The end. Have a nice day.

Commander Kip
"OH MY GOD HE'S SO SYMMETRICAL!!!" *hyperventilating*
Normal is overrated!

Thing of the Day: Steam Powered Giraffe

My friends are so cool. They showed me this song, and now I just want to listen to it over and over until I die.

THE FACE PAINT. AND THE MOVEMENTS. AND THE EVERYTHING. GAAH. Unfortunately, I listened to some other Steam Powered Giraffe songs and didn't like any of them as much as Honeybee. Darn. But Honeybee is fantastic, and also the Thing of the Day.

Speaking of robot face paint, we had free face painting the other day and I had this done to my face.

Pretty great, no? In other news, I went home for spring break and was greeted by a snowstorm.

A week later, by Easter Sunday, it was full-on springtime.

...And then I came back to school and it was cold and damp, gosh darn it. There's like three inches of wet, heavy snow on the ground right now. I like snow, but I'm not a huge fan of slush. Just saying.

We had our Bi-Dormal Formal dance last weekend, and I got some classy pictures of my friends. Here, have an Anna. She looks British. Probably because of the shawl. I am married to this, you guys. *winning*

Alex, my little brother, and Katia, my mistress. We're all related in Kildahl. It's fine.

Matt and I. Yes, I re-purpled my hair.

Darling Claire. We love her because she feeds us foods. Also because she's a delightful person.

 Anna again, looking sexy with a bow tie. Bow ties should always be worn with little black dresses, obviously.

I might post again tonight. Got some drawrings to showya.

Goin' to the monastery tomorrow for Great Con! Woot!

Commander Kip

"I want this because of reasons."

Normal is overrated!

Thing of the Day: SUNSHINE

You know what I was missing at college, that I didn't realize I was missing until I lived at home for a week?

Sunshine.

I missed it.

It was seventy degrees and sunny at home. I went outside without a parka. I wore a sleeveless dress on Easter and sunburnt my collarbones. It was wonderful. And although I didn't mind the snow before I left for break, coming back to more cold weather was hard.

So I dug through my files and pulled out some sunshiny pictures to console myself with. Sunshine, ladies and gents, is the Thing of the Day.

Ah. I feel better now. Back to work!

Oh, and I listened to the BBC Radio production of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, and it had James McAvoy and Benedict Cummerbatch and Christopher Lee in it, and hooboy it was awesome. Then I sallied forth and purchased a copy of the book forthwith. I really should read more Neil Gaiman. The dude's a brilliant genius. There will be Neverwhere art. It's inevitable.

But first, perhaps a shower.

Commander Kip
"Hey, guys! *bang bang bang* Stop having sex!"
Normal is overrated!