blue hair

I drew this in class the other day, and then today I looked at the calendar and went "ZOMG SQUEE, Laini Taylor's new book came out today!" I therefore felt that the blue-hair thing was appropriate. That is a very messy contour self-portrait, by the way. Why is it that every time I draw a self-portrait, it comes out looking like a mug shot? Eh, whatever. And as for why my hair is in pigtails, I'm exercising the right to remain silent on that one.

Now I must sally forth and procure a copy of the long-awaited Daughter of
Smoke and Bone, because I've been reading all of Ms. Taylor's delicious blog posts about it and getting all drooly and excited. It's been far too long since I had something truly delicious to read. We're doing Jane Eyre in school, but that's mostly long stretches of "life-is-so-friggen-unfair" with only fleeting moments of deliciousness.

Oh, I did get to watch Dead Poets' Society with my parents the other night while I was busily skipping Homecoming. I think we all cried. I know I did, especially at the end. With the CHAIRS already! Gah. And the other thing I've been watching with my parents is a current (gawrsp) tv show called Castle, which is about a murder mystery novel writer who just happens to be played by the incorrigible Nathan Fillian. Oh, how I love that man. And I love the Firefly references in the show, subtle and un-subtle both. We've decided the writers must all be Browncoats. Or maybe just Whedon fans. In one episode there were extremely un-subtle references from both Firefly and Buffy, and we lol'd pretty hard. Anyway.

Commander Kip
"What are you supposed to be?" "Space cowboy." "Okay, A, there are no cows in space, and B... didn't you wear that like five years ago?" "Yeah, so?" "Don't you think you should move on?" "But I like it!"
Normal is overrated!

I bought a dagger

at the costume store. This costume store is in the exact same building as the Borders I've been going to with my family ever since I can remember, but the Borders is gone now, and there's a costume store there instead.

I'm not sure what to make of that. Anyway, yeah, that's it.

But I do love my new dagger.

Commander Kip
"Serenity's east of us. Nestled in the..." *facial contortions, mumbling* "... hang a left."
Normal is overrated!

can haz BODICE

Yesss, we finally got one for uss, the lovely, the preciousssss... and it is lovely, innit? Purchased this piece of brilliance at the Rennaisance festival today. Because, darn it, I've thought about buying one like every year, and just now worked up the guts to just spend the money and get one. You know you're supposed to ignore my heinous sunburn, right? And my messy crappy dressing-room area? Right? Good.It's a pale beige color with these really light roses and vines and black grommets and laces. It's reversible, and the other side is a rose design in silky black and charcoal. Gaah, swoon. So lovely. Here's the back of it. Lacing's coming a little loose - oh well. Also, I need a better dagger.

This was the first year I've ever been to the Ren without my parents (no, I did not drive myself.) It was kinda weird, because I just went where I wanted and bought what I wanted, and sometimes I hung out with the li'l bro, and sometimes I didn't, and it felt weird. Weird but good.
And on a completely unrelated note, do you guys remember Erazmus? The messed-up bird at Lady Arin's house? Yeah, well, one day this summer, we had one of those too. He spent an entire day on that windowsill, and when a cardinal tried to take his spot, the little bugger went all vicious ninja on him and chased him off. So I named him Ezio. No, I've never played Assassin's Creed; it just fit, is all.Speaking of Lady Arin, here are her knees. And my knees, and Ereka's knees. With faces drawn on them in ballpoint pen. Guess whose are whose. Clearly, we stayed up a little too late at Lady Arin's that time. And my skin looks gray. Wow.

Let's have some art now. The li'l bro just turned thirteen, and I got him the first volume of the official Firefly Companion Guide for his birthday. Hence, more Firefly obsessage. "Yes, that's a word. Now." (Direct quote from Joss Whedon, who is so incredibly bawsome.) This is Simon Tam, drawn without reference of course, in the margins of a vocab list for English. It happened because the word "jargon" was on there, which made me think of that quote *points* - that one, down there - from Objects in Space. I love this guy. You have no idea.
And here's Simon's sister, River Tam, who I've drawn before, but I think this one's better. She would make the ultimate Mistborn. Or Jedi. I can't decide which. It's crooked here, but I promise I drew it straight up and down. Blasted scanner. By the way, Summer Glau is a friggen beast - she did all her own fight scenes in Serenity, and they were all insanely difficult.

