The Kingdom of Tokavsk, Session 27: A Note from the Editors

Alias Leave a comment

There is an extensive gap in our knowledge and the information we were able to gather at this point. However, using context cluse, we pieced together a rough timeline of what happened over the course of the second month of the investigation.


1. A man by the name of Boris Zhaven confessed to providing false information. His reason for doing so is unknown.

2. Lord Eskyil is removed from his position as advisor to the King. However, he remains on castle grounds in isolation.

3. A battle on the border of Tokavsk and Arkia results in heavy Tokavskan losses.

4. A small fire destroys part of the records pertaining to the investigation. The fire is put out quickly and no one is injured.

The final event is the most important, as it hampered both the investigation and our work. However, we believe we have sufficiently accounted for that gap through independent research as part of the agreement we have with Tokavsk and Your Majesty. The next few parts contain information we acquired directly with the help of an interpreter, and while we acknowledge that the verity of what we were told is uncertain, the conclusion reached at the end of our time in Tokavsk supports the facts we were given. Additionally, we dealt with the individual who attempted to interfere with our work and adjusted our report accordingly. We have drafted a shorter report on that matter than need not be mentioned here again.

Capturing Campus: January

EKArts Leave a comment

Beautiful
smoke stacking into stairs
billowing between the sun and the earth
star-bound and suffocating
with burning in the backs of throats
and tears in the eyes
not from memory or sunken phrases
but from particulates
and particular toxins
that stack so subtly
borrowing blue air
in an innocent display
that isn’t so innocent
the longer you linger
in the space between the sun and the earth
compelled to watch
the world dissolve
your body erode
in the beauty of it all

Smoke stacks on the University of Michigan campus.

Industrious Illustrating #54 – Progress Pictures

Robin Leave a comment

This week’s column is a day late because I’ve been tabling at Isshocon, a new 3-day anime convention located near us in Novi Michigan! So far it’s been going fairly well considering that it only has fewer than two thousand attendees — I’ve made more money than at Motor City Comic Con Fall for a much less expensive table, though my work is much better geared to anime conventions. Here’s a picture of my table:

The main topic of this week’s column is going over some work-in-progress pictures from my recent drawings, which has been on my mind because the application for Fanime Con (a large anime convention that happens in San Jose, CA on Memorial Day weekend) required a signed work-in-progress picture to weed out AI “artists” and art thieves. I’m in a group chat with a bunch of other artists who sell at conventions and seeing everyone else’s progress pictures was really interesting for seeing how other artists work. I won’t use the work-in-progress images I used for my Fanime application to keep it private, so I’ll instead go over a chibi mecha design I drew last year with WIP screenshots I took during the process.

My typical digital working process starts with “blocking” out the drawing as a color sketch, working more on getting the general idea down rather than having perfect proportions or coloring.

As I work on this base colors sketch, I freely use the lasso tool and eraser to resize and edit parts I don’t like in addition to working more with the default oil paint brush tool I use for my work.

Once I have a baseline I’m happy with, I start doing lineart from the top to the bottom on another layer, working more on the rendering and polish as the lineart solidifies what I want the drawing to look like.

Compare with my finished drawing:

Would you guys like to see me do more breakdowns/work-in-progress sequences of my drawings in the future? I’d love to know if you do!

Fiber Fridays #7: Applique (Sewing)

rissaw Leave a comment

Hello everyone,

I am taking a fiber sculpture class, and I had no idea what I was getting myself in for. Why did I assume I would be hand sewing or crocheting different sculptures I would come up with? Turns out it’s a sewing course. (I was freaking out!!) I know how to sew from a pre-college fashion sewing course I took at Academy of Art University in San Francisco during high school. (Although, not very well, and not on the monstrous sewing machines they have at Stamps.) I was still worried. Never have I had to sew for an actual college course and I had no idea what that entailed. I have learned that it is fast paced, and high expectations are set. I find that to be a really great motivator for me and enjoy how quickly we are making things.

This week through that course I learned how to sew patches onto fabric. Listen, I know they aren’t very good, but it was my first try! I had a lot of fun trying them out and that is what matters. I had about 30 minutes to complete all three examples. I cut all of the shapes that I wanted out of different colors of scrap fabric. I thought flowers would be a cute and somewhat challenging shape to do so I went for it.

See you next fiber friday!

-Marissa

A Younger Simon

Micey Leave a comment

Here’s a younger, college-era Simon Kuai. His modern design is the one lounging on top of the image. His milder design and hair show he’s experimenting with fashion but not settling on anything yet. I wanted to get across the idea that he’s a dandy with refined tastes, but also kind of trashy, hence the open chest and puka shell necklace. I imagine those clothes are expensive, and that Simon’s growing his hair out. There’s also another kiss scene!