This is what I was doing when I should have been working on my summer homework. It's the back cover of my summer reading journal, and it fell off in early July, I think. so I drawed people's heads all over it. I think Andros is in there somewhere; the rest of these peeps are completely random spewage from my poor overworked brain.

These last few sketches are the ones I wanted to show you but couldn't, because they were pinned to the corkboards in my room and I was too lazy to unpin them and scan them. Sometime this summer, I discovered that Avan Jogia would play a lovely Kartik.

I also discovered that Thomas Derringer is way too pretty for his own good. Or anyone else's either. 'Specially poor Russel and the other dudes in their squad. I cannot stop drawing Thomas, you guys. He's so prettyyyyyy.

And last but perhaps best, I give you Sazed the Terrisman Keeper, who has a very perplexing name. None of us can figure out how to pronounce it.

Kay. There.

I confess, I totally confiscated the bro's birthday present and read it before I gave it to him. It was totally fascinating. It had the complete scripts for the first, like, five episodes, plus all kinds of cool costume and prop design things and interviews and profiles on each character. Want Volume II now, pleasethanks.

Commander Kip

"Remember what I said about you barging into my shuttle?" "You said it was manly and impulsive." "Yes, and I specifically used the word, 'don't'."

Normal is overrated!

*pokes head in*

Yeah, not dead yet. Never fear, we'll get there eventually.

Blast it, these fancy soldier types just keep popping up all over the place. This guy looks too sweet to be in the army though, doesn't he? Look at this strangely piratical fellow. He's got a fabulous pigtail.

And I don't even know what's going on here. I guess I like striped stockings and short hair.

Ohai, it's supposed to be Jareth from Labyrinth, but David Bowie is really hard to draw and stuff, so it doesn't much look like him. Psh, I give up. I did love all his fluffy clothes in the movie.

I imagine Piper McClean from The Lost Hero would be a Lantern fan. Whatever. I just like drawing her haircut. Cuz it's totally the best haircut evar.

Those still aren't the things I wanted to show you, but those things are being difficult to scan. *le gusty sigh* Someday, I will take the time to scan them. You wait and see.

I watched The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen at my grandparents' house this weekend. They watch movies the same way they watch TV - only half paying attention, making random loud noises in the background, and turning the sound WAY down every time things start exploding on-screen. Which means I missed like half the dialogue. Which means I need to see it again. But anyway, despite the apparent lack of a solid plot, I loved Sawyer to death. Like, so much. He was such a beast, and he had dual-wield pistols, and blond curly hair, and stuff. *fawns over* Oh, and I loved the weird relationship between Mina Harker and Dorian Gray, and the ensuing hot mess of a knife fight in which neither of them could die. That was total win.

Hokay, back to work.

Commander Kip
"You shoot like an American!"
Normal is overrated!

recycling on steroids

Apparently, at the City Museum, they have a thing for goats. Personally, I want to know where they found those giant GEARS - so not fair. This rooftop section is brand new and quite shiny.

Eels.

View from one of the spires.

YAY MEDIEVAL WINDOWS.

Giant praying mantis.

In the famous rooftop school bus.

There it is from the outside.

And from a higher deck.

And there's the other part of outdoor structure down below. I love the castle tower.

The clock in the foyer. Inside the bird's nest, peeking out at the hollow whale.

Some weird swirly thing.

Plain awesomesause.

Caves made of win.

Crazy stuff, right? Gaw, I love that place. I want to live there.

Um, also, I watched Hellboy the other night because I couldn't get League of Extraordinary Gentlemen on Netflix's playnow, and I actually liked it. A lot. Especially the quips, gaah, the quips. It was awesome. Abe Sapien makes my day, with his rotten eggs and his mind powahs. I mean, googly monsters and breaking glass and massive explosions and undead gas-masked Nazi ninjas and blood everywhere, what do you want from me? Can't wait to see Hellboy 2.

I started writing the last chapter of my novel, but I have no idea when I'll be able to sit down and finish the darn thing. I'm so close to actually completing this novel, you guys, it's making me crazy. But then there's this whole stupid SCHOOl thing going on, so I'll just plug away and do my best. I love chamber choir, by the way - the music is the best ever (Italian madrigals are mythic win) and it's so cool to sing with people who know what they're doing and pay attention in class. And some of the chords in this contemporary piece we're doing always make me bounce around and squee and flail like a crazy person. I've gotten some pretty weird looks from the basses, who sit right across the circle from me. I'm seated as the lowest alto in Chambers, by the way! *glee*

Not completely buried in homework YET, but I don't expect that to last. *braces self* I got a perfect score on that heinous summer English assignment though, which made me pretty happy, since I, y'know, spent my summer on it.

And I got to see Cairi the other day!!!! Which was awesome, and apparently she's into steampunk now, which is even awesomer. And she's seen some Firefly and is swiftly becoming a browncoat; awesomer-er.

I discovered this thing called the League of S.T.E.A.M., and it's like Ghostbusters except brassy-er, and it's pretty freaking cool cuz all their gadgets actually function on steam power. O.o

http://leagueofsteam.com/

I love the domesticated zombie manservant. He cracks me up.

Oh yeah, I got to wear my false moustache in English the other day for a skit we did about Aldous Huxley. It was fabulous. I feel so British when I wear that mustache.

Commander Kip

"Why do I do this again?" "Rotten eggs and the future of human existence?" "Ah."

Normal is overrated!

*quivers*

I have to go back to that nefarious prison called PUBLIC SCHOOL tomorrow, when I would rather be flopsying about in my pajamas and fondling my weapons. Just saying. Gah, or cleaning my room. That has to happen sometime.

Here's one of the little thingies I finally scanned. Haven't drawn Raven in a while, and it shows cuz I forgot the peak in the front of her hood! *massive horrified gasp*

Book club was a great pile of win. It's fun to talk about Mistborn with people who have actually read it, instead of ranting about it to people who don't necessarily care. My mom (!!) can't wait to read the next book. I am therefore happified.

Also, I got new combat boots. *DEAFENING SQUEE* I have decided that I shall never be without them again. Ever. In my life. I shall be buried in combat boots. Or cremated, or whatever. Prolly cremated. I can't stand the idea of getting all maggoty underground, personally.

I have also decided that I will most likely be River Tam for Halloween, because now I have boots, and she is a fantastic ninja, and I dress like her most of the time anyway. The only change I would have to make to turn it into a costume would be to add a weapon (handgun, scimitar, battleaxe, ballpoint pen, whatever) and get my hair all wet and stringy, and run around killing people with my brain. Shouldn't be too difficult. I told my brother he should be Simon Tam and wear a nice vest and shirtsleeves and those frightening red glasses from the pilot episode. And brandish a scalpel, or something. Even though Simon doesn't actually brandish his scalpels. Whatever.

The other thing I have decided is that I would like to work at the KC Rennaisance Festival this year, because I can't very well do it in college, so this is kind of my last chance. I've always wanted to work there. Still trying to talk mi madre into it. Fingers crossed for that one.

Oh, have y'all heard this? Cuz it's awesome. My brother showed me it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AEU5pBxY6E

Commander Kip
"Sarge?" "Huh?" "I think I'm nekkid!"
Normal is overrated!

when will you leave me?

SPOILER for Brandon Sanderson's novel, Mistborn. If you're planning to read it, or haven't finished it yet, don't look at this post right now, kay?

*******************

OMG that part made me cry. Particularly because, having read the book more than once, the foreshadowing hit me twice as hard. This is the part when Vin and Kelsier have their little chat on the roof and Vin is bemoaning her boy problems. In her underwear. It's funny how comfortable she is running around in her underwear. I think she's actually supposed to have a cloak around her shoulders in this scene, but I couldn't get it to work, so I left it out. Also, swirly mist is really hard to draw. And I know the perspective on those rooftops is completely wonky, but we're going to ignore that now.

Gah, Kelsier! Don't do it, you boob! *chokes back sob* What really kills me is that he was planning it the whole time. I mean, yeah, it was plan B, but I think once he realized the Eleventh Metal wasn't going to work, he should have come up with a different Plan A that didn't involve getting himself stabbed with a spear. Augh!

In other news, I only have one episode of Firefly left! Which is sad, because then there aren't any more. Heart of Gold made me cry. GAAH, SO SAD. C'mon, Inara, don't do that. *smacks her a little* And last night, I watched Inception again, which also made me cry. Wow, everything makes me cry lately. No, but seriously, that scene where Cobb's wife kills herself always makes me cry. So does the end, because his children are so painfully adorable, and it just sucks to know that maybe they're NOT REAL.

Kay, I'll just stop getting you all depressed now. God knows I have better things to be doing, like going to book club, for example. We're doing Mistborn today! *squee*

Commander Kip
Oh my God, it's grotesque! Oh, look, something in a jar.
Normal is overrated!

scrambling

to get everything done and together and shiny before school starts on Tuesday. Can you believe that, people? That's the sixteenth of August. Summer is so completely not over yet. But in any case, I was digging through all the piles of crapses on the floor and came across a few figure sketches from last year that don't totally suck. At least, not totally.

Still haven't scanned those other little things, but I doubt I'll get around to that anytime soon. First I gotta excavate my floor. I know it's somewhere... down there... under all those piles of miscellaneous whatever.

Oh, but I'm reading Ender's Game right now, and it is freaking fabulous. I made the mistake of reading several crappy science fiction books all in a row, and getting kind of meh'd out over the whole genre: The Starry Rift, which was an anthology and not too terribly meh, there were a coupla cool things in there; Hex, which was one of the worst things I'd read in a while, what with all the "unhesitatingly" and so on; The Iron Thorn, which was sort of steampunk, sort of whiny gothic fantasy, all pretty weird... anyway, Ender's Game is eating my brain at the moment. Along with Firefly, of which I still need to find time to watch the last two episodes. I am so terribly saddened that there are only two more. Weep, or I will eat you.

Commander Kip

"It's a cow fetus." "Are you sure? It has an awful lotta limbs..." "It's mutated." "... I still don't see it." "It's upside down." *tilts head and torso sideways* "Yep. Cow."

Normal is overrated!

Fable says argh

See?

I did a page of sketches from the Showdown, but only about half of them didn't suck. There's poor blinded Nath.

Found this in my mathbook from the beginning of the year. Nath looking nothing like himself.

And there he is again, from when I was frustrated with my history homework and felt the need to take it out on someone.

And I'd conveniently forgotten about this - drawn on the back of a handout in class, I think - because there are some horrendous problems with it, but anyway, it's the blacksmith from Erimon Hill, who wil hopefully show up more often in the rewrite. Cuz he's pretty dang cool, and stuff. I mean, lookit that scar!

And here is a nice portrait of Russel Evony and Thomas Derringer in their shiny new army gear with their hair all lopped off. Actually, Thomas was the only one who got his hair lopped off; Russel's was like that already. Hmm, what's that you say about historical accuracy? Oh, there isn't any here? Why that's right, there isn't. I absolutely did not bother to look up American army uniforms during the Vietnam War. (As an aside, Thomas looks weird. I need his hair to grow back immediately.)

Um, this is kind of random. It was a thumbnail sketch for that bee project I showed you back at Thanksgiving, and it got buried in a pile somewhere, and then I dug it up.

And I can't remember whether I showed you this or not. Eye practice.

Sometime during the school year, I went through a phase where everything I drew had an improbable ski-slope of a nose.

Also, I only draw profiles from one side.

Psh, I dunno.

Ohai, remember this? I sorta colored it a little. I could do more with it, but I prolly won't. Gah, I hate my color pencil work.

Speaking of, here's another I'm attempting to color. Guess I have a thing for crazy sunsets. Remember Tajadeo, you guys?

Look, there he is again, only he appears to be bleeding this time, and his legs are terribly deformed because Kipin wasn't trying very hard.

Here's a slightly older Hickory Fain, because he's crazy and I love him.

And we'll end with some kissing, because I say so. Despite that heinous mess of a hand. It's Proffessor Biddle, remember him? And his pretty young wife who doesn't have a name yet. And I drew it in PEN. Gawsp!

That's it for the time being - I have a few little things to scan. Just little ones.

BUT, I do have a few pictures from the City Museum in St. Lois, and it might be fun to do a post on that. I had pics from Chicago, and then I brilliantly deleted them all because I repel technology. *raaaage*

Oh, also, I'm watching Firefly right now. All the episodes. In order. AND IT IS SO SO EPIC I DON'T EVEN GAAAH. So epic. Also, I can kill you with my brain.

And I'm drawing some more Mistborn fanart, but whether I can actually finish it remains to be seen.

Later, y'all.

Commander Kip

"Now wait a minute, preacher, don't the Bible have some pretty specific things to say about killin'?" "Yes, very specific. It's quite a bit fuzzier on the subject of... kneecaps."

Normal is overrated!